Hulu is no longer just a service to stream old episodes of your favorite TV shows. The streaming service is giving Netflix a run for its money with original programming. Hulu has returned from near oblivion with a vengeance with shows like “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Hulu’s original programming is ever expanding and is one of the main reasons to subscribe to the streaming service. If you don’t know what Hulu has to offer, here is a list of some of the best original Hulu shows (50 AMSV) to watch:

1. The Handmaid’s Tale

Hands down, this is the best original show Hulu has ever offered. “The Handmaid’s Tale” won the 2017 Emmy award for the best drama series, a first for any streaming service. The show was nominated to over a dozen Emmys. The show has won both critical and popular acclaim, and rescued Hulu from the dredges of irrelevance. It’s not just a must-watch Hulu show, it’s a must-watch show, period. Adapted from Margaret Atwood’s acclaimed novel, the show tells the story of a woman named Offred living in a dystopian America. In this future, democracy has been replaced by a theocracy, and women have lost nearly all their rights.

Offred lives in a world where it is illegal for her to work, go out alone, or dress any way she wants to. She lives in the house of a Commander, serving as a fertility vessel, literally. The show elaborates on the original plot of the novel and includes new and interesting twists. You will definitely love this show if you were a diehard fan of the original. Newcomers who appreciate drama and dystopian stories will definitely love this show. It’s unlike any other currently on TV. The story is unabashedly feminist, so it’s one of a very few of its kind.

2. Casual

If you like bawdy humor a la American Pie style, then you will definitely like Casual as well. The show is helmed by Michaela Watkins of “Wet Hot American Summer” fame, who plays a self-absorbed character living and sleeping her way through in modern day Los Angeles. It’s hilarious and also satirical of the many “first world” problems we have. But don’t expect clean humor here. The show is full of awkward sexcapades that many single people can probably relate to. It’s hilarious but the viewer can’t help but feel humiliated on behalf of the main character. It’s a great escapist show to get into on the weekends.

3. 11.22.63

Another book adaptation, 11.22.63 is based on Stephen King’s novel 11/22/63. This mini-series packs crazy thrills in the classic King style and also an all-star cast. The show stars James Franco who time travels back to the sixties to stop the Kennedy assassination. Don’t be fooled by the clichéd premise. The story is full of meaning, and also tackles real-life issues like finding love and battling racism in that era. There are also many cockroaches, like, a lot. You won’t find a mystery horror thriller with some sci-fi elements like this anywhere else on television right now. It’s disturbing, titillating, and highly entertaining. Hulu has definitely gotten book adaptations right.

4. The Path

This one-of-a-kind show follows the story of a devout cult member who begins to question his beliefs after drinking too much ayahuasca spirit wine. You read that right. This is definitely not your typical cult show. It’s thought-provoking and unusual at the same time. Also, it stars Aaron Paul, whom we fell in love as Jesse Pinkman from “Breaking Bad.” Aaron Paul plus drugs is a proven formula for a successful television drama, so you definitely don’t want to miss this one. Strap in and get ready to dive into the harrowing world of cult membership, devout fervor, and skepticism of one’s most strongly held beliefs.

5. The Mindy Project

“The Mindy Project” had a highly acclaimed run as a sitcom on Fox before the channel gave the show the ax. Hulu has picked it up since. If you were a fan of the original seasons of the show, you can watch brand new episodes on Hulu. If you have never seen the show before, get ready for the peculiar and hilarious world of Mindy. Kaling plays a gynecologist, with all puns intended, who tried to find romance. The show is packed with, uh, unique characters like an ex-con turned nurse still living with his grandmother (played by the ever-charming Ike Barinholtz). It’s a must watch for sitcom lovers.

6. Harlots

The show title doesn’t leave much for wondering. This is a show about prostitutes. If you liked BBC’s wonderful “Secret Diary of a London Call Girl,” then you will love this one as well. The titular harlots of the show work in a brothel in 18^th century London. The show’s got plenty of sex and equally titillating historical setting. The life of a hooker back then was definitely worse. Our ladies of the night have to battle disease, face threats, and tolerate snobbish upper-class clients with Game of Thrones-like schemes. It’s also a time where religious zealots are trying to end prostitution for good, by any means necessary. If they succeed, the heroines will be on the streets starving. If you like history, drama, and survival shows, Harlots will be right up your preferences alley.

7. Difficult People

“Difficult People” is for people who like comedy with a nasty bite. The show is about two failed comedians in New York who are utterly miserable and whose only joy in life is to make other people miserable. The show is funny and bitter just like the characters are. Their typical behavior is what gets them into trouble. Don’t expect silly japes like on network TV. This is a comedy that isn’t afraid to make offensive jokes. Nihilists will love this show. So will millennial urbanites. The series was created by Julie Klausner, who also stars in it with Billy Eichner, the Emmy-nominated host of Billy on the Street.

8. The Wrong Mans

This side-splittingly funny show stars James Corden, the British funnyman best known for his carpool karaoke. If you just want to get away from everyday worries and escape into some lighthearted Corden-style comedy, you have found the show you need. Corden and his co-star, Matthew Baynton, play two boring office workers who are unwittingly dragged into a mob conspiracy. How did they get into this situation? They answered someone else’s phone. Yup, and the next thing they know, they are in witness protection. But the problems of this duo are only just starting. This is an action drama that you won’t be able to stop laughing at. 

9. Chance

Chance’s stars Hugh Laurie, and that’s probably enough for most people to start watching. Don’t expect a sarcastic doctor here, however. Chance is an eerie psychological thriller, Hulu’s jab at the genre currently dominated by Showtime and HBO. The show is based on the popular novel of the same name by Kem Nunn. Laurie plays a forensic neuropsychiatrist in San Francisco who tried to help a severely mentally ill patient, but ends up getting sucked into a twisted mystery of dual identity, corruption, and overall craziness. The show is full of plot twists and mysterious happenings. Given Hulu’s stellar track record of adapting books, you can expect another great show.

10. The Hotwives of Orlando

If you are absolutely sick of the Real Housewives franchise, and reality shows in general, then this is the show to watch. It’s made as a reality show but it is really an anti-reality show. Even the name is ridiculous. It’s pricelessly funny and doesn’t hold back in mocking the various characters that pop up on reality shows. The show follows six “hotwives” living large in Orlando, the “sexiest” city of Florida. The parody punches hard and leaves the viewer gleefully happy. If you want to plan your weekend with some mindless humor, start streaming this show.

All of the above shows are available in Hulu’s complete U.S. library. Some of the shows may not be available in certain countries due to content licensing issues. If you live in a country where an amazing show like “The Handmaid’s Tale” is not available, you can get around the problem with a Smart DNS Proxy server.

Smart DNS technology allows web users to unblock websites and content within websites that are restricted due to geographical location. Even if you got your subscription in the U.S., not all your favorite shows will be available when you are traveling around the world. You can use a web proxy service to bypass geo blocks and access the full Hulu library from anywhere in the world.

Smart DNS Proxy is a safe and secure web proxy service that can get you full access to Hulu regardless of your location. Smart DNS Proxy offers encryption protocols with all connections. The service is available on many different devices like smartphones, smart TVs, and gaming consoles as well. You can try the service for free for 14 days if you don’t want to sign up right away.