Hulu has no shortage of great long-running shows for us to sink our teeth into for a bigger commitment, but the streamer also has some flawless miniseries that are perfect to watch over a weekend. Hulu is one of the biggest streaming services out there, with a solid catalogue of original titles.
Hulu’s best shows have earned numerous award nominations and wins, whether they return for multiple seasons or tell a perfectly encapsulated story. These 10 incredible miniseries highlight just how well the streaming service has managed to capture vastly different stories, with options ranging from deservedly popular to vastly underrated.
10
High Fidelity
The Music-Focused Miniseries Is Perfectly Funny
Based on the novel by Nick Hornby, Hulu’s High Fidelity series brings the story into the 21st century, telling a modern tale of heartbreak and (maybe) personal growth. The series centers on Robyn “Rob” Brooks (Zoë Kravitz), gender-swapping the lead character from the novel and 2000 movie, a record store owner who recounts her biggest breakups.
Overall, High Fidelity is ideal for easy viewing with just the right amount of emotion mixed in.
Kravitz’s Rob is far from a perfect character, but that’s what makes the show work. She is often in the wrong, and her memories of the breakups highlight that she doesn’t always view situations objectively. The result is something both gloriously funny and a bit heartbreaking at times. More than anything, High Fidelity feels human.
In real life, relationships can be messy, and people make the wrong decisions. The miniseries conveys that with the perfect level of humor and an undeniable coolness, thanks to the consistent cultural references and outstanding soundtrack. Overall, High Fidelity is ideal for easy viewing with just the right amount of emotion mixed in.
9
Looking For Alaska
The John Green Adaptation Is Highly Rated
There are quite a few teen TV shows based on books, but Looking For Alaska is easily one of the best. The 2019 series even has a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes to prove it. The show centers on Miles Halter, a teenager hoping to discover what he wants from life while falling in love at a new school.
The coming-of-age story sees Miles falling for Alaska Young, whom he idealizes but also doesn’t fully understand. Luckily, the series does take the time to fully explore her character as well as those of their friends. As a result, the show’s characters truly learn and grow as the series progresses, creating something unique, even among similar teen shows.
8
Fosse/Verdon
Michelle Williams Won A Golden Globe And An Emmy For Her Performance
Fosse/Verdon
- Release Date
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2019 – 2018
- Directors
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Adam Bernstein, Jessica Yu
Fosse/Verdon is an eight-episode drama series that follows the lives and careers of the legendary couple, Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon. Any Broadway fan is bound to be familiar with the pair’s work and legacy, so this series is perfect for musical theater fans who are interested in the personal drama in the pair’s lives.
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In particular, Fosse/Verdon pays special attention to the work that went into the creation of Fosse’s biggest projects, such as Cabaret and Chicago. The series moves back and forth throughout the timeline of their marriage and highlights some of their biggest problems and how those intersect with the projects’ preparations.
Michelle Williams won Best Actress at the Critics’ Choice Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, the Emmy Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Sam Rockwell took home the Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance.
While the subject matter of the series is already incredibly entertaining, the best parts of Fosse/Verdon are the performances of Michelle Williams and Sam Rockwell in the leading roles. Despite never finding a huge audience, Fosse/Verdon‘s performances were loved by critics, with both Williams and Rockwell taking home awards.
7
Black Cake
The Underrated Series Is Based On The Book Of The Same Name
Black Cake
- Release Date
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2023 – 2023-00-00
- Showrunner
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Marissa Jo Cerar
Black Cake is the perfect mystery drama series to watch if you are interested in shows that center around dark family secrets and the unraveling of old stories. It follows two siblings in the present, finding out that their secretive mother has left behind recordings explaining her real history after her death.
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In addition to its twisty, intriguing central narrative, Black Cake puts a lot of focus on Caribbean identity and how family identities are formed and passed down, ultimately allowing the Bennett siblings to come to terms with the truth of their mother’s identity.
Despite never getting the audience attention it deserved, Black Cake‘s 94% Rotten Tomatoes score proves that anyone who hasn’t seen this series yet is missing out.
Black Cake‘s story was so entertaining that it could easily have run for several seasons, but sadly, Black Cake was canceled after season 1. Despite never getting the audience attention it deserved, Black Cake‘s 94% Rotten Tomatoes score proves that anyone who hasn’t seen this series yet is missing out.
