Hidden Gems on Hulu – 10 Shows You Shouldn’t Sleep On

Hulu has produced and hosted some of the best TV in recent years, but not every great show gets the attention it deserves.

While big titles dominate the homepage, plenty of strong, well-acted, and well-written series quietly come and go without reaching a wide audience.

This list highlights 10 shows that didn’t get enough recognition but are worth your time.

These aren’t second-rate backups; they’re sharp, original, and in many cases, more meaningful than the shows that went viral.

Whether you’re into drama, horror, comedy, or true crime, there’s something here that likely slipped past you.

1. Shrill

Smart, sassy, and refreshingly unfiltered Aidy Bryant redefines body positivity on TV.

In a media landscape saturated with stereotypical portrayals of women, Shrill arrives as a bold outlier. Aidy Bryant, best known from Saturday Night Live, steps into the shoes of Annie, a plus-sized journalist who refuses to let her weight define her self-worth or ambition.

The series is adapted from Lindy West’s acclaimed memoir, and it doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths, whether about fatphobia, dating culture, toxic workplaces, or the small humiliations women endure daily.

What sets Shrill apart is its tender, comedic honesty. Annie is neither a victim nor a one-dimensional heroine; she’s messy, flawed, relatable, and resilient.

Her journey from self-doubt to radical self-acceptance is told with humor and sincerity. The show balances sharp social commentary with laugh-out-loud moments and characters who grow in compelling ways.

Despite critical praise, Shrill flew under the radar for many viewers. Don’t let that stop you, this show is a vital, funny, and empowering voice in modern TV.

2. Castle Rock

You don’t have to be a prisoner to be trapped in Shawshank. Episodes 1-3 of #CastleRock are now streaming on @hulu. pic.twitter.com/0BXD4w8QpH

— 𝙲𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚁𝚘𝚌𝚔 (@castlerockhulu) July 25, 2018

A chilling homage to Stephen King’s universe that delivers tension, terror, and top-tier performances.

Blending multiple narratives and characters from Stephen King’s literary world, Castle Rock is a horror anthology like no other. It doesn’t just reference King’s work, it expands and reimagines it.

Season 1 introduces a mysterious man found in a cage beneath Shawshank prison (yes, that Shawshank), while Season 2 reimagines Annie Wilkes from Misery in her twisted early years.

The writing is taut, the suspense masterful, and the casting impeccable Sissy Spacek delivers one of her career-best performances in a heart-wrenching episode that plays with memory and time. The town of Castle Rock itself becomes a character: eerie, cursed, and steeped in trauma.

Though well-crafted and ambitious, Castle Rock never reached mainstream popularity, ty likely due to its complex narrative style and horror pedigree. But for fans of psychological thrillers and King’s twisted genius, it’s essential viewing.

3. The Other Black Girl

A sharp, psychological workplace thriller tackling race, identity, and survival in corporate America.

The Other Black Girl isn’t just a mystery, it’s a searing indictment of systemic racism disguised as professionalism. Based on the best-selling novel by Zakiya Dalila Harris, the series centers on Nella, a young editorial assistant at a white-dominated publishing firm.

When another Black woman, Hazel, is hired, Nella’s initial excitement slowly morphs into unease as her surroundings and her co-worker’s motives grow increasingly disturbing.

This series excels at slow-burn tension, microaggressions with macro consequences, and an increasingly paranoid protagonist who questions everything around her. It explores what happens when assimilation becomes coercion, and how diversity initiatives can be weaponized.

Despite its unique narrative voice, The Other Black Girl has remained somewhat niche. That’s unfortunate because it’s one of the most relevant and thought-provoking thrillers in recent TV.

4. Mrs. America

A dazzling political drama that unpacks the complexity of feminism and the backlash it faced.

With Cate Blanchett in a commanding role, Mrs. America dramatizes the real-life conflict over the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s. Rather than offering a simple pro-feminist tale, the series dares to humanize Phyllis Schlafly, a conservative woman who led the charge against the ERA.

We also meet iconic feminists like Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne), Shirley Chisholm (Uzo Aduba), and Bella Abzug (Margo Martindale), portrayed with depth and nuance.

What makes Mrs. America essential is its willingness to explore uncomfortable truths. The feminist movement had internal divisions on race, class, and priorities, and Schlafly’s rise shows how grassroots politics can reshape national discourse.

The series blends history with high-stakes drama, and every frame is a lesson in aesthetics, character building, and cultural conflict. Critically acclaimed but under-watched, Mrs. America is a masterpiece that still feels urgently relevant.

5. Woke

A clever comedy about race, art, and “wokeness” in modern America with a surreal twist.

Woke is inspired by the real-life experiences of cartoonist Keith Knight and follows Keef, a mild-mannered illustrator who steers clear of controversy.

But after a racially charged encounter with the police, Keef begins seeing inanimate objects talk to him, forcing him to confront the realities he previously avoided.

Lamorne Morris brings charm and depth to Keef, while the show mixes animation and live action to brilliant effect. It walks the tightrope between satire and seriousness, questioning what it means to be “woke” in a world that punishes outspokenness.

