There was a time when great TV was hard to come by. While not every TV show is great, these days it can sometimes feel like viewers have the opposite problem. There are simply too many shows, and too many streaming services, to choose from. Thankfully, the best shows on Hulu are also among the best shows you can watch anywhere. From new originals to legacy series from decades past, it has tons of shows that will fill the hours of your day.
Those archival shows are hugely important to me, because they helped me define the kind of TV I really loved. Sprawling mysteries, intricate characters, and plenty of high stakes drama unify many of the titles on this list. There are also some, though, that I just think are really funny.
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You’re probably aware that, while Hulu shows are great, it’s far from the only streaming service with plenty of TV to offer. So whether you’re looking for the best Amazon Prime shows, the best Disney+ shows, or the best Netflix shows, we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ll dig into the best shows on Hulu that you can watch now.
Shōgun (2024)
1 Season
Genre
Drama, War & Politics
Stars
Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai
Created by
Justin Marks, Rachel Kondo
Watch on Hulu
Based on the novel by James Clavell, Shogun is a 2024 update to a 1980 miniseries that adapted the same story. The series is set in Feudal Japan in the year 1600, and tells the story of an English sailor who allies himself with a Japanese feudal lord who is competing for power over the entire country. Featuring an all-star cast of Japanese actors, this version of the story centers on the Japanese characters much more than previous iterations, and is all the better for it. Shogun has incredible production values, and its sharp scripts make it one of the best new shows of the year.
A Murder at the End of the World (2023)
1 Season
Genre
Mystery, Drama, Crime
Stars
Emma Corrin, Brit Marling, Harris Dickinson
Created by
Brit Marling, Zal Batmanglij
Watch on Hulu
A tech-forward mystery series with a hugely compelling central performance, A Murder at the End of the World is designed for the crime procedural lovers out there. An Agatha Christie premise with a twist, the series follows guests who are invited to a private resort by a reclusive billionaire, only for one of the guests to turn up murdered. The series centers on an amateur sleuth and proficient hacker who is determined to figure out who is behind the murder, all before the killer has the chance to take another life.
The Bear (2022)
2 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Stars
Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri
Created by
Christopher Storer
Watch on Hulu
Telling the story of an elite chef who takes over his brother’s Chicago sandwich shop in the wake of his death, The Bear is really a story about the traumas are families give us, and how we overcome them. It’s one of the most stressful, impressive shows on TV, and one of the best-acted ones. Through two seasons, The Bear has proven that its got almost total mastery over its tone, and it’s anchored by masterful performances from its central cast. Of course, it’s also one of the best shows for the food lovers in your life, but you don’t need to love food or the process of making it to love The Bear.
Abbott Elementary (2021)
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Lisa Ann Walter
Created by
Quinta Brunson
Watch on Hulu
One of the best conventional sitcoms on TV today, Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary series that follows the employees of an elementary school in urban Philadelphia. While that may sound like the premise of a much more dire series, Abbott is both genuinely hilarious and remarkably honest about the struggles of being a public educator today. Few shows are as smart or carefully crafted as this one, which also spends plenty of time on the drama and romance between its leads, as any good sitcom should.
Under the Banner of Heaven (2022)
1 Season
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery
Stars
Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Daisy Edgar-Jones
Created by
Dustin Lance Black
Watch on Hulu
There are plenty of exhausting true crime shows out there, but Under the Banner of Heaven manages to buck that general trend. The show tells the true story of a fundamentalist sect of Mormons who committed a series of murders in the 1980s. Thanks to a compelling central performance from Andrew Garfield, and a careful examination of how faith can drive people to madness, Under the Banner of Heaven was equal parts fascinating and disturbing. It also was the rare show that took time to actually articulate who the victims of these crimes were, and why their deaths were such enormous tragedies.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005)
71%
8.8/10
16 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olsen, Danny Devito
Created by
Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney
Watch on Hulu
A truly great ongoing comedy series, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a show that really toes the line between what’s funny and what’s outrageous. The show follows five self-absorbed Philadelphia residents who are the absolute epitome of awful, fighting among hemselves and turning on each other at the drop of a hat. What started as a racy sitcom turned into a brilliant satire that leaves no stone unturned, as political discourse and personal matters play out in a messy and raucous fashion. If you dive in and love it, you’ll find that there are tons of episodes to plow through.
