Prime Video’s 7 best shows include a new Stephen King hit
Prime Video’s 7 best shows include a new Stephen King hit
There’s a college hockey romance, a fun con-artist drama, and a surprisingly modern Stephen King adaptation in the mix.
Every time I open Prime Video, it feels a little too good to be true. My wife and I get it as a byproduct of our Amazon Prime membership (which we use basically every other day), so when I remember I essentially get all these movies and TV shows for free as a part of that, it just makes my day. Because there are a ton of great TV shows here, including a brand-new Stephen King adaptation that Tara and I are watching right now… perfect for Halloween! So, if you have Prime Video and are looking for something to watch, or you’re thinking about getting it and wondering if it’s worth it, here are my picks for the best TV shows streaming on Prime Video right now. Oh, and remember that you can watch all of these for free with a 30-day free trial.
Top 7 TV shows streaming on Prime Video right now:
No. 7: ‘Sneaky Pete’ (2015) | Crime drama
This isn’t a new show, but I recently called “Sneaky Pete” the best underrated drama on the platform. And if you missed it when it dropped over a decade ago, the time is now! It stars Giovanni Ribisi as a con artist named Marius Josipović, who gets out of prison and takes the identity of his former cellmate, Pete. He then finds Pete’s family and pretends he’s their long-lost grandson to 1) hide from a criminal (played by Bryan Cranston) who’s looking for him, and 2) try to steal the family’s money.
The tone of this show is why I love it. It’s funny, mostly because Ribisi is just a wonderfully strange, unpredictable actor. And the constant tension of watching Marius try to keep his real identity a secret as he talks and lies and says whatever he needs to say to keep the con alive is pure fun. If you like the vibe of “Ocean's Eleven,” watch this show.
Sneaky Pete
A con man on the run from a vicious gangster takes cover from his past by assuming the identity of his prison cellmate, Pete, “reuniting” with Pete’s estranged family, a colorful, dysfunctional group that threatens to drag him into a world just as dangerous as the one he’s trying to escape - and, just maybe, give him a taste of the loving family he’s never had.
No. 6: ‘Ride or Die’ (2026) | Action comedy
I love the opening set-piece for “Ride or Die.” Hannah Waddingham is just straight bad-ass as she gets in, takes down her target, then skis out of there in a James Bond-esque opening sequence.
This is a comedy, though, so the contrast between her and her best friend, played by Octavia Spencer (a civilian who has no idea what Hannah’s character actually does), is what drives this show. Think a buddy-spy-action-comedy, with two very funny leads. Don’t let the cancellation of this show fool you because it was a critical and commercial success. Watch it!
Ride or Die
Best friends Debbie and Judith are forced on the run when Debbie discovers Judith isn’t a forensic accountant, she’s an international assassin! With a mysterious figure chasing them, and Debbie’s husband involved in something deeply corrupt, it’s a race against time and a road trip across Europe to untangle the truth and stay alive.
No. 5: ‘Off Campus’ (2026) | Drama
I played hockey at USC, so I always love when there’s a college hockey show to watch. Now, “Off Campus” has hockey in it, but it’s far more a romance drama than it is a hockey show. And I’m down for that too! It’s based on Elle Kennedy’s bestselling book series, which explores the lives of Briar University’s hockey team.
In Season 1, you follow Hannah (a quiet songwriter) and Garrett (the school’s star hockey player) as they make a deal — Hannah will tutor Garrett so he can stay eligible for hockey, and Garrett will pretend to date Hannah to make a boy she’s crushing on jealous. Okay, it doesn’t win points for originality, but you get all the things you want from this show. Big feelings, friendship drama, some pretty titillating sex scenes, and two people who slowly realize they’re not pretending anymore. Sure, it can be cheesy at times, but if you lean in, that’s what makes it fun.
Off Campus
Hannah Wells tutors hockey captain Garrett Graham to win over her crush. Their deal becomes real connection as they face their pasts. Friends Logan, Dean, Tucker, and Allie navigate college life and love.
