Whether it’s ripped-from-the-headlines dramas, Jane Austen-inspired Queer rom-coms, murder-mystery comedies, or sci-fi dystopias that feel terrifyingly real, there is something for everyone on Hulu if you know where to look. And, to save you the trouble, Uproxx has gone ahead and done the looking, offering suggestions that are sure to deliver for people craving original prestige TV and/or the perfect date-night flick.
THE
UPROXX
GUIDE TO
HULU ORIGINALS
THE GREAT
Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult seem to be having the time of their lives in this sort-of-true historical dramedy from The Favourite scribe, Tony McNamara. As Russia’s childish and bloodthirsty Emperor Peter III, Hoult gives a convincing turn as a madman with too much power, some outrageous wigs, and a penchant for hilarious one-liners. Fanning plays his new wife, the soon to be Catherine the Great who hopes to enact progressive change within this empire that seems to be stuck in the dark ages, if only she can figure out how to stage a coup and kill her husband first. It seems toppling a monarchy is a ridiculous, violent business.
FIRE ISLAND
What if Jane Austen wrote Pride & Prejudice about a group of Queer friends on summer vacation? That’s the question this new rom-com both asks and answers, giving us a hilarious and oddly moving story about found family and unexpected romance. Starring everyone from SNL breakout Bowen Yang to stand-up legend Margaret Cho, the film follows a group of life-long besties who are trying their hardest to enjoy their last summer together on Fire Island (their lesbian den mother is selling her seaside home). Unfortunately, the strip has been overtaken by some affluent, unfairly attractive gays who make everyone in the group question their own self-worth in interesting ways. Yang is terrific as is Joel Kim Booster, who both writes and stars in this.
One of the best things to emerge from New Girl was Lamorne Morris and this high-concept comedy gives him the space he deserves to showcase his many talents. Co-created by artist Keith Knight and loosely based on his own life and work, this quick-witted slice of social commentary likes to play with expectations. That means you’ll see Morris (as Knight) contemplating heavy thought starters like police brutality and institutionalized racism while also arguing with animated objects and having an identity crisis over his PG comic strip series. Morris sells it all convincingly and he’s joined by an equally funny cast. Is this the only show on TV that has a talking trash can taking on gentrification? Probably. That’s part of why you should watch.
WOKE
There’s a great tradition within the Silicon Valley sect of visionary prodigies hellbent on saving the world who are ultimately remembered for all of the criminally corrupt practices and wildly abusive behaviors they partook in while climbing the corporate ladder. Elizabeth Holmes, the 20-something biotech Stanford dropout who hooked big-time investors with the promise of an at-home blood-testing machine is one of those pioneers – a woman who idolized Steve Jobs to the point of caricature and defrauded her way to prison. And this prestige drama from Michael Showalter does a fantastic job of recounting her public crash-and-burn saga with Amanda Seyfried transforming herself and pushing her vocal range to give fans an eerily intimate view of how greed and success can corrupt the best of us.
THE DROPOUT
This Andy Samberg-lead romcom is so much more than just Groundhog Day in the desert. Okay, it’s that too, but screenwriter Andy Siara infuses the comedic time loop trope with enough quirky sci-fi elements and a feel-good love story that the whole thing feels new and exciting again. Samberg plays Nyles, a carefree guy attending a wedding in Palm Springs. He meets Sarah (Cristin Milioti), the bride’s sister, and the two end up in a time loop thanks to a deranged stalker and a supernatural cave. Initially a fun social experiment that Sarah uses to escape her problems, the loop eventually starts to wear on their budding relationship, forcing Sarah to try increasingly gruesome ways of escaping it. It’s a dark comedy with just enough light-hearted humor to keep the mood afloat. Plus, J.K. Simmons delivers an excellent supporting performance.
PALM SPRINGS
Inspired by the film Love, Simon, this Queer coming-of-age comedy puts the spotlight on another young gay teen named Victor Salazar (Michael Cimino) who moves to a new city and struggles with his sexual orientation. As Victor tries to make new friends and find his place in the hierarchy of high school, he also worries over how his half Puerto Rican, half Colombian-American family will react to his true self. The second season sees Victor dealing with the fallout from that reveal but as angsty as it sounds, this show has so much heart that it manages to deliver a refreshing approach to the traditional coming out story.
