As the season finale of the triumphant Apple TV+ original Severance released yesterday on March 20, I’ve been reflecting on my tumultuous relationship with the streaming platform. When Apple TV+ first dropped in Nov. 2019 with a price tag of $5.99 a month — now $9.99 — I honestly had no idea and was too busy caring about the launch of Disney+ that same year. Turns out I wasn’t the only one since they debuted with 10 million subscribers in the first year as opposed to the 73.7 million Disney+ amassed (ouch).
Sure, streaming platforms have become the single most efficient and popular way to consume movies and TV shows; it all made sense when it was just Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and even the recent Paramount+. We should have known it would be so over when Amazon, the e-commerce company, decided they wanted in on the goldmine of streaming service subscriptions. And now, we’ve somehow lost the plot and ended up with over 200+ streaming services worldwide. I bring this up to beg the question I asked myself when I first saw that Apple TV+ app automatically download on my iPhone…
“Why the hell does Apple keep automatically downloading random shit on my phone when they already know my storage is full?!”
Oops, wrong question… but seriously, I wondered: Why did Apple — the tech company whose only involvement in streaming is iTunes — want to make original content? Let’s be real, Apple does not need more money, they didn’t need to make a streaming platform to improve or maintain their business model. What makes them different from the 200+ others already saturating the market?
Apple TV+’s philosophy runs purely on quality — much like their philosophy with their tech. Apple sells on the idea of daily/easy access luxury, and they spared no expense in achieving that luxury in their original content, investing an alleged $20 billion in movies and TV shows. I would argue that Apple TV+ is budgeting done right — they somehow managed to properly invest in the most creative, well-made, and thoughtful content and maintain quality-centric goals throughout its six year lifetime as a growing platform. They brought the best actors, best writers and best equipment to make crisp, aesthetically pleasing critically acclaimed content. However, they did forget to invest in a good marketing team…
You can count on Apple TV + to keep it classy, no trashy reality TV in sight (although who doesn’t love a good Love Island every once in a while). The heart and soul of the platform lies in its episodic TV shows and they have a show for pretty much any genre. Their high-budget productions thrive in drama, crime, thriller and comedy genres creating top notch shows like Prime Target, Severance and Ted Lasso.
So if Apple TV+ is so great and makes quality content, why is it so hard to find someone that’s actually watched the shows it's put out? This was my issue with Apple TV+, no one was talking about it so I just assumed the content looked good but ultimately bombed. It’s undeniable that the content they produce is mostly catered towards a specific demographic of middle-aged viewers (45% of viewers are in the 35-54 range), making it unrelatable and unapproachable to a newer, younger audience. It wasn’t until I saw some buzz around the first season of Severance as it was airing that I convinced myself to actually use the service. It wasn’t easy, it felt like I was surrendering to Big Tech or declaring myself a servant of the streaming gods. Luckily for me, my mom had already subscribed to Apple TV+, so it wasn’t too hard to give up my pride. She loved Ted Lasso and The Morning Show, and she was basically my only point of reference for a living human who watched Apple TV+ originals.
Thus my anti-Apple TV+ propaganda came to a close. I put the Disney+ down and loaded up Severance on my new, shiny, crisp subscription service. And the rest is history! I’ve been watching shows almost exclusively on Apple TV+ since. Here are some of my favorites so far:
An Ex-Apple TV+ Hater’s Recommendations to Stop Hating Apple TV+:
- If you’re like me and grew up watching MatPat, you probably grew a knack for theorizing obsessively over video games and TV shows — a favorite among internet theorists, Severance brings forth the fascinating mystery of the Lumon corporation and the severed procedure it offers its employees. Featuring an alarmingly consistent cold corporate color palette, Severance offers impeccable cinematography and thoughtful directing. If you’re looking for a show that’ll make your head hurt — in the best way — look no further than Severance.
- Shrinking is a heartwarming comedy about a therapist who’s trying a new unconventional method to reach breakthroughs with his patients, starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford. This show follows the personal and professional life of therapist Jimmy Laird as he goes back to work after losing his wife — things get complicated when his patient's lives begin to overlap with his own. This show features incredible acting that tugs at your heartstrings and will always leave you with a smile.
- If you’re tired of waiting for Bridgerton Season 4 and are a fan of Little Women (2019), I highly recommend The Buccaneers, following a group of Gilded Age American girls entering the 1870s London debutante scene. The drama grows as a classic love triangle ensues and Nan, the show's protagonist, must choose between her childhood friend, Guy, and a charming duke, Theo.
Although Apple TV+ is pretty much a market flop, I’m glad they went through the trouble of making these insanely high-quality TV shows — and while I cannot force you to pay $9.99 a month for this pretentious streaming service, I can convince you to approach the content with an open mind, you might be surprised!
Happy Severance finale week! Praise Kier.
Paulina Delgado is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at pmd99@cornell.edu
