Prime Video's new sci-fi series captivates viewers with its depth

By Sofia Martinez · Culture & Entertainment Editor

May 12, 2026 · 4 min read

Tom Russell

Published May 11, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT

Tom is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, with expertise covering everything from hilarious sitcoms to jaw-dropping sci-fi epics.**

Initially he was an Updates writer, though before long he found his way to the TV and movies team. He now spends his days keeping Screen Rant readers informed about the TV shows of yesteryear, whether it's recommending hidden gems that may have been missed by genre fans or deep diving into ways your favorite shows have (or haven't) stood the test of time.

Tom is based in the UK and when he's not writing about TV shows, he's watching them. He's also an avid horror fiction writer, gamer, and has a Dungeons and Dragons habit that he tries (and fails) to keep in check.

There are many hidden and underrated gems on Amazon Prime Video. While the streamer has obvious heavy-hitters like The Boys_ and Reacher, some of its best originals never received anywhere close to the attention they deserved, and the favorite shows of many subscribers include several they discovered retroactively.

Still, while there are plenty of under-the-radar streaming successes that eventually gain cult status, very few create the feeling that audiences genuinely should have discovered them much sooner. That is what makes Undone** such a fascinating case. Despite earning widespread critical praise and featuring an incredible cast, the series somehow slipped beneath mainstream attention in a way that still feels baffling.

When discussing great original Prime Video shows that deserved a much bigger audience, Undone arguably stands alone because its lack of popularity feels almost impossible to explain. The story follows Alma (Rosa Salazar), a young woman who begins experiencing strange shifts in time and reality after surviving a car accident. Across 16 episodes, Undone turns this premise into one of the smartest, most emotionally layered sci-fi dramas released in the streaming era.

It’s Amazing Undone Has Gone So Underrated

Undone Should Have Been One Of Prime Video’s Biggest Talking Points

_ Bob Odenkirk as Jacob in Undone

One of the strangest things about Undone_ is that it seemingly had everything needed to become a breakout streaming success. It carried strong critical buzz, came from the creative team behind one of the most acclaimed animated shows of the 2010s, BoJack Horseman, and featured an excellent cast. Yet despite all of that, Undone never became the kind of widely discussed phenomenon many assumed it would. Years later, discovering the series still feels like uncovering a hidden masterpiece buried inside Prime Video’s catalog.

Bob Odenkirk’s presence alone should have brought more attention to Undone when season 1 arrived in 2019. Still in the midst of the height of his Better Call Saul fame, Odenkirk was experiencing a career peak at the time of Undone’s release. It is genuinely perplexing that his name in the cast didn’t ensure the show was an instant curiosity. It’s a shame too, as his turn as Alma’s father, Jacob, is genuinely a career best.

The unique visual style also immediately separates Undone from almost everything else on streaming, and is another reason its cult status is baffling. The show uses rotoscope animation, layering painted visuals over live-action performances to create an almost dreamlike atmosphere, as though reality itself is constantly shifting around Alma. Even years after release, the animation is still incredibly attention-grabbing, so Undone should have a much higher rate of retroactive discovery than it currently enjoys.

Above all else, though, the cult status of Undone is most frustrating because of how discussion-worthy it actually is. Nearly every episode introduces ideas and emotional turns that invite interpretation and debate. In an age where thematic depth is a must as far as most viewers are concerned, one of the least shallow series available to stream is being all but ignored.

Undone Is Much More Than A Sci-Fi

The Prime Video Show’s Greatest Strength Is How Deeply Human Its Story Becomes

One possible reason Undone_ struggled to find a broader audience is that it initially appears to be very hard science fiction. Unfortunately, that perception may have stopped many viewers from giving it a chance in the first place. The reality is that the sci-fi elements are only one layer of Undone’s brilliance.

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As a viewing experience, Undone_ is a deeply emotional psychological drama about grief, trauma, mental illness, family conflict, and identity (with some sci-fi coincidentally thrown in). Alma’s journey is not compelling because of the mechanics behind her experiences but because of how those experiences affect her emotionally and psychologically.

The family dynamics are equally important. Alma’s relationship with her mother Camila (Constance Marie), sister Becca (Angelique Cabral), and father Jacob becomes the emotional core of the story. The sci-fi aspects of Undone are simply used as narrative tools that expose unresolved emotional wounds. The emotional and philosophical depth ensures Undone** has plenty to offer those who don’t usually enjoy sci-fi. It’s not an overstatement to say that anyone who enjoys TV shows that linger in the mind long after finishing should consider it essential viewing.