31 Best Shows On Amazon Prime In 2021

"Fleabag" shines as one of Amazon Prime Video's highest-rated series. Few productions have such a clearly defined voice and perspective as "Fleabag" does: With irreverent humor, clever fourth-wall breaking, and a diverse cast of memorable characters, it's a truly original series. Mastermind and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge gives an incredible performance in the lead role, while Hugh Dennis (the bank manager), Andrew Scott (the priest), and Olivia Colman (the godmother) are all notable highlights in the supporting cast. Waller-Bridge's unnamed main character attempts to hold her life together as she deals with the death of her best friend, keeps her café afloat, and suffers through family drama.

"Fleabag" began as an acclaimed one-woman show Waller-Bridge performed live at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. While Season 1 was extremely well-received by critics and audiences, Season 2 rose to even greater heights. Despite large public interest in bringing the character back for another season, Waller-Bridge has decided to let the show be — for now. The door remains open for a revival down the road: When speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Waller-Bridge said, "I do have a fantasy of bringing her back when I'm, like, 45 or 50."

"Invincible" draws viewers in with its old-school art style, then hooks them with its adult tone, complex characters, and extreme violence. Mark is the teenage son of the world's most powerful superhero, Omni-Man. Obviously, he's got some huge shoes to fill. Is he up to the challenge? Maybe — but it's going to be harder than he ever realized.

"Invincible" is based on the comic series of the same name, which is written by Robert Kirkman. Kirkman is perhaps most famous as the writer of "The Walking Dead" comic series. That's not the only big name behind "Invincible" — many celebrated actors lend their voices to this animated adventure, including Gillian Jacobs, Mark Hamill, Sandra Oh, Walton Goggins, J.K. Simmons, and Steven Yeun. Together, they bring this brutal, clever, and dynamic superhero saga to life.

Though Amazon Prime created a handful of original comedy and kids shows in the preceding years, "Bosch" became the streamer's first original dramatic series when it premiered in February 2014. It remains one of the best Amazon Original Series, and one of the finest shows on the entire platform. It follows the titular LAPD detective as he works to solve complex cases. A variety of murders are investigated over the course of the series, as are the backstories of its main characters. After seven critically acclaimed seasons, "Bosch" came to a conclusion in 2021. The series goes out on a definite high note, making it a thrilling watch from beginning to end.

Uniquely, "Bosch" explores layered mysteries that unfold over the course of entire seasons, rather than sticking to the episodic approach more common to crime shows. Fans of "The Wire" are also likely to enjoy the series, as it reunites several actors and key behind-the-scenes players from that HBO classic, including Jamie Hector, Lance Reddick, and Eric Overmyer.

"One Mississippi" is a celebrated dark comedy starring comedian Tig Notaro as a fictionalized version of herself. Tig has returned to her hometown, following the death of her mother. Being forced to deal with being back in a place where no one understands her is tough enough, but it's not the only issue Tig has to contend with — she's got health issues of her own, plus plenty of family secrets to uncover. Notaro co-created the series alongside screenwriter Diablo Cody, who is known for films like "Juno," "Jennifer's Body," and "Young Adult." Playing the role of Kate, Tig's girlfriend, is Stephanie Allynne, who is married to Notaro in real life.

Amazon canceled "One Mississippi" after two seasons. Though saddened by the cancelation, Notaro also described a feeling of relief at the news (per The Daily Beast), saying, "I'm happy to move on from that." This relief stems from comedian Louis C.K.'s involvement with the show as an executive producer, and Notaro's desire to cut ties with him following the revelation of his sexual misconduct. The future may still hold a sliver of hope, however, as Notaro remains interested in the story and the plans she had for the third season. "If some crazy world happened where Amazon or FX was like, 'We gotta bring back this show, reboot 'One Mississippi,” I would happily do it," she remarked, "and I would have a million things to say."

"The Tick" is a superhero property that has enjoyed many different incarnations over the years. The titular, muscular, mentally questionable crime fighter first appeared in print in the 1980s, and has gotten a revival roughly once per decade. In the '90s, "The Tick" became an animated series as part of the Fox Kids lineup. "The Tick" was then adapted into a live-action series in the 2000s, but was canceled after just nine episodes. In the 2010s, this comedic character returned once again, just in time for the streaming revolution.

Now played by Peter Serafinowicz, the big blue bug's second live-action outing fared better. Amazon's "The Tick" boasts two full seasons — though it too wound up getting the axe eventually. Despite this abrupt end, the series was a critical hit: Season 1's glowing reviews were actually topped by Season 2's, which outright sparkle. Many critics noted this ante-upping, such as The Verge, which hailed Season 2 as "even stronger" than its predecessor.

