Tech
I Tested 30+ Lip Balms and These Are the Top 5 I Swear By
Compare Top 5 Lip Balms
Honorable Mentions
Photograph: Boutayna Chokrane
Eos 24H Moisture Super Balm for $6: I’ve been a fan of Eos’s egg-shaped balms since middle school. The 24H Moisture Super Balm feels like the grown-up version. There are some solid ingredients like shea butter, avocado oil, and castor seed oil. It’s also free of parabens, phthalates, silicones, and synthetic dyes. It’s glossy, cushiony, and comes in delicious scents like Coconut Milk, Mango Melonade, and Watermelon Frosé. The one catch is that it’s not fragrance-free, so those with sensitive lips may not love it. The texture is also sticky, meaning your hair will find its way onto your mouth on a breezy day. And despite the 24-hour moisture claim, expect to reapply every hour or two.
Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm for $4: If you’re ingredient-conscious, Burt’s Bees has probably been in your tote at some point. The original formula blends beeswax, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, and peppermint oil. There’s no petroleum or parabens, and you can find it just about everywhere. That said, the beeswax forms a solid barrier but is not the most hydrating, especially during the dead of winter. The balm coats but doesn’t penetrate, which means it won’t do much for lips that are already cracked. The peppermint oil can also be a little too spicy for sensitive lips. Still, if you’re in a pinch and standing in front of the CVS self-checkout, it’s a smarter purchase than Blistex (more on that later).
Glossier Balm Dotcom for $16: The Glossier Balm Dotcom walked so the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask could run. It’s a multipurpose salve that blends lanolin, castor oil, and beeswax for ultimate moisture retention. Plus, it comes in a handful of sheer tints that play well with no-makeup makeup days. But the thick, waxy texture can feel a bit clumpy, especially if you’re layering over flaky lips.
Photograph: Boutayna Chokrane
Goop Beauty Nourishing Lip Repair Mask for $30: This buttery lip mask from Goop is loaded with ceramides to help restore your lip barrier, along with fig seed oil and acai fruit that smells just as tropical as it sounds. While it’s free from silicones, parabens, and synthetic fragrances, those botanical oils and fruit extracts can still trigger a reaction. Patch test first. Also, at $30 for just 0.3 fluid ounces, it’s not the most cost-effective balm on my list.
Omorovicza Budapest Perfecting Lip Balm for $46: Omorovicza’s Perfecting Lip Balm’s texture leans gritty, almost like a lip polish or a micro-exfoliator. There are some goodies in here, like hyaluronic acid and omega fatty acids. But, there are also some unnecessary (potentially irritating) extras—eucalyptus oil, perfume, and benzyl alcohol.
Avoid These Lip Balms
Nivea Dewy Lip Care with Hyaluronic Acid: Nivea’s Dewy Lip Care with Hyaluronic Acid is packed with emollients, humectants, and antioxidants—like shea butter, glycerin, and vitamin E (to name a few)—that sound promising. Unfortunately, there are also a couple of unnecessary additives, particularly geranoil fragrance and “flavor,” which could include any mix of synthetic or natural compounds. Nivea’s tinted balms aren’t much better; they leave a greasy film and rely on synthetic pigments for shimmer and color. There are many better balms available that provide lasting hydration without the excessive shine.
Blistex Lip Medex: It gives you that instant tingle thanks to menthol and camphor, plus a cocktail of synthetic flavors and fragrances, but that sting is a red flag. A general note: “Medicated” lip balms often do more harm than good.
Carmex Classic Lip Balm: For similar reasons to Blistex, skip Carmex. It contains camphor and benzocaine, which are ingredients that can irritate the skin and make cracked lips worse over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Causes Chapped Lips?
There are a lot of triggers, and here are some of the most common causes of chapped lips:
- Cold weather and dry air: Both cold and dry air zap moisture from your skin and stiffen keratin, which is the protein that keeps your lips moisturized.
- Lip licking: The more you lick, the drier they get. Licking your lips breaks down your lip’s natural barrier, leading to irritation and even hyperpigmentation.
