Hulu is one of the best streaming platforms which can provide unique original contents, ranging from a family drama, a dystopian sci-fi, to a fantasy-themed horror and a thriller. With their thoughtful and entertaining storytelling series, the viewers just can’t help but add the shows to their watchlist. Although the platform does not make as many shows as other streaming sites including Netflix, HBO and Prime Video, it definitely makes it up with their quality content. Here are some of the best and most popular original shows of Hulu, ranked in order from the worst to the best.
8. 11.22.63 (2016)
Developed by: Bridget Carpenter
Executive producers: Bryan Burk, Kevin Macdonald, Stephen King, Bridget Carpenter, J. J. Abrams
Starring: Sarah Gadon, James Franco, Lucy Fry, Cherry Jones, T. R. Knight, George MacKay, Josh Duhamel, Daniel Webber, Kevin J. O’Connor, Chris Cooper
No. of seasons: 1
Inspired by the 2011 novel by Stephen King titled the same as the series, it revolves around a newly divorced English teacher who, after a series of incidents, is given an opportunity to travel back in time to the year, 1960 by his old friend named, Al Templeton. He is asked to go there in order to prevent the murder of the then US President, John F. Kennedy who was assassinated on November 22, 1963. However, he establishes new relationships with the people in the past which could form an obstacle between him and his mission. He strives to find information about the events that lead to the final murder of the President while maintaining an unsuspicious life on the surface.
7. The Act (2019)
Created by: Nick Antosca, Michelle Dean
Executive producers: Michelle Dean, Nick Antosca, Gregory Shephard, Britton Rizzio
Starring: Joey King, Patricia Arquette, Calum Worthy, Chloë Sevigny, AnnaSophia Robb
No. of seasons: 1
The story of ‘The Act’ has been inspired by the real life of a young woman, Gypsy Rose Blanchard and his mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, living together in a town of Missouri. The police discovered Dee Dee murdered, in her home and her daughter went missing. The story became more complicated when it was found that the mother used to abuse Gypsy by making up fake illness and disabilities, including cancer and brain damage, because of the result of Munchausen syndrome by proxy. When Gypsy finally came across the truth, she made a very outrageous and heinous plan. The series received a lot of love from the critics for the solid performances by the lead casts.
6. Little Fires Everywhere (2020)
Developed by: Liz Tigelaar
Executive producers: Liz Tigelaar, Lynn Shelton, Kerry Washington, Reese Witherspoon, Pilar Savone, Lauren Neustadter
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Joshua Jackson, Kerry Washington, Jade Pettyjohn, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lexi Underwood
No. of seasons: 1
Inspired by the 2017 novel by Celeste Ng going by the same name, ‘Little Fires Everywhere’ depicts the interconnected destinies of the picture-perfect family of the Richardsons and a mysterious pair of mother and daughter who lift their lives. As the story progresses, the nature of art and identity, weight of secrets, unimaginable pull of motherhood are explored, along with the nullification of the belief that dangers can be avoided by following the rules.
5. Castle Rock (2018- 2019)
Created by: Dustin Thomason, Sam Shaw
Executive producers: Stephen King, J. J. Abrams, Dustin Thomason, Sam Shaw, Liz Glotzer, Ben Stephenson, Mark Lafferty
Starring: Bill Skarsgård, André Holland, Melanie Lynskey, Sissy Spacek, Jane Levy, Lizzy Caplan, Barkhad Abdi, Paul Sparks
No. of seasons: 2
‘Castle Rock’ is a psychological horror series inspired by the characters, themes and settings from the stories penned down by Stephen King, and his fictional city named Castle Rock. The first season revolves around a lawyer named Henry Deaver who receives a call from his hometown asking him to come back to Castle Rock, where a man has been discovered in a deserted block of the local prison. The man seems to have been kept in captivity by the last warden, Dale Lacy, who has committed suicide recently. As Henry returns to his hometown, he catches up with his mother and Sheriff, who had saved his life when he was a child. As the story progresses, Henry tries to unknot the identity of the prisoned man, while coming across dark secrets about him, the old warden as well as the entire town. Since it is an anthology series, the second season of the show has no connection with the first one.
