As the TV team here at HELLO!, we spend a lot of our lives binge-watching shows - and so we’ve developed some pretty high standards over the years! As such, we have put together our ultimate faves for Amazon Prime Video - and why we love them so much. So, if you’re on the lookout for some telly recommendations, you’ve certainly come to the right place! Check out our ultimate picks for the streaming platform…
The Wheel of Time
I am pretty hit-and-miss about fantasy shows. While I love Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings, The Witcher and Shadow and Bone weren’t really my cup of tea - so wasn’t sure where The Wheel of Time would sit. After that first couple of confusing episodes where it feels like everyone is speaking in Latin, I got VERY into the drama of it all.
© Amazon PrimeThe story follows a group of villagers from a sleepy town forced to go on an adventure with Moiraine, an Aes Sedai (basically, she wields magic and is amazing) who knows that one of them is 'the Dragon Reborn'. But who? I don’t know about you, but I love a 'chosen one' plot, and this is definitely worth the watch, for Rosamund Pike if absolutely nothing else! - Emmy Griffiths, TV Editor
Citadel
Stanley Tucci AND Richard Madden in the same cast, you say? Try and stop me from watching this show. I love a spy drama and Citadel was a great watch for its action-packed scenes and twisty plot. Okay, was it the most thought-out, sophisticated spy drama of all time? No.
© Amazon Prime VideoJames Bond it is not (although now we're imagining Richard Madden as 007 and it's a yes from us) but it's very enjoyable all the same and Priyanka Chopra is fab in it. What's more, season two has been confirmed. Yay! Francesca Shillcock – Senior TV & Film writer
Marvelous Mrs Maisel
If you're looking for quick wit, exceptional outfits and female empowerment, you need to watch The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The American comedy-drama was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino (you know her - she's the woman behind the amazing TV show The Gilmore Girls), and premiered on Amazon Prime Video back in 2017.
There are now five seasons to watch on Amazon Prime, and because the show has ended you won't be left hanging. What's more, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel takes place mainly in the late 1950s and early 1960s, so it's a timeless watch.I didn't expect to love this show as much as I did, but Rachel Brosnahan, who plays Miriam "Midge" Maisel - an aspiring comic - is so charismatic to watch.
© Philippe Antonello/Prime VideoMidge's grumpy talent manager Susie Myerson (played by Alex Borstein) is also a huge fan favourite. You won't regret tuning into this show, but my advice would be: You need to concentrate, you can't play on your phone at the same time or else you'll miss the (extremely) quick wit. Enjoy! Leanne Bayley, Director of Lifestyle & Commerce.
Nine Perfect Strangers
When I found out Nine Perfect Strangers was based on a novel by Big Little Lies writer Liane Moriarty, I was immediately drawn to it – and this compelling thriller did not disappoint. The glossy drama kept me guessing the whole way through and the enthralling cast performances made it a very enjoyable watch.
For those unfamiliar with the series, it follows a group of nine stressed city dwellers who pitch up at a holistic wellness retreat that promises healing and bliss. The resort is headed by a woman named Marsha, who is on a mission to invigorate her guest's minds and bodies. However, these nine strangers have no idea what's about to hit them.
© Amazon Prime VideoThere's also a great deal of star power in the cast, which is led by Nicole Kidman. Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Luke Evans, Bobby Cannavale and Regina Hall also feature in the show. – Nicky Morris, TV and Film Writer
Hacks
A very funny comedy in which a comedy writer, Ava, makes a gaffe on Twitter and as such gets low-key cancelled, forcing her to accept a gig writing gags for Deborah Vance - paid impeccably by Jean Smart. After some major hiccups, the pair eventually bond as they realise there is more to each other than their first impressions. This is the kind of show I would have on while making dinner - it’s light, it’s breezy, and you can be slightly distracted while watching it (let’s face it, you need a show like that sometimes)! - Emmy Griffiths, TV Editor
The Summer I Turned Pretty
At 33, I tend to avoid teen dramas, but this one drew me in hook, line and sinker. The Summer I Turned Pretty has the perfect mixture of teenage angst and adult storylines too, thanks to the friendship between the two mothers in the show, Laurel and Susannah as well as the cast of teens, falling in and out of love. Plus, it's set in a dreamy beach town in Massachusetts, for a slice of escapism every episode, and the soundtrack is peppered with Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, which makes it irresistible.
© AmazonSure, I don't relate to the teen heartbreaks and dilemma, but the show looks beautiful, the cast are likeable and it fills my Gilmore Girls void perfectly. - Melanie Macleod, Wellness Editor
Harlan Coben's Shelter
There's a lot of thrillers out there that fall flat, and usually in the final episodes, but Shelter delivered from start to finish. I'd watched other Harlan Coben adaptations before – The Stranger and Stay Close are among my favourites – so I was expecting another small town mystery that I'd enjoy, but could easily dip in and out of with little commitment. But with Shelter, I was hooked from the get-go, and the fact that episodes were initially released weekly, had me begging for more each time the credits rolled.
