Are you ready to get your binge on? Amazon Prime Video is the latest TV streaming service to hit Australia and there are some great shows on offer. At WhistleOut, we love talking about TV and we've pooled together our top picks to help you find your next weekend watch.
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Prime Video
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Prime Video
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Fleabag
Kate's comment: What started as a one-woman play has turned into a thought-provoking, hilarious and heart-breaking television series.
Kate's rating:
Our titular character, known only as Fleabag, invites viewers into her world as a 30-something woman just going through the motions of life. At the beginning it seems like her day-to-day is pretty normal; dealing with a quirky family, the mishaps of dating and the trials of running your own business. But as we know, there's always more simmering away below the surface as we witness a woman dealing with grief and loss, and using her dry and witty humour to deflect.
It's laugh-out-loud funny as our protagonist breaks the fourth wall to let us in on her thoughts on life, love and everything in between. Fleabag is crude, crass and completely charismatic. - Kate Reynolds
Creators: Phoebe Waller-Bridge | Cast: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Olivia Coleman, Brett Gelman, Bill Paterson, Sian Clifford | Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Genre: Comedy.
Fallout
Nathan's notes: An incredible achievement for a game adaptation that's equal parts hilarious and harrowing
Nathan's rating:
There are many reasons to love the Fallout games, but chief among them is the world and the tone. Mercifully, those two factors are the strongest parts of the Fallout TV series, which is less an adaptation and more a different medium telling new stories in the shared narrative space. \
The best bit is, even if you're not a fan of the Fallout games, you're in for a treat. And if you are a fan, well, there are extra layers of enjoyment because you'll appreciate the little details and the significance of factions, locations, and even certain acronyms.
Fallout is primarily split between the intertwining tales of vault dweller Lucy (Ella Purnell), a hundreds-of-years-old irradiated 'ghoul' (Walton Goggins), and a member of a militarised sect, Maximus (Aaron Moten). Each episode is equal parts brutal and side-splitting, set in an alternative future whose inhabitants' ethics are often as deformed as the irradiated creatures that populate the wasteland.
Creator: Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Graham Wagner | Cast: Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Walton Goggins | Language: English | Rating: R18+
Genre: Postapocalyptic drama
Available on: Prime
Video
2 Broke Girls
Anula's notions: Sweet, frosted trash.
Anula's rating:
If you're looking for something that will challenge you intellectually then don't watch this. If on the other hand you want some sassy, sitcom trash then strap yourself in.
2 Broke Girls is a take on the buddy cop, opposites attract trope. Max (Kat Dennings) is and always has been perpetually broke - she works hard for very little in exchange just to keep herself afloat. While on the other hand Caroline (Beth Behrs) came from money, never had to work and has recently lost it all.
One of Max's money making manouvers is baking, and selling cupcakes at the diner the two girls wait at. Using Caroline's business skills, and Max's penchant for baking the ladies team up to maybe become a little bit less broke. - Anula Wiwatowska
Creators: Whitney Cummings, Michale Patrick King, Liz Feldman | Cast: Kat Dennings, Beth Behrs, Jennifer Coolidge, Matthew Moy | Language: English | Rating: PG
Genre: Sitcom
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Reacher
Nathan's notes: A smart and action-packed thriller with a mountain of a lead who punches first and asks questions later
Nathan's rating:
When Tom Cruise was cast as the titular Jack Reacher in the movie adaptation of Lee Child's pulpy action-hero series, fans of the books were understandably upset. After all, Cruise's diminutive figure doesn't have the same intimidating silhouette as the six-foot-five-inch muscle mountain in the books. But Alan Ritchson does.
Entertainingly, Reacher is more than just a height adjustment for its leading man. It's also a cracking action series built atop genuinely compelling mysteries and conspiracies that wanderer Jack Reacher perpetually finds himself caught up in.
