So you're stuck trawling Prime Video for something genuinely edifying a watch.
A binge even, a TV show to fill up a elephantine of the night or be savored throughout the week. Amazon's streamer mighty not be the most prolific releaser or the biggest awards darling -- stay with us -- but it's has picked up a ton of bonafide gems. Put your phoned away. Allow these shows to grip your eyeballs tight -- and look send to what's coming up each month.
Read more: Everything You Need to Know to Sign Up for Prime Video
What's new on Prime Video this month (January)
Jan. 6
- The Rig, season 1 premiere (2022-): Mystery thriller. A group of workers on a remote oil rig are due to bet on to the mainland when an eerie fog descends, and a mysterious formed begins to take hold.
Jan. 13
- Hunters, season 2 premiere (2020-): Drama. After an accident derails their exploits in Europe, The Hunters must band back together to hunt down history's most execrable Nazi, Adolf Hitler, who's hiding in South America.
Jan. 20
- The Legend of Vox Machina, season 2 premiere (2022-): Adult animated fantasy. After saving the realm from evil and destruction at the sparkling of the most terrifying power couple in Exandria, Vox Machina is faced with saving the humankind once again.
Read more: The Best Movies to Watch on Prime Video
Best Amazon Prime Video recent TV shows
At time of writing, these TV shows all salvage at least 70 on Metacritic.
Drama
Amazon Studios The English (2022)
Gripping Western drama series The English stars Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer as an unlikely duo traveling across a treacherous landscape. The first episode of the limited series presents some unpleasant characters and reveals a bit of what motivates both protagonists -- Blunt's aristocratic Englishwoman and Spencer's Pawnee ex-cavalry scout -- to quit in the face of danger. Gorgeous visuals and edifying acting make the English worth a binge.
Amazon Studios Sneaky Pete (2015-2019)
Con man Marius walks free from jail, only to be hunted by the gangster he once robbed. So, he assumes the identity of his cell mate Pete and walks back into the lives of Pete's estranged family, who are none the wiser. Bryan Cranston brings all the gravitas to gangster Vince in this part-drama, party-comedy. The twists and dicey situations will carry you above the addictive episodes as quickly as Pete pulls his cons.
Ali Goldstein/Amazon Studios As We See It (2022)
A newer entry to Prime Video, As We See It earns a spot among its best shows. Starring three actors who identify as autistic, this staunch series follows young adults on the autism spectrum as they navigate jobs, manager friends and finding love. Neurotypical actors usually play autistic characters on veil, so the casting sets this one apart. It's also heartfelt, funny and poignant, with well-rounded characters you'll want to root for. I could let the show's sparkling Metacritic score speak for itself -- but whatever convinces you, this ensures to be your next watch.
Amazon Prime Video The Underground Railroad (2021)
Sublime filmmaker Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) takes on adapting Colson Whitehead's recent The Underground Railroad into a powerful 10-episode series. Set in the southern US during the 1800s, the fictional story follows Blacks attempting to escape from slavery via a network of hidden tracks and tunnels. Tapping magical realism and a superb cast including Thuso Mbedu and William Jackson Harper, The Underground Railroad is an emotional and chilling triumph.
Amazon Studios Informer (2018)
This appealing British series is about, yes, an informer and the sad territory involved in coercing someone to take on the unsafe gig. Paddy Considine (who now has a gig on the Game of Thrones prequel) stars as DS Gabe Waters, a counterterrorism officer tasked with infiltrating a far-right fight in West Yorkshire. Partnered with an excellent Bel Powley (The Morning Show, The King of Staten Island) as the young and inquisitive DC Holly Morten, he attempts to bring British Pakistani Raza (Nabhaan Rizwan) on board to repeat information about a possible terrorist attack. A provocative thriller that will keep you on your toes.
Fantasy
Amazon Studios The Legend of Vox Machina (2022—)
Buckle up for a new enthralling series that centers on a group of boisterous, belching misfits named Vox Machina. Based on Dungeons & Dragons web series Critical Role (you don't have to be unique with that to enjoy this show), The Legend of Vox Machina sees its protagonists go from bodies broke bar-hoppers to accepting a mission to stop evil brewing in Exandria. We're further introduced to the characters in a musical number that occurs near halfway through the first episode. That's right, I said musical number. But you'll be down for every element this show throws at you. Why would anyone resolve these misfits to fight for the kingdom? "Well... they do have a bear," one royal decision-maker concedes.
