Plenty of TV shows are good enough to recommend, but essential should mean something more. It needs to make the audience feel something long after the credits roll. This is where Apple TV has really proven itself. The streamer’s best originals are unlike anything else on TV, with unique storylines and ambitions. Many of these shows feel like they are redefining modern television in real time.

They are pushing familiar genres in unexpected directions. Apple TV’s confident approach to storytelling makes it easy for viewers to get hooked on the streamer’s offerings. That consistency is exactly what makes choosing just a handful so difficult, but these are the Apple TV shows that feel the most essential to experience at least once.

10

‘Slow Horses’ (2022–Present)

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Slow Horses has practically reinvented the spy genre with a much more grounded approach. The Apple TV series is set in Slough House, where MI5 sends agents who have messed up badly enough to derail their careers but not quite badly enough to be fired. River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) ends up there after a disastrous training exercise and quickly realizes that his new workplace is practically a professional graveyard. The man in charge, Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), is a brilliant former field agent who cares more about drinking than anything else, most of all work. Slow Horses dares to strip espionage of all glamour and show just how badly agents can screw up in the face of impossible stakes.

However, even then, the Slough House crew keeps getting entangled in kidnappings, assassination plots, and intelligence conspiracy theories that only they seem to care about solving. The agents are always caught between actual threats and senior intelligence officials trying to protect their own careers, especially Diana Taverner (Kristin Scott Thomas), whose relationship with Lamb turns almost every investigation into a tense battle happening behind the scenes. This constant friction is where the series really shines. Not to mention that the show never suddenly turns its rejects into capable heroes. The crew constantly makes mistakes, but the fact that they always come together to get to the bottom of things is what makes up the heart of this messy and surprisingly emotional show.

9

‘Ted Lasso’ (2020–Present)

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Ted Lasso became one of Apple TV’s defining shows by turning the idea of a sports drama on its head. The series follows aggressively optimistic American football coach Ted (Jason Sudeikis), who is hired to manage AFC Richmond despite knowing practically nothing about English soccer. That’s not all, though, because he also does not realize that club owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) hired him specifically to fail because destroying Richmond is her way of getting revenge on her ex-husband. Ted responds to all of this in the most Ted Lasso way possible. He wins everyone over with his relentless positivity and an inherent ability to make people care about each other.

All this wholesomeness in the show could have become exhausting very quickly, but Ted Lasso never treats that as a magic fix. Rebecca has to confront what revenge is doing to her, Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) has to grow beyond being an incredibly talented nightmare of a teammate, and Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) has to figure out who he is when football stops being the center of his identity. Even Ted’s endless optimism eventually starts cracking under the weight of his divorce, loneliness, and panic attacks. The show understands that being positive is easy when life is going well. However, doing it when everything hurts is the real challenge. Football is still an important part of the show, but the emotional payoff usually comes from what happens off the pitch. The show strikes the perfect balance between all these elements and is on its way to becoming a modern classic.

8

‘Bad Sisters’ (2022–Present)

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Bad Sisters is one of Apple TV’s most unique offerings. The series revolves around the five Garvey sisters, who have remained extremely close since losing their parents at a young age. That bond is tested when Grace (Anne-Marie Duff) marries John Paul (Claes Bang), an emotionally abusive man who slowly isolates her from the rest of the family. Eva (Sharon Horgan), Ursula (Eva Birthistle), Bibi (Sarah Greene), and Becka (Eve Hewson) all despise him for different reasons, and eventually decide that Grace’s life would be considerably better if John Paul simply stopped being part of it. The interesting part, though, is that the series begins with John Paul already being dead. The real mystery is how it happened. From there, Bad Sisters constantly jumps between the sisters’ increasingly disastrous attempts to get rid of him and the present-day investigation by insurance brothers Thomas (Brian Gleeson) and Matthew Claffin (Daryl McCormack), who desperately need to prove his death was not accidental.

Every failed plan makes things worse, and John Paul somehow finds a new way to become even more unbearable just when it seems impossible to hate him any more. What makes Bad Sisters essential viewing, though, is how perfectly it walks the line between comedy and drama. The show can make the audience laugh at the sisters’ wacky schemes and then, minutes later, remind them why they became desperate enough to consider it in the first place. The Garvey sisters argue and lie to each other, but their connection never feels scripted. That chemistry gives Bad Sisters a personality and purpose that most murder mysteries just ignore. Eventually, the show becomes so much more than just its central mystery, and that’s what keeps the audience hooked.

