‘Presumed Innocent’ becomes most popular series on streaming

After launching last week, the Apple TV+ crime drama Presumed Innocent almost immediately became the most watched show on streaming, according to analysts. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a man who might, or might not, have murdered the woman he’s having an affair with.

And Dark Matter, the sci-fi novel adapted into an Apple TV+ series, spent its sixth week as one of the most popular offerings on any streaming service.

Presumed Innocent starring Jake Gyllenhaal starts at the top

Crime dramas are a staple of TV, and Apple has not overlooked the genre. There’s no better example than Defending Jacob starring Chris Evans. Or there’s Criminal Record starring Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo. And these are just a couple of examples.

Clearly, it’s a popular genre because Presumed Innocent shot to the top of the streaming charts after premiering on Wednesday, June 12. The series ranks at No. 1 on Reelgood’s list of Top 10 TV shows on streaming during the week ending June 19. And it’s at No. 1 on JustWatch‘s list of top streaming shows for the week ending June 16.

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

Jake Gyllenhaal plays a lawyer in love in Presumed Innocent. And it looks like he might just be a murderer, too. The eight-episode limited series comes from TV veterans David E. Kelley and J.J. Abrams.

If its quick popularity catches your eye, Apple’s teaser says:

“The gripping series takes viewers on a journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich (Gyllenhaal) is suspected of the crime. The series explores obsession, sex, politics and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.”

Three episodes of Presumed Innocent are available now. The fourth will reach Apple’s streaming service on Wednesday, with a new one following each week through July 24. There’ll be eight episodes in total.

Dark Matter continues to draw a big audience on Apple TV+

Dark Matter started as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade and has now become a solid hit for Apple TV+. After premiering in May at the tops of the popularity charts, it was at No. 5 on both Reelgood’s and JustWatch’s most recent lists of most popular Top 10 TV shows on streaming.

Dark Matter stars Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly. For those who haven’t read the book, Apple’s (spoiler-filled) description of its series says:

“Dark Matter is a story about the road not taken. The series follows Jason Dessen (played by Edgerton), a physicist, professor and family man who — one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago — is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.”

The series premiered May 8, and the first eight episodes of Dark Matter are available now on Apple TV+. The finale comes Wednesday, June 26.

Watch these and more on Apple TV+

Watching Presumed Innocent and Dark Matter 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.

Want more tips on what to watch on Apple TV+? Read our guide to the 15 best shows on Apple TV+.