Apple Releases 'Dear...' Documentary Series Inspired by Apple Watch Ad

[MacRumors]

Apple today released its new "Dear..." biographical documentary series, which profiles famous figures through letters sent to them by people whose lives have been impacted and changed through their work.

The series features stars including Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, Spike Lee, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Yara Shahidi, Stevie Wonder, Aly Raisman, Misty Copeland, Big Bird, and more.

"Dear..." was inspired by Apple's "Dear Apple" marketing campaign, in which Apple Watch users read letters sharing how the device has changed their lives. Apple announced the new series at the beginning of the year.

All 10 episodes have been made available today to Apple TV+ subscribers.

Article Link: Apple Releases 'Dear...' Documentary Series Inspired by Apple Watch Ad

 

[Aluminum213]

Pure unadulterated celebrity worship, just what the world needs...

 

[Kabeyun]

Pure unadulterated celebrity worship, just what the world needs...

Thanks for kicking off yet another inspiring story thread with negativity. Just what the world needs.

 

[SAIRUS]

Learning to work with other people with different opinions. What the world needs.

 

[orbital~debris]

I loved the marketing Apple did around real-life Watch customers and how it had helped them. Obviously the end goal was to encourage more people to buy the product, but there was no doubt in my mind that the instances depicted were genuine, heartfelt and sincere.

It's an interesting stepping off point for a TV series, and I suspect it will not be 'unadulterated celebrity worship' (however, I've not seen the programme yet – unlike @Aluminum213 who clearly has… 😏).

 

[joiwomcow]

Oh dear....

 

[Aluminum213]

Thanks for kicking off yet another inspiring story thread with negativity. Just what the world needs.

Didn’t realize praising celebrities was such an inspiration for you

 

[V_Man]

Marketing. Plain and simple. Now Apple TV+ is ads for products.

 

[chucker23n1]

Thanks for kicking off yet another inspiring story thread with negativity. Just what the world needs.

Ehhhhh.

It's on Apple to pitch their premise, and this just sounds a lot like self-adultion.

It could be a really interesting series, but are there really a lot of people thinking, "you know whom I really want to know more about, through way of fan letters? Oprah!"

 

[temptee]

Cringing hard ngl

 

[Ar40]

Ooof, this show is very bad (I watched the first 4 episodes last night). The celebrity pandering is really gross. The only show on TV+ that I can't stand. Even Truth be Told, which was horrible, had some artistic merit. This OTOH is just bad.

 

[Ar40]

I also want to note that Spike Lee has the gall of giving credit to Bill Cosby. Yes, that Bill Cosby. Gross.

 

[Expos of 1969]

Thanks for kicking off yet another inspiring story thread with negativity. Just what the world needs.

The world needs honesty and @Aluminum213 has provided it

 

[13astion]

Pure unadulterated celebrity worship, just what the world needs...

Half of those people you had never even heard of before - get real.
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Ehhhhh.

It's on Apple to pitch their premise, and this just sounds a lot like self-adultion.

It could be a really interesting series, but are there really a lot of people thinking, "you know whom I really want to know more about, through way of fan letters? Oprah!"

Maybe if people approach it with a bit more of an open mind, they'll make more. Also, half of these folks are "nobodies" - they are not celebrities, but just people who stood out in their craft or interest. If they make more, I'm sure they will follow a similar formula: half nationally well-known names and half people with far less celebrity.

Here's the thing: human civilization has always been built on story-telling. That's all this is, but it doesn't try to tell you just the story of these 10 people, but also the stories of people wrapped up in their legacies.

We all have a legacy. What will yours be? Are you the "hero" or "villain" of your story? Will anyone want to tell it when you're gone?

This negativity smacks more of jealousy than anything resembling artistic "critique"...

 

[chucker23n1]

We all have a legacy. What will yours be? Are you the "hero" or "villain" of your story? Will anyone want to tell it when you're gone?

Nobody is contesting the usefulness of the documentary genre.

 

[Kabeyun]

The world needs honesty and @Aluminum213 has provided it

So who’s not being honest? All this people who wrote letters are lying? Those celebrities are lying about getting them? They’re lying about their meaning to them? Apple is lying about them. Apple is lying in combining moving stories and an in-house documentary? And so what if there is some celebrity worship thrown in? Is that awful? When’s the last time you thanked a hero for anything? Do you even have a hero? Are you so crystalline pure? I don’t see a bad here. I’m waiting to hear that all Disney films a pure money grab because yes, they made money.

 

[handle manifest]

Say, is there a series of videos on some other service inspired by "Dear Forum..."? 🗝

 

[inbloomgc]

We all have a legacy. What will yours be? Are you the "hero" or "villain" of your story? Will anyone want to tell it when you're gone?

Nice shout out to Hamilton, there.

 

[V_Man]

Half of those people you had never even heard of before - get real.
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Maybe if people approach it with a bit more of an open mind, they'll make more. Also, half of these folks are "nobodies" - they are not celebrities, but just people who stood out in their craft or interest. If they make more, I'm sure they will follow a similar formula: half nationally well-known names and half people with far less celebrity.

Here's the thing: human civilization has always been built on story-telling. That's all this is, but it doesn't try to tell you just the story of these 10 people, but also the stories of people wrapped up in their legacies.

We all have a legacy. What will yours be? Are you the "hero" or "villain" of your story? Will anyone want to tell it when you're gone?

This negativity smacks more of jealousy than anything resembling artistic "critique"...

Your wrong but if that helps you sleep well enjoy. Who gives a crap about ones legacy. Please. Your dead. Does it make a bit of difference. Nope.

 

[Johnny907]

The sound of crickets surrounding the launch of this series is deafening.

 

[chucker23n1]

Your wrong but if that helps you sleep well enjoy. Who gives a crap about ones legacy. Please. Your dead. Does it make a bit of difference. Nope.

So, history doesn’t matter? Culture doesn’t matter?

 

[V_Man]

To me. Not at all.

 

[Regbial]

Article should be titled: Apple releases cringe

 

[Ar40]

So who’s not being honest? All this people who wrote letters are lying? Those celebrities are lying about getting them? They’re lying about their meaning to them? Apple is lying about them. Apple is lying in combining moving stories and an in-house documentary? And so what if there is some celebrity worship thrown in? Is that awful? When’s the last time you thanked a hero for anything? Do you even have a hero? Are you so crystalline pure? I don’t see a bad here. I’m waiting to hear that all Disney films a pure money grab because yes, they made money.

Celebrities ≠ Heroes. Firefighters, soldiers on the front lines, emergency room doctors. Those are the true heroes.

 

[Kabeyun]

Celebrities ≠ Heroes. Firefighters, soldiers on the front lines, emergency room doctors. Those are the true heroes.

There are two kinds of heroes. One is the kind you’re talking about: people who risk large sacrifice with little personal gain to do something significant for others. The other kind are role models, people who are looked up to, often by youngsters, as examples of achievement and character and used as inspiration for one’s own achievements and character. It could be Oprah Winfrey, John Glenn, Megan Rapinoe, Jackie Robinson, or Marie Curie. One of mine was Carl Sagan. Both of these are legitimate senses of the word “hero.” What they have in common is a positive effect on others without reward; a direct physical act in the former, a sustained inspirational presence in the latter.

So, to refine your equation:
Celebrities ⊃ Heroes

Edit: @Ar40 - disagree all you want. You also are disagreeing with Merriam Webster, American Heritage, and the OED. i.e. I wasn’t posting an opinion. Kind of silly to go whole hog down the wrong side of the semantic rabbit hole.