The 50 best shows on Amazon Prime to watch in November 2025
Cameron Frew | 5:45pm Fri 31 OctAmazon Prime is a gold mine for of the best TV shows on streaming, but finding a good series to watch can be a bit of a challenge.
Prime Video’s user interface has two problems. Firstly, its default set-up mixes shows and movies included in your Amazon subscription with stuff that’s only available with add-ons, like Shudder and Paramount Plus.
Secondly, much like when you’re trying to find the best movies on Netflix, it has a habit of pushing the same things in each carousel. Don’t worry, we’ve taken a deep dive into its entire library and ranked the 50 best series on Amazon Prime Video right now.
Contents
50. Glee
- Genre: Drama, Comedy, Musical
- Year: 2009 – 2015
- Cast: Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch
- Creator: Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Ian Brennan
- Length: 6 seasons, 121 episodes
What it’s about: Will Schuester, an optimistic teacher, takes over the high school’s glee club and enlists some talented students to restore it to its former glory.
Why to watch: Even after more than 15 years, the ending of Glee’s pilot still feels a little magical; if you weren’t already, it’ll make you start believing. The rest of the series doesn’t always reach the same heights, but let it be said: this is one of the most certifiably insane shows that’s ever aired on TV.
49. Molly-Mae: Behind It All
- Genre: Documentary
- Year: 2025 – present
- Cast: Molly-Mae Hague
- Creator: Molly-Mae Hague
- Length: 2 seasons, 9 episodes
What it’s about: From the fallout of a highly-publicised breakup to her business ventures, Molly-Mae: Behind It All goes beyond the headlines to show the real life of Britain’s biggest influencer.
Why to watch: If you’re a fan of Molly-Mae, Behind It All will be a rich viewing experience; a peek, as per the title, behind “it all” (whether that’s the dirt with Tommy Fury or her hard-ish work days). If you’re not, maybe it’ll convince you – or maybe you’ll feel justified in whatever you already thought.
48. Beast Games
- Genre: Reality
- Year: 2025 – present
- Cast: MrBeast, Tyler Conklin, Sean Klitzner, Mack Hopkins
- Creator: MrBeast, Tyler Conklin, Sean Klitzner, Mack Hopkins
- Length: 1 season, 10 episodes (two more seasons confirmed)
What it’s about: In a new reality series from MrBeast, the world’s biggest content creator, 1,000 people compete in difficult, emotionally gruelling challenges as they try to win $5 million, the biggest prize in TV history.
Why to watch: Backing MrBeast’s infectious brainrot may seem like a surprise for this list. Alas, similar to Squid Game: The Challenge (just even more morally corrupt), this is spellbindingly horrible television; the nadir of reality-show desperation and backstabbing, and it is absolutely delicious.
47. Lazarus
- Genre: Thriller, Sci-fi
- Year: 2025
- Cast: Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy, Alexandra Roach
- Creator: Harlan Coben, Danny Brocklehurst
- Length: 1 season, 6 episodes
What it’s about: After returning home in the wake of his father’s suicide, Laz begins to have disturbing experiences as he digs into a series of cold-case murders.
Why to watch: Lazarus, as its religious title would suggest, has more on its mind (and its visual palette) than other Harlan Coben adaptations. It doesn’t always come together, despite Sam Claflin’s best efforts, but its mere ambition is watch-worthy.
46. Skins
- Genre: Drama
- Year: 2007 – 2013
- Cast: Kaya Scodelario, Nicholas Hoult, Jack O’Connell
- Creator: Bryan Elsley, Jamie Brittain
- Length: 7 seasons, 61 episodes
What it’s about: Teenagers in Bristol try to get through their final years at school as they indulge in alcohol and drugs, have sex, and battle addiction, bullying, and other problems.
Why to watch: Skins (specifically Seasons 1-4, ignore everything that came after) has aged tremendously well: an honest, breathtaking, and painfully sad teen drama with incredible breadth in its sweary, observant writing. If you’re a completionist, Skins Redux is worth your time too.
45. Smallville
- Genre: Drama, Superhero
- Year: 2001 – 2011
- Cast: Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, Michael Rosenbaum
- Creator: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
- Length: 10 seasons, 217 episodes
What it’s about: Clark Kent isn’t like other high-schoolers. He’s an orphan, discovered by Jonathan and Martha Kent in a field Smallville, Kansas. And, things are about to get more complicated: he’s destined to be the most powerful superhero in the universe.