Dopesick (2021)
68%
8.6/10
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Stars
Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg
Created by
Danny Strong
Watch on Hulu
Boasting some incredible performances from a terrific cast, Dopesick tells a real story in a brief limited format. Based on the actual, shocking events that were inflicted on the nation by Purdue Pharma in the late ’90s and early 2000s, Dopesick shows the devastating impact that pushing Oxycontin as a non-addictive painkiller had on communities all over America. It’s undeniably one of the best Hulu shows.
DAVE (2020)
76%
8.3/10
3 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Dave Burd, Taylor Misiak, Andrew Santino
Created by
Jeff Schaffer, Lil Dicky
Watch on Hulu
Following the semi-fictionalized trials and tribulations of the Jewish, white rapper Lil Dicky, Dave has something for everybody. As this maladjusted man-child tries to weave his way through the rap world and make a name for himself, he finds that his appearance — among other glaring details — is the least of his worries as he proves to the world that his rap skills are legit. Struggling with writer’s block, Dave Burd reportedly wrote the second season as a parallel to his life as he struggled to finish the creation of his album.
30 Rock (2006)
73%
8.3/10
7 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan
Created by
Tina Fey
Watch on Hulu
30 Rock is one of the all-time great sitcoms. The show follows Liz Lemon (Tina Fey), the head writer of a sketch comedy show for a major television network, as she deals with needy, arrogant, relentless, and outright ridiculous actors and superiors. 30 Rock — which was created and largely written by Tina Fey — is loosely based on her experience as the head writer for Saturday Night Live, painting hilarious parallels that are usually left up to the audience to decipher.
Atlanta (2016)
93%
8.6/10
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, Lakeith Stanfield
Created by
Donald Glover
Watch on Hulu
Often experimental but always brilliant, Atlanta has earned its vaunted reputation. The show follows Earn (Donald Glover), a struggling father and ex-boyfriend looking for a break who tries to change his luck by becoming the manager of his cousin, Alfred (Bryan Tyree Henry), a recent breakout rap star going by the alias “Paper Boi” in Atlanta. Created by and starring the creative and multitalented Glover, Atlanta is a smart and witty series that addresses the themes of parenthood, race, discrimination, gender, music culture, classism, gentrification, and many others all at once, making it feel genuinely one-of-a-kind, even in a crowded TV landscape.
Key & Peele (2012)
78%
8.3/10
5 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele
Created by
Keegan-Michael Key
Watch on Hulu
A provocative and entertaining sketch comedy show, Key & Peele features the comic minds of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, writers and actors who bring a refreshing honesty to every one of their sketches. Key & Peele earned legendary status during its run, and both Key and Peele have had prosperous careers in the years since. Fun and easy to watch, this show continues to be hilarious, even though the timeliness of some of its jokes has dissipated.
Fargo (2014)
85%
8.9/10
5 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Chris Rock, Jessie Buckley, Jason Schwartzman
Created by
Noah Hawley
Watch on Hulu
While you might expect this to be a continuation of the events of the Coen brothers film of the same name, Fargo is simply capitalizing on the setting and tone established by that widely beloved classic. Full of recognizable faces and awesome mid-western accents, the first season of Fargo tells the story of a mild-mannered insurance salesman who gets conned by an out-of-town hitman and is led down a very dark path, while subsequent seasons tell entirely separate stories.
Letterkenny (2016)
8.7/10
11 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Jared Keeso, Nathan Dales, Michelle Mylett
Created by
Jared Keeso
Watch on Hulu
Revered as one of the smartest under-the-radar comedy shows on TV, Letterkenny is a brilliantly written show with fast-paced dialogue that might leave you utterly bewildered if you’re not paying attention. Based in the tiny town of Letterkenny, Canada, we witness the ridiculous nature of the local hicks, ‘skids,’ hockey players, and Christians as they all somehow coexist.
Hot Ones (2015)
“… The show with hot questions and even hotter wings,” Hot Ones is an interview show originally started on YouTube for hot sauce fanatics. Host Sean Evans takes on celebrities from all circles of entertainment to test how much heat they can handle as they answer his questions. Full of zany zings, zesty anecdotes, and spicy inside scoops, this show is a great choice for Scoville scale enthusiasts as well as pop culture fans.