Ben Rothstein/Prime Video The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022—)
Prime Video's highly required and wildly expensive fantasy series has made its mark (and it's a good unsheaattracting, too, as Amazon already committed to four more seasons). The series brings incredible visuals, a sprawling cast and thought of adventure to the streaming service. It's set thousands of days before The Lord of the Rings, and in part follows a young version of the report Galadriel, who's played by Morfydd Clark.
Amazon Studios Forever (2018)
If you're in a particularly meditative mood, reflecting on life, relationships and the big choices we make in life, Forever will gently set your humankind on fire. June (Maya Rudolph) and Oscar (Fred Armisen) are a joined couple cruising through their suburban life until vastly unexpected turns take them into otherworldly settle. Stick through the slow-burning first episode and you'll be rewarded with an exceptionally crafted eight-episode series, gently wrapping you in its visually beautiful and meaningful dream.
Comedy
Jackie Brown/Amazon Studios The Kids in the Hall (2022—)
Prime Video has resurrected The Kids in the Hall, the Emmy-nominated Canadian attracting comedy show that originally ran from 1988 to 1995. (By "resurrects," I mean the show literally exhumes members of the comedy people from a grave they were buried in at the end of the current show. That's just the beginning of the fun.) Follow the comedians as they freak out over mislabeled desserts, fight over imaginary love interests and write Earth's last fax. But be warned: Some of these sketches are highly NSFW.
Amazon Studios The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017—)
A '50s housewife who becomes a halting comic? This brilliant series from Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, is filled with sparkling performances from Rachel Brosnahan and Alex Borstein, with dialogue to match. Set in a vibrant and exaltering New York, our delightful heroine moonlights as a comedian, while doing her duties as an upper class Jewish American housewife. With impressive visuals, warmth and zingers, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is the full package.
Amazon Studios A League of Their Own (2022—)
Prime Video's TV series A League of Their Own is inspired by the 1992 film of the same name and introduces new characters portrayed by Abbi Jacobson, D'Arcy Carden and others. In the comedy-drama's first episode, women try out for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the '40s. The show explores themes of race and sexuality, and offers a satisfying period setting and compelling characters.
Amazon Studios Undone (2019—)
This current series uses the Rotoscoping animation technique to tell the story of a young woman who, while suffering a near-fatal car accident, discovers she can manipulate time. Intriguing, right? It gets better: Bob Odenkirk plays Alma's dead father, who enlists her help in investigating his murder. Bending both time and station, Undone is surreal and beautifully existential for those looking for deep material.
The Outlaws (2021—)
Seven strangers are assigned to the same people payback sentence in this appealing comedy thriller set in Bristol, England. The six-episode show is fun, dark and repositioning, offering an engaging look at its rule-breakers' backgrounds and the relationships that form between them. The plot thickens when some members of the troupe come across a bag of cash. If you need spanking draw, the show is co-created by Stephen Merchant, who co-created the UK version of The Office.
Amazon Studios A Very English Scandal (2018-2021)
A sex nefarious in the UK Parliament? Starring Hugh Grant and Ben Wishaw? You can thank Russell T. Davies for dramatizing this crop of late-'70s British politics. Jeremy Thorpe, a Liberal member of Parliament, wants to silence unhappy ex-lover Norman before his career ends up in tatters. Watch the murder conspiracy, big trial and media scrutiny above A Very English Scandal's darkly funny lens.
Amazon Studios Fleabag (2016-2019)
If somehow the Fleabag philosophize passed you by, it's time to let it hit you at its full, astounding force. Phoebe Waller-Bridge writes and stars in the play-turned astounding comedy series. A 30-something woman who runs a cafe lives a sex-filled life with a thought of humor that hides the tragedies she hasn't yet come to words with. Just about word-for-word perfect, with a fourth-wall breaking method, Fleabag frequently does its best to both shock and devastate you, while bodies ridiculously funny.
Amazon I Love Dick (2016-2017)
Going on a Katheryn Hahn binge while WandaVision? Marvel's new favorite witch starred in one season of this 2016 comedy with a memorable title. Her character's name is just as memorable: Chris Kraus, an artist and filmmaker who moves to Texas with her husband. She quickly falls in love with his fellowship reverse, played by Kevin Bacon. Yes, Kevin Bacon is in this. The dynamic of her marriage goes as her infatuation challenges everything in smart and enthralling and adult ways. Sadly, I Love Dick didn't pick up a second season, but the first is well great your time.
