15 Best Shows On Hulu To Binge-Watch This Weekend

I remember when Hulu was the first of the big things. Yeah, we had Netflix for renting DVDs and the grand opportunity to stream from their massive selection of 20 or so films. But at that point, Hulu came in and promised us variety, abundance, reruns and... not much else. Oh, how we've come a long way! Entropy seems to be a good thing when it comes to entertainment.

So, now we have the new upgraded and wonderful Hulu, where, for a stinky little monthly fee, we can seriously get into some good stuff — and it's not all reruns of South Park.

Yes, Hulu has the old stuff, but they caught on to the idea of producing original movies and series. And you know what? It works!

They came in with some amazing stuff. And it seems they really want to please just about everyone because they offer an outstandingly versatile list of goodies. Hulu and chill? You're on!

Here are the Hulu shows you need to watch, right now.

1. The Handmaid's Tale

If you haven't seen The Handmaid's Tale, then go out of your way right now to make sure you do, because this is one of the best shows on Hulu. It's the scariest vision of what life could be like for women if we somehow fell under the lead of the stupidest men in all of history.

This is a feminist masterpiece, as well as an award-winning series of outstanding quality. Great acting, meaningful plot, and revolutionary thinking.

The Handmaid's Tale takes place in the not-so-distant future and is an extremely bleak vision of what life would look like if women had absolutely no rights whatsoever, were there to be some kind of male takeover where only the most heartless and piggish of men rule. Required viewing for all humans. If you hate men, this one's for you.

2. The Act

A true story made into a mini-series, starring Patricia Arquette as the con artist mother who trained her daughter since childhood to believe she has many incurable illnesses for the purpose of gaining sympathy and the money that comes with it.

The daughter — Gypsy Rose Blanchard — is a fully functional and healthy young person made to use a wheelchair, shave her head to look like she has cancer, and is told her mind is at the level of a seven-year-old. The checks of sympathy roll in, and while mom collects the funds, Gypsy grows up and figures out that she's not only perfectly healthy, but she's feeling mighty vengeful as well. Must see TV.

3. Killing Eve

Fans of Sandra Oh should be in heaven with this one. "Villanelle is a psychopathic assassin, and Eve is the woman charged with hunting her down; the two fiercely intelligent women, equally obsessed with each other, go head to head in an epic game of cat and mouse."

So says the blurb, but this doesn't catch on to the subtlety involved here. When searching for a more exciting life, it's hard to resist the idea of espionage, murder and insanity, right? Watch it!

4. Treehouse Masters

"Treehouse Masters will have you climbing to a majestic world up in the treetops with visionary and tree whisperer Pete Nelson as he designs private escapes for those with a passion to reconnect with nature and awaken their inner child." And oh, how right they are.

Remember when you were a kid and you fantasized that special treehouse so magically erected amongst those crazy huge trees of your imagination? No longer are magical treehouses a thing of the mind — these masters know how to make the magic real. So much fun to watch.

5. Castle Rock

Castle Rock is what you watch when you're so dedicated to Stephen King that you no longer know what to do with yourself. The first season was so creepy... and slow, and weird, that I'm pretty sure you have to be a King fiend in order to keep up with it.

Then again, you might not suffer too long if you also happen to be a Bill Skarsgård fan, which I am. I can look at him do anything, and the more silent, wide-eyed and menacing he is, the better. He may not be Pennywise material in this, but holy smokes, he's a helluva devil.

6. Preacher

Not my thing, but definitely somebody's thing; in fact, a friend of mine is wild for this fantasy.

Violence, sci-fi, horror, gore, weirdness, the wild west — well, that's the kind of stuff that spells a good time for many. Throw in a little blasphemous religious debasement and we're all set for a series filled with sphincter-faces, burning flesh and foul-mouthed women who shriek and complain. Hey, people love this stuff. You might also!

7. Murder on the Internet

It's pretty easy these days to get in trouble on the internet; in fact, that's just about all you can get online nowadays. But murder? Are we at the phase where the internet gets us killed? Oh, yes, my friends, welcome to the dark age of technology, where the scams are huge, the money is emptied out, the lies are untraceable, and the fools are a dime a dozen.

Nigerian Prince email scams? Oh hell no, that's old news. Check out this series for the low down on who's getting killed in cyberspace these days.

