Hulu, one of the OG streamers, has one of the deepest catalogues out there – browsing the service can be a little bit like drowning in TV history. There’s a ton of old-school classics, a collection of game-changing peak TV series, plenty of currently-airing network and cable shows, and, of course, a slew of acclaimed Hulu originals, like The Handmaid’s Tale, Ramy, and Little Fires Everywhere. Finding something to watch isn’t hard – there’s so much – but finding something special, a hidden gem you weren’t expecting, well that can take some time.
Fortunately, time is something we have at Rotten Tomatoes and we’ve done the Hulu hidden-treasure hunt for you. In this guide, you’ll find Hulu originals with high Tomatometer scores that never got their time in the sun, staff-favorite network and cable series worth rediscovering, throwback classics you’ll be surprised to find on the service, and a bunch of gems from overseas – including a variety of great British comedies. And while many of the selections have multiple seasons, we linked to the page for each show’s first season because that’s generally the best place to start and get a sense of whether the show is right for you. To help you navigate our selection, we’ve categorized the list by genre so you can jump straight to selections to match your mood.
If you’re after the very best Hulu series, we’ve got that, too, along with the very best movies available on Hulu. But if you’re looking for something a little more off-the-beaten track, add one of the shows below to your queue.
Found a hidden gem on Hulu that’s not on our list? Let your fellow fans know in the comments.
Critics Consensus:Black Sails boasts visual appeal, but the show's bland characters aren't strong enough to keep the show from being dragged down into its murky depths of aimless exposition.
Critics Consensus:Firefly earns its audience's adoration with the help of Nathan Fillion's dry delivery, a detailed fantasy world, and compelling storylines -- even if it doesn't stand with creator Joss Whedon's most consistent work.
Critics Consensus:Sleeper Cell approaches its provocative high-concept with a respectful exploration of religious extremism, but the series works better as a gritty thrill-ride than the nuanced drama it aspires to be.
Critics Consensus: The nonsensical time travel in 12 Monkeys makes it less watchable than its original source material, but the high quality execution and cool characters are top-notch.
Critics Consensus: Joss Whedon's provocative procedural poses troubling questions about autonomy and consciousness, but repeatedly hitting the reset button on Eliza Dushku's character makes Dollhouse feel dispiritingly empty.
Critics Consensus: The premise of ordinary people gaining superpowers has been done before, but this irreverent yet gritty drama stands out from the crowd by making its heroes a group of young offenders doing court-mandated community service.
Critics Consensus: Odd and ambitious, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency sometimes overdoses on pure weirdness but offers absurdist rewards to those who stick with it.
Critics Consensus: Bouyed by strong acting and a sharp, funny script, Better Off Ted is a fresh, clever satire, even if it may not appeal to a particularly broad audience.
Critics Consensus: Though sometimes juvenile in nature, Getting On finds the funny, even in a somber setting, with humorous yet sensitive narratives and characterizations.
Critics Consensus: Aided by Chris Rock's humorous narration, Everybody Hates Chris' first season offers refreshingly honest insights into real life by addressing race, class, and adolescence.
Critics Consensus: An odd couple sitcom with a modern twist, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 is sleeker and smarter than expected, thanks to strong acting and snappy dialogue.
Critics Consensus: Amusingly surrealistic and enjoyably odd, Man Seeking Woman is easy to fall for, taking a ridiculously funny approach to a common theme.
Critics Consensus:Legit is proudly rude, crude, and politically incorrect, but thanks to strong writing and sharply-drawn characters, it's frequently hilarious and often oddly charming.
Critics Consensus: Though Nos2a2 strains to build the necessary atmosphere to pull off its ambitious premise, it does capture the spirit of Joe Hill's singular work and provide a new psychopath for Zachary Quinto to sink his teeth into.
Critics Consensus:The Exorcist doesn't come close to its classic source material, but still boasts a tense narrative that manages some legitimate scares and credible special effects.
Critics Consensus:The Strain makes the most of its familiar themes through an effective mix of supernatural thrills and B-movie gore -- though it may not appeal to everyone.
Critics Consensus:The Fades succeeds as a genuinely unnerving horror chronicle, striking a fine balance between gruesome set-pieces and likable characters.
Critics Consensus:Siren turns traditional lore on its tail with a unique, well-paced show that presents dangerous, violent mythical creatures in a surprisingly empathetic and exciting light.
