8 Prime Video Miniseries That Are Absolutely Perfect (#1 Is A Must-See)

Like every streaming service, Prime Video has invested a lot in its original content, particularly the iconic miniseries TV shows that audiences can watch right now. Touching upon a vast array of genres and featuring the work of some of the best filmmakers working today, Prime’s miniseries often feel more like extended films with sweeping themes and stories rather than a typical TV series.

There are plenty of overlooked miniseries that deserved more love, and though most audiences are familiar with these titles, it’s never too late to dive into some of the biggest projects released over the last few years. A miniseries is the perfect balance between a movie and a TV show, as it gets to invest in its characters, but still tells a contained story, and these works deliver.

8

Daisy Jones & The Six (2023)

The Romantic, Melodramatic World Of Daisy Jones & The Six Will Appeal To Everyone

It’s unsurprising that Prime would decide to bring the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid to life, as it has everything audiences enjoy. With love triangles, classic rock, and explosive drama all set against the backdrop of the revolutionary music scene of the 1970s, Daisy Jones & The Six has captured the imaginations of a generation of readers, and now TV watchers.

Starring Riley Keough and Sam Claflin as Daisy and Billy, the star-crossed lovers whose passion for each other bounces between love and hate, Daisy Jones & The Six relies on the music that fuels it as much as the character relationships. While the story is exciting on its own, the chemistry between Keough and Claflin takes things to the next level.

Loosely inspired by the dramas that follow the real band Fleetwood Mac, Daisy Jones & The Six evokes big themes and famous fights through the lens of self-discovery and letting go of what’s bad for you, even if this comes at the cost of success. Keough’s tragic but explosive performance as Daisy is reason enough to watch the series.

7

Expats (2024)

A Group Of Women Struggle With Loss & Rebirth In This Atmospheric Series

Adapted from the book The Expatriates by Janice Y. K. Lee, Expats takes the world of the wealthy expat community of women living in Hong Kong and examines their role in the community through the lens of shocking tragedy. Race, class, and gender roles take center stage in Expats, as we feel for the characters, but are also aware of their privileged place in the world.

Many of Nicole Kidman’s best TV shows have been tense crime dramas, with the actress lending her talents to projects like Big Little Lies and The Undoing. It’s true that Kidman’s character in Expats, Margaret, is a familiar one, but the performer never fails to bring something new to each of these mothers on the edge, making their realities feel viscerally real.

While Kidman is fantastic, the performances from the rest of the cast root the world in a more gritty reality, as Margaret sometimes drifts through life in the wake of her son’s disappearance. Sarayu Blue and Ji-young Yoo play Hilary and Mercy, the two other women who Expats follows as they reevaluate their own places in Hong Kong and the larger world.

6

I’m A Virgo (2023)

Jharrel Jerome Brings To Life Boots Riley’s Magical World With Ease

Boots Riley is firing on all cylinders as the creator and director of I’m a Virgo​​​​​, which adheres to the filmmaker’s usual brand of fantastical circumstances and interrogative themes. Starring Jharrel Jerome as Cootie, a young man who happens to be thirteen feet tall, I’m a Virgo takes Cootie on many unexpected adventures that take him out of his comfort zone and introduce him to the world.

The series doesn’t stop at the experiences of Cootie as an individual, instead turning a critical eye to the outside world.

While few audience members could claim that they relate to Cootie in terms of his height, his experiences are still universal, as he escapes a sheltered life to further his coming-of-age and shed his innocence. However, the series doesn’t stop at the experiences of Cootie as an individual, instead turning a critical eye to the outside world.

Balancing its satirical edge with a genuinely vulnerable story and performance by Jerome, I’m a Virgo isn’t like anything else on television, and this is exactly why the series shouldn’t be forgotten. From Riley’s visual language to the way the audience is taken on such a complex, fun odyssey, I’m a Virgo is entertaining, while still asking the audience to think.

5

Vanity Fair (2018)

A Sharp, Scandalous Take On The Period Romance Genre

Fans of House of the Dragon will instantly recognize the lead actress of the period drama miniseries, Vanity Fair, Olivia Cooke. Also featuring performances from Claudia Jessie, known best for her work in Bridgerton, and Johnny Flynn, who starred in the 2020 adaptation of Emma, Vanity Fair is packed with veterans of the historical romance genre.