- Allergic reactions: Some lip balms contain ingredients that trigger allergic reactions, making dryness and peeling worse. Usual suspects include castor oil, fragrance, dyes, and preservatives.
- Sun exposure: Your lips are thinner and have less pigment than the rest of your skin, which means less protection from UV rays. Unprotected exposure can lead to painful dryness or precancerous spots called actinic cheilitis.
- Tobacco smoke: If you smoke, your lips are at a higher risk for a condition called glandular cheilitis, which causes swelling, rough texture, and cracks. It can also raise your risk for infections and lip cancer.
- Medications: Certain meds come with dry mouth as a side effect, including but not limited to retinoids, antihistamines, antidepressants, and benzodiazepines.
- Underlying conditions: Autoimmune conditions like lupus, eczema, or lichen planus can all show up on your lips first. If your symptoms don’t budge after trying the usual suspects, talk to your dermatologist.
What Ingredients Should You Look for (and Avoid) In Lip Balms?
Here’s what to look for on the label:
- Emollients: These are moisturizing ingredients that help repair and smooth flaky, chapped lips. Some common ones include:
1. Castor oil: Thick, nourishing, and packed with ricinoleic acid that helps smooth rough texture. It is ever so slightly comedogenic, meaning it can clog pores.
2. Cocoa butter or shea butter: These rich butters toe the line between emollient and occlusive. They hydrate and help rebuild the lip’s natural barrier without clogging pores.
3. Coconut oil: Naturally anti-inflammatory, but if you’re acne-prone, it can be too much for the skin around your lips.
4. Jojoba oil: Mimics the skin’s natural sebum. Super lightweight, nongreasy, and unlikely to clog pores. - Occlusives: These ingredients form a protective barrier to seal in moisture and block out environmental aggressors. Look for petroleum jelly (aka petrolatum), a tried-and-true moisture sealant, or beeswax for a natural alternative.
- Humectants: These ingredients attract water to keep lips plump and hydrated; they work best when paired with emollients and occlusives to trap moisture. The standout is hyaluronic acid, which hydrates without leaving a greasy residue, but you’ll also benefit from glycerin, aloe vera, or honey.
- Antioxidants: Ingredients like vitamin E, vitamin C, niacinamide, and polyphenols help defend against free radicals and aid in repairing damaged skin cells over time.
- SPF protection: Lips are especially vulnerable to sun damage, so opt for mineral sunscreens utilizing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. They’re effective, gentle enough for sensitive skin, and don’t leave a white cast.
Here’s what to avoid:
- Synthetic fragrances and flavors: Yummy scents, including but not limited to peppermint, cinnamon, and citrus, can irritate your lips, especially if you have sensitive skin.
- Menthol, camphor, and other cooling agents: These make dryness worse over time.
When to See a Dermatologist
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, if your lips are still chapped after two to three weeks of consistent balm use, you should consult your dermatologist. A professional can help you figure out if there’s something more serious going on—like an allergic reaction or fungal infection—and treat it before it exacerbates.
My lip balm obsession started sometime around 2006 with a Fanta Lip Smacker, but for this story, I got more methodical. Over the past eight months, I put 30 balms to the test across a variety of climates and conditions: dry Chicago winters, Florida heat, airplane air, etc. I judged each against a checklist of factors:
- Ingredients: I scanned every balm for moisturizing ingredients and flagged substances that can irritate lips instead of helping them, like synthetic fragrances, menthol, and camphor. I also prioritized clean or vegan picks when possible.
- Texture: I evaluated how each formula went on, how it wore throughout the day, and how buildable it was under lipstick and other lip products. Anything too waxy, too greasy, or that disappeared in five minutes got a hard pass.
- Packaging and application: I tested squeeze tubes, tins, and twist-up sticks. I rated each on portability, hygiene, and overall user-friendliness.
- Range: This guide includes drugstore staples and luxury lip treatments, tinted and high-shine options, and SPF picks.
What Are We Testing Next?
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Honorable Mentions
There are so many good TVs available, we can’t add them all to our top list. Here are some great options that either missed the cut or got knocked off our top list by their replacements.
