The best shows on Amazon Prime Video UK you need to watch right now.
UPDATE: Amazon has revealed the top 10 most downloaded shows on Amazon Prime and nine of them are in our list! The one that got away was that pesky Peppa Pig. The most downloaded show will come as a surprise to many, given how hard Amazon has been pushing The Grand Tour – it’s actually the superb American Gods. This is followed by Black Sails and, another surprise, Lucifer. Clarkson and co don’t feature until number 7. The full list is as follows:
American Gods
Black Sails
Lucifer
Parks and Recreation
Peppa Pig
Sneaky Pete
The Grand Tour
The Man in The High Castle
The Walking Dead
Vikings
Netflix may well take most of the headlines when it comes to streaming, but Amazon has slowly but surely created a fantastic rival. This is our pick of the best shows on Amazon Prime Video. The TV series that we have been watching and loving on what has become one of the most popular streaming services around. Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial
Since the launch of Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime has grown into a media powerhouse. Taking, and in some ways surpassing, Netflix’s self-serving model to produce its own content Amazon now has a bevy of television shows that are begging to be watched on its own platform. The choice is expansive and that’s where we come in.
TechRadar has curated a list of the best Amazon Prime shows around. Chosen by the team, these are the shows streamed in the UK that are Instant classics primed to offer up hours of compulsive viewing.
It’s worth noting that these are the best Amazon Prime TV shows that can be watched instantly when you have Amazon Prime access. There are many more shows you can watch through Amazon but these have to be purchased to be viewed. Amazon Prime access
We will keep this list constantly updated if any paid shows become free that we feel need to be included. So, click through the gallery to see our picks. And if you want to know what upcoming shows will be hitting Amazon Prime soon, then keep reading below. Check out our in-depth Amazon Prime Video review Amazon Prime Video review Fancy a film? Then our Best Amazon Prime Movies feature is for you Best Amazon Prime Movies Want to see what the rival is doing? Then check out Best Netflix TV Shows Best Netflix TV Shows Out 25 August
The plot of The Tick is a rather sad one. It’s about an accountant with mental health issues, who may or may not be a superhero – it could well be all a figment of his imagination. Peter Serafinowicz stars as The Tick and, despite the sombre plot outline, the pilot shows that this should be a darkly funny antidote to the glut of superhero flicks we’ve become accustomed to.
Finally, we have a trailer, too, which shows that the show isn’t afraid to shirk the surreal in its humour. ETA TBA
Clarkson, Hammond and the other one are back for Grand Tour: Season 2. Well, we kind of knew that they would be as they all have massive contracts that mean we will be seeing quite a few seasons of the Definitely Not Top Gear But Quite A Bit Like Top Gear show. This season we will see Clarkson drive a fast car, Hammond drive a faster car and nearly die, and the other one drive a fast car considerably slower than the rest. It’s not confirmed if they’ve upgraded from the tent that they lived in last season, or if the first episode will just be a crowd cheering and fawning over middle aged men in the middle of the desert, like a scene out of Mad Max: Fury Road, but its probably likely. Out TBC
Jean-Claude Van Damme already sent himself up brilliantly in the movie JCVD – this show goes off on its own riff, though. Van Damme plays, well, Van Damme. An actor cum spy. In the pilot, he comes out of retirement in pursuit of an ex girlfriend. The show is packed with references on JCVD’s movies and is genuinely funny. Out TBC
The Marvelous Mrs Maisel could well be the perfect antidote for those missing Mad Men. Set in the ’50s, it’s about a perfect housewife – in the eyes of what was a sexist era – who just happens to be trying to make it as a cutting-edge stand-up comic. Created by the folks behind The Gilmore Girls and starring House of Cards‘ Rachel Brosnahan, this is set to be one ‚marvelous‘ show. Out TBC
The works of Michel Faber nearly always translate well to the big and small screen. The Crimson Petal and the White was given a great mini series adaptation by the Beeb in 2001. And Under The Skin is one of the most inventive films ever made. Another one of his works, The Book of Strange Things, has been given the Amazon Originals Pilot treatment. Called Oasis, the show is a twisty opaque look at a priest who is living in a human colony on another planet. Richard Madden, last seen in Game of Thrones, stars.
