Best shows on Amazon Prime Video in August 2024
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The best shows on Amazon Prime Video will give you countless hours of entertainment. Your subscription to Amazon Prime may have been purchased for any number of reasons (Prime deals and two-day shipping rank highly), but Prime Video includes access to a gigantic library of movies and TV shows.
You get unlimited access to both licensed and original TV shows and movies. Amazon TV show originals include "The Boys," "The Summer I Turned Pretty," "Reacher" and "Invincible." Here are our recommendations for the best Prime Video shows to watch right now.
Best shows on Amazon Prime Video right now
'My Lady Jane'
"My Lady Jane" is a period piece with a difference. This genre-bending, historical fantasy series throws us in with a very different version of 16th-Century England's "Nine-Day Queen", Lady Jane Grey (played by Emily Bader). Drawing from the YA series co-written by Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton and Cynthia Hand, this ahistorical romp reimagines Jane as a swashbuckling heroine, one capable of far more than simply being married off to her soon-to-be partner, Lord Dudley (Edward Bluemel).
Marriage is far from her only worry; in just eight episodes, this romp packs in conflict between England's shapeshifting and non-magical populations ("Ethians" and "Verities", respectively), a conspiracy to seize the crown, swordsmanship, and plenty of laughs. It's a wry, irreverent alt take on the course of history, and one you shouldn't skip. — Martin Shore
'Mr. and Mrs. Smith'
Similar only in name to the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie spy flick, this series finds two strangers agreeing to become agents for a spy organization. They do so under the guise of a married couple: John and Jane Smith. Though they eventually aren't aware of each other's secrets, they must come together and work through particularly challenging missions and even unravel the secrets behind the company that brought them together. — BV
'Hazbin Hotel'
Based on animator Vivienne Medrano's wildly popular pilot, the full-length "Hazbin Hotel" is a murderously funny exploration of life in hell through the eyes of Charlie, its princess. She's tired of seeing her people razed year after year by the denizens of Heaven.
That's when she decides to rehabilitate the demons around her to cull the masses in a more peaceful way than the angels' yearly extermination. Her hope is that demons will instead ascend after changing their ways, clearing out the overpopulated realm. Of course, working with a radio demon, a porn star, and a former exorcist won't exactly guarantee results. — BV
'Reacher'
Drawing from the hugely popular series of novels by Lee Child (and eventually, his brother Andrew), this high-octane action series sees our brawny hero, retired Military Police Officer Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) roaming the U.S. and tackling cryptic cases. While watching the conspiracies unravel is exciting, the real thrill here comes from some gleefully brutal brawls that come thick and fast.
The second season dropped at the end of December 2023 and continued to prove that "Reacher" deserves to be called one of the best Prime Video shows you can stream right now. — MS
'I'm a Virgo'
Writer/director Boots Riley’s "Sorry to Bother You" was a delightfully surreal satire skewering capitalism and corporate exploitation. Now, Riley moves to television for another absurd tale, this one about a 13-foot-tall young Black man named Cootie (Jharrel Jerome).
Cootie has been kept hidden most of his life by his well-meaning aunt and uncle (Carmen Ejogo and Mike Epps), but as he matures, the awkward and kind-hearted teen yearns to go out into the world. But even as makes friends and develops a crush, Cootie is widely feared by strangers for his size. He soon draws the attention of the Hero (Walton Goggins), an eccentric billionaire turned vigilante. Cootie must choose between following in his idol’s footsteps or blazing his own path.
'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel'
"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" is kind of a comedy, kind of a drama, kind of a period piece and kind of delightful — which makes sense, as it's from "Gilmore Girls" creator Amy Sherman-Palladino.
In it, Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) tries her hand at stand-up comedy. That's all well and good, except that she's a young Jewish housewife in 1958 New York City, making her presence in the club scene relatively unprecedented. With a little help from her loving family, her stoic manager, and the great Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby), Mrs. Maisel carves out her own niche, all while dealing with her own domestic dramas.
