Amazon spends tens of billions of dollars a year on movies, TV shows and music.
It might not stop us complaining about Prime Video ads, but you do get quite a lot for your money with a Prime subscription. Today we're only interested in the finest cuts on Prime Video, though.
It's a real jumbled selection box. We have some comedy, horror, and a good selection of sci-fi and fantasy, where Amazon Prime Video really excels at the moment.
But our first recommendation to those new to the service? It's probably Fallout. While this is a show based on a video game series, those who never play games are likely to love it too. It's just that good.
Disagree with our selection? Or think we've forgotten a show that deserves a spot in this hall of fame? Let us know in the box at the bottom of this article.
And it is worth noting that all of the following Prime Video shows are available in the UK, please check if they are available in your country.
Best Amazon Prime Series
1. The Expanse
The beauty of Amazon Prime - and Netflix - is that these platforms breathe life into previously dead shows, like The Expanse. It's a show about what happens when humans colonise the solar system (spoiler: it ain’t great). Syfy cancelled it after three seasons but Amazon gave The Expanse a new home. Why? Well, for one thing CEO Jeff Bezos is a big fan. We’re glad he did - this is stunning sci-fi and universe-building at its best.
Right now, only seasons 3-5 are available to stream. Here's hoping the first three come back soon.
2. Bosch
Bosch is a brilliant, easy watch, and is now in its fifth season. It stars Titus Welliver as the titular Harry Bosch, whose acting raises this show above your average police procedural. As does the writing. Overseen by Eric Overmyer, whose credits include The Wire, Treme and Boardwalk Empire, this is a top-quality show. And its spin-off Bosch Legacy is equally as good.
3. Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
The Jack Ryan series of movies, those starring Harrison Ford at least, were a lot of fun. While a prequel movie with Chris Pine stumbled, this alternate TV take is well worth a watch.
John Krasinski is effortless as Ryan, a CIA analyst forced into the field. As is The Wire’s Wendell Pierce as Jack Greer, Ryan’s mentor - a role that once belonged to James Earl Jones. Big shoes to fill, then, but he manages it. It’s a little Mission: Impossible lite in places but well worth a watch, especially in 4K.
4. The Boys
The Boys is one of the most original takes on the superhero genre we have seen. The concept (based on Garth Ennis' great comic) is that the world is filled with superheroes but they are all, well, dicks. Underneath their ews is that there's a team of anti-heroes that can put a stop to them, lead by Karl Urban.
This is one gory, violent, hilarious show that's not for the faint hearted. The second season onwards is darker with the arrival of Stormfront to shake up the superheroes.
5. The Marvelous Miss Maisel
It was about time a show gave Rachel Brosnahan a chance to shine. After bit parts in movies and a stint on House of Cards, The Marvelous Miss Maisel sees her in fantastic form as a 1950s housewife who decides one day to become a stand-up comic. There’s a lot to love about the show, but Brosnahan’s main performance as ‘Midge’ Maisel steals it - her transformation when she eventually gets on the stage is brilliant to watch.
6. The Night Manager
The Night Manager is well worth a watch. Based on late writer John Le Carre’s spy novel of the same name, here we see Tom Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine, a night manager who is enlisted to find a way into the inner circle of a notorious arms dealer. This is a mini series and plays out like a sumptuous Bond movie.
7. Good Omens
Good Omens gets the TV treatment, thanks to a joint production between the BBC and Amazon Studios. The result is a superb six-part series with one of the best acting pairing seen on TV in recent years. David Tennant and Michael Sheen shine as angels Aziraphale and Crowley, and their job is to stave off the impending apocalypse.
8. The Man in the High Castle
The Man in the High Castle was one of the first Prime Video Originals and it ran for four seasons, concluding at the end of 2019. It's a fantastic-looking show that is based on Philip K. Dick's novel where in a parallel universe the Nazis won and the changes this makes to the world. By the end of the show it deviates from the book but it's well worth going the distance.
