Amazon Prime Video, like its rival Netflix, has so much to scroll through it’s almost impossible to know where to start.
Sure, they make a big song and dance about their new series, such as edgy super hero drama The Boys, but there’s far more on offer here than what gets the most publicity.
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So here, in one easy list, is the best of Amazon Prime, including both original productions and older shows you may have missed when they first aired.
If you’re just starting out, check out our guide to Amazon Prime, including how it works, how much it costs and what type of thing you can find on the streaming service.
Last updated 25th February 2020
Bates Motel
When news broke about a prequel series to Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller Psycho, fans were understandably apprehensive about the idea. Fortunately, Bates Motel proved to be a superb new spin on the story that features some truly thrilling and heartbreaking moments across its five-season run. Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring) and Freddie Highmore (The Good Doctor) give powerhouse performances in the lead roles. Watch Bates Motel on Amazon Prime Video
Outlander
Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan lead this time-travelling romance about a WWII nurse who gets transported back in time to 18th century Scotland, where she strikes up an affair with Highland warrior Jamie Fraser. Episodes from the brand new fifth season are being added to Prime Video weekly… Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Star Trek: Picard
Patrick Stewart returns to the role of Jean-Luc Picard, the character he played on beloved sci-fi series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Over a decade since his last appearance, we find him retired from his position in Starfleet, until a young woman finds him who needs his help… Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Mr Robot
The final series of a drama that has been a blisteringly innovative take on late-stage capitalism and the digital age. The story of a hacker (Academy Award winner Rami Malek) trying to smash the system is often thought-provoking and always visually bold. New episodes of the final season are arriving every Monday. Watch Mr Robot on Amazon Prime Video
Justified
Justified stars Timothy Olyphant (Santa Clarita Diet) as Deputy U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens, whose style of law enforcement brings the practices of the Old West into modern times. The series ran for six seasons and was beloved by television critics throughout. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Good Omens
Neil Gaiman adapts his and Terry Pratchett’s brilliantly witty fantasy novel about a devil and an angel (played in this iteration by David Tennant and Michael Sheen respectively) who band together to stop (or at least slow down) the end of the world. It’s packed with stars – including Jack Whitehall, Jon Hamm and the voices of Frances McDormand and Benedict Cumberbatch as God and the devil – and we rather liked it. Watch Good Omens on Amazon Prime Video
Community
Before Donald Glover was the multi-hyphenate global superstar he is today, he played Troy Barnes in this cult sitcom from Rick and Morty creator Dan Harmon. The series, which is centred around a bunch of misfits of various ages at a community college in Colorado, is packed with the kind of irreverent, whip-smart humour that would later define Harmon’s beloved cartoon. It also made stars of Alison Brie, Ken Jeong and Joel McHale… Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Vikings
This account of Viking life isn’t always historically accurate, but has nonetheless enthralled viewers with its ancient action and drama. The series adapts the story of Norse legend Ragnar Lothbrok, with Travis Fimmel (Warcraft) in the lead role. New episodes of the final season are arriving weekly, with shocking twists aplenty… Watch Vikings on Amazon Prime Video
The Last Man on Earth
Will Forte (30 Rock) stars opposite Kristen Schaal (Bob’s Burgers) in this comedy series about exactly what it says in the title: The Last Man on Earth. Two strangers with nothing in common must work together if the human race is to survive. Watch The Last Man on Earth on Amazon Prime Video
Freaks and Geeks
This short-lived comedy series from Judd Apatow launched the careers of several big comedy stars including Jason Segel, James Franco, Seth Rogen and Linda Cardellini. Watch Freaks and Geeks on Amazon Prime Video
Spaced
Frequent collaborators Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World’s End) team up with Jessica Stevenson in this comedy series, about two people who pretend to be a professional couple to secure a flat. Watch Spaced on Amazon Prime Video
The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
An award-winning, heart-lifting performance from Rachel Brosnahan makes this easily one of Amazon’s most accomplished original series. It really has a festive feel to it too, from the Broadway musical stylings of 50s New York to the fiery humour at the heart of every scene. The third season recently premiered to more critical acclaim. Watch The Marvelous Mrs Maisel on Amazon Prime Video
Bob’s Burgers
While initially critics had a mixed reaction to animated sitcom Bob’s Burgers, over the course of its ten season run the series has hit a stride and earned some lofty praise, frequently touted as one of the best comedies on television right now. The series follows the Belcher family as they run a small burger restaurant and tackle the problems that life throws at them along the way. Watch Bob’s Burgers on Amazon Prime Video
The Grand Tour: Seamen
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May take to the water for this feature-length episode of their Amazon series. Each in a distinct boat of their choosing, they will voyage through Cambodia and Vietnam along the perilous Mekong Delta. It’s the first in a series of specials, with the next one due sometime in 2020. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Undone
Rosa Salazar stars in this visually striking animated series about a woman who finds she has a new relationship with time after surviving a near-death experience. From Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the creator of Netflix hit Bojack Horseman, Undone received critical acclaim upon its debut and was recently renewed for a second season. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Firefly
