KC Frankenburger
Netflix seems to get all the glory these days. But if The Handmaid’s Tale proved anything, it was to not underestimate Hulu when it comes to original programming. The past couple of years, the site has been quietly and intently focusing on its original content, and some phenomenal shows have been coming out as a result. I, for one, am beyond excited for Castle Rock—Hulu’s latest Stephen King series set to premiere later this year starring Bill Skarsgard, Melanie Lynskey, Jane Levy, and Sissy Spacek.
Could Castle Rock steal Stranger Things’ thunder and make Netflix quiver in its boots? Let’s all hunker down with these binge-worthy Hulu originals while we wait to find out.
The Handmaid’s Tale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKoIPuifJvE
The Handmaid’s Tale, based on Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel of the same name, follows Offred, a handmaid who is forced into servitude under the Gilead regime. Fertility has declined and as a result, fecund women are seen as a property of the state, forced to bear the children of wealthy members of the political regime. The show was nominated and proceeded to win Best Drama Series at the 2018 Golden Globes.
The Looming Tower
This limited series is about the rivalry between the FBI and the CIA in the 1990s and stars Jeff Daniels as the chief of the FBI’s New York Counterterrorism Center. The Looming Tower (like the non-fiction book of the same name) posits that this rivalry may have set the stage for the events of 9/11.
Harlots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmUP1idcOhU
Harlots has definitely not gotten the attention it deserves, but this British series about rival brothels in 18th century London is premiering its second season this summer. Harlots stars double Academy Award nominee Samantha Morton as one of the two rival madams. The show’s second season premieres this July 11th, so mark your calendars!
Chance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0WUiB8YTmI
Unfortunately, this excellent series starring TV vet Hugh Laurie was very recently canceled after just two short seasons. Laurie (playing an American again) is Dr. Eldon Chance, a forensic neuropsychiatrist who finds himself stuck with his city’s sordid dealings after an enticing patient (Gretchen Mol) draws him into her world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJaUfpbEYIU
Josh Hutcherson stars in this futuristic comedy set in the world of high stakes computer gaming. If you’re a fan of movies like Superbad or Pineapple Express, then this slacker bro-style comedy is going to be right up your alley and you will be pleased to learn that Future Man has been renewed for a second season.
Runaways
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plyJQG-nRN0
Runaways is Hulu’s first foray into the world of adapting comic book superheroes, and it seems the gamble paid off because the series was renewed for a second season! Based on the 2003 comic book, the show stars mostly newcomers as a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are actually super villains. Even better is the knowledge that they may have actually inherited something from them other than wealth and good looks.
