It may have pivoted to streaming later than Netflix, but Prime Video has proven time and time again that it can hold its own. Over the years, Amazon’s streaming service has made some bold moves for the sake of the original content. This much was evident with the company’s massive bid to score the rights to J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings universe for streaming.
At the same time, Prime Video has also gained much recognition for its work in several other genres. Since its launch, the streamer has been praised for Emmy-winning projects such as comedies like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Fleabag as well as action dramas like The Boys, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and the sci-fi series Fallout. In addition, its John Krasinski-led action series Jack Ryan has attracted a massive following during its four-season run.
Over the years, Prime has also had a lot of success in crime shows, even attracting some of Hollywood’s most recognizable talents to join the cast. As the streamer would eventually discover, big names don’t always lead to nominations, awards, and ultimately, renewals. In fact, some original crime shows on Prime Video have failed quite miserably despite all the star power behind them.
Watch: Bosch: Legacy
Bosch: Legacy sees the return of Titus Welliver as the titular character following the massive success of the original Bosch series. After Bosch ended its run in 2021, Bosch: Legacy immediately premiered the following year in May. The spinoff series became the first original series to debut on Amazon's Freevee.
In Bosch: Legacy, retired LAPD detective Bosch explores a new career as a private investigator. And this time around, he’s even willing to work cases with frenemy Honey “Money” Chandler (Mimi Rogers). As expected, Bosch: Legacy became an instant hit for Amazon. And while the show’s third season would be its last, fans would be happy to know that Amazon Studios isn’t done exploring the Bosch universe just yet. Meanwhile, Season 3, which was shot in 2024, is expected to premiere in 2025 on Prime Video (as Freevee has closed down)
Skip: Hand of God
There’s no doubt that Ron Perlman is a stellar talent and his versatility as an actor is quite evident following his varied successes in films and shows. In Prime’s Hand of God though, Perlman’s star isn’t able to shine as bright as his performance is weighed down by a story that’s all over the place. This crime drama tried to tackle so many big themes at once and ultimately, it failed.
In Hand of God, Perlman’s Judge Pernell Harris suffers a mental breakdown after his son attempts to take his own life. Convinced that God is speaking to him, Pernell also embarks on a quest to hunt down the man who raped his daughter-in-law and caused his family’s world to unravel. Aside from Perlman, the series also stars veteran actress Dana Delany.
Watch: Reacher
Following the box office success of Tom Cruise’s Jack Reacher movies, it made sense for Prime to adapt the franchise into a series. In the streamer’s Reacher, Alan Ritchson takes over the titular role of Cruise, playing a former Military Police Officer who finds himself in a lot of trouble early on. When the series opens, Reacher is accused of committing murder and soon discovers that he’s at the center of a conspiracy involving politicians and businessmen. Even worse, some cops are in on it too.
Back in October 2024, Amazon MGM Studios granted Reacher an early Season 4 renewal. Around the same time, the company also revealed its upcoming Reacher spinoff The Untitled Neagley Project, which will be headlined by the show’s Maria Sten who plays special investigator Frances Neagley.
Skip: American Rust: Broken Justice
Though American Rust didn’t quite work out for Showtime, Amazon saw the crime drama’s potential and took a chance. Following its network cancellation, Freevee picked up the show for a second season, which premiered on Prime Video in 2024. American Rust returned with its two main stars, Emmy winner Jeff Daniels and Golden Globe winner Maura Tierney. Despite this, however, the series didn’t do as well as expected.
In American Rust: Broken Justice, Daniels and Tierney’s Del Harris and Grace Poe are still reeling from the events of Season 1 when things spiral out of control in their small fictional town. Ultimately, however, there are just too many things going on at once in the story. Despite Daniels and Tierney’s incredible performances, the show feels like it’s all over the place a lot of times. The show never scored another renewal.
Watch: Deadloch
While a lot of hit crime shows on Prime come with star power, Deadloch has been a surprise hit for Prime Video. In this Australian crime procedural, life as people knew it in the sleepy town of Deadloch is disrupted after a dead body turns up on the beach during the Tasmanian Winter Festival. It’s up to two female detectives played by Kate Box and Madeleine Sami to solve the case with the help of Nina Oyama’s Abby who is a junior constable.
Unlike other crime procedurals, Deadloch approaches its case-solving with a side of dark and twisted humor, making for a truly binge-worthy show. Much to fan’s delight, Prime Video has also confirmed that the show has been renewed for a second season. This time, the women will also be joined by Aussie actor Luke Hemsworth who is also the older brother of Chris and Liam Hemsworth.
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