While it only ran for one season, Firefly has an extremely passionate fanbase that has kept it alive in the form of a spin-off movie and several graphic novels. The series comes from the mind of Joss Whedon (Avengers Assemble) and stars Nathan Fillion as the captain of a spaceship, whose crew take it on themselves to protect a young girl on the run. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
The Man in the High Castle
This series plays with the biggest ‘What if?’ question of the 20th century: what if Germany had won the Second World War? It’s a simple premise that belies the devilish complexity of this counterfactual series, based on the novel by Philip K Dick. The fourth and final season is now available to stream. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
This Is Us
This warm comedy drama has taken the US by storm and for good reason: the series tells emotional stories about three siblings and their parents, jumping back and forth in time from their childhood in the 1980s to their adult lives today. The talented cast is led by Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes), Mandy Moore (47 Meters Down) and Sterling K Brown (The People v OJ Simpson). Watch on Amazon Prime Video
The Boys
Based on Garth Ennis’s comic of the same name, The Boys takes on a well-worn genre and turns it on its head, as a band of vigilantes goes up against a group of corrupt superheroes. Our sci-fi editor calls it “a viciously fun superhero satire“…. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Treadstone
Set in the world of Robert Ludlum’s Bourne Identity, Treadstone is an action thriller that explores the origins of the eponymous black ops program that turns its recruits into ruthless assassins. Watch Treadstone on Amazon Prime Video
The Expanse
This sci-fi series is set hundreds of years in the future, where humankind has spread out to live all over the solar system. Thomas Jane plays a police detective tasked with finding a missing woman, only to find himself embroiled in a far larger conspiracy. After facing cancellation from its original network Syfy, The Expanse was picked up for a fourth season by Amazon this year to the delight of its many fans. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Hanna
Amazon’s TV reboot of the 2011 film about a genetically modified teen who grows up in a remote forest with her father, starring Esme Creed-Miles, Joel Kinnaman and Mireille Enos. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
James May: Our Man in Japan
The Grand Tour host is breaking off into a solo adventure as he travels round Japan seeing the sights, sampling cuisine and meeting the local people. Watch James May: Our Man in Japan on Amazon Prime Video
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
The second season of this action-drama recently dropped on Prime Video, continuing the story of CIA agent Jack Ryan (played by John Krasinski) who undertakes dangerous globe-trotting missions. Season two sees him travel to South America to track down an illegal shipment of arms. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Swamp Thing
This new sci-fi horror series is based on the cult-favourite DC Comics character Swamp Thing, a mysterious creature who dwells in the swamplands of Louisiana. The series stars Crystal Reed (Teen Wolf) as Dr Abby Arcane, a scientist investigating what she believes to be a deadly virus, but which turns out to be something even more terrifying. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Fleabag
This cheeky comedy took critics by storm across its two series, making a global star of its creator and lead actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Fleabag tells the story of a young woman living in London and her messy relationships with the people around her, most notably her sister Claire (played by Sian Clifford). Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Chuck
Shazam star Zachary Levi stars in this action series about a computer geek who becomes a spy after accidentally downloading government secrets into his brain. Watch Chuck on Amazon Prime Video
Modern Love
This star-studded series tells a different love story in every episode, each one inspired by the true essays published in the popular New York Times column that shares its title. Anne Hathaway (Ocean’s 8), Tina Fey (30 Rock), Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) and Andrew Scott (Fleabag) are among the talented ensemble cast. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
New Amsterdam
This hospital drama is inspired by the real experiences of an American medical director, starring Ryan Eggold (The Blacklist) in the lead role as a doctor aiming to reform the practices of an ageing institution to ensure the needs of patients are top priority. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
The Walking Dead
Once one of the most popular show on TV, The Walking Dead is now a zombie of its former self as it trots towards its eleventh series (renewed for next year). However, it was once gripping, with Andrew Lincoln leading a fine cast of surivors after a zombie apocalypse. Some soapy turns in its first few seasons made it must watch TV – and you can catch up on season one to eight now. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
The Tick
The Tick is a super hero comedy based on a comic book of the same name, which stars Peter Serafinowicz as a powerful vigilante who teams up with the awkward Arthur Everest to fight a dangerous criminal underworld. Although it only lasted for two seasons, The Tick was well received by critics and boasts a passionate fanbase. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
New Girl
This beloved sitcom stars Zooey Deschanel (500 Days of Summer) as a quirky primary school teacher, who moves into the bachelor pad of three male friends led by Jake Johnson (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse). The unusual dynamic and likeable characters lead to great comedy moments throughout its lengthy run, which features several notable guest stars including Jamie Lee Curtis, Megan Fox and Linda Cardellini. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Futurama
