With Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix establishing themselves as 21st-century television networks, a certain someone in my life thought it might be wise for me to make a guide to the programming available on those services.
I’m only listing shows that are scripted, geared toward adults, presumably still in production, and produced (at least in part) by the service in question. (Hulu has a silly habit of labelling content produced by networks overseas as “Hulu Originals.”)
AMAZON
The After — A mysterious apocalypse unites eight strangers in this drama from X-Files mastermind Chris Carter. Starring Aldis Hodge, Andrew Howard, Arielle Kebbel, Jamie Kennedy, Sharon Lawrence, Sam Littlefield, Louise Monot, Jaina Lee Ortiz, and Adrian Pasdar.
Alpha House — In this political satire from Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau, four senators share a house in Washington, D.C. Starring John Goodman, Clark Johnson, Matt Malloy, Mark Consuelos, Yara Martinez, Alicia Sable, and Julie White.
Betas — Young developers of a dating app called BRB search for investors by crashing parties. Starring Joe Dinicol, Karan Soni, Jon Daly, Charlie Saxton, and Maya Erskine.
Bosch — Based on the Michael Connelly character, this drama follows an LAPD detective as he tracks the killer of a 13-year-old boy — while standing trial for his alleged murder of a suspected serial killer. Starring Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Annie Wersching, Amy Aquino, Amy Price-Francis, Scott Wilson, and Lance Reddick.
Mozart in the Jungle — Classical musicians are just as debaucherous as rock stars in this comedy based on New York Philharmonic oboist’s Blair Tindall’s 2005 memoir. Starring Gael García Bernal, Malcolm McDonnell, Saffron Burrows, Lola Kirke, and Bernadette Peters.
Ripper Street — In this continuation of the cancelled BBC series, the police of the Whitechapel H Division try to normalize the streets of East London in the wake of the Jack the Ripper killings. Starring Matthew Macfadyen, Jerome Flynn, and Andrew Rothenberg.
Transparent — A Los Angeles family is shocked when the patriarch informs his children that he is a transgender woman. Starring Jeffrey Tambor, Gaby Hoffman, Jay Duplass, Amy Landecker, and Judith Light.
NETFLIX
Arrested Development — Picking up where it left off when it was canceled by FOX seven years ago, this offbeat comedy follows the dysfunctional Bluth family — held together only by the tireless effort of the one well-adjusted son. Starring Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Alia Shawkat, Tony Hale, David Cross, Jeffrey Tambor, and Jessica Walter.
House of Cards — Frank Underwood’s political ambition, vengeful scheming, and ruthless ascent to power is matched only by that of his wife — who’s less of a romantic partner than a partner-in-crime — in this adaptation of a BBC miniseries. Starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright.
Hemlock Grove — In this visceral horror saga, a teenaged girl’s grisly murder sets off an investigation into a small Pennsylvania steel town — and a realization that not all of its residents are human. Starring Famke Janssen, Bill Skårsgard, Landon Liboiron, Penelope Mitchell, Dougray Scott, Frey Tingley, Madeleine Martin, and Michael Andreae.
Lilyhammer — On the run from the Mafia boss he betrayed, New York City gangster Frank “The Fixer” Tagliano tries to establish a new life and a new identity in Norway, only to realize he can’t escape his criminal tendencies. Starring Steven Van Zandt, Trond Fausa Aurvåg, Marian Saastad OTtesen, Sven Nordin, Kyrre Hellum, and Anne Krigsvoll.
Orange Is the New Black — One drug run for her now-ex-girlfriend lands Piper Chapman behind bars in a women’s prison, where she finds friends and rivals alike among the penitentiary’s diverse group of inmates in this comedic drama based on the memoir by Piper Kerman. Starring Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, Michael J. Harney, MIchelle Hurst, Kate Mulgrew, and Jason Biggs.
HULU
The Awesomes — In this comedy, all the cool members of a superhero league ditch the group, leaving behind a ragtag team of less-than-super heroes. Starring Seth Meyers, Ike Barinholtz, Taran Killam, Paula Pell, Kenan Thompson, Bobby Lee, Rashida Jones, Steve Higgins, Josh Meyers, Emily Spivey, Bill Hader, and Rachel Dratch.
Deadbeat — A non-starter of a medium tries to provide closure to ghosts unable to rest in peace. Starring Tyler Labine and Brandon T. Jackson.
East Los High — Love triangles and teenage dramatics abound in this all-Latino drama set in an East Los Angeles high school. Starring Janine Larina, Gabriel Chavarria, and Alicia Sixtos.
The Hotwives of Orlando — Six women bond over shopping and clash over almost everything else in this send-up of the Real Housewives franchise. Starring Casey Wilson, Danielle Schneider, Tymberlee Hill, Andrea Savage, Angela Kinsey, Kristen Schaal, and Paul Scheer.
Quick Draw — In 1875, Harvard grad John Henry Doyle becomes the sheriff of Great Bend, Kansas, and tries to restore order to the town in this improvised comedy. Starring John Lehr, Nick Brown, Allison Dunbar, Alexia Dox, and Bob Clendenin.
The Wrong Mans — Two ordinary joes find themselves embroiled in a deadly conspiracy when one of them makes the mistake of answering a ringing phone at a car crash in this comedic drama. Starring Matthew Baynton and James Corden.