While Netflix is busy pumping out more series than any one person could watch (probably), some of the best shows are on Amazon Prime Video. Trouble is, navigating the service’s labyrinthine menus can make finding the right series a pain. We’re here to help. Below are our favorite Amazon series—all included with your Prime subscription.
For more viewing picks, read WIRED’s guide to the best movies on Amazon Prime, the best movies on HBO’s Max, and the best movies on Netflix.
The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy
If about 300 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy hasn’t scratched your medical drama itch, then a visit to The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy might be just the treatment you need. Riffing on the hospital procedural genre and giving it a sci-fi twist, the show follows alien medics Dr. Sleech (Stephanie Hsu) and Dr. Klak (Keke Palmer) as they tackle the wildest diseases and injuries the universe can throw at them—from an anxiety-eating brain worm to a shape-shifting STI—all while navigating messy relationships and personal drama. See, just like Grey’s. Created by Russian Doll writer Cirocco Dunlap—bringing that show’s Natasha Lyonne along as the voice of occasionally invisible Nurse Tup—this Saharan-dry adult animated comedy will cure what ails you.
Overcompensating
Benny is so deep in the closet, he’s found Narnia. And rather than using his freshman year of college as a chance to find himself, he’s maintaining the illusion of heterosexuality by throwing himself into a campus life of partying, drinking, and chasing girls. The consequences, for Benny and his new best friend Carmen (Wally Beram), will be severe … but hilarious. Created by comedian Benito Skinner, who also stars as Benny, Overcompensating is a foul-mouthed and ferociously funny college comedy that’s almost painfully authentic in its depiction of the fine line between self-exploration and weapons-grade cringe.
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX
Prime Video doesn’t tend to pick up as much anime as rival Netflix does, but when it does, it’s often something big. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX (it’s pronounced “gee-kwux,” before you ask), takes things back to the very beginning of the iconic mecha franchise and asks a simple question: What if the bad guys, the “space Nazis” of the Principality of Zeon, won a crucial war? Don’t worry if you can’t tell a beam saber from a core fighter though—this alternate reality focuses on brand new character Amate Yuzuriha, a high school student thrust into a world of mounting military tensions after an experimental Gundam crashes into the space colony where she lives. GQuuuuuux also marks a creative high for Gundam, with Evangelion studio Khara bringing its dynamic style of animation to the series, but beyond the phenomenally flashy visuals, this has some real emotional depth, using a science fiction lens to explore how people can find hope and fight for freedom, even in the darkest of timelines. Weekly episodes drop on Tuesdays.
The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time has been a bit of a slow burn, but now this fantasy series is a raging fire. The first season introduced magic weaver Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) and her quest to uncover which of five unassuming young people is destined to save or destroy the world, then the second upped the stakes—returning ancient evils while scattering the only people able to stop them. The newly dropped third season pays it off in spades, though, opening with a ferocious battle between brutal woman warriors—a genre rarity—while setting the stage for Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski) to seize that dangerous destiny, one way or the other. Based on Robert Jordan’s sprawling novel series—one so vast it makes Game of Thrones look concise—this visually stunning series has cemented itself as the finest fantasy show around.
Reacher
Amazon has a way with action thrillers focused on military tough guys who answer to “Jack R.” First there was Jack Ryan, who also makes an appearance in this guide. Then there was Reacher, the sharp adaptation of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels, now in its third season. Alan Ritchson (Titans, Fast X) stars as the physically imposing Reacher, a former military policeman now drifting from town to town, trying to live a quiet life but unable to avoid conflict. Season one found him accused of a murder he didn’t commit, before season two drew him into a vast conspiracy. The newly arrived third—based on the seventh novel, Persuader—sees him up against his biggest threat yet: Paulie, an even bigger hulk of muscle (played by 7′2″ Olivier Richters). Sure, Reacher is also working undercover for the DEA and tracking down an old enemy, but three seasons in, the show is confident enough to play to its pulpy strengths, with top-tier fight choreography and surprisingly sharp dialog helping it punch above its weight.
