Top 5 Apple TV+ Shows To Binge During Upcoming Free Weekend Access
Once upon a time, cutting the cord could equate to major savings compared to traditional cable and satellite TV packages. That is no longer necessarily the case these days thanks to a combination of market saturation and persistent price increases. However, you can still save money by being strategic and subscribing to one or just a few services at a time. If you've been considering adding Apple TV+ to your rotation—and you should—next week is the time to do it. That's because Apple is ringing in the new year by offering up a free weekend of Apple TV+.
The free access period runs from Friday, January 3 through Sunday, January 5. It will be freely accessible during the first weekend of 2025 on any device where Apple TV+ is available. The only caveat, if you want to call it that, is you need an Apple ID to participate (that's free too).
Once you're all set up to, what you should watch? There is only so much time in a weekend, but I can say that Apple TV+ is home a lot of great original series. As such, I've compiled a list of some of my favorite TV shows. The list is limited to shows I've actually watched, but give the overall quality of content, don't be afraid to venture off on your own if you see something that catches your eye. In the meantime, let's get started.
For All Mankind
If you're a space nerd (and I mean that affectionately), then "For All Mankind" is a MUST-WATCH. Even if you're not, this is an engrossing series that spans four seasons and dozens of episodes. You're not likely to binge all four seasons in a single weekend (technically there's enough time), but it won't take long to get hooked, which is obviously what Apple is hoping for. That's okay, because it's a win-win scenario.
The series essentially poses a 'what-if' scenario, where it follows an ongoing space race after a Soviet cosmonaut becomes the first person to set foot on the Moon in 1969. Obviously this doesn't sit well with NASA. There's a lot that happens over the course of four seasons, with the space race eventually shifting to Mars. It's a fun alternate timeline to explore and I highly recommend checking it out.
Presumed Innocent
One that you can realistically finish in a free weekend is "Presumed Innocent" starring Jake Gyllenhaaul as Rusty Sabich and Ruth Negga as his wife Barbara Sabich. There's just a single season spanning eight episodes, and the story arc comes to completion so you're not left hanging for a subsequent season. That said, it's been renewed for a second season, but it will feature a different story entirely.
Based on a same-name novel written by Scott Turow, "Presumed Innocent" centers around a prosecutor who becomes the main suspect in a murder of a fellow prosecutor after it's discovered that the two were having an affair while working together. Did he do it? Was he framed? These and other questions will keep you guessing until the very end. Gyllenhaaul's performance is top-notch here, as is the supporting cast.
Ted Lasso
Look, I'm not a soccer fan and I refuse to call it football or fútbol, sorry not sorry. I am, however, a big fan of sports in general. To my surprise, "Ted Lasso" scratched that itch to a much more satisfying degree than I expected. It's charming, comical, a little bit corny, and often understated in its wit. It's also hugely popular, with Apple TV+ having released three seasons and 34 episodes so far.
Jason Sudeikis is the star of the show, but the large cast from top to bottom is equally worthy of praise. Why do I find it so appealing, though? Partially because I find it easy to identify with Lasso, a college football coach who takes on the task of coaching an English soccer team. He knows nothing about the sport and is out of place, including culturally, which opens the door to a lot of fun and heartwarming scenarios. Put this one on your short list.
Severance
Optimists like to say that if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life. Sounds great in theory, but until there's a job listing with a high paying offer to drink, gamble, play video games, and dine at fine restaurants, work is still work (and for the record, I do enjoy my job, just not as much as those things). But what if you could undergo a medical procedure where your after-work self has no memory of your work day?
Sounds great, except for the part of your brain that is severed from the outside world and is doomed to only remember being at work. For that part of your brain, it can quickly become a monotonous living hell. It's also the premise of "Severance" starring Adam Scott, who plays the part of department chief with aplomb. Mysteries abound, as do some high profile co-stars, including Patricia Arquette and John Turturro.
There's only a single season with nine episodes so far, with a second season slated to begin on January 17. Watch this and then feel better about your own job, whatever that might be.
Palm Royale
Rounding out the top five picks is "Palm Royale," and part of the reason I'm including it here is because it's another series that only spans a single season (10 episodes) so far, which means you can realistically binge it over the course of a weekend. That's not the only reason, though.
The other reason is because I hadn't realized I was such a fan of Kristen Wiig until this series. Sure, I've seen her on "Saturday Night Live" and the occasional flick, but nothing that really stood out. Until now. Sometimes the casting department nails it, and this is one of those times. Which is obviously also a huge credit to Wiig and her performance as the lead.
Wiig plays the part of Maxine Dellacorte-Simmons, who desperately (and hilariously) is trying to fit it with the highfalutin crowd of Palm Royale, a snobbish country club for wealthy folks in Palm Beach set in 1969. It sounds like a thin premise, because it is, but the writers manage to flesh out the story with plenty of drama and comedic bits.
While the story wraps up rather neatly by the end of the tenth episode, it has been renewed for a second season.
Some honorable mentions:
Remember, these selections are based on shows I've watched to completion. I'm also continuing to explore what Apple TV+ has to offer. Also, Apple typically bundles three free months of Apple TV+ with most product purchases, including its Apple TV set-top box (in case you need one).
