Another weekend arrives, and lucky for us, so does another opportunity for a cozy binge with some of the best shows Amazon Prime Video has to offer—two of which I’ve seen and did not regret watching. My top recommendation, though, is the first thing I’ll be diving into this weekend, right along with you. It’s hard for voracious consumers like me to avoid shows that boast a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score.
So, grab your snacks, turn off the phone, and lock your doors, because a good binge with a humorous comedy, a visually stunning Western, and a light-hearted police procedural are in store. Let’s explore!
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The English
With Westerns, one thing I think we all look forward to seeing is stellar cinematography with stunning, expansive visuals that capture the essence of the story at hand. Six-part miniseries The English is packed full of both and is quite a sight to behold.
Set in 1890, our story follows Lady Cornelia Locke (Emily Blunt), an aristocratic English woman, as she sets out into the wilds of a newly minted landscape built on dreams and blood, fueled by the vengeance she seeks against the man she holds responsible for her son’s death. Along the way, she teams up with Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer, of The Twilight Saga: New Moon), a Pawnee man who lost everything to the American invasion, then served as a cavalry scout for over a decade. Together, they cross the violent landscape that is the American West.
This is a dense, slow-burn narrative played out on a grand scale, with captivating, top-notch performances from Blunt and Spencer. The story is just as beautiful, brutal, and bloody as the old American West was, and its revenge plot adds depth to its emotional weight. It also features an interesting blend of classic genre tropes with modern sensibilities and an insightful British perspective on the American frontier. Ciarán Hinds (Belfast), Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), and Stephen Rea (The Crying Game) also star.
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The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh
If you’re looking for a quick, super-funny binge, The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh is a solid choice. It was the last sitcom series released on Amazon Freevee before the service was discontinued.
We follow the humorous yet tumultuous events of the Pradeep family as they move from India to the U.S. to pursue their American dream. When we meet them, it’s from an interrogation room, where they’re attempting to prove their innocence to a pair of government agents. The one-season series lays out everything that has unfolded for them in the two years since they arrived in Pittsburgh, including professional obstacles, dead rabbits, and most of all, their neighbor, Stu (Nicholas Hamilton, of It), in a story full of humor, heartbreak, and the increasingly complicated pursuit of respective American Dreams.
Though canceled too soon, the show is still worth watching for its humorous, light-hearted perspective of the immigrant experience through cultural clashes, family dynamics, and a mysterious FBI investigation. If you’re a fan of sitcoms like Fresh Off the Boat and Kim’s Convenience, you’ll thoroughly enjoy The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh as your definite weekend binge. Naveen Andrews (Lost) stars, along with Sindhu Vee (Matilda: The Musical), Sahana Srinivasan (Brainchild), Arjun Sriram, Ashwin Sakthivel, and Ethan Suplee (Remember the Titans).
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Wild Cards
It’s rare for a television show to elicit and maintain a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, but Wild Cards has done it, so it’s time to see what all the hype is about. A Vancouver-set police procedural with a comedic twist, its premise seems simple—an unlikely duo that includes a spirited, clever con woman and a by-the-book, sardonic cop team up to solve crimes and, in the process, redeem themselves.
See, Ellis (Giacomo Gianniotti, of Grey’s Anatomy) is a demoted detective called to transport Max (Vanessa Morgan, of Riverdale), a transient con artist, after she’s arrested. While awaiting booking at the station, she cracks a major case for him involving the mayor’s friends, and as a result, both are given a huge opportunity. If they want it, they must find a way to work together. It’s a peek into what it means to truly trust another person and form an unflinching partnership.
Wild Cards features a magnetic, layered performance from Morgan and easy-to-watch mysteries, with more than enough comedic chemistry wrapped in plenty of “will they/won’t they” tension for fans of shows like Castle and Bones. The characters are likable, the banter is contagious, witty, and full of pop culture references, and 90210 heartthrob Jason Priestley stars as a cast regular.
Whatever your taste for entertainment craves this weekend, I hope one of these shows does the trick. However, as you wade through the weekend, if you find you’re in the mood for a different type of show on Prime Video, don’t sweat it. The streamer has plenty of documentaries you’ll actually want to watch, and that’ll keep you informed and entertained.
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Yes, via Prime membership or $9/month
- Simultaneous streams
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