7

‘Silo’ (2023–Present)

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Silo takes place in a world where most of humanity is dead, the entire world is toxic, and the last survivors live underground in a massive silo with 144 levels. The audience does not know who built this structure or what happened to the world outside because all records from before the uprising were destroyed. The only rule here is that if someone asks to go outside, they may leave, but they can never come back. That mystery only becomes more intriguing when engineer Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) starts investigating a series of deaths and realizes that the official version of life inside the silo might not add up.

The brilliance of Silo is how much tension it creates without constantly showing the audience what is outside. Most of the danger comes from people asking the wrong questions. The viewers experience all this through Juliette’s eyes as she moves through different levels of the silo, uncovers secrets about its history, surveillance systems, and the people responsible for keeping everyone obedient. The deeper she digs, the more this place starts feeling like an incredibly elaborate prison. The show’s incredible production design is also a huge part of why Silo is impossible to stop watching. The spectacle of this isolated world creates intrigue, but the constant sense of paranoia is what drives the story forward.

6

‘For All Mankind’ (2019–2027)

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For All Mankind is essential Apple TV viewing because very few shows have been this ambitious in a long time. The series begins with an alternate-history twist where the Soviet Union beats the United States to the Moon. That single defeat completely rewrites the future as NASA becomes even more aggressive, female astronauts enter the program earlier, lunar bases become permanent, and humanity keeps pushing toward milestones that took much longer in reality. The series follows astronauts including Ed Baldwin (Joel Kinnaman) and Danielle Poole (Krys Marshall), whose careers stretch across decades while space exploration evolves around them.

Now, the smartest thing For All Mankind does is jump forward roughly a decade between seasons. The audience does not just watch people reach space, because the narrative goes above and beyond that. New generations enter the picture, technology evolves, political powers shift, and by For All Mankind Season 5, Mars has its own thriving colony with thousands of residents. The scale of For All Mankind feels unlike almost anything else on TV. The series explores human ambition through massive historical turning points in a way that feels too real.

5

‘Shrinking’ (2023)

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Shrinking is based on a concept that could have gone totally wrong, but somehow, it just keeps getting better. The series follows therapist Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel), who is still grieving the death of his wife. He drinks too much, barely connects with his teenage daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell), and becomes increasingly frustrated with sitting across from patients who keep making the same mistakes. Eventually, Jimmy decides to throw professional boundaries out the window and starts telling his clients exactly what he thinks. He interferes in their relationships, pushes them into uncomfortable decisions, and even brings some of their problems directly into his own life.

His colleague Paul (Harrison Ford) thinks this is an absolutely terrible idea, but Jimmy isn’t one to listen. Of course, that premise means there is room for humor in Shrinking, but the show is just as sentimental as it is unhinged. Paul’s strained relationship with Alive and his dynamic with fellow therapist Gaby (Jessica Williams) gradually turn the show into an ensemble about people who are all trying to move forward while carrying burdens from their past. The series is extremely comfortable in being messy, like most human emotions are. Shrinking is not reinventing television with its premise, but it does make the viewers connect with its characters in a way that feels strangely personal.

4

‘Trying’ (2020)

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Trying is another Apple TV show that doesn’t need a high-stakes hook to be entertaining. The British comedy follows Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall), a couple who desperately want a child but cannot have one biologically. After exhausting their options, they decide to adopt a child, which sends them through interviews, training sessions, evaluations, awkward family conversations, and the constant fear of someone else deciding whether they are good enough to become parents. Trying takes a complex subject and portrays it in a light-hearted tone without ever undermining its emotional, more difficult aspects. Nikki and Jason are chaotic, and maybe even immature.

However, their relationship has an effortless warmth that instantly makes the audience root for them. The adoption process is grueling and frustrating, but the couple is in for a whole new challenge when Trying Season 3 throws them directly into raising Princess and Tyler. Plenty of sitcoms stretch their original premise to the point of exhaustion, but Trying actually evolves and lets its characters move forward. Their family changes, the children grow up, and new problems replace the old ones instead of repeating them. The show is funny, sad, heartwarming, and sentimental in the best of ways. It understands every bit of the effort that goes into building and maintaining a family. That alone makes it worth the watch.

3

‘Mythic Quest’ (2020–2025)

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Mythic Quest is one of the few shows that actually gets video game culture right. The workplace comedy revolves around the team behind Mythic Quest, a successful online role-playing game led by creative director Ian Grimm (Rob McElhenney) and lead engineer Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao). The two work with executive producer David Brittlesbee (David Hornsby), ruthless monetization head Brad Bakshi (Danny Pudi), and an office full of developers, testers, and writers whose careers depend on keeping this increasingly chaotic game alive.

