Actionon television can inspire the adventurous and the timid for the same reason — it allows the audience the opportunity to jump into the stuntman’s shoes with no danger to themselves. What helps a great action show is an excellent storyline, whether it’s a romantic hero or a vengeful underdog; the more you identify with the characters, the better. Luckily, Amazon’sPrime Videostreaming service has a massive library of incredible action series available to stream right now. If you’re struggling to decide which action-packed series to binge-watch next, we’ve gathered the best options available.
For more recommendations, check out our list of thebest R-rated action movies on Netflix, thebest action shows on Netflix, or the bestshowsandmovies on Prime Videoacross all genres.
Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Prime Video.
Editor’s note: This article was updated February 2025 to include Cross.
‘Cross’ (2024 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 76% | IMDb: 7.2/10
Based onJames Patterson’s Alex Cross novels,Crossis a crime thriller series created byBen Watkins. StarringAldis Hodgeas the titular D.C. Metro Detective and forensic psychologist, the show follows Cross’s investigation of a high-profile case while he struggles with his wife’s murder and tries to care for his family. The series also starsIsaiah Mustafa,Juanita Jennings, Alona Tal,Samantha Walkes,Caleb Elijah,Melody Hurd, and more.
Crosspremiered on Prime Video in November 2024, receiving generally positive reviews from critics, though it was criticized for its predictable, cliché-heavy plot. However, the show is still a fairly engaging watch, largely thanks to Aldis Hodge’s charismatic performance in the lead role. While the series may not be an exact adaptation of the source material, the story captures the spirit of the character, and it’s essentially an old-school “Dad TV” action show. Ultimately an entertaining crime thriller,Crosswas renewed for a second season before the first premiered, though we don’t have a release date for Season 2 yet.
Watch on Prime Video
‘Reacher’ (2022 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 95% | IMDb: 8.5/10
Reacheris the second on-screen adaptation ofLee Child’s award-winning book seriesafter two feature films starringTom Cruise. The hit series follows a nomadic man, played byAlan Ritchson(Fast X), who, after his military service, travels around the United States taking odd jobs. Despite his desire to live a peaceful life, he encounters danger around seemingly every corner, forcing his hand in fighting for justice.
‘The Terminal List’ (2022 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 40% | IMDb: 7.9/10
The Terminal List
When U.S. Navy SEAL James Reece (Chris Pratt) returns home after a botched mission, his hindsight tells him something doesn’t add up. Taking a cue from the series titleThe Terminal List,it’s apparent that the knowledge he has acquired puts him and his family in a dangerous spot. Some loose ends need to be tied up and Lieutenant Commander Reece has made the list, but it’s up to him to save himself and the ones he loves. A prequel series titledThe Terminal List: Dark Wolfis currently in the works.
‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ (2018 - 2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 77% | IMDb: 8/10
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, is a political action thrillerstarringJohn Krasinski(The Office), as the titular CIA Analyst who finds himself thrown into a dangerous field mission. Using his sharp intelligence, he learns a pattern of communication between terrorists, making him an invaluable asset to the US government and leading the charge to save the world.
‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ (2024 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDb: 6.9/10
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
A reboot of the hit 2005 movie starringBrad PittandAngelina Jolie,Mr. & Mrs. Smithtakes a more realistic approach to the husband-wife espionage duo, from creatorsFrancesca Sloane(Fargo) andDonald Glover(Atlanta). In the series,John (Glover) and Jane Smith (Maya Erskine) team upas a randomly assigned couple who complete “high-risk” missions while dealing with an unexpected romance.
‘Citadel’ (2023 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 51% | IMDb: 6.2/10
The ambitious spy seriesCitadelwasone of the most expensive spy seriesever made.Richard Madden(Game of Thrones) andPriyanka Chopra Jonas(Quantico) star as two agents who were romantic partners until their memories were erased, and they became average civilians in the U.S. However, with the world order under threat, their former colleagues from the agency seek out the duo for their help and attempt to remind them of their true identities.
‘Hunters’ (2020 -2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 68% | IMDb: 7.2/10
Huntersis a series based in 70s New York City, with a group of hitmen dedicated to tracking and killing remaining Nazis that have gone into hiding. The unassuming crew of brutal assassins is composed of brilliant actors like Hollywood legend and Academy Award winnerAl PacinoandSaul Rubinek(For All Mankind).Their recruit, Jonah Heidelbaum (Logan Lerman), is forced to join the team of unethical killers after discovering his late grandmother was actually a leading member of the group.
‘Hanna’ (2019 - 2021)
Rotten Tomatoes: 80% | IMDb: 7.6/10
Based on the 2011 film of the same name,Hannais the story of a 15-year-old girl (Esme Creed-Miles) who grows up, isolated with her father (Joel Kinnaman) in the woods, and discovers that she was a CIA experiment, designed to be a super-soldier with altered DNA. When CIA operatives come to reclaim her, she is thrown into a brutal journey of self-discovery, with capabilities far exceeding anything they’ve ever encountered.
‘Chuck’ (2007 - 2012)
Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 8.2/10
If comedy suits your tastes better for an action spy thriller,Chuckis right up your alley. When Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi) accidentally downloads the government database into his brain, he becomes the country’s most prized asset. The CIA is forced to put him under their protection and utilize his knowledge as he hilariously fumbles around during dangerous missions.
‘The Peripheral’ (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 79% | IMDb: 7.6/10
The Peripheral
Set in the future when technology has subtly altered society, a woman discovers a secret connection to an alternate reality as well as a dark future of her own.
In the science fiction category,The PeripheralstarsChloë Grace Moretz(Kick-Ass)and is set in the not-so-distant future where an augmented reality headset opens a gateway to the multiverse. What starts as a fun gaming experience, quickly leads to a dangerous mission as the consequences of their actions while wearing the AR goggles become very real.
