Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to watch shows you have been meaning to watch. This could be older shows, newer shows, even newer seasons of existing shows. With a potential four days off, some rest and relaxation in front of the TV might be exactly what you need. It will help recharge the batteries before heading back to full work mode or getting the kids back off to school, not to mention preparing for the busy holiday season that’s only a few months away.
Now comes the decision: what to watch? Hulu has plenty of options, so it can be overwhelming to settle in and decide what to hit “play” on. We have you covered with the five best Hulu TV shows to stream this Labor Day weekend.
Only Murders in the Building (2021-)
Returning for its fourth season in late August, the Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to catch up on seasons 1 through 3 of Only Murders in the Building so you can dive into season 4 episodes, which are being released weekly through October 29, 2024. The adorable trio of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez play Charles, Oliver, and Mabel, three residents of a New York City building who connect when they discover they have a common obsession with true crime podcasts. When a murder occurs in their building (then another and another), they insert themselves into the investigations. Not only do they try their hands at amateur sleuthing, they start a podcast of their own to chronicle their discoveries and theories.
Every season features a selection of A-list guest stars, like Sting, Meryl Streep, and Paul Rudd, and, in season 4, Zach Galifianakis, Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, Molly Shannon, Kumail Nanjiani, Richard Kind, and Melissa McCarthy join the fun. The endearing and hilarious cast is fueled by smart parody writing and is a winning combination. Moments that poke fun at generational differences are presented in ways only Martin and Short could pull off, and Gomez matches them step-for-step in her impressively droll performance as well. Only Murders in the Building is, quite simply, a delight to watch at any time of the year.
Stream Only Murders in the Building on Hulu.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)
Can you believe It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been going strong since 2005? Over its 16 seasons to date, the sitcom has attracted cult followers, some of whom have come on board late. If you haven’t tuned in yet, the Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to start. With short episodes and only seven to 15 of them per season, you could easily power your way through all 170 episodes to date in a weekend, or at least get a start on the first few.
The series, created by Rob McElhenney, features an ensemble cast of friends who together own an Irish dive bar called Paddy’s Pub. They don’t really spend as much time on the business as they should, however, instead worrying more about drinking, scheming, arguing, and fueling their own narcissistic needs. The chemistry among the cast, which includes Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson, Danny DeVito, and McElhenney himself, is truly what makes this show worth watching. With a premiere date for season 17 yet to be confirmed, and not likely to arrive until 2025, it’s not too late to catch up.
Stream It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia on Hulu.
The Bear (2022-)
Speaking of getting on board, if you haven’t yet checked out multi-Emmy-winning series The Bear to see what all the fuss is about yet, you can eat up all three seasons in time for season 4, which was filmed back-to-back with the third (release date still to be announced). Despite its Emmy categorization as a comedy, The Bear is frantic, fast-paced, and deeply troubling at times, with mild, sarcastic humor adding a bit of flavor on top.
The story follows Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), an award-winning chef who travels back to his hometown of Chicago in the wake of his older brother’s suicide. Now tasked with running his brother’s flailing sandwich shop, Carmy has something to prove not only to everyone else but also himself. He’s met with resistance at first, but soon, the team comes together (sort of) to make The Beef into something memorable but markedly different than what it was.
The third season shifts formats to become artsier, deeper, and more psychologically draining, which was met with mixed reviews. Overall, the writing, acting, and underlying themes of addiction, self-protection, insecurities, and trauma throughout will leave you gutted. The Bear isn’t a lighthearted chef show: the material gets heavy, so be mentally prepared before you serve up this main course. But once you do, it will be worth it.
Stream The Bear on Hulu.
The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-)
Coming back for a sixth and final season in 2025, it has been two years since season 5 of The Handmaid’s Tale premiered, so there’s a lot you might have forgotten about the plot. For those who haven’t yet watched, this weekend is a good time to start as well. The dystopian drama brings the incredibly terrifying stories of Margaret Atwood to life on the small screen.
Elisabeth Moss is June/Offred, a young woman trying to survive (and escape) from a near-future society where a totalitarian theocratic group has taken over America. Fertile women are known as handmaids, tasked with bearing children for the wives of wealthy leaders who are suffering from infertility. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the oppression and horrific circumstances plaguing the country, all in the name of creating a new world order that rights societal wrongs.
Tackling tough and topical subjects like women’s rights, religious fanaticism, class structures, and personal freedoms, The Handmaid’s Tale is frightening but also deeply moving and inspiring. The powerful story goes off the rails toward its later seasons. But the way the series takes a fictional story Atwood wrote way back in the ’80s and turns it into a modern retelling will shake you to your core. You may not get through all five seasons over the weekend, but chances are it’ll become part of your nightly viewing once you get into the gripping story.
Stream The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.
Letterkenny (2016-2023)
Want something lighter before the work, school, and holiday onslaught begins? Letterkenny is pure, light-hearted fun that will have you guffawing as you watch. Set in a fictional rural community of Ontario, Canada, Letterkenny tells the stories and daily doings of the residents there who are split into four groups: the farmers known as the “Hicks,” the gym goers and ice hockey team players known as the “Jocks,” the drug addicts (“Skids”), and the residents of the First Nation reservation nearby called the “Natives.” As they interact with one another and deal with small-town rural life, you can’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.
Poking fun at every stereotype of small-town Canadians, which both city dwelling Canadians and Americans are guilty of perpetuating, Letterkenny is endearing, fun, and smartly written. Combining mockumentary with sitcom feel, Letterkenny was adapted from a YouTube web series, and has become just as big a hit in the U.S. as it is in Canada. If you manage to binge through all dozen seasons over the weekend (or beyond), watch the spinoff series Shoresy next.
Stream Letterkenny on Hulu.
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