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4. Ramy (2019- present)
Created by: Ari Katcher, Ramy Youssef, Ryan Welch
Executive producers: Ari Katcher, Ramy Youssef, Ravi Nandan, Ryan Welch, Bridget Bedard, Jerrod Carmichael, Christopher Storer
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Ramy Youssef, Dave Merheje, May Calamawy, Amr Waked, Mohammed Amer, Laith Nakli
No. of seasons: 2
The series, ‘Ramy’ revolves around the true story of a first-generation Egyptian-American Arab, Ramy Youssef, starring him in his own role, Ramy Hassan. Ramy explores his life while growing up in New Jersey, mounting the line separating generation Y of which he is a part and the Muslim community to which he belongs. While the Muslim community believes in moral values, the millennial generation believes that life should be led without being bothered by the consequences. He strives to untangle himself from the obligations of his religion and his raising, while looking for a life in the modern lifestyle, including partying, drinking and hooking up, which appears eye-opening and heartwarming.
3. Veronica Mars (2004- 2019)
Created by: Rob Thomas
Executive producers: Diane Ruggiero, Danielle Stokdyk, Joel Silver, Rob Thomas, Jennifer Gwartz, Kristen Bell
Starring: Kristen Bell, Teddy Dunn, Percy Daggs III, Enrico Colantoni, Jason Dohring, Francis Capra, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Kyle Gallner, Ryan Hansen
No. of seasons: 4
Technically speaking, the series is not a Hulu Original, rather, the network had picked the show for the fourth and final season only, years after it was cancelled. Originally, the series revolved around a student named Veronica Mars, who has just graduated from her high school, working as a private detective during the night, under the guidance of her father who is also a detective. In the initial seasons, Veronika used to solve stand-alone cases along with working on complex cases which used to be solved only by the end of the season. In season 4, which aired in 2019, Veronica has been shown still living in Neptune with Logan and solving mysteries with Keith. When a number of Spring Break locations are bombarded, Veronica starts her investigation where the prime suspects range from a Mexican cartel to a State Congressman.
2. Normal People (2020)
Directed by: Lenny Abrahamson, Hettie Macdonald
Executive producers: Andrew Lowe, Ed Guiney, Sally Rooney, Emma Norton, Anna Ferguson, Lenny Abrahamson
Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Paul Mescal, Sarah Greene, Aislín McGuckin
No. of seasons: 1
The show, ‘Normal People’ has been adapted from the 2018 novel by Sally Rooney bearing the same name. It centres on the relationship between Connell Waldron and Marianne Sheridan, living in the same small town of Ireland, belonging to different backgrounds. They go on to explore adulthood from the last of their days in secondary school, to their university years in Trinity College. The series is a psychological romance drama and has received appreciation from critics as well as the spectators for the direction, writing, acting performances, along with the portrayal of mature content.
1. The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-present)
Created by: Bruce Miller
Executive producers: Warren Littlefield, Bruce Miller, Ilene Chaiken, Reed Morano, Fran Sears, Daniel Wilson, Mike Barker, Elisabeth Moss
Starring: Joseph Fiennes, Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Ann Dowd, Alexis Bledel, Max Minghella, Madeline Brewer, O. T. Fagbenle
No. of seasons: 3
Inspired by the 1985 novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, going by the same name, ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ has been set in the dystopia of Gilead, which is a totalitarian society ruled by a fundamentalist authority who believed that women are one of the properties of the state. When the place is faced with natural disasters and a rapid decrease in birth rate, the remaining fertile women are ordered for sexual servitude, in order to repopulate the devastated world quickly. One of those women named Offred refuses to accept her fate and vows to survive the cruel world in which she lives, getting her daughter back from them.
The show has remained one of the most popular shows of 2017, winning eight Emmys in its very first season. The series was appreciated for the performance of Elizabeth Moss, along with the political and social upheaval. The fourth season of the show is all set to premiere on April 28, 2021, while the makers of the show have already renewed the series for another season.
