
TV's awards season kicks off with honors for Jenny Slate, ‘Adolescence' at Gotham Awards
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Most intriguing is what happened in the limited series categories. As could've been expected, 'Adolescence' dominated, winning Breakthrough Limited Series, Outstanding Lead Performance for co-creator Stephen Graham, and Outstanding Supporting Performance for Owen Cooper. But the jury for the supporting category nonetheless made the choice to have Cooper share his award with Milton native Jenny Slate, whose turn in '
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It'd take a lot for any show to topple 'Adolescence' given its enormous impact and the fact that clean sweeps have recently become an Emmys norm (e.g. domination by shows like 'The Bear,' 'Ted Lasso,' and 'Shōgun'). But the Gothams making room for Slate is a welcome reminder that there are always other shows that richly deserve recognition. Hopefully, the Emmys voters remember as much come nomination time.

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Geek Vibes Nation
13 hours ago
- Geek Vibes Nation
Why Hulu's TV Lineup Is Becoming Essential For Global Youth Culture
When Hulu launched in 2008, it felt like a scrappy U.S. catch-up service, a place to stream last night's network sitcoms if you missed them on cable. Fast-forward to 2025 and the platform now occupies an unlikely position: a cultural nerve center for young adults from São Paulo to Seoul. Whether you trace viral TikTok dance challenges inspired by Wu-Tang: An American Saga, note the surge in Y2K fashion after PEN15, or see Twitter ablaze every Wednesday with The Bear hot takes, one thing is clear: Hulu's TV lineup is no longer just a U.S. afterthought. It's an essential touchstone for global youth culture. This shift didn't happen by accident. Hulu executed a deliberate strategy that blends original storytelling, smart licensing, and aggressive international expansion. The result? A slate of shows that speak the language of young viewers visually, sonically, and thematically. In this article, we'll unpack seven key reasons Hulu's programming now holds disproportionate sway over what millions of 18-to-34-year-olds watch, wear, quote, and share. We'll also look at what that influence means for competitors and for the cultural conversation at large. Image via Freepik A Laser Focus on 'Relatable Specificity' in Original Series Global youth culture is allergic to generic content. Hulu's creative executives figured this out early and gave showrunners license to tell hyper-specific stories that nonetheless tap universal feelings. The industry term is 'relatable specificity,' and Hulu keeps doubling down on it. Case in Point: The Bear A chaotic Chicago sandwich shop seems worlds away from a student apartment in Nairobi, but the show's portrayal of grinding ambition, mental health struggles, and found family landed with viewers everywhere. Subtitles can bridge language gaps; emotional honesty bridges everything else. Case in Point: Reservation Dogs The series centers on Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma, yet its themes of small-town restlessness and dreams of escape resonate globally. Young audiences in Ireland and India reported on Reddit that the show 'felt like home,' even though the cultural particulars were entirely new to them. This raises a recurring question among international viewers: Can you get Hulu in Ireland? The answer isn't simple. Hulu remains largely U.S.-exclusive, meaning many Irish fans access shows via VPNs or wait for licensed regional partners to carry them. Yet the demand is there. This strategy runs counter to the old broadcast mentality of diluting cultural markers to appeal to 'everyone.' Hulu trusts that authenticity travels further than broadness, and ratings back that up. Parrot Analytics data from June 2025 shows The Bear's global audience demand at 27.2x the average series and Reservation Dogs at 12.7x the average, placing both in the top few percentiles worldwide despite their modest budgets. Smart International Rollouts: From VPN Hacks to Day-and-Date Releases Until 2022, non-U.S. fans often relied on VPNs or piracy to watch Hulu originals. Disney (which gained full operational control of Hulu in 2019) fixed that gap by folding Hulu's premium content into the Star Hub on Disney+ across Europe, Latin America, and most of Asia-Pacific. As of June 26, 2024, Hulu originals have been available day‑and‑date within 24 hours of U.S. release – in over 60 international markets via the Disney+ Star hub. Still, Hulu's availability isn't consistent everywhere. For instance, U.K. viewers curious about workarounds frequently search for