To coincide with National Streaming Day, an annual "holiday" to celebrate — you guessed it — streaming services, Hulu is offering a fantastic discount for a limited time only.
From now until Saturday, May 27, you can sign up to Hulu and it'll cost you just $2 each month for your first three months for the ad-enabled plan. That's usually $7.99 monthly, so you're saving 75% in this great streaming deal.
This saving is open to new or returning subscribers (the latter referring to people who've been away from the service for a month or more). If you sign up with this special deal but want to keep Hulu your plan will default to the full price after three months.
If you've used this deal to sign up to Hulu, you're probably now looking at the massive library and wondering, "What should I watch first?" — luckily you're on a website called What to Watch so we can help you figure out the answer to that conundrum.
We've picked five movies and five TV shows below that should be your first ports of call, and to create this list we've drawn from our lists of the best movies on Hulu, best horror movies on Hulu, everything new on Hulu in May and the best TV shows each week overall.
The Great seasons 1-3
One of the biggest new Hulu originals recently has been The Great season 3, with fans loving this not-exactly-historically-accurate historical comedy starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult.
Loosely based on the life and times of Russia's Catherine II, otherwise known as Catherine the Great, The Great takes an irreverent view of its subject materials to create a refreshingly different period drama.
With an overall Rotten Tomatoes score of 96%, you know The Great is worth a watch whether you're there for the historical biopic, the whacky comedy or the, dare we call it romance, between Catherine and her husband Peter.
Palm Springs
A Hulu Original Film that ended up being one of the best movies of 2020, Palm Springs is part sci-fi, part comedy and also part romance, and it's well worth a watch.
Nyles (Andy Samberg) gets trapped in a time loop when attending a wedding in Palm Springs, and unlike the heroes of many other time loop movies he becomes stuck in the endless repetition — that is until he accidentally pulls Sarah (Cristin Milioti) into the loop with him.
Featuring wonderful chemistry between its main stars, a soulful meditative exploration of its themes and lots of humor, this is one of the best movies on Hulu right now.
Abbott Elementary seasons 1-2
With two seasons already out and a third on the way, Abbott Elementary has been sweeping the awards shows since it debuted in 2021, with three Primetime Emmy awards, a Critics' Choice Award, three Golden Globes and many more.
Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary set in a Philadelphian school that makes up what it lacks in funding with quirky personalities. More specifically, it follows a hopeful second-grade teacher (played by showrunner Quinta Brunson) as she tries to stand her ground in this troubled school.
If you're looking for an easy-watching and heart-warming 20-minute comedy then this is absolutely one you should check out.
Triangle of Sadness
A recent acclaimed movie on Hulu is Triangle of Sadness, which was nominated for several Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.
A dry black comedy with an all-star cast, Triangle of Sadness follows the super-rich members of a luxury cruise as they get into various hijinx (to explain any more would ruin some of the twists and turns the plot takes).
Uncomfortably funny and not for the feint of heart, Triangle of Sadness will make you feel many things, but sadness isn't among them.
Welcome to Wrexham
For some documentary fun, turn to Welcome to Wrexham, the first season of which is on Hulu with a second on the way.
The show follows Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and their 2020 decision to buy a small and struggling Welsh soccer team: Wrexham A.F.C. Neither of these stars are Welsh, nor had they ever managed a soccer club before, which all results in one amusing and startling documentary.
The Meg
One of the most wonderful blockbusters of the last few years is The Meg, which is on Hulu (and is expecting a sequel later in 2023 in the form of The Meg 2: The Trench).
This is a movie that truly encapsulates the expression "dumb fun" as it follows a team of scientists and dashing rogues as they fight to contain a megladon, the giant ancestor to the Great White Shark, which they accidentally discover and unleash in the ocean.
Expect Jaws by way of Jurassic World. While the movie is certainly gory, it's also funny and silly and a really enjoyable watch.
Only Murders in the Building seasons 1-2
One of Hulu's most popular originals, Only Murders in the Building is a mystery thriller with a good dose of comedy thrown in for good measure.
The show follows three inhabitants of the same apartment complex (played by Martin Short, Selena Gomez and Steve Martin) who bond over a fixation with true crime... and also their need to solve a gruesome murder that takes place in their building.
With two hit seasons already out and a third on the way, fans can't get enough of Only Murders in the Building, largely for its magnetic cast (and the wide pool of guests stars who keep showing up).
The Beta Test
We've mentioned many comedy or light-hearted shows and movies on this list so far, but for something darker, turn to 2021 movie The Beta Test.
The Beta Test is about a talent agent who's struggling in his job, in his relationship and in his personal life. When he receives (and accepts) an invitation to a night of consequence-free sex with a total stranger, he becomes embroiled in a web of paranoia and guilt as he tries to work out where the letter came from.
With a fantastic performance from star (and director, and co-writer) Jim Cummings, as well as a witty deconstruction of lots of Hollywood tropes and a well-written character study of the sex-addicted main character, there's lots going for this movie.
Vikings seasons 1-6
There are plenty of Viking-era TV shows around, and Vikings is often credited with sparking this boom.
As you can imagine, the show follows vikings. More specifically, it's about Ragnar Lothbrok as he fights to become the King of the Viking tribes, but it explores lots about the viking culture, beliefs and behaviors.
While the show is over now, you've got 89 episodes to sink your teeth into, so it's ripe for the binging. Spin-offs are still landing too, with Vikings: Valhalla in 2022 recently picking up the mantle.
Shrek
Finishing things with a staple, Shrek is on Hulu for if you want the warm comfort food that this animated classic provides (and its sequels are on the platform too, if you want a marathon).
For the 1% of people who haven't yet seen Shrek, the movie follows grouchy ogre Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) who finds his beloved swamp encroached upon by displaced fairytale creatures. To get them to leave, he has to rescue a princess (Cameron Diaz) from a fire-breathing dragon, with the help of his annoying side-kick Donkey (Eddie Murphy).
A hilarious and endlessly-quotable movie, Shrek remains beloved by viewers of a certain age, and if you haven't seen it in a while it's certainly worth a rewatch.