This setup gives Mythic Quest an endless supply of material. The show satirizes expansion packs, streaming, monetization, online communities, creative burnout, and massive egos; all become part of the joke, but never does it to appeal to a certain demographic. The real story of Mythic Quest is about creative ownership as Ian and Poppy’s friendship becomes increasingly complicated in the face of success. The audience doesn’t need to know anything about game development to appreciate that, but anyone who does will immediately relate to the show’s themes of artistic ambition, commercial success, and absolute corporate nonsense.

2

‘Pachinko’ (2022–2024)

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Pachinko explores history through an intimate lens. The series, based on Min Jin Lee’s novel, follows multiple generations of a Korean family, with Sunja (Minha Kim and Youn Yuh-jung) at the center of it all. Sunja grows up in Korea under Japanese occupation and eventually falls for wealthy fish broker Koh Hansu (Lee Min-ho). When she discovers that he is already married, she refuses to become his mistress and instead builds a completely different life with minister Isak (Steve Sanghyun Noh) in Osaka. Decades later, the audience follows older Sunja (Youn Yuh-jung), who watches her grandson Solomon (Jin Ha) chase success in Japan while carrying the weight of a family history he doesn’t fully understand.

What makes Pachinko special is the way it moves across time without ever losing its emotional center. The series constantly places one generation beside another. A sacrifice made by Sunja decades earlier suddenly gives new meaning to the choices Solomon gets to make in the present. That structure turns the family history, poverty, discrimination, and identity into something the audience can actually feel through all these characters. The show’s visual style and its use of Korean, Japanese, and English languages perfectly complement the sweeping scale of its story.

1

‘Severance’ (2022–Present)

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Severance is unlike any other show on air right now, and it has only gotten better with each episode. The sci-fi psychological thriller follows Mark Scout (Adam Scott), an employee at Lumon Industries who has undergone a procedure that completely separates his work memories from his personal life. The version of Mark who enters the office, the innie, has no idea what happens outside, while the version who leaves, the outie, has no memory of the eight hours he just spent working. That arrangement initially feels like the answer to work-life balance, until the audience realizes that for the innie, it means existing inside Lumon forever. That becomes impossible to ignore once Helly R. (Britt Lower) joins Mark, Irving (John Turturro), and Dylan (Zach Cherry) in the Macrodata Refinement department.

Their job involves sorting numbers they do not understand, and incentives include bizarre things like melon bars and finger traps. However, Helly begins questioning what Lumon actually does, and that’s when Lumon’s sterile hallways and strange rules start to feel almost sinister. Severance takes its time to reveal the secrets hiding within Lumon. The show develops its seemingly absurd concept with a confidence that pays off when the puzzle pieces start coming together. The Apple TV original is already one of the defining sci-fi shows of its era with just two seasons, which goes to show how well-received its strange premise and slow-burn mystery have been with audiences.

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Severance

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Release Date

February 17, 2022

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Apple TV

Showrunner

Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman

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As part of Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO Max primarily hosts and streams the company’s shows and movies to subscribers. Viewers can stream new episodes of House of the Dragon or The White Lotus on HBO Max after their linear premiere. The streaming platform also regularly adds new and older movies and TV shows to keep the library diverse. However, HBO Max also has exclusive TV shows and movies made specifically for the platform. It has seen success with shows like Peacemaker, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and Hacks. However, the streamer’s true hit is a 2-season procedural that is gearing up for another season at the beginning of next year.

This series was a hit right out of the gate with critics and viewers alike. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season scored an impressive 94%, and the second was rated even higher at 99%. Warner Bros. Discovery reported that each episode was averaging 10 million viewers, and that number rose by over 50% when delayed viewing was factored in. The series benefited from word of mouth, recording episode-by-episode growth throughout Season 1. The second season saw even more viewership, racking up billions of streamed minutes. Nielsen reports that the series, titled The Pitt, has over 15 billion minutes (250 million hours) viewed to date.

Now the Noah Wyle-led series is gearing up for its third season, which is not expected until sometime in January 2027. HBO Max has not set the precise date yet. Cast members expected to return for the new season include Wyle (Dr. Robby), Patrick Ball (Dr. Langdon), Katherine LaNasa (Dana Evans), Fiona Dourif (Dr. McKay), Taylor Dearden (Dr. King), Isa Briones (Dr. Santos), Gerran Howell (Dr. Whitaker), Shabana Azeez (Javadi), Sepideh Moafi (Dr. Al-Hashimi), and Shawn Hatosy (Dr. Abbot). Supriya Ganesh will not return for Season 3, as her character’s natural arc comes to an end, while Ayesha Harris (Dr. Ellis) is being upgraded to series regular.

