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10 shows to add to your watchlist.
We sometimes wonder if there’s enough time to watch all the great TV shows that we want to watch. How can you get around to watching all the new shows that you missed the first time around or the classic shows that you’ve always wanted to watch?
It’s a conundrum but the simple answer is one show at a time. We checked out Amazon Prime Video’s collection of TV shows and picked out 10 fantastic shows that you need to see. Some are critical hits, others may have slipped under the radar and we’ve even included a couple of 90s classics to give you blast of nostalgia.
So enjoy this collection of iconic shows, big hits, underground favourites and future classics.
Something timeless: Seinfeld
Starring: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander
This classic comedy has been called “a show about nothing” but it’s anything but boring. The spark comes from the brilliant chemistry between the show’s neurotic characters. This allows a simple gag to build and grow and blossom into something that can fuel an entire episode.
Great characters, a razor sharp script and a quirky charm ensure that this seminal comedy still stands up, even if many modern sitcoms have since plundered its bag of tricks.
Clip via 2663KinkyCyborg
Something new: American Gods
Starring: Ricky Whittle, Ian McShane, Emily Browning
This adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s novel follows an ex-con named Shadow (Whittle) as he falls into a world of gods and myths. Still, this is anything but a fairytale. And in this world, the Gods are cruel and often brutal. The show’s dark undercurrents are offset by its vibrant, surreal visuals and plenty of black humour.
Expect lots of stylised sex and violence but the ambitious first season also holds back just enough to keep you guessing.
Something surprising: Sneaky Pete
Starring: Giovanni Ribisi, Bryan Cranston, Marin Ireland
This assured drama follows a con man (Ribisi) who steals the identity of his former cellmate when he leaves jail and needs a safe house. He finds himself becoming embedded in his new extended “family” while also trying to pay off a powerful gangster, protect his real brother and balance a mountain of lies and mistruths.
Sneaky Pete is a clever, funny, fast-paced show that keeps you guessing. Its confident approach makes you suspend your disbelief and buy into its premise as you try to focus on the show’s many moving parts.
Something funny: The Last Man on Earth
Starring: Will Forte, January Jones, Kristen Schaal
This post-apocalyptic comedy features Phil (Forte), the lone survivor of a virus that wiped out humanity. Phil desperately craves company but the arrival of other survivors brings its own problems. The beauty of this show is that Phil is a bit of a tool. It features some brilliantly cringy moments and humour but the show also has a surprising amount of heart.
It’s seriously funny, even if you sometimes find yourself squirming with the awkwardness of it all!
Something thrilling: The Red Road
Starring: Jason Momoa, Martin Henderson, Julianne Nicholson
Clashing communities and a cover up force a cop to forge an unlikely partnership with a dangerous member of a local Native American tribe. The Red Road thrives on simmering resentments and slow reveals that gradually crank up the tension. Momoa is a constantly unsettling presence in arguably his best performance to date.
This is a tense, intriguing show that uses well-placed revelations and dollops of mystery to ensure that you can’t look away.
Something entertaining: The Grand Tour
Starring: Jeremy Clarkson, James May, Richard Hammond
Everyone knows what Jezza, Captain Slow and the Hamster do – Top Gear was one of the biggest shows on the planet. This Amazon Original transplants the friendships and sense of fun that defined that show and repackages it into an even more ambitious format.
You don’t need to be a motoring fan to enjoy this show, with fantastic locations, beautifully-shot adventures and plenty of the lads’ trademark humour to enjoy.
Something different: Mr Robot
Starring: Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Carly Hannah Chaikin
Mr Robot is a deep dive into the world of hackers, big business, conspiracies and personal psychosis. It’s dark, clever and utterly compelling. Malek is terrific as Elliot, a brilliant screw-up who finds his world being flipped on its head. And Slater puts in an intense performance that reminds you why he was once heralded as a future great.
It’s a rare blast of originality in a TV culture that can often be dull or derivative.
Clip via Amazon Prime Video UK
Something classic: The X-Files
Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi
There was a time in the mid-nineties when this was the hottest show on TV. The truth may be out there but this show was on in every home once a week. At the show’s heart was the complicated relationship between Duchovny as the believer and Anderson as his sceptical partner but it also boasted some brilliant storylines and memorable monsters.
Towards the end, the show became a bit bogged down in its own conspiracies. Still, the first few seasons provide a perfect blueprint for how to do tense, spooky, imaginative TV.
https://youtu.be/ngf3DL5L5so
Clip via Binge Watcher
Something exciting: Vikings
Starring: Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick, Gabriel Byrne
This isn’t the first TV show or movie about Vikings but it’s probably the best. Not only does it capture the predictably bloodthirsty action but it also delves into the culture, religion and politics of the time. Ragnar Lothbrok is one of the great anti-heroes of modern times, a charismatic leader who is every bit as repellent as he is admirable. Much of the show was also shot on location in Wicklow.
Its rich cast of characters, solid writing and high production values will draw you into an intriguing world of beards, brutality and bloody-minded ambition.
Something dark: Animal Kingdom
Starring: Ellen Barkin, Finn Cole, Scott Speedman
This adaptation of a movie follows what happens when 17-year-old Joshua (Cole) is sent to live with his grandmother Smurf (Barkin) and his dysfunctional uncles following the death of his mother. This isn’t a huggy-feely family. Barkin ties it all together as the matriarch of this dangerous brood in this gritty retelling.
The show takes you into a dark world of criminal violence where family is suddenly as much of a threat as anything you’ll encounter in the outside world.
Amazon Prime Video offer a free trial if you want to check out their fantastic selection of TV shows and movies, original shows and exclusive content. You can also avail of a very low introductory price of €2.99 per month for the first six months. And you can cancel anytime. For more information, check out their website.
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