Matt Groening’s second TV series – set in the year 3000 and following a dysfunctional, inter-planetary delivery crew – endured a troubled run over the course of 14 years that included a cancellation, four straight-to-DVD features and a revival run on Comedy Central. Despite this, many would argue that it is superior to The Simpsons… Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The collected tales of vampire-slaying superhero Buffy are now available to watch on Amazon Prime Video. That’s 7 seasons of sharp dialogue, heartfelt moments and lots of action. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
The OC
Josh Schwartz’s seminal teen drama is finally available to stream. It tells the story of Ryan, a teen (played, naturally, by a 25-year-old Ben McKenzie) from the wrong side of the tracks who gets adopted by a wealthy lawyer, and strikes up a romance with troubled popular girl Marissa (Mischa Barton). You’ll be hard pushed to find a better opening season to a teen soap, and seasons two and three have their moments, too… Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Parks and Recreation
One of the warmest, cosiest sitcoms to have graced our screens since the turn of the millennium. Originally created as an offshoot of the US Office, this dramedy from The Good Place creator Mike Schur focused on the efforts of a small branch of government in the fictional town of Pawnee, Illinois, and one dogged, well-meaning politician, Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler). It launched the careers of Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza along the way… Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Preacher
Marvel’s Agent Carter star Dominic Cooper plays Jesse Custer, a troubled Texas priest who after losing his faith discovers that God has abandoned His duties and sets off on a quest to find Him. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
The Americans
The story of Philip and Elizabeth Jennings, a married couple in Washington, DC in the early 1980s who are actually active Russian spies, came to an end in the US last year to widespread critical acclaim. It’s a fine balance of detailed marital drama and razor-edged espionage. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Homecoming
A delirious and eerie psychological thriller series from Mr Robot’s Sam Esmail, and an entity very much of its era: a web-based TV series led by a movie star, adapted from a podcast. Julia Roberts stars as Heidi, a social worker embroiled in a shady programme which purports to aid returning military veterans with re-immersion into society. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
American Gods
There’s a war brewing in America between the Old Gods and the New in this adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s novel. Ian McShane, Ricky Whittle and Emily Browning star. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Forever
Saturday Night Live alumni Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph lead this pleasant, mixed bag of a series about a bored married couple, which reveals much grander intentions in the closing moments of its second episode (let’s just say that if the first episode doesn’t excite you, the rest of the series might). Watch on Amazon Prime Video
The U.S Office
This US remake of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s beloved British sitcom managed to justify its own existence with well drawn characters like Steve Carrell’s painfully cringey boss Michael Scott, John Krasinski’s loveable paper salesman Jim Halpert, and Dwight Schrute, the eccentric antagonist, played by Rainn Wilson. It went on a little longer than it should have, but the golden years (seasons 2-5) are here to be savoured. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
House
While Britain wasn’t paying attention, America discovered that Hugh Laurie was a brilliant straight actor. All eight seasons of the hit medical drama are available to stream. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Catastrophe
Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney co-write this comedy about a holiday fling that leads to an unplanned pregnancy, and all of the fallout that this entails. All three seasons are available to stream – and as the fourth is set to debut in the new year, it’s a good time to catch up. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Avatar: the Last Airbender
A cult US animated hit from Nickelodeon about a young “Airbender” called Aang, the last in a line of supernaturally gifted humans that has the ability to manipulate the elements. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Carnival Row
This big budget series is set in Victorian fantasy world, where human beings live in an uneasy coexistence with mythological creatures. Against this dramatic backdrop, a human detective (Orlando Bloom) and a refugee faerie (Cara Delevingne) embark on a romance as he investigates a string of gruesome murders. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Ripper Street
Proof that there can be life after cancellation. When BBC One prematurely axed this period crime thriller, Amazon picked up the police baton. The fifth and final series is now available on the streaming service. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
The Night Manager
It’s Laurie vs Hiddleston in this BAFTA-winning adaptation of John le Carre’s novel of the same name. Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) takes some time out of his nocturnal lifestyle to take on notorious arms dealer Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie). Watch on Amazon Prime Video
The Fall
All three series of this creeping BBC thriller starring Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan are available to stream, telling a complete and binge-worthy story. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Red Oaks
A sharp coming of age comedy starring up-and-coming British star Craig Roberts, 80s-set Red Oaks was the pick of Amazon’s pilot season in 2014. Ending in 2017 after three seasons, it remains one of the service’s hidden gems. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
The X-Files
The cult sci-fi with the most recognisable theme song in TV history. All ten seasons (including the 2016 reboot) of Mulder and Scully’s extra-terrestrial investigations are available to watch right now. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
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In the mood for a film? Check out our guide to the best movies to watch on Amazon Prime Video
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