Justified (2010)
86%
8.6/10
6 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, Joelle Carter
Created by
Graham Yost
Watch on Hulu
In the critically acclaimed crime drama Justified, we follow Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant), a deputy U.S. Marshal tasked with bringing down some of the most dangerous drug rings in the American South. Armed with his hip-holstered handgun and his fearless wit, our character is the closest thing to a modern-day cowboy you’re going to get on TV. Starring Olyphant and Walton Goggins, Justified explores the themes of justice, peace, crime, and punishment from a wide array of perspectives, and gives us some great character arcs along the way.
High Fidelity (2020)
70%
7.7/10
1 Season
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Zoë Kravitz, David H. Holmes, Da'Vine Joy Randolph
Created by
Veronica West, Sarah Kucserka
Watch on Hulu
Based on Nick Hornby’s novel and a great John Cusack movie, High Fidelity is a story of music, neuroticism, and self-deprecation. A deeply self-involved lover of music and pop culture, Robyn ‘Rob’ Brooks (Zoë Kravitz) is the owner of a local record store, where she makes endless top-five lists while throwing back neat whiskey and reviewing all the events that led to the end of her last relationship. With plenty of great comedic timing and writing, this modern revival is worth a watch for any music lover.
The Great (2020)
3 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Stars
Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox
Created by
Tony McNamara
Watch on Hulu
A sharp, surreal, absurd show about the rise of Catherine the Great in Russia in the 18th century, The Great is unlike any other show on TV. Starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult as a frightful pair of would-be rulers, the show is far funnier than any period piece ever should be. Tony McNamara, who co-wrote The Favourite, is responsible for this show as well, which explains why it’s tone is so absurd and downright strange. Hoult and Fanning keep the whole thing grounded, though, even as they’re prone to flights of fancy themselves.
Lost (2004)
6 Seasons
Genre
Mystery, Action & Adventure
Stars
Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Josh Holloway
Created by
J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, Jeffrey Lieber
Watch on Hulu
One of the more controversial shows ever made, Lost is nonetheless a pillar of what great TV storytelling can be. Following a group of plane crash survivors who wind up on a mysterious island, the series is really about what it means to connect to someone, and how important that connection is to who we ultimately become. Over the course of six sprawling seasons, Lost introduced plenty of mythology as well, and while not everyone was totally satisfied by the ending, the ride there was more than worth it.
Schitt's Creek (2015)
6 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dan Levy
Created by
Eugene Levy, Dan Levy
Watch on Hulu
Telling the story of a rich, stuck up family who are forced to move to a small town after they lose everything, Schitt’s Creek is much more endearing than that premise makes it sound. The show’s brilliance comes from the smallness of its comedy, and from the way it worms its way into your heart episode after episode. After a few seasons of existing in relative obscurity, Schitt’s Creek evolved into a genuine phenomenon and became something of an awards darling as well. In the end, it earned all of the various plaudits and accolades that it received.
What We Do in the Shadows (2019)
6 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou
Created by
Jemaine Clement
Watch on Hulu
Adapted from the hilarious film of the same name, What We Do in the Shadows follows a group of vampires living in the modern day and just trying to get by. As absurd as that premise may sound, the show itself is definitely wilder and also funnier than you could ever imagine. While the show does have its moments of genuine sentiment, What We Do in the Shadows is really a pure comedy, and that’s what has made it such a delight across its fairly extended run.
Only Murders in the Building (2021)
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Mystery, Crime
Stars
Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez
Created by
Steve Martin, John Robert Hoffman
Watch on Hulu
A picture-perfect mashup of comedy and true crime, Only Murders in the Building follows the story of three citizen detectives, two who are in their 70s and one who is in their 20s, as they investigate a murder that took place in their ritzy apartment building. Steven Martin and Martin Sheen are the creative forces behind the series, and their comedic timing has never been better. Now several seasons deep, Only Murders in the Building has also accumulated some of the most astounding guest stars of any show on TV, including a prominent, featured role for none other than Meryl Streep.
The Dropout (2022)
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Stars
Amanda Seyfried, Naveen Andrews
Created by
Elizabeth Meriwether
Watch on Hulu
Telling the story of one of the most fascinating personalities of the 21st century, The Dropout is riveting from beginning to end. The show, which follows the rise and fall of Theranos and its founder, Elizabeth Holmes, is captivating and often hilarious, reminding us that Holmes was both a fraud and a pretty strange person. What makes The Dropout so successful, though, is that it’s also about the culture of Silicon Valley, which encourages the kind of grand proclamations that ultimately built Holmes into a legend.
