Amazon Prime offers one of the many streaming services available to which people can subscribe. Like other streaming services, it offers a variety of content, from original content to other films and shows they gained the rights to stream.
Especially in the last five years, Amazon has produced a lot of content including well-received content such as Jack Ryan and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. These shows have rightfully received critical acclaim. However, there have unfortunately been some Amazon Originals that were overlooked in favor of Amazon’s bigger shows. Here is a look at ten underrated Amazon Originals from the past five years.
10 The Tick
The Tick follows the titular superhero as he combats crime and tries to figure out who the mastermind is behind all of the crime. He, with the help of his sidekick he eventually acquires, learns that The Terror, who was previously dead, is orchestrating the crimes.
The show was run by the creator of the comic book of the same name, Ted Edlund, and featured talents such as Peter Serafinowicz and Brendan Hines. In spite of the talent working behind and in front of the camera, the show only lasted for two seasons on Amazon, and, according to the showrunner, no other television distributor was interested in taking on the show.
9 Carnival Row
Carnival Row is a new series to Amazon, premiering this last August. It is about mythological creatures fleeing their war-torn homes. The show also involves a number of murders and conspiracies, heightening the stakes of the show.
Carnival Row has been renewed for a second season, meaning it is currently doing well. However, it earned a spot on this list due to receiving mixed reviews, with a tendency toward a lower score, and it has not been given as much attention on social media as other shows such as Mrs. Maisel has.
8 The New Yorker Presents
The New Yorker Presents is a documentary series about a number of cartoons, poems, other documentaries, comedy pieces, among other things, that The New Yorker magazine has released. There was only one season with eleven thirty-minute episodes released. Along with the examination of The New Yorker‘s content, each episode features a different filmmaker, who follow professionals in different fields of study.
It does not look like the show will get another season, which is unfortunate. Fans of the magazine are sure to enjoy this additional content, provided courtesy of Amazon.
7 Sneaky Pete
Sneaky Pete is the story of Marius Josipovic, a con man who tries to turn his life around after a stint in jail. However, he is being sought out by a gangster he had robbed, causing him to assume the identity of his cellmate named Pete and reunites with Pete’s unsuspecting family.
The premise sounds a little odd, but the show is fun to watch. It also was rated favorably by critics. It makes this list still, though, due to the lack of attention it received on social media, similar to Carnival Row, and its lack of award nominations, only having Margo Martindale, who plays Audrey Bernhardt, receiving one nomination for Best Supporting Actress in the Critics’ Choice Television Awards in 2017. Throughout its three-season run, the show received no other recognition in the form of awards and nominations.
6 Goliath
Goliath is about a lawyer named Billy McBride whose career has gone downhill. Throughout the series, he seeks to redeem himself and re-establish his career. However, he has a difficult time doing so because of the rigged justice system.
Goliath has been renewed for its fourth and final season, with a release date to be determined. It also generally received high ratings. In spite of this, it has gone the way of Sneaky Pete and Carnival Row in that it hardly gets media attention with the exception of John Oliver occasionally bringing up how bad he thinks the show is on Last Week Tonight.
5 Lost In Oz
Lost in Oz is a children’s television show and an adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. The first season follows the book and its various adaptations in which Dorothy and Toto find themselves in Oz and must find their way home. The second season finds Dorothy still in the land of Oz in spite of her thinking she made it back to Kansas. She then has to return to Emerald City in order to protect it and earn her chance to truly return to Kansas.
This show was a fun take on the novel and the adaptations that preceded the show. It expanded Dorothy’s adventures in Oz in a way that was different from the books in which Dorothy was featured after the first book.
The show did receive high ratings from those who did watch it, but since it was a children’s show, it did not receive attention from adults without kids. This show probably could have gained a large fanbase similar to other children’s television shows that gained adult followings had more adults given it a chance.
4 The Last Tycoon
The Last Tycoon is an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel of the same name, which is also known as The Love of the Last Tycoon. The show takes place in Hollywood in 1936 and follows Monroe Stahr, a widower and film producer, as he struggles for influence against Pat Brady, his boss, in the studio at which they both work.
The show unfortunately only lasted for one season. The show could have continued on and could have proven to be successful. However, since it only received one season, it has been neglected by viewers, who probably believe the show had to be bad in order to be canceled. For fans of F. Scott Fitzgerald, though, it is worth a watch.
3 Z: The Beginning of Everything
Z: The Beginning of Everything is another Amazon Original made for fans of F. Scott Fitzgerald, or more particularly, his romance with Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald. The show is a period drama that follows the plot of the novel Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler. It tells a fictionalized version of Zelda Fitzgerald’s life and her romance with F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Z, like The Last Tycoon, unfortunately only lasted one season. It was supposed to have a second season, but Amazon rescinded the renewal. The show probably could have done well for itself with a second season, had Amazon given it the chance.
2 Lore
Lore is an anthology horror series with each episode exploring different creatures and stories in folklore. It is based on the podcast of the same name, and it is run by the podcast’s host, Alan Mahnke, who also acts as the show’s narrator.
The show acted as more content for fans of the podcast to consume and allowed viewers unfamiliar with the podcast to be exposed to it and its content. It is a fun show for fans of horror and mythology alike. In spite of its prominence due to the podcast and the books related to the podcast being published, Lore only lasted for two seasons.
1 One Mississippi
One Mississippi is a semi-autobiographical comedy series created and written by, and starring, comedian Tig Notaro. Diablo Cody, known for writing the film Juno, co-created the series. It chronicles how Notaro lost her mom, battled cancer, fought a C. difficile infection, and met her future wife (played by her real-life wife Stephanie Allynne) as the fictionalized version of herself named Tig Bavaro. The show was charming and witty and also drew from experiences of other women in the writer’s room.
Louis C.K.’s name was attached to the show until the sexual misconduct allegations against him arose, after which Notaro and the show cut all ties with C.K. The show only lasted two seasons with Amazon looking to create content for larger audiences but should have been given a longer run, just like other shows on this list.
