Tiffany CondeIn this golden age of television, it’s no surprise that Amazon Prime Video has been gathering its fair share of award-winning series and critics’ darlings. From adaptations of popular novels to contemporary dramas that sweep the Emmys, we’ve rounded up the cream of the crop from this streaming platform, so far. Read on to catch up on television’s greatest hits, or maybe even discover new series that may have flown under your radar!
Fantasy and sci-fi series on Amazon Prime Video
1. The Boys
“Who watches the watchmen?” If Alan Moore’s 1987 graphic novel Watchmen raised the question of morally dubious superheroes, then The Boys provides the answer of who has to keep them in line.
Adapted for the screen by Supernatural creator Eric Kripke, The Boys takes a long, hard look at what might happen if superheroes acquire too much power. A far cry from The Avengers we know and love, the superheroes in this series are greedy, self-serving, and backed by corporations. These morally corrupt crusaders don their suits for personal gain rather than the public good, and they brush aside their crimes without any fear of the consequences.
Angered by the social injustice that goes unpunished, Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) assembles a team of underdog vigilantes to fight back against The Seven, a powerful league of superheroes abusing their powers. Based on the comic books by Garth Ennis, The Boys is Amazon Prime’s most promising original series to date.
2. Good Omens
Armageddon takes a darkly humorous turn in Good Omens, as the armies of Heaven and Hell prepare to bring on the end times on Earth. Caught in the middle of the eternal war are two unlikely friends, the angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and the demon Crowley (David Tennant), who must work together to locate the Antichrist and stop Doomsday from happening on Earth — all to a bangin’ soundtrack by Queen.
One of the most exciting series to come out of Amazon Prime Video, this adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s novel offers a fantastic treat for fans and newcomers alike.
3. Upload
Black Mirror isn’t releasing any new episodes this year, but it’s hard to miss that when we already live in such a dystopian reality. Luckily, taking its place is a speculative series on Amazon Prime Video called Upload, which also looks at the way that humanity might live in a tech-reliant future, albeit with a little more hope and optimism.
In the world of Upload, dying people can upload their consciousness to an afterlife that acts like a digital cloud. Nathan (Robbie Amell), a man who has died from a car accident, awakes to find himself in a resort-like heaven called Lakeview. But the longer he explores this digital paradise, he finds glitches that tell him not everything is as it seems.
Dramatic series about life and love in the modern age
4. Fleabag
After Fleabag took home several awards at the Emmys, it’s clear that the medium of television is Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s world — and we’re all just lucky to live in it. In Fleabag, we follow one woman’s chaotic journey of navigating life, family, work, love, relationships, and loss in London. It’s filled with pure comedic gold coming from the titular character, who often breaks the fourth wall to speak to the audience with commentary that’s snide and observant and hilariously accurate.
All the while, Fleabag’s hedonistic misadventures are accompanied by superb performances from Sian Clifford, Andrew Scott, and Olivia Colman, who will have you clutching your sides with laughter or weeping your eyes out before the night is through.
5. Modern Love
Inspired by heartfelt and contributed essays from the column “Modern Love,” this original anthology series is the lovechild between Amazon Studios and The New York Times. With each episode tackling a different personal essay from the column, the series examines what love looks like in the 21st Century, in all of its complicated forms and trials.
Tender and poignant, Modern Love sheds light on these journeys of self-discovery with empathy and touching moments from a star-studded cast. And if you’ve seen the viral clip of Anne Hathaway pouring her heart out about her mental illness, then you know that this series keeps it real. Certainly, it will have you reaching for the tissue box soon enough.
Feel-good and comforting series to cheer you up
6. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
When her husband suddenly leaves her for his secretary, Jewish housewife Miriam “Midge” Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) stumbles into a local comedy club, where she wins the crowd over with a drunken and hysterically funny monologue about her life. Upon recognising her own talent for comedy, she takes on a brand new path to become a stand-up comedian in 1950s New York.
Fans of Amy Sherman-Palladino’s other series, Gilmore Girls, will be happy to recognise her signature style in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: the witty dialogue and rapid-fire banter between characters who are as confident as they are charming.
7. Parks and Recreation
Of course, it’s always a great idea to “treat yo’self” to some episodes of Parks and Recreation! From the genius mind of Michael Schur, a producer for The Office and a co-creator of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, comes a “mockumentary” about an ambitious workaholic named Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and her wacky team of government employees working for a Parks and Recreation department in Pawnee, Indiana.
Throughout its seven-year run, this uplifting series grew to become one of the most beloved comedies in television, as many viewers felt attached to the cast of characters who felt like family.
Spy dramas and political thrillers
8. Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
If you’re looking for an explosive spy drama with fleshed-out characters at the centre, then Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan should do just the trick. In this American political thriller, Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) works at a low-level desk job for the CIA until he finds a record of dubious bank transactions. Without knowing exactly what he has stumbled into, he gets pushed out into the field and embroiled in the dangerous world of espionage. As the series progresses and gets more action-packed, Ryan stumbles upon an even deadlier terrorism conspiracy afoot against the United States.
9. The Night Manager
Sleek and stylish as ever, Tom Hiddleston plays the former British soldier Jonathan Pine, who works as a night manager at several high-class hotels. Eventually, he’s recruited by British Intelligence officer Angela Burr (Olivia Colman) in a secret operation to trap an illegal arms dealer named Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie). But as Pine attempts to infiltrate Roper’s inner circle and gain his trust, he ends up having to be a mercenary himself, getting in so deep that he has no other choice of escape but to take Roper down.
Based on John le Carré best-selling thriller, The Night Manager is a gripping miniseries that’s worth diving into to see how it all ends. And the tension between the actors is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
10. The Man in the High Castle
Inspired by Philip K. Dick’s novel, The Man in the High Castle builds on the horrifying premise: What if the Axis Powers had won in World War II? Years after North America has been subjugated under German and Japanese rule, this Amazon Prime original series follows Juliana Crain (Alexa Davalos), a citizen who becomes a key resistance fighter in combating an oppressive totalitarian regime.
The Man in the High Castle combines political intrigue with suspenseful twists and turns. One of the most chilling aspects of the series is the altered symbolism, such as the swastika-covered flag of America and the Statue of Liberty giving the Nazi salute. It’s an unsettling depiction of a history that could have been, as well as what should never be.
Also read: 15 Best Feel-Good Movies to Watch on Netflix Right Now
As shown above, Amazon Prime Video is definitely no stranger to highly addictive television series in its catalogue. But if this wicked line-up isn’t enough for you, here’s something that we can all look forward to watching in 2021: The Lord of the Rings.
Featured image credit: Fleabag | IMDb.