Despite a compelling premise and strong performances, Woke never found the large audience it deserved. If you’re tired of shallow social commentary and want something more thoughtful (and funny), don’t sleep on this one.

6. Tell Me Lies

@tellmelieshulu Replying to @emiraemika ♬ original sound – Tell Me Lies Hulu

A raw and emotionally intense portrait of young love, obsession, and the damage we don’t see coming.

Adapted from Carola Lovering’s novel, Tell Me Lies is far more than your typical college romance. It traces the toxic, on-again, off-again relationship between Lucy (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen (Jackson White) across nearly a decade, from their college beginnings to the unraveling consequences years later.

What makes the show stand out is its emotional realism. It doesn’t romanticize manipulation or infatuation, it exposes it.

Lucy falls into a spiral of codependency, betrayal, and confusion, while Stephen becomes a master at gaslighting and hiding his emotional detachment behind charm. It’s messy, painful, and deeply human.

Every episode unpacks a new layer of their complicated connection, showing how the smallest choices can lead to long-lasting emotional scars.

Viewers may find themselves yelling at the screen in frustration, but that’s part of the magic Tell Me Lies dares to be uncomfortable.

7. The Act

A chilling true crime series that grips you with dread and heartbreak from start to finish.

The Act tells the disturbing true story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her mother, Dee Dee, who was accused of abusing her daughter via Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

This psychological condition involves a caregiver faking or inducing illness in someone under their care and Dee Dee does exactly that, keeping Gypsy in a state of manufactured dependence for years.

Joey King delivers an emotionally haunting performance as Gypsy, while Patricia Arquette is terrifyingly believable as Dee Dee, a woman both monstrous and pitiable.

The show builds toward a shocking climax: the real-life murder of Dee Dee, orchestrated by Gypsy and her boyfriend as a desperate bid for freedom.

With atmospheric tension, emotionally raw acting, and a hard-hitting look at abuse, The Act isn’t just a gripping drama, it’s a cautionary tale about control, desperation, and survival. It deserved far more mainstream attention than it received.

8. Little Fires Everywhere

A slow-burning drama about family, privilege, and the things we hide beneath picture-perfect lives.

Set in an affluent Ohio suburb in the 1990s, Little Fires Everywhere follows two mothers, Elena (Reese Witherspoon), the embodiment of suburban order, and Mia (Kerry Washington), a free-spirited artist with secrets.

Their lives and children become deeply intertwined, leading to confrontations that expose buried pain and systemic inequality.

The show explores motherhood through multiple lenses: biological, adoptive, single, and surrogate. It’s not just about motherly love, it’s about who gets to be a mother, who gets to be heard, and how race and class shape those narratives. Every character is flawed, including the kids, making the drama rich and resonant.

With impeccable performances, particularly from Washington and Witherspoon, and a finale that leaves an emotional impact, Little Fires Everywhere is the kind of slow-burn storytelling that stays with you long after the credits roll.

9. The Runaways

Teen rebellion meets Marvel universe in a surprisingly deep and emotional superhero story.

The Runaways is not your typical Marvel show. Yes, it has powers, villains, and even a telepathic dinosaur, but at its core, it’s a coming-of-age drama about identity, betrayal, and choosing your path.

Six teens discover their parents are part of a sinister secret society, and their world unravels as they uncover powers, truths, and each other.

Unlike many superhero shows that lean heavily into action, The Runaways invests deeply in character development.

Each teenager grapples with real-world issues like parental abuse, gender identity, loss, and friendship. The diversity, both racial and sexual, is handled with care and authenticity.

Though it never received the Marvel buzz of WandaVision or Loki, The Runaways is a standout for fans who want more than flashy fights. It’s a heartfelt story about breaking cycles, forging bonds, and growing up in extraordinary circumstances.

10. Solar Opposites

Hey, check it out! Solar Opposites trailer! My voice is in it! Coming out May 8th! That’s six weeks from now! Remember what things were like six weeks AGO?! Me neither! Our world is crumbling! https://t.co/tRDdQLJXnb

— Ryan Ridley (@ryanridley) March 25, 2020

A wild, irreverent animated comedy that takes sci-fi absurdity to hilarious new heights.

From Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland, Solar Opposites is the story of four aliens who crash-land on Earth and try to blend into suburban America, except they’re wildly inappropriate, culturally confused, and indifferent to Earth norms.

What starts as a zany fish-out-of-water story quickly evolves into something more. The show features wild side plots, including a running storyline about a group of humans shrunk and imprisoned in a terrarium-like society, think The Hunger Games meets Ant-Man. It’s imaginative, unhinged, and often brilliant.

The show also manages to weave in timely themes like gender identity, environmentalism, and consumer culture without losing its comedic core. If you enjoy chaotic sci-fi, meta humor, and social satire, Solar Opposites is the underrated gem you’ve been missing.

If you’re looking for more captivating TV series inspired by true events, check out our list of TV shows based on real stories.