10 Best Hulu Original Comedies, Ranked

The streaming wars keep raging, but while everyone’s focusing on Netflix and Disney+, Hulu has slowly become one of the best options out there. Although it might lack its competitors’ subscribers, Hulu has a solid library of acquired and original offerings, including many critically acclaimed and fan-favorite original comedies.

From murder mysteries to coming-of-age dramedies, Hulu’s collection of comedy shows is impressive. Many have even received widespread acclaim, including Primetime Emmy Awards, among other accolades. These are Hulu’s best original comedies, excelling thanks to their clever writing, witty humor, and the performances of their reliable and talented ensembles, cementing the streamer as a force to be reckoned with and themselves as modern classics in the making.

10 ‘How I Met Your Father’ (2022-2023)

Creators: Isaac Aptaker, Elizabeth Berger

A spin-off of the generational-defining Fox comedy How I Met Your Mother, 2022’s How I Met Your Father stars Hilary Duff (Lizzie Mcguire)alongside an ensemble cast. Like the original show, the spin-off is framed as an older Sophie, played by the ever-fabulous Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City), retelling the story of how her younger self met the father of her future children.

First things first: yes, the premise is a carbon copy of the original. However, what How I Met Your Father lacks in creativity, it more than makes up in humor and charm. Led by a wonderful Hilary Duff, the show tackles the single life with gusto and contagious energy, benefitting from witty, if formulaic, writing and excellent chemistry from a ridiculously personable cast. Sadly, How I Met Your Father got canceled after its second season, and while it was never going to be an Emmy-winning darling, it had everything to become a modern guilty pleasure for the streaming age.

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9 ‘Future Man’ (2017-2020)

Creators: Howard Overman, Kyle Hunter, Ariel Shaffir

Former teen idol Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) displayed his humorous side in the sci-fi comedy Future Man. Starring opposite the criminally underrated Eliza Coupe (Happy Endings), the show follows Josh, a janitor who completes the videogame Biotic Wars. His life changes when the game’s characters, Tiger and Wolf, appear and recruit him to save the universe from the actual Biotic Wars.

Future Man has tons of fun with its admittedly wacky and unserious premise. It further benefits from the chemistry between Hutcherson, Coupe, and co-star Derek Wilson (Preacher). Although its approach to comedy is light, meta, and self-deprecating, Future Man is extremely serious about its sci-fi lore and worldbuilding, resulting in a fascinating dichotomy that makes it the perfect blend of both genres. More people should know about this delightfully underappreciated and surprisingly ambitious show.

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8 ‘High Fidelity’ (2020)

Developers: Veronica West, Sarah Kucserka

Zoë Kravitz (The Batman) stars as a gender-bent version of John Cusack‘s (Say Anything) character from the now-iconic 2000 comedy High Fidelity in this Hulu adaptation. Based on Nick Hornby‘s eponymous novel, the plot follows Rob, the music-obsessed owner of a record shop who revisits her previous relationships.

Co-starring Oscar-winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers), High Fidelity might be the most overlooked show in Hulu’s already overlooked library. Elevated by a stellar performance from Kravitz, the show becomes an insightful, biting, and instantly memorable depiction of life that effortlessly captures its generation’s romantic tribulations. Although far from perfect, High Fidelity, much like its acidic protagonist, wore its flaws with pride, cementing itself as the rare remake that successfully updated its story to reflect a new time and place.

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7 ‘PEN15’ (2019-2021)

Creators: Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, Sam Zvibleman

The future Mrs. Smith, Maya Erskine (Plus One) and Anna Konkle (The Afterparty) co-created and starred in the Hulu comedy Pen15. The show follows Maya and Anna, two 13-year-olds going through middle school and trying to make the best out of the awkwardness of puberty.

Pen15‘s brilliance relies on its intentionally awkward and cringe comedy. Erskine and Konkle were 31 and 31, respectively, playing 13-year-olds, a gimmick that is as uncomfortable as it sounds. Yet, the result is a hilarious and insightful view of one of the most embarrassing and confusing times in a person’s life, expertly brought to life by two people reminiscing on that period with the benefit of maturity and hindsight. Surrounded by actual 13-year-olds who only made the whole thing more chaotic, Erskine and Konkle turned Pen15 into a true work of cringe genius.

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6 ‘Shrill’ (2019-2021)

Developers: Aidy Bryant, Alexandra Rushfield, Lindy West

Throughout the years, Saturday Night Live has been a constant source of comedic brilliance. Many of its breakout stars go on to lead shows of their own, which was precisely the case for Aidy Bryant (Human Resources). The four-time Emmy nominee developed and stars in the Hulu comedy Shrill, about a young woman trying to succeed on her own terms.