'Citadel'
This espionage thriller follows in the footsteps of similar Amazon projects like "Jack Ryan", "Terminal List", and "Reacher". The company certainly has thrown a lot of money at it, reportedly $300 million, second only to "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power."
The Citadel was an independent global spy agency tasked to uphold the safety and security of all people. Eight years ago, it was destroyed by Manticore, a syndicate that represents the world’s wealthiest families. Citadel agents Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) had their memories wiped, but they’re tracked down by a former colleague (Stanley Tucci) who needs their help to prevent Manticore from triggering another world war.
'Daisy Jones and the Six'
A successful rock band in the 1970s is torn apart because of rocky relationships between some of its members. No, this is not a biopic of Fleetwood Mac, though author Taylor Jenkins Reid certainly took a page from their story for her novel.
Adapted into a limited series, "Daisy Jones and the Six" follows the rise and epic fall of an iconic band fronted by charismatic lead singers Daisy Jones (Riley Keough) and Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin). At the height of their fame and after a sold-out show in Chicago, the band disbands. Decades later, they finally reveal the truth about what really happened.
'Harlem'
This under-the-radar comedy returns with new career developments, romantic travails and other life challenges for the four Black female friends in the titular New York City neighborhood. Season 2 picks up a little over a year since we last saw Camille (Meagan Good), Angie (Shoniqua Shandai), Tye (Jerrie Johnson and Quinn (Grace Byers).
Camille is dealing with the fallout of resigning from Columbia and kissing her ex. Angie lands a role in a Hallmark movie, though the casual racism on set starts to get to her. Tech exec Tye is shocked when her dirty laundry is posted on a website, but what’s worse is that her estranged husband wants half her fortune in a divorce. As for Quinn, she’s exploring her newly awakened sexual identity with zest.
'Three Pines'
Hulu isn't the only streamer getting raves for its novel adaptations. Louise Penny's mystery novels are now, thanks to Prime Video, on your TV. And just like how Netflix has Benoit Blanc with "Glass Onion", Prime members get to meet Inspector Armand Gamache (Alfred Molina).
Here, Molina's wins audiences over with a humane gentleness and his observational humor. And since "Three Pines" takes place in a town inspired by Penny's hometown in Quebec, audiences get a little travelogue-like treat as they get to learn about all things French Canadian.
'A League of Their Own' (2022)
Oftentimes, a revival of a beloved movie or show can come with gripes of "Who asked for this?" Prime Video's "A League of Their Own", though, had us declaring that we had no idea how much we needed it. This series from Abbi Jacobson (the "Broad City" star also features in the ensemble) keeps the basics intact, as we follow a women's baseball team that's trying to be taken seriously.
That said, for drama and emotion, it's successful by being more diverse than the original — as 1943 is a fertile time for stories of segregation and homophobia. We raved about "A League of Their Own" as the best new show of the year upon its release for its cast's fantastic chemistry, and how this version doesn't exclude queer people and persons of color. It's a shame Amazon decided not to move forward with a second season after all. – HTC
'The Wheel of Time'
Yes, this is going to be a divisive pick, but if I can put "The Rings of Power" on the list of Prime Video's best fantasy TV shows, I can include it here, too.
Based on everyone we've talked to "The Rings of Power" is something of a Rorschach test. Die-hard Tolkienists who know their "Silmarillion" (which Amazon didn't buy the rights to) from their main trilogy will spot some differences to the source material, but those who liked the films (even just the original trilogy) may go into "The Rings of Power" — which delves into a much older era in Tolkien's legendarium — and fall in love with its epic look and feel. Promo material for "The Rings of Power season 2 certainly makes this next chapter look even grander — will it deliver? — MS
Wheel of Time
While "The Rings of Power" got a lot of oxygen, we can't overlook Amazon's other (and arguably better) fantasy adaptation.
