Although Reacher is a great action show (decidedly among the best as of late), eight other TV series in the same genre are better than it. As its title implies, the Amazon Prime Video action crime drama is based on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher book series. It premiered in 2022 and has since released three seasons, with a fourth one on the way.
Amazon Prime Video’s Reacher follows in the footsteps of the 2012 film adaptation of Child’s work, starring Tom Cruise, meaning that it has a lot to live up to. Fortunately, it has been met with praise from critics and audiences alike. Reacher hasn’t been without mistakes, though. As such, it certainly isn’t the best action TV show of all time.
8
The Boys
2019–Present
Amazon Prime Video has evidently become the hub for great action TV series, as it’s also home to The Boys. The satirical superhero action drama, developed by Eric Kripke, is based on Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s comic book of the same name. It follows a vigilante team (“The Boys”) who go head-to-head against “The Seven,” a group of corrupt individuals with superpowers.
Essentially, The Boys is everything that Marvel and DC aren’t. So, those sick of the Avengers, Justice League, etc. can turn to the Amazon Prime Video show for their superhero fix, seeing as it’s completely different from any other superhero series or film. Consequently, The Boys has received raving reviews and multiple Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2021.
Some have also called The Boys the best Amazon Prime Video show ever made, particularly in the action genre. Its only downside is that it’s set to end in 2026 with its fifth season. However, The Boys has two spinoffs — Gen V, which has already produced and released two seasons, and Vought Rising, an upcoming prequel starring Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy.
7
Slow Horses
2022–Present
Slow Horses is one of those unsuspecting shows that are much, much better than they seem on the surface. Its premise is unique, and it boasts star power with Gary Oldman leading the cast of Slow Horses. Still, the Apple TV spy action thriller might not look like it’s one of the best action TV shows in recent memory, but it is.
Slow Horses is an adaptation of Mick Herron’s Slough House book series, which centers around a group of MI5 rejects. They get banished to Slough House, where they are ordered to perform the most mundane tasks in the domestic counter-intelligence and security agency. After making mistakes at a higher level, MI5 designates them to Slough House because they can’t be trusted.
The Apple TV show premiered in April 2022 and just completed its fifth season in October 2025. The streaming platform has renewed Slow Horses through seven seasons, though. Thanks to its success, fans won’t have to say goodbye to the critically acclaimed series anytime soon.
6
Daredevil
2015–2018
Daredevil (Netflix’s version) is arguably Marvel’s best show, which is why it was such a shame when it got canceled and such a relief when Disney+ revived it seven years later. The superhero series debuted in 2015 and became an instant hit for the streaming service. Daredevil went on to release two more seasons before its infamous cancellation in 2018.
Unlike most shows, Daredevil never lost its quality. Each season of Netflix’s superhero drama was excellent, mostly thanks to its cast performances (Charlie Cox was a standout), writing, and action sequences. Daredevil contains some of the best fight scenes of all time, most notably season 1’s iconic hallway sequence and season 3’s impressive prison scene, both of which were filmed in one take.
Hopefully, Daredevil‘s revival series, Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again, can live up to its predecessor. After one season, things are already looking promising. Disney has renewed it through its third season, meaning it’ll last at least as long as the original show. But as of now, Netflix’s Daredevil reigns supreme.
5
Fallout
2024–Present
Once again, Amazon Prime Video has proved that it has some of the best action TV series with the release of the Emmy Award-winning show Fallout in 2024. The post-apocalyptic drama is based on the video game franchise of the same name. It chronicles the collapse of society in the wake of nuclear annihilation during the Great War of 2077.
After the war, those still alive took refuge in fallout shelters (aka “Vaults”) underground, each of which performed different sociological and psychological experiments, unbeknownst to its inhabitants. Then two centuries later, in 2296, a woman named Lucy (played by Ella Purnell) leaves her Vault to search for her missing father.
Much else happens in Fallout, but those interested must tune in to its first season to learn more. Then, they can wait for Fallout season 2, which is set to premiere on December 17, 2025. However, the Amazon Prime Video show was such a success during its debut that the streaming platform also renewed it for a third season.
4
Banshee
2013–2016
Banshee isn’t the most well-known or talked-about action show, and that’s a shame because it’s fantastic. The Cinemax series, created by Jonathan Tropper and David Schickler, revolves around Antony Starr’s character, an ex-con who assumes the identity of a small-town sheriff, Lucas Hood, after the officer is murdered. He does so to hide from Rabbit, a crime lord whom he previously stole from.
Despite its positive reception, Banshee only ran for four seasons and 38 episodes before ending in 2016. The minds behind the action drama decided that it had reached a natural conclusion and didn’t want to continue its story just for the sake of producing more seasons. Nevertheless, Banshee is a must-watch for any action fan.
3
Alias
2001–2006
J.J. Abrams’ Alias wasn’t only one of the best action shows of the early 2000s, but it was arguably one of the greatest TV series during that time as a whole. Jennifer Garner starred as Sydney Bristow, a CIA agent doubling as an SD-6 operative, in the ABC drama. Alias follows Garner’s character’s adventures in attempting to hide her true identity.
Alias was praised by critics and fans alike, with many specifically highlighting its remarkable action sequences. Due to its popularity, the show ran for five seasons and 105 episodes. ABC ultimately canceled it in 2006, but Alias still made its mark in the action genre (and is considered a pioneer in the rise of strong female lead characters in the late 1990s/early 2000s).
2
Justified
2010–2015
Over the course of its six-season run, Justified received universal acclaim, won two Emmys (Margo Martindale for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and Jeremy Davies for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series), and was called one of the best shows of the 2010s. So, to say that FX’s neo-Western action crime drama is good is an understatement.
Timothy Olyphant’s Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens is at the center of Justified‘s story, as the series depicts the character’s unconventional methods regarding his job. He was born a century or two late, often embodying the persona of an Old West lawman. Justified is much more complex than that description, but those intrigued must trust that it’s a modern Western masterpiece.
1
24
2001–2010, 2014
It would be difficult for any show of its kind to live up to 24, given that many believe it’s the best action TV series ever made. Sure, it’s not perfect. But when 24 was good, it was really good, and it was undoubtedly one of the defining shows of the 2000s.
Fox’s drama is one of the most unique series, as each episode takes place in real time. Given that there are typically 24 episodes in a season of 24, every season’s story plays out in one day. That premise was enough to reel in millions of viewers. However, the show’s action, high stakes, and Kiefer Sutherland’s performance as Jack Bauer made them stay.
24 initially ran for eight seasons (and one TV film, 24: Redemption Day) before Fox brought it back for a ninth season four years after it ended. It won various Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series. Hopefully, Reacher will experience the same success, but it’s difficult to argue against the fact that 24 is better.