What Is ‘The Pitt’ Season 3 About?

The show is not departing from its formula in the new season. It’s a new shift, and chaos is on the horizon. Robby has been on a three-month sabbatical that many did not think he would return from. But he’s back, and it’s Thursday, November 12, 2026, the day after Veterans Day. The timeline deviates slightly as the show explores the past while looking at what the future holds as a result of the Big Beautiful Bill kicking into the healthcare system. But above all, The Pitt is a medical drama, so viewers can expect weekly cases that might break your heart and gross you out in the same episode.

The Pitt returns in January 2027. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

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January 9, 2025

Network

Max

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Showrunner

R. Scott Gemmill

Directors

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Amanda Marsalis

Writers

Joe Sachs, Cynthia Adarkwa

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• 

  Noah Wyle

  Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch

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  Tracy Ifeachor

  Dr. Heather Collins

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Former America’s Got Talent contestant Deshundre Vinson is reportedly facing a murder charge in connection with the drowning death of his 4-year-old nephew.

Vinson, 22, has been charged with first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated child abuse in Chattanooga, Tennessee, following a deadly incident that took place at a swimming pool in August, per an affidavit obtained by local station ABC9.

According to law enforcement, Vinson was allegedly babysitting his 4-year-old nephew and the child’s 6-year-old brother on August 16 when he allowed them to walk two-tenths of a mile on their own to an apartment complex pool.

While the complex reportedly had signs posted that warned against children under the age of 14 using the pool unsupervised, Vinson did not accompany his nephews.

Police were responding to an unrelated matter at the complex when they heard screams and found someone trying to perform CPR on the unresponsive 4-year-old. The boy was transferred to Erlanger Hospital, where he died five days later, per a police report.

Investigators later reviewed surveillance footage that showed the boy walking along the edge of the pool before he fell into the deep end. He was reportedly underwater for nine minutes before anyone noticed something was wrong.

A bystander pulled him out of the water and tried to administer life-saving procedures before police arrived on the scene.

Law enforcement officers reportedly attempted to question Vinson and the person who held the lease on his apartment but they were allegedly nowhere to be found. Vinson was eventually taken into custody and held at Hamilton County Jail after he was located at a nearby home more than two weeks later.

His bond was set at $750,000, according to Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department records. His next court date is on Tuesday, September 8.

Related: Couple Forced Boy, 1, to Live in Spider-Infested Basement and Eat Diapers

A Kentucky couple was arrested after they allegedly forced the woman’s 1-year-old son to stay in a spider-infested basement and garage, and the boy ultimately died after he choked on his own used diapers. Deavan Williams has been charged with wanton murder and first-degree child abuse of a child under age 12 in connection with […]

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ABC9 reported that police obtained messages from Vinson to his late nephew’s mother, acknowledging that the children had been unsupervised and that there was a delayed response to the drowning.

Vinson achieved minor fame as part of the vocal trio CitiLimitz alongside cousins Marionn and A.T. The group auditioned for America’s Got Talent season 20 in 2025, impressing judges Howie Mandel, Mel B, Sofía Vergara and Simon Cowell with their cover of K-Ci and JoJo’s 1997 hit “All My Life.” The trio received a standing ovation from Mandel, 70, and Mel B, 51, at the end of their audition.

“I’m rooting for you. I want you to succeed,” Mel B told CitiLimitz. “Your harmonies? You know your stuff! Well done!”

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Cowell was similarly supportive in his feedback, saying, “For me, there’s nothing better than working with a band that works. You’re brothers. You’ve got this natural chemistry anyway. I really liked it!”

CitiLimitz were eliminated during AGT season 20’s first quarter-final show on August 19, 2026. (American Idol alum Jessica Sanchez ultimately won the NBC competition show in September 2025, more than 19 years after she originally made it to the AGT semi-finals in season 1.)

If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.

Brooklyn Beckham was a proud husband as he supported Nicola Peltz Beckham on the red carpet at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.

The couple turned heads with their PDA at Sala Grand in Venice, Italy, on Saturday, September 5, as they attended the prestigious Kinéo Awards. Nicola, 31, looked stunning in a purple Balenciaga Haute Couture gown designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli while Brooklyn, 27, opted for a classic black-and-white tuxedo.

The Kinéo Awards announced in August that Nicola would be honored with the Rising Star Award for her performance in the upcoming indie drama Prima. (The Rising Star Award is given annually to promising actors, filmmakers, writers or producers.)

