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Invasion deals with the reality of an alien incursion [Apple TV+ review]

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Invasion review: At least now everybody knows we're dealing with nasty extraterrestrials.
At least now everybody knows we're dealing with nasty extraterrestrials.
Photo: Apple TV+

We’ve seen our aliens and we’ve got our heroes. Now what dreadful things await for Invasion’s terrified humans?

Apple TV+’s newest sci-fi show is having a pretty terrific season, all things considered. So now, with everyone on the same page, can the series sustain its relentless pace? Can the show’s creators continue this balancing act for the rest of the season?

Foundation Season 1 ends with scads of space drama [Apple TV+ recap]

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Foundation recap: The Leap
Lies, treachery and surprises -- in space!
Photo: Apple TV+

The first season of Apple TV+’s epic space opera Foundation winds down this week with a drama-packed final episode.

Terminus has a big shiny weapon to use against the Empire, which is renewed in its conviction that all rebellion must be dealt with. Between a rock and a hard place is a human coffin that spouts wisdom like Yoda. Read on to find out what I mean by that.

Dr. Brain just keeps getting weirder and wilder! [Apple TV+ review]

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Dr. Brain review: Things just keep getting wilder in this action/sci-fi stunner.
This action/sci-fi stunner looks unstoppable!
Photo: Apple TV+

In this week’s episode of Dr. Brain, neuroscientist Sewon Koh discovers a powerful ally as he chases new leads while searching for his son and his wife’s killer. Reality and the imaginary begin to blend in a way that suggest he soon may not be able to tell them apart.

Oh, and Sewon’s new ally? It’s in his brain! Apple TV+’s trippy new South Korean sci-fi/mystery series just keeps getting wilder.

Dickinson queues up a consequential sing-along [Apple TV+ review]

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Dickinson review: Young poet Emily Dickinson (played by Hailee Steinfeld) gets some good news this week.
Young poet Emily Dickinson (played by Hailee Steinfeld) gets some good news this week.
Photo: Apple TV+

It’s an old-fashioned family sing-along on this week’s Dickinson, Apple TV+’s show about the Belle of Amherst and the tempestuous times in which she lived.

Lots of talk about legacy and darkness cloud an evening’s celebration during the episode, titled “Sang from the Heart, Sire.” Can Mr. Dickinson’s birthday party (or his reputation) survive?

The Shrink Next Door takes an ugly turn toward cringe comedy [Apple TV+ review]

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The Shrink Next Door review: Ike (played by Paul Rudd, left) can't stop taking advantage of his patient, Marty (Will Ferrell).
Ike (played by Paul Rudd, left) can't stop taking advantage of his patient, Marty (Will Ferrell).

Apple TV+ comedy The Shrink Next Door takes a step toward chaos and a step away from reconciliation this week. Marty and his psychiatrist, Ike, start a business together, which means they’re financially tied to each other. Marty has finally stopped giving in to everyone’s demands, but Ike is there to step in and replace every demanding person in Marty’s life.

This is not going to end well.

The Morning Show comes down with a terminal case of COVID-19 [Apple TV+ review]

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Everybody's anxious for a reminder of the early days of COVID-19, right?
Everybody's anxious for a reminder of the early days of COVID-19, right?
Photo: Apple TV+

In The Morning Show season two finale, COVID-19 finally arrives, in case you missed that news cycle so much you needed to see it covered again on Apple TV+’s show about a news show.

If you were secretly hankering for such a thing, you’re in luck. Alex comes down with COVID-19, and Cory doesn’t want to cancel the launch of the network’s streaming app. Our interest has waned, so whatever, right? Let them do whatever they want. Just put down this sick dog of a show already.

New animated show Harriet the Spy takes one for the tweens [Apple TV+ review]

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Harriet the Spy review: The new kids show serves up some important life lessons.
This one's for the tweens!
Photo: Apple TV+

The Jim Henson Company and Apple TV+ teamed up to resurrect Harriet the Spy, Louise Fitzhugh’s teen sleuth who’s out to help her friends and neighbors.