LOVE, VICTOR
Comedian Ramy Youssef borrows inspiration from his own life for this comedy series about a young Muslim man trying to hold onto his religious roots while enjoying the freedom and perks of a modern American life. The show’s Ramy is a child of immigrants searching for meaning while going to parties and getting high with his friends. He’s drowning under the expectations of his parents and feeling lost in his search for faith, both of which see him winding up in some hilariously uncomfortable places. But, underneath the humor – and there’s plenty of it – Youssef gives audiences a surprisingly poignant rumination on what it’s like to be a part of a generation who must shoulder the hopes and dream of their parents while also trying to find their own way in the world.
RAMY
This adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s eerily clairvoyant dystopian novel has netted Hulu plenty of award season recognition and it’s easy to see why. Elisabeth Moss gives a nuanced and visceral performance as a woman named June/Offred who is enslaved and forced to bear children for Commander Fred Waterford and his wife, Serena Joy. Declining birth rates, climate change, and the rise of religious fanatics who have overtaken America’s government bring forth the birth of Gilead, a theonomic totalitarian regime where men are in charge and women are subservient. Over the course of four seasons, June leads an uprising, claiming small victories and suffering devastating defeats in her quest to rescue her daughter and liberate women like her, known as Handmaids.
HANDMAID'S TALE
Some might say cannibalism has no place in a romantic-comedy and to those critics we say, “Have you seen Fresh?” The indie film from director Mimi Cave stars Sebastian Stan as a seemingly-perfect blind date named Steve while Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Noa, a young woman with shockingly bad luck in the romance department. The two hit it off at a grocery store and begin a whirlwind courtship that takes a dark and grisly turn when it’s revealed that Steve doesn’t have the best of intentions. It’s hard to say more without spoiling the last third of this film, but it’s safe to say you’ll never look at dating in the modern world the same way again. Also, it’s best to come into this with a strong stomach.
FRESH
This gem starring everyone from Kristen Stewart and Aubrey Plaza to Dan Levy, Mackenzie Davis and Alison Brie became a modern holiday classic last year while, at the same time, helping to fill the gap in Queer representation in holiday films. The movie focuses on Abby (Stewart) and her girlfriend Harper (Davis) who decide to spend the holidays with Harper’s affluent family. The only problem? None of her loved ones know she’s gay. Most of the comedy comes as Harper and Abby try to keep their relationship firmly in the closet while family members try to set Harper up with an ex-boyfriend and her former flame (Plaza) puts the moves on Abby. Comedy from chaos, a tradition like no other during holidays.
HAPPIEST SEASON
Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez might seem like the unlikeliest crime-fighting trio on television, but somehow their chemistry just works in this feel-good series about, what else, murder in a New York high-rise. Martin plays Charles, an aging actor whose biggest hit was a long-ago detective series. Short plays Oliver, a struggling Broadway director, and Gomez plays Mabel, a young and mysterious tenant. They each share a love of true crime and quickly start their own podcast when a neighbor turns up dead in their building. There is a central mystery here and plenty of comedy from all three leads to make the ride a fun one. And with season 2 on the horizon, now is the perfect time to catch up.
ONLY MURDERS
IN THE BUILDING
FIRE ISLAND
One of the best things to emerge from New Girl was Lamorne Morris and this high-concept comedy gives him the space he deserves to showcase his many talents. Co-created by artist Keith Knight and loosely based on his own life and work, this quick-witted slice of social commentary likes to play with expectations. That means you’ll see Morris (as Knight) contemplating heavy thought starters like police brutality and institutionalized racism while also arguing with animated objects and having an identity crisis over his PG comic strip series. Morris sells it all convincingly and he’s joined by an equally funny cast. Is this the only show on TV that has a talking trash can taking on gentrification? Probably. That’s part of why you should watch.
