17 Hidden TV Show Gems On Amazon Prime

7. Vikings

Orphan Black Clones Tatiana Maslany
MGM Television

The History Channel doesn't seem like the obvious home of a big-budget epic, but that's exactly what it has got in Vikings, a show that would probably have a larger audience and more acclaim if it were instead airing on something like HBO. 

As the title might giveaway, it tells the story of Vikings, set at the beginning of the Viking Age, starting in 793AD, and largely inspired by the tales of Ragnar Lothbrok, a legendary Norse ruler and warrior. 

With a budget of around $40m (for the first season at least), it really delivers on spectacle, and features plenty of the action and violence you'd expect from the era, which it really manages to bring to life, even if it doesn't quite have the mastery of intrigue that something like Game of Thrones does. Three seasons have aired so far, and 1 and 2 and available on Prime. 

Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.