guides like which explain how to stream Hulu using VPNs or DNS services when official access isn't available. These workaround solutions underscore the continued global appetite for Hulu's content—especially in countries where licensing hasn't yet caught up with demand. Viral Synergy: Hulu as a Social-Media Content Farm Hulu doesn't just rely on the shows themselves; it engineers digital moments around them. Micro-Clip Strategy Clips under 30 seconds are edited in vertical format and seeded to TikTok and Instagram Reels the morning after an episode drops. Lines like 'Yes, chef!' from The Bear or 'Classic Charles' from Only Murders become musical hooks, reaction templates, and duet fodder. Fan Cam Toolkits Recognizing the power of fan-made edits, Hulu started providing high-resolution, non-spoiler B-roll through its press portal. Young editors on CapCut or Final Cut can create fancams of their OTP (one true pairing) without risking DMCA strikes, turning fans into unpaid marketing partners. Because Hulu's target demographic already lives on social platforms, this synergy feels organic rather than forced. While internal Hulu metrics have cited an average of 2.3 social interactions per viewer (versus 1.5 for Netflix), publicly available benchmarks are limited. Industry observers note that Hulu's micro‑clip and soundtrack strategies outpace traditional streaming engagement rates. Fashion, Beauty, and Lifestyle Echoes Global youth culture often communicates through aesthetic codes. Hulu's costume departments have become secret trend incubators. PEN15 and Y2K Revival The cringe comedy set in the early 2000s resurfaced butterfly clips, chunky highlights, and low-rise jeans, coincidentally aligning with TikTok's nostalgia cycle. Fast-fashion retailers from Madrid's Bershka to Manila's Penshoppe released Y2K capsules within weeks of Season 2, citing viewer screenshots as mood-board inspiration. The Great and Rococo-Core Though ostensibly a period satire, Elle Fanning's pastel gowns and ornate chokers sparked #RococoCore on Pinterest and Weibo. By mid-2024, Depop reported a 30% increase in searches for 'brocade corset top.' Streetwear via Wu-Tang: An American Saga Oversized Carhartt jackets, Wallabees, and '90s Knicks jerseys saw a rebound in resale sites like Grailed after the show's final season. The cultural ripple was tangible: a Lyst Index Q2-2024 report listed 'Cream hoodies' (a nod to the song 'C.R.E.A.M.') among its fastest-rising search terms. Hulu doesn't sell merch directly (not yet), but its shows set the style agenda. That impact cements the platform's relevance beyond the living room. Sonic Branding: Curated Soundtracks That Break Artists Television has long introduced new music to young ears, but Hulu elevates the formula. Music supervisors often hire 'cultural consultants' who track trending sub-genres in regions Hulu hopes to penetrate next. In an economy where attention is currency, that halo effect extends both ways: viewers discover fresh sounds, and artists evangelize Hulu on their socials, a promotional feedback loop that fortifies the streamer's youth cachet. Image via Freepik The Algorithm Advantage: Precision Without the 'Echo-Chamber' Trap Netflix popularized algorithmic recommendations, but many users complain that those recs feel predestined and narrow. Hulu tweaked its machine-learning engines to emphasize serendipity. Instead of solely clustering by genre or actor, the algorithm factors tonal mood, soundtrack style, and even costume color palettes. A viewer finishing the anti-capitalist dramedy The Other Two might see suggestions for Ramy (similar quarter-life anxiety) and Atlanta (comparable needle-drops and surreal humor), even though the shows sit in different categorical buckets. Why is this crucial for global youth culture? Because young viewers pride themselves on eclectic tastes. An algorithm that promotes cross-pollination prevents the monoculture fatigue that's pocked other platforms, keeping Hulu fresh and exploratory. Inclusive Production Pipelines: Representation That's More Than a Checkbox Diversity on screen is table stakes by 2025; what matters is who gets to call the shots behind the camera. Hulu's Creator First initiative reserves a significant part of its first-look deals for underrepresented showrunners. Mentorship isn't a buzzword; there's a budget attached. The payoff is palpable: Ramy is the first U.S. series created by a Millennial Arab-American Muslim that opened floodgates for nuanced depictions of faith. Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi frames immigrant food narratives not as 'exotic' but as an American canon, reframing mainstream culinary discourse in the process. Queer and Asian (2024) features an all-Asian writers' room, rare even in the current streaming arms race. The show captured significant market share in the Philippines, Singapore, and the U.K., proving that authenticity sells. When marginalized voices helm production, plotlines avoid trope pitfalls, and young viewers notice. More Gen Z respondents globally are more likely to commit to a new series if they believe it portrays cultures accurately. Hulu's inclusive pipelines meet that demand credibly. Potential Pitfalls: Can Hulu Hold the Crown? No ecosystem stays dominant forever. A few challenges loom: Fragmented Rights Hulu's U.S. catalog remains broader than its international Star Hub equivalent due to prior licensing deals. Viewers vent on social forums about missing episodes or spinoffs. Disney must keep renegotiating rights or risk eroding goodwill. Over-Subscription Fatigue Gen Z budgets are finite. A March 2025 Deloitte Digital Media Trends study found that 23% of Gen Z subscribers plan to cut at least one streaming service in the next 12 months, underscoring ongoing subscription fatigue among younger viewers. Hulu needs to maintain perceived value. Creator Burnout High demand for culturally nuanced storytelling can strain writers who are themselves from marginalized backgrounds. If Hulu doesn't expand support to longer script timelines, mental-health resources could dip. Conclusion: Why 'Hulu' Is Becoming a Verb The most telling evidence of Hulu's cultural traction may be linguistic. In group chats across multiple languages, 'to Hulu' is shorthand for binge-watching a thought-provoking series that sparks fashion inspo and soundtrack deep dives. That verb status was once Netflix's alone. The journey from stateside network repository to worldwide cultural catalyst came from three non-negotiable pillars: storytelling, honesty, timely global distribution, and cross-platform amplification. With social media feeding the feedback loop, every Hulu release carries the potential to influence how young people talk, dress, groove, meme, and mobilize. Competitors can imitate features, but capturing the zeitgeist requires a deeper alignment with youth's values: authenticity, inclusion, and fearless experimentation. Whether Hulu can hold that mantle will depend on navigating licensing hurdles, subscriber fatigue, and creative burnout. But as of 2025, if you want to track the heartbeat of global youth culture, you no longer flip through fashion magazines or open Billboard, you open Hulu. And that makes its TV lineup not just entertainment, but essential anthropology for anyone who hopes to understand what the next generation cares about, laughs at, and dreams of.


Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Los Angeles Times
Love these 8 Emmy nominees? Here are the TV classics to watch next
When William Shakespeare wrote 'What's past is prologue,' he wasn't thinking about television. But the Bard's wisdom certainly applies to the latest batch of Emmy-nominated series. Here are the spiritual predecessors to eight of this season's most-lauded shows. (All of the older titles are available on DVD and/or streaming.) Gritty, graphic, authentic and told in real time, 'The Pitt' has impressively elevated the big-city hospital drama. The popular genre has seen dozens of shows from 'Dr. Kildare' and 'Ben Casey' in the 1960s to 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Chicago Med' in the 2000s. But let's not forget another groundbreaking ancestor of 'The Pitt': 'St. Elsewhere,' which ran from 1982 to 1988. Smart, philosophical, at times darkly comic, the series took place at a run-down Boston hospital where, like 'The Pitt,' a talented, if beleaguered, staff faced life-and-death choices for often underserved patients. If Denzel Washington was that show's breakout star, which performer on 'The Pitt' might follow suit? Fifty-two years before Rabbi Noah (Adam Brody) fell for gentile podcaster Joanne (Kristen Bell) in 'Nobody Wants This,' the CBS sitcom 'Bridget Loves Bernie' found Jewish cab driver Bernie Steinberg (David Birney) meeting and marrying Irish Catholic schoolteacher Bridget Fitzgerald (Meredith Baxter). Conflict and chaos ensued — and not just on the series. It was canceled after one highly rated season following vociferous protests from religious groups over the show's then far more controversial theme of interfaith marriage. Life imitating art, the show's stars wed in 1974. The movie biz has long been ripe for parody, and 'The Studio,' which follows the misadventures of hapless studio chief Matt Remick (Seth Rogen), takes its satire to frantic new heights. 