Reacher is an ex-army type whose brains are in line with his plentiful brawn. What's lacking is tact, with Richtson's Reacher finding it difficult to suppress his strong moral code for too long, often with deadly effect. The first season is a strong start for lone wolf Reacher, before season two unites him with his old crew for a different feel. Season three reverts to just Jack. But while the feel of each season changes, the action-packed, thriller-heavy, surprisingly funny heart carries over.
Creator: Nick Santora | Cast: Alan Rithson, Maria Sten, Malcolm Goodwin | Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Genre: Action thriller
Available on: Prime
Video
Modern Love
Anula's notions: Real life love stories aren't just about the ending.
Anula's rating:
Based on a series of short essays published in the New York Times, these film adaptations follow the real life love stories of people in New York city. Each episode is a stand alone piece telling the writer's story with the help of an impressive line up of actors.
Not every love story has a happy ending, and not every love story is about falling head over heels for another. Modern Love looks at stories of mental illness, loving yourself, friendships, and of course there are a few traditional rom-com moments as well. - Anula Wiwatowska
Creators: John Carney | Cast: Anne Hathaway, Tina Fey, Dev Patel, Andrew Scott, Cristin Millioti | Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Genre: Anthropological heart wrench
Battlestar Galactica
Alex's analysis: An all-time sci-fi great.
Alex's rating:
The 2004 reboot of Battlestar Galactica is easily one of the most important modern sci-fis. Despite being set in the stars, Battlestar is character driven through and through, playing out as a drama on a spaceship that tackles politics, religions, human nature, and more. And hey, the overarching narrative is pretty cool too. After an advance man-made race known as the Cylons wipe-out most of humanity, the survivors set out in search of a new home. A must watch, even if you're not normally into science fiction - Alex Choros
Creators: Ronald D. Moore | Cast: Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, Tricia Helfer, Grace Park | Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Genre: Science Fiction
Carnival Row
Anula's notion: Faeries and other mystical creatures are refugees on Carnival Row, existing in the midst of a Jack the Ripper-esque murder investigation.
Anula's rating:
Detective Philo (Orlando Bloom) is running away from a troubled past, when an abrupt reminder comes in the form of faerie Vignette Stonemoss (Cara Delevingne). The series takes a stark look at diaspora and the tensions that grow when worlds are forced to collide - Anula Wiwatowska
Cast: Orlando Bloom, Cara Delevingne, Simon McBurney | Language: English | Rating: M
Genre: Fantasy, drama
Fresh Meat
Alex's analysis: The epitome of awkward comedy.
Alex's rating:
Fresh Meat encapsulates the awkwardness of not quite knowing your place in the world, following a group of students who have just moved into a sharehouse for their first year of university. Packed full of sharp British humour and characters you'll actually care about, Fresh Meat keeps getting better the more you watch it - Alex Choros
Creator: Sam Bain, Jesse Armstrong | Cast: Zawe Ashton, Greg McHugh, Kimberley Nixon, Charlotte Ritchie, Joe Thomas, Jack Whitehall | Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Genre: Quirky Brit comedy
The Boys
Anula's notion: Being a superhero isn't all that heroic.
Anula's rating:
Imagine a world where super heroes actually existed, backed by big sponsors, brands, and used their infamy to manipulate, influence, and abuse. The Boys strikes a very real chord, showing that super powers don't automatically make you a good person, and that power and corruption dance hand in hand - Anula Wiwatowska
Cast: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr | Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Genre: Action, Comedy
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#1
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Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
Editor's Pick
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$57.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
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#2
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amaysim
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN50
$45/mth
Min. cost $45
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#3
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Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN 50/20
$64.90/mth
Min. cost $64.90
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Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
Jacqui's gist: If Jane Austen had written about rival magicians and creepy fairies, she would have written Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.