Critics Consensus: Emily Watson plays a dangerous game with exceptional finesse in Apple Tree Yard, a rattlingly intense erotic thriller that deftly explores disturbing dilemmas and themes.
Critics Consensus:Brockmire insinuates itself as the series goes on, elevated by assured, compelling performances from Hank Azaria and Amanda Peet -- and a raw humor all its own.
Critics Consensus: An engrossing drama with a fun '80s soundtrack, Deutschland 83 chronicles an intense spy story that brings viewers uncomfortably close to the Iron Curtain.
Critics Consensus: Bittersweet and beautifully performed, Looking For Alaska is the rare adaptation that deviates from its source material only to find something even better.
Critics Consensus: With strong performances, deep writing, and skilled direction, The Path offers an absorbing observation of the human condition, even if a rushed pace occasionally blunts the impact.
Critics Consensus: Smart, sharp, and effortlessly charming, Bunheads is a captivating blend of drama and comedy that succeeds on the strength of a terrific ensemble cast.
Critics Consensus:Brotherhood achieves an authentic sense of place while unleashing ferociously good actors onto a story rife with thought-provoking moral quandaries, but some viewers may find the series too glum and patient in its storytelling.
Critics Consensus:Das Boot possesses the atmospheric pressure of its cinematic forebear while adding new depth to its compelling ensemble, making for a riveting international production.
Critics Consensus:Harlots uses its titillating subject matter to draw the viewer into a deeper drama about the intersection of survival, business, and family.
Critics Consensus: Despite Singleton's accurate recreation of 1983 Los Angeles and a strong lead performance from Damson Idris.Snowfall struggles to create a compelling drama from its separate storylines.
Critics Consensus: With an authenticity of culture and place and strong performances throughout, Queen Sugar rises above melodrama in this alluring, unhurried and powerful portrait of a fractious black American family.
Critics Consensus:National Treasure offers a unique perspective on celebrity crime through the eyes of its perpetrator -- and gripping performances from a strong ensemble cast.
Critics Consensus: A powerfully impressive -- and still relevant -- update on a television classic, Roots boasts remarkable performances, deep emotion, and occasionally jarring beauty.
Critics Consensus:Top of the Lake remains impressively idiosyncratic and ambitious in its second season, even if the plot of this six-episode arc isn't quite as tightly wound as its predecessor's.
Critics Consensus:Family Matters' first season proves that a simple sitcom built from basic ingredients can still deliver plenty of laughs if there's the right kind of chemistry between the cast -- particularly one with a breakout star waiting in the wings.
Critics Consensus: An exceptional ensemble and a smart sense of humor suggest The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its titular star may just make it after all.
Critics Consensus: You're about to enter a show, a show not only of frights and fears but of mind. A journey into the limitless world of imagination. A show that pushes the boundaries of what a show can be. Next stop, The Twilight Zone.
Critics Consensus: Not content to settle for Twilight Zone knockoff status, The Outer Limits set the bar for gruesome monster anthology series and stands the test of time.
Critics Consensus: Although this sleek summertime soap oozes melodrama, Melrose Place struggles with one-dimensional storylines and shallow characterizations.
Critics Consensus: With a distinctive color palette and profoundly good-natured sensibility, Steven Universe beams onto screens as a fully realized gem that will appeal to all demographics.
Critics Consensus:The Venture Bros. is both affectionate towards the science fiction hallmarks that it parodies and disdainful of its own characters, making for a pastiche that is easier to admire than love -- but viewers who enjoy dense riffs on the genre should find much to relish here.
She’s back! Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning comedy The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is returning to Amazon for its second season on Wednesday, Dec. 5.
Season 2 will see Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) dealing with the fallout from her takedown of Sophie Lennon, making her climb up the comedy ladder even more challenging — especially since she’s still keeping her new career as a standup comedian a secret from her family.
