Earlier this week, we showed you the impressive first trailer for Amazon's new family drama Transparent. It was the first real bit of evidence that Netflix may have some serious competition when it comes to being the Internet's top destination for original programming.
Transparent, along with four other shows, got the green light after viewers weighed in on their pilot episodes. While the whole audience-participation thing may be nothing more than a gimmick to help differentiate itself from Netflix, Amazon is set to give it another whirl.
Today, five new pilots will be available for streaming on Amazon Prime, and it's up to you to decide which will be headed to series. In terms of subject matter, they've left no stone unturned.
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Among the dramas vying to be the next House of Cards is Hand of God, a supernatural thriller featuring Ron Perlman as a judge who's convinced that God is speaking to him through his comatose son. There's also Hysteria, another high-concept premise featuring Mena Suvari as a neurologist tasked with investigating a mysterious epidemic affecting a teen-girl dance squad.
Amazon is also looking to tickle our funny bones with three new comedies, each with a familiar face as an anchor. There's Really, about a group of middle-aged friends navigating their complicated relationships. Selma Blair and Jay Chandrasekhar star. At first glance, Red Oaks might look like your run-of-the-mill coming-of-age story about a teenaged boy set to embark on a summer to remember, but this one comes from Steven Soderbergh and David Gordon Green, so expectations are high. Last but certainly not least, there's Whit Stillman's The Cosmopolitans, featuring Chloë Sevigny and Adam Brody as Americans in Paris. Consider us sold.
But, enough from us. Amazon has put together a tantalizing sizzle reel to help you decide where to start. Happy binging, everyone!