8 Best Thriller TV Shows On Prime Video, Ranked

Prime Video isn’t always the first place people look for thrilling shows, but it’s shown it can deliver with popular hits like the series based on Lee Child’s Reacher. Although some of its well-reviewed thrillers haven’t stayed in the spotlight for long, Prime Video continues to invest in making more.

As a thriller fan, I’ve been keeping tabs on what Prime Video’s been offering since they jumped into the streaming wars, and they’ve really covered the spectrum – everything from straightforward crime dramas based on popular books to twisty, character-driven psychological thrillers. While a lot of their strongest titles are adaptations – which makes sense, good source material is always a plus – they’ve also surprised me with some originals. Donald Glover’s Swarm from 2023 is a perfect example – seriously, it’s a fantastic, and I think unfairly overlooked, psychological thriller.

Despite their different styles, these eight shows all deliver a truly thrilling experience. They’re unpredictable, clever, and keep you on the edge of your seat – making them some of the best thrillers available on Prime Video. While Netflix boasts acclaimed adaptations like the 2024 series Ripley, Prime Video clearly holds its own with these classic thriller options.

8. The Girlfriend

Image courtesy of Everett Collection

The 2025 film The Girlfriend, based on Michelle Frances’ 2018 novel, follows Cherry, played by Olivia Cooke, as she starts a relationship with a wealthy and seemingly perfect man. However, she soon discovers complications due to his unusually close bond with his mother.

As the main character investigates, she discovers troubling secrets about the relationship between a mother and son. Meanwhile, her boyfriend’s mother learns some surprising things about the character’s past. Emma Cooke, known for her role in House of the Dragon, delivers a great performance in this fast-paced, over-the-top thriller, which is full of unexpected twists and turns.

The ending of The Girlfriend is genuinely surprising, even for seasoned thriller fans. It’s a wildly creative and enjoyable film, firmly establishing itself as a campy, classic psychological thriller alongside Netflix’s The Hunting Wives and movies like A Simple Favor.

7. The Rig

Compared to the lighthearted and quirky show The Girlfriend, The Rig is a significantly more intense and suspenseful thriller. Featuring Emily Hampshire, known from Schitt’s Creek, and Iain Glen, who appeared in Game of Thrones, The Rig is set on an oil platform where the crew members begin to get sick after a strange fog rolls in, isolating them from the outside world.

Before they can even think of classic horror like “The Fog” or “The Mist,” these workers stumble upon something terrifying while drilling. This discovery kicks off a chilling supernatural thriller, mixing horror, suspense, and compelling characters as they struggle to control the ancient evil they’ve awakened.

6. We Were Liars

While the ending of The Girlfriend might catch you off guard, the emotional twist in We Were Liars is even more shocking. E. Lockhart’s novel, We Were Liars, originally published in 2014, famously broke the hearts of readers everywhere.

It took ten years for the story of love, wealth, and secrets to become a TV show. We Were Liars focuses on the Sinclair family, who appear happy and successful as they spend every summer on their private island. Cadence, their teenage daughter, feels unhappy with her comfortable, sheltered life and wants something more.

Although it seems like Cady’s friends help her find a way out, the story in We Were Liars turns out to be much more complex and heartbreaking, culminating in a shocking twist. The novel is skillfully constructed, and while it’s more than just its ending, We Were Liars is well-known for its bold and unexpected final reveal.

5. Swarm

Premiering in 2023, Swarm didn’t achieve the same critical success as Donald Glover’s earlier show, Atlanta. This was unfortunate, as the series offered a clever and insightful critique of obsessive fan culture, and Dominique Fishback delivered a standout performance as Dre, the show’s complex and unsettling main character. Dre is a fiercely devoted—and often frightening—fan of a popular singer.

Despite her disturbing actions, Dre is portrayed as surprisingly relatable, and as the story becomes more outlandish and darkly funny, she even evokes sympathy. While Dre’s pursuit of fame led to her own downfall, actress Dominique Fishback avoids playing her as a simple villain, instead revealing the underlying sadness and vulnerability of the character.

4. Ballard

Though Ballard just premiered in July 2025, it’s quickly becoming one of Prime Video’s top thriller series. Unlike the ambiguous ending of Swarm, the first season of Ballard clearly sets the stage for what’s to come, and it’s obvious the show is a success.

Starring Maggie Q, Ballard is a new detective series inspired by the books of Michael Connelly. As a continuation of the popular Bosch and Bosch: Legacy shows, Ballard centers on a detective trying to improve the way the LAPD investigates old, unsolved cases. It’s a fast-paced, engaging show with plenty of surprises, making it perfect for fans of police procedurals.

3. Cross

The TV series Cross, based on James Patterson’s Alex Cross novels, features Aldis Hodge as the detective of the same name. In the first season, Cross deals with the recent death of his wife while trying to manage his work as a homicide detective and control his anger.

Okay, so the first season of Cross really delivered a good ending, which was great. But the best news? We’re getting a second season! It’s not coming until 2026, which feels like a ways off, but I’m especially excited to see Hodge back as Patterson – I was really hooked on their detective work and can’t wait to see what happens next.

2. The Devil’s Hour

In The Devil’s Hour, written by Tom Moran, Peter Capaldi—best known as Doctor Who—plays Gideon Shepherd, a mysterious criminal who claims to foresee the future. He unexpectedly assists social worker Lucy Chambers in solving a series of disturbing murders that are terrorizing her community.

With its unique and suspenseful story, and a constant feeling of unease, The Devil’s Hour is the most disturbing show on this list. It’s a thriller that really benefits from repeat viewings – the first time you’ll be captivated by the creepy atmosphere, and the second time, you’ll fully appreciate how cleverly the plot unfolds and all the pieces fall into place with its surprising ending.

1. Reacher

Prime Video has found success with thriller series like Reacher, Ballard, and Cross, proving that crime shows can work well on streaming platforms – especially when they’re based on popular, long-running novels by bestselling authors. While all three shows are popular, Reacher has emerged as the most successful of the three.

Despite the failure of Prime Video’s costly thriller, Citadel, the experience highlights that building on established, popular stories is often a safer bet than creating entirely new ones. The success of Reacher – which cost less to produce – demonstrates this, as it became a huge hit in the same year. 2022 showed that a lower budget didn’t prevent Reacher from attracting a large audience.

Unlike many Prime Video thrillers like Ballard, Cross, and Reacher, Citadel wasn’t based on a pre-existing book series. Reacher, however, successfully adapted Lee Child’s popular novels, pleasing both longtime fans and attracting new viewers, and became Prime Video’s biggest thriller hit so far.

2025-11-25 23:03