Top 10 Underrated Amazon Prime Shows
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at great shows produced by Amazon Prime Video that deserve a wider audience. What are your favorite hidden gems on Amazon Prime? Polish them off in the comments.
#10: “Outer Range” (2022-)
Top 10 Most Emotional Outer Banks Moments
“Yellowstone” may have started a trend in neo-western TV, but there's nothing quite like “Outer Range”. Josh Brolin leads the typically intriguing politics of a struggling farm family, compounded by wealthy rivals. …Oh yeah, and there’s the matter of a portal in a pasture that leads to a disturbing world. Things only get more bizarre from there as an enigmatic drifter begins meddling in the Abbott family's affairs. Through all the daring, sometimes eccentric twists, the intense atmosphere and acting never blink. The genre-bending slow-burner is obviously hard to market. But those willing to ride with “Outer Range” are in for bold suspense and bolder storytelling. The fans are certainly spreading the word for Season 2.
#9: “Red Oaks” (2014-17)
Top 10 Underrated TV Shows of the Last Decade
An affluent, if awkward college student and his friends have the summers of their lives working at a country club in the 1980s. “Red Oaks” surely has its roots in teen comedies from that decade, complete with wild humor, steamy romance, and Jennifer Grey. The deep-cut soundtrack is also totally cool. But the show is so much more than its nostalgic tropes. Every memorable character of every age has time to mature through timeless themes of identity. It’s the kind of smartly self-aware, genuinely heartfelt love letter that today’s more popular throwbacks aspire to. Though “Red Oaks” has grown more obscure since its tight three-season run, it’s bound to become nostalgic to its loyal following.
#8: “Paper Girls” (2022)
Top 10 Best Paper Girls Moments (Season 1)
Honestly, traveling back to ‘80s nostalgia is pretty played-out. Thus, Image Comics’ “Paper Girls” follows a group of teens from the ‘80s, who travel to 2019 to unravel a war across time. Amazon’s spirited adaptation further subverts trappings as the clever sci-fi comedy we need during the “Stranger Things” craze. Its poignant coming-of-age leaps even further than the time-bending genre thrills. Unfortunately, rave reviews weren’t enough to get the ambitious production a second season. The consensus is that it got lost in a flooded market of similar shows. Amazon itself eclipsed the release with “The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power”. For many, though, few can compare to the future cult classic that is “Paper Girls”.
#7: “Patriot” (2015-18)
With the prospect of a nuclear Iran, the CIA meddles in another election. Doing so by embedding the director's apathetic son in a European business trip gets even more complicated than planned. “Patriot” sounds like a peak espionage thriller, with stunning style to match. It's really all a cover for a surreal black comedy, satirizing everything from geopolitics to workplace incompetence. The humor is as bitingly intelligent as the elaborate storytelling. And it was hard intelligence to properly expose to the public. “Patriot” went out with a whimper after two seasons, but was consistently acclaimed. It also established New Zealand actor Michael Dorman as a versatile Hollywood lead. Years later, his self-consciously American breakout is still worth spying on.
#6: “The Devil’s Hour” (2022-)
Top 10 Best TV Shows of 2022
The so-called “devil’s hour” between 3 and 4 a.m. is said to bring supernatural forces. It certainly has a strange effect on a troubled social worker, whose disturbing visions get her involved in the pursuit of a serial killer. It's a quintessential setup for the cold-blooded noir sweeping British television. With Tom Moran’s “The Devil's Hour”, though, each hour is packed with unpredictable twists and pathos. Never mind tension, especially when the terrifying Peter Capaldi shows up as an enigmatic clairvoyant. The limited promotion outside of the UK was further stifled by the mind-bending thriller's mysterious plot. So all we can say about “The Devil’s Hour” is that its praise has ensured a bright future of two more installments.
