Amazon launches 10 more free pilots on Amazon Prime

In some strange variation on Netflix’s celebrated binge-release practice, Amazon Prime has done some binging of its own. But while Netflix simultaneously releases entire seasons of a single show, Prime is releasing 10 pilots of 10 different shows and asking the viewing public to decide which ones are any good. Feedback from viewers will help the Amazon bigwigs determine which, if any, are made into a full series. 

The content arms race between streaming video providers Netflix, Amazon and Hulu (and YouTube/Google Play and Crackle and Redbox and… you get the picture) shows no signs of slowing down, and here’s Amazon’s latest assault. The Prime Instant Video service is pushing new, exclusive, original content at the same time it gains access to popular TV shows from a new deal with Fox. The latter arrangement brings FX series The Americans as a streaming exclusive to Amazon (Engadget HD favorite Justified became an exclusive last year), plus archived episodes of The League, Louie, How I Met Your Mother, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Archer on a non-exclusive basis next month. The Americansreturns for season two on February 26th, and we’re sure the network is hoping viewers will binge on the well-reviewed series in time to start watching then.