It’s no surprise the Jack Bauer Power Hour went on for nine seasons. The idea of watching the day in the life of an agency dealing with a world-changing terrorist threat is instantly watchable. Yes, the reality of the situation was stretched thanks to the confines of the real-time format but it worked. They decided to shake things up in the last season, making 12 instead of 24 which sort of worked but sparked the end of the Jack Bauer story. All nine series are on Amazon Prime – and it’s a perfect time to watch the show, as its spin-off 24: Legacy is on television now.
Seasons on Amazon Prime Video: 9
Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and brought to the screen by the ever-excellent Bryan Fuller, American Gods is a existential look at what would happen if gods were to walk the earth. Starring Ricky Whittle (who has made the transition from Hollyoaks to Hollywood with ease) and Ian McShane, the show is both bizarre and brazen, cultish and controversial. It may take a while to figure out just what the hell is going on, but this is one smart, celestial slice of entertainment that’s already got us hooked.
Seasons on Amazon Prime Video: 1 (new episodes each week)
The premise of The 100 is as high concept as you can get. It’s set 97 years after nuclear armageddon has decimated earth, leaving just those who were up in space residing on space stations alive. As supplies are dwindling, 100 ‘prisoners’ are sent back to earth to see if there’s anything left to start a new life back there. As you can guess with the plot, the show is one big psychological thrill – where the means to survive pushes people to extremes. The show’s best when it takes moral issues, not so much when romance is at the forefront.
Seasons on Amazon Prime Video: 3
The Americans was cruelly mishandled when it originally came to UK TV, so we are glad it has finally found a decent place to reside. The show is a cracking crime period thriller that follows the exploits of a couple of KGB agents posing as US citizens around the time Ronald Reagan became US president. Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial
It may occasionally flit between the ridiculous and the sublime but you would expect nothing more from a show that’s main conceit comprises characters dueling with duality. The ’80s setting is fantastic, too, though there aren’t enough shell suits for our liking.
Seasons on Amazon Prime: 3
American Gothic should be better than it is. It’s still on our list but it’s a frustrating watch because the plot is so palpable. It’s about a family who find out their recently deceased dad/grandfather was a serial kille. The kicker is, they still think his accomplice is at large and one of the family. This makes for an intriguing murder mystery that relies too much on soap opera family issues and not enough getting to the crux of the killer. Still, it’s well worth a watch.
Seasons on Amazon Prime Video: 1
You’ve seen all the Nolan and Burton Bat flicks, and you’re wisely avoiding the new Batfleck films. If you’re still hankering for a Batman fix, you could do far, far worse than jumping into Batman: The Animated Series. Kicking off back in 1992, it bridges the gap of the Burton aesthetic and the comic book series, and is regarded by Batman fans as having perhaps the definitive onscreen take on the Dark Knight.
It’s ostensibly a kids cartoon, but the ongoing storylines are captivating and stylishly noir-like in delivery. And to cap things off, the voice cast is superb – Kevin Conroy is an assuredly-good Batman (reprising the role for the recent Batman: Arkham games) , while Star Wars‘ own Mark Hamill is a fantastically unhinged Joker.
Seasons on Amazon Prime Video: 4
Johnny Depp may have spent the latter half of his career convincing the world that pirates all look, smell and talk like a Rolling Stone but we prefer Black Sails‘ interpretation. Exclusive to Amazon Prime, Black Sails treats the pirate legend with a touch more reality and this is pretty much all down to Shakespearean thesp Toby Stephens. Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial
His interpretation of Captain Flint, one of the great characters of Treasure Island, is inspired, as is the cinematography in this high seas romp. Set 20 years before Treasure Island, Black Sails is one bit of piracy we fully condone.
Seasons on Amazon Prime: 4 (new episodes weekly)
With 20-something novels to mine for source material, Bosch is a character that was always destined for the small screen. Created by Michael Connelly but brilliantly brought to life by actor Titus Welliver, the series follows the exploits of LA Homicide detective Harry Bosch and features enough grit to pave the longest of driveways.
This is no surprise – the series has been created by Eric Overmyer, who was part of the alumni that created The Wire. Bosch is another show that has been put together by Amazon Studios – proving that streaming services are becoming just as powerful as the HBOs of the world when it comes to producing compelling drama. Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial
Bosch Season 2 has also landed on Amazon Prime, continuing the saga of Harry Bosch and it comes with a nice uplift in quality too.
Number of seasons on Amazon Prime: 2
From the minds of Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney comes one of the funniest, most well-written sitcom in years. The plot is slight: a one-night stand turns into a relationship once Sharon announces she is pregnant. But the series contains some of the most cut-to-the-bone humour seen on TV. Combine this with a nice slab of pathos – nestled among many a sex joke – and what you have is a modern classic.
