There’s no shortage of slick, high-concept original thriller series on Amazon Prime Video. From the globe-trotting espionage of Jack Ryan to the gritty intensity of The Terminal List and the bruising action of Reacher, the platform is stacked. Yet lurking in the shadows of these flagship thriller shows is one of Prime’s most compelling hidden gems: The Devil’s Hour, starring BAFTA-winning Doctor Who icon Peter Capaldi.
The Devil’s Hour first debuted in 2022, quickly earning attention for its cerebral storytelling and unsettling tone. Season 2 followed in 2024, deepening the mystery and expanding its scope, with the third and final season on the way. Across its 11 episodes so far, The Devil’s Hour has steadily built a reputation as one of Prime Video’s most intriguing original thrillers among those who’ve seen it.
Critically, The Devil’s Hour has been nothing short of a triumph, holding a perfect 100% score alongside an impressive 88% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. For Prime Video subscribers seeking a gripping thriller that blends psychological tension with complex ideas and standout performances, The Devil’s Hour is easily one of Prime Video’s strongest and most overlooked offerings.
The Devil’s Hour Is Secretly One Of Prime Video’s Best Shows
A Smart And Haunting Thriller That Deserves Far More Attention
At its core, The Devil’s Hour is a psychological thriller with a sci-fi edge. It follows Lucy Chambers (Jessica Raine), a social worker plagued by recurring nightmares that wake her at exactly 3:33 a.m., the so-called “devil’s hour.” Her life becomes increasingly entangled with a mysterious criminal, Peter Capaldi’s Gideon Shepherd, who seems to know far more about her than he should.
What begins as a grounded crime story quickly evolves into something far more ambitious. The Devil’s Hour weaves together themes of time, fate, and free will, constructing a narrative that rewards careful attention. Thematically, it wastes no time evolving far beyond solving its central mystery, becoming a show rooted in understanding the nature of existence itself, with each revelation reframing what came before.
This layered storytelling is where The Devil’s Hour truly excels. It trusts its audience, unfolding its mysteries gradually rather than relying on constant exposition. The result is an unforgettable thriller TV show that feels both intellectually engaging and emotionally resonant, with twists that land because they are earned rather than forced.
The cast performances in The Devils Hour are also a key reason why this underrated Amazon Prime thriller show is so watchable. Jessica Raine delivers a grounded and deeply human portrayal of Lucy, while Peter Capaldi is magnetic as Gideon, bringing a chilling calmness to a character who is equal parts terrifying and tragic. Their dynamic drives the series, making every interaction feel loaded with meaning.
Despite these strengths, The Devil’s Hour has remained somewhat under the radar compared to Prime Video’s bigger franchises, especially when it comes to thrillers. Its slower pace and complex structure may not have the immediate accessibility of more action-driven shows like Reacher or Jack Ryan, but that’s precisely what makes it special. It’s a series that lingers, inviting viewers to think as much as feel.
With a third season confirmed as the final chapter, the complete story of Lucy and Gideon is approaching its conclusion. Once finished, the show’s intricate narrative will likely reward rewatches, potentially bringing it the wider recognition it deserves. As it stands, The Devil’s Hour is already one of Prime Video’s most impressive original series, and one that deserves much, much more attention from subscribers.
The Devil’s Hour Shares A Lot Of DNA With Doctor Who
A Dark Reflection Of Time And Storytelling That Will Hook Whovians
The quality of The Devil’s Hour alone is reason enough to watch, but there’s an added layer of appeal for fans of Doctor Who. Despite being completely different in tone, The Devil’s Hour shares a surprising amount of creative DNA with the lighthearted British time-travel sci-fi.
While the most obvious link is Peter Capaldi, the ties between the two shows run far deeper. Fans of Capaldi’s turn as the 12th Doctor (and, perhaps even more so, those who feel Doctor Who underutilized him) will find plenty to love with his performance in The Devil’s Hour. He’s not the only Doctor Who star who features, however, and this extends to behind-the-scenes as well as on screen.
Firstly, The Devil’s Hour is produced by Steven Moffat, who served as showrunner during some of Doctor Who’s most ambitious years, bringing his signature fascination with time and narrative complexity. Moffat is an instantly recognizable name to even casual fans of Doctor Who, and his influence is clear in The Devil’s Hour. It’s not just Moffat and Capaldi though, as plenty of cast members in the Amazon Prime thriller have been present for one of The Doctor’s adventures.
Outside of Peter Capaldi, The Devil’s Hour co-lead Jessica Raine will also be familiar to Whovians as Emma Grayling from the episode “Hide.” Nikesh Patel, who appeared in the Doctor Who episode “Resolution,” and Meera Syal, seen in “The Hungry Earth”https://screenrant.com/”Cold Blood,” also feature in the Prime Video thriller.
However, the most compelling link between the two series isn’t its cast members or creative time. It’s their thematic kinship. Both The Devil’s Hour and Doctor Who place time at the center of their storytelling, with the two shows exploring the concept from angles that feel like two distinct sides of the same coin. Where Doctor Who often treats time as a tool for adventure and heroism, The Devil’s Hour approaches it with a darker, more existential lens.
Gideon’s relationship with time in The Devil’s Hour feels almost like an inversion of the Doctor’s. Instead of using it to save lives, his understanding of time creates moral ambiguity and unease. This contrast gives The Devil’s Hour a uniquely unsettling tone, as it explores what happens when knowledge of time’s mechanics leads not to hope, but to dread.
Despite these similarities, it’s worth restating that the two shows remain fundamentally different in tone and execution. Doctor Who thrives on its sense of wonder and accessibility, while The Devil’s Hour leans into psychological tension and narrative complexity. However, the shared creative DNA is unmistakable, making the latter especially fascinating for longtime fans.
For Whovians among Amazon Prime Video’s subscribers that appreciated the more intricate, time-bending episodes of Doctor Who, The Devil’s Hour offers a darker, more mature evolution of those ideas. It’s not just a thriller, it’s a thought-provoking exploration of time itself, anchored by a performance from Peter Capaldi that feels both familiar and entirely new.
- Release Date
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October 28, 2022
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Jessica Raine
Lucy Chambers
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Nikesh Patel
DI Ravi Dhillon
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Benjamin Chivers
Isaac Stephens