Reservation Dogs (2021)
3 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Stars
Devery Jacobs, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Lane Factor
Created by
Taika Waititi, Sterlin Harjo
Watch on Hulu
Following four teenage friends who are trying to make ends meet while living on a reservation in Oklahoma, Reservation Dogs is the perfect combination of witty and profound. The series is often painfully honest about the destitution of life on the reservation, where there is little economic opportunity and plenty of heartbreak. At the same time, it’s a light-hearted story in ways that you might not expect. It’s a tragedy and a comedy, and it features a young cast who all know their characters inside and out, which is why it has been acclaimed as one of the best shows of recent years.
Under the Bridge (2024)
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Lily Gladstone, Riley Keough, Vritika Gupta
Created by
Quinn Shephard
Watch on Hulu
A true crime miniseries with an incredible cast, Under the Bridge tells the true story of 14-year-old Reena Virk’s murder, and follows a detective who has been tasked with solving the case and a journalist who becomes embroiled in it as well. The show will undoubtedly be a disturbing watch, in part because everything that happens is based in truth. Thanks to gripping central performances from Riley Keough and Lily Gladstone, though, the show is never anything less than thoroughly compelling.
Pam & Tommy (2022)
1 Season
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Lily James, Sebastian Stan, Nick Offerman
Created by
Robert D. Siegel
Watch on Hulu
A truly salacious story that has never gotten appreciated for all the damage it caused, Pam & Tommy chronicles the aftermath of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee’s leaked sex tape. The show’s brilliance comes chiefly from its treatment of Anderson, who was written off as a total joke for decades, but here, she’s treated sensitively by Lily James. The series itself takes some wild swings, and while not all of them work, Pam & Tommy manages to be both engaging thematically and highly entertaining, in part because it seems to take every perspective of the story it’s telling into account.
Moonlighting (1985)
5 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Crime
Stars
Cybill Shepherd, Bruce Willis, Allyce Beasley
Created by
Glenn Gordon Caron
Watch on Hulu
One of the great ’80s dramedies that has been largely unavailable via streaming, Moonlighting is ostensibly set at a private detective agency. As it unfolded, though, the show was about as bold and ambitious as any show could be, constantly reinventing itself in ways that still feel almost unimaginable. It burst through genre expectations, broke the fourth wall long before Deadpool, and made stars out of Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd, its two leads. Did Willis desperately want to leave so he could star in movies? Sure, but the writers of Moonlighting even wove that reality into the text of the show.
Black Twitter: A People's History (2024)
There was a time when Twitter felt like the promises of the internet, fulfilled. It may feel hard to remember now, but a huge part of Twitter’s culture came from Black Twitter, where users built a community that seemed entirely for and of them. In this three-part docuseries, we learn about the moments that built that community from the people who were posting through major upheaval around the world. Black Twitter may seem like a small corner of the internet, but its cultural and political influence allowed it to punch well above its weight.
Normal People (2020)
A brilliant adaptation of a great novel, Normal People tells the story of two people falling in and out of love with one another over the span of years. As sappy as that may sound, the limited series is actually a careful examination of two people who seem perfect for each other, but struggle to get out of their own way. Anchored by central performances from Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones that turned both actors into stars, Normal People is a show about coming of age, and the person who helps you find out who you really are.
English Teacher (2024)
1 Season
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Brian Jordan Alvarez, Stephanie Koenig, Enrico Colantoni
Created by
Brian Jordan Alvarez
Watch on Hulu
It turns out that teach is a very fruitful avenue for comedy. English Teacher tells the story of a teacher in Austin, Texas who finds that he often has to deal with the personal and political aspects of his job, all while he’s trying to enrich the lives of his young students. Sharp, witty, and well performed, English Teacher has the potential to be a genuinely great sitcom, assuming that it gains a large enough audience to stay on the air for at least a few years.
High Potential (2024)
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Kaitlin Olson, Daniel Sunjata, Javicia Leslie
Created by
Drew Goddard
Watch on Hulu
One of the best new shows of 2024, High Potential is a procedural anchored by a great central performance from Kaitlin Olson. Olson plays a single mother who inadvertently helps the police solve a crime. After it’s discovered that she has a unique ability to solve tough-to-crack murders, she teams up with the police to solve them regularly. Procedurals about murder mysteries are as old as TV itself, but High Potential‘s emphasis on a female character and one who is struggling in her personal life makes the series feel like a totally fresh spin on the topic.