Hisense U8QG: The U8QG is a great buy at its lowest price (around $1,000 for a 65-inch model) and a solid pick above that price, especially if you want eye-searing brightness above all else. I noticed some SDR color accuracy issues (some images looked way too red) and found it difficult to keep it from wildly over-brightening some content. Thankfully, you can always turn it down, and its nuclear power plant is paired with excellent black levels, deep contrast, and plenty of features. I actually prefer last year’s similarly punchy U8N, but it’s getting harder to find in stock.
TCL QM7K (2025): I’ve had a love/hate relationship with the QM7K. Part of TCL’s new Precise Dimming series, its opulent black levels and contrast reach toward OLED heights, matched by good brightness for some spectacular moments. The problem? My review model’s colors were off-kilter, with an odd green tint in select black and grayscale content. Thankfully, I confirmed that TCL’s latest firmware update fixed the issue. The TV’s picture processing and colors still don’t catch premium TVs, and this is the second year in a row I’ve found a troubling performance issue with the QM7. You shouldn’t buy it at full price, but if you can get the 65-inch model for $1,000 or less, it’s a pretty enticing choice.
Samsung S95D: Samsung’s previous S95 matte-screen marvel is still a fabulous QD-OLED TV that would be adored in virtually any TV room. We like the newer version better, which begs fewer compromises when it comes to deep black levels, but if you can find the previous version on a killer deal, you won’t be sorry.
Hisense U7N: If you’re after a TV at similar pricing to the QM6K but with some extra eye tingle, last year’s Hisense U7N offers a serious brightness boost over our top pick and still ranks among our favorite options for your money. Its blooming control and screen uniformity aren’t as refined as the QM6K’s but it’s got plenty of features, including great gaming credentials and a streamlined Google TV interface. It’s still a great buy while stock lasts, especially at $700 or less.
Sony A95L: Sony finally replaced this sweet screen with the 2025 Bravia 8 II, which offers similarly incredible picture processing and upscaling alongside enhanced colors and higher HDR brightness. That shouldn’t deter you from considering the A95L (9/10, WIRED Recommends) at a lower price. With fabulously immersive image quality and an intuitive Google TV interface, this is a premium package that’s very enticing on a good sale.
Sony Bravia 7: The Bravia 7 is a gorgeous display, offering brilliant brightness, naturalistic colors, and suave finesse in the subtle details. Its biggest knock is very poor off-axis viewing, which could be tough to swallow at its high list price. Otherwise, it’s worth considering for fans of that Sony glow, especially since Sony seems to be discounting its best QLED TVs much more liberally than its OLED models.
Other TVs We’ve Tested
Samsung The Frame Pro: I put the Frame Pro through our full review process and came away both in limbo due to software issues and (so far) unimpressed with the performance. The matte screen looks slick when displaying art, especially if you purchase one of the add-on frames (a frame for the Frame?) from Samsung or Deco TV Frames. Picture performance was otherwise middling at best. It’s much brighter than the traditional Frame, and the colors pop, but its edge-lit mini LED system does not look good with dark 4K HDR content, even in the day. Moreover, I had trouble with its very sluggish operating system (which others have reported) and stuttering Blu-ray playback. We’re awaiting a second model, which we hope relieves the software issues, but steer clear for now.
TCL QM7: There’s only one thing holding back 2024’s beautifully balanced QM7: a software glitch. During my review, I experienced an issue where adjusting SDR backlight levels affected HDR, which can lead to severe brightness limitations. While TCL fixed the issue in a firmware update for me, I never got confirmation on a broader OTA fix. Most folks probably won’t have this issue, so the QM7 is still worth considering, but make sure and check it before throwing out the box.
TVs We’re Testing Next
Samsung S90F: The follow-up to our favorite gaming TV could be among the best OLED values of the season (it usually is). I’ll be long-term testing it over several weeks, so I should find every nook and cranny for an in-depth evaluation.
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California added 1,200 megawatts of battery energy storage to its electrical grid over the last six months, further building on its nation-leading capacity and pushing the state closer to its clean energy goals, officials said on Nov. 13.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the latest milestone while making the rounds at the United Nations Conference of the Parties climate summit in Belém, Brazil, where he is touting the state’s international climate leadership amid the notable absence of officials from the Trump administration.