8. 24

Look, it's there and, yes, I know it's ancient history. But it's 24, and it's Keifer — younger, hotter, stronger Keifer — and this series is one of the most exciting thriller shows that was ever created. I don't remember one single boring episode in all 8 seasons.

Jack Bauer is the new Chuck Norris, and as you'll come to know, nobody can wrap their thighs around a person and strangle them to death like good old Jack. It's farfetched, impossible espionage, conspiracy and nuclear danger, 24/7. If you want that heart attack thrill of watching pure action-packed theater, then throw your entire being into 24.

9. Damien

Honestly, it wasn't for me, but boy, oh boy, do I know people who really loved this. Yes, it's that Damien, the one from The Omen, and yes, it does have that "Ick, is that... the devil?" vibe all over it.

Updated, it takes the whole son of the devil thing into the modern days, gives it a few good CGI upgrades and some lit set design and makeup effects. The story is somewhat dull, but it's kind of good to see an old buddy return — Damien, as an adult, to ruin the world as we know it.

10. Harlots

Big breasts in corsets is what you'll see, but I'm sure it's about the actual women in those corsets... I think. Rather favoring to the male gaze, I know we're supposed to be getting a story out of this, but I'm fairly sure it exists simply to lure us into the idea of women being paid for sexual favors, while wearing sexy Victorian outfits.

I watched it hoping I'd get a bit of the thrill that I got from watching Taboo, with Tom Hardy. Alas, I found out that I need more than breasts in corsets — I need Tom Hardy.

11. Fear the Walking Dead

This started out phenomenally well, and it was exciting as all hell. It's becoming a bit of the soap opera that is The Walking Dead, and it's hard to think of how they're going to keep up this Dead storyline after all these years.

But Fear has some interesting players involved, and this show has been successful so far at NOT being The Walking Dead. If you love that growl and hiss of an open throat that was ripped apart during a small zombie war, then you'll adore the garbled moaning that accompanies many a scene in FTWD.

12. 11.22.63

I'm starting to think that Hulu owns Stephen King. I read the book and loved it. I saw the series and thought it was fairly meh. It's not always the easiest thing in the world to like James Franco, and honestly, it's what held me back from loving this.

Says Hulu: "Imagine having the power to change history. Would you journey down the 'rabbit hole?' This eight–part event series follows Jake Epping (James Franco), an ordinary high school teacher, presented with the unthinkable mission of traveling back in time to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. Jake travels to the past in order to solve the most enduring mystery of the 20th century: who killed JFK, and could it have been stopped? But as Jake will learn, the past does not want to be changed. And trying to divert the course of history may prove fatal."

13. Catfish

Ugh. Yes, Catfish. And people are still watching this. More than likely, they are getting ideas from this show as to how to scam and rip off oblivious internet romance seekers, as this show is like an instruction manual for those who really want to hurt strangers online.

Catfish looks into the lives of those caught in internet romances with people they don't know, who lie to them, who cheat them out of time and money, and who end up breaking their hearts. Catfish is a voyeuristic look at other people's foolishness, misery and loss.

14. Mental Samurai

The great thing about shows like Mental Samurai is that you could be a Mental Moron to watch them and have a really good time doing so. It's another Who Wants to be a Millionaire-type of show, and it's got Rob Lowe, who finally took it upon himself to become a host.

Lowe's got lowlife creds, so he can basically take on any kind of project without being judged, and Mental Samurai now puts him in the category with other zillionaires with nothing left to do but host TV shows, like Guy Fieri.

15. The First

Ah, now this looks like the good stuff. "Sean Penn leads an ensemble cast in this near-future drama about a crew of astronauts attempting to become the first humans on Mars. Under the direction of visionary aerospace magnate Laz Ingram (Natascha McElhone), the crew contends with peril and personal sacrifice as they undertake the greatest pioneering feat in human history."

We've seen Natasha in both Designated Survivor and in Californication. She's great. Throw in maniacal good-deed-doer, Sean Penn, and I think we've got ourselves a very ambitious piece of original work here. See it now!

Dori Hartley is primarily a portrait artist. As an essayist and a journalist, she can be read in The Huffington Post, ParentDish, YourTango, The Daily Beast, Psychology Today, More Magazine, XOJane, MyDaily and The Stir. Her art books ‘Beauty’, ‘Antler Velvet’, and 'Mads Mikkelsen: Portraits of the Actor' are all available on Amazon.