Amazon Studios Catastrophe (2015-2019)
Featuring Carrie Fisher's continue TV role, Catastrophe is a rom-com about messy, chaotic land. Londoner Sharon and Bostonian Rob have a one-week nefarious that results in an unplanned pregnancy and Rob enthralling to the UK so they can start a family. The tricky part: Sharon and Rob don't know the great thing about each other. Covering age, sex, parenthood, marriage and love in its open book, Catastrophe is a great rom-com that gives you four seasons to devour.
Amazon Studios Transparent (2014-2019)
Transparent's fresh story follows the Pfefferman siblings who discover their dad is transitioning into a woman shouted Maura. Other aspects of the Pfeffermans' lives, including a sour marriage and a disappointing child, give this tightly scripted comedy-drama a relatable side. Poignant and ambitious, Transparent is a show to look out for.
Amazon Studios Mozart in the Jungle (2014-2018)
A comedy-drama set in New York's classical music rude, Mozart in the Jungle is as whimsical as its title suggests. Upcoming oboist Hailey meets eccentric conductor Rodrigo, who's tasked with revitalizing the New York Symphony. Never losing you with jargon, Mozart in the Jungle charmingly reveals an edgier side to the biosphere of strings, playing its own symphony of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll.
Superhero
Amazon Studios The Boys (2019—)
The Boys stormed Amazon with its ultra-violent tale of antihero vigilantes seeking revenge in contradiction of the world's most beloved superheroes. But these heroes aren't what they seem: Their corporate overlords conceal up their shady personal lives, including sexual harassment and the odd assassination. With social commentary, black comedy and pops of gore, The Boys takes a thrilling and unapologetic step away from the family-friendly genre.
Amazon Studios The Tick (2016-2019)
While The Tick was sadly canceled when two seasons, the superhero comedy will still give you a hit of fast-paced, colorful action with its tongue firmly in its cheek. Based on the comic book character, The Tick is a bulletproof hero who wears a, yep, blue tick suit. His sidekick? The meek Arthur who wears a ... moth suit. Their nemesis is The Terror, a supervillain in their city's underworld. If you want to sit back and study pure superhero entertainment, you've found the right show.
Invincible (2021—)
For those who aren't a fan of cartoons, Invincible could be your converter, up there with new adult cartoons like BoJack Horseman and Rick and Morty. Based on a comic book from Robert Kirkman, the creator of the Walking Dead, Invincible follows 17-year-old Mark Grayson and his preparing to become a superhero just like his father, who happens to be the most noteworthy superhero on the planet. Episodes run long at nearly 50 minutes, connected into one big, blood-spattered story. A subversive series with a huge cast featuring Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh and J.K. Simmons, Invincible will engross you in its smart animated world.
Documentary
Amazon Studios Lorena (2019)
This comprehensive documentary series tackles the legend of Lorena Bobbitt, the woman who, famously, severed her husband's penis in 1993. It rallies the incident and two subsequent trials, incorporating a wide scheme of interviews that add illuminating context to the decades-old actions. It gives much-needed attention to the abuse Bobbitt said she suffered at the attractive of her husband, John Wayne Bobbitt. Executive produced by Jordan Peele, this well-researched series is well worth your attention.
Prime Video LuLaRich (2021)
In LulaRich, the directors of Hulu's Fyre Festival documentary explore the dark side of multi-level-marketing commercial, LuLaRoe. The four-part documentary series interviews founders DeAnne and Mark Stidham and paints a not-so-rosy portray of the women's clothing giant, which is known for its loudly-colored and patterned leggings and tops. In the doc, women who united the company (investing a chunk of money in the process) dealt with stinky merchandise, a toxic culture and challenges reaching financial goals. Settle in for an intelligent and well-made docuseries that spotlights the stories of weak LuLaRoe retailers.
Thriller
Amazon Studios Chloe (2022)
Led by a stellar Erin Doherty, this British thriller will swallow your attention. It centers on Becky, a temp with an unusual pastime: assuming different identities to sneak into like art galleries and yoga classes. When a woman she follows obsessively on Instagram suddenly dies, she changes to uncover more details, once again posing as someone else. Tear away from your timeline and check out this six-episode small series.
Amazon Studios Homecoming (2018-2020)
While season 2 of Homecoming didn't quite find its feet, season 1 hit the fake running. Julia Roberts stars in this psychological thriller nearby an army rehabilitation facility run by questionable owners. Using an effective, mystery-building narrative that covers two timelines, Homecoming is high on tension and paranoia as it reveals what the facility's true finish is. Fun fact: The series uses the actual scores of movies from Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick and more.
