This sci-fi thriller is the best Prime Video show you're probably not watching — and it's back for season 2

Rose (Emily Hampshire) looks at some containers full of water in Prime Video's "The Rig" season 2 — (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)

Prime Video's library is stuffed with great movies and TV shows, to the point that some titles inevitably fall through the cracks. Last year, "My Lady Jane" suffered that exact fate, and ended up getting canceled after just one season.

With that in mind, I've been trying to keep an eye out for shows that I fear could be at risk of failing to find an audience, which brings me to "The Rig," the streamer's Scottish supernatural/sci-fi thriller which just returned for its second season on Jan. 2, 2025.

I've now streamed all six new episodes, and "The Rig" has managed to maintain the things that made it a compelling watch the first time around. That's why I'm throwing my support behind it. If you come across "The Rig" on your Prime Video landing page, I urge you to give it a chance — here's why.

What is 'The Rig' season 2 about?

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"The Rig" is a science fiction/supernatural thriller that follows the crew of the Kinloch Bravo oil rig as they weather one hell of a storm out in the North Sea.

During work, a mysterious fog cuts the team off from the rest of the world and brings strange supernatural forces. As paranoia begins to take hold, ominous theories about what's out there spiral out of control and the fractured relationships between the crew members continue to break down as they reckon with their deadly environment and new, inexplicable dangers.

"The Rig" season 2, meanwhile, continues to follow the survivors of the original event. Having been taken and held at a secretive new facility called "the Stac" in the Arctic Circle, the trapped crew members deal with the fallout of the deadly event that concluded the first season, plus mounting conspiracies, corporate cover-ups and new threats in a deadly new landscape.

Should you stream 'The Rig' on Prime Video?

Coake (Mark Addy) exiting a building in Prime Video's &quot;The Rig&quot; season 2 — (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)

I'm not necessarily trying to argue that "The Rig" is a perfect show, by any means. The best way I can summarize it is as a supernatural thriller for the "Doctor Who" crowd. I'm not the first writer to make that comparison, and for good reason; it's well-acted but feels a little cheap in places.

That said, the isolated setting and core premise make the whole thing an engaging watch. Lovecraftian encounters with some sort of deep, ancient foe aren't all that uncommon, but if you like that vibe, I'm confident that you'll also enjoy seeing the show's supernatural secrets expanded upon.

Along with the odd moment of grim body horror and its expected chills and twists, it plays out in powder-keg settings — the titular oil rig, then the secretive labs and rooms of the Stac — which are used well enough to build tension across the series and between our crewmates. The somewhat obvious script has been elevated by talented Scottish and English actors like Iain Glen, Martin Compston, Rochenda Sandall and Mark Addy.

The CGI could be sharper, and the show continues to lean on some exposition-heavy dialogue in places, but I think "The Rig" is claustrophobic and well-realized enough that more Prime Video viewers could get a kick out of it if they gave it a chance. Overall, "The Rig" is a satisfying sci-fi watch, and seeing it's comprised of two short, six-episode seasons, it's practically purpose-built for binge-viewing.

If you're in the market for a new thriller series to get hooked into, I'd suggest giving "The Rig" a chance. If you're really not convinced, though, we can still help you find something new to stream. Check out our guides to the best sci-fi thrillers on Prime Video or our overall round-up of the best shows on Prime Video for tons more recommendations.

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Martin is a Streaming Writer at Tom’s Guide, covering all things movies and TV. If it’s in the theaters or available to stream somewhere, he’s probably watched it… especially if it has a dragon in it. Before joining the team, he was a Staff Writer at What To Watch where he wrote about a broad range of shows that stretched from "Doctor Who" and "The Witcher" to "Bridgerton" and "Love Island". When he’s not watching the next must-see movie or show, he’s probably still in front of a screen playing massive RPGs, reading, spending a fortune on TCGs, or watching the NFL.