Shrill is an ode to optimism and body positivity, with a can-do attitude that never overdoes it. Although its approach is conventional, the show thrives on the strength of Bryant’s buoyant performance, creating a memorable and instantly likable lead character that ranks among Hulu’s best. A game cast, witty screenplays, and familiar storylines with enough bite to stand out further contribute to Shrill‘s success. Unfortunately, the show only lasted three seasons, a shame considering the talent involved.

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5 ‘Ramy’ (2019-2022)

Creators: Ramy Youssef, Ari Katcher, Ryan Welch

Why isn’t Ramy Youssef (Poor Things) a bigger star? That’s the question on everyone’s minds, especially those who have watched his hilarious Hulu series, Ramy. Co-created by and starring Youssef, Ramy centers on its titular character, a first-generation Muslim-American caught between his Egyptian culture and the more liberal environment of his New Jersey neighborhood.

Clever, funny, and revealing, Ramy finds great strength in the clash of cultures at the heart of its premise. Youssef is in excellent form as the titular character, a role that earned him a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy nomination. Although it deals with surprisingly severe issues, Ramy never loses its comedic touch, operating under a philosophy that there’s humor in even the darkest situation. It’s a risky approach that largely works because Youssef is there to bring it to life, resulting in one of Hulu’s best and most daring comedic efforts.

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4 ‘The Great’ (2020-2023)

Creator: Tony McNamara

The spiritual successor to The Favourite, Hulu’s The Great is a work of wild comedic genius. Elle Fanning (The Beguiled) and Nicholas Hoult (The Menu) star as Catherine the Great and Emperor Peter III of Russia, with the show dramatizing her ascent to power.

A satirical and nearly entirely fictional take on Catherine the Great’s life, The Great is a biting and often relentless pitch-black comedy. Fanning delivers a deliciously wicked portrayal of Catherine, while Hoult plays the ultimate pathetic bully who’s too silly to realize everyone hates him. The Great walks a fine line between absurdism and genuinely twisted humor, resulting in a delightfully mean plot that never becomes cruel. Irreverent and non-stop fun, The Great plays fast and loose with history in service of an increasingly wild story show that seldom stops for a breath; when it does, it only comes back stronger and more profane than ever.

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3 ‘The Bear’ (2022 – Present)

Creator: Christopher Storer

Jeremy Allen White (Shameless) finally received the recognition that had long eluded him with his starring role in the dramedy The Bear. The plot centers on Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, an award-winning chef who agrees to take over his recently deceased brother’s sandwich shop in Chicago.

As hectic as the kitchen it’s mostly set in, yet as oddly comforting as the bite of one’s favorite meal, The Bear is a unique concoction that took television by storm. Anchored by White’s delightfully pathetic performance and further enhanced by a game cast that expertly matches his frenetic energy, The Bear is a true lightning-in-a-bottle situation. The show has dominated the conversation since its debut, quickly establishing itself as a modern classic. And while it’s far from a pure comedy, including enough drama to give the average Shondaland show a run for its money, The Bear remains a rewardingly humorous look at some of life’s darkest aspects.

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2 ‘Only Murders in the Building’ (2021 – Present)

Creators: Steve Martin, John Hoffman

Steve Martin (Father of the Bride), Martin Short (Clifford), and Selena Gomez (Selena+Chef) join forces for the hilarious mystery comedy Only Murders in the Building. A new take on the classic whodunit, the show follows the unlikely alliance of three individuals—a shy former TV star, a flamboyant Broadway director, and an acidic young woman—as they attempt to solve the many murders that take place in their luxurious Upper West Side building.

Only Murders in the Building lives and dies with the chemistry of its enchanting cast. Martin, Short, and Gomez create a perfect dynamic, playing off their generational gap for laughs that are never formulaic, much less lazy. The show employs several mystery tropes, subverting them enough to be surprising yet never too much so as to become polarizing. Only Murders in the Building is arguably Hulu’s greatest surprise, a consistently brilliant show that keeps getting better with each new season.

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1 ‘Reservation Dogs’ (2021-2023)

Director: Sterlin Harjo, Taika Waititi

No Hulu comedy is funnier, more intelligent, or more unfairly underrated than Reservation Dogs. One of the rare shows to center on the indigenous lifestyle, Reservation Dogs follows four teenagers trying to earn enough money to leave their reservation community by committing petty crimes.

Aside from being a refreshing depiction of a community that seldom gets to stand in the spotlight, Reservation Dogs excels as a poignant portrayal of youth, a coming-of-age story unlike any other. The show captures a distinct and universal feeling that pretty much everyone can relate to. However, it also showcases the realities of life in a reservation, blurring boundaries and allowing audiences to empathize with its protagonists. Reservation Dogs is funny, clever and bittersweet yet satisfying and, above all, powerful, a groundbreaking show that stands tall among Hulu’s rich library of comedic originals.

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NEXT: The 10 Best Netflix Original Comedy Series, Ranked