Top TV Shows Currently Dominating Apple TV+, Netflix, Hulu, Max & More

Apple TV+ is now four episodes into *Bad Monkey*, the new black comedy from *Ted Lasso* co-creator Bill Lawrence, starring Vince Vaughn as a motormouthed ex-Miami PD detective who loves the ladies and often angers his superiors. So far, my initial comparison of the series as the “Florida Man of shows” holds up. The show is filled with over-the-top storylines, eccentric characters, bright tropical colors, and all the quirks you’d expect from the Sunshine State.

Based on Carl Hiaasen’s 2013 novel of the same name, *Bad Monkey* is a pulpy blend of murder, femme fatales, a severed arm, scams, fake identities, and a touch of voodoo. Vaughn, at the center of it all, portrays Andrew Yancy, a quick-witted character who tries to outdo himself with each scene. It’s an intentionally light-hearted and unserious show that feels like the small screen version of a guilty pleasure novel picked up in an airport bookstore.

Rob Delaney appears in *Bad Monkey*. The latest data from the streaming search engine Reelgood shows that *Bad Monkey* is the #1 show across all streaming platforms this week. A writer on X/Twitter humorously described it as the “Fargo of Florida,” capturing its quirky, offbeat vibe.

“A vibrant riff on the P.I. serials of television’s yesteryear, *Bad Monkey* is a breezy good time that fully leverages Vince Vaughn’s motormouth charms,” says the Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus about the show.

Reelgood tracks 20 million viewing decisions monthly across various US streaming platforms, including Apple TV+, Max, Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video, Paramount+, and others. For the week ending August 28, the top 10 TV shows on Reelgood’s rankings were:

1. *Bad Monkey* (Apple TV+)
2. *Kevin Can F**K Himself* (Netflix)
3. *Only Murders in the Building* (Hulu)
4. *Dark Winds* (Netflix)
5. *Industry* (HBO/Max)
6. *From* (Prime Video)
7. *Evil* (Paramount+)
8. *The Umbrella Academy* (Netflix)
9. *The Bear* (FX/Hulu)
10. *The Terror* (Netflix)

Among these shows, Apple’s drama set in the shady side of paradise is likely the most enjoyable one. A lot of highly ranked shows this week are darker and more serious, dealing with murder, finance corruption, or superhero trauma. While such themes resonate with many viewers, I prefer escapism when I turn on the TV.

*Bad Monkey* fits that preference perfectly. If a show features tourists fishing out a severed arm (complete with an extended middle finger) from the water, I’m sold. Add in a wisecracking detective and playfully corrupt cops, and you have a delightful escape from reality.

The less it resembles the real world, the better, as far as I’m concerned.

Source: BGR