No. 4: ‘Reacher’ (2022) | Crime drama
With four seasons in the books, “Reacher” is solidifying itself as a defining show for Prime Video. Based on Lee Child’s book series, Alan Ritchson plays Reacher… the massive human and former military police investigator who wanders the country solving crimes with his brain and his brawn.
Season 4 is based on Lee Child’s “Gone Tomorrow” book and follows Reacher as he notices something strange on a subway ride in Philadelphia. He’s very quickly pulled into a larger conspiracy that involves a missing flash drive, dangerous government agents, and some very powerful people who will do just about anything to keep their secrets buried.
Reacher
Jack Reacher, a veteran military police investigator, has just recently entered civilian life. Reacher is a drifter, carrying no phone and the barest of essentials as he travels the country and explores the nation he once served.
No. 3: ‘The Terminal List’ (2022) | Thriller
It’s hard to believe it’s been over four years since the first season of “The Terminal List” dropped. That’s an eternity in the TV world (though not as crazy as it once was), but Season 2 is finally here, with all eight episodes available to stream right now.
Where Season 1 was more of a psychological revenge thriller, wherein Navy SEAL Commander James Reece (Chris Pratt) hunts the killers of his entire platoon, Season 2 has more of a globe-trotting espionage story. It’s based on Jack Carr’s book “True Believer,” and Reece has to clear his name after the CIA corners him. The locations are a big draw here, as you travel with him across the Indian Ocean, Southern and Northern Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. It’s bigger in pretty much every way, and the perfect follow-up to a solid Season 1.
The Terminal List
Navy SEAL Commander James Reece turns to vengeance as he investigates the mysterious forces behind the murder of his entire platoon. Free from the military’s command structure, Reece applies the lessons he’s learned from nearly two decades of warfare to hunt down the people responsible.
No. 2: ‘Neagley’ (2026) | Crime drama
Maria Sten finally gets Frances Neagley away from “Reacher” long enough to find out what she’s made of. “Neagley” opens with the death of a childhood friend of Neagley’s — Tommy Crane. The police say it was an accident, but Neagley doesn’t think so. Naturally, she takes on the investigation.
The fun here is how the show is very interested in the character work around the investigation. You get a true look at Neagley — why does she keep people out? Why is touch something she avoids? Yes, you get all the action and fighting, and even an Alan Ritchson appearance, but Neagley is very much the star here, and the show lets her be. If you like “Reacher,” definitely watch this one.
Neagley
Frances Neagley is a private investigator in Chicago and former military colleague of Jack Reacher in the Army’s 110th Special Investigations Unit. When she learns that a beloved friend from her past has been killed in a suspicious accident, she becomes hell-bent on justice.
No. 1: ‘Carrie’ (2026) | Teen drama horror
Not everyone is going to be pleased with Mike Flanagan’s latest Stephen King adaptation, “Carrie.” But if you can hold your judgment just for a little while, you will find a very powerful show here. Yes, it plays a bit like a teen drama, but Summer H. Howell as Carrie is so watchable and believable, and her mother, played by Samantha Sloyan, is so grounded and truthful, I can’t find an inauthentic moment in this show. And because of that, it will break your heart.
I’m also loving the modern update, where social media is a weapon for bullying. And the documentary-style interviews with the survivors help set the stage for what happened in Chamberlain. It also does a great job of giving each character a solid motivation for their cruelty. I get them, even when I hate them. That’s great writing. Again, it takes some liberties with the novel, so if you’re a purist, just give it some time. Right now, it’s my favorite show on Prime Video and one of my favorite shows on streaming.
Carrie
After her father’s sudden, untimely death thrusts her into the unforgiving ecosystem of public high school, Carrie is forced to navigate a viral bullying scandal that tears through her community, the relentless pressure and casual cruelty of the social‑media age, and the awakening of mysterious telekinetic powers that rise alongside her adolescence.