Why to watch: Smallville may seem a little hokey and cheap by today’s tastes (this is worlds apart from Zack Snyder’s vibe), but it felt revolutionary in its original run; a small-screen story worthy of the Man of Steel. Tom Welling delivered a beloved portrayal of Clark Kent, and Remy Zero’s ‘Save Me’ intro song is unskippable.
44. Miami Vice
- Genre: Crime, Action
- Year: 1984 – 1990
- Cast: Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas, Edward James Olmos
- Creator: Anthony Yerkovich
- Length: 5 seasons, 114 episodes
What it’s about: After losing his partner in a car bombing, James “Sonny” Crockett teams up with a detective from New York, Rafael Tubbs, and investigates criminals across Miami.
Why to watch: Miami Vice inspired Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, one of the greatest games of all time. That’s a reason to watch it. Michael Mann also made a phenomenal movie based on the series. There’s another reason. It’s also one of the most influential cop dramas ever made. If you’re unconvinced, search “Miami Vice In the Air Tonight” on YouTube and thank us later.
43. Nine Perfect Strangers
- Genre: Drama
- Year: 2021-2025
- Cast: Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Murray Bartlett
- Creator: David E. Kelley
- Length: 2 season, 16 episodes
What it’s about: Nine very different people arrive at Tranquillum House, a mysterious wellness retreat in California that promises total transformation – but the resort is not what it seems to be.
Why to watch: You can’t deny the talent across both seasons of Nine Perfect Strangers, whether it’s Nicole Kidman as the retreat’s enigmatic host or its equally strong, refreshed ensembles. While not on the same level as Big Little Lies (written by the same author), it’s a solid mystery.
42. Channel Zero
- Genre: Horror
- Year: 2016 – 2018
- Cast: Paul Schneider, Fiona Shaw, Rutger Hauer
- Creator: Nick Antosca
- Length: 4 seasons, 24 episodes
What it’s about: Creepypastas come to life in Channel Zero, a horror anthology series that transfers some of Reddit’s internet’s scariest short stories to television.
Why to watch: Channel Zero doesn’t replicate the experience of discovering a terrifying creepypastas (short stories shared on the internet), but it comes close. It’s an ideal, more adult successor to Goosebumps.
41. Bosch
- Genre: Drama, Crime
- Year: 2014 – 2021
- Cast: Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino
- Creator: Eric Overmyer
- Length: 7 seasons, 68 episodes
What it’s about: Harry Bosch, a tough homicide detective with the Los Angeles police, investigates murders and pursues justice as he tries to keep a handle on his personal life.
Why to watch: Skins (specifically Seasons 1-4, ignore everything that came after) has aged tremendously well: an honest, breathtaking, and painfully sad teen drama with incredible breadth in its sweary, observant writing. If you’re a completionist, Skins Redux is worth your time too.
40. Supernatural
- Genre: Horror, Fantasy
- Year: 2005 – 2020
- Cast: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Jeffrey Dean Morgan
- Creator: Eric Kripke
- Length: 15 seasons, 327 episodes
What it’s about: Decades after witnessing their mother’s mysterious death, Sam and Dean Winchester travel across America in pursuit of the truth, all while hunting demons, monsters, and ghosts, among other paranormal phenomena.
Why to watch: Even Supernatural’s biggest fans agree that it lasted way too long. Its critics won’t hesitate to write it off as hot guys fighting monsters and nothing more – but its catch-of-the-week thrills set the table for deep-as-hell lore, and it helps that Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles’ chemistry never falters.
39. Jack Ryan
- Genre: Thriller, Action
- Year: 2018 – 2023
- Cast: John Krasinski, Wendell Pierce, Abbie Cornish
- Creator: Carlton Cuse, Graham Roland
- Length: 4 seasons, 30 episodes
What it’s about: When CIA analyst Jack Ryan stumbles upon a suspicious series of bank transfers, his search for answers pulls him from the safety of his desk job and catapults him into a deadly game of cat and mouse throughout Europe and the Middle East.
Why to watch: Jack Ryan’s biggest strength (and crime, for those who miss his comedic side) is John Krasinski. While not equipped with the movie star charisma of Alec Baldwin, this is a commendably natural performance; an indiscernible blend of his usual charms, making him a believable, heroic everyman who goes above and beyond.
38. The Terminal List
- Genre: Thriller, Action
- Year: 2022 – present
- Cast: Chris Pratt, Constance Wu, Taylor Kitsch
- Creator: David DiGilio
- Length: 1 season, 8 episodes (renewed for season 2)
What it’s about: After his entire platoon is ambushed during a high-risk covert mission, former Navy SEAL officer James Reece sets out to investigate the causes of this fatal event, finding himself in the crosshairs of a conspiracy operating in the shadows of the military.