"The Expanse," which is set hundreds of years into the future, revolves around a large group of characters as they navigate the conspiracies, alliances, wars, and secrets of the fully-colonized Solar System. Season 1 earned solid reviews, but each subsequent slate of episodes received even more positive notices. This is especially impressive, as the show had a lot to live up to — it's an adaptation of the long-running "Expanse" book series.

As an original series on the SyFy channel, "The Expanse" gained many passionate fans. Sadly, the network wound up canceling the series after three seasons (via Deadline). After a vocal outcry from fans, however, "The Expanse" was picked up by Amazon, where it snagged an additional three seasons. As Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is reportedly a huge fan of the series, it's safe to say that everything worked out in the end for "The Expanse."

Set in the intense world of classical music, "Mozart in the Jungle" earned warm reviews for its sterling performances, clever writing, and genuine depth. Gael García Bernal and Lola Kirke star in this winning series: Bernal plays a radical conductor who takes charge of the New York Symphony, while Kirke plays a hopeful young oboist. Seasons 1 and 2 take a little bit of warming up, but 3 and 4 were both universally beloved by critics, who hailed it as a delightful, romantic triumph.

After four seasons, "Mozart in the Jungle" was canceled. In an interview with Metro, Bernal said that he did not know why the show came to such a sudden end. "Whatever explanation there is," he remarked, "I am not the one to give it, because I am the one that wants it to keep going. It is Amazon that needs to answer to that." Ardent fans share his enthusiasm and disappointment, but at least they have four fantastic seasons to enjoy.

"ZeroZeroZero" is one of the most recent television series to make this list: All eight episodes of the Italian drama aired on Sky Atlantic in 2020 before arriving on Amazon Prime. "ZeroZeroZero" explores the full circuit of the cocaine industry with a globe-trotting sense of scale, from cultivation to transport to distribution. This complex and thrilling tale demanded shooting in multiple countries, and features dialogue spoken in several different languages.

"ZeroZeroZero" was created by Mauricio Katz, Leonardo Fasoli, and Stefano Sollima. Fasoli and Sollima previously worked together on the hit 2014 show "Gomorrah." Dane DeHaan and Andrea Riseborough lead a large international cast, which includes Gabriel Byrne in an important supporting role. Critics hailed the series as a gripping exploration of crime, drugs, and power. Though some might wish for a follow-up season, Sollima has been very clear that "ZeroZeroZero" is a standalone miniseries (via Variety). Fans will have to comfort themselves with the creative team's many other gritty crime sagas.

"Red Oaks" is a coming-of-age dramedy set in a Jewish country club of the 1980s. Craig Roberts stars as David, a young college student and employee of the club trying to figure out what he wants from life. The core supporting cast includes the likes of Richard Kind, Jennifer Grey, Paul Reiser, Oliver Cooper, and Ennis Esmer, among others. The show's notable talent isn't limited to who's in front of the camera, either: "Red Oaks" boasts an impressive roster of acclaimed directors including Hal Hartley, Amy Heckerling, Nisha Ganatra, and David Gordon Green.

After three seasons, "Red Oaks" came to a close in 2017. Seasons 1 and 2 consist of 10 episodes each, while Season 3 was reduced in scale to just six episodes in total. Though some might assume this means "Red Oaks" diminishes in quality over the course of its run, that isn't true. Season 1's decent reviews were topped by those earned by Seasons 2 and 3, which enjoyed widespread acclaim.

"Patriot" takes a decidedly skewed and darkly comedic look at the world of international espionage. The series follows an undercover intelligence agent as he attempts to foil a nuclear threat without compromising his cover as a mundane everyman. Michael Dorman stars in the lead role, while Michael Chernus, Terry O'Quinn, and Kurtwood Smith round out the supporting cast. After two seasons, Amazon made the decision to pull the plug on the series, following a leadership shuffle (via Deadline). While long-time fans are doubtlessly frustrated, Seasons 1 and 2 remain entertaining watches worth anyone's time.

"Patriot" was created by Steven Conrad, who is best known for writing "The Pursuit of Happyness," starring Will Smith, and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," starring Ben Stiller. "Patriot" was among his first forays into television, and has proven to be far from his last. He went on to create "Ultra City Smiths" for AMC+ and co-create "Perpetual Grace, LTD" for Epix.

"Transparent" is a groundbreaking comedy-drama that shines a loving spotlight on the lives of transgender people. The show begins with Maura Pfefferman, who surprises her family by coming out as a trans woman. Over the course of the entire series, the family's reactions, experiences, and choices are explored in tremendous depth. "Transparent" ran for four full seasons, and was renewed for a fifth. However, the creative team decided to scrap initial plans for Season 5 and end the series with a feature-length "Musicale Finale."

This altered ending came about after Jeffrey Tambor was dropped from the show, following allegations of sexual harassment (via The Hollywood Reporter). This unfortunate revelation does not dim the series' creative success, however, nor the positive strides it makes in terms of representation. Series creator Joey Soloway, who previously worked on shows like "Grey's Anatomy," "Six Feet Under," and "United States of Tara," is currently in pre-production on the film "Mothertrucker," starring Julianne Moore.

