Netflix might get a lot of the attention, but Hulu has become a great streaming service in its own right, and, if you're a TV fan, one of the best streaming services for shows past and present, with a massive selection of shows for you to watch right at your fingertips.
But Hulu has also been making a name for itself with its original productions. The streaming service has built an ever-growing roster over the years, one that's getting even bigger thanks to the recent "FX on Hulu" original programming slate. From the bleak future painted by The Handmaid's Tale to the musical romance of High Fidelity, these shows are why you should take a chance on Hulu.
The best service for TV lovers.
Hulu is a great streaming service that offers an exciting slate of original programming to rival the best from most of its competitors.
The Handmaid's Tale
This bleak, hard-hitting drama follows a woman named June, who has been forced to serve as a handmaid in a society known as Gilead, a harsh country in which women are oppressed in a caste system. In a world plagued by infertility, a handmaid is a fertile woman who is forced by Gilead to breed with the Commanders, the men at the upper echelons of the society.
The series charts June's journey through life in Gilead, and at various points, her attempts to either survive or escape it. You'll also explore the lives of various other characters, including June's commander and his wife, as well as survivors of the Gilead regime who have fled to Canada, and the toll living in Gilead has taken on them.
Devs
This thriller miniseries centers on Lily Chan, a young woman who starts asking question when her boyfriend vanishes while working for the Devs divison of Amaya, a secretive quantum computing company. Lily enlists Jaime, her ex-boyfriend and a cybersecurity specialist, for help in her investigation.
In the course of her personal investigation, Lily comes into conflict with various figures at Amaya, including its enegmatic CEO, Forest, as well as Katie, the chief designer of the Devs system.
From writer/director Alex Garland, known for the excellent film Ex Machina, Devs explores themes of free will versus determinism and the strains of development culture.
Little Fires Everywhere
Based on the novel of the same name,Little Fires Everywehre is a miniseries that follows the seemingly-perfect Richardson, a family in suburban Shaker Heights, Ohio, and Mia and Pearl Warren, a mother-daughter duo who just moved to the town. As the worlds of the Richardsons and the Warrens intersect, both families find their lives upended by one another, with consequences for everyone.
The show stars Reese Witherspoon as Elena Richardson, a local journalist and mother of four, and Kerry Washington as Mia Warren, an artist who moves around with her daughter, who she raises alone.
High Fidelity
In this adaptation of the novel of the same name, Robyn "Rob" Brooks looks back on her past loves after a date gone wrong, all while trying to get over her ex, Mac, with whom she has just broken up. Rob operates Championship Vinyl and is obsessed with pop culture, and finds a way of relating it to her love life.
The series splits its time between flashback and present-day adventure as Mac recounts her romantic past and, ultimately, what caused her relationship with Mac to disintegrate.
Castle Rock
This anthology series based on the works of Stephen King, and set in his oft-used fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. The first season focuses on Henry Dever, a lawyer that has come back to Castle Rock for the first time in years after a turbulent childhood spent in the small town. The second season follows Annie Wilkes, a troubled nurse moving from town to town with her daughter.
The series borrows stories, characters, and background elements from all across the Stephen King canon. These including things recurring character Alan Pangborn to the state penitentiary just up the road, Shawshank Prison.
Mrs. America
This series tells the story of the effort to pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the 1970s. The show follows not only conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly in her efforts to quash the amendment, but also second wave feminists who pushed for its passage, including Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, and Shirley Chisholm.
The miniseries, currently in the middle of its run, features an all-star cast, headed by Cate Blanchett as Phyllis Schlafly, Rose Byrne as Gloria Steinem, Uzo Aduba as Shirley Chisholm, and Elizabeth Banks as Jill Ruckelshaus.
Your favorites
What are your favorite original shows on Hulu? Tell us about them in the comments.