Why to watch: Would The Terminal List (a show that’s comfortably in the dad bracket) be better if it were a tight two-hour actioner in the vein of American Assassin? Yes, but with eight hours, its relentless dourness becomes an asset – especially when it’s tapped Chris Pratt, who plays against his 2010s matinee hero type with a gruff, sorrowful performance.
37. Fear
- Genre: Thriller
- Year: 2025
- Cast: Martin Compston, Anjli Mohindra, Solly McLeod
- Creator: Derek Wax
- Length: 1 season, 3 episodes
What it’s about: Martyn and Rebecca move to Glasgow with their two children, hoping for a fresh start. However, it isn’t long before their neigbour makes them incredibly uncomfortable.
Why to watch: Fear, as per the name, effectively hones in on one of the inherent fears of living anywhere, old or new: are you truly safe in your own home? The idea may be better than its execution, but even when it descends into ridiculousness, there’s a strong sense of dread as things worsen for everyone.
36. The Good Doctor
- Genre: Drama
- Year: 2017 – 2024
- Cast: Freddie Highmore, Antonia Thomas, Hill Harper
- Creator: David Shore
- Length: 7 seasons, 126 episodes
What it’s about: Shaun Murphy, a talented surgeon with autism and savant syndrome, works to prove his abilities at a renowned hospital in California.
Why to watch: A few years ago, one of Freddie Highmore’s most hysterical scenes went viral and became a meme. It was funny… out of context, but unlike House and its more overt comedic strokes, The Good Doctor takes itself (and Shaun, for the most part) seriously. That’s what made it a big success; you may find yourself affected by it more than you’d think in context.
35. The Big Bang Theory
- Genre: Comedy
- Year: 2007 – 2019
- Cast: Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco
- Creator: Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady
- Length: 12 seasons, 279 episodes
What it’s about: Leonard and Sheldon live quiet, geeky lives in their Pasadena apartment; playing video games, reading comics, and hanging out with their socially awkward friends. But their lives change when they get a free-spirited new neighbour, Penny.
Why to watch: The Big Bang Theory has become… unfashionable, whether it’s the lazy jokes, writing of women, or desperate laugh track. Yet, before it evolved (or mutated), it was an endearing sitcom, complete with a will-they-won’t-they romance that was easy to root for, a quirky co-lead that became iconic, and genuine laughs that’d happen without a background audience strong-arming you.
Season 6 is a good cut-off, then watch Young Sheldon.
34. Sneaky Pete
- Genre: Drama, Crime
- Year: 2015 – 2019
- Cast: Giovanni Ribisi, Marin Ireland, Bryan Cranston
- Creator: David Shore, Bryan Cranston
- Length: 3 seasons, 30 episodes
What it’s about: In a desperate effort to hide from a vicious gangster, a con man assumes the identity of his prison cellmate, Pete. However, as he becomes entangled in Pete’s family, he’s dragged into a world just as dangerou sas the one he’s trying to escape.
Why to watch: Sneaky Pete requires suspension of disbelief straight off the bat; do you really think Pete’s family would accept someone who isn’t their son, even after 20 years? Once you get past that, it becomes an enjoyable caper; a lighter, zippy counter to the likes of Breaking Bad (which also has Cranston) and Ozark.
33. Nathan for You
- Genre: Comedy, Reality
- Year: 2013 – 2017
- Cast: Nathan Fielder
- Creator: Nathan Fielder
- Length: 4 seasons, 32 episodes
What it’s about: Nathan Fielder, a comedian and self-proclaimed marketing experts, tries to help struggling businesses with his bizarre, unorthodox ideas.
Why to watch: Promoting free labour as a fitness trend, a pre-order alcohol service for minors, circumventing smoking laws by hosting a play; in Nathan for You, Fielder’s extraordinarily bonkers and original series that should have gone for longer, nothing is off the table.
32. The Man in the High Castle
- Genre: Drama, Sci-fi
- Year: 2015–2019
- Cast: Alexa Davalos, Rufus Sewell, Luke Kleintank
- Creator: Frank Spotnitz
- Length: 4 seasons, 40 episodes
What it’s about: In this alternate version of history, The Man in the High Castle takes place in a world where the Allied Powers lost World War II. Amid the fear, oppression, and inequality of life under Germany and Japan’s rule, a series of films surface depicting a vastly different world.
