10 Hulu Shows That Are Perfect for Binge-Watching on a Cold Weekend
A cold weekend asks for a different kind of television. You want something you can start on Friday night and still be happily watching on Sunday afternoon, with a blanket, a hot drink and no urge to get dressed. Hulu has plenty of that kind of show, and this list picks the ten best for the job.
The list gives you ten Hulu shows, counted down from No. 10 to No. 1. Each one has a clear story summary, a short analysis, a note on why it sits in its place and a line on who it suits, so you can match a show to your mood rather than scrolling through a long menu.
Before you press play, there is one thing UK readers need to know. Hulu is an American service, and for years UK viewers could not use it at all. That changed on 8 October 2025, when Hulu’s content arrived in the UK as a hub inside Disney+ rather than as a separate app. There is no standalone Hulu app here, so most of the titles in this list are reached through Disney+.
Not every show on the list follows that route. Normal People is on BBC iPlayer in the UK, because it first aired on BBC Three. The Handmaid’s Tale has been on Channel 4 and Amazon Prime Video in the UK. Each entry below names the service it is most likely to be on, and every one carries a reminder to check your local listings, because rights move around and a show can change platform without much warning.
The picks were chosen with a cold weekend in mind. That means shows that reward a long run, have a warm or gripping tone and make it easy to keep going once you have started. A few are cosy comedies, a few are slow-burn dramas and a few are thrillers with enough twists to keep you awake. The mix is deliberate, because a single weekend can hold a lot of moods.
The ranking is an editorial judgement. It weighs how strong each show is across its whole run, how easy it is to start and finish, how well it works as a long watch and how much it rewards a second viewing. Where a show is uneven from season to season, the ranking says so. Where a show is consistently good, it gets credit for that.
If you only have time for one show this weekend, the top three are the safest bets. If you want something darker or more demanding, the middle of the list has the heavier dramas. If you want to dip into something new and stop when you like, the anthology pick near the middle is built for that. Either way, the aim is to leave you with a clear next watch rather than a long browse.
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10. Reservation Dogs
Reservation Dogs follows four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma. They are grieving the death of their fifth friend, Daniel, and to honour his dream of reaching California they turn to theft, scheming and hustling to raise the money for the trip. Bear Smallhill, Elora Danan, Willie Jack and Cheese each carry their own worries about home and family. The plan grows more complicated with every episode, and the friendship is tested along the way.
Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi created the show, and it is funny without being cruel. The jokes come from character rather than punchlines, and the four leads have real chemistry, with D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Devery Jacobs especially strong. The half-hour episodes make the whole series easy to take in over a weekend, and its loose tone lets small moments land hard.
Why it ranks here: Reservation Dogs sits at No. 10 because it asks the least of you emotionally and has the smallest scale on the list. Normal People, directly above it, has a deeper emotional engine and a romance that carries the whole series. This show is warm and funny, the easiest pick for a gentle Saturday, but it lingers less than the picks above it.
Who should watch it: Viewers who want a funny, humane comedy with a strong sense of place, and anyone who likes friendship at the centre of a story more than romance.
Where to watch: Hulu in the US. UK availability not verified, check your local listings. Official Hulu press page: Reservation Dogs
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9. Normal People
Normal People follows Marianne and Connell, two teenagers in County Sligo, Ireland. Marianne is a wealthy and isolated outcast at school. Connell is popular and high-achieving, but he struggles with anxiety. His mother cleans for Marianne’s family, which creates a private connection neither wants to admit. Their secret relationship begins in the final days of school, and then both head to Trinity College in Dublin, where the attraction and the friendship keep changing shape.
Based on Sally Rooney’s novel, the series rests on Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal, who play the leads with quiet precision. The chemistry feels unforced, and the show trusts you to read what the characters do not say. Catherine Magee created the series, and the directing by Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald gives it an intimate, unhurried look. The twelve episodes make a neat weekend run, though the emotion is heavy.
