This 8-Part Prime Video Sci-Fi Series Was Quietly One of Its Most Ambitious Shows

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Published May 12, 2026, 8:31 AM EDT

Collier Jennings is an entertainment journalist with a substantial amount of experience under his belt. Collier, or "CJ" to his friends and family, is a dedicated fan of genre films - particularly science fiction, fantasy and comic book adaptations, not to mention all forms of animation animation. This stems from a close bond with his father, who introduced him to these genres via copies of X-Men comics and reruns of the original Ultraman series. Using his near-encyclopedic knowledge and bottomless love of genre, he's been able to tackle a wide variety of articles.

If you're a genre fan, chances are that Prime Video has a series for you. Like gritty military thrillers? Reacher and The Terminal List are just a click away. Need a superhero series that isn't from Marvel or DC? Invincible and The Boys have you covered. A fantasy fan? The Legend of Vox Machina or The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is bound to give you your fix. However, there's one sci-fi show on Prime that might have slipped under fans' radar, and while it only lasted a single season, it was a truly ambitious take on a plethora of sci-fi concepts.

That series is The Peripheral, which is based on William Gibson's novel of the same name. Set in the year 2032, The Periphreal follows siblings Flynne (Chloë Grace Moretz) and Burton Fisher (Jack Reynor) as they struggle to survive while also taking care of their gravely ill mother. When Flynne receives the opportunity to beta test a new virtual reality system, she leaps at the chance, as it can help her and her family out. The VR system entangles Flynne and Burton in a web of murder and mystery as they fight to stay one step ahead of the people who want them dead.

'The Peripheral' Delivers A Layered, Compelling Narrative

Chloe Grace Moretz in 'The Peripheral' as Flynne Fisher strapped to a metal machine

Perhaps the biggest draw of The Peripheral is how it peels back the layers of mystery surrounding its narrative, resulting in a series of twists that keep the audience hooked. The VR system Flynne is testing is actually letting her control a robot avatar 70 years in the future. It's later revealed that said future is the result of "The Jackpot", a cataclysmic event that wipes out a massive chunk of the human race. On top of that, prolonged use of the VR technology causes Flynne physical and mental damage, which adds up to The Peripheral having one of the bleakest depictions of the future that's ever been seen in a sci-fi series.

The Peripheral's bleak yet compelling landscape comes courtesy of showrunner Scott B. Smith and executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. Nolan and Joy are no strangers to creating complex science-fiction dystopias, thanks to their work on Westworld, a series that also featured highly advanced robots. Smith has experience adapting novels, as he penned the screenplays for the film adaptations of his own work, A Simple Plan and The Ruins; he manages to bring all the elements of The Peripheral to the screen while also updating certain elements or characters. Despite the talent behind and in front of the screen, The Peripheral would suffer a premature cancellation.

'The Peripheral' Was Cut Down in Its Prime

The Peripheral ends on a major cliffhanger as Flynne winds up sacrificing herself to create a new timeline for herself, her family and friends. It was a bold gambit that opened the door for future seasons, and Lisa Joy would even express her desire to continue The Peripheral during an interview with the Radio Times.

“I know we’ve already started brainstorming about season two in the hopes that we get a season two, and the world only gets more vast and complicated. But the thing that really appeals to me about it is how much deeper we are able to dive into each of the characters’ lives, and personal lives and ambitions and motivations. To me, that is where it gets really exciting.”

Joy would sadly never get the chance to make more episodes of The Peripheral, as Prime Video canceled the series in 2023 despite greenlighting a second season. The fallout from the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023 was cited as the main reason for the cancellation, but it wouldn't be the last television series that Joy and Jonathan Nolan produced for Prime Video. The duo delivered what's arguably one of the streamer's biggest hits with Fallout, yet another post-apocalyptic series whose success lies in its star-studded cast and its tie to a popular video game franchise.

Despite the fact that it only lasted for a single season, The Peripheral is still a well-crafted, compelling slice of science fiction worth watching. Maybe one day Prime Video can deliver another series that's on its level.