Why to watch: The Man in the High Castle may have the most provocative premise on this list: what if the Nazis won? Amazingly, it’s something the show lives up to (no wonder Peacemaker pinched it for Season 2), streamlining its unwieldy source material into a complex, comprehensive, and gripping TV series (with some wild sci-fi in the mix, too).
31. The Chosen
- Genre: Drama
- Year: 2017 – present
- Cast: Jonathan Roumie, Shahar Isaac, Elizabeth Tabish
- Creator: Dallas Jenkins
- Length: 4 seasons, 32 episodes (7 seasons planned)
What it’s about: From his first meeting with Mary Magdalene to the resurrection, The Chosen chronicles the life, ministry, and miracles of Jesus Christ.
Why to watch: Unless you’re a Christian, you’re probably thinking, “Why would I watch a show about Jesus?”
Well, The Chosen recognises a salient truth about the Gospels: they are good, human-driven stories about doubt, fear, love (and, yes, betrayal), something you could say about several, otherwise non-religious entries on this list. It’s one of the most-watched shows worldwide, too; chose to watch it.
30. The Walking Dead
- Genre: Horror, Drama
- Year: 2010 – 2022
- Cast: Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan
- Creator: Frank Darabont
- Length: 11 seasons, 177 episodes
What it’s about: When Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma, the world as he knew it has stopped, having been ravaged by a zombie apocalypse. As he links up with other survivors, he becomes an unlikely leader as they try to stay alive.
Why to watch: The Walking Dead may lose steam by its drawn-out end, but you can’t say this for many other shows: it constantly evolved, for better or (boldly) worse, with nasty villains, story beats, and ambitious arcs. That Season 1-4 stretch is as good as it got (plus Negan’s divisive introduction), but it’s a series that wants to reward you, even if it takes a long time to get there.
29. House
- Genre: Drama
- Year: 2004 – 2012
- Cast: Hugh Laurie, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard, Lisa Edelstein
- Creator: David Shore
- Length: 8 seasons, 177 episodes
What it’s about: Dr Gregory House is a medical genius who can successfully diagnose any patient. He’s also rude, misanthropic, and addicted to pain medication. Each day, along with his amazing team, he figures out to help people.
Why to watch: House is one of the most addictive shows on Amazon Prime. You’re guaranteed to like it if you watched E.R., and unlike the genre’s yawningly corny offerings (*cough* Grey’s Anatomy *cough*), its sweetness is matched with cutting cynicism.
It’s part medical drama, part comedy, and part unofficial Sherlock Holmes adaptation. That’s an easy TV prescription for anyone (it’s also among the best shows on Netflix).
28. The Fall
- Genre: Crime, Thriller
- Year: 2013 – 2016
- Cast: Gillian Anderson, Jamie Dornan, John Lynch
- Creator: Allan Cubitt
- Length: 3 seasons, 17 episodes
What it’s about: Stella Gibson, a superintendent with the Met Police, is sent to Belfast to assess a murder investigation. Meanwhile, the serial killer responsible targets new victims as he evades the eye of the authorities.
Why to watch: The Fall is graphic, but not gratuitous. Violence serves everything; emphasising the killer’s meticulous nature, deepening the undercurrent of sexual tension, highlighting the failure of the systems meant to stop it. It’s macabre, but fiercely smart – plus, Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan are terrific as prey and predator (who’s who is a matter of perspective).
27. Harlan Coben’s Shelter
- Genre: Drama
- Year: 2023
- Cast: Jaden Michael, Constance Zimmer, Adrian Greensmith
- Creator: Harlan Coben
- Length: 1 season, 8 episodes
What it’s about: After his father’s sudden death, Mickey Bolitar relocates to New Jersey to start anew. However, he quickly finds himself tangled in the mysterious disappearance of a new student at his school, Ashley Kent.
Why to watch: Shelter isn’t your typical Harlan Coben series (though it’s still a twisty, stuffed mystery), but that’s part of its YA charm. It’s clearly indebted to ’80s teen movies like The Goonies, but that shouldn’t limit its appeal, especially if you like Coben’s other work.
26. Wolf Creek
- Genre: Horror, Thriller
- Year: 2016 – 2017
- Cast: John Jarratt, Lucy Fry, Dustin Clare
- Creator: Greg McLean
- Length: 2 seasons, 12 episodes
What it’s about: When her family is targeted by a serial killer in the Australian Outback, a 19-year-old girl makes a lucky escape. After she recovers from her injuries, she sets out on a cross-country mission of vengeance.
