While most streaming services seem focused on including some of the most popular movies of all time. While Hulu certainly has a fair amount of great films, they also seem to be the prime destination for television shows. For example, one of their specialties is including series that are currently airing.
Of course, the streaming service wouldn’t be complete without some classic shows from the past. Looking back to the 1990s, Hulu boasts some of the best series of the era, including sitcoms, sci-fi dramas, anime hits, and more. A few entries that made this list for HBO Max aren’t included to avoid repetition.
Married…With Children (8.0)
There might not be a show better associated with the ’90s than Married…with Children. The hilarious sitcom follows the life of the Bundy family. That includes pitiful shoe salesman and former high school football star Al (Ed O’Neill), his lazy wife Peggy (Katey Sagal), and their two kids, who are polar opposites.
It went on to become the longest-running live-action sitcom on Fox, airing from 1987 until 1997. There are over 250 episodes and all are available to stream on Hulu. The series was lauded for its comedy, memorable characters, and quotable lines and moments.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (8.2)
Joss Whedon became something of an icon when he created Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series is based on a 1992 film of the same name and premiered in 1997, running for 145 episodes until 2003. It went on to spawn a spinoff series and maintains a loyal fanbase to this day.
The show centers around Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a teenager who is the last in a line of vampire slayers. Buffy The Vampire Slayer expertly balanced teen storylines, sci-fi wackiness, and great action better than almost any other show. Gellar even scored a Golden Globe nomination for her work as Buffy.
The Wonder Years (8.3)
The theme song is something everyone remembers vividly, as is the content of the series itself. Debuting originally in 1988, The Wonder Years went on to become one of the most beloved coming-of-age TV shows in history and all six seasons are available on Hulu.
The Wonder Years is set in the ’60s and ’70s, focusing on the life and growing pains of narrator Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) in his suburban home. It took a mere six episodes for it to win the coveted Oustanding Comedy Series Emmy and it’s still considered one of the all-time greats.
Yu Yu Hakusho (8.5)
It is certainly not nearly as widely known in the United States as the previous entries on the list but Yu Yu Hakusho was a phenomenal series. The whole thing began as a manga that ran from 1990 until 1994, while the anime based on it aired from 1992 through 1994.
Although that’s only two years, Yu Yu Hakusho still spanned an impressive 112 episodes. After dying while trying to save a kid’s life, protagonist Yusuke Urameshi is revived by the ruler of the afterlife to investigate demons and apparitions in the human world.
Mr. Bean (8.5)
As soon as people get a look at Rowan Atkinson, their minds immediately jump straight to the Mr. Bean character. He literally debuted with the decade, as his first appearance was on January 1, 1990. That was on this sitcom, appropriately titled Mr. Bean.
The main idea of this comedy series was that the titular character was basically a child stuck in a grown man’s body. That allowed Mr. Bean to engage in some of the most ridiculous physical comedy ever seen on television. There’s a reason the character is so fondly remembered.
Star Trek: The Next Generation (8.6)
The world of sci-fi television was seemingly dominated by the Star Trek franchise during the ’90s. Alongside Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, there was the well-received Star Trek: The Next Generation, all airing during the decade.
This was arguably the most famous installment of them all. Star Trek: The Next Generation, running from 1987 until 1994, follows the adventures of the USS Enterprise as it explores the Milky Way. It won 19 Emmy Awards and all but one season can be found on Hulu.
The X-Files (8.6)
Similar to things like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files boasted one of the most loyal and passionate fanbases in the history of television. The show originally debuted in 1993 and ran until 2002 before it was ultimately revived for two more seasons in 2016.
The X-Files centers around the exploits of two FBI agents who investigate the strange and paranormal from around the world. The dynamic between the two leads (David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson) was epic, with one as the skeptic and one as the believer. The show featured some of the greatest episodes in TV history.
One Piece (8.7)
You might be wondering why One Piece appears on this list. After all, the show is still running and is arguably more popular than it ever has been. However, the anime series actually premiered back at the tail end of 1999.
The vast majority of the episodes, of which there are now over 900 spanning two decades, came after the ’90s but that debut is still enough to qualify for the list. One Piece focuses on Monkey D. Luffy and his crew of pirates on the hunt for the greatest treasure in history.
Seinfeld (8.8)
There are many people out there who consider Seinfeld to be the best sitcom ever made. The comedy series, led by Jerry Seinfeld and featuring the likes of Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards, lasted for nine total seasons and over 170 episodes.
The series was heavily praised and acclaimed, winning Emmys for writing, editing, acting, and the overall Outstanding Comedy Series. Seinfeld has been considered a show “about nothing,” though it is mostly about comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his neurotic friends. In 2021, it’s coming to Netflix.
Cowboy Bebop (8.9)
Considering the high regard that Cowboy Bebop is held in, someone who doesn’t know about the series might expect it to have lasted longer than it did. The show premiered in 1998 and ended by 1999, spanning only 26 total episodes. Still, it was heavily influential and introduced many Western audience members to anime in the early 2000s.
Set in the year 2071, the show has a relatively simple premise as it follows the misadventures of a bounty hunter and his partners. While it was mostly a sci-fi series, it also delved into the western and noir genres, making for a unique series that has rightfully become legendary.
