Forgotten 7-part drama is your next binge-watch – and it has a near-perfect rating

Shows come and go, with some making huge cultural impacts, while others become cult favourites, despite never reaching the mainstream. And Amazon Prime might have one of the best dramas that you've never watched…

Airing back in 2023, I'm a Virgo is a seven-part absurdist comedy that critics hailed as "vigorous, clever and fun". The unique series currently holds a 96% approval rating on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes.

The show's premise is decidedly absurd, with the synopsis for the series reading: "Cootie is a 13-foot-tall (4.0 m), 19-year-old Black teenager raised by his Aunt Lafrancine and Uncle Martisse in Oakland, California. He is shielded from the outside world until being accidentally discovered by a group of teenage political activists."

One of the ways that the series was able to impress viewers was through its use of visual effects. Instead of opting for CGI effects, I'm a Virgo used miniatures and puppets to capture Cootie's enormous size, adding to the show's realistic tones despite its premise.

What did critics and audiences say?

Writing in The Guardian, Lucy Mangan enthused: "I'm a Virgo is as fresh and invigorating as a cold shower. It wakes you up, makes you alert, makes you engage with it in a way few dramas do by giving you something boldly, undeniably different."

In a five-star review in The Independent, Nick Hilton wrote: "I'm a Virgo is not just one of the best comedies of the year so far, but one of the most urgent, intense pieces of television in recent years."

© Courtesy of Prime Video

Fans who have tuned into the show were also similarly impressed, with one writing on social media: "How have I never, not once, heard anybody talking about the show I'm a Virgo on Prime? From the creator of Sorry to Bother You, 7-episode show that is really interesting. Shame there's not gonna be another season…"

A second commented: "I'm A Virgo, stream it NOW on Amazon Prime. It's the best kind of crazy!!" and a third said: "If you haven't seen I'm a Virgo by Boots Riley on Prime yet then you've truly been missing out on amazing show. Do yourself a favour and get on it because you'll love it."

Who stars in I'm a Virgo?

The miniseries stars Jharrel Jerome as Cootie, a 13-foot young man who gets involved with political activists. Jharrel shot to fame when he starred in the Oscar-winning film, Moonlight, and he has also racked up credits in When They See Us, Unstoppable and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Joining him in the main cast are Olivia Washington (The Little Things), who plays Flora, a fry cook and the love interest of Cootie who is gifted with superspeed; Brett Gray (Star Trek: Prodigy) as Felix, a young political activist; Kara Young (We Strangers) as Jones, an activist with a "psychic theatre" ability and Allius Barnes (Cruel Summer) as Scat, an activist obsessed with a television show.

© Courtesy of Prime Video

Also featured in the show are Walton Goggins (The White Lotus), Mike Epps (The Upshaws), Carmen Ejogo (Fantastic Beasts) and Kendrick Sampson (The Vampire Diaries).

I'm a Virgo also managed to secure an incredible guest cast with the likes of Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings), Joel Edgerton (Star Wars), Danny Glover (Mandela), Juliette Lewis (Hysterical Blindness), Omar Miller (The Unicorn), Morgan Fairchild (Falcon Crest) and philosopher Slavoj Žižek also appearing throughout the series; many of whom star in a fictional television show within the series, called Parking Tickets.