#5: “The Tick” (2016-19)
Top 10 Best Superhero Shows That Aren’t Marvel or DC
Ben Edlund has always had unique creative control in adapting his superhero satire for TV. With Amazon, his ambitions ran wild in the best way. Golden-voiced Peter Serafinowicz takes on the mantle of The Tick, a mysterious and invincible hero who fights evil with his reluctant ward Arthur Everest. Their violent exploits have all the action-packed special effects of a major superhero blockbuster. At the same time, Edlund finds the right balance between hilarious spoof and satisfying character development. Alas, the mighty production fell after just two seasons. But in proving the potential of subversive superhero shows, it paved the way for hits like Amazon’s “The Boys”. Even then, “The Tick” remains an ideal drain for superhero fatigue.
#4: “Upload” (2020-)
Top 10 Funniest Upload Season 3 Moments
A dystopian future has rarely been as enjoyable as Greg Daniels’s “Upload”. The creator of “The Office” and “Parks and Rec” presents a world where the ultra-rich can upload their consciousness to a virtual afterlife. There, a deceased computer programmer unravels high conspiracies with friends in both worlds. The sci-fi angle allows Daniels to take his mastery of satirical worldbuilding to new heights. And for all the serious plot twists and outrageous gags, an unforgettable cast finds humanity in peak engineering. “Upload” may not be breaking the Internet, but its growing acclaim and fanbase have pushed it to a natural conclusion at four seasons. The satire is just too relevant to miss, with entertainment that’s sure to live on.
#3: “Forever” (2019)
Top 10 TV Shows That Will Last Forever
Death doesn’t part Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph, whose lifelessly married characters die in separate accidents. The afterlife offers them a chance to start again as they and other spirits venture into the unknown. “Forever” is such a slow-burner that it’s hard to say much about where its plot is heading. What’s most important is how profoundly it explores deep metaphysical themes, especially as they relate to human connection. It’s less thematically zany than “The Good Place”, but the eccentric humor is formidable. Still, a comedy about death may not have much popular longevity. “Forever” was canceled after one season, in what many say is one of Amazon’s great losses. That just makes it all the more worth memorializing.
#2: “Sneaky Pete” (2015-19)
Veteran character actor Giovanni Ribisi takes the lead as an ex-con con artist with dangerous enemies. He steals his cellmate’s identity and lies low with his estranged family, only to realize they're in bail bonds and law enforcement. Co-created by David Shore and Bryan Cranston, “Sneaky Pete” knows the hustle of the modern crime drama. It's full of ambitious twists and action, with complicated characters to raise the stakes. All the same, it never takes itself too seriously. “Sneaky Pete” achieved peak entertainment in Peak TV, but couldn't smooth-talk a consistent audience. The caper’s cancellation after three seasons was disappointing to loyal fans. It's still sure to entice new ones as a perfect fit for any binge watchlist.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Chloe” (2022)
Top 10 Most Anticipated TV Shows of 2022
An Imposter’s Immersion into High Society Uncovers Thrilling Twists & Wicked Commentary
“Class of ‘07” (2023)
Top 10 Best TV Shows of 2023
A High School Reunion Becomes an Enlightening Fight for Survival after a Tidal Wave
“Lore” (2017-18)
Top 10 TV Shows To Watch If You Like INVINCIBLE
Aaron Mahnke’s True Horror Podcast Is Adapted into a Chilling Anthology Docudrama
“Too Old to Die Young” (2019)
Top 10 Streaming Releases in December 2019
Nicolas Winding Refn’s Neo-Noir Pushes the Boundaries of Political Satire & Avant-Garde Television
“The Wilds” (2020-22)
Top 10 Shows to Binge in 2020
A Corrupt Research Experiment Tests Troubles Teens’ Survival Skills on a Deserted Island
#1: “Undone” (2019-22)
“BoJack Horseman” alumni collaborate on another animated dramedy that dares to be wholly original, and wholly satisfying. When a car wreck grants a woman the ability to bend time, she sets out to explore her father's death and other family secrets. It's an unpredictable story that melds emotion with style through extensive rotoscope animation. This brings extra surrealism to the cosmic fantasy, while preserving the cast’s poignant performances. It's altogether the kind of cleverly written, nuanced art that must speak for itself. “Undone” is so hard to talk about that Amazon has not formally renewed or canceled it since a conclusive-feeling second season. But those who have experienced its creative genius agree that it’s worth going back to.
