At first glance, Apple TV+’s “The Big Door Prize” may resemble Adam Sandler’s “Click” or even the streamer’s own “Severance,” but this soft sci-fi comedy from “Schitt’s Creek” writer and producer David West Read is far less entrenched in the practical mysteries of its novum than either of those titles.

History teacher Dusty Hubbard (Chris O’Dowd) is perfectly content with his existence, but everyone around him, including his wife and highschool sweetheart, Cass (Gabrielle Dennis), can’t resist looking toward broader horizons. While stopping for coffee on the morning of his 40th birthday, Dusty notices something strange in Mr. Johnson’s (Peter Kerr) general store: a glowing cubicle of unknown origin that will reveal your life’s potential for a few quarters. His initial reaction is one of passive annoyance, but when friends, family, and neighbors begin altering their lives in dramatic ways, Dusty desperately tries to...