Hulu is Number 3 among the Big Three streamers, though it has been around the longest. Starting off in 2007, the service originally streamed encore runs of recent episodes from several of the broadcast networks and it developed an extensive catalog of older television shows and movies. When Netflix and Amazon made the move into original programming, Hulu dabbled with that as well, and it has put out some notable series over the years. And while it has continued to generate scripted programming, it has for the most part offered little in the way of sci fi and fantasy entries, especially lately (and most under the FX on Hulu banner), and it is unclear what direction the streamer will follow going forward.
Who Owns Hulu These Days?
Hulu first came together as a joint venture between News Corporation, NBC Universal, Providence Equity, and later Disney joined the party. The ownership stakes have changed over the years, but the Mouse House now has the majority stake (and they may own you and me before long) with a minority share still in the hands of NBC Universal. Disney has suggested that they could sell the streamer, but they have held onto their controlling stake so far. Hulu might seem redundant to them seeing as they also have Disney+, but it does not have to fit within the family-friendly framework, so it makes some sense to keep the service around.
But despite the fact that the streamer has been putting out original programming since 2012, it has never really established much of an identity. Netflix is known for its high output and big-dollar spending on shows like Stranger Things, Wednesday, and The Sandman. Amazon is known for its big-budget franchises like The Boys, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and The Wheel of Time. Paramount+ and Max are known for leaning heavily on their in-house properties with multiple entries in the Star Trek and Game of Thrones spin-offs respectively. But what is Hulu know for? Sure The Handmaid’s Tale is a notable genre entry and it has picked up properties like The Orville and Futurama. But beyond that it has put out an odd assortment of sci fi and fantasy entries over the years with most sticking around for only two seasons or less. Can we expect much more from the streamer going forward? Especially with the Peak TV Crunch taking its toll?
What Does Hulu Offer for Sci Fi Fans?
Among genre entries, the dystopian series The Handmaid’s Tale is Hulu’s flagship streaming offering, and that one has had a notable run with five seasons so far and a sixth and final year in the works. Spinning off from that will be The Testaments which could arrive sometime next year. The Orville landed on the streaming service last year after Disney bought up Fox Entertainment, but there has still been no word on a fourth season of that one. Another former Fox cast-off, Futurama, has also made waves for the streamer could stick around for a while. In addition, Hulu has the AHS spin-off American Horror Stories which is heading into its third season. But apart from that, it is unclear what the streamer has of interest to sci fi fans going forward.
It has put out a hodge-podge of genre entries over the years (some under the FX on Hulu banner), many of which have disappeared after a season or two. Shows like Y: The Last Man, Castle Rock, Dimension 404, and Kindred might have shown some promise but never developed much of an audience. And even the shows that managed to get a three-season run (considered fairly standard for streaming originals) like Future Man, Runaways, and The Hardy Boys hardly count as strong examples of the genre. Hulu has put out a couple of notable mini-series with Alex Garland’s Devs and the Stephen King-based 11.22.63, but it hasn’t put much of a focus on that format for its sci fi and fantasy output. In the development queue, there is not much of interest beyond The Testament unless the FX Alien series ends up as a Hulu exclusive. So this streamer has so far had very little output of note in the genre beyond a few standout shows, and there is not much more on the way.
A Look at the Sci Fi and Fantasy Shows on Hulu
Over the past five years, Hulu has put out twenty sci fi and fantasy originals with six of those still counting as active. All but one of the rest were cancelled after one or two seasons. The cancellation rate of genre shows over that period has been 42% after one season and 51% after two seasons, a little bit higher than the rate for all shows on the streamer. Expect more of the same from Hulu unless it ends up getting sold and new management puts more of a focus on sci fi and fantasy.
Following is the list of shows that have debuted on the service over the past five years. The season count includes renewals, and for acquisitions only the seasons that have been exclusive to Hulu are included.
| Series | Start | Seasons | Cancelled/Ended |
| Solar Opposites | 2019-20 | 5 | N |
| American Horror Stories | 2020-21 | 3 | N |
| The Hardy Boys | 2020-21 | 3 | Y |
| Crossing Swords | 2019-20 | 2 | Y |
| Endlings | 2019-20 | 2 | Y |
| Hit Monkey | 2021-22 | 2 | N |
| Into the Dark | 2018-19 | 2 | Y |
| Light as a Feather | 2018-19 | 2 | Y |
| Devs (Mini-Series) | 2019-20 | 1 | Y |
| The First | 2018-19 | 1 | Y |
| Futurama | 2022-23 | 1 | N |
| Helstrom | 2020-21 | 1 | Y |
| Kindred | 2022-23 | 1 | Y |
| Koala Man | 2022-23 | 1 | N |
| M.O.D.O.K. | 2020-21 | 1 | Y |
| Maggie | 2021-22 | 1 | Y |
| Monsterland | 2020-21 | 1 | Y |
| The Orville | 2021-22 | 1 | N |
| Utopia Falls | 2019-20 | 1 | Y |
| Y: The Last Man | 2021-22 | 1 | Y |
Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV
Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.
