Hulu: 38 best TV shows to binge-watch this weekend – CNET


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If you’re a British TV fan, it doesn’t get much better than a Sarah Lancashire-led miniseries. The Accident is about, yep, an accident in a fictional Welsh community. An explosion on a construction site kills several children, leaving the community fighting for justice. Lancashire plays a hairdresser married to a local politician, whose plans to improve the town don’t quite work out. Smart, nuanced and tackling complicated material, The Accident is compelling viewing.

A Teacher (2020)

Thriller

Hulu
If Ocean’s Eleven-type schemes but in a northern English town sound like an inspired combination to you, then try Brassic. Vinnie and his five mates commit various imaginative crimes in lieu of real jobs, but as time inevitably wears a few of them down, they start to turn their heads to life away from the town. It can be zany and crude, but also delicately sweet in an authentic way.

Hulu
This miniseries starring Kate Mara and Love, Simon’s Nick Robinson traverses the tricky territory of a forbidden affair between a Texas high school teacher and her 18-year-old student. Treated realistically, the romance brings consequences for the lovers, with sharp moments holding on its psychological impact. A quiet yet captivating cautionary tale.

Horror

Unreal (2015-2018)

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Into The Dark (2018—)

Hulu

Mr Inbetween (2018—)

Crime

Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. (2021—)

FX
Aside from new seasons of MasterChef and America’s Got Talent, the best of the new viewing on Hulu is probably still what premiered last week: season 3 of lauded crime drama Mr Inbetween and season 5 of The Bold Type.

Hulu
In reimagining Nick Hornby’s famous novel, High Fidelity the TV series couldn’t have picked a cooler star to take over the Championship Vinyl record store. Zoe Kravitz plays the music-obsessed Rob, who becomes concerned with finding out exactly why her past relationships didn’t work out. With a chef’s kiss soundtrack and relatable relationship drama set in a hip Brooklyn, High Fidelity… hits all the right notes.

Superhero

Yes, you read the title correctly for this comedy series that thrives off cringe humor. PEN15 is a unique, wild farce about growing up in the 2000s, so internet dial-up, Discmans and choker necklaces are everywhere. The weird part: We follow two 13-year-olds played by adult actors, while their school co-stars are all the right age. You definitely have to see the ridiculous fun for yourself.

Hulu

Hulu
A Blumhouse horror anthology with each episode starring different actors, including Jimmi Simpson, Dermot Mulroney and Felicia Day. The movie-length episodes are inspired by a holiday theme connected to the month of their release. What better way to kick things off than on Halloween, when a professional hitman thinks he can get away with transporting his victim in plain sight, but the costume-wearers around him don’t guarantee things will go to plan. A sense of wit runs through the spooky tales, some of which hit better than others. Episodes 4 and 10 from season 1 are particular standouts.

Comedy

Hulu
Not only is Staged one of the best shows to be set during lockdown, it incredibly manages to make Zoom calls entertaining. David Tennant and Michael Sheen star as fictionalized versions of themselves, attempting to virtually rehearse a play without letting their own petulant childish egos get in the way. The supporting cast, featuring real-life partners and family members, provide the required sarcasm and maturity. Plus the cameos, from Judi Dench to Cate Blanchett, are Ricky Gervais Extras-type fun.

Hulu

For new shows, you’ll have to wait till next week on June 11 for the second season premiere of Love, Victor. In the meantime, scroll down for the other best original shows on Hulu. Hopefully you’ll find a surprising gem.

Hulu
A show about unlikeable characters who you actually like? With Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner playing the leads, Difficult People delivers just that. The struggling and jaded comedians hate on everyone, from annoying people taking selfies, to people who don’t look where they’re walking on the street. With a host of cameos including Kate McKinnon, Difficult People is wildly amusing entertainment.

Hulu
SNL star Aidy Bryant is all charm and relatability in this comedy that offers an honest look at the life of a young woman learning to accept her body. The theme streams through her work and love life, with some standout secondary characters including the hilarious Patti Harrison along for the ride. While some of the storylines are a little familiar, Shrill is nevertheless both delightful and uplifting.