With the latest additions, the Golden State has reached 16,942 megawatts of available battery storage—about one-third of the estimated capacity needed to reach its goal of 100% clean energy by 2045.
Battery energy storage systems capture excess wind and solar power and push it onto the grid during hours of peak demand, or when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.
Newsom used the announcement as an opportunity to swipe at President Donald Trump, who has focused heavily on the growth of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal while simultaneously slashing funding for renewable energy projects in California and across the U.S.
“Donald Trump’s reckless energy agenda puts China first and America last—letting Beijing seize the global clean energy economy and the good-paying jobs, manufacturing, and economic prosperity that come with it,” the governor said in a statement. “California won’t stand by and watch.”
While China continues to burn fossil fuels, the country is breaking global records with its investments in renewable energy and battery storage. In 2024, China commissioned 37 gigawatts of battery storage, more than the combined additions of the U.S. and Europe, according to the energy think tank Ember.
But battery storage has also been transformative for California, helping the state avoid rolling blackouts and urgent calls for energy conservation, known as Flex Alerts, in the last several years. California now has more installed battery capacity than any other jurisdiction on the planet except for China, according to Newsom.
“We now dominate,” he said at a climate investors event in São Paulo before heading to Belém.
Experts say the state’s gains are impressive. The U.S. has about 37 gigawatts of total operating battery capacity, nearly half of which is in California, said Maia Leroy, founder of the energy consulting firm Lumenergy LLC.
“California is claiming a huge victory here,” Leroy said. She said the state’s capacity of 16,942 megawatts—or 16.9 gigawatts—is enough to power about 13 million homes for four hours, the typical duration of a battery.
The surge in storage is meeting with even faster growth of solar in the state. Together, solar plus batteries have eliminated more than 37% of fossil gas use on the state’s main grid, the California Independent System Operator, in just the last two years, according to Mark Z. Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University.
“That is an enormous amount of batteries,” Jacobson said.
Energy storage is one of many ways California is hoping to stand out at this year’s COP summit. Representatives from the state—including Newsom, California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot and Air Resources Board Chair Lauren Sanchez—have also entered into several partnerships and agreements with other regions and nations this week.
Among them is the Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge, an initiative started at last year’s COP conference that sets a global target of deploying 1,500 gigawatts of energy storage and building about 15.5 million miles of new transmission infrastructure by 2030. California became the first subnational entity to join the pledge, which has been backed by more than 100 countries and organizations.
The pledge is a good start, but the world needs more than just storage and transmission, Jacobson said.
“California is moving faster than the U.S. as a whole, but to really make inroads, California needs to also electrify transport, industry and buildings as fast as it is building batteries, while growing offshore wind, utility solar, rooftop solar and enhanced geothermal,” he said.
The state is working toward those goals, including pushing forward with a major offshore wind project that lost nearly half a billion dollars in federal funding from the Trump administration this year.
Other agreements signed at COP so far this year include joint partnerships and memoranda of understanding with Colombia, Chile, Nigeria, the Brazilian state of Pará and the German state of Baden-Württemberg on issues such as wildfire prevention and response, sustainable urban transportation and greenhouse gas emission reductions.
2025 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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While Netflix is busy pumping out more series than any one person could watch (probably), some of the best shows are on Amazon Prime Video. Trouble is, navigating the service’s labyrinthine menus can make finding the right series a pain. We’re here to help. Below are our favorite Amazon series—all included with your Prime subscription.
For more viewing picks, read WIRED’s guide to the best movies on Amazon Prime, the best movies on HBO’s Max, and the best movies on Netflix.
