Hulu is a terrific streaming platform, but it remains less popular than services such as Netflix, HBO Max, and its sister service, Disney+. The platform maintains an underdog status despite providing an extensive range of appealing content to its users.
If you’re in the mood for something new, you could try some classic shows on Netflix or some hidden gems on Apple+. You could also skip both and consider Hulu instead. Hulu provides you with an extensive collection of original content that suits different viewer preferences. Hulu’s content collection includes multiple award-winning comedies and dramatic series, many of which remain undiscovered by most viewers.
For anyone who loves all things Stephen King
Anyone who has read a Stephen King novel has probably heard of Castle Rock. It’s a fictional town that plays a huge role in many of the author’s most iconic novels. Castle Rock, the series, ran for two seasons and serves as a psychological horror anthology series that tells many of King’s stories in twisted new ways.
In the first season, Bill Skarsgård stars as a supernatural aura that’s found in Shawshank Prison. From there, the story delves into the town’s unnerving history and reveals the secrets of many of its citizens. The second season, my favorite, stars Lizzy Caplan as Annie Wilkes, the twisted character from King’s Misery. To call Wilkes unhinged would be an understatement. When she gets herself involved in a feud between two dueling crime families, strange things begin to happen, and no one is spared.
Each of Castle Rock’s two seasons runs 10 episodes, and you don’t necessarily have to watch one to enjoy the other. Ideally, you should start with season one, but that’s up to you.
A beautiful, at times disheartening, teenager’s journey through high school
In 2018, many people discovered the film Love, Simon. Two years later, Hulu introduced Love, Victor, a teen comedy-drama series that serves as a spin-off of the film. Spanning three seasons and 28 episodes, this coming-of-age drama stars Michael Cimino in the title role, a new student at Creekwood High School.
Victor faces several challenges throughout the series, from challenges he must confront at home, his self-discovery, and questions about his sexuality. Along the way, he meets several students who help him on his journey, including one who turns out to be his first and only love.
Love, Victor never shies away from addressing many of the things real teenagers in America face, including bullying, homophobia, and more. Never does it preach, however, and there are plenty of laughs along the way.
Aidy Bryant stars in this comedy with a lot of laughs
One of my favorite former Saturday Night Live ensemble members, Aidy Bryant, stars in this three-season comedy. It’s about a young, plus-size journalist, Annie Easton, who wants to change her life, but not necessarily in the ways one expects.
Throughout her sometimes crazy journey, Easton faces everything from self-acceptance and empowerment to societal pressures and love. As the journey continues, she becomes more confident, but often selfish and abrasive.
Shrill is a fun series with fun characters. It presents a body-positive message throughout, which is often lacking on this type of show.
The doctor and patient are both having some bad days
Steve Carell (The Office) and Domhnall Gleeson star in this complex limited series from the team behind The Americans. It follows a psychotherapist who is held captive by one of his patients. Throughout, we learn more about the good doctor (Carell), good and bad, and the patient (Gleeson), who reveals a terrible secret early into the series.
The Patient isn’t for everyone. In fact, it took me a while to get through the 10, 30-minute episodes, as some dragged and others were too intense to binge-watch. However, if you’re the type of person who likes intense stories that make you think, this is almost certainly a series worth checking out.
Trivia: Gleeson stars in the new Peacock series, The Paper, which is a spin-off of the comedy hit, The Office.
It’s a story about Hollywood making fun of Hollywood
Modern Family co-creator Steven Levitan is the brains behind this meta-comedy that lasted for just one season. It follows a group of dysfunctional actors who starred in a fictional hit 2000s sitcom that are brought together in a reboot in the present day. It stars Keegan-Michael Key, Judy Greer, and Johnny Knoxville, among many others.
Honestly, I’m not sure what Hulu and its viewers apparently disliked about this series that was canceled after eight episodes. It’s a fun show that makes fun of Hollywood and the stars it creates. Perhaps it was too close on the mark for the powers to be to continue it further.
A real-life murder story based on a popular book
Based on the 2023 John Krakauer non-fiction book by the same name, Under the Banner of Heaven is about the real-life 1984 murders of Brenda Wright Lafferty and her 15-month-old daughter, Erica, in a suburb of Salt Lake Valley, Utah. It follows two fictional detectives played by Gil Birmingham and Andrew Garfield who are trying to solve the case.
At its heart, Under the Banner of Heaven isn’t just about a murder. Rather, it offers a critical examination of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and many of its beliefs, some of which have been widely criticized.
This is an extraordinary story that’s told over seven gripping episodes. Though Garfield’s performance is often noted for what makes the series so good, other actors should also be commended for their work, including Birmingham and Daisy Edgar-Jones, who plays Lafferty in flashbacks.
