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 All of the programming is original because, unlike Netflix Inc <NFLX.O>
and the forthcoming Disney+ from Walt Disney Co <DIS.N>, Apple
does not have rights to a back catalog of TV shows and movies.
That makes Apple's offering relatively slim compared to other
online video services. It is also cheaper than competitors at
$4.99 per month. And anyone who has purchased an iPhone, iPad,
Apple TV device, iPod touch or Mac after Sept. 10 can get a free
subscription for one year.
Cook, in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, said he
welcomes the wide range of competition in streaming video
because he believes it will encourage more people to drop cable
television and seek digital entertainment options.
"That really advantages not only Apple, but everyone in the
streaming field," Cook said.
Launching in more than 100 countries and territories, Apple TV+
will debut with four TV series for adults, an episode of
"Oprah's Book Club," a nature documentary, and three children's
series. Additional programming will be added each month.
Here is what to expect on day one.
"The Morning Show"
One of Apple's most heavily promoted programs, the drama series
stars Jennifer Aniston in her first TV role since "Friends,"
alongside Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell. The series, set
behind the scenes of a morning news show, explores power
dynamics between men and women in the workplace, ethics in the
news business and ageism.
Reaction from TV critics has been mixed, with a 59 percent
positive rating as of Thursday on the Rotten Tomatoes website,
which aggregates reviews.
The Hollywood Reporter's Daniel Fienberg said the show started
with "a brutally dull pilot and a meandering second episode"
before picking up steam in later episodes.
Judy Berman of Time magazine called the series "a sophisticated
drama with A-list stars that capitalizes on hot topics and hot
gossip."
The first three episodes of a planned 10-episode season debut on
Friday. A new episode will be released each Friday thereafter.
"For All Mankind"
This 10-episode science-fiction drama series imagines a world
where the Soviet Union wins the space race. That sets the stage
for an alternate history with sweeping ripple effects on
everything from women's rights and the environment to the
Vietnam War.
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Among reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website, 73 percent
were positive as of Thursday.
"The sprawling, yet precisely calibrated alt history is Tim Cook and
Apple's first total touchdown," wrote Dominic Patten of Deadline
Hollywood.
As with "The Morning Show," the first three episodes debut on
Friday, and a new episode will be released each Friday thereafter.
"Dickinson"
Set in the 19th Century, the series is a half-hour dark comedy that
reimagines poet Emily Dickinson, played by Hailee Steinfeld, as a
rebellious teenager.
It had a 76 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes as of
Thursday. All 10 episodes launch on Friday.
"See"
Starring "Aquaman" and "Game of Thrones" actor Jason Momoa, the epic
drama takes place 600 years in the future after a virus has
decimated most of humankind. Those who have survived are blind and
must adapt while fighting to protect themselves from a powerful
queen. Alfre Woodard co-stars.
"See" scored the lowest among TV critics, earning a 43 percent
positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
"Although the show creates a ruthless world - the action is brutal
and visceral, and the story advances quickly - it's not inventive
enough to overcome the stilted dialogue and stock characters," wrote
Brian Lowry of CNN.com.
The first three of eight episodes debut on Friday, and a new one
will be released every Friday thereafter.
"Oprah's Book Club"
In the first episode, Oprah Winfrey discusses the novel "The Water
Dancer" with author Ta-Nehisi Coates. The book tells the story of a
young man who was born into slavery and later joins the abolitionist
movement and the underground railroad.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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