3 best Apple TV shows you can binge-watch in one weekend — including a 'True Detective' reunion, Taron Egerton's intense prison drama and Jake Gyllenhaal in a twisty legal thriller

One of the perks of the streaming era is that, unlike the 20-episode seasons of network TV yore, television shows nowadays are in that sweet spot of 6-10 episodes, meaning that you can easily crush an entire season of great TV in a single weekend. Apple TV certainly is no exception — the streaming service is home to plenty of quick comedies, high-tension limited series and short-story anthologies that are seemingly made to finish before Monday rolls around yet again. And these three in particular are exceptionally star-studded affairs, despite their comparatively short episode orders, led by A-listers like Jake Gyllenhaal, Matthew McConaughey, Taron Egerton, and Woody Harrelson. Whether you're after a breezy buddy comedy or a slow-burn psychological thriller, here are three Apple TV shows you can binge-watch in one weekend. 'Black Bird'Based on the 2010 autobiographical book "In with the Devil" by James Keene and Hillel Levin, this true-crime drama centers on Jimmy Keene, a high school football hero and decorated policeman's son, whose clean-cut life is upended when he is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum-security prison for dealing narcotics. That all changes when he's given a high-stakes deal with the FBI: Enter a maximum-security prison and befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser, who won an Emmy and Golden Globe award for his chilling work here) to extract a confession, or serve his full sentence with no possibility for parole. Across six gripping episodes, the moody psychological thriller thrums with unsettling tension and moral complexity. An ensemble cast that includes Sepideh Moafi, Greg Kinnear and the late, great Ray Liotta doesn't hurt, either. Stream "Black Bird" on Apple TV now 'Brothers'Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson have always shared a similar mischievousness, one that, according to a long-standing rumor, might be genetic. Speculation that the two Hollywood stars and real-life besties might actually be biological half-brothers started after Matthew's mother, Kay, revealed during a family vacation that she "knew" Woody's father, Charles Harrelson, if you catch our drift. The actors gamely expand on that rumor in this Apple TV comedy, which was initially conceived as a standalone eight-episode story but might return for a second season, especially after that season one cliffhanger. In the show, McConaughey and Harrelson play fictionalized versions of themselves, who are forced to deal with that bombshell from Ma Mac (played by Holland Taylor) while gathered at Matthew’s Texas ranch.The show is also noted for being a "True Detective" reunion of sorts, as McConaughey and Harrelson starred together in the first season of the popular HBO crime series. Stream "Brothers" on Apple TV now'Presumed Innocent'A second season of this legal thriller anthology is soon to come (with a brand-new cast including Rachel Brosnahan and Matthew Rhys), but before that, you should catch up with its excellent first season, a twisty murder mystery starring a stalwart of the genre, Jake Gyllenhaal. Adapted from Scott Turow’s 1987 novel of the same name, the eight-episode crime drama revolves around Rusty Sabich (Gyllenhaal), a respected chief deputy prosecutor whose life implodes when he becomes the prime suspect in the brutal murder of his colleague-slash-lover (Renate Reinsve). Rusty is left to fight for his career, his family, and his sanity as he maintains his innocence.Along with Gyllenhaal and Reinsve, the absolutely stacked cast includes Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, O-T Fagbenle, Chase Infiniti, Nana Mensah, Peter Sarsgaard, Kingston Rumi Southwick and Elizabeth Marvel.Stream "Presumed Innocent" on Apple TV nowMore from Tom's GuideEverything new on Apple TV in November 2026Apple TV just added 20 classic movies — here are the 3 I'm watching firstYou don’t need the Apple TV 4K to get its best feature — just buy the remote