Prime Video might have entered the streaming game later than Netflix, but it has caught up with the competition. Thanks to its huge war chest, the Amazon-owned platform has licensed thousands of TV shows and produced hundreds of new ones. With other streaming services also increasing their spending and aiming to provide more quality content, the company can be expected to keep the gems coming.
From Reacher to The Boys, Prime has had numerous original hit shows so far. The licensed shows also tend to do quite well. But like any other streaming giant with a vast library, Prime has plenty of gems that have gone unnoticed. These shows have great reviews from the critics and viewers who’ve watched them, but they don’t pop up much in the headlines or on social media.
These are the 11 best shows on Prime Video you haven’t seen.
‘War & Peace’ (2016)
War & Peace is a six-part adaptation of the 1869 novel of the same name by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. The events revolve around five aristocratic families whose lives are changed because of the Napoleonic Wars.
A Tolstoy Adaptation Done Right
Years before he became a star, Paul Dano transformed into a true Russian, the illegitimate son of a Count, and his career trajectory has only gone upward ever since. The entire show is astounding, boasting impeccable cinematography and philosophical dialogue, just as the case in Tolstoy’s books. Then there’s authenticity. The miniseries features Russian tunes, church services in Old Church Slavonic, and occasional French dialogue.
‘Undone’ (2019 – 2022)
Undone follows Alma (Rosa Salazar), a young woman from San Antonio whose perception of reality is altered after a near-fatal car accident. She not only starts experiencing time in a nonlinear way but is also contacted by the spirit of her dead father. She thus begins to investigate his death.
Hanging with the Family Ghosts
Brimming with humanity and laughs, this warm, totally disarming show clocks in at a breezy 23 minutes per episode, yet it’s so intriguing. It’s the first Prime Video adult animated show and the first to use rotoscoping (an animation technique that traces over motion picture footage, frame by frame, producing realistic action), hence it’s a visual masterpiece.
‘A League of Their Own’ (2022)
Based on the 1992 film of the same name, A League of Their Own follows Carson Shaw, a married woman who joins the now-defunct All-American Girls Professional Baseball League while her husband is away during World War II. Initially ignored, the league begins to take shape, with women from diverse backgrounds joining. These include a Black pitcher who had been shut out of the league because of racism.
Breaking the Barriers in Sports
Known for Mozart in the Jungle, and as the founder of the Onion News Network, this period comedy drama is a rare entry in series creator Will Graham’s storied resume, but quite within the lane of his partner Abbi Jacobson (Broad City). The show is simple in emotion, and complex in theme, examining racial discrimination and women’s rights in detail. We witness the characters’ isolation and fear, but also celebrate with them in their joys and triumphs. Much credit also goes to the costume designers.
‘I Love Dick’ (2016 – 2017)
In I Love Dick, Chris (Kathryn Hahn), a struggling New York City-based artist and filmmaker, accompanies her husband to Marfa, Texas, for a research fellowship. There, she becomes infatuated with Sylvère’s fellowship sponsor Dick (Kevin Bacon) and starts sending him naughty letters. Well, it’ll all lead to trouble.
Anything for Dick
I Love Dick is distinguished by clever dialogue, stunning rural cinematography, meticulous pacing, and riveting tension. The experienced Bacon adopts a calmer, less showy pose as the object of Chris’ desire. Hahn also gives a memorable performance as the erratic, aggressive, manic-depressive artist who doesn’t know when to quit. All the intrigue and aftermath are handled with cold efficiency, so don’t hesitate to check out why Dick is loved.
‘The Underground Railroad’ (2021)
Based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Underground Railroad follows Cora (Thuso Mbedu), an enslaved woman who escapes a Georgia plantation and discovers the famous Underground Railroad reimagined as a subterranean train system. Hot on her trail is the slave hunter Ridgeway (Joel Edgerton).
A Dash to Freedom
With conceit and keenness, showrunner Barry Jenkins addresses the racism, abuse, and classism endemic to old American society — especially in Georgia — while also pumping up a great sense of hope into the turn of events. Magical realism also emerges as a great narrative tool in the Emmy-nominated show, resulting in a flawless series all around that should be considered one of the greatest black dramas. Actors Thuso Mbedu and Aaron Pierre also deserved to be lauded for their work here and for how far their careers have progressed.