"The Wheel of Time" focuses on the all-female organization of the Aes Sedai, and its member Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) who is trying to find our salvation (or stop the end of our world). Arriving in a small town called Two Rivers, Moiraine is searching for a being known as the Dragon Reborn, who harbors the power capable to stand against a rising evil known only as The Dark One. Absolutely beautiful and epic, "The Wheel of Time" is certainly one of the best shows on Prime Video, and the stakes and scope of this adventure only got bigger in "The Wheel of Time" season 2. — MS
'Paper Girls'
The only Halloween hangovers kids should have involve sugar overload. But in 1988, paper girls Erin, KJ, Mac and Tiffany (who is seen above) became time travelers the morning after they were trick-or-treating.
Jumped into the future, with grown-up versions of themselves, the "Paper Girls" quartet has to deal with the emotional issues involved with learning who you'll become and the fact that there's a group of time travelers who are hunting them down. Built around a strong ensemble of child actors, "Paper Girls" felt like Prime Video's answer to "Stranger Things". We say 'felt' because Prime Video canceled "Paper Girls" after its first season, and we're still not fully over it.
'The Summer I Turned Pretty'
Summertime is the perfect time for a YA adventure, and that's exactly what Prime Video delivered when Isabel "Belly" Conklin (Lola Tung) reunited with her childhood pals, — brothers Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno — when "The Summer I Turned Pretty" arrived.
While these kids have been friends for years, the summer where Belly is due to become a debutante unsurprisingly coincides with the same season when both Conrad and Jeremiah find themselves attracted to her. And while Belly's always crushed on the former, her bond with the latter brother is a little stronger. – Henry T. Casey
'The Kids In The Hall' (2022)
Listen, we're as shocked as you are. But the first fab five of Canada came back and they did so with aplomb. While the 'Kids' aren't kids anymore, and not every sketch is a winner, the revival of the classic comedy series has us laughing and thanking the Amazon executives who greenlit this return. Still immature and unwilling to conform to anyone else's standards for funny or traditional comedy, "The Kids in the Hall" return proved the crew still had it. — HTC
'Fleabag'
It may have only run for two short seasons, but "Fleabag" didn't need anymore — (heck it didn't even need the second season — to be crowned one of the very best shows on Prime Video. That's not to say we don't love season 2, but we applaud creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge for her restraint in keeping things tidy — in terms of episode count.
We specify that kind of episodic tidiness for a reason: "Fleabag" is a show about mess. The titular character (played perfectly by Waller-Bridge) is the black sheep of her family and breaks the fourth wall to narrate her life for us, the audience. While the series begins with her sexual escapades and her complicated familial relationships, "Fleabag" digs deeper to show how she's buried grief extremely deeply. — HTC
'Billions'
The world of big finance might not seem the most obvious candidate for a riveting drama in the vein of "The Sopranos" and "Mad Men", but "Billions" is good enough to stand in that kind of company.
Much of that is down to the superb cast, with Damian Lewis outstanding as the filthy-rich and entirely unscrupulous hedge-fund boss Bobby Axelrod, and Paul Giamatti equally brilliant as the supposedly principled but actually just-as-terrible U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades. But really the star of the show is Maggie Siff as Wendy Rhoades, the woman they both depend heavily upon. Of course, a cast is only as good as the script it’s working with, and "Billions" shines here too, taking a dizzyingly complex subject and somehow making it a thrilling viewing experience. — Marc McLaren
'The Boys'
"The Boys" is a cynical and ultraviolent take on the ever-popular superhero genre that's based on Garth Ennis' adult comic book series of the same name.
The series takes place In a world where the world's most powerful heroes ("Supes") are totally revered... precisely because the powerful Vought International corporation markets them as such. Beneath the glamor, there's a dark secret: these superheroes are more than willing to endanger others and abuse their abilities for personal gain. Enter: "The Boys", a CIA-backed vigilante group led by Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) who fight back against the self-serving superheroes.