Say Nothing (2024)
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Lola Petticrew, Hazel Doupe, Anthony Boyle
Created by
Joshua Zetumer
Watch on Hulu
Telling the true story of The Troubles, a period of conflict between Northern Ireland the United Kingdom, Say Nothing is not an easy watch, but it is an essential one. The series focuses specifically on two sisters who were members of the IRA, an organization bent on reuniting Ireland at any cost, including through violence. Because it is told through the perspective of characters who have lived through this violence, part of the show’s brilliance is in chronicling the way these young radicals become entirely disillusioned with the cause they once though they would be willing to die for, and realizing just how much pain and suffering they caused to no avail.
American Crime Story (2016)
3 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Sarah Paulson, Beanie Feldstein, Annaleigh Ashford
Created by
Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Tom Rob Smith, Sarah Burgess
Watch on Hulu
Across its three seasons, American Crime Story has really lived up to every piece of its title. The show retells the story of several high-profile criminal cases from across the nation’s history, including the O.J. Simpson trial, the murder of Gianni Versace, and the scandals inside Bill Clinton’s White House. The show’s genius is in making each of these events feel real and immediate, helping us understand the ways they helped define how Americans see each other and their country.
What new Hulu shows are on in January?
January 1
- Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025: Special Premiere
- Kids Diana Show: Let’s Celebrate Together: Complete Season 1
- Papa Jake: Epic Box Forts: Complete Season 1
January 2
- 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: Special Premiere
- American Pickers: Complete Season 25
- Beyond the Headlines: The Tanya Kach Story with Elizabeth Smart: Complete Season 1
- The Butcher: Complete Season 1
- Dark Side of the 90s: Complete Season 3
- My City’s Just Not That Into Me: Complete Season 1
- The Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd: Complete Season 1
January 3
- Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: Series Premiere
- Animal Control: Season 3 Premiere
- Going Dutch: Series Premiere
January 7
- Dead Pixels: Complete Seasons 1-2
January 8
- The Rookie: Season 7 Premiere
- Will Trent: Season 3 Premiere
- Doc: Series Premiere
- Ishura: Season 2 Premiere
January 9
- Celebrity Jeopardy!: Season 3 Premiere
- Shifting Gears: Season 1 Premiere
- Biography: Alice Cooper: Complete Season 1
- Biography: Chris Farley – Anything for a Laugh: Complete Season 1
- Biography: Jeff Dunham – Talking Heads: Complete Season 1
- Biography: Jeff Foxworth – Stand Up Guy: Complete Season 1
- Booked: First Day In: Complete Season 2
- Extreme Builds: Complete Season 1
- Interrogation Files: Complete Season 1
- MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES: Complete Season 1 (SUBBED & DUBBED)
- More Power: Complete Season 1
- My Hero Academia: Season 7, Episodes 148-159 (DUBBED)
- Kitchen Nightmares: Season Premiere
- Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test: Season 3 Premiere
- Dance First
January 10
- Goosebumps: The Vanishing: Season Premiere
January 13
- Toilet Bound Hanako-kun: Season 2 Premiere (SUBBED)
- Biography: WWE Legends: Complete Season 2
- The First 48: Complete Season 25
- The Mega-Brands That Built America: Complete Season 2
- Murder At The Motel: Complete Season 1
- Quarter Ton Teen: Complete Season 1
January 15
- Unmasked: Complete Season 1 (SUBBED & DUBBED)
- Sniper: The Ultimate Competition: Complete Season 1
January 17
- Roy Wood Jr.: Lonely Flowers: Special Premiere
January 20
- Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai: Complete Season 1 (SUBBED & DUBBED)
January 21
- Rurouni Kenshin: Complete Season 1 (SUBBED & DUBBED)
January 22
- Whiskey on the Rocks: Complete Season 1 (SUBBED & DUBBED)
January 23
- The Misfit of Demon King Academy: Complete Season 1-2 (SUBBED & DUBBED)
- PERSONA5 the Animation: Complete Season 1 (DUBBED)
- Swamp People: Serpent Invasion: Complete Season 4
- Theresa Caputo: Raising Spirits: Complete Season 1
January 28
- Paradise: Series Premiere
- The Bachelor: Season 29 Premiere
January 30
- The First 48 Presents: Critical Minutes: Complete Season 3A
- The Food That Built America: Complete Season 5
- Holy Marvels with Dennis Quaid: Complete Season 1
January 31
- Rachael Ray’s Meals in Minutes: Complete Season 1
- Scamanda: Series Premiere
