Like all the best streaming services, Hulu is constantly rolling out a steady stream of fresh shows and movies to make your subscription worth the cost. But when you have so many choices and precious little free time, it can make narrowing down what to watch a headache.
That’s why I keep a close eye on what’s new on streaming to highlight what I think are the three best new shows on Hulu that actually deserve a spot on your watchlist. For some heart-pounding action a la “John Wick” with the cat-and-mouse chase of a show like “Killing Eve,” look no further than the Korean crime thriller series “The Manipulated,” which had its four-episode season premiere on Hulu this week. The creator of “American Horror Story” and “Glee” is back with a dazzling courtroom drama in “All’s Fair” and its powerhouse cast of leading ladies.
And I’m the kind of nerd who likes to learn even when I’m no-braining on the couch, and “The Food That Built America” hits the spot with its mix of fun facts and cheesy Lifetime-movie quality acting for a breezy afternoon binge. So let’s dive into my top picks for the best shows to binge-watch on Hulu this week.
The first three episodes of Hulu’s new hotly anticipated legal drama starring Kim Kardashian and Naomi Watts arrived this week (Nov. 4). “All’s Fair” follows a team of female divorce lawyers you don’t want to mess with who tackle the most headline-making scandals and explosive breakups in Los Angeles. Niecy Nash, Teyana Taylor and Sarah Paulson joined a stacked cast of powerful women rewriting the rules of a man’s game.
But while courtroom clashes drive the drama, some of the fiercest battles play out behind closed doors. “All’s Fair” comes from “Glee” and “American Horror Story” creator Ryan Murphy, and he partially based the series on Kardashian’s career switch to become a lawyer after she shot down his initial idea for a series diving into her reality TV background, according to People. Her acting chops have once again come under fire since the series premiere, but beyond those complaints, it seems like the perfect kind of lazy Sunday afternoon TV for fans of “Suits” and other serial legal dramas with panache.
Watch “All’s Fair” on Hulu now
If you consider intense action sequences, motorcycle stunts and tightly woven conflicts between complex characters to be all the ingredients of must-watch TV, this new thriller crime revenge series on Hulu deserves to be on your radar. Korean heartthrob Ji Chang-wook is back with another high-octane role in “The Manipulated,” where he plays a mild-mannered office worker who dreams of opening a small garden cafe while caring for his younger sister.
False accusations shatter his quiet life and land him in prison, and while behind bars, he learns that every detail of his downfall was orchestrated by a man named Yo Han (Doh Kyung Soo). Blinded by rage, he sets out on a path of vengeance to reclaim the life stolen from him. This series reimagines the 2017 hit Korean crime drama “Fabricated City,” which also starred Ji, for the small screen, and the cat-and-mouse chase between its two leads strikes me as a cross between “Killing Eve” and “Hannibal” with the heart-pounding action of “John Wick.” The first four episodes landed on Hulu yesterday (November 5) with new episodes set to premiere every Wednesday.
Watch “The Manipulated” on Hulu now
“The Food That Built America” is one of those docuseries I never plan to spend an entire Saturday afternoon watching, until I look up and it’s somehow dark outside and I’ve demolished a bag of Fritos. Admittedly, I’m late to the picnic. The History Channel’s delicious docuseries on the pioneers behind our pantries has been around since 2019, and it wrapped up its sixth season earlier this year.
As of today (Nov. 6), you can binge all six seasons on Hulu, and I think any fan of fun facts (guilty as charged) will find it fascinating. Each episode is a standalone deep dive into the history of American noshing, from the Cola Wars to Campbell’s Soup, Swanson’s frozen dinners, and the titans of the breakfast cereal aisle. In addition to the usual crop of expert interviews, this series re-creates pivotal food history moments with C-list actors in telenovela-style segments that you’ll either find endearingly cheesy or off-putting. I’d start with the first episode of season 2, “Pizza Wars,” to get a taste if it’s your vibe.
