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- Apple TV+’s TV Content Is Top-Notch
- Apple TV+ Broke Records With Movies
- Pricing Plan and Structure Is Simple and Affordable
As a long-time subscriber of multiple streaming platforms and someone who has spent countless hours navigating through complex tiers, offline viewing options, and commercial breaks, I must say that Apple TV+ stands out as a breath of fresh air. Having been burned by unexpected price hikes and limited content on basic plans, the simplicity and affordability of Apple TV+ are truly refreshing.
The realm of streaming continues to broaden, featuring prominent players such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and more recently, Apple TV+. Apple entered this scene relatively late in 2019, placing emphasis on original content from the get-go. Among their initial offerings were series like “For All Mankind,” “The Morning Show,” and “See,” along with the film “Hala.
Ever since then, Apple has consistently provided a variety of high-quality TV shows and movies for viewing. As reported by MacDailyNews, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have amassed an impressive total of 511 awards and a staggering 2,308 nominations. This places Apple TV+ among the top tier of streaming services, with many arguing that it is arguably the best. There’s a solid case to be made for this claim.
Apple TV+’s TV Content Is Top-Notch
In the realm of streaming service television content, quality often trumps quantity when it comes to Apple TV+. Although their collection may not be as extensive as their competitors’, nearly every series they offer is top-notch. Shows like “For All Mankind”, “The Morning Show”, “Severance”, “Slow Horses”, “Black Bird”, “Bad Sisters”, “Silo”, “Lessons in Chemistry”, “Masters of the Air”, “Ted Lasso”, and “Shrinking” have been recognized with numerous awards, including Emmy Awards and Golden Globes. In fact, “Ted Lasso” is widely regarded as one of the most adored comedy dramas of the 2020s. Its first season alone garnered an impressive 20 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, breaking the record for the most nominated first-season comedy in Emmys history.
Apple TV+ has successfully drawn in high-caliber actors for its television shows. For instance, Jake Gyllenhaal is featured in the recently released series “Presumed Innocent,” which has already been greenlit for a second season. Additionally, “The Morning Show” boasts an impressive ensemble cast including Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Steve Carell, and Jon Hamm. The miniseries “Defending Jacob” stars Chris Evans, while “Black Bird” features Taron Egerton.
The trend persists with shows like “Severance”, starring Adam Scott, Christopher Walken, John Turturro, and Patricia Arquette; “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” featuring Samuel L. Jackson; “Slow Horses” graced by Gary Oldman; and “Shining Girls” led by Elisabeth Moss. While some Apple TV+ productions have concluded, many others are still ongoing with new seasons. Most that ended were not actually canceled but rather finished their narratives, as was the case with “Servant”. This stands in sharp contrast to other streaming platforms and traditional networks, which often cancel nearly as many shows after just one season as they introduce.
Indeed, as a devoted cinephile, I can confirm that Apple TV+ has made the tough decision to discontinue some series that didn’t resonate with audiences as much, such as “Shantaram” and “Schmigadoon!”. However, it’s essential to note that this streaming service maintains a strategic approach, consistently refining its content offerings. What truly matters is that they continue to bring back shows that their audience craves the most.
Looking at some highly-acclaimed TV series from the past decade, several Apple TV+ originals have received exceptionally high Rotten Tomatoes critic ratings, with shows like “For All Mankind” (92%), “Severance” (97%), “Ted Lasso” (90%), and “Black Bird” (98%) standing out. This suggests a strong performance for the platform. It’s worth noting that while “Shantaram” might not have been as successful with a 56% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, it still managed a decent audience score of 86%. Interestingly, according to the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, even Apple TV+’s lowest-rated shows are rated above 75%, and only a few fall into this category.
Some new options are already joining the mix, like the black comedy crime drama Bad Monkey starring Vince Vaughn. Halfway through its run, that series already has an impressive 93% rating.
Apple TV+ Broke Records With Movies
Apple TV+ has achieved similar success in the movie domain as well. The critically acclaimed film CODA, a heartfelt blend of comedy and drama that follows the journey of a young person from a deaf family (Child of Deaf Adults, or CODA) who struggles to reconcile her familial duties with her personal ambitions, shattered records. Remarkably, CODA became the first film distributed by a streaming platform to be awarded Best Picture. Moreover, it was the seventh film in history to win every category for which it was nominated, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur.
