Amazon’s Prime Video service has some of the best sci-fi TV shows available on streaming. I’ve said something similar in other articles about the programs on Netflix and Apple TV, but genre television is plentiful, and the Amazon-owned platform’s got the science fiction titles that hit a bit different.
The streamer’s science fiction programs are flavored with a cutting-edge, indie-film aesthetic. They’re offbeat, edgy and go against the grain. You’ll see what I mean below.
Sci-fi, like horror and fantasy, comes in a variety of tones and types. No matter what mood you’re in, Prime Video has the show to fit it. Below are the best sci-fi shows on Prime Video right now. Please check back each month, as I’ll be updating this article regularly.
Spider-Noir
Spider-Noir follows Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage), a man who was bitten by a spider and granted superpowers. If that sounds familiar, it should: That’s basically what happened to Peter Parker in Spider-Man. This series taps into the noir corner of the Spider-Verse to imagine what a vigilante such as this would be like in the 1930s. You can watch either in black and white or in color. Either way, it’s glorious.
Timeless
Timeless, which ran for two seasons on NBC, follows an unlikely team of time-traveling experts who are enlisted to return to various points in time to stop a criminal organization from altering history. That may sound silly, and at points the show absolutely is, but that’s just a part of its charm. There’s a serial quality to the story, with major Doctor Who vibes throughout.
Humans
Humans came out over a decade ago, yet the AI-themed subject matter still feels surprisingly relevant. The show, which aired on Channel 4 and AMC, explores an alternate reality where synthetic humans are the must-have in-home technology. Can humans and synths live in harmony? The three-season series dares to answer that question. And you can probably imagine, things get a bit bleak.
12 Monkeys
12 Monkeys is inspired by the classic Terry Gilliam film, which posits the notion that a criminal from the future must travel back in time to stop a plague from destroying the human race. The series uses the same theme as a jumping-off point, but it expands the story universe and takes things in new and exciting directions. Its four-season run remains one of the best and most underrated sci-fi TV shows of the past decade.
Person of Interest
Person of Interest follows an ex-CIA agent and a billionaire shut-in who fight crime that hasn’t happened yet, thanks to an AI program that predicts the future. Sure, that sounds like Minority Report. I assure you, it’s not. Beneath the network procedural veneer lives a surprising amount of depth in this show. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering that it features J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk – yes, the same Bad Robot duo behind Lost – as executive producers.
Gen V
As powerful, violent and bewildering as its parent series, The Boys, Gen V shines a light on the next generation of genetically altered superheroes. The usual social and political tropes are on display here. Additionally, Gen V digs into topics like the influence of social media, body image, classism and race in the realm of higher education.
Fallout
Fallout is a fun, kinetic, action-packed video game adaptation that upholds the vibe of Bethesda’s iconic franchise while also charting a new course, story-wise. You don’t need to be familiar with the games to enjoy this show. Sure, there are loads of cool Easter eggs for fans to appreciate. But Fallout was made with a broader audience in mind. And thanks to the killer performances by the cast – Walton Goggins and Ella Purnell are perfect – and the detailed world-building, you won’t want to miss taking this wild ride into the Wasteland.
The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy
If you’re looking for a hospital drama with otherworldly flair, may I suggest giving The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy a spin? It’s like Grey’s Anatomy if every patient were from another planet – which, of course, means all sorts of odd conditions and neuroses to deal with. It’s funny, heartfelt and original, which ticks all the boxes for me.
Secret Level
Secret Level hails from the creators of the animated anthology hit Love, Death and Robots. Each episode is inspired by a different video game, expanding the story world to offer newbies and hard-core gamers new adventures to revel in. Dungeons & Dragons, Pac-Man, Warhammer 40,000 and Mega Man are just a few of the games featured in the show.
The Peripheral
Cyberpunk icon William Gibson wrote the novel that inspired The Peripheral. Created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy – the duo that brought Westworld and Fallout to the small screen – the series stars Chloë Grace Moretz as Flynne Fisher, a woman who becomes involved in a reality-bending virtual reality video game. A trip to future London and an unexpected mission to save the world flip her life and this series on its head.
Upload
From The Office to Parks and Recreation and The Good Place, Greg Daniels has extensive experience bringing game-changing comedies to the small screen. In Upload, he brings his quirky sensibilities to the afterlife with a program that posits that, in the near future, tech companies will offer virtual resorts where the consciousnesses of the recently deceased can enjoy a heavenly forever vacation. That is, if they can afford it.
The Expanse
The Expanse is the Little Engine That Could of sci-fi TV shows. The series explores a future reality in which humanity successfully colonized the solar system. It began as a scripted original series on SyFy, but after three seasons, the network dropped the ax on the program. Amazon swooped in to save it from cancellation. Over its six-season run, the series found its legs and audience, blossoming into an intelligent, riveting sci-fi drama.
