Amazon has emerged as a competitive player in the streaming wars with some huge hits with critics and audiences. Shows like Fleabag and The Boys have received huge acclaim and awards while also exciting the public at large. However, not every show can hit both of those marks.
There are some Amazon shows that have failed to impress critics very much. Whether they are new shows that didn't click or longer-running shows that never found their footing, the reviews were not overly positive. Yet even with the poor critical reception, these Amazon original series were still popular with fans.
Outer Range (2022)
As it is a very new show on Amazon, having just wrapped its first season, Outer Range could still very well win over critics in time. It was an instant fascination for fans, mixing shows like Yellowstone and The X-Files into a foreboding sci-fi drama set on a Wyoming ranch. It became Amazon's #1 show when it premiered.
There were elements of the show that critics praised, such as the cast led by Josh Brolin in the lead role. But overall, the reviews have been quite mixed with complaints about the slow pacing and too many subplots.
Jack Ryan (2018-)
There have been a number of actors who have stepped into the role of CIA analyst Jack Ryan in movies, from Harrison Ford to Chris Pine. John Krasinski took over the role for television, in the spy series that found Jack thwarting various crises around the world.
Jack Ryan became one of Amazon's biggest shows to date, and while it is looking to end after its fourth season, a spinoff is reportedly planned. But critics were less impressed with the series, especially following its second season as the bland hero and predictability of the show were seen as the biggest flaws.
Too Old To Die Young (2019)
The so-called era of prestige television has attracted some big-screen talent to the small screen. Visionary filmmaker Nicolas Windling Refn, the director behind the modern noir hit Drive, took to television to tell the story of Too Old to Die Young.
Miles Teller stars in the miniseries as a grieving police officer who finds himself drawn into an underground crime world filled with danger. Critics found it to be a lot of style with little substance to back it up while the show received much higher ratings from viewers who seemed to enjoy Refn's approach.
Hand Of God (2014-2017)
After playing Clay Morrow on Sons of Anarchy for several years, Ron Perlman returned to television for the thriller Hand of God. He plays a corrupt judge who begins to believe that God has chosen him as an instrument of vigilante justice leading him to join a bizarre cult.
Fans of the show helped it move from a pilot to a full series and its popularity led to its second season thanks to favorable audience response. But while critics praised Perlman's lead performance in the series, most admitted there wasn't much else to like.
Truth Seekers (2020)
After collaborating on such popular movie projects as Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, fans were understandably excited to see Nick Frost and Simon Pegg reteam for a television project, Truth Seekers. The two once again delved into the genre world for a show about paranormal investigators trying to stop Armageddon.
The show received a warm reception from fans who were likely thrilled to see these two actors sharing the screen once again. The reaction among critics was much more mixed with some of them simply finding that the show wasn't very funny.
Alex Rider (2020-)
While Amazon has had success with some hard-hitting dramas, they also seem to like leaning into the action series as well. Alex Rider is one such show, based on the novel series about a young man recruited into the world of international spies and going on missions to save the world.
Fans have been thrilled by the action-oriented series which is set for a second season. perhaps the popularity of the books has something to do with that reception. While it wasn't hated by critics, many found it to be only serviceable.
Modern Love (2019-)
There has been a wave of anthology shows from every genre it seems and Modern Love takes the love story approach to telling a collection of tales. Each season has explored a variety of different types of love stories, some between romantic couples and some between familial loved ones.
It is likely the star-studded cast that has helped the show become a hit with audiences. Actors like Dev Patel, Tina Fey, and Kit Harrington are just some of the big names who have appeared. Critics weren't as impressed with the famous faces, however. The second season in particular was criticized for its many cliché-filled stories.
Hunters (2020-)
It is quite an achievement for Amazon to lure acting legend, Al Pacino, in for one of their series. On top of that bit of casting, Hunters also features an intriguing premise about a group of assassins hunting Nazis hiding out in 1970s America.
The violent and energetic show was another quick hit for Amazon as fans were swept up in the revenge story. But even with a star like Pacino involved, critics found that the show was unable to find a balance with its tone, especially as it attempts to contend with some of the heavier aspects of a story like this.