"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" follows 1950s housewife Midge Maisel as she embarks upon a career as a stand-up comedian. She faces plenty of adversity along the way, but also finds plenty of laughs and success. Season 1 of this Amazon Prime Original debuted in 2017 to tremendous acclaim and a huge slate of awards. Subsequent seasons have earned similarly sparkling notices, as well as more trophies and ever-increasing word-of-mouth. 

Rachel Brosnahan stars as the titular Mrs. Maisel, who must navigate her complex divorce, the gender norms of the 1950s, her parents' disapproval, and the indignities of life on the road. She's joined by a tremendous supporting cast of all-star talent, including Tony Shalhoub, Alex Borstein, and Kevin Pollak, among others. Notably, Luke Kirby plays real-world comedy legend Lenny Bruce, who meets Midge after they're both locked up for their boundary-pushing comedy. It's the beginning of a long, complicated, and beautiful friendship.

"Britannia" is set all the way back in 43 AD, though the series makes no attempt at historical accuracy. This is a fantasy series, packed with dealings in magic and supernatural forces. As a result, "Britannia" is often compared to "Game of Thrones." Though "Britannia" lacks the extravagant budget of the latter series (via The Guardian), it makes up for that with sheer, unbridled audacity.

David Morrissey and Eleanor Worthington-Cox headline the expansive cast, which also includes the likes of Mackenzie Crook, David Bradley, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Annabel Scholey, Julian Rhind-Tutt, and Liana Cornell. In this fantastical Britain, the Roman army marches to war with the Celts. Their conflict is far more brutal, strange, and complex than they ever could have imagined. "Britannia" was created by James Richardson and brothers Tom and Jez Butterworth. The brothers' previous work includes the Johnny Depp-led gangster film "Black Mass," the James Bond film "Spectre," the Tom Cruise sci-fi film "Edge of Tomorrow," and the television series "Tin Star."

"Doctor Thorne" is an adaptation of the 1858 novel of the same name, written by Anthony Trollope. Though this is actually the third book in the six-part "Chronicles of Barsetshire" series, the "Doctor Thorne" television show can be enjoyed as a standalone story. We begin with Mary Thorne, a destitute girl who grows to womanhood under the care of her uncle, Doctor Thorne. Set during the reign of Queen Victoria, "Doctor Thorne" encapsulates that era's social complexity, inflexible norms, and deeply-felt storytelling.

With just four episodes to its name, "Doctor Thorne" is a quick watch. Tom Hollander plays the titular Doctor Thorne, while the full cast includes the likes of Alison Brie, Ian McShane, Rebecca Front, and Richard McCabe. The series was directed by Niall MacCormick, who specializes in miniseries: His filmography includes work on "Hidden," "The Game," "The Victim," "The Sister," and "Deceit." "Doctor Thorne" was written by Julian Fellowes, who is perhaps best known these days as the creator and head writer of "Downton Abbey."

"Flack" stars Anna Paquin as an American living in London, where she works for a ruthless public relations company. The series has had two six-episode seasons so far, with Season 2 arriving in 2020. Though "Flack" is a drama series, it mixes in plenty of comedy. This won't come as a surprise to fans of show creator Oliver Lansley: He's previously worked on a number of comedy and comedy-drama series. Half-hour sitcoms "FM" and "Whites" were both co-created by Lansley, and star a bevy of British comedians. Lansley is also an actor: In "Flack," he plays the role of American Mike. 

Season 1 of "Flack" was met with a bit of a lukewarm reception. Critics found its acerbic wit intriguing, but ultimately too much to take. Season 2 fared much better: Plenty of commentators noted a significant improvement in the show's balance of pathos and satire. What results is an incredibly entertaining and unabashedly biting look at one of the most brutal businesses around.

"Comrade Detective" is a comedy series packed with over-the-top action. The show presents itself as a 1980s Romanian production, made to further communist ideals. It's dubbed by a star-studded Hollywood cast including the likes of Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jenny Slate, Chloë Sevigny, and Nick Offerman. Of course, the supposed Cold-War era cop show does not exist — all of the footage was created for "Comrade Detective," which hit screens in 2017. However, there are still effectively two different versions of the show: One dubbed and one un-dubbed.

Despite a warm reception from viewers and critics, "Comrade Detective" was not renewed. The series consists with just one eight-episode season, though the show's co-creator, Brian Gatewood, had expressed interest in continuing it. When speaking to Bustle in 2017, Gatewood said, "If they let us [continue] it, we will absolutely be doing it and following Gregor and Iosif on another mission." Director Rhys Thomas concurred, saying, "There's so many avenues we feel confident we can go down with these guys, and I think we're all eager to keep living in this universe."