Hulu

Staged (2020-2021)

Hulu
Hulu came into the picture for this British political satire in season 4 all the way back in 2012. Since then, star Peter Capaldi has had a stint as The Doctor in Doctor Who and creator Armando Iannucci has adapted his own work to bring us the formidable US-set Veep. The talent behind The Thick of It is clear, so go back and watch Capaldi’s Malcolm Tucker, the “enforcer” in Number 10, dealing with blundering ministers, party spin doctors and more.

Hulu
This stop-motion series is a refreshing side-step for Marvel. Bloody, sweary and dropping jokes-a-second, the show centers on supervillain M.O.D.O.K. — Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing — and his crumbling life after failing to conquer the world. With a reliably excellent voice performance from Patton Oswalt, M.O.D.O.K. is a satirical, zany, easily digestible binge.

Hulu
Based on a Celeste Ng novel, Little Fires Everywhere puts a microscope on two women and their differing socioeconomic backgrounds. The ever brilliant Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington play the women, who both juggle teenage children, work and a whole lot of other conflicts. It all kicks off with a house burning down, so you know you’re in for some dark twists and big acting moments.

Hulu
George Clooney stars in this adaptation of Joseph Heller’s satirical war novel, keeping the darkly comedic tone. Set during World War II, Catch-22 sees an unhappy US Army Air Forces bombardier forced to fly more and more missions, dropping bombs on strangers who want to kill him. While he does his best to sabotage his situation, he’s trapped in the job by an infuriating bureaucratic rule. Both hilarious and horrifying, Catch-22 soars.

Hulu
Back in 2013, James Corden and Matthew Boynton reunited from their Gavin & Stacey days to write and star in an ambitious series that attempts to combine the sitcom format with a Hollywood thriller. Did they succeed? For the most part, yes, especially if you can get your head around that unique approach. With a heavily stylized feel and joke after joke, The Wrong Mans is definitely worth checking out.

Hulu
Based on a Margaret Atwood novel, Hulu’s dystopian tragedy series depicts a totalitarian US where women are trapped in child-bearing slavery. While that might sound like tough viewing, especially when the “Handmaids” are raped by their Commanders, you still have hope a resistance will see them find safety in Canada. The production values are immense, making the tension and suspense all that more palpable. A mesmerizing and subtly fierce lead performance from Elisabeth Moss adds another vivid layer. See how it all ends in the currently streaming season 4.

Brassic (2019—)

Hulu
Inspired by the stories of Stephen King, Castle Rock blends complicated characters and mystery with classic King themes. Over two seasons, the show delves into the dark secrets of its titular town, through characters like a criminal attorney, a prisoner and the niece of Jack Torrence. King fans will appreciate the references, while everyone can enjoy the rich psychological horror.

Hulu
Set during the Iraq War in 2003, this British crime thriller follows a former policeman who, while searching for his missing daughter, is captured and tortured by US troops. But then he’s recruited by a former British policeman to become a police officer in the Green Zone. Told from the perspective of Iraqis, this riveting six-parter that plays out almost like a western is an impressive gem.

Hulu

Hulu
This Jeff Daniels-led 10-episode series gives you an accessible look at what happened between the CIA and the FBI during the rise of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda in the late ’90s. Based on a book that examines events in the lead up to Sept. 11, The Looming Tower dissects the rivalry between the divisions and how it might have paved the path for tragedy. It’s as fascinating, pacey and sharp as it sounds.

Hulu

Drama

Hulu

Letterkenny (2016—)

Hulu
Centered on a woman who has a nervous breakdown, This Way Up is the kind of comedy that adds a shade of darkness to the stream of jokes. When she’s not worrying her older sister, Áine’s teaching English as a second language. Or she’s going on dates with guys who aren’t as available as she thinks they are. Buoyed by creator-star Aisling Bea’s endless stocks of charm, This Way Up is at the pinnacle of shows centered on a young woman figuring things out.