Why to watch: Wolf Creek, spawned from a pulse-poundingly grotesque slasher, is so much better than its source material would have you presume. John Jarratt is a lovably loathsome menace across both seasons, it looks amazing, and it never outstays its welcome.
25. The Night Manager
- Genre: Thriller, Drama
- Year: 2016 – present
- Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Olivia Colman
- Creator: David Farr
- Length: 1 season, 6 episodes (two more seasons confirmed)
What it’s about: Jonathan Pine, an ex-British soldier working in a hotel in Cairo, is recruited by a Foreign Office task force to infiltrate the inner circle of Richard Roper, a dangerous arms dealer.
Why to watch: When The Night Manager premiered, Tom Hiddleston became a hot tip for the next 007. Yes, Pine is a capable, charming gentleman spy, and Hugh Laurie’s steely, imposing villain would be a natural antagonist for Ian Fleming’s secret agent.
But its invocation of Bond is a mark of its quality; sweeping, cinematic production values, a standout turn from a cuttingly witty Olivia Colman, and a smart, well-paced cloak-and-dagger story.
24. The Osbournes
- Genre: Reality
- Year: 2002 – 2005
- Cast: Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne, Jack Osbourne
- Creator: MTV Productions
- Length: 4 seasons, 52 episodes
What it’s about: The Osbournes follows the day-to-day lives of the late heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne, his manager-wife Sharon, and their two children.
Why to watch: When The Osbournes first aired, it became the most-watched MTV series ever. It’s not hard to see why: it pioneered and perfected a new breed of unfiltered, hilarious reality TV.
23. The Grand Tour
- Genre: Comedy
- Year: 2016 – 2024
- Cast: Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May
- Creator: Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May, Andy Wilman
- Length: 6 seasons, 46 episodes
What it’s about: Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May come together to discuss cars big and small and embark on wild adventures across the globe.
Why to watch: Disclaimer: The Grand Tour isn’t as good as Top Gear’s heyday; no adventure lives up to their USA or Argentina road trip, and the chaos feels more manufactured. But it still works, cruising on Clarkson, Hammond, and May’s one-of-a-kind chemistry. If you’re a longtime fan, One for the Road may even make you a bit emotional.
22. Would I Lie To You?
- Genre: Comedy
- Year: 2007 – present
- Cast: Rob Brydon, David Mitchell, Lee Mack
- Creator: Peter Holmes
- Length: 18 seasons, 160 episodes
What it’s about: In this long-running BBC panel show, two teams are tasked with fooling each other into believing a lie or throwing them off the scent of the truth.
Why to watch: Would I Lie to You has a great concept, but when a comedian spins a particularly preposterous yarn that can’t be true – but it is! – the show’s genius is impossible to ignore. For a taste, watch the clip with Bob Mortimer talking about Chris Rea’s egg-cracking advice.
21. Downton Abbey
- Genre: Drama
- Year: 2010 – 2015
- Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith
- Creator: Julian Fellowes
- Length: 6 seasons, 52 episodes
What it’s about: Set across 14 years in the early 20th century, Downton Abbey depicts the lives of the Crawleys, an aristocratic family who live in a large country estate, and the events that change and shape their lives, as well as wider society.
Why to watch: Downton Abbey is, in part, a lavish, comforting fantasy of pomp and pageantry. Yet, there is more to it than that (it’s the most successful costume drama after Brideshead Revisited); not as sophisticated as its aristocrats, but certainly noble in its own way.
20. The Girlfriend
- Genre: Thriller
- Year: 2025
- Cast: Robin Wright, Olivia Cooke,
- Creator: Naomi Shelton, Gabbie Asher
- Length: 1 season, 6 episodes
What it’s about: Laura’s perfect life begins to unravel when her son Daniel brings home his new girlfriend: Cherry, who may have ulterior motives with their relationship… or is she just paranoid?
Why to watch: Olivia Cooke, violence, oedipal messiness, a dash of incest; no, we’re not talking about House of the Dragon. The Girlfriend, a wicked, juicy soap masquerading as a psychological thriller, goes down like a pretty bottle of Lambrini – and tastes just as good.
19. Swarm
- Genre: Thriller
- Year: 2023
- Cast: Dominique Fishback, Chloe Bailey, Billie Eilish
- Creator: Donald Glover, Janine Nabers
- Length: 1 season, 7 episodes
What it’s about: Dre, a young woman obsessed with pop singer Ni’Jah, goes on a cross-country trip in pursuit of her beloved superstar, with her journey becoming increasingly violent along the way.
