With most of Amazon Prime Video’s July TV show highlights having already dropped, aside from the new season of Batman: Caped Crusader, now is the perfect time to indulge in series that will bring on some summertime thrills. Whether they’re psychological, science fiction, or full of action, the streamer has plenty to offer in that vein.
This weekend, take your pick of three thrilling shows that are sure to keep you engaged, guessing, and on the edge of your seat. In the case of our top pick, you’ll even find yourself laughing all the way through a wild ride a la Thelma & Louise.
The Power
When the vulnerable fight back on equal terms
Based on the award-winning novel by Naomi Alderman, The Power is a critically acclaimed global sci-fi thriller known for its intense narrative full of thrills and suspense. The story follows what happens when a wicked twist of nature sparks a massive shift in global power dynamics. The Powerstars Toni Collette (Hereditary), John Leguizamo (John Wick), Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan), and Auli’i Cravalho (Moana).
Without warning, teenage girls develop the biological ability to electrocute people at will, whether to inflict agonizing pain, defend themselves, or even kill. Because they are also able to awaken this gift in older women, global gender dynamics change overnight. As the mayor of Seattle, Margot Cleary-Lopez (Collette) does not possess this superhuman ability, but her daughter does. To protect Jos (Cravalho), Margot steps up as a political voice and truth-teller for those with The Power. As they work together to overthrow the patriarchal societies attempting to control this new reality, the show exposes the ways in which absolute power eventually corrupts its users.
Beyond its initial adrenaline rush, the narrative swings like a pendulum between thrilling liberation and horrifying conflict to create non-stop, edge-of-your-seat unpredictability. It’s a powerful allegory for how patriarchal societies tend to make women feel physically unsafe or insignificant. Furthermore, watching underestimated girls and women realize they have the power to protect themselves is not just electrifying — it’s also cathartic.
The Devil’s Hour
A mind-bending puzzle blending crime drama with science fiction
If its perfect Rotten Tomatoes score doesn’t pique your curiosity, its intriguingBlack Mirror-style premise will. A critically acclaimed British psychological thriller series, The Devil’s Hour centers on a woman who wakes up nightly in the middle of the so-called “devil’s hour” between 3 and 4 a.m. This is traditionally a time when supernatural forces are believed to be most active and spiritual boundaries are at their weakest.
Lucy (Call the Midwife’sJessica Raine) is a social worker whose life is a mix of unexplained trauma and mystery. In addition to juggling relationship issues and caring for her mother, who suffers from dementia, she’s also struggling to understand and help her emotionally detached eight-year-old son, who claims to see people that others do not. What’s worse is that she wakes nightly at 3:33 a.m. from horrid nightmares and experiences terrifying, memory-like visions that connect her to a string of brutal murders. Fearing she’s losing her mind, she soon becomes entangled with an enigmatic drifter (Doctor Who’sPeter Capaldi) who claims to remember the future. Together, they investigate a series of murders and time-bending mysteries.
The two-season series is universally praised for its intelligent storytelling, haunting atmospheric tension, and captivating, genre-defying plot that keeps viewers guessing. This tightly constructed, emotionally devastating thriller rewards those who give it their undivided attention. By its end, you may just find it to be the smartest, scariest, most satisfying show you have ever seen.
Ride or Die
A new, action-packed buddy thriller
Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) and Octa star in Ride or Die, a newly released, fast-paced series about two best friends who thought they knew everything about each other. They quickly discover they do not. One of them has a huge secret, and it’s about to land them both in hot water
When a mysterious figure emerges from Judith’s (Waddingham) past and an assassination plot goes horribly wrong, Judith’s world is upside down. Debbie’s world also changes after she discovers that her best friend is an international assassin. With her secret identity exposed, Judith must go on the run with Debbie in tow. Together, in a race against time, the two embark on an epic road trip across Europe, with law enforcement, highly trained assassins, and dangerous criminals hot on their trail.
The eight-episode show blends high-stakes assassin thrills with buddy-comedy charm to offer some adrenaline-fueled summer fun. It effortlessly balances the white-knuckle suspense of a great action thriller with the empowering dynamic of a Thelma & Louise-style friendship. Viewers should expect plenty of high-speed chases, shootouts, and chaotic fight scenes.
Plenty of summer excitement
With summer and its high temperatures in full swing, there’s no shortage of excitement indoors. Plenty of thrilling entertainment is just waiting to be discovered on your favorite platform, so be sure to check out our streaming content section for more suggestions on what to watch.
