The latest addition to this list is the murder mystery Three Pines. A must for anyone looking for more noir, it stars Alfred Molina as a detective who is able to see things that others don’t. That said, we expect Jack Ryan season 3 to dethrone it ASAP.
Three Pines
Hulu isn’t the only streamer getting raves for its novel adaptations. Louise Penny’s mystery novels are now, thanks to Prime Video, on your TV. And just like how Netflix has Benoit Blanc with Glass Onion, Prime members get to meet Inspector Armand Gamache (Alfred Molina). Here, Molina’s winning audiences over with a humane gentleness and his observational humor. And since Three Pines takes place in a town inspired by Penny’s hometown in Quebec, audiences get a little travelogue-like treat as they get to learn about all things French Canadian. Watch now (opens in new tab)
Wheel of Time
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
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Paper Girls
The only Halloween hangovers kids should have involve sugar overload. But in 1988, paper girls Erin, KJ, Mac and Tiffany (who is seen above) became time travelers the morning after they were trick-or-treating. Jumped into the future, with grown-up versions of themselves, the quartet has to deal with the emotional issues involved with learning who you’ll become and the fact that there’s a group of time travelers who are hunting them down. Built around a strong ensemble of child actors, Paper Girls felt like Prime Video’s answer to Stranger Things. We say ‘felt’ because Prime Video canceled Paper Girls after its first season. Watch now (opens in new tab)
The Summer I Turned Pretty
The Kids In The Hall (2022)
Billions
The world of big finance might not seem the most obvious candidate for a riveting drama in the vein of The Sopranos and Mad Men, but Billions is good enough to stand in that kind of company. Much of that is down to the superb cast, with Damian Lewis outstanding as the filthy-rich and entirely unscrupulous hedge-fund boss Bobby Axelrod, and Paul Giamatti equally brilliant as the supposedly principled but actually just as terrible U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades. But really the star of the show is Maggie Siff as Wendy Rhoades, the woman they both depend heavily upon. Of course a cast is only as good as the script it’s working with, and Billions shines here too, taking a dizzyingly complex subject and somehow making it a thrilling viewing experience. — Marc McLaren Watch now (opens in new tab)
The Boys
The “superheroes are problematic” genre has really exploded in recent years, though The Boys may be the most cynical of them all. It may also be the goriest — so many exploding heads this season! Season 2 picks up where the story left off, after the titular vigilante group discovered that superheroes are made, not born. The Seven and their corporate overlords, Vought International, want to keep that a secret and will stop at nothing to prevent the Boys from revealing it. After an epic season 3 we can’t wait for The Boys season 4 — here’s everything we know about it.— Kelly Woo Watch now (opens in new tab)
Utopia
Art imitates life, and in the case of Utopia, that imitation is eerily prescient. The show, from writer/executive producer Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl), is based on the 2013 British original. Part dark comedy, part conspiracy theory thriller, Utopia follows a group of comic book fans who uncover an upcoming graphic novel that predicts virus pandemics. When the fans get their hands on it, they’re hunted by shadowy figures tied to the government and health companies. The cast includes Rainn Wilson, John Cusack and Sasha Lane, and the show might just be the perfect pandemic viewing. — Kelly Woo Watch now (opens in new tab)
The Office (U.K.)
Before Michael Scott, there was David Brent; before Jim and Pam there were Tim and Dawn, and before Dwight came Gareth — because no, the U.S. version of The Office was not the first. The debate over which is best will likely rage for years to come, but really there’s no need for a winner; they’re both superb, but in very different ways. The U.K. original is a lot, lot darker, for starters — sure, Ricky Gervais’ David is just as terrible a boss as Steve Carell’s Michael, but he has few of the redeeming qualities that make the man behind Scott’s Tots an ultimately likeable character. It’s far ruder, too, and definitely not one to watch with younger kids. Plus, it’s a lot shorter — there are just 12 main episodes plus a couple of specials, so there’s not much room for character development outside of the key personnel. All that said, it is every bit as funny as the U.S. remake, and hugely influential too. — Marc McLaren Watch now (opens in new tab)
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Homecoming
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is kind of a comedy, kind of a drama, kind of a period piece and kind of delightful — which makes sense, as it’s from Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino. In it, Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) tries her hand at stand-up comedy. That’s all well and good, except that she’s a young Jewish housewife in 1958 New York City, making her presence in the club scene relatively unprecedented. With a little help from her loving family, her stoic manager and the great Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby), Mrs. Maisel carves out her own niche, all while dealing with her own domestic dramas. — Kelly Woo Watch now (opens in new tab)
Underground Railroad
Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel gets a sweeping adaptation by Moonlight director Barry Jenkins. The story reimagines the famous Underground Railroad of the 1800s; instead of a network of hidden houses and safe passages that slaves, it’s an actual railroad with trains, tunnels and tracks. Enslaved people like Cora (Thuso Mbedu) and Caesar (Aaron Pierre) hope to ride it and escape their life of brutal bondage. The absorbing premise is matched by striking cinematography and sterling performances — no wonder Underground Railroad received seven Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Limited Series. — Kelly Woo Watch now (opens in new tab)
Hanna
The thriller about a young woman with special skills is back, with Hanna (Esmé Creed-Miles) now knowing she isn’t the only one who received elite training. The Utrax program has produced a whole contingent of highly skilled trainees, whose development is about to reach the lethal “second phase.” They are relocated to The Meadows, where they glimpse the possibility of a new identity in the outside world. But this freedom will come at a very heavy price. — Kelly Woo Watch now (opens in new tab)
Luther
Idris Elba returns to smolder and smirk and sleuth in the fifth and perhaps final season of the British detective drama. This time, Luther investigates a series of gory murders with the help of new recruit DS Catherine Halliday. But life gets complicated (and dangerous!) when Alice returns, seeking vengeance on Luther’s old adversary George Cornelius. Luther has to figure out what to do with Alice, all while the serial killer builds to his murder masterpiece. — Kelly Woo Watch now (opens in new tab)
The Expanse
Downton Abbey
Part period piece, part melodrama, Downton Abbey is a sort of “greatest hits” compilation of early 20th-century history, as seen through the eyes of an upper-class British family and its staff of domestic servants. The titular Downton Abbey is a British manor where the aristocratic Crawley family lives, led by Earl Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) and Countess Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern). As the cultural, social and economic landscape of Great Britain changes drastically, the family experiences (second-hand) everything from the sinking of the Titanic to the Irish War of Independence and the Beer Hall Putsch. If you like costume dramas, this one is an easy sell, but it moves at a brisk enough clip to entertain just about anyone. — Kelly Woo Seasons 1-3 and 5-6 are included with Prime video. Watch now (opens in new tab)