Why to watch: Swarm effectively centres on a Gen Z Annie Wilkes, though unlike Misery – an untouchable, but straightforward horror – this is a devastatingly surreal and nasty fable of obsession and parasocial self-identity (something that’s scarily common online). Also, Billie Eilish almost steals the whole show.
18. Fargo
- Genre: Thriller, Crime, Comedy
- Year: 2014 – present
- Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Kirsten Dunst, Ewan McGregor
- Creator: Noah Hawley
- Length: 5 seasons, 51 episodes
What it’s about: In this dark anthology series, the lives of ordinary people, law enforcement, and criminals collide in the American Midwest – often with bloody, grave consequences.
Why to watch: TV shows based on movies, more often than not, aren’t very good. Fargo, a successor to the Coen Brothers’ 1996 masterpiece, is the ultimate exception: an off-beat, twisted anthology series with starry casts that’s yet to air a weak season (Season 1 is the best, though).
17. Kevin Can F**k Himself
- Genre: Comedy, Drama
- Year: 2021 – 2022
- Cast: Annie Murphy, Eric Petersen, Mary Hollis Inboden
- Creator: Valerie Armstrong
- Length: 2 seasons, 16 episodes
What it’s about: Allison, the stereotypical sitcom wife to an obnoxious husband, is unhappy with her life. So, she decides to take control.
Why to watch: Kevin Can F**k Himself’s intriguing set-up is ambitiously realized; a dual-experience, merging an obnoxious sitcom that’d probably be enormously popular and its darker, more compelling off-screen/on-screen drama. If you need one other reason to wach it, it’s Schitt’s Creek star Annie Murphy’s best performance.
16. Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
- Genre: Fantasy, Drama
- Year: 2022 – present
- Cast: Morfydd Clark, Charlie Vickers, Robert Aramayo, Daniel Weyman
- Creator: J.D. Payne, Patrick McKay
- Length: 2 seasons, 16 episodes (renewed for season 3)
What it’s about: In the Second Age, thousands of years before the Fellowship of the Ring, darkness reemerges in a relative time of peace. Rings are forged, kingdoms rise (and fall), and characters join together to fight the greatest evil in Middle-earth.
Why to watch: For some viewers, Rings of Powers is a dazzling punching bag: a show that charts its own path through the mysteries and warfare of the Second Age, infuriating purists and even raising the eyebrows of casual viewers.
Remove your plot-level expectations from the equation and embrace the show’s masterplan; it may not be the “great tale of our age”, but it’s a TV epic in the truest sense of the word.
15. Beaver Falls
- Genre: Comedy
- Year: 2011 – 2012
- Cast: Samuel Robertson, Arsher Ali, John Dagleish
- Creator: Iain Hollands
- Length: 2 seasons, 12 episodes
What it’s about: Flynn, A-Rab, and Barry travel from the UK to work at Beaver Falls, an elitist summer camp in the US for the children of the rich and powerful.
Why to watch: Beaver Falls came and went rather quietly during its original run on E4, which is a shame, because it deftly blended The OC-style drama with silly, Inbetweeners-esque humour. Plus its theme song is a banger; listen to it once, and then it’ll always make you think of summer.
14. The Office (US)
- Genre: Comedy
- Year: 2005 – 2013
- Cast: Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer
- Creator: Greg Daniels
- Length: 9 seasons, 201 episodes
What it’s about: Inspired by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s mockumentary sensation, The Office (US) takes workplace tedium and shenanigans across the pond. This time, we’re in Dunder Mifflin, a boring paper company in Pennsylvania with unambitious staff and “the world’s best boss”, Michael Scott.
Why to watch: Admitting to enjoying the American version of The Office is tantamount to treason, going by some Brits’ impassioned dismissal of it. That’s a shame, because it’s not as simple as one being better than the other – they’re both brilliant.
The US counterpart is altogether different (its first samey, awkward season aside). It’s defiantly uncynical, romantic, and kind-hearted, anchored on one of the 21st century’s defining and funniest performances from Steve Carrell, all-time will-they-won’t-they romances, and countless hilarious moments that are embedded in the internet’s lexicon (GIFs are posted daily). David Brent even rears his head a couple of times. (Re)watch it.
13. The Handmaid’s Tale
- Genre: Drama
- Year: 2017 – 2025
- Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Ann Dowd
- Creator: Bruce Miller
- Length: 6 seasons, 66 episodes
What it’s about: In the Republic of Gilead, formerly known as the United States, fertility rates have collapsed. The series follows Offred, a Handmaid in the oppressive regime, as she tries survive as a reproductive surrogate for a commander and his wife.
