Apple renews four Apple TV+ shows for second seasons

AppleInsider

Apple is quickly padding out its longterm Apple TV+ slate with multi-season series, according to a report on Tuesday that says the tech giant has renewed four shows currently scheduled to debut on or shortly after the service's go-live date on Nov. 1.

Without citing sources, Deadline reports Apple has ordered second seasons of alternate reality space race drama "For All Mankind," Emily Dickinson comedy "Dickinson," immigrant anthology series "Little America" and detective drama "Home Before Dark."

Apple has not confirmed sophomore runs for any of its planned Apple TV+ original series, but reports suggest the four shows will join a second season of "The Morning Show" starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.

Apple CEO Tim Cook presented the first preview of "For All Mankind" at the 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Starring Joel Kinnaman, Michael Dorman and Sarah Jones, the sci-fi series created by Ronald D. Moore of "Star Trek" and "Battlestar Galactica" fame takes place in an alternate reality where Russia beat the U.S. to the moon.

Hailee Steinfeld vehicle "Dickinson" is described as a coming-of-age tale told from poet Emily Dickinson's point of view. Set in the 19th century, the show veers away from a period piece by incorporating modern storytelling elements, dialogue and music.

"Little America" is an immigrant anthology series inspired by stories published in Epic Magazine. Academy Award-nominated screenwriters Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon are listed as executive producers alongside Alan Yang.

Young detective drama "Home Before Dark" fictionalizes the story of Hilde Lysiak, a preteen girl who exposed a murder in the town of Selinsgrove, Pa. In Apple's version, a young girl moves from Brooklyn to a small town, where she exposes a forgotten cold case.

Apple TV+ debuts on Nov. 1 with a slate of about ten shows, series and specials including Jason Momoa vehicle "See," "The Morning Show," "Dickinson" and an Oprah Winfrey project. The service costs $4.99 per month, but customers can snag a year of free access with the purchase of select devices like iPhone and iPad.

soli

That seems a little premature, but I guess that's better than FOX killing a series before it has a chance to take hold.

mdriftmeyer

Soli said:

That seems a little premature, but I guess that's better than FOX killing a series before it has a chance to take hold.

Consider Apple has well past 100k regular full-time employees what better sample to determine from then requiring staff to watch these shows and give feedback.

spamsandwich

The preview for “Dickinson” looked really, really bad.

soli

SpamSandwich said:

The preview for “Dickinson” looked really, really bad.

I'm pretty sure you're not even close to the target demographic for that show.

mdriftmeyer said:

Soli said:

That seems a little premature, but I guess that's better than FOX killing a series before it has a chance to take hold.

Consider Apple has well past 100k regular full-time employees what better sample to determine from then requiring staff to watch these shows and give feedback.

Hopefully and/or the usual test audiences for movies and TV shows. Still, that's atypical but I'm glad they have faith in their productions.

edited October 2019

entropys

So just what is the target demographic then? Because it seems terribly overwrought, over engineered, takes its controversy too seriously.  

That might be the way the trailer is though, and it might be actually OK. But I have to say, as someone who likes a period piece romance, and even a bit of a soft spot for coming of age stories, it doesn’t look good.

edit: also, considering in dickinson’s real recluse life nothing actually happened, how can a second series be sustained?

edited October 2019

hucom2000

I had the same thoughts as discussed in the comments above. I figured it must be for very young people. But are they interested in period pieces?? Maybe Apple's idea is precisely that: to get young audiences interested in plots set in historic contexts. I would consider that ambitious!

razorpit

hucom2000 said:

I had the same thoughts as discussed in the comments above. I figured it must be for very young people. But are they interested in period pieces?? Maybe Apple's idea is precisely that: to get young audiences interested in plots set in historic contexts. I would consider that ambitious!

Bingo. For those of us 35’ish and older Apple already has our wallet. Shows like this are for the younger crowd who don’t know any better and could be swayed by Android. “Hey look, we’re Apple. We’re hip and cool. We feel your youthful angst.”

razorpit

Forgive me if this has been covered but how does this “purchase a device and get free AppleTV+ service” work?

Do you have to purchase a device from Apple, or can you purchase from a third party? What tells Apple this is a new device? For example I purchased a 4K AppleTV before the announcement but haven’t yet set it up. Apple doesn’t know when I purchased it from the third party. Will I get the service for free?

nicholfd

razorpit said:

Forgive me if this has been covered but how does this “purchase a device and get free AppleTV+ service” work?

Do you have to purchase a device from Apple, or can you purchase from a third party? What tells Apple this is a new device? For example I purchased a 4K AppleTV before the announcement but haven’t yet set it up. Apple doesn’t know when I purchased it from the third party. Will I get the service for free?

They made no stipulation that you had to buy it directly from Apple...  Every Apple product goes online when you first power it on, and is "Activated" with Apple.  I suspect it's based on when you first activate the "new" device with Apple.  

razorpit

nicholfd said:

razorpit said:

Forgive me if this has been covered but how does this “purchase a device and get free AppleTV+ service” work?

Do you have to purchase a device from Apple, or can you purchase from a third party? What tells Apple this is a new device? For example I purchased a 4K AppleTV before the announcement but haven’t yet set it up. Apple doesn’t know when I purchased it from the third party. Will I get the service for free?

They made no stipulation that you had to buy it directly from Apple...  Every Apple product goes online when you first power it on, and is "Activated" with Apple.  I suspect it's based on when you first activate the "new" device with Apple.  

I’m hoping that’s the case. I don’t have any plans to purchase one of the mentioned devices this year.

I would like to check out the service but certainly not going to if I have to pay for it. Between my Disney+, Netflix, HBO, and cable bill, I don’t need another pay service.

appleexposed

Wow not even the first episode aired and they're already a hit!!!

entropys said:

So just what is the target demographic then? Because it seems terribly overwrought, over engineered, takes its controversy too seriously.  

That might be the way the trailer is though, and it might be actually OK. But I have to say, as someone who likes a period piece romance, and even a bit of a soft spot for coming of age stories, it doesn’t look good.

edit: also, considering in dickinson’s real recluse life nothing actually happened, how can a second series be sustained?

hucom2000 said:

I had the same thoughts as discussed in the comments above. I figured it must be for very young people. But are they interested in period pieces?? Maybe Apple's idea is precisely that: to get young audiences interested in plots set in historic contexts. I would consider that ambitious!

*FacePalm*

You guys don't even know what the show's about. I can tell by your comments.

It is NOT based on historical facts. It's just a cool retelling. The demographics are teen girls who send emojis to each other.