Say hello to more hours of binge watching series with Apple TV+. It recently joined the digital competition in housing original shows and movies that you can rent or buy. With that, let the streaming wars commence with Amazon, Netflix and Hulu as emerging players: Apple TV+ and Disney+ enter the market.
For those of you who aren’t necessarily technologically up to date, Apple TV+ streams shows and movies on the Internet (sounds familiar, right?).
If you’ve been an avid follower of fictional TV shows, there is no reason to stop now. Switch on your laptop and head to the Apple TV website or download the Apple TV App that is available on iPhones and iPads. This is not to say that non-Apple users are excluded from the fun because a couple of other electronic devices do have access.
On that note, 925 is here to provide you with a list of what might be interesting, educational and beneficial enough to start watching on Apple TV+. We know it’s tempting to binge watch every single available show but let’s prioritize special ones to start with.
1. Looking for something dramatic and unrealistic?
Imagine if sight was a myth?
Imagine the Earth centuries later as a place where ‘sight’ is not the norm. The tv series See takes place in a post-apocalyptic, futuristic world where humans have lost the ability to see. In fact, vision is a myth.
Because of its genre, things are suddenly turned around with the birth of twins who can see. Some see this as a threat and some see it as the beginning of a new kind of knowledge and here is where the drama takes off.
Although the story-line is arguably enough to interest people, the series was directed by Francis Lawrence. He also happened to direct The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Mockingjay parts 1 and 2. So you can definitely expect mind-blowing cinematography and heightened tension keeping you at the edge of your seat.
2. Looking for something light and comedic?
Get to see Emily Dickinson in a new light
This is about Emily Dickinson. Wait, don’t go anywhere. This is not your stereotypical 19th century novel turned into a series for your high school English Literature teachers. Although Dickinson’s poetry portrayed life as miserable and isolated, the TV series Dickinson does not set that image.
In a coming of age story about Dickinson’s life, this comedy story takes place in the 19th century with a modern twist. Dickinson is your typical rebel, young adult who wants to become the world’s best poet and a writer.
From the get go, you see tension between what her family wants her to be: a ‘proper’ 19th century, submissive lady and what she wants to be: a rebellious poet.
3. Looking for something political and feminist?
In another dimension, USSR puts the first man on the moon
This might not be everyone’s cup of tea but political films often open our minds to the bigger scheme of things in the world. For All Mankind is a ‘what if’ look into the space race.
The global space race was between the former Soviet Union (USSR) and the United States of America. In reality, the USA succeeded in sending a man on the moon first. The series explores what would have happened if the USSR beat them to it. This paves the way for the feminist angle explored.
Instead of NASA wanting to send a man to the moon, they are determined to become first in sending a woman to the moon. Considering that the show is set at a time and place (the Cold War) where women were not necessarily in the workforce, a female becoming an astronaut is a pretty big deal.
4. Looking for something special?
What’s the fine line between who you are and who you are expected to be?
After seeing Hala‘s trailer, it hit home in very specific ways. The film follows the life of a 17-year-old Pakistani-American who struggles with her identity, what she wants for herself, what her culture dictates and what her family wants.
Third culture kids find difficulty in establishing a balance between their own culture and the culture they live in. There is always a sense of fear parents feel when their kids are not brought up in the same place they were. Think of an Egyptian family living abroad trying to teach their kids from very early on about Eid. It’s difficult, right?
In the case of Hala, she obviously does not live in Pakistan and so, she is exposed to a whole other Westernized scene. This scene, although interesting to her, is something her parents don’t want her impacted by. The story may be simple but its coming of age tone is easy relatable.
5. Looking for something to occupy your kids?
Ready to go on an adventure with a ghost?
Although Ghostwriter is a remake of the 90s Ghostwriter TV show (90s kids raise your hands!), this new one is its reinvention.
Apple TV+ recommends that it is suitable for anyone above the age of 8, meaning it adheres to its childlike take from the 90s. Just like the original version, a group of four kids team up after a mysterious ghost in the neighborhood’s bookstore brings them together.
Because there is talk of ghosts and supernatural happenings, the special aspects of the show lies in mystery. If you’re looking to get your kids thinking and learning while watching a show, this might be a good option.