‘Dead Ringers’ (2023 – 2024)
Based on the 1988 film of the same name, Dead Ringers follows twin gynecologists Beverly and Elliot Mantle (both portrayed by Rachel Weisz), who intend to revolutionize women’s reproductive healthcare by establishing a cutting-edge birthing center. Beverly is kind-hearted, but Elliot is unethical. Their relationship is soon tested when Beverly falls for Hollywood star Genevieve Cotard (Britne Oldford).
Sneaking Through Ethical Boundaries
The criminally underrated Dead Ringers achieves the ideal balance between drama and thrills, creating unalloyed, adrenalized entertainment. Weisz is superb, managing to convey the different personalities of polar opposites thrown together by biology. Her inspired interactions with Oldford also elevate the show well above the standard psychological thriller.
‘Highlander’ (1992 – 1998)
Highlander would introduce fans of the popular cult film to Duncan MacLeod (played by Adrian Paul), a cousin of the original film’s Connor MacLeod. The series would follow Duncan, caught up in the same ‘game’ as the movie proposed, an immortal warrior traveling the world to become the last one of his kind to survive.
There Can Only Be One
If you want to sink yourself into a long-running series, Highlander will offer up six seasons and 119 episodes of content. While the series does feel somewhat outdated and can be lumped in with many budgeted productions of the ’90s, it does a fantastic job of delivering high-stakes action and building upon the lore of the ‘Highlanders.’ The Highlander series also has an underrated protagonist in Adrian Paul as Duncan, who really became synonymous with the franchise more so than many others, despite being tucked away on TV instead of the big screen.
‘The Peripheral’ (2022)
Set in the near future of the 2030s, The Peripheral follows Flynne Fisher (played by Chloë Grace Moretz) and her brother, who are struggling to make a livable income, scrapping by through work through VR and helping develop simulated realities. For her latest job, Flynne is given what she believes to be an advanced headset about to be introduced to the market. However, her work soon comes with heavier implications as she discovers she is taking over the body of a real-life person 70 years in the future, witnessing the survivors of a near-apocalyptic event.
An Impactful Interpretation of William Gibson’s Novel
True to William Gibson’s cyberpunk roots, on which the series is based, The Peripheral offered a mind-bending exploration of future tech and dystopian society with poignant reflections on the modern era. The exploration of themes such as free will, identity, and the costs of living in a society reliant on technology remains highly relevant to the current cultural landscape, offering an introspective sci-fi experience. Yet, for sci-fi fans, it is essential to note that it is not just all philosophizing and ruminating on our relationship with technology, as the series delivers some exciting action sequences and has a sleek visual direction that is easy to get lost in.
‘Flowers’ (2016 – 2018)
Flowers followed the titular Flower family, all of whom were struggling with their own personal demons; Maurice Flowers (Julian Barratt), a suicidal children’s book author, Deborah (Olivia Colman) the matriarch trying to hold everything together despite battling her own demons, their two kids both socially awkward and having complex relationship with their parents, Amy (Sophia Di Martino) and Donald (Daniel Rigby), and Maurice’s live-in assistant and illustrator Shun (Will Sharpe, who also created the show).
A Family on the Edge of Ruin
Backed by a phenomenal cast, Flowers blends dark comedy, family drama, and tragedy in a way that is both infectious and utterly heartbreaking. At the same time, the show presented a very cathartic experience for many, with struggles with mental health and family dynamics being delivered with a sincerity that many with similar struggles found relatable. The British series remains one of the most underrated of all time.
‘Lexx’ (1997 – 2002)
The sci-fi series would follow the adventures of the mismatched crew aboard the titular Lexx, a living ship, including a cowardly former guard and reluctant captain, a former sex slave turned escapee, a reanimated warrior with a scrambled brain, and a sarcastic robot. Together, the crew would navigate a series of bizarre and often surreal intergalactic events across 4 seasons and 61 episodes.
A Surreal Sci-Fi Journey Across Space
Tucked away on Canadian TV, the love for Lexx faced difficulties in moving beyond its cult following of those in the know. Yet, the series’ dark take on sci-fi, blending elements of humor, camp, satire, and eroticism with an obvious nod to pulp fiction (book genre, not the movie), has made it an endearing cult classic. There is really nothing out there quite like Lexx, and while its budget and willingness to get absurd may not resonate with a broader audience, it is worth checking out for those who enjoyed other inventive series like Farscape.
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