Is new Apple TV service worth your time, money?
You know Apple as the maker of iPhones and iPads. But did you know that it’s now creating TV shows?
On Friday, the Cupertino-based tech giant will launch its highly anticipated subscription service with a handful of original series. Called Apple TV+, it pits CEO Tim Cook and his team against Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney and others in a battle for streaming dominance.
But can a company that has never done this sort of thing before make a real go of it? Will Apple earn your attention — and dollars — at a time when we’re being constantly bombarded with new content?
As extra incentive, Apple TV+ is being offered for price of $4.99 per month (after a seven-day free trial). Also, those who buy a new iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac or Apple TV box will get a free yearlong membership.
And then there’s the star power. The first round of shows include Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell, Jason Mamoa and Alfre Woodard. Set to arrive soon is Oprah Winfrey.
But again, will you want to watch? To help you decide, we’ve sampled the five main Apple TV+ shows that will be available on Day 1 and offer our bite-sized critiques:
“THE MORNING SHOW” >> Aniston, Witherspoon and Carell star in this juicy series that explores the world of daybreak news, along with the bloated egos and ruthless power plays that go with it.
Aniston plays a morning-show host who struggles with the messy fallout after her longtime co-host (Carell) is fired for sexual misconduct (Think Matt Lauer). Enter Witherspoon, chewing up scenery as a fiery local TV reporter who might be ready for the big time.
The series delves into #MeToo issues, ageism and the evils of social media. While the performances resonate, the surprisingly tedious pilot episode could have benefitted from a snappier pace and sharper dialogue. Grade: B
“SEE” >> Everyone, it seems, wants to produce the next “Game of Thrones.“Consider this Apple’s bid for the crown.
Starring Momoa and Woodard, “See” is a fantasy saga set 600 years in the future after a vicious virus has wiped out most of the Earth’s population. Those who survived are now blind. Without the sense of sight, humans have adapted, but some things never change: People remain power hungry.
“See” has an epic feel to it, with big-budget production values, visual dazzle and cardio-intensive battle scenes. Of the latter, it’s fun to watch the imaginative ways war is waged between rivals who can’t view each other. Grade: B
“DICKINSON” >> This dark comedy — yes, it’s a comedy — about the early life of fabled poet and iconoclast Emily Dickinson is like a CW show, only smarter.
Hailee Steinfeld is a real live wire in the title role. And though the series is set in the 1800s, it contains modern language, contemporary music (Billie Eilish!) and fantasy sequences (rapper Wiz Khalifa as the Grim Reaper!).
“Dickinson” is clever and crazy in the right proportions as it explores the constraints of society, gender and family through the eyes of a rebellious woman who was widely misunderstood in her time. Grade: A
“FOR ALL MANKIND” >> A giant newspaper headline blares “RED MOON.” Richard Nixon fumes in the White House. NASA astronauts drown their sorrows in a dive bar.
This smartly crafted alternative history series imagines what would have happened if the Soviets had beaten the U.S. to the moon. And it raises questions: Would the global space race have continued? Might Mars be a vacation destination by now? Is making good drama rocket science? Grade: B
“THE ELEPHANT QUEEN” >> Thanks to gorgeous, highdefinition cinematography and technical wizardry, wildlife documentaries have become all the rage. This one follows a regal beast named Athena as she leads her elephant herd across an unforgiving African landscape in a struggle for survival.
The film certainly is a wonder to behold. But it also feels very familiar in some ways and the urge to turn the animals into cute, Disney-like cartoon characters results in some eye-rolling moments. Kids will love it, though. Grade: C+
In addition to the above titles, Apple TV+ will be debuting three children’s shows Friday. They are: “Helpsters,” a series from the makers of “Sesame Street,” “Snoopy in Space” and “Ghostwriter.” The latter follows four kids who are brought together by a mysterious ghost in a neighborhood bookstore and must team up to release fictional characters from works of literature.
Apple also will be releasing more series in the coming weeks. Among them are “Truth Be Told,” a crime series set in the Bay Area starring Octavia Spencer and Aaron Paul, and “Servant,” a psychological thriller from M. Night Shyamalan. Oprah’s new bookclub series is also on its way.