Why to watch: Though not as ubiqitously name-dropped as Black Mirror, A Handmaid’s Tale has become an undeniably frightening reference point in pop culture. That’s not just because of its premise: it’s an engrossing, potently conceived series with provocations that feel all too real.
12. Life on Mars
- Genre: Drama, Crime
- Year: 2006 – 2007
- Cast: John Simm, Philip Glenister, Liz White
- Creator: Matthew Graham, Tony Jordan, Ashley Pharoah
- Length: 2 seasons, 16 episodes
What it’s about: Sam Tyler, a police officer in 2006, wakes up after a car crash and realises he’s in 1973. As he tries to figure out why he’s been transported back in time, he works the same job under the commmand of Gene Hunt.
Why to watch: An imaginative, bracingly funny, and thrilling merge of timey-wimey fun and police procedurals, Life on Mars is an absolute must-watch (it’s even one of Stephen King’s favourite shows). It will have you hooked to the small screen, but it’s far from a saddening bore; in fact, you’ll want to relive it 10 times or more.
11. Reacher
- Genre: Action, Thriller
- Year: 2022 – present
- Cast: Alan Ritchson, Willa Fitzgerald, Malcolm Goodwin
- Creator: Nick Santora
- Length: 3 seasons, 24 episodes (renewed for season 4)
What it’s about: Jack Reacher, a veteran military police investigator and drifter, solves murders, uncovers criminal conspiracies, and punches people in the face.
Why to watch: Reacher is ‘dadcore’ TV: a show about a morally righteous action man in small-town America who lives out every average guy’s fantasy by beating up scumbags and criminals. That’s charming on its own, but each season has a compelling story that’s easy to follow – long may it continue.
10. The Summer I Turned Pretty
- Genre: Drama
- Year: 2022 – present
- Cast: Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno
- Creator: Jenny Han
- Length: 3 seasons, 26 episodes (finale movie announced)
What it’s about: After finishing her junior year at college, Belly is excited to spend another summer with her soulmate, Jeremiah. However, when Conrad – who happens to be Jeremiah’s brother – comes back into her life, she has to decide who she truly loves.
Why to watch: The Summer I Turned pretty is peak softcore steamy TV; a coming-of-age story that’s shamelessly (and seductively) melodramatic and romantic. You’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll want to debate choosing Team Jeremiah or Conrad.
9. Fallout
- Genre: Sci-fi, Action
- Year: 2024 – present
- Cast: Ella Purnell, Walton Goggins, Aaron Moten
- Creator: Graham Wagner, Geneva Robertson-Dworet
- Length: 1 season, 8 episodes (season 2 premiering in December 2025)
What it’s about: Over 200 years after a nuclear apocalypse, three people end up on a collision course: Lucy, a Vault 33 resident who ventures into the real world for the first time; Maximus, a Brotherhood of Steel squire; and the Ghoul, a mutated gunslinger and bounty hunter.
Why to watch: Fallout is among the best video game adaptations ever made (yes, better than The Last of Us), because it’s fantastic on its own terms. It doesn’t pander, nor does it misstep in its expansion of the beloved franchise. It hones the dark iconography and analog-softened vibe of the games for an all-new experience. May the future of the genre be cut by its sword.
8. Last One Laughing UK
- Genre: Comedy, Reality
- Year: 2023–2023
- Cast: Jimmy Carr
- Creator: Hitoshi Matsumoto
- Length: 1 season, 6 episodes (renewed for season 2)
What it’s about: Jimmy Carr gathers 10 of the UK’s funniest comedians and pits them against each other with one simple goal: either make them laugh… or try not to laugh.
Why to watch: Last One Laughing is predicated on a simple fact: it’s funny watching people do everything in their power not to smile, only to break and burst into laughter. Here, there’s the added bonus of it involving some of the best comedians in the country (and it’s coming back in 2026).
7. The Boys
- Genre: Superhero, Action
- Year: 2019 – present
- Cast: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty
- Creator: Eric Kripke
- Length: 4 seasons, 32 episodes (season 5 premiering in 2026)
What it’s about: After a superhero kills his girlfriend, Hughie teams up with Billy Butcher, the leader of a secret mercenary group dedicated to taking down Vought, a multi-billion-dollar company, and its “supe” empire.