Recently added (updated 12/3): History Remembers George H.W. Bush (Dec. 5), Mysterious Islands (Dec. 26), Great Performances: The Bernstein Centennial Celebration (Dec. 28)
Monday, Dec. 3
Finding Joy, Acorn TV
Vanderpump Rules: Season 7, 9 p.m., Bravo
Unanchored, 10 p.m., Bravo
Wednesday, Dec. 5 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Season 2(2018)92% Amazon
Deal or No Deal, CNBC
History Remembers George H.W. Bush, 10 p.m., History Channel
Thursday, Dec. 6
Top Chef: Season 16, 9 p.m., Bravo
Friday, Dec. 7
RuPaul’s Drag Race Holi-slay Spectacular, 8 p.m., VH1
Love After Lockup: Season 2, 9 p.m., WE tv
Icebox, HBO
Monday, Dec. 10 9th Annual CMA Country Christmas, 8 p.m., ABC
Pentatonix: A Not-So-Silent Night, 10 p.m., NBC
Tuesday, Dec. 11
Jeff Beck: Still on the Run, 7:30 p.m., Showtime
Wednesday, Dec. 12 Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors, Marvel HQ YouTube Channel
Champaign Ill, YouTube Premium
Agnostic Front: Godfathers of Hardcore, 7 p.m., Showtime
Paris to Pittsburgh, 9 p.m., National Geographic
Susan Powell: An ID Murder Mystery, 10 p.m., Investigation Discovery
Thursday, Dec. 13
Dr. Pimple Popper: The 12 Pops of Christmas, 9 p.m., TLC The Carbonaro Effect: Season 4(2018) 10 p.m., tru TV (midseason premiere)
GG Allin: All In the Family, 10 p.m., Showtime
Sunday, Dec. 16
Springsteen on Broadway, Netflix
The Simpsons 30th Anniversary Marathon, 9 a.m., FXX
2018 Miss Universe, 7 p.m., Fox
Monday, Dec. 17
Blood, Acorn TV
America’s Got Talent: A Holiday of Champions, 10 p.m., NBC
Wednesday, Dec. 19 ()% YouTube Premium Schitt's Creek93%: Holiday Episode, 10 p.m., Pop
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee Presents “Christmas on I.C.E.” 10:30 p.m., TBS
Thursday, Dec. 20 Timeless91%: Series Finale, 8 p.m., NBC
Friday, Dec. 21 Marvel's Runaways: Season 2(2018)87% Hulu Vanity Fair: Miniseries(2018)89% Amazon Bird Box(2018)64% Netflix
Perfume: Season 1, Netflix
38Below: Tales of Arcadia, Netflix
Derry Girls, Netflix
Tales By Light, Netflix
Bad Seeds, Netflix
Struggle: The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski, Netflix
Last Hope, Netflix
Sirius the Jaeger, Netflix
Back With the Ex, Netflix
Wolf, Netflix
7 Days Out, Netflix
The Casketeers, Netflix
American Dream/American Knightmare, 8:30 p.m., Showtime
Saturday, Dec. 22
Demon’s Path, Netflix
Sunday, Dec. 23 Watership Down: Miniseries(2018)74% Netflix The Simpsons85%: Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire, 8 p.m., Fox
Marilyn Monroe For Sale, 9 p.m., Smithsonian Channel
Monday, Dec. 24
Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam, Acorn TV
Hi Score Girl, Netflix
Wednesday, Dec. 26
41st Annual Kennedy Center Honors, 8 p.m., CBS
Mysterious Islands: Georgia’s Island of the Geechee People, 11 p.m., Travel Channel
Mysterious Islands: Islands of Eternal Life, 11:30 p.m., Travel Channel
Friday, Dec. 28
Into the Dark: New Year, New You, Hulu
Instant Hotel, Netflix
Murder Mountain, Netflix
Selection Day, Netflix
A Twelve-Year Night, Netflix
When the Angels Sleep, Netflix
Yummy Mummies, Netflix
Great Performances: The Bernstein Centennial Celebration, 9 p.m., PBS
Sunday, Dec. 30 The Orville: Season 2(2018)100% 8 p.m., Fox
The Lake Erie Murders: Who Killed Amy Mihaljevic?, 9 p.m., Investigation Discovery
Monday, Dec. 31 Taylor Swift reuputation Stadium Tour, Netflix
Fox’s New Year’s Eve With Steve Harvey: Live from Times Square, 8 p.m., Fox
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest, 8 p.m., ABC
NBC’s New Year’s Eve, 10 p.m., NBC
It’s time for our weekly countdown of the Spring TV premieres! Here are the best new shows for the week of Friday, April 1st. See how this week’s shows, The Ranch, The Path, Lopez, andRush Hourstack up against each other on the Tomatometer!