Jacqui's rating:
In this alternative version of Regency England, not only is magic real, it is respectable. Or at least, that is what the foremost magician of the age, Mr Norrell, wishes to make it. Mr Norrell is on a quest to civilise English magic. But his talented apprentice, Jonathan Strange, has other ideas. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is one of the greatest fantasy novels ever written, and this BBC adaptation more than does it justice. Clever, witty, filled with daring exploits and all the charm of the 19th Century, there's nothing else quite like it - Jacqui Dent
Cast: Bertie Carvel, Eddie Marsan, Marc Warren, Charlotte Riley, Alice Englert, Ariyon Bakare | Language: English | Rating: 16+
Genre: Historical fantasy
Undone
Alex's analysis: A mind-bending time travel adventure with a distinctly human core
Alex's rating:
Created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg and Kate Purdy of BoJack Horseman fame, Undone isn't the simplest show to explain. After 28-year old Alma gets into a car accident, she finds she can see through time. And see her dead father. Who wants her to solve his murder. Cool and Normal.
Couple this with surreal rotoscoped animation, and you start to feel like you're in a dream. While the premise may sound wacky, Undone mostly plays it straight to tell a tender, heartfelt story. Easily a contender for one of 2019's best new shows - Alex Choros
Creators: Raphael Bob-Waksberg, Kate Purdy | Cast: Rosa Salazar, Angelique Cabral, Constance Marie, Bob Odenkirk | Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Genre: Time travel dramedy
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#1
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Dodo
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Editor's Pick
nbn100 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
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#2
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amaysim
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
NBN100
$50/mth
Min. cost $50
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#3
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Superloop
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Family nbn100/20
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
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Good Omens
Jacqui's gist: A Prime Original hit of Biblical proportions.
Jacqui's rating:
Aziraphale is an angel. Crowley is a demon. They're the two representatives of heaven and hell on Earth and they are best friends. Sort of. Over the millennia, Crowley and Aziraphale become pretty comfy in their lives on Earth. So when the prophesied End of Days arrives, they're not so keen to play their part. Instead, they team up, to see if Armageddon can be stopped.
Based on the best-selling novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, and starring David Tennant and Michael Sheen, Good Omens is bloody good TV - Jacqui Dent
Creators: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett | Cast: David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Adria Arjona, Jack Whitehall | Language: English | Rating: 16+
Genre: Biblical comedy
The Expanse
Alex's analysis: A sophisticated sci-fi that juggles intimate stories with galaxy-threatening stakes.
Alex's rating:
If you miss Battlestar Galactica and Stargate, The Expanse is sure to scratch the sci-fi itch. Based on the novels by James S. A. Corey, the series ties a missing girl and the destruction of a colony ship into a conspiracy that threatens Earth, Mars, and the Asteroid Belt. Part detective story, part space opera, part political thriller, The Expanse blends its disparate elements into a compelling, unified whole - Alex Choros
Creator: Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby | Cast: Thomas Jane, Steven Strait, Cas Anvar, Dominque Tipper | Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Genre: Gritty science fiction
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#1
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Superloop
FTTP, HFC
Creator nbn250/100
$82/mth
Min. cost $82
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#2
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Aussie Broadband
FTTP
Super-Fast Pro nbn - Unlimited
$114/mth
Min. cost $114
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The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
Jacqui's gist: A 1950s housewife tries her hand at stand-up comedy and discovers she rocks at it.
Jacqui's rating:
I'm not sure I can remember the last time I watched a show that was so defiantly hopeful. I mean, it's about a woman trying to have a career in the 1950s. A public career, at that. You know she's going to face issues and those issues might get you down. They might make you feel depressed, disheartened, defeated. But The Marvellous Mrs Maisel is not going to let you down like that. This show is determined to do better, damn it and, by gosh, it succeeds.
The Marvellous Mrs Maisel is not without its faults. Mrs Maisel is a character that I didn't always like. But she's also a character that I did often love and at the end of the season I cried tears of joy for her. And if that's not a recommendation, I don't know what is - Jacqui Dent
Creators: Amy Sherman-Palladino | Cast: Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen, Tony Shalhoub | Language: English | Rating: 18+
Genre: Comedy about comedians
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The Terror
Jacqui's gist: When two British explorer ships become trapped in the ice of the arctic north, the crew find themselves hunted by a mysterious beast.