Can new animated series Harriet the Spy, which premieres today, secure itself the fanbase other Apple TV+ kids shows have yet to accrue? And is there any way this show could be as big as the books that spawned the series?

Warm up the sleigh: Mariah’s Christmas: The Magic Continues debuts on Apple TV+ Dec. 3

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‘Mariah’s Christmas: The Magic Continues’ debuts on Apple TV+ Dec. 3
The singer plans another star-studded musical Christmas special.
Photo: Apple TV+

Mariah Carey’s second Christmas special for Apple TV+ will sing and dance its way onto screens around the world on Friday, December 3. Mariah’s Christmas: The Magic Continues will include the only performance of her new single, “Fall in Love at Christmas.”

The entertainer gave a sneak peek at the fun on Thursday. Watch the trailer now:

Murder-mystery comedy The Afterparty premieres on Apple TV+ on Jan. 28

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Apple’s murder-mystery comedy ‘The Afterparty’ premieres on Jan. 28
Tiffany Haddish leads an ensemble cast in The Afterparty, coming to Apple TV+ in January.
Photo: Chris Miller

A premiere date for a hotly anticipated Apple TV+ series has finally been revealed. The Afterparty starring Tiffany Haddish and a collection of other comedians will make its debut on Apple’s streaming service on Friday, January 28.

The very unusual murder mystery was created by film virtuosos Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

Apple Home Services chief leaves after less than 3 years on the job

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Apple Home Services chief Sam Jadallah left his post after less than three years.
Apple Home Services chief Sam Jadallah left his post after less than three years.
Photo: Apple

Apple hired Sam Jadallah in February 2019 to lead its smart home initiatives as head of the Home Services department. Last week, he posted word of his departure on LinkedIn.

Neither Jadallah nor Apple has given a reason for the departure. After two years and nine months on the job, Jadallah wrote:

That’s a wrap with Apple. I’m so grateful for the friendships that will endure and the opportunity to shape and create new capabilities for people and homes around the world. As a corporate exec, investor and entrepreneur, it was a treat to be an entrepreneur within Apple and to create products at scale.

Play this surprisingly smooth Super Mario 64 port for iOS and Apple TV

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Super Mario 64 on Apple TV
One of the best Mario games, not on Apple TV ... but for how long?
Photo: Nintendo

Nintendo classic Super Mario 64 is now playable on iOS and Apple TV thanks to a very unofficial port. A video shows the game — which is packed with a bunch of cheats — running pretty flawlessly at a smooth 60 frames per second.

You can download the game and try it out for yourself. However, getting it up and running requires Xcode and some trickery. If interested, you might want to jump on it soon before Nintendo wipes it off the planet.

Dr. Brain’s bizarre dreamscapes will get inside your head [Apple TV+ review]

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Dr. Brain review: Director Kim Jee-woon takes us on a wild ride in the Apple TV+ series.
Director Kim Jee-woon takes us on a wild ride in the hot new Apple TV+ series.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+’s exciting new sci-fi series Dr. Brain continues to unfurl its mysteries this week. Brilliant neuroscientist Sewon draws closer to ascertaining the full shape of the crimes that claimed the lives of his family, thanks to “brain syncs” with both his wife and an unexpected source.

Meanwhile a number of questions hang in the air. Just who is this private detective helping Sewon find answers? Who is the man in Jaeyi’s memories? And who’s still alive — and who’s really dead?

Dickinson delves into poetry’s power during terrible times [Apple TV+ review]

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Dickinson review: Humanist poet Walt Whitman (played by Billy Eichner) witnesses the Civil War's toll.
Humanist poet Walt Whitman (played by Billy Eichner) witnesses the Civil War's toll.
Photo: Apple TV+

Emily wonders about her place in the world during the Civil War, and the poet gets a little help from some colleagues — while the Dickinsons get fleas and Henry gets a new job.

It’s an eventful week on Dickinson, Apple TV+’s feminist fantasia. And, as usual, the simplest answer is often the right one.