The third series, which recently aired on Channel 4, is now available on Amazon Prime Video – it features the last ever performance from the imitable Carrie Fisher.
Seasons on Amazon Prime: 3
Empire showcases brilliantly the glitz, glamour and garishness of the world of hip hop, offering up a bling-filled look at what happens when the CEO of one of the biggest rap labels may have to give up his throne. Now in its third season, the show may not be able to hit the heights of its first season anymore but it’s still good, epic fun.
Seasons on Amazon Prime: 2
Before he was whipping up a storm as Mr Grey, Jamie Dornan played an effortlessly charming and equally chilling serial killer in The Fall, a fantastic Irish drama that deserves all the acclaim it gets. Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial
Dornan is Paul Spector, a care worker who has a sideline in killing woman. To help track him down, hard-nosed detective Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) heads to Belfast to try and capture the murderer. The Fall is a perfect blend of intelligent scripting, nuanced acting and a fantastic premise. Knowing who the killer is from scene one amps up, rather than releases, the show’s tension.
Seasons on Amazon Prime: 2
With Season Six of Walking Dead coming to an end with a thump, you can still get your undead helping with Fear The Walking Dead – a show that tries its hardest to be more than a spin-off. Set in Los Angeles, the show follows high school guidance counselor Madison Clark (a brilliant Kim Dickens fresh from Treme) and English teacher Travis Manawa (Cliff Curtis) as they adapt to a life after the ‚zombie‘ outbreak. The show is slow paced, each episode is an hour and there’s a 90-minute pilot, but it manages to approach the Walking Dead world in a wholly different way.
Seasons on Amazon Prime: 2
Billy Bob Thornton stars as a washed-up lawyer looking for a big break who stumbles on to a big case that may well give him the solace he needs. Made by David E Kelly who loves a bit of courtroom drama, having already created Boston Legal, The Practice and Ally McBeal, the show works well as a standalone series but there’s talk that it may get a second season. Goliath is part of Amazon’s Original series of TV shows.
Seasons on Amazon Prime: 1
To be honest, we’ re surprised that Amazon has been so quiet about The Grand Tour. We’ ve seen nothing about it anywhere. No adverts, no trailers, no Jeremy Clarkson selling his soul to promote Amazon products… nope, nothing. Who are we kidding? Amazon spent tens of millions to nab Clarkson, James May and the other one and have thrown more money at The Grand Tour than the UK has lost post-Brexit. The Grand Tour
Each episode is a more grandiose version of the Top Gear specials, with the presenters sent off to far-flung lands – sometimes with actual cars. Amazon needs this to be a hit, Clarkson need never worry about money again and as for the quality of the show: well, you might say it packs one helluva punch.
Seasons on Amazon: 1 Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial
Now in its third season, Halt And Catch Fire is another surefire hit by AMC – the folks that brought us Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Set around a fictionalised version of the computer revolution of the 1980s and the rise of the web in the ’90s, Catch Fire is a fantastic look at how technology has improved all our lives, while nearly tearing apart the innovators at the same time.
A fourth and final season began airing in October, but you can watch the first three on Amazon Prime now.
Seasons on Amazon Prime: 3
Last seen in Sons of Anarchy, Ron Perlman has moved from the mad world of biker gangs into the stranger world of law. Perlman plays a vice-riddled barrister who, after suffering a breakdown, starts to believe he is a messenger from god. Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial Get your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial
The full first season for Hand of God arrived on Amazon Prime, after a successful pilot. A second season is also available, which will sadly be the last as Amazon has decided to not renew the show. This is a shame as it may not be a light-hearted ride – but it is one drama that takes dark turn after dark turn and is all the better for it.
Seasons on Amazon Prime: 2
Filmed in Baton Rouge and based on the stories of Joe Lansdale, Hap and Leonard is a great swampy noir thriller of a show that’s based on the relationship of two friends and the sometimes violent scrapes they get into. James Purefoy and Michael K Williams are superb as the pair, one a Vietnam vet, the other a draft dodger. Set in the 80s, the show is similar to Cold In July, the movie from the same writer and is only six episodes long, so perfect for a binge watch.
Seasons on Amazon Prime Video: 2
Stephen King has had a rocky journey to the big and small screen.
