If you’ve been watching the latest weekly drop, you probably already know about sci-fi shows on Prime Video. The good news is that Amazon Streaming’s back catalog is much better.
Counterpart is a must see and you should give The Expanse and The Man in the High Castle if you haven’t already. The quality is somewhere in between, but you might find a hook like British Family Among Humans, for example, worth sticking with.
These are the best sci-fi TV shows on Prime as of February 3rd.
Amazon Studios
Enclosed environments and an inescapable fog of mystery heighten the tension in this sci-fi supernatural thriller. Oil, Inc. Representative and scientist Ross Mason (Emily Hampshire, of Schitt’s Creek) boards a Scottish drilling rig in the middle of the North Sea. When the crew began behaving strangely, Ross took a close look at the air they were breathing.
For psychedelic sci-fi that requires you to turn on the wild theory generator, Outer Range is for you. Patriarch Royal (Josh Brolin) is hiding a universal secret in this sci-fi western set on the Abbott family ranch. When a stranger comes to town (Imogen Poots), he’s forced to confront his past, present, and future in more than just a metaphorical sense. Strange in ways you won’t expect, Outer Range is a solid sci-fi outing worth sticking with. Another reason to invest: Amazon has renewed it for a second series of new westerns.
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The Man in the High Castle (2015-2019)
The Man in the High Castle imagines an alternate history in which the Axis powers (Rome-Berlin-Tokyo) won WW2. Based on the novel by Philip K. Dick, the show follows characters from the ’60s who live in an alternate universe where Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan take control of the United States. But newsreel footage is impossible in a world where Germany and Japan lost the war, causing some to rebel. To really testify to its dystopian image, The Man in the High Castle is directed by producer Ridley Scott. Fully realized and with a focused plot, this is gripping television.
Rival star JK Simmons plays JK Simmons. Excited about this for a second. Set in Cold War Germany, this sci-fi thriller follows a lowly office worker frustrated by his grim life. Then one day – episode 1 spoiler – he’s teetering on the job and meets a better version of himself, but from a parallel world. Simmons’ secrets, tense action and masterful dual lead performances make Counterpart a must-see.
This sci-fi horror film centers on a small town full of mysteries and terrifying events. When a family gets lost, they are drawn into a nightmare involving deadly creatures and equally deadly townspeople. With enough intrigue in Harold Perrineau’s Sheriff Stevens to keep you hooked and a strong lead character, From is a charming and well worth the time. destination. NOTE: Only two episodes are available.
Sony Pictures
Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007)
Set a year after 1994’s Stargate, this TV series follows U.S. Air Force Special Forces as they explore the galaxy and protect Earth from aliens. The story of the star menace. The effect might not last, but the sweet nostalgia should make up for it.
Amazon Studio/YouTube/CNET screenshot
Loop Stories (2020)
Not just another town about a town where strange things happen, the story of The Loop is in its beautiful There are many layers beneath the surface. Based on a narrative art book by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, the series is breathtaking. The meticulous, symmetrical frames somehow exude a painterly feel. The interconnected townspeople are equally nuanced, and their stories explore loneliness, aging and the effects of technology.
Is it the next Stranger Things? Bikes, check. 80s, check. Ali Wong plays an older version of one of the characters, and he interacts with said younger characters in hilarious ways…check? Yes, Paper Girls has its own twist. Based on Brian K. Vaughn’s amazing comic book series, Paper Girls takes the shenanigans of time travel to the extreme, placing four young heroines in the time-traveling faction center of war. Scoring an impressive young cast whose characters face grim revelations of their future selves, Paper Girl is a blast of enchantment. Sadly, Amazon canceled it after one season. Keep your fingers crossed that another network picks it up.
Night Sky is not the most evocative title, single-season series Less than the hard sci-fi climax some might be looking for. While it does have a slow-burning mystery involving an alien planet, “Night Sky”‘s greatest strength is the touching and sometimes surprisingly funny drama between an elderly couple who are the least likely protagonists. Faced with health problems, not to mention dangerous new guests, Franklin and Erin York (a huge JK Simmons and Sissy Spacek) do their best to understand the portal to a mysterious, desolate planet.
Amazon Studios
This sci-fi miniseries has had mixed success, So here’s the one-episode recommendation that knocks it out of the park. That’s thanks in no small part to Anne Hathaway. She played Leah in Episode 1 of Solos, a physicist who manages to communicate with the future, but encounters her worst enemy: a barrier of her own making. This episode was a rollercoaster ride full of emotion and should be the only episode you watch.
Amazon Studio
Amazon canceled from TV land rescued The Expanse, making the series run for six seasons. Thank goodness, because The Expanse is a smart sci-fi novel with realistic characters, high production values, and some noir detectives. In a future where humanity colonizes the solar system, a conspiracy threatens to spark a cold war between the great powers. A group of anti-heroes find themselves at the center. Looking forward to more space western themes in the later period which is always excellent.
by The Peripheral, starring Chloe Grace Moretz, is the new sci-fi series from the creators of Westworld. It’s an improvement in terms of providing a more straightforward and accessible narrative. Flynne Fisher (Moretz) and her brother Burton (Jack Reynor) become embroiled in a dangerous new video game that takes them to a future London and fights to save the world. Based on the novels by William Gibson, Peripherals draws from the rich source material to present an exciting, albeit generic, adventure.
Amazon Studios/YouTube/CNET Screenshot
This British drama about technology gone wrong inevitably draws comparisons to Black Mirror. Set in futuristic London, The Feed centers on implants that allow people to live-stream their lives without pressing a button on their phones. No, absolutely no problem. The impressive cast includes David Thewlis and Michelle Fairley. While not as polished or deep as Black Mirror, The Feed is still worth a watch.
Channel 4/YouTube/CNET Screenshot
Humans may not be completely original, but the assembled parts sing. A British family has bought an artificially intelligent robot called ‘synth’ to help them navigate their busy lives. This grounding approach to sentient, potentially dangerous robots is one of humanity’s greatest strengths. In the heart of sweetness: the innocent bond between the youngest daughter of the family and Anita, Gemma Chen’s elegantly efficient synthesizer. A mystery that brings the whole family into the origin of the robot, which explores essential philosophical themes such as humanity, pain, memory and reality.
Electric Dreams lives up to its name, and each episode of the anthology series is a vibrant, polished offering that evokes ideas from its source material: The Works of Philip K. Dick. As with most anthologies, some episodes are better than others, but if you’ve longed to tell a story in a Black Mirror-like setting, let that reverie slip away.
