Prime Video has all of the sci-fi shows you’re looking for. And I know you’re looking — why else would you be here? Let’s be real, streamers like Disney Plus and Netflix are packed with genre titles, but you don’t want to go that route. The Amazon-owned streaming service is your focus, and rightfully so. Prime Video has loads of sci-fi TV shows worth adding to your watch list. The entries here run the gamut from high-concept and thought-provoking to light-hearted and fun. No matter the flavor, these are all top-tier choices for your next binge night.
Want a postapocalyptic video game inspired mutant adventure? Prime Video has it. How about Philip K. Dick’s thought-provoking depiction of a Hitler-ruled America? Yep, that’s on the list. Plus, there’s that peculiar Western starring a gritty, brooding Josh Brolin. And who can forget The Boys, the streamer’s ultrabloody superhero satire hit?
Believe it or not, I’m just scratching the surface of Prime Video’s epic content library. There’s also an animated anthology series inspired by an array of iconic video games, a futuristic comedy about the afterlife from the creator of The Office and much more. If you haven’t figured it out yet, there’s a jam-packed list of goodies to sift through. Read on for our guide to the best sci-fi shows on Prime Video.
Read more: The 32 Absolute Best TV Shows to Watch on Prime Video
Secret Level hails from the creators of the animated anthology hit Love, Death and Robots. Each episode is inspired by a different video game, expanding the story world to provide newbies and hardcore gamers with new adventures to revel in. Dungeons & Dragons, Pac-Man, Warhammer 40,000 and Mega Man are just a few of the games featured in the show.
The Peripheral
The Expanse is The Little Engine That Could of science fiction TV shows. The series explores a future reality where humanity successfully colonized the solar system. It began as a scripted original series on SyFy but after three seasons, the network dropped the ax on the program. Thankfully, Amazon swooped in to save it from cancellation. Over its six-season run, the series found its legs and audience, blossoming into an intelligent, riveting sci-fi drama.
A few years after Garth Ennis’s Preacher achieved mild success on AMC, the writer’s famous superhero comic The Boys touched down on Prime Video and blew the doors off. In the series, a group of corrupt celebrity superheroes grapple for power and fame as a gang of outlaws (aka The Boys) hunts them down individually. It’s a violent spectacle that smacks the audience in the face with a heaping helping of social and political commentary. And it’s quite good, too.
As powerful, violent and bewildering as its parent series The Boys, Gen V shines a light on the next generation of genetically altered superheroes. The usual social and political tropes are on display here. Additionally, Gen V digs into topics like the influence of social media, body image, classism and race in the realm of higher education.
Tales from the Loop
If Yellowstone and The X-Files had a baby, it’d probably be Outer Range. The sci-fi Western follows Royal Abbott (Josh Brolin), the patriarch and owner of the Abbott family ranch. His family lives in the wake of the unexplained disappearance of his daughter-in-law. When a stranger comes to stay with the family, Royal must reckon with his past, present and potential future. This would be it if you’re looking for a trippy series grounded in its writing and stellar performances.
The Man in the High Castle
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica) and Michael Dinner (Justified) came together to bring Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams to life. The futuristic anthology series explores how technology can impact humanity in various fantastic and horrific ways. Narrative similarities between Electric Dreams and Black Mirror most certainly abound. However, each episode of the Prime Video program takes inspiration from the work of the titular sci-fi author.
Thematically, Night Sky feels reminiscent of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Cocoon. The slow-burn series, which lasted only one season, stars J.K. Simmons and Sissy Spacek as an aging married couple grappling with the trials and tribulations of their golden years. Also, a mysterious portal to a strange planet exists beneath their shed. This sentimental mystery box series explores aging and mortality in a surprisingly heartfelt way — thanks to the engaging performances of the two leads.
