Apples Never Fall’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Continues Sam Neill’s Disappointing TV Trend

Sam Neill’s recent Peacock series, Apples Never Fall, has debuted with a 38% Rotten Tomatoes score, continuing a disappointing trend in the actor’s TV career. Sam Neill has been one of the most coveted acting talents since the 1970s, appearing in cult classics like Possession and In the Mouth of Madness, as well as starring in the cinematic phenomenon Jurassic Park. At 76, the New Zealand actor is still putting in great performances, appearing in a variety of film and television roles.

The miniseries Apples Never Fall is Sam Neill’s latest venture, and at first glance, it seems like a very promising project. The show is based on a novel by Liane Moriarty, who also wrote the books Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, which have had successful television adaptations. The Apples Never Fall cast also includes Annette Bening, Alison Brie, and The White Lotus’s Jake Lacy. Unfortunately, the adaptation didn’t come together, ending up with sub-par reviews on multiple sites.

Apples Never Fall’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Disappointing For Sam Neill’s TV Career

Like many other movie stars, Sam Neill has pivoted primarily to TV roles in the 21st century, with fantastic roles in period dramas like The Tudors and Peaky Blinders. However, his past two shows, The Twelve and Invasion, both received negative scores on Rotten Tomatoes. Since his role in Peaky Blinders ended in 2014, Neill has only had one critically acclaimed TV series, the BBC miniseries adaptation of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.

Related

Apples Never Fall Ending Explained: What Happened To Joy Delaney?

The ending of Apples Never Fall may surprise viewers who haven’t read Liane Moriarty’s book, but the finale drives home the show’s message.

Despite being a recognizable and celebrated film actor with numerous memorable performances, Sam Neill hasn’t found much success on television in recent years. Although his performances have been consistently enjoyable, he’s found himself on mediocre shows. On the other hand, his movie roles have seen him in box office hits like Peter Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok, and Jurassic World Dominion.

Sam Neill’s TV Shows Haven’t Gotten A Fresh Rotten Tomatoes Score Since Peaky Blinders

Inspector Campbell was far from the most likable member of the Peaky Blinders character ensemble, but he was constantly entertaining and made for an essential piece in the show’s early seasons. Sam Neill played a fantastic, complex villain in the period crime drama, contributing to the immensely talented cast that earned the series an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. After four decades of performances, Peaky Blinders is one of Neill’s most memorable.

Given how recently Peaky Blinders ended, Sam Neill’s stint doesn’t seem that long ago. It’s actually been ten years since his role in the series ended, and Neill has struggled to find promising television roles since. It’s not that Sam Neill has anything to prove at this point in his career, but he has such a beloved screen presence that it’d be wonderful to see him in more successful projects. For now, Apples Never Fall will have to do.

Apples Never Fall

Based on the novel by Liane Moriarty (author of Big Little Lies), Apples Never Fall is a mystery-drama series created by Melanie Marnich for Peacock in 2024. The Delaney family seemingly has it all from an outsider’s perspective. Still, when Stan and Joy sell their sports academy to spend more time with their older children, their plans are disrupted when a young woman arrives at their door, leading to Joy’s disappearance soon after. 

Cast

Annette Bening , Sam Neill , Jake Lacy , Alison Brie , Essie Randles , Pooja Shah , Sharon Brooks , Jane Hall

Release Date

March 14, 2024

Seasons

1

Writers

Melanie Marnich