Bat-Fam
Batman: a grim defender of the night waging a one-man war on crime. Also Batman: a cool dad who keeps taking in strays. It’s a contrast comic book fans have come to love over the decades, and now it’s bleeding into wider media with Bat-Fam. Picking up after 2023’s holiday movie Merry Little Batman, Bruce Wayne (voiced by Luke Wilson) helps guide his son Damien (Yonas Kibreab) into the family business as “Little Batman,” while taking in adoptive daughter Claire—formerly the supervillain Volcana, de-aged to 12. Plus, with loyal butler Alfred, his niece Alicia, the meddling ghost of Damien’s grandfather Ra’s al Ghul, and former scientist Man-Bat all passing through, Wayne Manor is starting to get crowded! Charming, funny, and heartfelt, this animated comedy juggles all the best bits of bat-lore for a brighter look at the Dark Knight.
The Girlfriend
When working-class Cherry Laine (Olivia Cooke) meets wealthy Danny Sanderson (Laurie Davidson), sparks fly—until she meets his mother, Laura (Robin Wright). Overbearing and with an unhealthy level of control over her son’s life, Laura is set on destroying anyone who comes between them. Or maybe … Laura is a caring mother, alert to Cherry’s suspicious behavior, and desperate to save her son from a con artist—or worse. In this twisty psychological thriller, based on a novel by Michelle Frances, you can never quite tell who to trust, which is almost the best part, second only to the sensational chemistry between Wright and Cooke as they alternately try to charm, outwit, or destroy each other. Exploring themes of class, power, and control, The Girlfriend is six episodes of brilliantly tense drama.
Butterfly
Years ago, David Jung (Daniel Dae Kim) and Juno Lund (Piper Perabo) formed the private intelligence organization Caddis, reshaping global security from the shadows. Then, Lund ripped the operation out from under Jung—and took his daughter Rebecca (Reina Hardesty) with it, raising her to become an unstoppable assassin. Reunited in the aftermath of a hit on a Russian ambassador in Seoul, David and Rebecca find themselves on the run across South Korea, unsure if they can even trust each other, and with Caddis hot on their heels. A blend of next-level action choreography and family drama exploring themes of abandonment, Butterfly is an explosive twist on bring-your-kid-to-work day.
Ballard
A spin-off from Bosch, one of Prime’s biggest hits, Ballard is another creation of crime author Michael Connelly, seeing detective Renée Ballard (Maggie Q, Designated Survivor) stepping up as head of a newly formed cold-case unit. Left with no budget and no official support, Ballard hastily assembles a team of volunteers that includes her retired former partner Thomas Laffont (John Carroll Lynch) and disillusioned former cop Zamira Parker (Courtney Taylor). They soon find that diving into forgotten cases can mean unearthing secrets powerful people want to keep buried. A blend of crime-of-the-week cases and season-long mysteries make Ballard both a cozy procedural and a riveting longer-form drama, buoyed by a fantastic cast—including Titus Welliver reprising his role as Connellyverse staple Harry Bosch.
The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy
If about 300 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy hasn’t scratched your medical drama itch, then a visit to The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy might be just the treatment you need. Riffing on the hospital procedural genre and giving it a sci-fi twist, the show follows alien medics Dr. Sleech (Stephanie Hsu) and Dr. Klak (Keke Palmer) as they tackle the wildest diseases and injuries the universe can throw at them—from an anxiety-eating brain worm to a shape-shifting STI—all while navigating messy relationships and personal drama. See, just like Grey’s. Created by Russian Doll writer Cirocco Dunlap—bringing that show’s Natasha Lyonne along as the voice of occasionally invisible Nurse Tup—this Saharan-dry adult animated comedy will cure what ails you.
Overcompensating
Benny is so deep in the closet, he’s found Narnia. And rather than using his freshman year of college as a chance to find himself, he’s maintaining the illusion of heterosexuality by throwing himself into a campus life of partying, drinking, and chasing girls. The consequences, for Benny and his new best friend Carmen (Wally Beram), will be severe … but hilarious. Created by comedian Benito Skinner, who also stars as Benny, Overcompensating is a foul-mouthed and ferociously funny college comedy that’s almost painfully authentic in its depiction of the fine line between self-exploration and weapons-grade cringe.