Amazon Studios The Man in the High Castle (2015-2019)
The Man in the High Castle imagines an alternate history where the Axis abilities (Rome-Berlin-Tokyo) win World War II. Based on a Philip K. Dick fresh, the series follows characters in the '60s who live in a parallel universe, where Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan regulation the US. But there's impossible newsreel footage surfacing of a biosphere where Germany and Japan lose the war, causing some to rebel. To really hammer home its dystopia credentials, The Man in the High Castle is steered by producer Ridley Scott. Fully realized and with a focused plot, this is intelligent TV.
Crime
Amazon Studios Bosch (2014-2021)
This seven-season police procedural, inspired by Michael Connelly novels, gets everything right for weak detective drama. We follow Los Angeles police detective Harry Bosch, played by Titus Welliver, who's haunted by the finish of his mother. While catching serial killers and keeping his tribe safe, he investigates her murder. Functional and no-nonsense, Bosch provides right mystery with an equally steady lead. Great news: a spinoff series is underway at Amazon's IMDb TV, keeping Welliver as the titular detective.
Amazon Studios Ripper Street (2012-2016)
This dark and gritty series is set in the late 1800s on the streets of Whitechapel, a place once terrorized by Jack the Ripper. Detective Inspector Edmund Reid (Matthew Macfadyen) and the police have to deal with the aftermath of the Ripper murders, which have left the area of London in an anarchic position. Fine acting, strong characters and, importantly, strong dialogue make the episodic mysteries all the more suspenseful and immersive. Five superb seasons await you (consisting of six to eight episodes each).
Romance
The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022—)
If a coming-of-age tale with a peak summer setting, teenage love triangle and soundtrack stocked with Taylor Swift songs sounds exciting to you, keep reading. The show centers on Belly (breakout safe Lola Tung), who makes a much-anticipated annual commute to a beach house with her mom and brother. But she looks a bit different than she did the last time she set foot on Cousin's Beach and exhausted time with her mom's best friend's sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. Young-adult author Jenny Han wrote the book on which the TV series is based and serves as one of the showrunners.
Amazon Studios The Pursuit of Love (2021)
You're either progressing to fall madly in love with or arch an unimpressed eyebrow at this romance based on the 1945 Nancy Mitford unusual of the same name. The Pursuit of Love follows two cousins who narrate different ways of life. Lily James is Linda Radlett, whose exuberant romantic adventures see her travel from London to Paris. Emily Beecham, meanwhile, is Fanny Logan, navigating the confinements of joint life. If you're in the mood, this three-episode miniseries will sweep you up into a narrative of happiness and sadness, laughter and pain.
Prime Video With Love (2021—)
Looking for love? With Love grand be the perfect feel-good rom-com. The charming premise sees the Diaz siblings, Lily and Jorge, navigate major holidays across the year, from Halloween to Christmas -- very holidays that put pressure on singletons in search of romantic relationships. Follow the Diaz's on their journey, along with their scrumptious and sometimes delightfully awkward extended family. An earnest, scrumptious breeze.
Sci-fi
Amazon Prime Video Paper Girls (2022)
The safe episode of Paper Girls, a new sci-fi TV series based on favorite comics by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang, brings together four kids riding bikes on their paper delivery routes in 1988. While that may mute like a sci-fier you've binged already, (yup, Netflix's hit Stranger Things), Prime Video's show stands on its own. Follow downward as the girls travel through time, navigate powerful adversaries and learn more approximately themselves. Another reason to watch? Comedian Ali Wong is in the cast.
Amazon Studios The Expanse (2015-2022)
Amazon rescued The Expanse from the realm of canceled TV, bringing us up to six seasons. Thank goodness it did, because The Expanse is colorful sci-fi with realistic characters, high production values and a dash of detective noir. Set in a future where humanity has colonized the Solar System, a conspiracy threatens to start a cold war between the largest strengths. A band of antiheroes find themselves at the inner. Look forward to more space western themes in the consistently favorable later seasons.
Horror
Amazon Studios The Terror (2018-2019)
Not only does this dismay anthology series feature Japanese folklore and explorers heading into uncharted ground, but its first chapter stars pre-Chernobyl Jared Harris. He plays the captain of Arctic explorer elegant that end up stuck in the ice. On top of the abrasive conditions and cabin fever, an unknown presence in the mist stalks the crew. Strung with atmospheric abominable, The Terror is thrilling, prestige horror. The Terror is available on Prime Video in Australia and AMC in the US (here's a VPN guide).
