What makes a show underrated? It could be that the series has received mixed reviews from critics and/or audiences, but you want to judge for yourself. In some cases, underrated shows even go on to become cult classics years, even decades, after their release. In other cases, a show is quietly well-reviewed by a small number of critics, but it doesn’t really ever get a huge audience. It might be a lack of promotion or simply too much competition from other shows. Whatever the case, underrated shows are those hidden gems you get excited about when you discover them.
We’re here to help you find some of these types of shows with picks for three underrated shows on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in March. They are all very different shows: one a crime drama, one a historical fantasy drama that draws comparisons to Game of Thrones, and one an insightful docuseries about the education system.
American Rust: Broken Justice (2021-)
The crime drama American Rust premiered on Showtime in 2021 and was canceled after just one season. Amazon Freevee revived the show months later, and the second season premieres on Amazon Prime Video at the end of this month. The series stars Jeff Daniels as Del Harris, chief of police in a small Pennsylvania Rust Belt. When the son of his girlfriend Grace (Maura Tierney) is accused of murder, Harris takes charge of the investigation.
In the second season, Grace gets caught up in the criminal world, fueled by her loyalty to Harris. Reprising their roles from the first season are David Alvarez (West Side Story), Alex Neustaedter (Colony), Mark Pellegrino (Supernatural), Rob Yang (Succession), and Kyle Beltran (Inventing Anna). The story for season 2 adds new characters played by Luna Lauren Velez (Dexter), Nick Sandow (Orange is the New Black), Britain Seibert (A Murder at the End of the World), Marc Menchaca (Ozark), and Christopher Denham (Billions), to name a few. The first season was largely criticized for its writing but praised for the acting and cast. But it’s worth powering through season 1 to see how the story unfolds under Amazon’s tutelage for the second season, known as Broken Justice.
Stream American Rust: Broken Justice on Prime Video.
Britannia (2018-2021)
Starring David Morrissey (The Walking Dead) and Kelly Reilly (Yellowstone) as part of a large ensemble cast, Britannia is a British historical fantasy drama set in 43 AD, at a time when the Romans invaded Britain. Hellbent on achieving what Julius Caesar couldn’t do 90 years prior, General Aulus Plautius (Morrissey) leads his men into battle to conquer a land he thinks is his to claim.
So begins the back and forth among various tribes, all looking to protect their own. With elements of mysticism, demons, and plenty of complex storylines, including that of Druids with the power to channel forces from the underworld, Britannia doesn’t run quite as deep as shows like Game of Thrones. But it’s campy fun if you know what to expect. David Wharton of The Daily Dot calls the show “a beast filled with treachery, terrifying druids, and a whole mess of hallucinogens.” Britannia doesn’t quite take itself as seriously as Game of Thrones. But if you’re looking for a show to replace that one with a bit more humor, add this one to the watch list.
Stream Britannia on Prime Video.
This is High School (2016)
While 2016 was eight years ago and a lot has changed since then, This is High School is a still-relevant six-part series that provides a glimpse into typical high school life for young coming-of-age kids. The set up for the docuseries, shot over an eight-week period, involves 50 remote controlled cameras placed inside a secondary school. They roll to capture all the mundane, drama-filled, happy, and sad moments that are typical of teenage life. There’s the troublemaking Dusan, star student Janell (who is having a tough time coping with the demands placed on her), and an autistic student named Austin trying to make social connections. You see teenage life from the point of view of all types of students.
At a time when parents are examining the public school system and sitcoms like Abbott Elementary are popular for using humor to shed light on some of its shortcomings, This is High School is a fascinating birds-eye view of the positives and the negatives. Produced in Canada and available to stream on both Prime Video and Freevee with ads, This Is High School piques curiosity to see what a day in the life of a high school student is like, though you also need to take into account an agenda to highlight the most extreme highs and lows.
Stream This is High School on Prime Video.
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