The 15 Best Hulu Original Series of All Time

In this insightful and heartfelt docuseries, longtime Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi travels across the United States to explore the rich and diverse food cultures of various immigrant communities. More than just a culinary travelogue, the series uses food as a powerful lens to examine the history, struggles, and triumphs of what it means to be American.

Taste the Nation was met with widespread critical acclaim for its warmth, intelligence, and empathy. Reviewers praised Lakshmi's curious and compassionate hosting style and celebrated the show for its ability to weave together personal stories with broader social and political commentary. It was hailed as a beautifully produced, deeply human, and essential series that celebrates the nation's complex cultural tapestry.

"Lakshmi's life experience often parallels the immigrants she befriends on screen, differentiating Taste the Nation from the surface-level interrogations of its food travel show predecessors." —Bianca Gracie, New York Magazine (Vulture)

Created by and starring Julie Klausner alongside Billy Eichner, Difficult People is a savagely funny sitcom about two perpetually struggling, misanthropic comedians living in New York City. Executive produced by Amy Poehler, the series also features appearances by several fellow SNL alums, including Kate McKinnon, Fred Armisen, Rachel Dratch, and Seth Meyers. 

The series was celebrated by critics for its unapologetically sharp, cynical humor and its rapid-fire barrage of niche pop-culture references. The electric, hate-fueled chemistry between Klausner and Eichner was almost universally praised as the show's brilliant, toxic core. While Difficult People's relentless meanness was noted as a potential turn-off for some, most reviewers hailed the show as a gloriously nasty and hilarious series that stood out as one of the most distinctive and brutally honest comedies of its era.

"Why on Earth would anyone want to spend a half hour with these people? Simple: because they are hilarious. The fact that they don't have a good word to say about anyone reflects on them, and the image isn't pretty, but it's very, very funny." —David Weigand, San Francisco Chronicle

This gripping British docudrama chronicles the real-life 2005 tragedy in which an innocent Brazilian man was mistaken for a terrorist and killed by London police in the tense aftermath of the 7/7 transportation bombings. The series was met with a powerful and positive critical reception, hailed as a harrowing and essential piece of television. Critics praised its taut, suspenseful direction and the deeply humanistic performances from its ensemble cast that includes Conleth Hill, Emily Mortimer, and Russell Tovey.

Suspect was also lauded for its refusal to sensationalize the tragedy, instead focusing on the procedural failures and systemic paranoia that led to the fatal error. It was celebrated as a respectful, infuriating, and unforgettable examination of a devastating moment in modern history.

"It's the aftermath of Menezes's death where Suspect excels. No detail is too small in its effort to exonerate him of his characterisation by the Met as a suspicious individual." —Emily Baker, i

Based on Margaret Atwood's iconic dystopian novel, The Handmaid's Tale is set in Gilead, formerly part of the U.S., and now a totalitarian, patriarchal, Christo-fascist state in which women are relegated to property and slaves, and fertile women are forced into child-bearing servitude.

The series, anchored by a searing lead performance from Elisabeth Moss, debuted to universal critical acclaim, quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon. Critics hailed its first season as a visually stunning, terrifyingly relevant, and masterfully crafted masterpiece. While some reviewers have found later seasons to be relentlessly grim or uneven, the series has been consistently praised for its powerful performances and breathtaking cinematography. It stands as Hulu's most popular original, a landmark drama that has left an indelible mark on television across its six seasons.

A follow-up series, The Testaments, debuted earlier this month and stars One Battle After Another breakout Chase Infiniti and Lucy Halliday. 

"Moss's performance is perfect: at once contained and open, withdrawn and bristlingly aware. ... The Handmaid's Tale can stand on its own as a gripping drama; you don't need to apply overlays about Trump-era conservatism or, say, parallels to the Duggar family to find its portrait of a woman under duress moving." —Ken Tucker, Yahoo TV

Co-created by and starring Mathew Baynton and James Corden, British comedy-thriller The Wrong Mans follows two lowly office workers who become entangled in a web of crime and conspiracy after one of them answers a ringing phone at a car crash site.

The series was met with widespread critical acclaim, praised as a brilliantly crafted and genuinely hilarious genre mashup. Reviewers celebrated its perfect balance of high-stakes action with sharp, character-driven comedy. The chemistry between the hapless leads (just before Corden would unexpectedly host The Late Late Show with James Corden for eight years) and the cleverly escalating plot were frequently cited as highlights, with critics hailing it as a smart, inventive, and thoroughly entertaining caper.

