Even if you’ve picked a streaming service, it can be impossible to narrow down what you’re really looking for. If you’ve run out of the best Netflix movies and original series to watch, you’ll need to find somewhere else to turn. Fortunately, Netflix is far from the only game in town. Anyone who uses Amazon Prime to get packages delivered to them quickly also has access to a library of fairly impressive shows and movies. If you’re looking for your next series to binge, and you already have Amazon anyway, then we’ve got a list of the best shows on Amazon Prime well worth you’re time. We’ve broken down the best shows to stream on Amazon Prime to start with below, with entries that range from sprawling sci-fi to touching, grounded comedies.
We’ve also found the best Amazon Prime movies, the best Hulu shows, and the best Disney+ shows to watch if you’ve seen all of these.
The Underground Railroad (2021)
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Cast
Thuso Mbedu, Chase W. Dillon, Joel Edgerton
Created by
Barry Jenkins
Barry Jenkins is one of the greatest directors working today, and his adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel of the same name really cemented that legacy. Following a young female slave as she escapes from the South, the show’s central premise imagines that the railroad was a literal one built underground, and includes a number of other fantastical elements on top of that. In spite of those less realistic elements, though, The Underground Railroad is really a reflection on the pain and promise of being Black in America, and it’s incredible.
Daisy Jones & the Six (2023)
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Cast
Riley Keough, Sam Claflin, Camila Morrone
Created by
Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
Adapted from a best-seller of the same name, Daisy Jones & the Six tells the very Fleetwood Mac-adjacent story of a band that broke big in the 1970s. The story’s timeline is split between interviews that occur 20 years in the future and the actual events of the 1970s, and it’s a compelling, soapy wonder to watch these band members fall into and out of love with one another. On top of all that, the songs are actually pretty good, and leads Sam Claflin and Riley Keough prove that they could be rock stars in their own right.
One Mississippi (2016)
2 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Cast
Tig Notaro, Rya Kihlstedt, John Rothman
Created by
Diablo Cody, Tig Notaro
Inspired by real events from comedian Tig Nataro’s life, One Mississippi follows Nataro after she discovers that her mother is critically ill and she’s forced to return to her home in Mississippi and reckon with her past. Nataro is one of the funniest people on the planet, so it’s not exactly surprising that the show manages to be consistently funny. What may be more shocking, though, is how insightful One Mississippi is about grief, pain, and what it means to continue living in the face of huge loss.
A League of Their Own (2022)
1 Season
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Cast
Abbi Jacobson, Chanté Adams, D'Arcy Carden
Created by
Abbi Jacobson, Will Graham
Based on the movie on the same name, the A League of Their Own series takes the same premise (girls who are recruited to major league baseball while men are off fighting World War), and takes it in a more diverse, serialized direction. Thanks to an all-star cast that includes Abbi Jacobson, D’Arcy Carden, and Chanté Adams, A League of Their Own is the kind of show that could conceivably run for seasons without getting tired or stale. Like the movie it’s based on, it’s also a winning combination of trenchant commentary and sharp comedy, with a healthy dose of exciting baseball thrown in as well.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
1 Season
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Drama
Cast
Morfydd Clark, Robert Aramayo, Charlie Vickers
Created by
John D. Payne, Patrick McKay
Amazon has rarely made a bigger bet than the one it made on The Rings of Power. The show, which only has a single season at the moment, has more than lived up to all that hype. Set in a Middle Earth that has not yet been scarred by the creation of Mordor, Rings of Power follows Galadriel and a roster of other characters as they begin to uncover the evils lurking just beneath the surface of their world. Thanks to its enormous budget, Rings of Power looks incredible and has the kind of epic scope we haven’t seen since the Lord of the Rings movies were in theaters.
Reacher (2022)
1 Season
Genre
Action & Adventure, Crime, Drama
Cast
Alan Ritchson, Malcolm Goodwin, Willa Fitzgerald
Created by
Nick Santora
Jack Reacher has already been adapted to the big screen, but Reacher is the first attempt to turn this popular character from the written world to the small screen. Following Reacher as he attempts to integrate into civilian life after a career as a military investigator, he’s soon accused of murder and is forced to prove his own innocence. That hook proves plenty compelling in its own right, but the series only heightens the stakes from there. There’s corruption, plenty of action, and everything else you would likely want from a show about Jack Reacher.
The Terminal List (2022)
1 Season
Genre
Action & Adventure, Drama
Cast
Chris Pratt, Taylor Kitsch, Constance Wu
Chris Pratt’s latest foray into the world of action filmmaking tells the story of a Navy SEAL who returns home from a mission in which his entire platoon was ambushed to discover that his life is no quieter at home. The show is action-forward in a good way, featuring some solid set pieces that elevate it above much of what Netflix puts out. Thanks to a supporting cast that includes Constance Wu, Taylor Kitsch, and Riley Keough, the show is also well-acted, which further solidifies it as one of the best series on Amazon Prime.
