If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, The Originals is available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Stan, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Peacock Premium right now. Every one of its 5 seasons holds up. 3,604 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Joseph Morgan sets the tone, and the world-building does the rest. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason The Originals keeps coming up in conversation. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry The Originals through its more ambitious moments. The Vampire Diaries spin-off that follows the Mikaelsons, a family of millennia-old, power-hungry vampires who want to reclaim the city they built, New Orleans, and dominate all those who have wronged them. Joseph Morgan and Daniel Gillies lead a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. The series ran for 5 seasons (2013–2018), building a story that gave its audience time to invest properly. The world-building is meticulous enough to sustain multiple rewatches, with details early on that only make sense later. Every minute repays the time invested, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give The Originals a chance. Fans of True Blood will recognise the sensibility here immediately. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch if your schedule allows. Joseph Morgan anchors it with a performance that makes the more abstract moments feel personal. If you have been burned by ambitious sci-fi before, this is the exception.

The Originals wrapped up in 2018, created by Julie Plec — and 5 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.