While period romance isn’t for everyone, even audiences who don’t typically seek out the genre will find something to enjoy about Vanity Fair, as the series puts a cynical spin on the typical happily-ever-afters of these narratives. The protagonist, Becky Sharp, cares more about social climbing and security than she does about love.

While this makes her unlikable at times, it also makes her a uniquely interesting protagonist who keeps the audience guessing, crafting a more scandalous story than we’re used to. Based on the 1848 novel by William Makepeace Thackeray,Vanity Fair might take place in the past, but its conniving characters are ones viewers will instantly understand.

4

The Underground Railroad (2021)

Though The Underground Railroad Fictionalizes History, It Tells Us A Lot About Our World

The creator and director of The Underground Railroad, Barry Jenkins, is one of the best filmmakers working today. When he turned his attention to television with this miniseries, it resulted in one of the best shows of the 2020s, bringing to life the writing by Colson Whitehead, who penned the original book the series is based on.

Though fictional, The Underground Railroad grapples with a very real and relevant history, using the heightened, magical aspects of its world to drive home the enduring effects and violence of the history of slavery in the U.S. In The Underground Railroad, the system of helping enslaved people to reach safety and freedom is transformed into an actual rail system that the characters ride.

The Underground Railroad is a brilliant adaptation from start to finish.

Thuso Mbedu leads the cast as Cora, a young woman seeking the railroad alongside Caesar (Aaron Pierre), and the pair encounter different communities and people along the way who represent the various ways that power, control, and bigotry manifest. Immediately hailed as a vital addition to the TV landscape, The Underground Railroad is a brilliant adaptation from start to finish.

3

Dead Ringers (2023)

This Updated Take On The Classic Horror Film Features A Brilliant Rachel Weisz

Fans don’t have to be familiar with the 1988 film of the same name by David Cronenberg to enjoy the recent update on Dead Ringers. While Cronenberg’s visceral thriller is a cult favorite for fans of the filmmaker, the 2023 miniseries makes some thoughtful updates, like casting Rachel Weisz as the central twins. Still, it maintains the thematic tension of the original.

Many body horror movies have been inspired by David Cronenberg. However, the 2023 take on Dead Ringers is an interesting expansion of the Cronenberg universe. Instead of simply capitalizing on the legacy of the movie, Dead Ringers justifies its existence and examines the ethics and subversions of the narrative through a modern lens.

Without Weisz’s incredible performance, Dead Ringers wouldn’t be half as successful, as she takes on the age-old challenge of playing two different characters in the same series. However, it can’t be ignored that Dead Ringers does a great job of mining the gender-flipped roles for all of the narrative importance they’re due, while losing none of the shock and horror inherent to the story.

2

Swarm (2023)

Dominique Fishback Is Brilliant In Swarm As Her Character Slowly Goes Off The Rails

Fandom, obsession, and the age of the internet are big topics when it comes to mystery and crime thrillers made today. Swarm is no exception, as it follows the young woman, Dre, and the way she ties her self-worth and life experiences to the actions of a far-away pop star, Ni’Jah.

Dominique Fishback’s turn as Dre is a star-making performance. Though Swarm treads familiar territory when it comes to witnessing a young woman be taken down a dark path due to an unhealthy obsession, the series makes this subject fresh, and infuses it with the dark comedy that makes every line of dialogue sting in just the right way.

Created by Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, Swarm shares the sensibilities of Glover’s other projects, letting us see ourselves and our own reliance on obsession in Dre. As the series progresses, the violence, tension, and shock factor grow, and the discussions of popular culture and its pitfalls support the show’s central themes, allowing the series to endure.

1

Small Axe (2020)

An Anthology Series That Has The Sweeping Scale Of A Film

Though Small Axe is considered more of a collection of films than a miniseries, it’s impossible to talk about the projects available to watch on Prime Video right now without talking about the stories of Small Axe. It’s an anthology series of five episodes that touch upon the experiences of West Indian immigrants in London from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Small Axe is helmed by director Steve McQueen, best known for 12 Years a Slave. The series aired on BBC One in England, but came to the U.S. on Prime Video, quickly becoming one of the most groundbreaking titles available on the streamer. Featuring performances from well-known actors like John Boyega, Small Axe draws the audience further in with each episode.

Beautifully acted, photographed, and searingly relevant today,Small Axe is in conversation with both the past and the present, using history to teach viewers about the current moment. The version of Britain that Small Axe represents is one that’s too often overlooked, but it’s still familiar. McQueen makes each character and their lives accessible and emotionally resonant.