Apple TV+ has a little gift in your lap this weekend: free live streaming on January 4-5. The social media announcement of the promotion came with teasing of many popular series, but it was no accident that the first clip appeared Separation. The Emmy-winning show finally returns on January 17, and the weekend is just enough time to devour nine episodes in the first season.
This weekend, see for yourself.
Stream for free Jan 4-5. pic.twitter.com/8p6PCUYpms
– Apple TV (@AppleTV) December 30, 2024
But Separation the first season is not the only sci-fi show you should try and check out in your free time; as io9 has previously noted, the Apple TV+ is a great place for the brand’s money. The list of original series has continued to grow, but these five a must-see topics, starting with the one we are already talking about:
Separation
Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, John Turturro, and Christopher Walken lead an outstanding ensemble in this dystopian office drama set in and around a mysterious company where employees volunteer to have their brains surgically separated between their work and home life. The divide between the “innies” and the “outies” becomes more complicated when the “innies” start asking questions—and rebelling. Parts witty, poignant, and equal parts funny and funny, Separation brightness from top to bottom. The first season aired in 2022; season two returns on January 17.
The foundation
Isaac Asimov The foundation stories inspire this futuristic fantasy that explores the wonders of science—and its horrors, including the idea that a robot is secretly manipulating humanity’s future. Jared Harris plays multiple versions of the genius Hari Seldon, and Lee Pace plays multiple versions of the ever-present galactic Emperor. Exciting, visually moving, and full of moments of moving plot that range from explosive to intimate, The foundation is a sci-fi epic worth going into, especially if you go in knowing that the second season is where it really starts. You can watch the first two seasons on Apple TV+; a third is on the way.
To All Humanity
The space race between the US and Russia gets a historical twist in this thrilling drama by Ronald D. Moore (Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Outlander) that moves forward in time ten years with each new season, beginning with the arrival of the Soviet moon in 1969. There are now seasons available to watch, with a fifth on the way as well as a twist.
The beast
Maybe even more than that Separationto watch The beast during the free trial may make you want to immediately sign up for an Apple TV+ subscription. That’s because while the first season of the series adapted from Hugh Howey-starring Rebecca Ferguson, about a dystopian future where people survive in underground silos-was wrapped up in 2023, the second season runs through its 10 episodes. If you are caught The beastThe second season finale will air on January 17.
King: Legacy of monsters
Kurt and Wyatt Russell and some guy named Godzilla share the screen in this series expanding the Legendary cinematic Monsterverse. Edited after 2014 Godzilla movie, with flashbacks to the late 1950s, which is how the Russells manage to play the same character at different ages. A second season is on the way, as (as the first season teased) King Kong joins the fun.
Honorable mention: multi-genre drama starring Joel Edgerton A Dark Story (second season coming); M. Night Shyamalan’s bonkers psychological thriller Servant (ended in 2023 after four seasons); again Sugara neo-noir starring Colin Farrell with a shocking sci-fi twist (second season coming).
There are also tons of original, non-genre shows on Apple TV+, including Ted Lasso, Presumed Innocent, It is decreasingagain The Afterparty– and movies, including Napoleon again Flower Moon Assassins. If you decide to stay after your free trial, a monthly subscription to Apple TV+ is $9.99 and includes a free week. Find out more here.
Looking for more io9 news? Check out when you can expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe in film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