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX
Prime Video doesn’t tend to pick up as much anime as rival Netflix does, but when it does, it’s often something big. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX (it’s pronounced “gee-kwux,” before you ask), takes things back to the very beginning of the iconic mecha franchise and asks a simple question: What if the bad guys, the “space Nazis” of the Principality of Zeon, won a crucial war? Don’t worry if you can’t tell a beam saber from a core fighter though—this alternate reality focuses on brand new character Amate Yuzuriha, a high school student thrust into a world of mounting military tensions after an experimental Gundam crashes into the space colony where she lives. GQuuuuuux also marks a creative high for Gundam, with Evangelion studio Khara bringing its dynamic style of animation to the series, but beyond the phenomenally flashy visuals, this has some real emotional depth, using a science fiction lens to explore how people can find hope and fight for freedom, even in the darkest of timelines. Weekly episodes drop on Tuesdays.
Reacher
Amazon has a way with action thrillers focused on military tough guys who answer to “Jack R.” First there was Jack Ryan, who also makes an appearance in this guide. Then there was Reacher, the sharp adaptation of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels, now in its third season. Alan Ritchson (Titans, Fast X) stars as the physically imposing Reacher, a former military policeman now drifting from town to town, trying to live a quiet life but unable to avoid conflict. Season one found him accused of a murder he didn’t commit, before season two drew him into a vast conspiracy. The newly arrived third—based on the seventh novel, Persuader—sees him up against his biggest threat yet: Paulie, an even bigger hulk of muscle (played by 7′2″ Olivier Richters). Sure, Reacher is also working undercover for the DEA and tracking down an old enemy, but three seasons in, the show is confident enough to play to its pulpy strengths, with top-tier fight choreography and surprisingly sharp dialog helping it punch above its weight.
Invincible
Mark Grayson inherited the incredible powers and abilities of his father, Omni-Man—only to learn dear old dad wasn’t a paragon of justice but the vanguard for an alien invasion. The newly dropped third season of Invincible finds Mark not only still struggling to escape his father’s shadow, guiding his younger brother to use his own burgeoning powers responsibly, but also drowning in a world of murky politics, pushed toward darker, tougher choices to keep Earth safe. A brilliantly animated adaptation of the hit Image comic book by writer Robert Kirkman and artists Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley, Invincible’s more mature take on superheroes allows it to do something Marvel and DC characters rarely do: grow up.
The Man in the High Castle
This adaptation of sci-fi master Philip K. Dick’s novel about a world in which the Nazis won the Second World War was one of Amazon’s first forays into original content. The world-building is stunningly done—a divided, alternate-reality 1960s America never seemed so plausible—but be warned: There might be just a touch too much present-day resonance for some viewers.
The Rig
Back for its second season, sci-fi thriller The Rig finds the surviving crew of isolated North Sea oil rig Kinloch Bravo forcibly relocated to The Stac, an even more remote facility in the Arctic. While most are desperate for answers and a way home, the team’s loyalties are tested as the sinister Pictor corporation seeks to use them to unearth something ancient and powerful from the sea floor. While The Rig doesn’t even aspire to subtlety when it comes to its ecological metaphors (one character even says, “If you keep punching holes in the Earth, eventually the Earth’s going to punch back”), it’s all brilliantly shot to make use of both the claustrophobic settings and the terrifying expanses and underwater pressures of the ocean. With the material elevated by a phenomenal cast of Game of Thrones and Line of Duty veterans, including Iain Glen and Rochenda Sandall—and bolstered further by the addition of the always-watchable Alice Krige in season 2—The Rig is far more than the guilty pleasure it might otherwise be.
Cross
Aldis Hodge steps into the shoes of Washington, DC homicide detective Alex Cross in Prime’s new series based on James Patterson’s long-running series of crime novels. However, unlike the streamer’s other thrillers Bosch and Reacher, Cross doesn’t directly adapt any of Patterson’s books—a risky move, but one that largely pays off, allowing this eight-episode first season to chart an unpredictable journey as Cross faces off against a twisted murderer who models each of his kills on another serial killer. Already renewed for a second season, Cross is a strong addition to Prime’s roster of crime dramas.
