Apple TV+ Shows 'Physical,' 'Schmigadoon' and 'Lisey's Story' Coming This Summer

Apple today shared additional details on upcoming Apple TV+ series "Physical," which Apple says is "coming soon." There are 10 episodes of "Physical," with the show described as a dark comedy.

physical tv show
Set in 1980s San Diego, "Physical" follows Sheila Rubin, a dutiful housewife supporting her husband's political aspirations. She becomes hooked on exercise and starts a business taping fitness videos. From the show's description:

Set in the idyllic but fragile beach paradise of sunny 1980s San Diego, "Physical" is a half-hour dark comedy following Sheila Rubin, a quietly tortured, seemingly dutiful housewife supporting her smart but controversial husband's bid for state assembly. But behind closed doors, Sheila has her own darkly funny take on life she rarely lets the world see. She's also battling a complex set of personal demons relating to her self-image... that is, until she finds release through the unlikeliest source: the world of aerobics.

At first hooked on the exercise itself, Sheila's real road to empowerment comes when she discovers a way to merge this newfound passion with the burgeoning technology of videotape to start a revolutionary business. The series tracks her epic journey from a stifled, overlooked enabler to a powerful, confident economic force, as Sheila transforms into someone we take for granted today (but was entirely radical at the time) -- the female lifestyle guru.

"Physical" stars Rose Byrne as Sheila Rubin, and Rory Scovel as her husband Danny. The show was created by Annie Weisman, who has worked on shows like "About a Boy," "Suburgatory," "I Feel Bad," and "Desperate Housewives." Apple has not provided a specific release date for "Physical," but says the series will premiere in summer 2021.

Apple also shared a first look at "Lisey's Story," a TV series that's also set to come out in summer 2021. Starring Julianne Moore and Clive Owen, "Lisey's Story" is based on the best-selling novel by Stephen King, who created the show.

lisey story apple tv plus
"Lisey's Story" is a personal thriller that tells the story of Lisey Landon two years after the death of her husband, famous novelist Scott Landon. Unsettling events cause Lisey to face her memories of her marriage to Scott that she's blocked out of her mind.

A third series premiering this summer is Schmigadoon!, a musical comedy that is set to star Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key. The series is described as a parody of iconic musicals, with the two main stars playing a couple on a backpacking trip that's meant to reinvigorate their relationship.

They come across the magical town of Schmigadoon, where everyone lives in a studio musical from the 1940s. They're unable to leave until they can find "true love."

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
ipad air windows 11 arm

M2 iPad Air Runs Windows 11 ARM via Emulation, Thanks to EU Rules

Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect. As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...

Top Rated Comments

solofest Avatar
55 months ago
So, they’re definitely going to do a cross-promotion with Rose Byrne in character leading an Apple Fitness+ aerobics class, right?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BWhaler Avatar
55 months ago
She’s an underated actress. It may be a good show.

I don’t know how Apple gets Apple TV+ to work in a tidal wave of subscriptions choices and alternatives for our time, but I hope it’s a success. I think Apple TV+ has the potential to be the next HBO.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MisterMxyzptlk Avatar
55 months ago
TV Executive: Why would I watch this?
George: Because it’s on TV
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Websnapx2 Avatar
55 months ago
Reminds me of American Horror Story's "1984" season, deadly obsession with aerobics as a humorous sub-plot. I loved that show, and love Rose Byrne so I'm in.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alexandr Avatar
55 months ago
does watching this give you 3 free months of fitness+?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tedwill Avatar
55 months ago
Looking forward to Lisey's Story. One of my favorite Stephen King books.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)