Foundation doubles down on deception [Apple TV+ review]

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Foundation review: The sci-fi show seethes with big reveals and epic betrayals.
The sci-fi show seethes with big reveals and epic betrayals.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+’s ambitious space opera is getting ready for its final reveal. Foundation‘s epic first season flew by in the blink of an eye, all breathless action and rug pulls. Can all that excitement work its magic and attract a hungry audience for its richly deserved second season?

The sci-fi series based on Isaac Asimov’s fiction had a lot of groundwork to do this season, and somehow found time for several shows’ worth of action and world-building. As the first season winds down, plenty of unanswered questions remain. However, the writers have done a more than adequate job getting viewers excited about what’s to come.

Invasion’s monstrous aliens are ready for their close-up [Apple TV+ review]

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Invasion review: Aneesha (played by Golshifteh Farahani) and her family face multiple monsters this week.
Aneesha (played by Golshifteh Farahani) and her family face multiple monsters this week.
Photo: Apple TV+

Invasion, the sprawling alien-invasion show on Apple TV+, thrusts all of its characters into a brand-new reality this week. There is no denying now that there are aliens on Earth … but what does that mean for everyone? What do the creatures want? And is all hope lost?

This week’s episode puts the focus on the Malik family — and gets us up close and personal with the dreadful threats the Maliks face.

Swagger scores with unflinching look at personal problems [Apple TV+ review]

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Swagger review: Crystal (played by Quvenzhané Wallis) and Jace (Isaiah Hill) deal with some rough stuff this week.
Crystal (played by Quvenzhané Wallis) and Jace (Isaiah Hill) deal with some rough stuff this week.
Photo: Apple TV+

This week on Swagger, Jace and Crystal come clean — but now what? She’s rent with guilt and pain. He wants to do something, but answers won’t come to him. Meanwhile, family troubles abound for Meg and Phil. And violence seems to be unavoidable in the game and on the streets.

Can Ike save this team and the community around it from itself? Money tends to speak louder than loyalty but Ike’s playing the long game and it might not pay off. The Apple TV+ drama about a Baltimore junior basketball league’s misfit team scores high this week.

The Morning Show busts out the eulogies [Apple TV+ review]

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The Morning Show review: Alex Levy drops a bombshell this week.
Alex Levy drops another bombshell this week.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+’s show about a news network is experiencing the calm before the storm as its second season nears its conclusion.

The whole staff of The Morning Show is still reeling from Mitch Kessler’s death and everyone’s putting up a brave front. But with a tell-all book about the show’s sleazy inner workings on the way, the mood is panicked and stricken.

Awesome, affordable Apple TV alternatives on sale right now

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Awesome, affordable Apple TV alternatives
Get yours from just $19.99.
Photos: Amazon, Roku

You don’t have to splash out on an Apple TV to enjoy Apple TV+ and Apple Music alongside all your other favorite streaming services. They’re now available on a whole host of brilliant third-party devices — many of which are on sale now.

Unlike Apple, the likes of Amazon and Roku are offering big Black Friday discounts that are already live. Here are our picks of the best Apple TV alternatives that you can buy today from just $19.99.

Does The Shrink Next Door suffer from a split personality? [Apple TV+ review]

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Paul Rudd is The Shrink Next Door with Will Ferrell
Paul Rudd is The Shrink Next Door and Will Ferrell is his patient
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+’s newest (true crime) comedy The Shrink Next Door is here to deliver laughter with a side of psychoanalysis. Georgia Pritchett, a writer for Veep and Succession, created this show about the trials and tribulations of a panic attack-stricken New Yorker and the psychiatrist (based on a real guy) who tries to help him out of his troubles.

With Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell leading the cast, the eight-episode series tracks the two Jewish men’s relationship as they weave in and out, sometimes overzealously, of each other’s lives. It’s a period piece set in the 1980s — and the show itself is a little bit of a head case.