Hulu
Alex Garland brings his existential sci-fi mastery to TV in Devs, a miniseries centered on a Silicon Valley quantum computing company. Somehow a thriller that moves at a contemplative pace, Devs sees Lily investigate the mysterious death of her boyfriend who dies on his first day working for Devs, a division of the company no one seems able to explain. Haunting, atmospheric and going big with its exploration of free will and determinism, Devs is unforgettable TV.

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This historical miniseries has a stacked cast, including Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne and Sarah Paulson. Blanchett plays Phyllis Schlafly, a conservative activist who caused unexpected backlash to the political movement to pass The Equal Rights Amendment. Other prominent feminists of the ’70s like Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan all pop up. For a vivid look at history through powerhouse performances, Mrs. America is tremendous.

Hulu
From Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland comes another animated sitcom that pairs outer space with middle America. Solar Opposites centers on a family of aliens who must take refuge on Earth, a place that is both fascinating and awful to them in equal measure. With humor and humanity to ground the fast-pace craziness, Solar Opposites is an easy hit.

Hulu
James Franco serves up an impressively grounded lead performance at the heart of this sci-fi thriller based on a Stephen King novel. He plays James Epping, a recently divorced English teacher who’s persuaded to nip back in time to the early ’60s, specifically Nov. 22, 1963, to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Handsomely made, with conspiracies and an affecting romance, 11.22.63 will keep you in town for longer than you signed up for.

Hulu
After spending her 20s in a relationship with a woman, Sadie realizes she needs a break to explore her bisexuality. She has flings with both men and women on a messy, complicated journey to self-discovery. Delivered with total compassion by creator-star Desiree Akhavan, The Bisexual is as poignant as it is witty.

Hulu
This black comedy crime drama out of Australia follows a hitman for hire, who has it all, finding a balance with work, friends and family. Never mind the violent kills on the side. Starring a mesmerizing Scott Ryan, Mr Inbetween manages its own balancing act, blending darkness, deadpan humor and tightly strung tension. Fans of Fargo or Barry should be on board.

Hulu
This comedy set in a small Ontario, Canada, community is mad in the best way possible. Ice hockey players, “hicks,” out-of-towners, drug addicts and the “natives” all form the cast of delightfully strange and refreshing characters. They often speak in a thick Ontario dialect as they come up with a surprising stream of wordplay, puns and discussion of big issues.

Hulu
The latest John Green young adult novel adaptation is an impressive miniseries set in the early 2000s, following students at a boarding school and a love story between Pudge and Alaska. But in a sad turn, there’s a tragedy the students have to come to terms with. Looking For Alaska brings big teen emotions to life with an excellent cast and a wash of nostalgia.

This Twilight Zone-inspired anthology series from a few years ago serves up six mini-movies that focus on our internet generation. Dimension 404 explores the strange corners of cyberspace, with a healthy dose of dark comedy and Black Mirror twists. If that wasn’t weird and wonderful enough — Mark Hamill narrates.

Hulu
The spinoff of Love, Simon follows another young man figuring out his identity and sexual orientation. Michael Cimino plays Victor, a half Puerto Rican, half Colombian-American starting at a new school in Atlanta. Delivered with all the heart you could hope for, Love, Victor is a welcome continuation of the Love, Simon world, with Nick Robinson returning to narrate.

Dystopia

Hulu
Set in 18th century London, Harlots follows Margaret Wells, a brothel owner who faces competition from a rival brothel that offers posher services to more elite clientele. Looking at life for women at the time, when they could only move up in the world through marriage or sex work, Harlots has a bittersweet side amid the campy fun.

Sci-fi

Hulu
Based on a disturbing true story, The Act depicts a mother abusing her daughter by fabricating illness and disabilities. Thanks to two outstanding performances from the formidable Joey King and Patricia Arquette, The Act is a true crime dramatization that hits you with shock after shock.

Hulu