Invincible
Mark Grayson inherited the incredible powers and abilities of his father, Omni-Man—only to learn dear old dad wasn’t a paragon of justice but the vanguard for an alien invasion. The newly dropped third season of Invincible finds Mark not only still struggling to escape his father’s shadow, guiding his younger brother to use his own burgeoning powers responsibly, but also drowning in a world of murky politics, pushed toward darker, tougher choices to keep Earth safe. A brilliantly animated adaptation of the hit Image comic book by writer Robert Kirkman and artists Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley, Invincible’s more mature take on superheroes allows it to do something Marvel and DC characters rarely do: grow up.
The Man in the High Castle
This adaptation of sci-fi master Philip K. Dick’s novel about a world in which the Nazis won the Second World War was one of Amazon’s first forays into original content. The world-building is stunningly done—a divided, alternate-reality 1960s America never seemed so plausible—but be warned: There might be just a touch too much present-day resonance for some viewers.
The Rig
Back for its second season, sci-fi thriller The Rig finds the surviving crew of isolated North Sea oil rig Kinloch Bravo forcibly relocated to The Stac, an even more remote facility in the Arctic. While most are desperate for answers and a way home, the team’s loyalties are tested as the sinister Pictor corporation seeks to use them to unearth something ancient and powerful from the sea floor. While The Rig doesn’t even aspire to subtlety when it comes to its ecological metaphors (one character even says, “If you keep punching holes in the Earth, eventually the Earth’s going to punch back”), it’s all brilliantly shot to make use of both the claustrophobic settings and the terrifying expanses and underwater pressures of the ocean. With the material elevated by a phenomenal cast of Game of Thrones and Line of Duty veterans, including Iain Glen and Rochenda Sandall—and bolstered further by the addition of the always-watchable Alice Krige in season 2—The Rig is far more than the guilty pleasure it might otherwise be.
Cross
Aldis Hodge steps into the shoes of Washington, DC homicide detective Alex Cross in Prime’s new series based on James Patterson’s long-running series of crime novels. However, unlike the streamer’s other thrillers Bosch and Reacher, Cross doesn’t directly adapt any of Patterson’s books—a risky move, but one that largely pays off, allowing this eight-episode first season to chart an unpredictable journey as Cross faces off against a twisted murderer who models each of his kills on another serial killer. Already renewed for a second season, Cross is a strong addition to Prime’s roster of crime dramas.
Citadel: Diana
Amazon tried to make a splash with its $300 million spy thriller Citadel in 2023, but only half-succeeded. The Richard Madden- and Priyanka Chopra-starring action series was entertaining enough—and rode high on Prime Video’s most-watched lists—but didn’t exactly set the world alight. However, it did establish a sprawling shared universe, with rival organizations Citadel and Manticore engaged in a globe-spanning cold war setting the stage for international spin-offs. Citadel: Diana is the first, an Italian outing focusing on Diana (Matilda De Angelis), a woman out for revenge after her parents are killed, and drawn into the spy-fi underworld with violent results. Gorgeous location shoots, bone-crunching fight choreography, and, most importantly, a tighter focus help Diana improve on its parent series.
The Legend of Vox Machina
Bawdy, gory, and absolutely not for kids, The Legend of Vox Machina follows the eponymous adventurers’ guild—consisting of gunslingers, druids, and the requisite horny bard—as they grow from a motley crew of usually-drunk mercenaries into unexpected heroes for the realm of Exandria. The newly arrived third season continues the team’s battle against the Chroma Conclave, a horrifyingly powerful collective of dragons. It’s a quest that sends them on a small diversion to Hell itself. Adapting the hit Critical Role—the livestreamed Dungeons & Dragons sessions of some of the biggest voice actors in animation and gaming—this exquisitely animated fantasy takes things in unexpected directions that keep things fresh for new or returning viewers alike. A love letter to D&D that’s also unafraid to poke fun at the classic RPG, it’s one of the most original adult animated shows on Prime.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Tapping into The Lord of the Rings creator J. R. R. Tolkien’s sprawling history of Middle-earth, The Rings of Power is set millennia before the events of the core books (or films, which is really where the visual language of this adaptation comes from), detailing the major events of Tolkien’s Second Age. While the first season was a slow burn, dwelling on the fractious politics of the era, the second ratchets up the pace considerably. From Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) trying to prevent the ascension of Dark Lord Sauron (Charlie Vickers) to the long-awaited introduction of fan-favorite character Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear), the new season feels far richer and deeper than before. It remains a feast for the eyes too, with the stratospheric budget apparent in every frame, from quiet moments in luxuriant shires to cinematic battles between armies of Orcs and Elves. For sheer high fantasy spectacle, there’s little else to rival this streaming right now.
