Sunday, August 10, 2025

Cate Blanchett’s thriller ‘Disclaimer’ stays popular

The Apple TV+ series Disclaimer stayed among the top 10 most popular streaming series last week, according to two rating’s companies. The thriller about sex and secrets stars Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline, and was directed by Alfonso Cuarón.

In addition, Shrinking and Before, two more new Apple TV+ series, also did well.

Disclaimer stays a hit

Apple TV+ isn’t the largest of the streaming services — that’s honor goes to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. But Apple’s smaller service nevertheless manages to regularly produce hits by hiring top talent and giving them the money necessary to produce high-quality series. And that includes Disclaimer.

With so many big names involved in the project —Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Alfonso Cuarón and more — there was enormous pressure on the series to be a success. And it’s clearly delivering.

Disclaimer is holds the No. 4 spot on the Reelgood list of Top 10 TV shows the week of October 24-30. It’s not doing quite as well on the JustWatch list of popular series for the week of Oct. 21 – 27 though, sitting at No. 10. The series held the No. 1 spot on both lists the previous week.

Most popular streaming series in late October 2024
Several Apple TV+ series did well with audiences last week.
Chart: JustWatch/Reelgood

Estimates from companies like JustWatch and Reelgood are necessary because streaming services rarely reveal how many people tune in to their offerings.

If the series’ popularity gets piques your interest, the Apple TV+ summary says:

“Acclaimed journalist Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett) built her reputation revealing the misdeeds and transgressions of others. When she receives a novel from an unknown author, she is horrified to realize she is now the main character in a story that exposes her darkest secrets and threatens to destroy her family.

“As Catherine races to uncover the writer’s true identity, she is forced to confront her past before it destroys her life and her relationships with her husband Robert (Baron Cohen) and son Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee). The ensemble cast includes Kline, Lesley Manville, Louis Partridge, Leila George and Hoyeon, and features Indira Varma as the narrator.”

The first six episodes of Disclaimer are ready to watch now on Apple TV+. The seventh will hit the streaming service on Friday.

Watch on Apple TV

Shrinking does well, too

Disclaimer isn’t Apple TV+’s only recent hit. Shrinking Season 2 premiered recently on the streaming service and its audience from last year came back immediately. The comedy/drama starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford holds the No. 2 spot on JustWatch’s popularity chart from last week.

Apple’s official description of the series says:

Shrinking follows a grieving therapist (played by Segel) who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he makes huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.”

That could be the description for a drama, but the show generally plays with the premise for laughs. It’s a feel-good comedy with a dose of drama.

The first four episodes of Shrinking season two can be enjoyed now, while the fifth is coming on Wednesday. Watch to catch up? Season one is ready to be binge-watched.

Watch on Apple TV

Before finds an audience

And those two Apple TV+ series aren’t alone on the popularity charts. Billy Crystal’s Before premiered on JustWatch’s streaming series popularity chart in the No. 4 slot.  Despite what you might expect from this actor, this is no comedy. It’s a psychological thriller and a “supernatural mystery,”

Here’s how the streamer describes the 10-episode limited series’s plot and cast:

Before stars Crystal as Eli, a child psychiatrist who, after recently losing his wife, Lynn (Judith Light), encounters a troubled young boy, Noah (Jacobi Jupe), who seems to have a haunting connection to Eli’s past. As Eli attempts to help Noah, their mysterious bond deepens.

Alongside Crystal, the supernatural mystery series stars Emmy and Tony Award winner Judith Light, Jacobi Jupe, Emmy Award nominee Rosie Perez, Tony Award nominee Maria Dizzia and Ava Lalezarzadeh.

The first three episodes of Before are ready to watch now on Apple TV+. The next will premiere on the streaming service on Friday.

Watch on Apple TV

Watch these and more on Apple TV+

Streaming Disclaimer, Shrinking and Before, plus many other series or films comes with a subscription to Apple TV+. The service is $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle.

And Apple’s streaming video service also includes much more, of course. There’s a library of drama, comedies, musicals, children’s shows, nature documentaries, etc.


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