Since it's debut in 2019, "The Boys" has become one of Prime Video's most prominent Originals. The original show is due to end with "The Boys" season 5, but it's also spawned spinoffs like "Gen V", and the animated series, "Diabolical". — MS
'Utopia'
Art imitates life, and in the case of "Utopia", that imitation is eerily prescient. The show, from writer/executive producer Gillian Flynn ("Gone Girl"), is based on the 2013 British original cult hit.
Part dark comedy, part conspiracy theory thriller, "Utopia" follows a group of comic book fans who discover an upcoming graphic novel that predicts viral pandemics. When the fans get their hands on it, they find themselves targeted by shadowy figures tied to the government and health companies. The cast includes Rainn Wilson, John Cusack, and Sasha Lane.
'Upload'
Greg Daniels, the producer behind "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation", brings a new dramedy to Amazon. "Upload" is based on an idea Daniels had in the late 1980s as a writer for "Saturday Night Live" and takes us forward into a future wherein human beings can 'upload' themselves into their preferred choice of afterlife.
Robbie Amell stars as Nathan, who dies and is greeted by Nora (Andy Allo). She's a customer rep at Horizen, the company that manages the virtual heaven. Horizen offers different data plans, so the afterlife experience depends on how much you spend. Can you hear the satire now?
'Homecoming'
The first season of sci-fi thriller "Homecoming" — based on the hit podcast — was one of the best Prime Video shows ever. It starred Julia Roberts as a therapist who uncovers a conspiracy involving a secret government compound that tested experimental PTSD treatments on American soldiers, including one played by Stephan James.
Season 2 took the show in a new direction, though the mystery was still tied to The Geist Group. Roberts is gone, replaced by new lead Janelle Monáe. She plays a woman who wakes up in a rowboat, with no memory of her identity or how she got there.
'Underground Railroad'
"Underground Railroad" is a sweeping adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by "Moonlight" director Barry Jenkins. The story reimagines the famous Underground Railroad of the 1800s; instead of a network of hidden houses and safe passages that slaves, it’s an actual railroad with trains, tunnels and tracks.
Enslaved people like Cora (Thuso Mbedu) and Caesar (Aaron Pierre) hope to ride it and escape their lives of brutal bondage. The absorbing premise is matched by striking cinematography and sterling performances — no wonder "Underground Railroad" received seven Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Limited Series.
'Hanna'
"Hanna" is equal parts high-concept thriller and coming-of-age drama. The series revolves around teenager Hanna (Esmé Creed-Miles), a youngster with a very specific set of skills.
She lives out in a remote part of the Polish forest with Erik Heller... fifteen years after Erik rescued her from a covert Romanian facility wherein she was trained to be an elite killer and hunter. The show sees Hanna trying to uncover her past... all while she and Erik evade the relentless Marissa Wiegler, a CIA operative tasked from the UTRAX program ordered to track Hanna down. — MS
'The Expanse'
Fans of space-travel sci-fi were devastated when the Syfy channel canceled "The Expanse" after three groundbreaking seasons. But Amazon swooped in to save the day, continuing the adventure for three more seasons, bringing it to an end in 2021.
Based on a series of novels by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, "The Expanse" tells the story of an intergalactic conspiracy and a futuristic lawman who just might be able to piece the whole thing together. Thomas Jane stars as Detective Josephus Miller, who finds himself stuck between powerful forces on Earth, Mars, and settlements in the solar system's asteroid belt. Fans of "Star Trek"-style ensemble casts will find a lot to like here.
'Downton Abbey'
Part period piece, part melodrama, "Downton Abbey" is a sort of "greatest hits" compilation of early 20th-century history, as seen through the eyes of an upper-class British family and its staff of domestic servants.
The titular Downton Abbey is a British manor where the aristocratic Crawley family lives, led by Earl Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) and Countess Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern). As the cultural, social, and economic landscape of Great Britain changes drastically, the family experiences (second-hand) everything from the sinking of the Titanic to the Irish War of Independence and the Beer Hall Putsch. If you like costume dramas, this one is an easy sell, but it moves at a brisk enough clip to entertain just about anyone.