9. Hanna
What started off as a spin-off of the successful child assassin movie has mutated into something far better. This is a great show that reveals just what you can do when you allow a premise and characters time to breath. Esme Creed-Miles (daughter of Samantha Morton) is the titular teenage assassin.
10. The Wheel Of Time
The Wheel of Time feels like Amazon testing the fantasy waters before it unleashes the Lord of the Rings show on to us all but for all its faults, there is a lot to like with this epic saga. Rosamund Pike plays Moraine, a noble who has tasked herself with finding The Dragon Reborn, someone who is the key between light and dark. While the first season takes its time, it has really found its way and is a compelling watch.
11. Reacher
Three seasons of proof Alan Ritchson is a much more faithful Jack Reacher than Tom Cruise, who took on the role in the Reacher films. This is the Reacher of the source books by Elmore Leonard, where he's an intimidating and gruff mountain of a man. True to this style, the show features lots of baddies getting their heads knocked together and no-nonsense action. Season two is even better than the first in some respects, while Season three features an enemy way bigger than Reacher.
12. Outer Range
Fresh from The Avengers, Josh Brolin is back in this sci-fi mystery series that focuses on a rancher who finds something strange happening on his land. Although series is yet to end, we're hooked with the mysteries that keep cropping up.
13. Invincible
Robert Kirkman has done it again with this existential look at superheroes and what these powers do to relationships. Mark Grayson is the son of the most powerful superhero on the planet, Omni-Man. Now 17, Grayson is set to follow in his dad's footsteps as he develops special powers but everything is not as it seems.
14. The Tick
Amazon announced it has cancelled The Tick, and that can only be because Amazon doesn’t know how to have fun. It is a superhero parody with heart, and a brilliant cast. Peter Serafinowicz is superb as the titular Tick, the superhero without superpowers, playing it without any knowing wink that he is in on the joke.
And that’s the brilliance of the show, which really stepped up in the second season. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled after Season 2, despite fans' efforts to get the show revived.
15. The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings of Power
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of power is a stunning-looking show that is every bit as cinematic as the Peter Jackson movies. Although it's set thousands of years before the events of LOTR, there are plenty of call backs for die hard fans and a new mythology to sink your teeth into. It's not perfect, but its epic and the second season shows far more promise.
16. The Handmaid's Tale
The Handmaid's Tale is a faithful-ish adaptation of Margaret Atwood's fantastic dystopian classic novel that has outgrown the plot of the book. Now in its fifth season we are nearing completion of the story of June's rise from humble Handmaiden to freedom fighter. Thanks to Amazon's buyout of MGM, all episodes are available to stream.
17. American Gods
American Gods is full of deliciously addictive storytelling, rich characters and mind-bending fantasy. It's a dark and binge-worthy series with some truly excellent performances.
18. Citadel
Citadel is one of Amazon's most expensive TV shows ever, behind The Rings of Power. It's also a riot, an action-packed show that takes inspiration from movie series including James Bond and Mission Impossible. Richard Madden and Priya Copra Jonas star as spies who have had their memories wiped, but are called back into service .
19. Tales From The Loop
It's pretty rare that a show has been inspired by something other than a book, but this one is based on the paintings of Simon Stålenhag. It's a great premise - each painting is like a jumping off point for an episode, a glimpse into a bigger narrative. It's a lot of fun - a time-travelling series that has hints of Twin Peaks and its big streaming rival's hit show Stranger Things
20. The Devil's Hour
Both Peter Capaldi and Jessica Raine shine in this psychological thriller which is about a woman who wakes up each night between 3-4am - also known as the devil's hour. This mystery leads her to becoming involved in a number of grizzly murders in her town.
21. Upload
A show that perhaps hasn't attracted as many eyeballs as it deserves. Upload looks at a world where people can upload themselves to a sort of digital afterlife. The show was created by Greg Daniels, a key force behind the US The Office and Parks & Rec. It's smart and funny, and becomes a sharp social satire over its three seasons.
22. Hacks
Hacks stars Jean Smart (24, Legion) who is a Las Vegas comedian. She teams up with a younger comedy writer to try and revive her career and freshen up her act. This one is a must watch but be warned: only two seasons are available through Amazon Prime. You'll have to look elsewhere for the brilliant seasons 3 and 4.