© Michael ParmeleeFollowing Mickey Bolitar, a teen struggling with the sudden loss of his dad, things get really interesting after a seriously creepy woman, nicknamed 'Bat Lady,' tells him that his father isn't dead after all. Funnily enough though, it's not the mystery that makes this series such a hit, it's actually the hilarious and at times heartbreaking friendships that Mickey develops with Spoon, Ema and Rachel. If you're a big fan of character-driven stories like Stand By Me, The Goonies or It, then you should definitely check this one out. - Megan Bull, TV & Film Writer
Fifteen Love
I thought the drama was a compelling watch, with a brilliant cast. The six-part series gave a disturbing look at sexism within the sporting world, something which many may be unaware of. The sensitive subject was handled well.
© KEVIN BAKERAlthough Aidan Turner delivered a terrifying portrayal of a professional tennis coach, the stand-out star of the show was Ella Lily Hyland who starred as the aspiring tennis player Justine Pearce. As far as debuts go, Ella was exceptional and mesmerising to watch. She kept audiences on the edge playing such a complex character. - Sharnaz Shahid, Deputy Online Editor
Deadloch
I am so glad that I stumbled upon this Australian export! This very funny show took inspiration from Broadchurch, with the writers approaching the idea of creating a murder mystery that was also funny. As such, you have two warring officers trying to solve the multiple murders of terrible men in their town - before more lives are lost.
There are some absolute top lines, but one character being called an "emotional truffle pig" was a highlight for me. Five stars! - Emmy Griffiths, TV Editor
Daisy Jones and the Six
I'm a sucker for a good soundtrack. For me, a music obsessive, a brilliant soundtrack can draw me in as much as the plot or cast line-up and so when it was announced that Daisy Jones and the Six was being adapted for TV, I was thrilled.
© PrimeFor those who don't know, it follows songwriter Daisy (played by Riley Keogh) who, in the hedonistic haze of the late 60s into the 1970s, finds huge success with her band, but broken hearts and too much rock n' roll leads to their fall from grace and eventual breakup. For other music nerds out there, it's loosely based on Fleetwood Mac and the story behind the recording of their seminal album, Rumors, and the soundtrack very much emulates this. Francesca Shillcock – Senior TV & Film writer
Cruel Summer
I’ll admit I haven’t checked out season two just yet but season one? What a teen drama! The story follows a teen girl, Jeannette, through three periods of her life.
One is being a nerd while yearning for the popularity of her cooler peer, Kate, the second is following Kate’s disappearance, where she had a major glow-up and is loving her new life (with Kate’s boyfriend), and the third is when Kate reappears, ruining Jeanette’s newfound popularity after accusing her of knowing where she was being held during her abduction. But did Jeanette actually know, or is it all a terrible misunderstanding? I was HOOKED. - Emmy Griffiths, TV Editor
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation is considered by many as one of the best sitcoms of the 21st century and after binge-watching all seven seasons on Prime Video, it's not hard to see why. The show is heartfelt, hilarious and gently satirical. It's also cast to perfection, with Chris Pratt's portrayal of lovably dim-witted shoe-shine man Andy Dwyer responsible for endless laugh-out-loud moments throughout the entire series.
With a similar mockumentary-style formula as NBC's The Office, it's hardly surprising that both shows come from comedy geniuses, Greg Daniels and Michael Schur.
© Photo: SkyIf you've never seen the show, here's a brief synopsis. It follows local government employees in the fictional city of Pawnee, Indiana, focusing on its optimistic and enthusiastic deputy department director, Leslie Knope, as she tries to make the city a better place. – Nicky Morris, TV and Film Writer
The Rings of Power
I love Lord of the Rings to the extent that I watch all extended editions every year and basically use the appendices as background noise at all times, so I was among the cynics when Rings of Power came out. While I know some fans weren’t happy with the adaptation, I absolutely adored it.
It definitely takes a couple of slow episodes to really get in the swing of things, something that feels a little unacceptable considering the amount of money that went into this series, but once it gets going, it flies. Roll on season two. - Emmy Griffiths, TV Editor
Jury Duty
What an absolutely surprising JOY Jury Duty turned out to be! As Freevee’s first original (Amazon Prime Video’s free streaming platform, where you don’t need a subscription to tune in), it became a smash hit on the internet as it follows Ronald, a twenty-something who signs up to take part in a documentary about sitting on a jury, with no idea that everyone except him is an actor, from the judge to the bailiff.
The show put him in increasingly outlandish situations, and his responses made the show an instant hit - and turned our Ronald into a folk hero. Watch it! - Emmy Griffiths, TV Editor