Why it ranks here: Normal People sits at No. 9 because it is the strongest romance on the list, but it is more bittersweet than cosy. Dopesick, directly above it, is heavier and has a bigger canvas. Reservation Dogs, directly below, is funnier and lighter. It earns its place through the most intimate storytelling in the lower half of the countdown.
Who should watch it: Readers who want a grown-up, character-led romance, and anyone who has read the book and wants to see how the adaptation handles it.
Where to watch: BBC iPlayer in the UK, where the series premiered on BBC Three in April 2020. Hulu in the US. Check your local listings.
8. Dopesick
Dopesick is an eight-episode drama about the rise of OxyContin and the wider opioid crisis in America. In the 1990s, Richard Sackler of Purdue Pharma pushes to launch the new painkiller, which the company promotes as safe for moderate pain. In the Virginia coal town of Finch Creek, a sceptical local doctor is won over by a company sales representative, and a young miner begins taking the drug. Years later, federal prosecutors and a DEA agent start to look closely at the company’s marketing.
Danny Strong created the series, based on Beth Macy’s nonfiction book. Michael Keaton anchors it with a restrained performance, while Peter Sarsgaard, Kaitlyn Dever, Will Poulter and Rosario Dawson add weight across the story. The show moves between the boardroom, the clinic and the small town, and that spread is its strength. It is serious and often hard to watch, but its focus on consequences makes it one of the most important dramas here.
Why it ranks here: Dopesick sits at No. 8 because it is powerful and well made, but its subject is heavier than most of the list. Paradise, directly above it, offers more fun and a stronger mystery engine. Normal People, directly below, is more tender and easier to live with. Dopesick ranks above that romance because its real-world weight is greater.
Who should watch it: Viewers who like true-story dramas and restrained performances, and anyone ready for a serious weekend.
Where to watch: Hulu in the US. UK availability not verified, so check your local listings.
Looking for more ways to watch this winter? Explore This Amazon Offer
7. Paradise
Paradise is set three years after a doomsday event, when the survivors live in a city-sized underground bunker in Colorado. Secret Service agent Xavier Collins is assigned to protect the president. When the president is found murdered, Collins becomes the main suspect, and he starts his own investigation without knowing whom he can trust. Dan Fogelman created the series, which mixes political intrigue with a central mystery.
Sterling K. Brown is the reason to start. Collins is a watchful, grounded lead, and Brown gives him real weight. Julianne Nicholson and James Marsden add pressure and ambiguity, while Sarah Shahi brings an edge to the wider cast. The bunker lets the show explore class, power and fear inside a closed community, and the pace is brisk. Season one aired in 2025, season two in 2026, and a third is renewed.
Why it ranks here: Paradise sits at No. 7 because it is entertaining, well cast and tightly plotted, but its mystery is more familiar than the shows above it. Tell Me Lies, directly above, has a sharper emotional engine and characters who are harder to forget. Dopesick, directly below, is less fun but more substantial. Paradise lands here because its hook is strong, but it lacks the emotional range of the top picks.
Who should watch it: Fans of political thrillers and high-concept mysteries who want plenty of plot and a lead to root for.
Where to watch: Disney+ in the UK, where Hulu titles now sit as a hub. Hulu in the US. Check your local listings.
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6. Tell Me Lies
Tell Me Lies begins in the late 2000s at the fictional Baird College in upstate New York. Freshman Lucy Albright is trying to manage strained family ties and her first real friendships. Her life gets tangled up with Stephen DeMarco, a charismatic junior whose connection with her is intense and unpredictable from the start. Years later, Lucy returns for a friend’s wedding and must face Stephen again, as memories of how they met come flooding back.
Meaghan Oppenheimer adapts Carola Lovering’s 2018 novel into a show about desire and self-deception. Grace Van Patten is excellent as Lucy, bringing a mix of wit and wariness, and Jackson White makes Stephen magnetic and frustrating in equal measure. The show moves between college and adulthood, so each season adds a layer to what came before. Three seasons make a long, emotional watch, with sharp pacing.
