Look, Apple TV+’s Smoke didn’t exactly blow everyone away when it first dropped, but if you’re a true crime drama fan, you really should check it out. Honestly, 2025 has been a bit of a rollercoaster for the genre. We’ve gotten some genuinely great shows – Hulu’s Murdaugh: A Death in the Family was seriously underappreciated – but also some real misses, like Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story, which just didn’t land.
Apple TV+’s true crime drama, Smoke, falls somewhere in the middle – it’s not perfect, but it’s definitely captivating. Starring Jurnee Smollett and Taron Egerton, the series premiered in June 2025 and received a mixed response from critics, even with a strong supporting cast featuring Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, and Hannah Emily Anderson.
What Is Smoke About?
©Apple TV+ / Courtesy Everett Collection
Inspired by the true-crime podcast Firebug, Smoke centers on detectives Michelle Calderone (Smollett) and Dave Gudsen (Egerton) as they investigate a series of dangerous arson attacks in the Pacific Northwest. Like many shows based on real crimes, Smoke works best if you don’t research the actual events online.
The show starts as a fairly simple, though sometimes slow-paced, crime drama. However, the ending of the episode “Smoke” completely changes things by revealing who has been setting the fires. After that reveal, the series transforms into a much more intense, darker, and gripping psychological thriller.
Why Smoke’s Reviews Were So Mixed
Reviewers had mixed reactions to Smoke, particularly its slow pace and how the story unfolded. Many felt the show held back its most important reveal for too long. Some argue the big twist should have happened sooner, as the solution to the mystery is readily available online.
However, the major twist in Smoke‘s fifth episode is undeniably powerful and unsettling. Once the show reveals the truth behind the story, the plot truly accelerates, and the investigation into the horrific fires becomes much more pressing.
Smoke Is Worth Binging
The first few episodes of Smoke are enjoyable thanks to strong performances from Egerton and Smollett, making them easy to watch. But the show really gets good after a major twist is revealed. It’s worth watching all the episodes at once just to find out what happens!
Even beyond the surprising twist in episode 5, Smoke is a compelling watch. The show’s case-by-case investigations are interesting from the start, and the acting gets even better as the Apple TV series gradually reveals the dark secrets at the heart of its central mystery.
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2025-12-18 22:51