Streaming Guide
Hulu Hidden Gems: Best Underrated Shows
By Jordan A. · · 3 min read
Hulu is weird. It has everything but makes nothing obvious. You've probably got a subscription that you forget about, missing out on genuinely great content buried under the algorithm. Hulu's the streaming service where quality shows go to quietly impress people while everyone else watches Netflix. Let's fix that.
Hulu's gems aren't hidden because they're bad. They're hidden because Hulu's algorithm is broken. But the content is absolutely worth finding.
The Essential Hulu Shows
The Bear - A fine dining chef returns to Chicago to run his family's sandwich shop. Intense, stressful in the best way, and absolutely gripping.
Severance - A sci-fi premise about separating work and personal life consciousness. Visually stunning and genuinely original.
The Handmaid's Tale - Dystopian drama about reproductive rights. Heavy but impossible to stop watching.
The Comedy Standouts
Shrinking - Bill Burr and Jason Segel as therapists breaking their own rules. Funny and surprisingly tender.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - A gang of terrible people in Philly doing terrible things. If you haven't found this yet, buckle up.
Only Murders in the Building - Three people solve a murder in their apartment building. Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez killing it.
The Prestige Dramas
Dopesick - The story of how the opioid crisis actually happened. Uncomfortable and necessary.
The Good Fight - A political thriller disguised as a legal drama. Sharp and endlessly watchable.
Castle Rock - Stephen King stories set in his fictional Maine town. For people who love King but want something darker.
The Character Pieces
Pen15 - Two friends start a friendship bracelet company in the 90s. Wholesome in an unexpectedly sweet way.
PEN15 - Actually that one doesn't exist. Try Love, Victor instead - coming of age with heart and humor.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - A woman becomes a standup comic in 1950s New York. Brilliant, beautiful, and constantly surprising.
The Animated Surprises
Animaniacs Reboot - The 90s cartoon returns and it's weirdly topical without feeling dated.
Solar Opposites - An alien family in suburbia. Deeply weird and genuinely funny.
Hazbin Hotel - Demons trying to rehabilitate damned souls. Animation that's gorgeously weird.
For Mystery Lovers
The Act - A true crime story about a woman and her daughter's complicated relationship. Disturbing and utterly compelling.
Woke - A satirist wakes up to social injustice. Dark comedy that actually lands.
Prey - A Predator origin story that's actually better than most Predator movies.
The International Treasures
Aftersun - A dad and daughter on vacation in Turkey. Quietly devastating and genuinely beautiful.
Halo - If you want to argue about Master Chief's helmet, Halo's got you covered.
A Handmaid's Tale Prequel - Wait no that's not on Hulu. Try Little Fires Everywhere instead - domestic drama that burns slow and hot.
The Cult Classics
Undone - Rotoscoped animated series about a woman questioning reality. Visually unique and weirdly immersive.
Kevin Can F**k Himself - A sitcom wife's reality outside the laugh track. Dark and brilliant.
How to Sell Drugs Online - A young German guy starts an illegal marketplace. Weirdly compelling even when you know it's dumb.
Your Hulu subscription has so much potential. Find the quality content you're actually paying for.
Hulu's got gems. Stop scrolling and start watching.
If you want a shortlist tailored to your taste, try BingeNext's TV recommendation engine. Tell it a few shows you love and it does the rest in about thirty seconds.
Topics covered: hidden-gems, hulu, underrated, recommendations, streaming
About the author
Jordan A., Founder, BingeNext
Jordan A. is the founder of BingeNext and writes every guide on this site. He built the recommendation engine after one too many nights lost to the streaming menu, and he still tests every pick the hard way: by watching it.