The actress shared her excitement in January to be joining Hollywood icon Faye Dunaway, Oscar winner Mira Sorvino, Mayfair Witches’ Jack Huston and Jack Ryan actress Betty Gabriel in directors Alessandro and Luca Morelli’s gripping story of a ballerina facing the challenges of modernizing her iconic dance company. The story is based on an original idea from Nicola.

“Im truly honored that this incredible cast and crew came together for Prima,” Nicola beamed via Instagram in January. “It still feels unreal that my wildest dreams came true — that these extraordinarily talented creatives joined forces to bring to life a story that first began in my dream.”

Brooklyn supported Nicola in the post’s comment section, writing to her, “WOW WOW xx go girl ❤️❤️ so proud of you baby xx.”

More recently, Brooklyn stepped in to defend his wife when an Instagram commenter crudely body-shamed Nicola in August.

Responding to an unrelated post about Brooklyn’s cottage pie recipe, the commenter wrote, “Do you comment on everyone who is concerned about your wife and how sickly she looks? She puts herself out there; feed her.”

“Don’t ever talk about my wife. She’s absolutely beautiful and you should never comment on a woman’s body,” Brooklyn responded, adding, “It’s disgraceful.”

Related: Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz Coordinate in Valentino at 2023 Met Gala

Stylish and in love! Brooklyn Peltz Beckham and wife Nicola Peltz Beckham are a fashionable duo. The lovebirds, who tied the knot in April 2022, have frequently blessed Us with their coordinated couple style, stepping out in everything from matching blazers to trendy baggy jeans. For the Valentino spring/summer 2023 runway show during Paris Fashion […]

The two celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in April, with Brooklyn sharing the card he wrote to his wife via Instagram at the time. In his inscription, he acknowledged they’d “been through so much together” amid his ongoing estrangement from his parents, David and Victoria Beckham.

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“Dear Nicola, happy 4 year anniversary, baby,” he wrote in the anniversary card. “I love you with all my heart … We have been through so much together and today we are stronger than ever and you are my best friend. I can’t wait to grow old together with you … I love you so much. Love, Brooklyn.”

He added in his Instagram caption, “Happy anniversary @nicolaannepeltzbeckham x I love you with all my heart … can’t wait to stay young with you xx love you so so much.”

Brooklyn and Nicola tied the knot in April 2022 in Palm Beach, Florida.

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Reacher Season 4.

Season 4 of Reacher has been smashing ratings and sitting comfortably at No. 1 on Prime Video. It’s not hard to see why audiences are hooked on Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson), especially when he’s basically a combination of two iconic action heroes. Like Jason Bourne, Reacher is a highly capable former military operative who relies on sharp instincts, observation, investigation, and tactical thinking to figure out what’s really going on. When things get physical, however, Reacher has the sheer toughness and bare-knuckle attitude of a Jason Statham-style lead. Basically, Reacher combines Bourne’s brains with Statham’s brawn, resulting in an action hero who can outthink his enemies as easily as he can beat them up.

What Is ‘Reacher’ About?

Based on the novels by Lee Child, Reacher follows a former U.S. Army major and military police investigator turned wayward drifter as he travels from town to town, only for trouble to find him wherever he goes. Each season puts Reacher in a new setting with a new case. Season 1 sees him in Margrave, where he is accused of murder from the moment he steps into town. In Season 2, Reacher reunites with the members of his former Special Investigations Unit in New York City after discovering that assassins are murdering his comrades one by one.

Season 3 is when Reacher goes undercover for the first time in a coastal town in Maine, where he discovers that a prosperous rug business is nothing more than a front for a deadly operation involving a ghost from his past. No two cases are alike, and with each passing season, it seems that Reacher finds himself digging bigger graves for himself. The newly released Reacher Season 4, which aired on August 12, proves just that.

Season 4 Takes Reacher to a New Breaking Point

Another reason Reacher‘s return is gaining traction on streaming charts is that the stakes feel bigger than ever. In Season 4, Reacher navigates his own guilt after failing to save a woman who took her own life on a subway. During his investigation, he discovers that the woman was a low-level former Pentagon employee who had a flash drive containing highly sensitive government information. Before he knows it, Reacher is caught up in an even greater conspiracy spanning both Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

Instead of having just one enemy on his tail, Reacher is being pursued by the local police, the CIA, and mercenaries working for Plutus Chemical, among others — all looking for answers that could expose another country’s war crimes and America’s role in them. Season 4’s latest episode ends on one of the most un-Reacher-like cliffhangers yet: he’s trapped with seemingly no way out and has to face the possibility that he might actually die this time. With only two episodes left, there’s still plenty of room for another twist. That constant uncertainty is exactly what makes Reacher so addictive to watch.

