Apple TV+ just dropped the first trailer for Smoke, a new crime drama that’s already sparking major buzz, and it’s easy to see why. Starring Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett, this nine-episode series, set to premiere on June 27, 2025, promises a tense, twisty chase after two serial arsonists in the Pacific Northwest. Created by Dennis Lehane, the mastermind behind hits like Mystic River and Black Bird, Smoke blends dark mysteries, troubled characters, and a haunting vibe, all teased in a trailer that’s got fans ready to binge. Here’s why this show looks like Apple’s next must-watch thriller.
The trailer kicks off with a moody, fiery atmosphere, set to Thom Yorke’s eerie new track “Dialing In,” written just for the show. We meet Egerton’s Dave Gudsen, a brooding arson investigator, and Smollett’s Michelle Calderone, a tough police detective with her own demons. They’re forced to team up to track down two arsonists torching their way through the rainy Pacific Northwest, but the trailer hints at something deeper—a web of secrets and suspicions that might burn them both. Quick cuts of blazing fires, tense standoffs, and cryptic exchanges, like “If I suspected your husband of a crime, would that shock you?” set the stage for a cat-and-mouse game where trust is as scarce as dry ground.
Lehane, who also wrote and executive produced, brings his signature gritty storytelling, inspired by the real-life Firebug podcast about a serial arsonist who terrorized Southern California in the ’90s. The trailer leans into this true-crime vibe, showing Egerton’s Gudsen getting too close to the flames—maybe literally—and Smollett’s Calderone trying to keep him grounded. The visuals are dark and slick, with fire lighting up the gloom, promising a thriller that’s as much about the characters’ inner battles as the fires they’re chasing.
The cast is stacked, adding to the excitement. Alongside Egerton and Smollett, you’ve got Rafe Spall, John Leguizamo, Greg Kinnear, Anna Chlumsky, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, and Adina Porter. It’s a lineup that screams prestige drama, and the trailer gives glimpses of Spall and Kinnear in intense moments, hinting at a larger conspiracy. Directed by Kari Skogland, Joe Chappelle, and Jim McKay, with Egerton also executive producing, Smoke feels like a passion project with serious talent behind it.
Fans are already hyped, with posts online calling the trailer “hot as hell” and praising the Black Bird reunion of Lehane and Egerton, whose chemistry in that Emmy-nominated series set a high bar. The show’s setup—two flawed investigators, a real-life-inspired mystery, and a Pacific Northwest backdrop—has folks comparing it to Broadchurch or Happy Valley for its mix of personal drama and high-stakes crime. Apple’s betting big, dropping the first two episodes on June 27, with new ones every Friday through August 15, 2025. For binge-watchers, the full series will be ready on August 15.
Smoke looks like Apple TV+’s latest swing at a prestige thriller, and the trailer’s got all the makings of a summer obsession—dark secrets, fiery action, and a cast that can deliver. Whether you’re a Lehane fan or just love a good mystery, this one’s worth keeping an eye on. Mark your calendars for June 27, because Smoke is about to light up your screen.