Jacqui's rating:
It's hard to believe The Terror wasn't made by the BBC. It's got with everything you know and love about historical drama from the UK's national broadcaster – intelligence, nuance, slow-burning tension, skilful performances and a healthy dose of stiff upper lip. Add to that a dark, gripping horror and you get a result that's utterly enthralling. If it weren't for the unfortunately poor CGI in some scenes, this show would get five stars - Jacqui Dent
Creators: David Kajganich, Max Borenstein, Alexander Woo | Cast: Jared Harris, Tobias Menzies, Paul Ready | Language: English | Rating: 16+
Genre: Brooding horror
Mozart in the Jungle
Alex's analysis: A whimsical classical music comedy that radiates charm.
Alex's rating:
If you're sick and tired of dark and gritty TV, Mozart in the Jungle is the perfect antidote. This highly bingeable series is set behind the scenes of the New York Symphony, focusing on burgeoning friendship between an ambitious young oboist and an eccentric conductor. If you thought rock stars had all the fun, Mozart in the Jungle will prove you wrong - Alex Choros
Creators: Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, Alex Timbers | Cast: Gael Garcia Bernal, Lola Kirke, Saffron Burrows, Bernadette Peters | Language: English | Rating: M
Genre: Classical-goes-punk comedy
Parks and Recreation
Tara's take: If you loved The Office and like your comedy with lots of heart, Parks and Recreation is mandatory viewing.
Tara's rating:
Former Saturday Night Live star Amy Poehler is perfectly cast as Leslie Knope, the eternally hopeful, politically ambitious small-town government employee with dreams of building a park in a (literal) pit. While the short first season is a little hit-or-miss, the show really hits its stride from the second season onward, solidifying its main cast and, eventually, seeing Leslie move beyond the simple dream of park-building to something more.
With an abundance of one-liners and running jokes, and an endearing ensemble cast, there’s plenty to love about Parks and Recreation. Treat yo’self - Tara Donnelly
Creators: Greg Daniels, Michael Schur | Cast: Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Aziz Ansarie | Language: English | Rating: M
Genre: Irreverent office comedy
Sneaky Pete
Jacqui's gist: Addictive crime drama for anyone who loves a good long con.
Jacqui's rating:
Never tell your life story to a convicted con artist. It should be sensible life advice for anyone to follow. But when professional hustler Marius Josopovic finds himself in prison with the overly chatty Pete, he takes note and takes advantage when angry gangsters come looking for him on release day.
Assuming Pete's identity, Marius stages a reunion with Pete's long lost grandparents, looking for an easy hideout and a quick score. But the Bowman family aren't easy marks and they have secrets of their own. Sneaky Pete is a wheels within wheels story that will keep you guessing at every turn. Don't watch if you have other plans. It's addictive - Jacqui Dent
Creators: Bryan Cranston, David Shore | Cast: Giovanni Ribisi, Marin Ireland, Shane McRae | Language: English | Rating: 18+
Genre: Crime caper
Wire in the Blood
Jacqui's gist: Robson Green stars as Dr Tony Hill, a brilliant psychological profiler who can get inside the heads of the most depraved serial killers.
Jacqui's rating:
Before Luther, Mindhunter, The Fall or Killing Eve, there was Wire in the Blood - one of the most deliciously creepy shows to come out of the BBC. This show from the early 2000s has a way of getting under your skin. Thanks to haunting soundtrack, superb cinematography and riveting performances, it will stay with you, whether you want it to or not - Jacqui Dent
Cast: Robson Green, Hermione Norris, Emma Handy | Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Genre: Psychological thriller
Jacqui Dent
Editorial Strategist
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