Season 5 of ‘Reacher’ Is Already in the Works

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The Reacher-verse isn’t slowing down anytime soon. During San Diego Comic-Con 2026, the streamer revealed that the upcoming fifth season will adapt Child’s 2015 novel Make Me, the 12th book in the Reacher series. The novel begins with Reacher getting off a train in the mysterious Midwestern town of Mother’s Rest. But when he crosses paths with an ex-FBI agent turned private investigator searching for her long-missing colleague, what starts as a missing-persons case becomes one of the darkest installments in Child’s series.

While the official release date for Season 5 hasn’t been announced yet, Reacher‘s spin-off series, Neagley, hits Prime Video on September 16, the same day as the Season 4 finale. After playing an important supporting role across the first three seasons as Reacher’s trusted confidante, Frances Neagley (Maria Sten) is finally stepping into the spotlight. Although Neagley isn’t adapted from a specific Child book, the spin-off gives Reacher’s most important ally even more room to show what she can do as she investigates the mysterious death of a childhood friend. With Reacher Season 4 returning to #1 on streaming charts, Neagley has hopefully been set up for plenty of early success.

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February 3, 2022

Network

Prime Video

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Showrunner

Nick Santora

Directors

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Omar Madha, Carol Banker, Julian Holmes, Lin Oeding, M.J. Bassett, Norberto Barba, Stephen Surjik, Thomas Vincent

Writers

Cait Duffy

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October brings exciting news for longtime fans of Mike Flanagan and Stephen King, as the highly anticipated Carrie adaptation premieres during the first week of the month on Prime Video. The eight-episode series is poised to further showcase Flanagan’s signature approach to horror, which has established him as one of the genre’s most acclaimed modern creators.

Of course, long before Carrie, Flanagan already boasted an impressive horror résumé with acclaimed titles ranging from The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass to his most recent series, The Fall of the House of Usher. His work has earned a devoted following, with fans consistently revisiting his productions thanks to streaming. Now, one of his early breakout hits is heading to Netflix, giving subscribers another chance to return to the filmmaker’s roots more than a decade after its theatrical release.

Released in theaters in 2014 after premiering at TIFF in 2013, Oculus was Flanagan’s second feature-length horror film and marked his first major commercial breakthrough. Netflix has now confirmed, per TV Insider, that the psychological horror movie will join its U.S. catalog on September 24, 2026. It arrives the same day as the comedy revival A Different World and fellow horror title House at the End of the Street, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Max Thieriot. The addition gives Netflix subscribers a timely chance to revisit one of Flanagan’s most underrated horror gems ahead of Halloween, without another rental or purchase.

Mike Flanagan’s ‘Oculus’ Is an Unsettling Horror Masterpiece

Oculus stars Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites as siblings Kaylie and Tim Russell, who remain haunted by the violent deaths of their parents more than a decade after the tragedy. Kaylie becomes convinced that an antique mirror known as the Lasser Glass caused what happened to their family. But proving that theory means confronting a malevolent, supernatural force that can manipulate the minds and perceptions of anyone who looks into it. As Kaylie gets closer to the truth, the siblings become caught in the mirror’s evil spell. Annalise Basso and Garrett Ryan Ewald portray younger versions of Kaylie and Tim, respectively, while Katee Sackhoff and Rory Cochrane play their parents, Marie and Alan Russell.

As Flanagan’s first major financial success, Oculus grossed approximately $44 million worldwide against a reported $5 million budget. The film also holds a solid 75% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, reflecting its lasting appeal as a psychological horror story built more on mounting dread than conventional gore.

Oculus arrives on Netflix in a few weeks. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming coverage.

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Release Date

April 11, 2014

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103

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They call Agatha Christie the Queen of Crime for a reason. With a total of 66 detective novels, 150 short stories, and six romance novels written under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, Christie has come a long way from writing detective fiction during her time as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse during World War I. And while her professional writing stint only began because of a friendly challenge from her sister, it was a challenge that cemented her name in the literary mystery genre.

Rather than simply following along as the story unfolds, readers are given the chance to examine every clue, suspect, and suspicious detail to see if they can figure out the answer before the big reveal. This ability to make readers feel like they’re part of the investigation is one reason Christie’s mysteries have remained so popular. From a murder on an island to a rumor mill gone wrong, here are the essential Agatha Christie books for beginners.

‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ (1926)

Image via William Collins, Sons

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd makes you question everything you’ve just read. When wealthy widower Roger Ackroyd is found murdered after hinting that he knows a devastating secret, retired detective Hercule Poirot is called to the quiet village of King’s Abbot. Nearly everyone has a motive, from Ackroyd’s troubled family to the servants and guests with secrets of their own.