Apple TV+ draws tiny but growing share of US streaming market

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Apple TV+ draws tiny but growing share of US streaming market
Apple TV+ isn’t a big part of the streaming video market, but at least it’s growing.
Chart: JustWatch

Apple TV+ is a small player in the streaming video service competition with only 4% of the U.S. market. Still, it’s beating out some rivals even if it’s well behind the front runners.

The service has reportedly been growing throughout 2021 … not a claim all its competitors can make.

Foundation brims with big ideas and epic betrayals [Apple TV+ review]

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Foundation review: Lee Pace lets it all hang out in his portrayal of Brother Day.
Lee Pace lets it all hang out in his portrayal of Brother Day this week.
Photo: Apple TV+

This week on Foundation, the Apple TV+ space opera walks a long and lonesome mile toward reconciliation and the end to chaos. But who will survive, and what will be left of them (to quote rather a different odyssey)?

Foundation makes the case for the simplest actions and ideas being the most complex and compelling in this week’s episode, titled “The Missing Piece.” It also gives TV a new worthy obsession object. There are spiritual betrayals aplenty for everyone, no matter what corner of the galaxy they occupy.

Dickinson trains its eccentric eye on Civil War [Apple TV+ review]

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Dickinson review on Apple TV+: The Civil War makes a mark on young poet Emily Dickinson.
The Civil War makes a mark on young poet Emily Dickinson.
Photo: Apple TV+

Dickinson, Apple TV+’s feminist fable, returns for a qualified victory lap Friday. The first three episodes of the show’s third and final season arrived today, not even a full year after the last one concluded.

It will be a shame once we no longer can enjoy fresh episodes featuring the show’s antic poetry and remixed pastoralism.

And, while Dickinson still hasn’t worked out precisely what its identity is, the comforting oddness of its milieu was a tonic in trying times, even if the show had a ways to go before it could meaningfully grapple with the present. All the same, the final season hints at what Dickinson could have done exceedingly well — if its showrunners were given a little more room.

The Morning Show ponders a post-Mitch world [Apple TV+ review]

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Review: When The Morning Show gets down to the business of journalism, it's a lot less annoying.
When The Morning Show gets down to the business of journalism, it's a lot less annoying.
Photo: Apple TV+

Mitch is dead — long live Mitch. This week on The Morning Show, everyone must deal with the death of their network’s former sex pest lead anchor — and things could go much better than they do. Alex is missing. Chip is throwing up. Cory is elated. And Mia’s beside herself. Can they clean themselves up in time to break the news?

It’s borderline impossible to take the Apple TV+ drama about a morning news show seriously now. But there are still three episodes of plot left this season. Can The Morning Show manage anything worthwhile before the curtain falls?

Swagger gets serious with drama on and off the court [Apple TV+ review]

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Swagger review: Crystal (played by Quvenzhané Wallis) has a rough week on and off the court.
Crystal (played by Quvenzhané Wallis) hits a rough patch in this week's episode.
Photo: Apple TV+

This week on Swagger, Apple TV+’s new drama based on NBA star Kevin Durant’s youth, teen basketball stars Jace and Crystal find themselves between a rock and a hard place. He’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders in a good way, she in the worst way, and they need each other at a time when they can’t hear each other.

The episode, titled “We Good,” is all about learning to listen and to trust the people around you who actually have your best interests at heart. But it’s also about learning that your own problems need to be able to be put on ice when other people are in need.

Invasion braces itself for full-blown alien action [Apple TV+ review]

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Invasion review: This sci-fi show has a soldier problem.
This sci-fi show has a soldier problem.
Photo: Apple TV+

Invasion finally says the “A” word as conspiracies become fact — and facts become dire. This week on the Apple TV+ sci-fi show, the Malik family gets caught in a web of lies, Mitsuki crafts her own, and Trevante winds up stuck in Afghanistan (and for once wants to get out).

Invasion gets ready for the fireworks by going small and emotional to lay the groundwork. Something big is around the corner, so this week it’s about biding time and digging in before the invasion really ramps up.