Why to watch: In 2019, in the wake of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s unofficial death with Avengers: Endgame, The Boys emerged as an outrageous tonic in an oversatured superhero world. It is frequently timely (amusingly and worryingly so), edgy, preposterously gruesome, and it’s armed with one of the scariest villains in TV history.
6. The X-Files
- Genre: Sci-fi, Thriller
- Year: 1993 – 2018
- Cast: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson,
- Creator: Chris Carter
- Length: 11 seasons, 218 episodes
What it’s about: Mulder and Scully, two newly partnered FBI agents, investigate the X-Files: unusual cold cases that often involve (alleged) paranormal phenomena.
Why to watch: The X-Files may seem like a mountain to climb (218 episodes, including two movies and the revival), but there’s two things you should know. One, it’s one of the most influential TV shows of all time, and two, it boasts some of the freakiest stuff you’ll ever see on the small screen (‘Home’ is a particular highlight).
5. Clarkson’s Farm
- Genre: Reality
- Year: 2021 – present
- Cast: Jeremy Clarkson, Kaleb Cooper, Lisa Hogan
- Creator: Jeremy Clarkson
- Length: 4 seasons, 32 episodes
What it’s about: Trading fast cars for tractors, Clarkson’s Farm follows Jeremy Clarkson as he… well, tends to a farm in West Oxfordshire.
Why to watch: As popular as Top Gear was, Jeremy Clarkson isn’t for everyone; he can come across crass, outspoken, and a little smug. Yet, Clarkson’s Farm tops Amazon Prime’s streaming chart in the UK every time it airs a new season – and with good reason. In short, it’s entertaining, even lovely TV about a smart arse humbling himself for a good cause.
4. The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
- Genre: Comedy, Drama
- Year: 2017 – 2023
- Cast: Rachel Brosnahan, Tony Shalhoub, Alex Borstein
- Creator: Amy Sherman-Palladino
- Length: 5 seasons, 43 episodes
What it’s about: Miriam “Midge” Maisel has everything she’s ever wanted: a perfect husband, two kids, and an elegant apartment in 1950s New York. But her life changes forever when she discovers a new talent: stand-up comedy.
Why to watch: The Marvelous Mrs Maisel is brilliant; a poignant, hilarious delight that’s proven to be the perfect star vehicle for the actress behind its titular comedian, Rachel Brosnahan. Then again, what else did we expect? It comes from Amy Sherman-Palladino, who created one of the most iconic, coziest shows about womanhood ever made, Gilmore Girls.
3. The Underground Railroad
- Genre: Drama
- Year: 2021
- Cast: Thuso Mbedu, Chase W. Dillon, Joel Edgerton
- Creator: Barry Jenkins
- Length: 1 season, 10 episodes
What it’s about: After escaping a Georgia plantation, Cora discovers a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the southern soil. As she seeks freedom, she’s pursued by a notorious bounty hunter.
Why to watch: An epic, operatic, and heartbreaking series that stretches the confines of the small screen, The Undergound Railroad is most slept-on series on Amazon Prime. It wouldn’t be fair to call it underrated (it’s received near-universal acclaim from those who’ve seen it), but it should have been loudly and widely lauded. Rectify the universe’s error and watch it.
2. Invincible
- Genre: Animation, Superhero
- Year: 2021 – present
- Cast: Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, J.K. Simmons
- Creator: Robert Kirkman
- Length: 3 seasons, 25 episodes
What it’s about: Mark is the son of Omni-Man, the most powerful superhero on Earth. After he wakes up with powers of his own, he takes on the mantle of Invincible, unaware of the responsibilities (and horrors) that await him.
Why to watch: Invincible felt like a new frontier from its first episode; a Pokemon-hued, violent, and entirely singular superhero adaptation with cosmic stakes that feel down-to-earth. It has a claim to the best show that’s currently airing; provocative, compulsively watchable TV that will only get better, should it complete the medium-defining comics.
1. Fleabag
- Genre: Comedy, Drama
- Year: 2016 – 2019
- Cast: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford, Andrew Scott
- Creator: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
- Length: 2 seasons, 12 episodes
What it’s about: In the wake of a shocking tragedy, Fleabag – a single, witty, fourth-wall-breaking woman – tries to navigate awkward hookups, keeping up with her family, and the rest of daily life while dealing with grief.
Why to watch: Fleabag is the best comedy series of the 21st century of the past 10 years in every regard. Incisively funny, emotional, and affectingly wise, with Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s extraordinary performance (and writing) anchoring a show incapable of failure.
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