As We See It (2022)
1 Season
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Rick Glassman, Sue Ann Pien, Albert Rutecki
Created by
Jason Katims
Although it was canceled after a single season, As We See It is still very much worth a watch. The show follows a trio of young adults living on the spectrum and their counselor, who is trying to balance her dedication to them with her own commitments. The show is heartfelt but never treacly, and is ultimately one of the more affirming and gentle TV shows out there. If you’re looking for something wholesome, As We See It may be just what the doctor ordered.
Making the Cut (2020)
3 Seasons
Genre
Reality
Cast
Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Nicole Richie
If you’re looking for something to fill the Project Runway shaped hole in your heart, then Making the Cut is perfect for you. The show stars Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn as they host 12 designers who have to prove that they have what it takes to make it in the fashion world. This includes their designs, of course, but it also includes other crucial elements of the business. It’s a great way to see some fabulous looks from great designers, as well as a few efforts that fail to meet the mark.
A Very English Scandal (2018)
1 Season
Genre
Biography, Comedy, Crime
Cast
Hugh Grant, Ben Whishaw, Alex Jennings
From the BBC comes a very British miniseries: A Very English Scandal, which tells the story of a shocking, vile political event from the 1970s that is equal parts hilarious and cringeworthy. Surprisingly based on a true story, the series follow Jeremy Thorpe (Hugh Grant) as his political career is threatened by blackmail from his gay ex-lover, which he responds to with a combination of sloppy threats and violence. It’s dark, but also an excellent show to stream on Amazon Prime.
Invincible (2021)
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Action, Adventure
Cast
Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh
Created by
Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, Cory Walker
Based on Robert Kirkman’s comic book series of the same name, Invincible is an animated superhero story unlike any other. With a father who is the most powerful superhero on Earth, 17-year-old Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) slowly begins to master his own powers as he learns about his father’s dark past in one of the best superhero stories on TV.
The Expanse (2015)
6 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Cast
Wes Chatham, Dominique Tipper, Steven Strait
Created by
Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Daniel Abraham
A sci-fi series based on the books of the same name, The Expanse is the perfect combination of contemplative and eye-popping. Set in a future where humanity has spread out and colonized the solar system, the show follows a series of factions inhabiting different planets that set themselves apart from each other and find new reasons for intra-species conflict.
The Boys (2019)
3 Seasons
Genre
Action, Crime, Drama
Cast
Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr
Created by
Eric Kripke
What happens when superheroes are actually just overpowered corporate villains in disguise? Amazon’s original series The Boys dives into just that. After losing his girlfriend to a drugged-out superhero accident, a young man named Hughie Campbell (Jack Quaid) ends up on the wrong side of these powerful “heroes” with a group that is trying to take down the corrupt system they inhabit once and for all.
The Manual Streaming Roundup
Catastrophe (2015)
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney, Mark Bonnar
What happens when nothing goes as planned? Usually, we’d call that a catastrophe, but in the case of the Amazon series Catastrophe, it’s anything but. An American man named Rob ends up getting Sharon, an Irish woman, pregnant during a business trip to London. This wonderful accident results in a family for two people who never expected it. Don’t worry, though — it’s hilarious the whole way through.
Vikings (2013)
6 Seasons
Genre
Action, Adventure, Drama
Cast
Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgård, Alexander Ludwig
Created by
Michael Hirst
Set in a fictionalized version of Scandinavia in the 9th-century, Vikings is a deeply compelling show that loosely follows the brutal introduction of the Vikings to the European world. Though this show does not claim to be historically accurate, some of the characters are based on real historical figures who changed the world forever.
Good Omens (2019)
1 Season
Genre
Comedy, Fantasy
Cast
Michael Sheen, David Tennant, John Hamm
Created by
Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett
If you’re looking for a bit of comedy, a bit of fantasy, and a bit of heaven and hell, then Good Omens is perfect for you. This miniseries follows the tale of a bungled Armageddon from the perspectives of angels and demons — particularly one angel and one demon who find that despite their differences, they are actually great friends.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017)
5 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Cast
Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen
Created by
Amy Sherman-Palladino
Mrs. Maisel is a hardworking housewife in the late 1950s who just so happens to be hilarious. When her life starts to fall apart and her husband leaves her, she decides to become a stand-up comic. Four seasons later, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is one of the best shows on Amazon Prime, and is proof that creator Amy Sherman-Palladino is a generational talent.
Electric Dreams (2017)
1 Season
Genre
Sci-Fi
Cast
Richard Madden, Bryan Cranston, Steve Buscemi
Created by
Philip K. Dick
This anthology sci-fi series is very similar to Netflix’s Black Mirror. The first season of Electric Dreams offers a set of stand-alone stories that filter humanity’s technological future through a dark, often very uncomfortable lens. Each episode is inspired by the renowned sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, whose stories previously served as source material for Blade Runner and Minority Report, two of the best sci-fi movies ever made.
