Huluhas been changing the streaming game ever since its inception in 2008. In an imperfect world where some streaming apps have common technical errors, Hulu has stood apart as a purveyor of the latest and greatest content. Since then, Hulu has only risen in popularity due to its multi-faceted streaming options, its easy accessibility, its add-on options and bundle deals, its watch party and recording features, and its access to popular global options.
In recent years, Hulu in the US has become legendary for its unique original material. From producing original series to acquiring films at film festivals, the platform is host to some incredible stories that have earned them rave reviews and awards attention. So, in the name of saving you precious viewing time, here’s a list of some of the best of the best original film and television series that Hulu has to offer.
Updated on Mar. 12th, 2024, by Soniya Hinduja:This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
23Normal People (2020)
Normal People
Based on the bestselling novel by Sally Rooney,Normal Peopleis a devastatingly beautiful drama miniseries that portrays the relationship shared by Marianne and Connell. They first began hanging out in their high school days in a small Irish town. At school, he’s popular and she’s lonely. Despite the social differences and class divides, the two grew older, and apart, while still holding on to a bond that was tender, complicated, profound, and irresistible.
A Delicate Study of the Human Condition
Normal Peopleis a 12-episode series that is ripe with complex and honest performances from Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal. As two flawed characters battling with personal traumas, they share a chemistry that is beautiful and authentic. Under the direction of Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald,Normal Peoplebrings careful and sophisticated life to Rooney’s story. Critics have praised its tense pacing, emotionally perceptive script, andrepresentation of the restlessness of youth. Through feelings of desire, longing, and touch, the series tells a romance that is at once universal and rare.
22Tell Me Lies (2022)
Tell Me Lies
Chronicling a tumultuous eight-year-long romance between two young souls,Tell Me Liesfollows Lucy Albright and Stephen DeMarco, who first met in a fictional upstate New York school. Right from the start, they shared an intense but toxic relationship. Lucy is looking for someone to help reinvent herself and break free, while Stephen is cautious and harbors secrets of his own. The closer they get, the more entangled they become with each other’s emotional and physical messes.
A Hypnotic Romance
Tell Me Liesis adapted into a compelling Hulu Original by Meaghan Oppenheimer from a 2018 novel of the same name by Carola Lovering. It covers dark themes of obsession, manipulation, and control, and how a relationship worsens with these factions at play. The charismatic leads, Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, do an incredible job at gripping the audiences into their touch-and-burn romance. The cinematography of theseries is also engaging, and as the narrative spirals out at a deliberate pace, it reveals how one toxic relationship can alter lives forever.
21Fleishman Is in Trouble (2022)
A lighthearted miniseries,Fleishman Is in Troublefollows a recently-separated surgeon named Toby Fleishman. Now in his early forties and free to explore, he enters the world of app dating when his ex-wife, Rachel, suddenly goes missing and leaves their two children, 11-year-old Hannah and 9-year-old Solly, under Toby’s care. As Fleishman juggles parenting, his demanding career, new romances, and the disappearance of his ex-wife, he begins to understand the truth about why they broke up in the first place.
Jesse Eisenberg’s Most Complete Role Yet
Fleishman Is in Troubleoffers remarkable insight into marriage, divorce, and dysfunction. With an all-star cast made of Jesse Eisenberg, Claire Danes, Lizzy Caplan, and Adam Brody, the series immerses its viewers in each character’s complicated psyche. Every look and gesture, the vivid New York City setting, and the introspective dialogue make the story more profound. Taffy Brodesser-Akner is a brilliant author; he captures modern relationships and personal turmoil with decency and sharpness, and it is safe to say that the Hulu Original brings absolute justice to his work.
20Quiz Lady (2023)
Read Our ReviewQuiz Ladystars Sandra Oh and Awkwafina as daughters to a highly erratic and dysfunctional mother. Having grown up together but living separately as adults, Jenny and Anne are forced to come back together when their mother reportedly flees to Macau, leaving a massive gambling debt and a quirky mafia boss as a problem for the girls to deal with. Jenny comes up with the idea for Anne to participate in a game show she grew up being obsessed with and brilliant at, and thus begins their cross-country road trip.
Sisterhood and Self-Acceptance
Directed by Jessica Yu,Quiz Ladyis a heartfelt and hilarious female-led comedy that subtly mines an era of inconsistent and intelligent humor. Awkwafina and Oh are complete opposites but they share a history as sisters and emerge as role models of poise, grit, recklessness, and ambition to each other. Supported by an engaging (but surprisingly restrained) performance from Will Ferrell, an iconic run from Jason Schwartzman, and quiet dignity lent by Holland Taylor, the infectious comedy will leave you smiling from ear to ear.
19Rye Lane (2023)
Read Our ReviewThere’ssomething genuinely creative about British rom-comsandRye Lanearrives gloriously to show just that. Set in South London, it follows two strangers named Yas and Dom who have a meet-cute moment at an art exhibition. Recovering from recent breakups, they instantly bond over failed relationships, with Yas helping Dom get over his ex by showing up to their meeting and singing karaoke. Their friendship transforms into something more over a day’s worth of misadventures and conversations.