Why it ranks here: Tell Me Lies sits at No. 6 because it has the sharpest emotional engine on the list outside the top five. American Horror Story, directly above, gives more range and more variety across its seasons. Paradise, directly below, has a stronger hook but less emotional payoff. It is messy and frustrating in the way that makes it hard to stop watching.
Who should watch it: Viewers who like messy, character-led romance dramas and do not mind being annoyed by their leads.
Where to watch: Disney+ in the UK, where Hulu titles sit as a hub. Hulu in the US. Check your local listings.
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5. American Horror Story
American Horror Story is an anthology, so every season has a new cast, a new setting and mostly its own story. The first season, Murder House from 2011, follows the Harmon family. Ben and Vivien move from Boston to Los Angeles, hoping a fresh start will help them recover from a miscarriage and infidelity. They settle into a restored mansion without knowing its history, and soon they are drawn into the lives of neighbours and former residents. Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk created the series.
The show’s strength is its ambition. Season one has a tight cast led by Connie Britton and Dylan McDermott, with Evan Peters as Tate Langdon leaving a lasting impression. The horror is atmospheric as well as shocking, and the house feels like a character. Across thirteen seasons, the show offers plenty of choice, from the asylum of Asylum to the circus of Freak Show. The downside is consistency, as not every season lands.
Why it ranks here: American Horror Story sits at No. 5 because the anthology gives you more range than any other pick. Tell Me Lies, directly below, is more emotionally focused but narrower. Abbott Elementary, directly above, is steadier and warmer. The ranking reflects its best seasons more than a steady run.
Who should watch it: Horror fans who want a choice of settings, and viewers who like to dip into a show and stop when they want.
Where to watch: FX in the US, with the series on Hulu in the US. UK availability not verified, check your local listings.
4. Abbott Elementary
Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary set at Willard R. Abbott Elementary, an underfunded and mostly Black public school in Philadelphia where most teachers leave after two years. Second-grade teacher Janine Teagues stays hopeful and works hard for her students despite the conditions. Her colleagues include Jacob Hill, Barbara Howard and Melissa Schemmenti. The staff then welcomes Ava Coleman, an unqualified new principal, and Gregory Eddie, a recent substitute with a different energy.
Quinta Brunson created the series and stars in it, and her comic timing is the engine. Tyler James Williams is a strong foil as Gregory, and Janelle James makes Ava a memorable bad boss. The mockumentary format gives the show a quick rhythm, with jokes that come from character and awkward asides. Underneath the comedy is a sincere view of teaching and community. Five seasons have aired, with a sixth scheduled for October 2026.
Why it ranks here: Abbott Elementary sits at No. 4 because it is the most reliably funny show on the list and the easiest to recommend to almost anyone. The Bear, directly above, has more intensity and more formal ambition, although Abbott is gentler and simpler to enjoy. American Horror Story, directly below, is more uneven. Abbott’s steadier quality keeps it above.
Who should watch it: Viewers who want a comedy with heart, and anyone who has worked in a school or grew up on workplace sitcoms.
Where to watch: Disney+ in the UK through the Hulu hub. Check your local listings.
3. The Bear
The Bear follows Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto, an acclaimed chef who leaves his career in high-end restaurant kitchens to return to Chicago after his brother Michael dies. He takes over the family’s struggling Italian beef sandwich shop, which comes with unpaid debts, a run-down kitchen and an unruly staff. Carmy has to face his own grief and the family history that shaped him, while Sydney Adamu, a talented chef, pushes him to rethink how the place runs.
Christopher Storer created the series, and Jeremy Allen White is at its centre, with a performance full of nerves and restraint. Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Liza Colón-Zayas give the kitchen its texture. The kitchen scenes are fast and tense, and the pace conveys stress. Each season has a different emotional focus, and the whole run is intense, funny in flashes and deeply humane. Five seasons ran from 2022 to 2026, the last in June 2026.
Why it ranks here: The Bear sits at No. 3 because it is the most formally daring show after the top two, and its performances sit close to the bone. The Handmaid’s Tale, directly above, makes a more sustained argument about power and control, while The Bear can be exhausting across five seasons. Abbott Elementary, directly below, is lighter, but The Bear has the higher emotional stakes.