23. Hunters
Hunters is a show that is gory, silly and clearly a little ridiculous. However, it is also engaging, in the vein of a B-movie revenge thriller. A little uneven in spots, but Al Pacino as a Nazi hunter? Surely worth a crack.
24. Fargo
Who would have thought back in 1996 when the movie Fargo came out that over 25 years later a TV show based on it would have been on for a decade? Fargo the TV show doesn't share characters with the film, but is based in the same world and has that unmistakeable Fargo vibe.
It's now five seasons long, each one critically acclaimed. Each season also tells its own story, although we still recommend watching them in order if you're game for the ride.
25. Gen V
Not many spin-offs make it into consideration for our best-of lists. But Gen V certainly does. This is a The Boys spin-off, in which the action moves to Godolkin University, where the next generation of superheroes are raised and trained. It’s no cosy “young adult” alternative to The Boys, though, with the same black streak of violence and oddness struck through its core. Definitely one for fans of the original series to check out.
26. The Rig
The Rig is a great old-school supernatural shocker that follows the exploits of a group of oil riggers who may have drilled into something that's from out of this world. The cast is great and also a who's who of UK TV, with Iain Glen, Mark Bonnar and Martin Compston all starring.
27. The Patriot
No, it’s not a show about Mel Gibson’s big-screen vehicle but a darkly comic show about a spy who needs to stop Iran from going nuclear. Unfortunately there are only two seasons as it was cancelled by Amazon but they are a refreshing watch, balancing fun and frenetic action and, to be honest, we’ll watch RoboCop’s Kurtwood Smith in anything.
28. Red Oaks
The 80s is a TV gold mine. Stranger Things used the era of Walkmans and shell suits as a backdrop for some crazy stuff. Red Oaks tempers the craziness but ramps up the warmth and fun, creating a wonderful coming-of-age story that needs to be seen. It is a show that doesn’t shirk big issues, but they are wrapped in a lot of affection for the era and its characters.
29. Cross
Aldis Hodge is Detective Alex Cross in this adaptation of the stories of James Patterson’s Cross novels. It’s both a police procedural and a thriller, with a forensic psychology twist. You do need to give it some time as this is not the fastest-paced show off the blocks. But the investment is worth it. The real star here is Hodge’s performance, cementing the actor as a true screen attention magnet.
30. Clarkson’s Farm
Even if you don’t have a high opinion of Jeremy Clarkson, there’s a good chance you’ll love Clarkson’s Farm. It’s the behind-the-scenes story of Diddly Squat Farm, which the TV host bought all the way back in 2008. The show itself, though, only began in 2021, after the previous proprietor of the farm retired. It’s funny and touching, and has a broader appeal than Top Gear follow-up The Grand Tour.
31. Mr. And Mrs. Smith
Mr. And Mrs. Smith is no longer just a minor cheesy classic movie. It’s also a Prime Video TV show. But instead of being a real-life married couple, as in the movie, Donald Glover and Maya Erskine play agents who have to play as a married couple. By flip-reversing matters, we get to see their relationship develop over the first season. Plus, y’know, there’s plenty of spy action too.
32. The Walking Dead
After 11 seasons and more than a decade since the first episode, The Walking Dead concluded in 2022. The entire run is available on Prime Video. And while fans will tell you it goes off the boil in at least the last few seasons, it was electric TV in those early years.
If you’ve somehow missed this TV institution, The Walking Dead follows Rick Grimes’s (Andrew Lincoln) and collaborators attempts to survive in a zombie apocalypse. It’s based on a series of graphic novels by Robert Kirkman.
33. Kevin Can F Himself
It's so good to see Annie Murphy on the small screen again after Schitts Creek and this is the perfect show for her. Kevin Can F Himself is about a 'sitcom wife' who shows just what happens when you are pushed to the absolute edge. Amazon hasn't bigged up that it has this show and it's a massive shame as we are huge fans.
