Hulu Vs. Netflix: Which Has the Best Original Shows?

2020 is almost ending; the streaming battle that began at the beginning of the year is still very much alive and in action. This time, it’s not another new streaming service that has sparked fires, but the comparison between who has the best content of all time. 

Let’s just admit that quarantine gave us a lot of time on our hands to scan and scrape down the libraries of all the streaming services, scraping out some of the best shows that had hit rock bottom due to lack of viewership. 

But luckily, people recognized their potential and gave them the rightful popularity they deserved. But then the question remained, which service was producing the best original content of their own rather than licensing from other production houses? 

In that regard, only two services are the ones that come to our mind. Netflix and Hulu. The only reason we are not mentioning Disney Plus or Amazon Prime in our list is that the former just began its subscription service a year ago, and it still lacks the number to qualify the list. Whereas the latter has not produced enough shows to catch our attention like Netflix and Hulu. 

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Netflix

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Netflix is currently the best streaming service of all time, and it took the company years to get to where they are right now. The service is not taking any chance on their road to success and hence is projected to spend $26 billion on their content by 2028. That is a considerable amount dedicated for this purpose, which means Netflix truly means business. 

With Disney Plus’s unexpected success, which made them reach the same heights as Netflix in a matter of months, Netflix had to speed up their game and bring out their best shows to maintain their stance in the market. And they did. 

The Umbrella Academy, Stranger Things, Dead to me, Never have I ever, Sex Education are some of the names ruling the Netflix top 10. The Umbrella Academy was ranked the no.1 show on Netflix worldwide for 30 days straight. 

Considering the number of subscribers Netflix currently has, twitch is 190+ million; this is a massive success for the streaming service. The list is followed by new releases like Emily in Paris, The Queen’s Gambit, Lucifer, and more. 

Of all the streamed content on Netflix that made it to the top 10, most of them were Netflix original scripted shows, and a few were licensed movies. 

Following is the list of some of the best shows on Netflix. 

Netflix Original Shows

1. BoJack Horseman (2014–2020)
2. Mindhunter (2017–present)
3. Ozark (2017–present)
4. The OA (2017–2019)
5. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–19)
6. Stranger Things (2016–present)
7. Master of None (2015–17)
8. When They See Us (2019)
9. American Vandal (2017–18)
10. Dead to Me (2019–present)
11. The Witcher 
12. Orange Is the New Black (2013–19)
13. Unbelievable (2019)
14. The Crown (2016–present)
15. Narcos (2015–17)
16. Unorthodox (2020)
17. Never Have I Ever (2020–present)
18. The Umbrella Academy (2019–present)
19. House of Cards
20. Altered Carbon
21. The Haunting of Hill House
22. The Haunting of Bly Manor
23. Daredevil (2015–18)

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Hulu

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Hulu recently became a part of The Walt Disney Company, which brought it under the limelight for viewers who were unaware of this 13-year-old service that has been in the market for quite some time. 

Hulu is currently based in the US only, and hence the number of subscribers compared to Netflix is way less than one can imagine. But does that mean that Hulu is not capable enough to compete with Netflix based on just a figure? We don’t think so. 

Due to Hulu’s exclusivity in the US, it is not openly available to the masses worldwide. Luckily, by getting a VPN that works with Hulu, you can subscribe and stream the shows anywhere. 

Speaking of shows, Hulu has proven to be a good service in that regard as they have produced several original shows and movies apart from storing licensed content on their service. 

Among the few names, we have the famous The Handmaid’s Tale, Looking for Alaska, Castle Rock, and Zoe Kravitz’s High Fidelity. The show was widely acclaimed, sadly the series was short-lived, and despite the popularity and love it got from the audience, it was canceled after one 1 season. 

Following are some of the best original titles to watch on Hulu:

Hulu Original Shows

1. City So Real (2020)
2. Justified (2010)
3. Atlanta (2016)
4. Better Things (2016)
5. What We Do In The Shadows (2019)
6. Harlots (2017)
7. Ramy (2019)
8. Mrs. America (2020)
9. Difficult People (2015)
10. You’re The Worst (2014)
11. The Wrong Mans (2013)
12. Mr. Inbetween (2018)
13. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005)
14. Man Seeking Woman (2015)
15. Legit (2013)
16. Love, Victor (2020)
17. Baskets (2016)
18. Looking For Alaska (2019)
19. The Handmaid’s Tale (2017)
20. Castle Rock (2018)
21. Marvel’s Runaways (2017)
22. High Fidelity (2020)
23. The Looming Tower (2018)

Conclusion

When we bring both the streaming service side by side, we see little difference as both the services offer some of the best shows on their service. Both the services have established a name amongst the masses and have good reach. But Netflix takes the prize in all regards. 

This mainly has to do with its reach. We are sure Hulu has content on its service, which is just waiting to be recognized, but the service is not available worldwide like Netflix, and that is what becomes a deal-breaker for the service. 

Netflix has 190 million subscribers, whereas Hulu has managed to make 35.5 million members, that too, because of the Disney Plus bundle offer, which promotes Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN+ with a single price tag of $12.99/month. Hulu has to struggle to get the viewership it deserves with this number. 

Whereas for Netflix, currently, almost every household around the world has Netflix, either through a paid subscription or through shared accounts, and that is enough for it to publicize its content. And honestly, Netflix movies and shows are outstanding too; that is why they quickly become the talk of the town and get the number one streak for months at a time, like Stranger Things.