Secret Level has proven to be divisive among critics, and the new Prime Video series has failed to get a 70% Rotten Tomatoes score, meaning it won’t make it onto our best Prime Video shows round-up. Perhaps its audience was just too niche, targeting fans of specific games, or it simply hasn’t lived up to the hype. Either way, this one has proven to be a bit of a disappointment. Whether or not you agree is up to you, of course!
If you are looking for more critically acclaimed anthology shows, there’s plenty out there to suit all tastes. Whether you want cautionary tales about technology, stories all focusing on the same number or stories set within the same motel room, there’s plenty to uncover.
Here are three of my favorite anthology shows you can stream now.
Inside No 9
- RT score: 100%
- Seasons: 9
- Main cast: Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton, various guest stars
- Creators: Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton
- Where to stream it: The Roku Channel (US); BBC iPlayer (UK); Foxtel Now (AUS)
One of my favorite British shows is streaming worldwide, and with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes rating, the reviews speak for themselves. Here, series creators Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton star as an array of different characters from hapless cat burglars to a double act to a loved-up couple and police partners, there’s not a character they haven’t tried out, to be honest!
With a rotating cast of huge talent including Natalie Dormer, Derek Jacobi, Nicola Walker, and Tamsin Greig, each episode is set in some sort of ‘Number 9’ whether that’s a house, a dressing room, a train carriage, or a shoe. It has to be seen to be believed, as words really can’t do this beloved anthology series justice. You’ll laugh, cry, and be shocked along the way.
Black Mirror
- RT score: 83%
- Seasons: 6 (7 is on the way)
- Main cast: Various, changes each season
- Creator: Charlie Brooker
- Where to stream it: Netflix (worldwide)
Black Mirror shocked viewers from day one with a controversial first episode where Rory Kinnear plays a British Prime Minister who is blackmailed into doing something truly horrifying. Since then, it hasn’t shied away from covering some pretty dark topics, striking a balance between humor and horror along the way.
While not strictly billed as a horror anthology, some of the episodes are disturbing enough to warrant that label, you can trust me on that. There’s so much to dive into, but we’ve ranked the top 10 Black Mirror episodes if you need help deciding.
At the forefront of each episode is some sort of technology, whether it’s AI, a new app, a chip in the brain, or some sort of advancement that is meant to benefit humanity. But, of course, it takes a dark turn, and people’s lives are flipped upside down. Much like No 9, there are some great guest stars in each season, including Bryce Dallas-Howard, Miley Cyrus, Aaron Paul, and Daniel Kaluuya. Black Mirror season 7 streams next year.
Room 104
Watch On
- RT score: 88%
- Seasons: 4
- Cast: Various, changes each season
- Creator: Mark Duplass and Jay Duplass
- Where to stream it: Max (US); Binge (AUS)
One of the best Max shows comes in the form of an anthology series, and I’m such a huge fan of Room 104. Here, a motel room is at the center of each story as we follow the stories of the guests who stay there, resulting in all sorts of different scenarios. Combining comedy, drama, horror, and thriller, this series is perfect if you want a combination of different things where you’re never quite sure who you’ll meet next.
Stories include a woman hired to babysit, which takes a dark turn, an episode told through interpretive dance, a young man who has plans to blow up a political convention, and an elderly couple who decide to relive their first night together. Honestly, anything goes in Room 104; you’ll see it all!
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