34. Gotham: Caped Crusader
There's a trend for bringing back classic animated series, and we're here for it. Caped Crusader feels like a continuation of Batman: The Animated Series, which began in 1992. This Batman is a detective, and the style is pure noir. Bruce Time is at the head of this one. He worked on the key 1990s Batman animated series and it basically the main man of DC's animated output.
35. Secret Level
A show where each episode, each short sub-15-minute film, is based in the universe of a game or gaming property. There’s Pac-Man, Warhammer 40,000, Armored Core, Unreal Tournament and more. The quality of the episodes is up and down, but this is obviously a show you want to check out if you have any significant relationship with the games involved. It has been renewed for a second season too.
36. Nathan for You
A fab palate cleanser for those who want a break from heavy drama series. Nathan For You is a comedy reality show first aired a decade ago.
Nathan Fielder talks to real people and real businesses, as a sort-of awkward business coach whose ideas are plain horrible. It sounds like a Kitchen Nightmares pastiche on paper, but Fielder’s unique, awkward and deadpan style makes Nathan for You a true original.
37. The Power
The Power is a 10-part series, adapted from the best-selling novel by Naomi Alderman. It's a thriller with a cracking premise: teenage girls the world over gain the power to electrify things. What ensues is a shift in how the world is run and the implications of this. While it doesn't quite 'spark' as well as the book does, it's a great watch.
38. Undone
After the brilliance of Bojack Horseman for Netflix, creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg headed to Amazon for Undone, an animated show that uses rotoscoping to create its unique look. Undone tackles some of the same themes of Bojack, albeit in a much more dramatic way - its trippy visuals give the whole thing an unreal feel and the likes of Bob Odenkirk, Daveed Diggs and Rosa Salazar star.The second season of Undone is streaming now and is just as trippy as the first.
39. Fleabag
It seems a little trite to heap more praise on a show that it is pretty much universally loved but the thing is (looks to camera, with a wry smile), they’re right. Phoebe Waller-Bridge's adaptation of her own one-woman stage show manages to be stunningly crass, utterly hilarious and tear-inducing all at the same time. Yes, Waller-Bridges is perfect as Fleabag but the rest of the cast are just as good, characters rounded with surgical precision.
40. Fallout
Alongside The Last of Us, Fallout stands out as one of the best video game adaptations made to date. Missed the games? Fallout is set in a world ravaged by nuclear war, where civilisation has been decimated but some survivors live on. And the most radiation-wrecked of them become ghouls, as played by Walton Goggins in the show. It’s a blast, and a recommended watch whether you are familiar with the games or not.
- If you are looking at what the rival has to offer, then head to our best Netflix shows guide.
- You can check out the best Prime Video movies
How we choose our best Amazon Prime Video TV show list
Image Credit: Prime Video
Like all guides on ShortList, this best Amazon Prime series list was chosen by the editorial team. We started by sifting through the thousands of TV shows available on the service, and distilled these shows by their IMDb ranking which is an indicator that Prime Video uses (Amazon owns IMDb).
Then using our own editorial expertise, where we have near 20 years' of reviewing experience, we watched hours upon hours of shows - many more than what are on this list. If a show hasn't grabbed our attention by the third or fourth episode, then it is unlikely to be on this list.
On the flip of this, sometimes we add in shows that are being shown weekly on the service. They may go into this guide from episode 1 but if there is a severe drop-off in quality then we will reassess their insertion in the round-up and take them out if necessary.
The final say is done by the editor and creator of this list, Marc Chacksfield. He has nearly 20 years experience reviewing movies and show, both online and in magazines. You can read his bio for more information.
For the most part, this Prime Video show list is made up of scripted TV shows - there are some episodic fact-based shows on the site, but we are mainly focusing on prestige television here.
We haven't added any FreeVee content to this list. While the shows on their are decent, they are ad-funded and don't make up this list. And we haven't added anything from any of the Prime Video 'channels' you can get. This is because these are usually paid-for additions to the main Prime Video service.
If your fave show isn't one of our current pics, then let us know below!
