There’s one thrilling Apple TV show flying under the radar that murder mystery fans will love

The two basic indicators of a good TV series are that you can’t wait to watch the next episode and that you can’t stop thinking about it after it’s finished. For me, Apple TV’s Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed hit both marks completely.

The murder mystery thriller stars Tatiana Maslany and Jake Johnson, along with a pitch-perfect supporting cast. The gist of the show is that Maslany’s character, Paula Sanders, sees a cam boy abducted during one of their virtual, one-on-one chats. Quickly, she's sucked into his disappearance, which disrupts her life as a single mom.

I don’t expect that vague synopsis to convince anyone to watch the show. That’s one reason this show may be flying under the radar. Even I avoided it during its weekly run because the trailer and description were too vague. But it only took watching the first episode to change that.

Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is fast-paced and gripping. It doesn’t belabor the initial abduction or include filler. Nothing is drawn out. So just when you think you’ve figured out what’s going on, it’s on to the next thing in a way that’s smart and clever. 

Despite there being some really good shows out there, I often find myself getting bored of predictable plots. One thing I can guarantee you is that you won't guess where this show goes.

The cleverness of Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is its driving force

The first episode of the show is 40 minutes long. In a sense, the ground it covers to lay a foundation is sprawling. And yet, it blew by. Another show might have tried to stretch this first episode into four or five episodes. That’s when I was hooked.

After the first 20 or 30 minutes, I thought I knew where the show was headed. But as the episode progressed and ultimately ended on a twist, it became clear that I had no clue.

I’ll call Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed clever, but you could just as easily call it smart or well thought out. The pacing and turns don’t allow viewers much time to dwell on what’s coming next. You’re always processing what just happened or what’s currently happening.

But even more important than just surprise after surprise is the believability of it all. I don’t know if I would say it's realistic, but it’s all believable. For a fictional murder mystery, the show never asks you to take too big of a leap at any point.

The first episode’s runtime is the longest. The others range from 28 to 29 minutes to 36 and 37 minutes. The shorter episodes mean that you’re never left dwelling on any facet for too long.

Now that the first season is fully available, the shorter episodes are perfect for binging.

The cast is eccentric

There are zero flaws with the way Tatiana Maslany plays Paula Sanders. As a single mother trying to manage work, a custody battle, and an ounce of a social life, Maslany brings that chaotic, authentic energy to the screen.

The show is shot in a way that allows the camera work and backing music to freak out a little bit. It seems like a nod to anxiety and mild panic attacks. There's never too much of the effect, but just enough to convey the stress of it all.

Jake Johnson plays Paula's ex-husband, Karl. And in traditional Johnson fashion, he brings a healthy dose of comedic wit to the screen in a casual, every-man way. Despite all the other circumstances, the show can be quite funny. Although plenty of characters share in the jokes, I think the real comedian of the show is Dolly de Leon, who plays Detective Gonzalez. Although she doesn't do it in a flashy way, she's one of the show's pillars that gives it so much dimension.

The show works for one season, or many

Unfortunately, a consideration we all face as entertainment viewers now is renewal and cancellation. Whether a show is picked up for season two often impacts the quality of season one. An unsatisfying, cliffhanger ending might sour an otherwise good show if it never comes back.

Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed tries to play it both ways, and mostly succeeds. It wraps up what it needs to for a sense of closure. If it’s not renewed, it will still have been worth the ride. I would still recommend it, even if it's not renewed—still unknown.

Of course, the show leaves plenty of story runway to keep things going without seeming forced. I wouldn’t presume to know where it’s going, only that there are avenues left open to run wild for plausible expansion.

Should you watch Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed on Apple TV?

Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, across its 10 episodes, has a total runtime of just under six hours. This isn’t a sprawling epic or a show that needs you to sink a lot of time into. In that regard, it’s hard to suggest anyone subscribe to Apple TV just to watch this show. 

On the other hand, it’s part of a wide catalog of hit shows. The service itself is worth subscribing to for ad-free programming. But anyone already subscribed to Apple TV should be adding this show to their watch list right away.