Are you taking full advantage of yourAmazon Prime Videosubscription? It grants access to a wealth of TV shows, some of which make for perfect weekend viewing—the types of shows that you can speedily binge and don’t require a huge time commitment.
Whether you seek big names, big thrills, or big laughs, I’ve rounded up three Prime Video shows that are bound to please.
2016 - present
1
6
6 hours
Status
Ongoing
Tom Hiddleston is a fantastic and versatile actor, but many know him primarily from his entertaining turn as Loki in the Marvel universe. For something a bit different, I recommendThe Night Manager, in which Hiddleston stars as the dashing Jonathan Pine, a former soldier who now works in the hotel business. After a murder, Pine reluctantly agrees to go undercover to snoop on Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), a menacing arms dealer.
Based on a novel by the great John le Carré,The Night Manageris suitably thrilling and grand. It has stunning locations that wouldn’t look out of place in aBondmovie (and many considered this Hiddleston’s audition for that iconic spy role), but it also succeeds at telling a tight and powerful story about love and loyalty. Plus, it’s not just the main duo who put in top performances—the likes of Olivia Colman and Tom Hollander are excellent.
The first season debuted in 2016 and it looked like that was it, but excitingly two more seasons are on the way. While a release date is yet to be confirmed (though late 2025 is possible), we do know that Hiddleston is returning for a continued story that is set to take place partly in Colombia.
2016 - 2019
2
12
5 hours 12 minutes
Ended
Fleabagbegan life as a one-woman show created and performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She then went on to adapt it for television a few years later, with two seasons that maintain high quality from beginning to end. The show has won countless awards and you’ll quickly understand why—it’s hilarious, relatable, and beautifully poignant.
Waller-Bridge stars as the protagonist, Fleabag; many other characters are also only given silly names, like Bus Rodent and Hot Misogynist. She’s a dysfunctional young woman living an unsatisfying life in London, struggling with dating, money, and family. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, Fleabag retains her wit, often delivering funny reactions or comments directly to the camera. The show succeeds as both a drama and a comedy, which isn’t always an easy balance.
Andrew Scott appears as a regular in the second season and his role as the Hot Priest set the internet ablaze. He’s brilliant, as he always is, but so too is Sian Clifford as Fleabag’s sister, along with supporting cast like Hugh Skinner, Fiona Shaw, and Olivia Colman (yes, you can have a Colman-filled weekend with this andThe Night Manager). It’s unlikelyFleabagwill ever return for a third season, but that’s perfectly fine—the show ends satisfyingly and feels complete.
2025
10
7 hours 47 minutes
Unconfirmed
Bosch, a police procedural starring Titus Welliver and based on the novels by Michael Connelly, is one of Amazon’s most popular original shows. It ran for seven seasons before spin-offBosch: Legacypicked up the torch for a further three. Those shows are closely linked, to the point where it makes the most sense to watch them in order. However,Ballard, the latest entry in theBoschuniverse, can be easily enjoyed by series veterans and newcomers alike.
Maggie Q plays the title role of Renée Ballard, a capable detective who heads up the LAPD’s new cold case unit—though she works out of a basement, surrounded by a team of volunteers. The usual genre tropes are here—corruption, inner demons, serial murder—but it elevates beyond that thanks to its gripping story, well-rounded characters, and a standout performance from Q.
Although Amazon hasn’t officially renewed the show for a second season, apparently the writers are already at work planning the story. Hopefully they’re not getting ahead of themselves, but it would be a big mistake for Amazon to not serve us moreBallard, so fingers crossed.
It’s not always easy todecide what to watch on streaming, so I hope you enjoy these shows that I’ve watched and personally recommend. I’ll be back next weekend to dish up further gems.
Amazon Prime Video
All of these series, along with plenty of other original and licensed movies and shows, are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
