7 Reasons Sneaky Pete Should Be Your Next Binge Watch

Amazon's Sneaky Pete isn't exactly "prestige" drama, but it's a ton of fun.

1. The ridiculous, yet thoroughly entertaining plot

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Sneaky Pete is the story of a con man, Marius (Giovanni Ribisi), on the run from a vicious gangster who takes cover from his past by assuming the identity of his prison cellmate, Pete. But Marius' plan goes awry when Pete's estranged family threatens to drag him into a world just as dangerous as the one he's trying to escape. While the basic concept is outlandish and fairly unbelievable, the show maneuvers its plot turns and character reveals so confidently, you'll find yourself accepting some logic holes and just enjoying the wild ride. (And oh boy, it gets wild and then some.)

2. Bryan Cranston as the Big Bad

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Cranston, a co-creator and executive producer of Pete, is as terrifying here as he is in the final season of Breaking Bad, except of course, we don't see his transformation to the dark side. And you can tell that Cranston is loving it, chewing the scenery and just generally having a ball playing depraved poker boss Vince. He's a standout in a stacked cast. (He also gives an epic, nearly ten minute monologue in episode 4. You can thank me later.)

3. Beloved character actress Margo Martindale

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Fans of Justified who are missing Martindale on their TV screens can rejoice (you can also catch her on FX's The Americans, but that's for another list). She's back and nearly better than ever as matriarch Audrey Bernhardt, a seemingly wholesome grandma who we learn has some dark secrets of her own.

4. The elaborate capers, cons, and a con artist network

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If you fell for films like American Hustle, Ocean's 11, The Sting, or Catch Me If You Can, Pete will have you hooked. Over the first season's 10 hours, we're introduced to Marius's old network of con artists, who each have their own specialty in the game. By the end of the season, Marius has told so many lies (and lies about other lies -- it's hard to keep track), that he needs to enlist the help of his old buddies and it's thrilling watching the final con come together.

5. It's crazy addictive

Don't say I didn't warn you: this show will steal your weekend -- and you should let it. You'll be enthralled by every character, from Marius to the family he's attempting to swindle to Vince (Gilligan) and his army of gangsters, each given complex backstories and twisted motivations. This might be the ultimate crime drama for the binging era -- heavy on mystery and intrigue, with all the deception and misdirection forcing you to click 'next episode.'

6. The fascinating tonal shift between the pilot and the rest of the show

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Sneaky Pete was originally developed as a drama for CBS. Once the pilot was filmed, CBS ended up passing on the show, and that's when Amazon came in to give it a life after near-death. When the show was at CBS, David Shore, executive producer of House, was running the series. After the switch to Amazon, Shore stepped down, with Graham Yost, creator of Justified taking over the reins. The change at the helm transformed the essence and tone of the series, going from a fairly standard procedural (the pilot outlines a basic one crook/crime dealt with per episode) to a gritty and layered family drama. It's a fascinating exercise for anyone interested in the different ways the same plot can be interpreted on screen.

7. There's a second season on the way!

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Just a week after the full first season debuted on the streaming service, Amazon announced that Sneaky Pete's been renewed for a second season, which is currently filming (there's no premiere date as of yet). Without spoiling anything, I'll say that the first season ends by wrapping up the season's big stories, with only a few loose threads, but in the final moments of the 10th episode, the audience (and Marius) is shocked by a surprise development and left with a cliffhanger. Luckily, we don't have to wait too long to find out what's in store for Marius and the Bernhardts.