Who should watch it: Viewers who like kitchen dramas, character studies and stories about grief, family and ambition.
Where to watch: Disney+ in the UK through the Hulu hub. Hulu in the US. Check your local listings.
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2. The Handmaid’s Tale
The Handmaid’s Tale is set in a future where fertility has collapsed, and the totalitarian Republic of Gilead has seized power in the former United States. Fertile women are forced into child-bearing service as Handmaids, assigned to the households of ruling elites. June Osborne, renamed Offred, is one of them. She has been separated from her husband and daughter after a failed attempt to flee, and she must survive in a house where every move is watched. Elisabeth Moss plays June.
Bruce Miller created the series, which ran for six seasons from 2017 to 2025. The show is bleak, but it is precise about power, religion and control, and Moss anchors it. Yvonne Strahovski and Ann Dowd deliver some of the most unsettling scenes on television.
Why it ranks here: The Handmaid’s Tale sits at No. 2 because it is the most ambitious drama here and has the fullest run. Only Murders in the Building, directly above, is the more rewarding cosy watch for a cold weekend. The Bear, directly below, is intense but less sustained in its argument. This show earns second place through its political weight and a lead performance that holds for six seasons.
Who should watch it: Viewers who like dystopian drama and can handle heavy themes over a long run.
Where to watch: Channel 4 and Amazon Prime Video in the UK, per recent coverage. Hulu in the US. Check your local listings as rights change.
🎧 Before we reveal our No. 1 pick…
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1. Only Murders in the Building
Only Murders in the Building follows three strangers who live in the Arconia, an upscale Upper West Side building. Charles-Haden Savage, Oliver Putnam and Mabel Mora share a love of true crime podcasts. When their neighbour Tim Kono dies under mysterious circumstances, they begin their own investigation, and it leads them to start a podcast about the case. Steve Martin and John Hoffman created the series, which stars Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.
The show’s secret is the chemistry of its three leads. Martin and Short fit together easily, and Gomez gives Mabel a sharp, restless energy. The mysteries are fun, the Arconia is a great setting, and Meryl Streep joins from season three. It is cosy and clever.
Why it ranks here: Only Murders in the Building sits at No. 1 because it does the cold-weekend job best. It is warm, funny, clever and easy to start. The Handmaid’s Tale at No. 2 is more ambitious but far heavier, The Bear at No. 3 is more intense, and Abbott Elementary at No. 4 has the nearest mood but a more workplace-based comedy. Only Murders combines a mystery, a comedy and a friendship.
Who should watch it: Anyone who wants a cosy mystery with big laughs, and true crime podcast fans.
Where to watch: Disney+ in the UK through the Hulu hub. Hulu in the US. The sixth season is set for December 2026. Check your local listings.
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Final Thoughts
Looking back over the list, the strongest picks share one quality: they make time pass. Only Murders in the Building, Abbott Elementary and Reservation Dogs are warm enough to keep on as background company. The Handmaid’s Tale, Dopesick and Normal People ask for more attention, and they repay it with some of the most serious writing on the list.
Different viewers will land in different places. If you want to laugh, start at the top with Only Murders in the Building or work down to Abbott Elementary. If you want a long story with a clear finish, The Handmaid’s Tale and Tell Me Lies are the two to plan around. If you like thrillers and big anthologies, Paradise and American Horror Story give you plenty to choose from.
Why does Only Murders in the Building take the top spot? Because it does the cold-weekend job best. It is funny, clever and easy to start, and its three leads make every episode a pleasure to return to. It ranks above The Handmaid’s Tale, which is more ambitious and more important but heavier to live with over a whole weekend. For this particular brief, the mystery comedy wins.
Now it is your turn. Which show would you put at the top? Have you got a Hulu favourite I missed, or a show you think belongs higher up the countdown? Share your own ranking in the comments or send a suggestion for a future list. Every good recommendation makes the next weekend a little easier to plan.
