8 Hulu Original Series You Definitely Need to Be Watching

With such fierce competition from rival streaming services, as well as broadcasters, there’s simply no room for mediocrity in the 2017 television landscape.

Thankfully, Hulu is churning out some of the best television of the year so far, cementing its spot among the streaming gods. Whether its side-splitting comedy, cinematic mini-series’ or gritty thrillers, Hulu has it all.

Here’s a rundown of currently airing Hulu Originals that you should most definitely be watching:

8. Chance

Based on Kem Nunn’s novel of the same name, Chance is a rip-roaring psychological thriller that’ll  simply blow your socks off. Eldon Chance (Hugh Laurie) plays a forensic neuropsychiatrist who plunges into a world of corruption, murder and manipulation.

While dealing with his own divorce, Chance blurs the lines of professionalism when he becomes involved with one of his patients, Jaclyn Blackstone (Gretchen Mol). Their relationship morphs from a seemingly normative one to something altogether more sinister. Chance feels the need to involve himself with Jaclyn’s life, coaxing her to face her demons. However, he doesn’t expect them to pursue him back.

Channelling Laurie’s world-acclaimed stint in House, Chance also sees the dangerous grounds of where he stands professionally, and decides to sprint towards a cliff towards self-destruction. Dark, twisted and shocking, it’ll have you on the edge of your seat in a heartbeat.  

Season 1 is on Hulu now, and you can stream Season 2 in the fall. 

7. The Path

The Path is a show centred around family at the epicentre of an upstate New York cult called Meyerism. Sarah (Michelle Monaghan) and Eddie (Aaron Paul) are faithful devotees to the cause: following “the light”, finding the path to “the garden” and working to climb up “the ladder” to enlightenment.

While the cult is fairly spiritual, there’s a fair amount of hippie-esque activities taking place involving diets and drugs. All sounds pretty 60’s esque and harmless, right? Wrong: like most cults, on the surface they seem to entice members with promises of a higher existence and closer relationship with some version of spirituality, but after a while the sinister cracks begin to expose themselves in dark and twisted ways.

The Path muses on the pull of belief and life itself, blending tropes of romance, the supernatural and thriller to become a show seemingly in it’s own category on the outskirts, much like the outish cult it centres on.

Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming now, while a third has already been commissioned.

6. Casual

From director Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno) comes this hearty, witty show about a recently divorced woman moving in with her brother after she finds herself one month out of marriage from her cheating husband.

Michaela Watkins (SNL) holds the titular role of Valerie, and cements the existing view that she is nothing short of a fine comic actress. Playing the part of a down-and-out divorcee looking to find some meaning from her new circumstances, Valerie is first and foremost trying to negotiate her own life, but with the addition of her brother Alex and her teenage daughter Laura.

The three characters are essentially driven by the same thing: searching for love, but predominantly sex, in the modern age of dating. At once a muse on life, love and family, Casual is a refreshing take on the traditional tropes of gooey love stories of yesteryear, choosing instead to focus on the difficulties that arise from finding tangible love in a world that seeks to promote image and fakeness above anything else.

Seasons 1, 2 and 3 are available to stream now.

5. Harlots

Harlots is show quite unlike anything else on television right now. Inspired by historian Hallie Rubenhold’s book on prostitution in 18th century England, The Covent Garden Ladies, Harlots lets you peek behind the red curtain of these institutions and witness the power, deception and betrayal at play.  

Margaret Wells (Samantha Morton) struggles to maintain total control over her roles as notorious brothel owner and mother. When a rival brothel rear it’s head and threatens Margaret’s position, it’s not just poisonous words and ruthless tricks that are deployed: this is war. Tackling controversial and historically significant depictions of life in 18th century London, Harlot’s takes the period drama and flips it upside down.

A particularly bleak subject sparkles due to the perfectly polished (and gin soaked) dialogue, all delivered by a wonderful cast. Best of all though, the women in the cast stand at the forefront while male characters are fleeting and less developed, a promising and refreshing hierarchy considering the patriarchal society in which the story takes place.

You can stream Harlots Season 1 now, while a second is set to premiere next year. 

4. The Mindy Project

Mindy Kaling stars in a show that she devised back in 2012, and we’ve been laughing with (or at) her ever since. The single-camera show follows gynecologist Mindy Lahiri clumsily trying to juggle the personal and professional in her life, with the help of a few colourful characters at the practice.

The show cherry picks the best of what The Office and Friends brought to the comedy scene; where they dominated the sitcom and mockumentary due to a stellar cast, strong linearity and genre-defying jokes, The Mindy Project is doing something similar. Female led, lighting quick and deliciously crass, popping out the room to grab a cup of tea means you’ll miss a barrage of genre-bending witticisms.

To an outsider the premise of the show sounds like nothing but predictable, lightly amusing, bread and butter, coming-of-age television. However The Mindy Project stands out, and has enjoyed wild success, simply because it’s utterly hilarious, heartfelt and thoroughly watchable.

All six seasons are available on Hulu.

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