Apart from its 2021 blockbuster movie, Apple TV+ hasn’t slowed down. It continues to deliver big-screen hits like the historical action thriller, Emancipation, starring Will Smith and set in the 1860s, and Spirited, a potential Christmas classic featuring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, both being Apple TV+ projects.
Let’s not forget that the 2024 Academy Award darling film from Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon, is also an Apple Original film. That movie, which stars Leonardo Dicaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone, earned 10 Academy Award nominations, and Gladstone won for Best Actress.
Apart from these Academy-honored films on Apple TV+, you’ll also find an array of engaging documentaries such as “Beastie Boys Story,” “Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You,” “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry,” “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me,” and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” that are definitely worth watching.
Apple has its finger on the pulse of what fans want. While there isn’t a lengthy list of options that pop up when browsing through the streamer, chances are most people go to Apple TV+ because they already know what they want to watch. It’s refreshing to have fewer quality options versus an exhaustive list that requires cutting through a lot of noise. It’s worth noting that Apple offers many co-productions alongside studios like Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Releasing, and Warner Bros. Pictures, offering the best of both worlds. But the selection is curated. Subscribers would be hard-pressed to find something that isn’t worth watching.
Pricing Plan and Structure Is Simple and Affordable
When it comes down to the nitty-gritty of a streaming service, it’s not just about what’s available but also cost and value. So many other streaming services have convoluted options. There’s a tiered system that includes different picture quality options, from standard definition up to 4K, with Dolby Atmos immersive audio. There are tiers that allow for offline downloads and ones that don’t. Some allow for viewing on multiple screens at the same time, increasing in number as you get to the premium tier.
In summary, some service packages provide multiple benefits at reduced prices, offering a compelling deal. However, issues such as secondary home subscriptions aimed at curbing password sharing and recurring price hikes might cause frustration. To add to this, services like Prime Video demand an extra charge for ad-free viewing, while Netflix provides a lower-priced basic subscription, but it may lack certain desired content.
Apple TV+ stands out as the service with the least variety of access options, which could be a disadvantage. It’s only compatible with certain devices and doesn’t offer offline viewing. Furthermore, there are no different pricing tiers, but every subscriber pays the same price for premium video and audio quality from the start. The subscription is free of advertisements, confusing tiers, and offers smooth access when using appropriate equipment. A monthly subscription to Apple TV+ costs $9.99, and new subscribers receive a seven-day trial period. This is significantly cheaper than the highest-priced plans offered by most competing streaming services. If you purchase a new Apple product, such as an iPhone or Apple Watch, you may even qualify for a longer free trial, providing up to several months of service for free.
You can also bundle Apple TV+ with other Apple services by subscribing to an Apple One package. The prices for these packages vary from $25.95 to $37.95 per month, depending on the number of family members who will have access. Additional services like Apple Music, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Apple News+, and Apple Fitness+ are included in the package. If you’re already considering these services, taking advantage of the savings by bundling them together is an added benefit.
After registering, users are granted full access to all the programming provided by Apple TV+. However, it’s important to note that this service is exclusively for Apple devices. Yet, many smart TVs include the Apple TV+ app as a pre-installed feature or offer it for download. Similarly, streaming devices such as media players and streaming sticks provide access to Apple TV+. Additionally, the platform can be accessed through gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox. Furthermore, the app syncs with an iTunes account, allowing users to view their previously purchased content, including rentals. Recently, Apple TV+ has expanded its offerings to include live sports, such as regular MLB season games, highlights, expert analysis, classic games, and baseball-themed sports documentaries.
Regarding value, high-quality content, and user-friendly experience, no other streaming service surpasses Apple TV+. More options aren’t necessarily superior. While many individuals subscribe to two, three, or even more streaming platforms for variety and access to exclusive shows and films, Apple TV+ is also a worthwhile addition. From a quality standpoint, it offers content that appeals to diverse tastes.
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2024-09-15 21:02