For new Christie fans, the premise is simple to follow. But Christie’s real trick is how she tells the story. The clues aren’t simply hidden in the evidence; they’re buried between the lines of the book. The traditional whodunit thus becomes Christie’s most notoriously famous display of misdirection, pinnacling in one of the genre’s most blasphemous twists.

‘Death on the Nile’ (1937)

Image via William Morrow

For something a little more The White Lotus-coded, Death on the Nile is the perfect Christie read. Linnet Ridgeway and Simon Doyle are happily married, but Simon was originally engaged to Linnet’s best friend, Jacqueline. When the couple books a honeymoon cruise down the Nile River, an envious Jacqueline tags along, only to get caught in the crossfire.

In true Poirot fashion, he happens to be vacationing on the same boat and gets caught up in this toxic love triangle. But this destination vacation gone wrong shows how Christie incorporates the location to parallel the depravity of the crimes, proving that human ego and its fragility are as ancient as the Egyptian backdrop itself.

‘A Murder Is Announced’ (1950)

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A Murder Is Announced takes its title literally. Right from the get-go, the village of Chipping Cleghorn is brought to a halt when its morning paper literally announces a murder to happen at Little Paddocks on Friday, October 29. Everyone thinks it’s a cheeky parlor game, and some neighbors actually show up. But at the time mentioned in the announcement, the lights go out, and someone is actually shot dead.

Apart from its immediate hook, A Murder Is Announced shows Miss Marple’s unique investigative methodology. She may be an octogenarian, but it’s precisely because of her age that she’s able to be the perfect eavesdropping wallflower, absorbing all the gossip and talk that even a police interrogator might miss.

‘The A.B.C. Murders’ (1936)

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Poirot faces his biggest challenge yet in The A.B.C. Murders: the alphabet. The detective first receives a taunting letter signed “A.B.C.” containing a specific date and location. It just so happens that on the day mentioned, an elderly shopkeeper is found dead in her tobacco shop, with an ABC Railway Guide next to her.

And so continues this ABC-esque mystery, as Poirot encounters clues and culprits strictly following the alphabetical system, from names and locations to little trinkets. It’s a true test of intellect, and the reason why Poirot is more determined about this case than anything else is that he soon realizes that he himself is the target.

‘And Then There Were None’ (1939)

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Few murder mysteries are as brutally simple as And Then There Were None. Eight strangers arrive on an isolated island, expecting a peaceful stay, only to discover that their mysterious hosts are nowhere to be found. Then a gramophone reveals that each guest is accused of murder.

From there, the island becomes a deadly trap. One by one, the guests die according to the ominous verses of a nursery rhyme, while suspicion spreads through the group. With no detective around to take charge, everyone is forced to play investigator while wondering who will be next. Christie turns the classic whodunit into a nerve-shredding psychological survival game.

‘Crooked House’ (1949)

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If you love Knives Out, Crooked House is essential Christie reading. Charles Hayward wants to marry Sophia Leonides, the granddaughter of wealthy 85-year-old businessman Aristide Leonides. But their plans are derailed when Aristide is found dead in his own home, apparently poisoned after his insulin is fatally swapped with his toxic eye medication.

Because Charles has connections to Scotland Yard, he becomes involved in investigating the case, especially since Sophia’s family refuses to let the wedding go ahead otherwise. With three generations of Leonides harboring bitter resentment toward the family patriarch, almost anyone could be the killer, leading to one of the most controversial and darkest conclusions in Christie’s novels.

‘The Moving Finger’ (1942)

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The Moving Finger begins with newcomer Jerry Burton moving to Lymstock with his sister Joanna to start a quieter life. Unfortunately, their peace is short-lived when poison-pen letters begin spreading vicious rumors about the townspeople, eventually contributing to the death of Mrs. Symmington.

A little gossip can hurt, but here, it literally gets someone killed—or seemingly does. Rather than telling the story from a detective’s perspective, Christie puts readers in Jerry’s shoes. As an outsider who isn’t a detective, he experiences Lymstock’s secrets just as we do, making the town’s gossip feel fresh and immediate as its residents search for whoever is vile enough to write the letters.

‘Five Little Pigs’ (1942)

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There’s a good old-fashioned cold case in Five Little Pigs. Sixteen years after the death of unfaithful painter Amyas Crale, his daughter, Carla, approaches Poirot with a letter from her mother, Caroline, who was convicted of the murder. Written before she died in prison, the letter insists she had nothing to do with the crime.