"The many tones should produce whiplash, but the series works because it's always able to go back to its central idea of a lower-level government employee living in a sleepy small town and getting wrapped up in something bigger than he would ever have anticipated." —Emily VanDerWerff, The A.V. Club

From creator/executive producer Zander Lehmann came the dramedy Casual, centering on a newly divorced therapist (Michaela Watkins) and her teenage daughter (Tara Lynne Barre) who move in with her bachelor brother (Tommy Dewey), as the three navigate the modern dating scene together.

The series earned a consistently positive reception across its four seasons, with critics celebrating Casual's sharp writing, mature tone, and nuanced performances. It was praised as a smart, funny, and often poignant exploration of modern relationships and dysfunctional family dynamics, with Watkins in particular singled out for her grounded and compelling lead performance. Casual was hailed as a sophisticated and emotionally resonant gem that stood out from the crowded television landscape.

"The comic situations and commentary on how difficult it is to find love in the era of Twitter and texting feels organic to the three people at the center of this remarkably well-crafted and well-acted piece." —Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

Created by and starring Aisling Bea, the British dramedy This Way Up follows a teacher trying to put her life back together after a nervous breakdown, with the help of her protective sister (Sharon Horgan).

The two-season, 12-episode series was celebrated for its poignant, witty, and unflinchingly honest portrayal of mental health. Reviewers lavished praise on Bea's sharp and hilarious script, as well as the pitch-perfect chemistry between her and Horgan. The show was also hailed for its masterful ability to balance laugh-out-loud humor with profound, gut-punching pathos, creating a portrait of sisterhood and recovery that was both deeply moving and incredibly funny.

"Each character in Aine's orbit is somehow both deeply scarred and doing just fine, a refreshing balancing act. The show, the performances, and the execution are all an exercise in empathy, and it's a sight to see." —Dana Gerber, Boston Globe

Not to be confused with the Disney+ movie spinoff series National Treasure: Edge of History, this powerful British drama stars Robbie Coltrane as a beloved, aging comedian whose life is thrown into chaos when he is accused of a past sexual assault.

The four-part series was met with widespread critical acclaim, hailed as a gripping, challenging, and profoundly timely piece of television. Critics praised Harry Potter and the Cursed Child writer Jack Thorne's nuanced and complex script, which bravely explored the case from multiple perspectives without offering easy answers. Coltrane's lead performance was lauded as a tour de force, and the series was celebrated for its thoughtful and unflinching examination of celebrity, memory, and the devastating impact of abuse allegations on everyone involved.

"Thanks in part to a uniformly phenomenal cast, it makes intelligent and unsentimental observations about the costs of fame and the routine concessions made to celebrity." —Maureen Ryan, Variety

Adapted from Sally Rooney's bestselling novel, Normal People chronicles the complex, on-again/off-again relationship between two bright millennials: the well-off but socially isolated Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and popular, working-class Connell (Paul Mescal), following them from their teenage days in rural Ireland through their time at university in metropolitan Dublin.

The limited series received universal and rapturous acclaim, celebrated as a stunningly intimate love story with undercurrents of how privilege, miscommunication, and social hierarchy undermine relationships. Critics lavished praise on the raw, vulnerable performances from its two leads (who would soon separately lead Hollywood sequels Gladiator II and Twisters), whose electric chemistry was the heart of the show. The series' cinematic direction (from Room and Howards End directors Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald) and faithful, nuanced adaptation of the novel were also widely lauded, with reviewers hailing it as a modern masterpiece of romantic drama.

"Normal People isn't just some erotic but sweet story of turbulent young love. It's a portrait of intimacy itself—and I do mean both kinds, sexual and emotional. There's an earnestness to it that you won't find in other TV shows aimed at young adults." —Ellen Johnson, Paste Magazine

From the director of Oscar-nominated Cutie and the Boxer, Zach Heinzerling, this chilling three-part docuseries recounts the harrowing true story of a group of Sarah Lawrence College students who fell under the spell of a manipulative con man who was also the father of one of their classmates.

The docuseries, hailed as a masterful and deeply disturbing look at the nature of coercion and control, received universal critical acclaim. Critics praised its expert construction, which eschewed sensationalism in favor of a detailed, psychological exploration of how the cult was formed. By focusing on the powerful firsthand testimony of the victims, the series was celebrated for its sensitive, compelling, and ultimately unforgettable storytelling.

