4 Best Prime Video Thrillers No One Remembers

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Prime Video has many popular thriller series, but a few excellent ones haven’t gotten the attention they deserve, such as The Girlfriend and Swarm. Some thrillers are so complex they benefit from a second viewing, while others are simply too unsettling for most people to watch more than once.

Thrillers come in many forms, from lighthearted mysteries to intensely dark and disturbing psychological stories. A quick look at lesser-known thriller shows on Netflix proves the genre has always been incredibly varied.

Sometimes, even well-reviewed thrillers don’t become popular with viewers. These shows might get good feedback from critics, but they don’t quite break through into the mainstream. From over-the-top and fun thrillers to dark and intense psychological dramas, these Prime Video series deserved a wider audience.

The Rig

Custom Image by Antonella Gugliersi.

The thriller series The Rig takes place on a North Sea oil rig and stars Emily Hampshire (from Schitt’s Creek) and Iain Glen (Game of Thrones). When a strange, mysterious fog rolls in, the rig is completely cut off from the outside world. The show is a creepy and unsettling story with supernatural elements.

Featuring strong performances from Martin Compson and Mark Addy, The Rig is a gripping and surprising thriller. The story centers around a mysterious fog that infects the crew of an oil rig, altering their behavior. It’s eventually revealed that an ancient parasite has awakened from the ocean depths below, a plot twist that deserved to attract a wider audience.

The Devil’s Hour

While the supernatural aspects of The Rig may have deterred some viewers looking for a simple thriller, The Devil’s Hour had a different effect. Featuring Peter Capaldi (formerly of Doctor Who), this chilling and atmospheric thriller centers on Gideon Shepherd, a criminal who believes he remembers events before they happen. He teams up with a social worker who appears to have psychic abilities to investigate a series of crimes.

“The Devil’s Hour” was even more unsettling than it appeared, leaving audiences constantly questioning whether Peter Capaldi’s character was trying to prevent the crimes or was actually involved in them. The cleverly constructed plot of this twisty thriller follows a compassionate but troubled social worker who attempts to solve a series of violent murders, with help from Shepherd, but requires a second viewing to fully grasp all the intricacies.

Initially, Shepherd appears to be a typical villain disguising his true intentions while manipulating the main character. But as The Devil’s Hour progresses towards its surprising ending, it becomes evident that the story is far more complex than it first appears.

The Girlfriend

Many of these shows had the potential to attract a large audience, and The Rig actually earned a renewal for a second season in January 2025, even though its first season didn’t receive a lot of positive attention. However, The Girlfriend is the newest Prime Video thriller that hasn’t quite hit the mark with viewers, but there’s still hope it can gain popularity.

The series The Girlfriend is based on Michelle Frances’ novel and stars Robin Wright as Laura Sanderson. The story centers around Laura’s reaction to her son’s new girlfriend, Cherry Laine. While it may seem like a typical mother-son relationship story, the show gradually reveals the surprising reason behind Laura’s strong reaction, culminating in a twist ending.

Laura and her son have a disturbingly close bond, and Cherry quickly begins to question her involvement after seeing them together. This twisty, original, and darkly humorous thriller deserved to be a hit for Prime Video.

Honestly, after that first season quietly disappeared from everyone’s minds last September, I was worried. But thankfully, The Girlfriend is a breath of fresh air – it’s genuinely original, takes risks, and keeps you guessing. I really hope it gets the recognition it deserves because it could finally bring some much-needed attention back to what is, frankly, a series that deserves to be seen.

Swarm

Donald Glover’s show Atlanta is widely considered one of the best of the 21st century, but his later series, Swarm, didn’t receive the same praise. Though critics generally liked the 2023 thriller, which tells the story of an obsessive fan whose life spirals out of control because of her devotion to a pop star, it didn’t attract a large audience.

Despite a somewhat confusing ending, Swarm is a compelling watch for thriller lovers. Dominique Fishback delivers a fantastic performance as the unsettling Dre, and she truly carries the series. Even with its flaws, her captivating and emotionless portrayal makes the show worthwhile.

Like the most disturbing and hilarious episodes of Atlanta, Swarm is a thought-provoking and unsettling look at the intensity of fandom. It didn’t get the attention it deserved when it came out in 2023, but it’s a show worth discovering now, along with other excellent, overlooked thrillers on Prime Video like The Girlfriend.

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2025-11-18 23:09