Red Oaks (2014)
3 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Sport
Cast
Craig Roberts, Ennis Esmer, Oliver Cooper
Created by
Joe Gangemi, Gregory Jacobs
While it may at first feel like an attempt to target our nostalgia for Caddyshack, Red Oaks is actually a wonderful ode to classic 1980s coming-of-age comedies that doesn’t lean on lazy callbacks or costume gags. When college kid David Myers (Craig Roberts) signs up to work at a New York country club as a tennis instructor, Myers, of course, ends up falling for the club president’s daughter.
The Tick (2016)
7 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Peter Serafinowicz, Griffin Newman, Valorie Curry
Created by
Tina Fey
Amazon’s take on the Tick follows a lowly young man named Arthur (Griffin Newman), a typical office worker with little ambition and very few goals in life. But when Arthur meets the Tick — perhaps a real superhero, perhaps a figment of his imagination — Arthur begins to uncover the hero inside himself. This TV show is primarily a comedy, powered largely by Peter Serafinowicz’s wonderfully dopey turn as the main character.
Undone (2019)
2 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Drama, Fantasy
Cast
Rosa Salazar, Angelique Cabral, Constance Marie
Created by
Raphael Bob-Waksberg
Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful shows on Amazon Prime, Undone fluidly combines normal cinematography with animation. After surviving a car accident that almost killed her, a young woman finds that she has a new and interesting relationship with time. And, surprisingly, it’s her dead father that is there to help her try to deal with it. We’ve also found the best animated series on Netflix if you’re looking for more like this.
Upload (2020)
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Cast
Robbie Amell, Andy Allo, Allegra Edwards
Created by
Greg Daniels
In what seems like a not-so-distant future, death is no longer the end of life for humanity. When Nathan Brown meets an untimely death, he gets to choose which afterlife he wants to exist in. But this virtual world has its downsides, and as he tries to get used to it, he begins to realize that maybe his death wasn’t an accident.
Sneaky Pete (2015)
3 Seasons
Genre
Crime
Cast
Giovanni Ribisi, Marin Ireland, Shane McRae
Created by
Bryan Cranston, David Shore
One of Amazon’s lesser-known series, Sneaky Pete is the kind of low-key thriller that’s perfect for a binge. Con artist Marius gets out of prison and adopts his late cellmate Pete’s identity to escape from a terrifying gangster. Marius finds himself completely in over his head trying to navigate the life that Pete left behind years ago, including an overbearing grandmother and a crotchety grandfather who think they know him already.
Mr. Robot (2015)
4 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Cast
Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Carly Chaikin
Created by
Sam Esmail
Over the course of its four seasons, Mr. Robot was often compelling and frequently brilliant. The show became a phenomenon after its first season, and although it faded from the popular consciousness after that, it never stopped being great. Following a computer hacker (Rami Malek) who unlocks a massive conspiracy against the world’s biggest company, the show was always more concerned with the inner lives of its characters than with the massive conspiracies it depicted.
Fleabag (2016)
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Cast
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford, Olivia Colman
Created by
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s comedy series only lasted for two six-episode seasons, but few runs of television in the 21st century have been better. Fleabag follows its titular character as she deals with lingering guilt and trauma, and ultimately tries to move forward by finding new love. It’s a searing, brilliant series filled with pain and heartbreak, and it’s one of the smartest show that Amazon has ever had the good sense to finance.
LuLaRich (2021)
1 Season
Genre
Documentary
Cast
DeAnne Stidham, Mark Stidham, Stella Lemberg
Telling the story of the pyramid scheme that is LuLaRoe, LuLaRich is an exemplary way to tell stories about kooky scammers. This documentary series has plenty of unexpected twists and turns, but part of what makes it so compelling is trying to understand the spell that the company’s creators cast over everyone they eventually took for a ride.
Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (2022)
1 Season
Genre
Reality
Cast
Lizzo
Although she has only been a pop culture phenomenon for a few years, Lizzo has already been an inspiration to millions of fans. In Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, we watch as she auditions dancers for the Big Grrrls, the group that will be accompanying her on tour. Reality competitions are always wonderful, but the very real stakes of this series only make it more compelling. It’s a wholesome show, but one well worth investing some time in.
The Legend of Vox Machina (2022)
2 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Matthew Mercer, Ashley Johnson, Laura Bailey
Created by
Jason Monsorno
It’s admittedly pretty nerdy, but The Legend of Vox Machina is well worth your time even if you’re not too familiar with Dungeons and Dragons. The series tells the story of eight unlikely heroes who must band together to save their realm from total chaos. What allows the show to work, though, is the way it combines a droll, knowing tone with overwhelming sincerity. This series is not too judgmental of anyone, even when it has a little bit of an edge.
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