The Legend of Vox Machina
Bawdy, gory, and absolutely not for kids, The Legend of Vox Machina follows the eponymous adventurers’ guild—consisting of gunslingers, druids, and the requisite horny bard—as they grow from a motley crew of usually-drunk mercenaries into unexpected heroes for the realm of Exandria. The newly arrived third season continues the team’s battle against the Chroma Conclave, a horrifyingly powerful collective of dragons. It’s a quest that sends them on a small diversion to Hell itself. Adapting the hit Critical Role—the livestreamed Dungeons & Dragons sessions of some of the biggest voice actors in animation and gaming—this exquisitely animated fantasy takes things in unexpected directions that keep things fresh for new or returning viewers alike. A love letter to D&D that’s also unafraid to poke fun at the classic RPG, it’s one of the most original adult animated shows on Prime.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Tapping into The Lord of the Rings creator J. R. R. Tolkien’s sprawling history of Middle-earth, The Rings of Power is set millennia before the events of the core books (or films, which is really where the visual language of this adaptation comes from), detailing the major events of Tolkien’s Second Age. While the first season was a slow burn, dwelling on the fractious politics of the era, the second ratchets up the pace considerably. From Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) trying to prevent the ascension of Dark Lord Sauron (Charlie Vickers) to the long-awaited introduction of fan-favorite character Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear), the new season feels far richer and deeper than before. It remains a feast for the eyes too, with the stratospheric budget apparent in every frame, from quiet moments in luxuriant shires to cinematic battles between armies of Orcs and Elves. For sheer high fantasy spectacle, there’s little else to rival this streaming right now.
Batman: Caped Crusader
The first new solo Batman animated series in a decade, Caped Crusader harkens back to Batman: The Animated Series from the 1990s, with showrunner Bruce Timm returning to the Dark Knight and Hamish Linklater voicing Bruce Wayne/Batman in an ode to the late, great Kevin Conroy. Unlike rival ‘90s revival X-Men ’97, though, this isn’t a continuation but rather a wholly distinct take allowing for fresh interpretations of the iconic hero’s rogues’ gallery and allies—look out for drastically different takes on the Penguin and Harley Quinn in particular. Leaning heavily into a 1930s aesthetic that evokes Batman’s earliest comic book origins, this manages to be nostalgic and provocative at once—a fantastic outing that takes DC’s original urban vigilante back to his gritty pulp noir roots.
The Boys
Superheroes are meant to represent hope and optimism—the best of us, given outsize form. In The Boys, adapted from the darkly satirical comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, they’re a reflection of humanity’s worst—greed and unrestrained power, marketed to a gullible public by vested corporate interests, operating without restraint and leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. Enter Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and his associates The Boys, gleefully dispatching “Supes” who’ve gone too far, often in extraordinarily violent ways. Unfortunately, the newly dropped fourth season finds the team in disarray, fractured by Butcher’s own lies, right as the world needs them most. Arch-manipulator Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) is close to the Oval Office, while the sadistic, psychotic Homelander (Antony Starr) is planning a superhuman uprising. Probably Amazon’s goriest show, The Boys stands as a pertinent examination of the abuses of power, all wrapped in superhero drag.
Fallout
Maybe the end of the world is the secret sauce to making a great video game adaptation—between The Last of Us and now this spectacular interpretation of Bethesda’s postapocalyptic RPG series, we’re living in an unexpected golden era for the form. Yet unlike HBO’s bleak but beautiful world, Fallout taps into the source material to craft an apocalypse with a very different feel, one dripping in cracked Americana, black comedy, razor-sharp social satire, and just a little bit of camp. Its greatest strength, though, lies in how it doesn’t directly adapt any one of the core Fallout games. Instead, it perfectly channels their tone and feel, focusing on a core trio—naive Lucy (Ella Purnell), born and raised in a subterranean vault; driven Maximus (Aaron Moten), a recruit in an army seeking technology from the old world; and the Ghoul (Walton Goggins), a centuries-old bounty hunter mutated into a nigh-immortal zombie when the bombs fell—to showcase just how brilliantly twisted this nuclear wasteland really is.