It’s a detective puzzle in its purest form. Five Little Pigs is a perfect example of the Rashomon effect, where one incident is recounted through several interpretations. Five surviving witnesses each provide their own account of the murder, leaving Poirot to piece together the truth like a mosaic, with virtually no physical evidence left.

‘Peril at End House’ (1932)

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A holiday in fashionable Cornwall goes sideways for Poirot and Captain Hastings in Peril at End House. Instead of enjoying the sun, the two encounter Magdala “Nick” Buckley, the young owner of the cliffside End House, who becomes the victim of a series of bizarre, near-fatal incidents. Before long, Nick’s cousin, Maggie Buckley, is found murdered.

For seasoned Christie readers, Peril at End House might not be her strongest book because the revelations can feel rather transparent. But for newcomers, it’s a great introduction to how ridiculously cunning Christie can be. As absurd as Nick’s “incidents” may seem, they’re important clues that readers shouldn’t overlook.

‘Murder on the Orient Express’ (1934)

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Christie’s titular hero, Detective Hercule Poirot, finds himself on a train to London after his vacation in Istanbul is rudely interrupted. Fortunately, he manages to snag a last-minute second-class compartment on the famously crowded Orient Express. But when the train is stranded in a snowdrift, he discovers American traveler Samuel Ratchett dead in his bed, stabbed twelve times.

Murder on the Orient Express is as much a social studies class as it is a murder mystery. On this luxury train, readers find a cornucopia of 1930s social and national stereotypes, featuring a global ensemble ranging from an Italian car salesman to a Russian princess. With these clashing nationalities, Christie knows her readers bring their own biases to the characters, which plays a huge role in the murder case.

YouTuber Jack Doherty was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence in Florida less than a year after being cited for drug possession.

Doherty, 22, was taken into custody in Fort Lauderdale’s Riverside Park neighborhood on Friday, September 4, following an alleged “domestic dispute” with an unnamed woman, local police told 10 News.

According to authorities, police arrived at an address on the 1400 block of Southwest Fifth Court around noon on Friday and subsequently observed that Doherty “and a female victim got into a physical dispute inside a residence.” The woman was physically uninjured, per law enforcement.

As of Saturday, September 5, Doherty was being held on misdemeanor domestic battery charge at Broward Main Jail on a $1,000 bond. He has been ordered not to have any contact with the alleged victim.

A source close to Doherty claimed to TMZ that the influencer allegedly acted in self-defense.

Us has reached out to Doherty for comment.

The alleged domestic violence incident occurred less than a year after Doherty was arrested in South Florida in November 2025. He was booked on charges of possession of a controlled substance (amphetamine), possession of 20 grams or less of cannabis and resisting arrest, a misdemeanor.

After posting a $3,500 bond, Doherty — who rose to fame by posting extreme and confrontational prank videos — was released from custody and later posted a video of the events that allegedly led up to his arrest.

In the footage, men wearing police uniforms were seen handcuffing Doherty as the influencer was warned by a voice off-camera, “You’re about to go to jail.”

“You think you’re funny? If you’re gonna be funny, get out of the f***ing street. I don’t know who the f*** you think you are, bro,” the uniformed man told the influencer.

Doherty insisted that he was simply “trying to walk up the street.”

“All you had to do was get on the f***ing sidewalk, that’s it,” he was then told by one of the uniformed men.

Another account shared a longer version of the clip where Doherty appeared to challenge one of the arresting officers to a “duel.”

The uniformed man repeatedly instructed Doherty to “go on the sidewalk,” to which the YouTuber replied, “Yes, sir, after we duel.”

Related: YouTube Was Only a Year Old — Here’s What It Looked Like in 2006

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If you ever watched a full movie chopped into 12 separate uploads, made your own Razr ringtones from downloaded YouTube audio, or got absolutely wrecked by a “ghost on tape” jump scare video, this one’s for you. YouTube turned 21 this year — created on February 14, 2005, which means the platform that basically raised […]

He later opened up to another content creator about “the whole process” while wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with his mugshot. Doherty claimed he was “chilling for another five-plus hours” in jail after taking his mugshot.

“I was like damn, I’m flying to Dubai in my mind right now,” said in the video.

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In that same video, Doherty joked that he “hogged” the phone while he was in police custody.

Doherty’s cannabis charge was dropped when he agreed to attend a Miami-Dade County Felony Drug Pre-Trial Diversion Program earlier this year, per Page Six. The Florida State Attorney’s Office reportedly cancelled plans for a May 2026 trial for the remaining charges and later issued him a final discharge certificate once Doherty completed the pretrial diversion program in March.

If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.