WOKE
THE DROPOUT
This Andy Samberg-lead romcom is so much more than just Groundhog Day in the desert. Okay, it’s that too, but screenwriter Andy Siara infuses the comedic time loop trope with enough quirky sci-fi elements and a feel-good love story that the whole thing feels new and exciting again. Samberg plays Nyles, a carefree guy attending a wedding in Palm Springs. He meets Sarah (Cristin Milioti), the bride’s sister, and the two end up in a time loop thanks to a deranged stalker and a supernatural cave. Initially a fun social experiment that Sarah uses to escape her problems, the loop eventually starts to wear on their budding relationship, forcing Sarah to try increasingly gruesome ways of escaping it. It’s a dark comedy with just enough light-hearted humor to keep the mood afloat. Plus, J.K. Simmons delivers an excellent supporting performance.
PALM SPRINGS
Inspired by the film Love, Simon, this Queer coming-of-age comedy puts the spotlight on another young gay teen named Victor Salazar (Michael Cimino) who moves to a new city and struggles with his sexual orientation. As Victor tries to make new friends and find his place in the hierarchy of high school, he also worries over how his half Puerto Rican, half Colombian-American family will react to his true self. The second season sees Victor dealing with the fallout from that reveal but as angsty as it sounds, this show has so much heart that it manages to deliver a refreshing approach to the traditional coming out story.
LOVE, VICTOR
Comedian Ramy Youssef borrows inspiration from his own life for this comedy series about a young Muslim man trying to hold onto his religious roots while enjoying the freedom and perks of a modern American life. The show’s Ramy is a child of immigrants searching for meaning while going to parties and getting high with his friends. He’s drowning under the expectations of his parents and feeling lost in his search for faith, both of which see him winding up in some hilariously uncomfortable places. But, underneath the humor – and there’s plenty of it – Youssef gives audiences a surprisingly poignant rumination on what it’s like to be a part of a generation who must shoulder the hopes and dream of their parents while also trying to find their own way in the world.
RAMY
Some might say cannibalism has no place in a romantic-comedy and to those critics we say, “Have you seen Fresh?” The indie film from director Mimi Cave stars Sebastian Stan as a seemingly-perfect blind date named Steve while Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Noa, a young woman with shockingly bad luck in the romance department. The two hit it off at a grocery store and begin a whirlwind courtship that takes a dark and grisly turn when it’s revealed that Steve doesn’t have the best of intentions. It’s hard to say more without spoiling the last third of this film, but it’s safe to say you’ll never look at dating in the modern world the same way again. Also, it’s best to come into this with a strong stomach.
FRESH
This adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s eerily clairvoyant dystopian novel has netted Hulu plenty of award season recognition and it’s easy to see why. Elisabeth Moss gives a nuanced and visceral performance as a woman named June/Offred who is enslaved and forced to bear children for Commander Fred Waterford and his wife, Serena Joy. Declining birth rates, climate change, and the rise of religious fanatics who have overtaken America’s government bring forth the birth of Gilead, a theonomic totalitarian regime where men are in charge and women are subservient. Over the course of four seasons, June leads an uprising, claiming small victories and suffering devastating defeats in her quest to rescue her daughter and liberate women like her, known as Handmaids.
HANDMAID'S TALE
This gem starring everyone from Kristen Stewart and Aubrey Plaza to Dan Levy, Mackenzie Davis and Alison Brie became a modern holiday classic last year while, at the same time, helping to fill the gap in Queer representation in holiday films. The movie focuses on Abby (Stewart) and her girlfriend Harper (Davis) who decide to spend the holidays with Harper’s affluent family. The only problem? None of her loved ones know she’s gay. Most of the comedy comes as Harper and Abby try to keep their relationship firmly in the closet while family members try to set Harper up with an ex-boyfriend and her former flame (Plaza) puts the moves on Abby. Comedy from chaos, a tradition like no other during holidays.
