Taron Egerton has been on a roll lately. After a busy 2025 that saw him headline the Apple TV+ series Smoke and the gritty thriller She Rides Shotgun, he kicked off 2026 with the Netflix action blockbuster Apex, co-starring Charlize Theron. While Apex has divided critics and fans, it's shot straight to the top of Netflix's streaming charts, aiming to dethrone War Machine as the platform's biggest movie of the year. But before all that, Egerton delivered one of the most acclaimed TV performances of the decade in a show that still has audiences hooked.
That show is Black Bird, the Apple TV+ psychological prison drama that premiered in 2022. Often described as a cross between Mindhunter and Prison Break, the series has become a cult favorite and a perennial binge-watch on the streamer. Even as we approach its fourth anniversary without a new episode, Black Bird remains one of Apple TV+'s most popular titles—and for good reason.
What Is 'Black Bird' About?
The official synopsis sets the stage: Jimmy Keene (Egerton) is a charming drug dealer sentenced to 10 years in a minimum-security prison. But the FBI offers him a deal: transfer to a maximum-security facility for the criminally insane and befriend Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), a suspected serial killer. Keene's mission is to elicit a confession from Hall to locate the bodies of as many as 18 women. It's a high-stakes psychological game where every conversation could be a matter of life and death.
The series was created by Dennis Lehane, the author behind Shutter Island, which Martin Scorsese turned into a mind-bending thriller. Lehane's touch is evident in the show's tense, layered storytelling. The cast also includes Sepideh Moafi (The Pitt) and the late Ray Liotta (Goodfellas), delivering some of his final performances.
Critical Acclaim and Awards
Black Bird earned near-perfect scores on Rotten Tomatoes: 98% from critics and 95% from audiences. It's hailed as one of the best shows of the last decade, winning two Emmy Awards, including a well-deserved win for Paul Walter Hauser's chilling portrayal of Larry Hall. The show's ability to blend psychological horror with a gripping prison-break tension has drawn comparisons to classics like Prison Break and the FBI profiling drama Mindhunter.
If you're looking for a weekend binge that delivers both thrills and depth, Black Bird is a knockout. For more on Egerton's career, check out our coverage of his earlier work in other underrated thrillers. And if you're a fan of crime dramas, you might also enjoy our list of 6 crime dramas that outshine Breaking Bad in writing depth.
Stream Black Bird now on Apple TV+, and stay tuned for more updates on Egerton's upcoming projects and the best streaming content of 2026.
