There are Amazon Prime Video TV shows that get tons of attention, from Reacher to The Wheel of Time. But the streaming service has many more shows, including originals, that don’t get the attention they deserve.
The three underrated shows on Prime Video you need to watch in January aren’t new, but they have flown under the radar since they debuted as far back as almost a decade ago. They have each ended their run already, but these shows are worth watching if you want to add another great series to your roster. Since they’re done, you can get the full story from start to finish.
Undone (2019-2022)
This animated psychological comedy-drama for adults spotlights Alma Winograd-Diaz, a Mexican American woman who gets into a terrible car crash. The aftereffects seem to give her the ability to manipulate and move through time. She uses this newfound power to try and find out what really happened when her father died.
Undone ran for two seasons, but the second took more than two years years to come to fruition. Featuring stunningly realistic animation, the result of a combination of motion capture and rotoscoping, the series is a sight to behold. With an almost perfect Rotten Tomatoes critic score, Undone, which also stars Better Call Saul‘s Bob Odenkirk as Alma’s deceased father, has been described by critics as a “kaleidoscopic existential crisis.”
Stream Undone on Prime Video.
Sneaky Pete (2015-2019)
Marius (Giovanni Ribisi) is a talented con man who thinks he has devised the perfect plan. He pretends to be his cellmate Pete (Ethan Embry) to avoid the wrath of a vicious gangster. Pete went to jail when he was still young, so Marius decides to assume the young man’s identity in the real world. Using all the stories and details the loose-lipped Pete told him about his life, Marius even ingratiates himself into Pete’s extended family, which is none the wiser that this man is not actually their long-lost loved one.
Sure, the premise of Sneaky Pete might sound runbelievable. But considering real-life stories like that of Frédéric Bourdin, who pretended to be missing boy Nicholas Patrick Barclay (the subject of the documentary The Imposter), maybe it is feasible. It doesn’t really matter because Ribisi shines in the role alongside other cast members like Margo Martindale, Peter Gerety, Shane McRae, and Marin Ireland (Eileen). Co-created by Bryan Cranston, who also has a small role, Sneaky Pete ran for three seasons. It will keep you at the edge of your seat waiting for the next shoe to drop on Marius. You’ll also feel torn when Marius begins to grow closer to the family he’s supposed to con.
Stream Sneaky Pete on Prime Video.
Paper Girls (2022)
Fans were devastated when Paper Girls was canceled after just a single season. If you can’t wait for season 5 of Stranger Things, Paper Girls is a similar 1980s-set story focused on teens, but with an all-female cast. It begins on Halloween night when a group of teenage girls delivering newspapers somehow get caught up in time travel. As they move through space and time, they meet future versions of themselves. Not all of the girls like what they see, and the ability to change fate proves tempting.
It’s baffling that Paper Girls was canceled given how well it was received. The series has an 87% Rotten Tomatoes critics score and 90% audience score, suggesting it was a beloved show that got the ax far too soon.
Stream Paper Girls on Prime Video.
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