HAPPIEST
SEASON
Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez might seem like the unlikeliest crime-fighting trio on television, but somehow their chemistry just works in this feel-good series about, what else, murder in a New York high-rise. Martin plays Charles, an aging actor whose biggest hit was a long-ago detective series. Short plays Oliver, a struggling Broadway director, and Gomez plays Mabel, a young and mysterious tenant. They each share a love of true crime and quickly start their own podcast when a neighbor turns up dead in their building. There is a central mystery here and plenty of comedy from all three leads to make the ride a fun one. And with season 2 on the horizon, now is the perfect time to catch up.
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING
Broad City alum Ilana Glazer co-writes and stars in this psychological horror story about a couple trying to get pregnant and the enigmatic doctor whose promise to help them comes with some sinister consequences. Glazer plays Lucy while Justin Theroux plays her husband Adrian. After trying to years to conceive, the couple consults Adrian’s mentor, Dr. Hindle (Pierce Brosnan), an IVF specialist. Lucy quickly becomes pregnant with triplets – two boys and a girl -- but must “selectively reduce” one in order to have a healthy pregnancy. Though she wants to keep the girl, she suspects Hindle has decided to save the boys without her consent. Eventually, strange hallucinations begin to occur and Lucy suspects everyone of being in on Hindle’s scheme to gaslight her. It’s one hell of a ride with an ending you’ll never see coming.
FALSE POSITIVE
Broad City alum Ilana Glazer co-writes and stars in this psychological horror story about a couple trying to get pregnant and the enigmatic doctor whose promise to help them comes with some sinister consequences. Glazer plays Lucy while Justin Theroux plays her husband Adrian. After trying to years to conceive, the couple consults Adrian’s mentor, Dr. Hindle (Pierce Brosnan), an IVF specialist. Lucy quickly becomes pregnant with triplets – two boys and a girl -- but must “selectively reduce” one in order to have a healthy pregnancy. Though she wants to keep the girl, she suspects Hindle has decided to save the boys without her consent. Eventually, strange hallucinations begin to occur and Lucy suspects everyone of being in on Hindle’s scheme to gaslight her. It’s one hell of a ride with an ending you’ll never see coming.
FALSE POSITIVE
PRESENTED BY HULU
WRITER: JESSICA TOOMER
DESIGNER: DAISY JAMES
PRESENTED BY HULU
What if Jane Austen wrote Pride & Prejudice about a group of Queer friends on summer vacation? That’s the question this new rom-com both asks and answers, giving us a hilarious and oddly moving story about found family and unexpected romance. Starring everyone from SNL breakout Bowen Yang to stand-up legend Margaret Cho, the film follows a group of life-long besties who are trying their hardest to enjoy their last summer together on Fire Island (their lesbian den mother is selling her seaside home). Unfortunately, the strip has been overtaken by some affluent, unfairly attractive gays who make everyone in the group question their own self-worth in interesting ways. Yang is terrific as is Joel Kim Booster, who both writes and stars in this.
There’s a great tradition within the Silicon Valley sect of visionary prodigies hellbent on saving the world who are ultimately remembered for all of the criminally corrupt practices and wildly abusive behaviors they partook in while climbing the corporate ladder. Elizabeth Holmes, the 20-something biotech Stanford dropout who hooked big-time investors with the promise of an at-home blood-testing machine is one of those pioneers – a woman who idolized Steve Jobs to the point of caricature and defrauded her way to prison. And this prestige drama from Michael Showalter does a fantastic job of recounting her public crash-and-burn saga with Amanda Seyfried transforming herself and pushing her vocal range to give fans an eerily intimate view of how greed and success can corrupt the best of us.
THE
UPROXX
GUIDE TO
HULU
ORIGINALS
Photo by Gareth Gatrell/Hulu
Photo by Jeong Park/Searchlight
Photo by Joe Lederer/Hulu
Photo by Beth Dubber/Hulu
Photo by Jessica Perez/Hulu
Photo by Michael Desmond/Hulu
Photo by Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu
Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
Photo by Jasper Savage/Hulu
Photo by Jojo Whilden/Hulu
Photo by Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu
Photo by Emily Aragones/Hulu