While Apple TV+ might not have the sheer volume of content found on some competing platforms, it has quietly cultivated a library of exceptional quality. Beyond the flagship series that dominate headlines, there are hidden gems waiting to be discovered—shows that offer unique storytelling, innovative formats, and compelling performances that deserve far more attention than they currently receive.
This weekend presents the perfect opportunity to explore three such underrated Apple TV+ series. Each offers something distinct: from mind-bending psychological thrillers to avant-garde experimental formats and haunting supernatural mysteries. These shows demonstrate the platform’s commitment to creative risk-taking and artistic vision.
Counterpoint (2017)
The brilliance of “Counterpoint” lies in its masterful dual performance by J.K. Simmons, who portrays two versions of the same man: Howard Silk from our timeline and his counterpart from a parallel Earth that diverged from ours in 1987. One Howard has spent three decades in a mundane UN bureaucratic role in Berlin, while the other navigates a vastly different world shaped by alternate historical developments.
What makes this series exceptional is how Simmons distinguishes each character not just through subtle vocal changes or mannerisms, but through fundamentally different worldviews and life experiences. The parallel Earth setting serves as more than just a sci-fi gimmick—it becomes a lens through which the show examines how small historical changes can create vastly different societies, all while wrapped in the sophisticated trappings of Cold War espionage thriller.
The Berlin setting is pitch-perfect, with its atmosphere of suspicion, hidden agendas, and the constant question of loyalty that defined the era. “Counterpoint” rewards patient viewers with a sophisticated exploration of identity, choice, and the paths not taken in our lives.
Calls (2021)
“Calls” represents one of the most innovative approaches to storytelling in recent television history. By completely removing the visual component and presenting the narrative exclusively through audio—specifically, a series of phone conversations—the show forces audiences to engage their imagination in ways few other series dare to attempt.
Each of the nine short episodes presents a different phone call between strangers as inexplicable events begin to unravel reality around them. The absence of visuals becomes the show’s greatest strength: what your mind creates in response to the dialogue, sound design, and musical score is often far more terrifying and personal than any explicit visual could ever be.
The stacked vocal talent—featuring Pedro Pascal, Aubrey Plaza, Lily Collins, Rosario Dawson, and others—delivers performances that rely solely on vocal nuance to convey fear, confusion, determination, and horror. Director Fede Álvarez (“Don’t Breathe,” “Evil Dead”) understands that true horror often lives in the space between what is said and what is implied, making “Calls” a masterclass in auditory storytelling.
Shining Girls (2022)
Based on Lauren Beukes’s acclaimed novel, “Shining Girls” follows Kirby Mazrachi, an archivist at the Chicago Sun-Times attempting to rebuild her life after surviving a brutal assault. What makes her recovery extraordinarily complex is that her perception of reality itself begins to fracture and shift in ways that only she can perceive.
Elisabeth Moss delivers a career-defining performance as Kirby, capturing the character’s oscillation between determination and despair, clarity and confusion, as she navigates a world where her apartment might suddenly contain a dog instead of a cat, her marital status could change overnight, and familiar landmarks shift position when she isn’t looking.
The show uses its reality-bending premise not as a mere gimmick, but as a metaphor for how trauma can distort one’s sense of self and place in the world. Jamie Bell’s quietly menacing performance as the potential perpetrator adds another layer of psychological tension to this deliberate, disorienting narrative that demands active viewer engagement.
Together, these three series showcase Apple TV+ at its most adventurous—willing to experiment with form, challenge audience expectations, and trust viewers to piece together complex narratives. They may not have the marketing muscle of the platform’s flagship offerings, but in terms of creative ambition and execution, they rank among the very best of what streaming television has to offer.
