Network Scorecard: Scoring the networks based on their history of airing and supporting sci fi and fantasy television shows.
Network Overview
The Apple TV+ streaming service has only been in existence for a short time now, but it is definitely making some notable strides with its original series, especially its genre entries. The streamer launched in 2019, kicking off with the alternate history series For All Mankind, the post-apocalyptic See, and the non-genre entry The Morning Show, all of which have since made a reputation for themselves. It has continued to put out originals since then (with a bit of a lull in the 2020-21 season due to COVID-related shutdowns), and it has become noted for the quality of its scripted programming over its short tenure. No matter what you think of Apple products (I am definitely not an iPerson), the company’s streaming service is certainly one to pay attention to, and it currently has one of the lowest monthly subscription fees.
What Type of Sci Fi Shows Does the Network Air?
Apple TV+ has released ten sci fi/fantasy shows since it debuted (including mini-series) and they cover quite a number of sub-genres. It has straight-up science fiction shows (For All Mankind, Foundation), post-apocalyptic (See), supernatural/horror (Servant, Shining Girls), dystopia (Severance), and more. The streamer has also put out quite a number of shows based on original ideas that are not tied to books, comics, movies, etc. (For All Mankind, See, Severance), meaning that they are willing to take a risk on shows without name recognition. Though they have recruited notable talent to their shows with the likes of Ronald D. Moore, Jason Momoa, Ben Stiller, M. Night Shyamalan, etc. The streamer has definitely established a good base of sci fi/fantasy shows to start with and has more on the way with the Godzilla live-action series, the Speed Racer reboot, the Time Bandits series, and more.
How Quick is the Network to Cancel Sci Fi Shows?
So far, only one sci fi/fantasy show has ended after one season on Apple TV+ which was the reboot of Amazing Stories. And that one never received an official cancellation notice, so it could return for a second season at some point (though I am counting it as cancelled for now). Overall, the streamer has had a 12.5% cancellation rate for its first season genre entries which is the same for its overall scripted programming. No sci fi show has been cancelled after two seasons, one is ending with its third (See), and two are headed to their fourth season (For All Mankind and Servant). So this streamer has been supportive of its shows across its first three years of existence.
Apple TV+ New Scripted Programming
| All Scripted Shows | ||
| Series Count | 32 | |
| Cancelled after 1 Season | 4 | 12.5% |
| Cancelled after 2 Seasons | 1 | 3.1% |
| Cancelled after 3 Seasons | 2 | 6.3% |
| 4 Seasons or More | 2 | 6.3% |
| Sci Fi/Fantasy | ||
| Series Count | 8 | |
| Cancelled after 1 Season | 1 | 12.5% |
| Cancelled after 2 Seasons | 0 | 0.0% |
| Cancelled after 3 Seasons | 1 | 12.5% |
| 4 Seasons or More | 2 | 25.0% |
Does the Network Have a Three-to-Four Season Wall?
It is still early in Apple TV+’s tenure to determine if the streamer will stick to the trend of wrapping up its originals after three-to-four seasons, but there are indications that it will follow the lead of the major streamers. The streaming services base the success of a show on the new subscriptions it brings, and those numbers tend to taper off in later seasons unless it is an event series like Netflix’s Stranger Things or Amazon’s The Boys. For that reason, we have been seeing streaming originals typically wrap up by their third or fourth season, often with the final season announced in advance. The upcoming fourth season of Servant has been announced as its last, and See will wrap up with its third season. For All Mankind could go on to a fifth season, although the fourth year is looking like a good place to wrap that one up. The showrunners for Foundation would like that one to have an extended run, but considering its production costs, I see it topping out around the third or fourth year. We will see how the streamer deals with its other shows in the coming years, but for now don’t expect more than four seasons from most of its scripted originals.
Network Score
I am giving Apple TV+ a score of 4 out of 5 on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest). This streamer kicked off with some notable sci fi entries and has so far done a good job of supporting its shows. It is also continuing to produce genre entries, but without the churn philosophy that Netflix follows, constantly rolling out new shows trying to grab subscribers while quickly pulling the plug on prior releases. As for the quality of the Apple TV+ originals, For All Mankind is on track to be considered a sci fi classic and it could be joined by Severance and maybe even Foundation if that show can overcome its uneven first season. The streamer’s other genre entries are definitely notable and worth checking out as well. If Apple TV+ can continue on the same path in the coming years (a big if as several of the streamers are experiencing growing pains lately), it will establish itself as a go-to platform for science fiction and fantasy.
List of Sci Fi/Fantasy Originals
This is a list of the scripted sci fi and fantasy shows that have debuted on Apple TV+ since it launched in 2019. The streamer currently has five active shows carrying into the upcoming season (or waiting word on their fates) and quite a number of shows in the pipeline. The list is sorted by number of seasons, and if the show has officially been renewed that is included in the season count.
| Series | Start | Seasons | Cancelled/Ended |
| For All Mankind | 2019-20 | 4 | N |
| Servant | 2019-20 | 4 | Y |
| See | 2019-20 | 3 | Y |
| Foundation | 2021-22 | 2 | N |
| Invasion | 2021-22 | 2 | N |
| Severance | 2021-22 | 2 | N |
| Amazing Stories | 2019-20 | 1 | Y |
| Lisey’s Story (Mini-Series) | 2020-21 | 1 | Y |
| Shining Girls | 2021-22 | 1 | N |
| The Essex Serpent (Mini-Series) | 2021-22 | 1 | Y |
CancelledSciFi.com: Keep up with the status updates of all the currently airing sci fi and fantasy shows with our Cancellation Watch posts. And be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for breaking news and updates.
SciFiTVSite.com: Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and keep up with what is airing/streaming each week with our Weekly Listings.