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These picks extend the cosy and gripping moods from the countdown.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hulu available in the UK now?
Yes, but in a limited way. Hulu’s content arrived in the UK on 8 October 2025 as a hub inside Disney+, not as a separate Hulu app. Most Hulu titles, including Only Murders in the Building and The Bear, are reached through Disney+. Some shows have moved to other UK services, such as BBC iPlayer for Normal People or Channel 4 for The Handmaid’s Tale. Check the service listed under each entry, because licensing can change.
Do I need a separate Hulu subscription in the UK?
There is no separate Hulu app in the UK, so you do not download Hulu the way you would in the US. The UK route is through Disney+, where Hulu content sits in its own hub. Prices and plan tiers change over time, so check Disney’s official UK site before you subscribe. Any offer you see elsewhere should be checked against that page first.
Which show should I start with for a first binge?
Start with Only Murders in the Building if you want something warm, funny and easy to finish. It has short episodes, a clear mystery engine and a cast that makes the time fly. If you prefer something gentler and more grounded, Abbott Elementary is a steady comedy to begin with, and it has five seasons of material to follow. It is also comfortable for a grey afternoon, because the episodes are short and easy to return to.
Do I need to watch American Horror Story in order?
No. American Horror Story is an anthology, so each season has a new cast, setting and mostly its own story. You can start with Murder House, the first season from 2011, and then pick any other season that appeals. The seasons share a fictional universe and sometimes reuse actors in new roles, so the crossover moments are a bonus rather than a requirement.
Where can I watch Normal People in the UK?
In the UK, Normal People is on BBC iPlayer, where the series first aired on BBC Three in April 2020. Hulu carries it in the US, but do not assume it sits in the same place as the rest of the Hulu hub in the UK. Check BBC iPlayer for the current availability before you plan a weekend around it.
Is The Handmaid’s Tale finished?
Yes. The Handmaid’s Tale ended after six seasons. The sixth and final season premiered in April 2025, and the last episode aired in May 2025. That means you can plan a full run without waiting for news of a new season. In the UK the series has been on Channel 4 and Amazon Prime Video, so check those services for the current route.
Is Reservation Dogs finished?
Yes. Reservation Dogs ended after three seasons, with the third season serving as the finale. The series was created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, and it works well if you want a complete, self-contained story. Its half-hour episodes make the full run an easy weekend project, and the story does not need to be stretched out to be satisfying.
Are any shows on this list based on books or true events?
Yes. Dopesick is based on Beth Macy’s nonfiction book about the opioid crisis and draws on real events and real people. Normal People is adapted from Sally Rooney’s novel, and Tell Me Lies is based on Carola Lovering’s 2018 novel. Reading the source books can add depth, but none of them is needed to enjoy the shows. If you read the Dopesick book after the series, its detail adds useful context to the drama.
Which show on the list is the most comforting?
For a truly cosy weekend, Only Murders in the Building and Abbott Elementary are the safest picks. Both are funny, warm and built around friendship and community. Reservation Dogs is also gentle, although its characters face real hardship. If you want to relax, avoid Dopesick and The Handmaid’s Tale, which are much heavier and reward a viewer who has time to settle in.
Will the list change when new seasons arrive?
The details reflect what was checked at the time of writing. New seasons and platform changes can arrive quickly, so check the service listed under each entry before you start a binge. Abbott Elementary and Only Murders in the Building both have sixth seasons scheduled for late 2026, which may change the order of the picks in future updates. Treat the order as a snapshot rather than a final verdict.
More Places to Find Great Movies and TV Shows
- IMDb: full cast, crew, trivia and user ratings.
- Rotten Tomatoes: critic and audience scores.
- Metacritic: aggregated critic reviews.
- Wikipedia: episode guides, production history and cast lists.
- TV Guide: TV listings and show guides.
- Entertainment Weekly: entertainment news and reviews.
- Deadline: industry news, renewals and cancellations.
- The Hollywood Reporter: entertainment industry news and reviews.
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