"With a startling rawness and directness, Heinzerling's work makes a case for itself as an unusually sensitive and strong outing in its genre." —Daniel D'Addario, Variety

Based on the iconic 1988 "bonkbuster" novel by Jilly Cooper, Rivals is a deliciously fun and glamorous dive into the cutthroat world of independent television in 1980s England. The series, created by prolific British television producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins (A Very English Scandal), chronicles the scandalous and power-hungry antics of rival television executives, played by David Tennant and Aidan Turner.

Critics named the series a witty, stylish, and outrageously entertaining romp, praising its sharp, satirical dialogue, lavish production design, and the powerhouse performances from its sprawling ensemble cast. This perfect blend of high-end soap opera and smart social commentary remains a gloriously fun ride from start to finish.

* The show's second season will stream (in part) on May 15 and conclude later in 2026.

"A vivid, thrilling throwback to the soapy dramas of primetime television's heyday. A scandalous, uninhibited romp from its very first scenes (which involve two characters joining the mile-high club in an airplane toilet), its story is full of betrayal, ambition, greed, and excess in all the best possible ways." —Lacy Baugher, Paste Magazine

Created by comedian Jack Rooke and based on his memoir Cheer the F**K Up: How to Save your Best Friend, the British comedy Big Boys follows the unlikely friendship between a shy, closeted university student (Dylan Llewellyn) and his boisterous, seemingly straight lad flatmate (Jon Pointing).

The series was celebrated as a warm, hilarious, and deeply moving coming-of-age story, with reviewers praising its authentic portrayal of male friendship, grief, and mental health, as well as its ability to balance laugh-out-loud, often crude humor with a genuinely sweet and heartfelt core. This tender, funny, and utterly life-affirming gem that masterfully captures the awkward, wonderful, and messy reality of finding your tribe.

"At times, great television can arrive at truths that feel like existential answers. And this last goodbye to Big Boys – one of the finest British comedies of the past decade – feels like one of those moments." —Nick Hilton, The Independent

Co-created by and starring Ramy Youssef, Ramy is a groundbreaking comedy that follows a first-generation Egyptian-American millennial navigating the complexities of his faith, family, and relationships in a politically divided New Jersey.

The series, known for its unique voice, authenticity, and fearless storytelling, was consistently praised for its masterful ability to blend dark, often uncomfortable humor with poignant, introspective drama. This nuanced and refreshingly honest exploration of the modern Muslim-American experience was also known for its willingness to tackle complex themes of spirituality and identity without offering easy answers.

"The depth and diversity of perspectives on Muslim observance make Ramy a trailblazer, but it's already progressive enough as a show that is specifically and not just incidentally about religion. Oh and it's also able to be extremely funny, unexpectedly emotional and consistently eye-opening as something that's both operating within a familiar formula and utterly confident in its own voice." —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter

In this intimate six-part docuseries, music legend Paul McCartney sits down with Def Jam co-founder and super-producer Rick Rubin for an in-depth, track-by-track exploration of McCartney's unparalleled career, from The Beatles to Wings to his solo work.

The miniseries was hailed as an essential and masterful look at a true musical master. Critics praised its stripped-down, conversational format, which eschewed talking heads in favor of a pure focus on the music and the creative process. Joyous, insightful, and often surprising, this deep dive into some of the greatest songs ever written offers an unforgettable front-row seat to cultural history.

"McCartney 3,2,1 is the closest thing to mandatory viewing for every fan of McCartney's music." —Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Co-created by and starring Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle, PEN15 is a singular comedy in which the two adult leads brilliantly—and believably—play 13-year-old versions of themselves opposite actual middle-schoolers. Somehow, it works.

The series, which chronicles the painful, cringey, and hilarious reality of Y2K adolescence, received universal and rapturous acclaim for its fearless authenticity and its perfect, gut-punching blend of laugh-out-loud comedy and genuine heartbreak. Erskine and Konkle's immersive performances were astonishing, and the series was lauded as a painfully accurate, deeply empathetic, and utterly unique masterpiece that stands as one of the best comedies of its generation. This viewer refuses to watch the second season, because once it's over, there will never be new episodes to watch. 

"I can't do justice to the vibrant thrill of the central performances. The bond between Maya and Anna feels unspoken and lived-in, full of sentences that trail off into meaningful glances. ... A totally unique combination of dear-diary authenticity, casual dream-state strangeness, and the genuine wonder of kids figuring out that nobody ever really figures themselves out." —Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly