At a Glance
- Hulu premiered its first original series The Morning After in 2011, predating Netflix’s scripted originals by a year.
- The streamer became the first to win the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series with The Handmaid’s Tale in 2017.
- Shōgun set an Emmy record in 2024 with 18 wins in a single season.
- Why it matters: Hulu’s curated slate of originals and FX partnerships give viewers a distinct library that continues to shape the streaming wars.
Hulu launched The Morning After in 2011, delivering 800 episodes of daily pop-culture commentary and beating Netflix to the original-content punch. Two years later, House of Cards put Netflix on the awards map, yet Hulu would strike its own milestone when The Handmaid’s Tale won Outstanding Drama Series at the 2017 Emmys.
The service has since paired prestige dramas with weekly comedies and documentaries, creating a catalog that balances critical acclaim with cult appeal.
Award-Winning Highlights
- Shōgun – 18 Emmy wins, 25 nominations; two additional seasons ordered for 2027.
- The Bear – Jeremy Allen White’s Chicago kitchen drama; season 5 expected early summer.
- Only Murders in the Building – Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez; sixth season heads to London.
New & Returning Seasons
- A Thousand Blows – Season 2 arrived January 9, starring Stephen Graham and Erin Doherty.
- Tell Me Lies – Season 3 debuted January 13, with three episodes now streaming.
- Alien: Earth – FX prequel ordered for season 2, though 2027 is the earliest return.
- King of the Hill – Four fresh seasons approved; revival episodes run through at least 2027.
- Paradise – Sterling K. Brown thriller; season 2 launches February 23, 2026.
Global Crime & Thrillers
The Manipulated – Ji Chang-wook plays a Seoul delivery driver framed for rape and murder, vowing revenge while proving innocence.
Tempest – Jun Ji-hyun stars as a widow uncovering an assassination plot that reaches the White House.
Fargo – Anthology crime saga; all five seasons, including Juno Temple and Jon Hamm’s latest, are available.
A Murder at the End of the World – Emma Corrin’s hacker confronts a deadly retreat concocted by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij.
Dark Comedies & Real-Life Dramas
Such Brave Girls – Kat Sadler’s cringe-comedy about a fractured British family.
Dying for Sex – Michelle Williams’ Golden Globe-winning turn as a terminal cancer patient chasing sexual fulfillment.
How to Die Alone – Natasha Rothwell’s airport-worker comedy canceled after one season; creator seeks new outlet.
The Dropout – Amanda Seyfried’s Emmy-winning portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes and the Theranos scandal.
Animated & Obsessive Rewatches
Solar Opposites – Six seasons of alien-roommate satire ready to binge.
What We Do in the Shadows – Staten Island vampires; all six seasons stream now.
Futurama – 14th season confirmed after September’s 10-episode drop.
The Great – Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult’s “anti-historical” take on Catherine the Great; three seasons available.
Docuseries & International Picks
Welcome to Wrexham – Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s football-club takeover; four seasons out, fifth in production.
Black Twitter: A People’s History – Three-part exploration of cultural impact, adapted from a News Of Fort Worth cover story on Jason Parham’s reporting.
Queenie – Dionne Brown navigates heartbreak and identity in a Jamaican-British dramedy based on Candice Carty-Williams’ novel.
We Were the Lucky Ones – Joey King drama following a Polish-Jewish family scattered by World War II.
Key Takeaways
- Hulu’s scripted originals began in 2011, not with Netflix but with daily series The Morning After.
- Emmy history favors Hulu: The Handmaid’s Tale broke the drama-series barrier; Shōgun shattered the record book.
- A steady pipeline of FX partnerships, international thrillers, and returning favorites keeps the platform competitive amid the crowded streaming field.
For viewers, the result is a library where prestige miniseries, weekly sitcoms, and global crime sagas coexist-no extra tiers required.