The Boys
A few years after Garth Ennis’s Preacher achieved mild success on AMC, the writer’s famous superhero comic The Boys touched down on Prime Video and blew the doors off. In the series, a group of corrupt celebrity superheroes grapples for power and fame as a gang of outlaws (aka The Boys) hunts them down individually. It’s a violent spectacle that smacks the audience in the face with a heaping helping of social and political commentary. And it’s quite good, too.
Tales from the Loop
Inspired by the narrative art book by Swedish retro-futuristic artist Simon Stålenhag, the series balances the sleek aesthetic of a tech-heavy future world with the quiet quaintness of rural America. Jonathan Pryce and Rebecca Hall deliver standout performances in this quirky, slow-burn sci-fi series.
Outer Range
If Yellowstone and The X-Files had a baby, it’d probably be Outer Range. The sci-fi Western follows Royal Abbott (Josh Brolin), the patriarch and owner of the Abbott family ranch. His family lives in the wake of the unexplained disappearance of his daughter-in-law. When a stranger comes to stay with the family, Royal must reckon with his past, present and potential future. This would be it if you’re looking for a trippy series grounded in its writing and stellar performances.
The Man in the High Castle
What if America didn’t win World War II? That’s the central question The Man in the High Castle aims to answer. Based on Philip K. Dick’s novel of the same name, the series is set in the 1960s and presents an alternate reality where Nazi Germany and Japan share control of the US. When newsreel footage from an alternate timeline in which Germany and Japan lost the war surfaces, the seeds of rebellion are sown. Ridley Scott executive-produced the poignant, thought-provoking series.
Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica) and Michael Dinner (Justified) came together to bring Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams to life. The futuristic anthology series explores how technology can affect humanity in various fantastic and horrific ways. Narrative similarities between Electric Dreams and Black Mirror most certainly abound. However, each episode of the Prime Video program takes inspiration from the work of the titular sci-fi author.
Night Sky
Thematically, Night Sky feels reminiscent of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Cocoon. The slow-burn series, which lasted only one season, stars J.K. Simmons and Sissy Spacek as an aging married couple grappling with the trials and tribulations of their golden years. Also, a mysterious portal to a strange planet exists beneath their shed. This sentimental mystery box series explores aging and mortality in a surprisingly heartfelt way – thanks to the engaging performances of the two leads.
Invincible
Inspired by Robert Kirkman’s comic series of the same name, Invincible follows Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), an ordinary high school kid who happens to be the son of Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons) – the most powerful superhero on the planet. When Mark exhibits special abilities, he discovers the unfortunate truth about who his father is and the insidious things he’s done. This animated series is beautifully designed, well-written and wonderfully acted. It’s widely regarded as the best superhero show on TV, and for good reason.
The Power
In The Power, Prime Video’s series based on Naomi Alderman’s 2016 novel of the same name, teenage girls around the world suddenly develop the ability to shoot electricity from their hands. How exactly does this superpower change the female experience in America and beyond? Toni Collette and Jon Leguizamo star alongside a cast of talented young women in a series that aims to flip gender tropes and dynamics on their heads.
Paper Girls
It’s easy to compare Paper Girls to Stranger Things. Parts of the story take place in the ’80s and follow a group of kids who, as they ride their bikes around town, are struggling to make sense of a supernatural event. The similarities end there, though. Based on the Brian K. Vaughn comic books of the same name, the one-season program kicks off when our 12-year-old paper delivery girls face their future selves and fight for survival amid a time travel war that unfolds around them.
Dead Ringers
Prime Video took a big swing with Dead Ringers. This updated twist on David Cronenberg’s cult horror classic finds Rachel Weisz in the dual-starring role as doctors Elliott and Beverly Mantle. Their drive to push the health care envelope throws medical ethics to the wind. The result is a program that never shies away from exploring topics like big pharma’s control over women’s health, antiquated reproductive practices, body autonomy and so much more.
Undone
The rotoscoping animation used in Undone offers a dreamlike tapestry for the audience to take in. One could easily view the show as an ethereal work of art but there’s also deep substance here. The show follows Alma (Rosa Salazar), a troubled 20-something whose life is upended after she suffers an accident. As her reality shatters into something else, she must fight to make sense of her trauma. Part mystery, part thriller and part family drama – it’s safe to say that Undone is unlike any TV show you’ve seen before.
The Tick
Not to be confused with the short-lived sitcom starring Patrick Warburton, this live-action take on the blue superhero with wiggly antennas is more extensive, more action-packed and takes the comic book genre it’s parodying a bit more seriously. Ben Edlund, the creator of the original comic and 2001 TV series, executive-produced this iteration of the character, ensuring the program’s sense of humor and vibe stayed true to his original vision. Peter Serafinowicz and Griffin Newman have wonderful chemistry together. Jackie Earle Haley’s villainous portrayal of The Terror is an absolute delight. It makes the three-season series a must-watch for any comic book fans.