Visually Appealing British Rom-Com
Rye Laneis Raine Allen-Miller’s feature directorial debut, and the project clearly puts her on the map as a promising filmmaker with vibrant, contemporary stories to tell. With its vivid, colorful, visually cheeky, wide-angle cinematography, the movie transports viewers straight into the Rye Lane market and offers laughter and love in abundance. Vivian Oparah and David Jonsson share a phenomenal chemistry as two young individuals who are shy, patient, fun, and conversational. Overall, the movie is one that’s deliciously acted and hard to forget.
2025-07-08 (2016)
11.22.63is a thrilling miniseries that centers on one of history’s biggest what-ifs – the assassination of JFK. The protagonist, Jake Epping, is a high school teacher who discovers a portal that can transport him back to the 1950s. He sees the portal as an opportunity to prevent an event that changed the course of American history. However, the more embroiled he gets in this moment, the more complexities he faces, including a librarian he accidentally falls in love with.
Compelling Time-Travel Mystery
Stephen King’s stories are known to be synonymous with horror, butthis captivating series puts a unique sci-fi/time travelspin on things. James Franco is stunning as the dedicated teacher crumbling under the weight of a colossal responsibility. Moreover, the series overflows with rich period details and plot twists around every nook and corner, which is perfect to keep you on the edge of your seat.
17Love, Victor (2020 - 2022)
AfterLove, Simon, the timeless teen comedy based on Becky Abertalli’s debut YA novel took off, fans were in for a treat with a television series set in the same universe. The show follows Victor, a new student at Creekwood High School, navigating the murky waters of teenagehood, high school friendships, and first crushes, as well as his sexual orientation. As a half-Puerto Rican, half-Colombian-American kid, Victor’s home life is just as chaotic and complicated as school.
A Genuine and Heartwarming Teenage Story
Love, Victorpacks a truckload of compassion and nuance. Because it is a recent release, the narrative of the episodes tries to be very gentle with the struggles faced by its protagonists and supporting characters, which is a blessing for today’s LGBTQ+ youth because representation hasn’t been so healthy for them so far. With that said, the series has a genuinely sharp wit that may surprise you. Michael Cimino delivers a soulful lead performance in a series that never sacrifices the teenage experience.
16The Handmaid’s Tale (2017 - Present)
The Handmaid’s Tale
The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian television series based on the 1985 novel by author Margaret Atwood. The series was created by Bruce Miller and stars Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, and Yvonne Strahovski. The show follows the story of a young handmaid as she is forced to deal with a new totalitarian government that subjugates women in this dark societal twist.
In contrast with the previous feel-good series, we now haveThe Handmaid’s Tale. The series is created by Bruce Miller and it is set in a dystopian future version of the United States, where Gilead is a totalitarian society that overthrows the US government and establishes new rules and regulations for women. The few fertile ones, called “Handmaids” are forced to live as concubines, so they can bear children for the elite couples. June is one such woman who dreams of freedom and strives to reunite with her daughter.
Thought-Provoking Adaptation
Inarguably the best Hulu original series of all time,The Handmaid’s Talebrings Margaret Atwood’s highly influential novel to life in a terrifying and disturbing light. Elisabeth Moss is a force to be reckoned with as June, a woman who not only grapples with her reality, but eventually becomes a voice for women’s rights, oppression, and rebellion. As for the direction, Miller has done an outstanding job atshowcasing Gilead’s horror, the suspense, and the fight for free will, yet never losing sight of that glimmer of hope.
15Fresh (2022)
Read Our Review
A piercing commentary on the modern dating scenario,Freshtells the story of Noa, a young woman who meets Steve at a convenience store aisle, and they hit it off almost immediately. Reluctantly, Noa joins Steve (now her boyfriend) for a romantic weekend getaway in a retreat in the woods. But as soon as she gets there, her dream man vanishes, and what emerges is a man with an unusual appetite.
Nothing Is As It Seems
Daisy Edgar-Jones has already captivated the audience with her role inNormal People, so to see her as a resourceful heroine fighting for survival was as refreshing as it was exhilarating.Freshis an unsettling thriller, and director Mimi Cave subverts expectations at every disturbing plot twist with one ultimate goal in mind – to skewer modern relationships. Sebastian Stan is also incredible as the charming yet creepy male lead.
14The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021)
The United States vs. Billie Holidaytransports you to 1940s New York when the country was on the verge of embracing a heroin epidemic. On one hand, the Federal Department of Narcotics was working tirelessly to prevent it, and on the other, legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday was basking in her rising popularity. Being a heroin addict herself, Holiday found herself targeted by the FBI, who wanted to racialize the issue by using her performance of the song “Strange Fruit” as a weapon against her.
Phenomenal Turn By Andra Day
The 2021 film isa biographical dramathat chronicles the government’s endless schemes to destroy her career. So to tell a story that not only brings Billie’s torment to vibrant life but also empathetically portrays the long-standing war directed at Black Culture and womanhood was not an easy feat. But director Lee Daniels’ decision to choose Andra Day for the role was brilliant because the actress entirely vanished into the role of Holiday and stirred our souls with her performance.
50 Best New Movies on Streaming to Watch Right Now
From Netflix to Max, here are 50 unique and new movies to watch on streaming right now on every major platform.