Three-Body
No, you’re not on the Netflix list—Prime Video has its own distinct adaptation of Cixin Liu’s The Three-Body Problem. This take, originally released for Chinese audiences back in 2023, faithfully adapts Liu’s award-winning novel of humanity’s first contact with an almost unknowable alien species and the impact that their impending arrival on Earth has on humanity. Hopping between time periods, a galactic mystery unfurls after nanotech specialist Wang Miao (Luyi Zhang) is called in by detective Shi Qiang (Hewei Yu) to investigate a global spate of suicides among scientists, with the ominous phrase “Physics doesn’t exist” being the only link between the deaths. Although Three-Body is a bit softer than Netflix’s 3 Body Problem when dealing with some aspects of the story—notably anything related to China’s Cultural Revolution—a hearty 30-episode run allows for far more space to explore Liu’s complex themes and vast roster of characters. The pacing may take some getting used to for viewers more accustomed to western TV, and it’s subtitled-only, but this C-drama is out of this world.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
You likely know the concept from the name alone—a married couple operate as undercover agents, blurring the lines between their personal and professional relationship. Unlike the 2005 Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie movie, though, 2024’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith does far more with the concept. Donald Glover (who cocreated this reboot) and Maya Erskine offer much more developed takes on the mysterious characters of “John” and “Jane” Smith over the course of this eight-episode series, exploring their true identities, why they signed up for their dangerous careers, and whether their growing feelings for each other are just part of the roles they’re playing. It’s all backed up with plenty of Mission: Impossible–style action, of course, but it’s the sparkling chemistry between the show’s leads that will leave you thinking, “Brangelina who?”
Jack Ryan
There’s no shortage of screen adaptations of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan books, but John Krasinski’s turn as the CIA desk jockey turned field agent gets far more room to breathe than its predecessors. The prestige political thriller charts Ryan’s rise from analyst to operative—and beyond—over four perfectly crafted seasons. The final season caps Ryan’s career with his biggest challenge yet, investigating the convergence of a drug cartel and a terrorist organization set to create an unstoppable criminal enterprise, all while juggling the CIA’s possible involvement in a political assassination in Nigeria. While the show hasn’t been without controversies—season two attracted condemnation from Venezuela’s government for supposedly condoning a US invasion of the country; big yikes there—its sharp writing, incredible performances, and cinematic action make it compelling viewing.
I’m a Virgo
A surrealist comedy with the sharp political and social edge viewers have come to expect from creator and director Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You), I’m a Virgo follows Cootie (Jharrel Jerome), a regular 19-year-old who just happens to be 13 feet tall. Raised in secrecy by Aunt Lafrancine (Carmen Ejogo) and Uncle Martisse (Mike Epps), Cootie is thrust into the limelight when his larger-than-life existence is inevitably discovered. Experiencing friendships and the outside world for the first time, gentle giant Cootie has to navigate everything from romance to the public’s reaction to a giant Black man wandering around Oakland. Oh, and did we mention Cootie’s idol, The Hero, a real-life superhero with an authoritarian streak that would put some of the worst offenders on The Boys to shame? Told you this was surreal. Do yourself a favor and watch the behind-the-scenes episodes too, tucked under Prime Video’s “Explore” tab, for Riley’s insight into each episode.
The Underground Railroad
Based on the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel by Colson Whitehead, this limited series from Moonlight director Barry Jenkins sticks pretty closely to the premise of the book. It’s a work of historical fiction that takes the idea of the Underground Railroad—the network of smugglers who helped escaped slaves flee the South—and reimagines it as an actual subway system with trains and secretive station agents.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
What is a New York lady to do when she finds out her husband is having an affair with his dim-witted secretary? If Mrs. Maisel is anything to go by, the answer is to head to a dingy watering hole in your nightgown, do a little standup comedy, and get hauled away by the police after flashing the entire audience. Set in the 1950s, this fast-talking fashionista hides her new life as a comedian from her family and ex while battling sexism, bad crowds, and big competition. Rachel Brosnahan stars as Midge Maisel in this subtle nod to Joan Rivers’ career. With four seasons and a host of awards and nominations to its name, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is one of Amazon’s sharpest comedies.
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