Batman: Caped Crusader
The first new solo Batman animated series in a decade, Caped Crusader harkens back to Batman: The Animated Series from the 1990s, with showrunner Bruce Timm returning to the Dark Knight and Hamish Linklater voicing Bruce Wayne/Batman in an ode to the late, great Kevin Conroy. Unlike rival ‘90s revival X-Men ’97, though, this isn’t a continuation but rather a wholly distinct take allowing for fresh interpretations of the iconic hero’s rogues’ gallery and allies—look out for drastically different takes on the Penguin and Harley Quinn in particular. Leaning heavily into a 1930s aesthetic that evokes Batman’s earliest comic book origins, this manages to be nostalgic and provocative at once—a fantastic outing that takes DC’s original urban vigilante back to his gritty pulp noir roots.
The Boys
Superheroes are meant to represent hope and optimism—the best of us, given outsize form. In The Boys, adapted from the darkly satirical comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, they’re a reflection of humanity’s worst—greed and unrestrained power, marketed to a gullible public by vested corporate interests, operating without restraint and leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. Enter Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and his associates The Boys, gleefully dispatching “Supes” who’ve gone too far, often in extraordinarily violent ways. Unfortunately, the newly dropped fourth season finds the team in disarray, fractured by Butcher’s own lies, right as the world needs them most. Arch-manipulator Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) is close to the Oval Office, while the sadistic, psychotic Homelander (Antony Starr) is planning a superhuman uprising. Probably Amazon’s goriest show, The Boys stands as a pertinent examination of the abuses of power, all wrapped in superhero drag.
Fallout
Maybe the end of the world is the secret sauce to making a great video game adaptation—between The Last of Us and now this spectacular interpretation of Bethesda’s postapocalyptic RPG series, we’re living in an unexpected golden era for the form. Yet unlike HBO’s bleak but beautiful world, Fallout taps into the source material to craft an apocalypse with a very different feel, one dripping in cracked Americana, black comedy, razor-sharp social satire, and just a little bit of camp. Its greatest strength, though, lies in how it doesn’t directly adapt any one of the core Fallout games. Instead, it perfectly channels their tone and feel, focusing on a core trio—naive Lucy (Ella Purnell), born and raised in a subterranean vault; driven Maximus (Aaron Moten), a recruit in an army seeking technology from the old world; and the Ghoul (Walton Goggins), a centuries-old bounty hunter mutated into a nigh-immortal zombie when the bombs fell—to showcase just how brilliantly twisted this nuclear wasteland really is.
Three-Body
No, you’re not on the Netflix list—Prime Video has its own distinct adaptation of Cixin Liu’s The Three-Body Problem. This take, originally released for Chinese audiences back in 2023, faithfully adapts Liu’s award-winning novel of humanity’s first contact with an almost unknowable alien species and the impact that their impending arrival on Earth has on humanity. Hopping between time periods, a galactic mystery unfurls after nanotech specialist Wang Miao (Luyi Zhang) is called in by detective Shi Qiang (Hewei Yu) to investigate a global spate of suicides among scientists, with the ominous phrase “Physics doesn’t exist” being the only link between the deaths. Although Three-Body is a bit softer than Netflix’s 3 Body Problem when dealing with some aspects of the story—notably anything related to China’s Cultural Revolution—a hearty 30-episode run allows for far more space to explore Liu’s complex themes and vast roster of characters. The pacing may take some getting used to for viewers more accustomed to western TV, and it’s subtitled-only, but this C-drama is out of this world.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
You likely know the concept from the name alone—a married couple operate as undercover agents, blurring the lines between their personal and professional relationship. Unlike the 2005 Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie movie, though, 2024’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith does far more with the concept. Donald Glover (who cocreated this reboot) and Maya Erskine offer much more developed takes on the mysterious characters of “John” and “Jane” Smith over the course of this eight-episode series, exploring their true identities, why they signed up for their dangerous careers, and whether their growing feelings for each other are just part of the roles they’re playing. It’s all backed up with plenty of Mission: Impossible–style action, of course, but it’s the sparkling chemistry between the show’s leads that will leave you thinking, “Brangelina who?”