6
Normal People
The Drama Series Deserves The Hype
Anyone who has been on BookTok has likely heard of Sally Rooney’s Normal People (both the book and its Hulu adaptation), and this series is one of the rare times when the show actually lives up to the internet hype. Normal People follows Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron as they grow up and begin their adult lives.
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Both main characters are perfectly imperfect, and their ever-crossing paths make the tension between them impossible to ignore. The series also skyrocketed the careers of Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal, who are perfectly matched to their roles, portraying the characters’ inner turmoils with grace and humanity.
5
The Looming Tower
The Looming Tower Traces The History Of The FBI And CIA Leading To 9/11
For audiences more interested in historical and political drama than fictional character-driven stories, The Looming Tower is the perfect miniseries to dive into. Based on the book of the same name, the series examines actions taken by the FBI and CIA leading up to 9/11, and how the two agencies made some critical mistakes.
The show’s impressive ensemble cast brings the real figures to life, exploring how their decisions, and sometimes oversights, played a role in the attacks. While The Looming Tower garnered positive reviews and even several Emmy Award nominations, the series failed to win any of its awards and sadly never got the audience support it deserved.
4
Dopesick
Danny Strong’s Series Garnered Huge Praise
Dopesick tells the story of the Sackler family, Purdue Pharma, and the development, launch, and controversy surrounding the drug OxyContin. The series makes use of some real figures (including the Sacklers), but it also weaves in numerous fictional characters, creating a compelling story about the opioid epidemic in America.
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The series takes an emotional, character-driven approach to the very real problem and the difficulty of reaching an adequate solution. Dopesick‘s cast, including Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Kaitlyn Dever, Rosario Dawson, and more, is great in their roles.
3
11.22.63
11.22.63 Is Perfect For Sci-Fi Fans
There is no shortage of Stephen King adaptations, and while some have become among the best-known movies and TV shows of all time, 11.22.63 has not gotten quite as much attention. However, the book’s story and themes translate perfectly into the miniseries format, giving the plot the detail it needs without ever feeling overlong.
11.22.63 leans into a lot of classic sci-fi elements related to time travel and whether one could truly change the past.
11.22.63 follows Jake Epping, a present-day teacher, who, after learning of a time portal to 1960, decides to return to the past to attempt to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy. 11.22.63 leans into a lot of classic sci-fi elements related to time travel and whether one could truly change the past.
In addition to the sci-fi element, though, 11.22.63 also explores Jake’s personal life and the choices and sacrifices that he is forced to make as a result of attempting to stop the assassination. This allows the series to grapple with the morality of Jake’s choices, making 11.22.63 a truly gripping watch.
2
The Dropout
Amanda Seyfried Is Great In The Lead Role
The Dropout
10/10
- Release Date
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2022 – 2022-00-00
- Showrunner
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Elizabeth Meriwether
Amanda Seyfried has a lot of great roles, but The Dropout is a particularly impressive character study that saw the actor ultimately take home an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actress. After tuning in to the eight-episode series, audiences will quickly understand why.
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The Dropout is based on a real story, that of Elizabeth Holmes. Elizabeth Holmes was the founder of the biotechnology company, Theranos, which claimed to have created a blood test that would deliver rapid, accurate results, before being exposed as a fraud.
The Dropout is tightly wound and excellently crafted, weaving a story that explores what might have led Elizabeth Holmes to make her false claims and exactly what kind of damage those claims ended up doing. In short, The Dropout is a great series for audiences looking for a compelling drama that can be finished in a weekend.
1
The Patient
The Underrated Thriller Series Is Well Worth A Watch
Despite being led by one of TV’s most recognizable faces, Steve Carell’s The Patient is hugely underrated. The series centers on Carell’s Alan Strauss, a therapist who is kidnapped by one of his patients (Domhnall Gleeson). Things are made even more intriguing when it becomes clear that the patient, Sam, is a serial killer.
Carell is undeniably best known for his comedic roles, but The Patient proves he is just as good in dramatic stories. The series unravels slowly, unpacking the psyche of Gleeson’s Sam and Carell’s Alan. Although the Hulu series was nominated for a few awards, it failed to take any home and remains an underappreciated role for both its leads.