Gen V
Spinning out of Amazon’s hit The Boys, Gen V follows the next generation of supes, training their abilities at the Godolkin University School of Crimefighting. In keeping with its twisted parent show, this educational establishment is less Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters and more The Hunger Games with superpowers, as students battle for glory and a chance to join premier super-team The Seven. Lead Jaz Sinclair (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) impresses as freshman Marie Moreau, a haemokinetic with lofty ambitions who uncovers dark secrets at the college that challenge her entire world view. Factor in all the poor life choices college students are famed for and some extremely creative (if often disgusting) superpowers, then allow for The Boys’ trademark ultraviolence, and one thing’s for sure—the kids of Gen V are most definitely not alright.
Jack Ryan
There’s no shortage of screen adaptations of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan books, but John Krasinski’s turn as the CIA desk jockey turned field agent gets far more room to breathe than its predecessors. The prestige political thriller charts Ryan’s rise from analyst to operative—and beyond—over four perfectly crafted seasons. The final season caps Ryan’s career with his biggest challenge yet, investigating the convergence of a drug cartel and a terrorist organization set to create an unstoppable criminal enterprise, all while juggling the CIA’s possible involvement in a political assassination in Nigeria. While the show hasn’t been without controversies—season two attracted condemnation from Venezuela’s government for supposedly condoning a US invasion of the country; big yikes there—its sharp writing, incredible performances, and cinematic action make it compelling viewing.
I’m a Virgo
A surrealist comedy with the sharp political and social edge viewers have come to expect from creator and director Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You), I’m a Virgo follows Cootie (Jharrel Jerome), a regular 19-year-old who just happens to be 13 feet tall. Raised in secrecy by Aunt Lafrancine (Carmen Ejogo) and Uncle Martisse (Mike Epps), Cootie is thrust into the limelight when his larger-than-life existence is inevitably discovered. Experiencing friendships and the outside world for the first time, gentle giant Cootie has to navigate everything from romance to the public’s reaction to a giant Black man wandering around Oakland. Oh, and did we mention Cootie’s idol, The Hero, a real-life superhero with an authoritarian streak that would put some of the worst offenders on The Boys to shame? Told you this was surreal. Do yourself a favor and watch the behind-the-scenes episodes too, tucked under Prime Video’s “Explore” tab, for Riley’s insight into each episode.
Tales From the Loop
Despite being a couple of years old, Tales From the Loop remains one of the most mesmerizing shows on Prime Video. Loosely based on the work of Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, the series blurs the line between ongoing narrative and anthology as it follows the residents of Mercer, Ohio, exploring how their intersecting lives are impacted by “the Loop,” an underground facility exploring experimental physics and making the impossible possible. Expect tales of frozen time, traded lives, and parallel worlds, all brought to life by a fantastic cast and directors—including Andrew Stanton and Jodie Foster. But it’s the visuals that really elevate this show, which captures the sublime aesthetic of Stålenhag’s work and juxtaposes neofuturism and rural communities for a world that looks and feels like almost nothing else. At only eight episodes, a visit to Mercer is brief but unforgettable.
The Underground Railroad
Based on the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel by Colson Whitehead, this limited series from Moonlight director Barry Jenkins sticks pretty closely to the premise of the book. It’s a work of historical fiction that takes the idea of the Underground Railroad—the network of smugglers who helped escaped slaves flee the South—and reimagines it as an actual subway system with trains and secretive station agents.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
What is a New York lady to do when she finds out her husband is having an affair with his dim-witted secretary? If Mrs. Maisel is anything to go by, the answer is to head to a dingy watering hole in your nightgown, do a little standup comedy, and get hauled away by the police after flashing the entire audience. Set in the 1950s, this fast-talking fashionista hides her new life as a comedian from her family and ex while battling sexism, bad crowds, and big competition. Rachel Brosnahan stars as Midge Maisel in this subtle nod to Joan Rivers’ career. With four seasons and a host of awards and nominations to its name, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is one of Amazon’s sharpest comedies.
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