1999 saw a more venomous forerunner in the short-lived Fox comedy 'Action,' in which crass, ruthless and failing action-film producer Peter Dragon (Jay Mohr) took a chainsaw to Tinseltown in desperate pursuit of his next hit. Like 'The Studio,' it featured a vivid ensemble of quirky industry types and frequent celebrity cameos. Yet if 'The Studio' portrays Hollywood as competitive and chaotic, 'Action' painted it as downright cutthroat. Running a high-end restaurant is no joke. But unlike 'The Bear,' which eschews traditional TV comedy, the 1990s BBC sitcom 'Chef!' (What, no 'Yes, Chef!'?) leaned into the laughs, without sparing viewers the angst of its current counterpart. British comedian Lenny Henry starred in the show's three seasons as Gareth Blackstock, the haughty chef of a Michelin-starred restaurant in the English countryside. Like Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) in 'The Bear,' Gareth is a perfectionist, but he's more dictatorial with his put-upon staff. The final season of 'Chef!' added a laugh track. Imagine 'The Bear' with one? Public school has proved fertile territory for workplace comedy, and creator-star Quinta Brunson's mockumentary-style 'Abbott Elementary' deftly revived the genre. But in the mid-1970s, 'Welcome Back, Kotter' hit the zeitgeist with its sarcastic Brooklyn high school teacher (Gabe Kaplan) and his diverse (for its time) band of remedial students called the Sweathogs. It also spawned its share of catchphrases ('Up your nose with a rubber hose!') and made John Travolta a household name. Though broader and less issue-oriented than 'Abbott,' and more focused on the students than the teachers, 'Kotter' remains a worthy precursor to the current show. 'Only Murders in the Building' continues the TV tradition of average folks becoming amateur sleuths, set around a primary locale — in this case, a Gothic Manhattan apartment complex. From 1984 to 1996, 'Murder, She Wrote' saw another accidental detective, mystery novelist Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), solving crimes largely in her home location: seaside Cabot Cove, Maine. Though 'Murder, She Wrote' was more homespun and gently dramatic than its stylish and farcical descendant, and wrapped up its cases by the end of each episode, both shows feature an ongoing gallery of famed guest actors performing with theatrical flair. Before psychotherapy was de rigueur, the 1970s hit 'The Bob Newhart Show' was the first comedy series whose lead character was a shrink. And if the deadpan Bob Hartley (Newhart) was less personally beset and more professionally detached from his patients than his 'Shrinking' counterpart — grieving hot mess Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel) — he was a memorable template for small-screen therapists to come. One a bouncy multicam sitcom, the other a soulful single-camera dramedy, both shows rely on quirky, amusing ensembles, though the folks in 'Shrinking' are decidedly deeper and more layered. Welcome to the 2020s. The tense and propulsive 'Slow Horses' unfolds within Britain's domestic intelligence agency known as MI5, specifically a unit for disgraced operatives run by the gloomy, scathing and brilliant Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). Sound familiar? For 10 seasons, from 2002 to 2011, the BBC series 'MI-5' (a.k.a. 'Spooks') covered similar ground as its band of counterterrorism agents battled Russian aggression, nuclear threats, kidnappings and more. But unlike the notoriously dumpy Slough House setting of 'Slow Horses,' much of 'MI-5' took place — though was not shot — inside the agency's grand Thames House headquarters in London.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Psst! Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky would make Emmys history with a third writing win for ‘Hacks'
Who's ready for a little Emmys history lesson? If Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky were to win Best Comedy Writing this year (alongside their fellow showrunner, Paul W. Downs) they would enter the Emmy record books as the women with the most wins for writing a single narrative series. They're nominated for the penultimate episode of Hacks Season 4, titled "A Slippery Slope." More from Gold Derby 'Fantastic Four' wins big with $40 million, while 'Bad Guys 2' steals second from 'Naked Gun' in box-office shake-up '28 Years Later,' Chappell Roan, and 'Final Destination': Everything to check out this weekend (Aug. 1-3) With four Emmy nominations, Aniello and Statsky have already tied Tina Fey (30 Rock) and Diane English (Murphy Brown) for the most bids for a woman in the Best Comedy Writing category. To date, Aniello, Statsky, Fey and Anne Flett-Giordano (Frasier) are the only women to prevail twice for a comedy; Fey has a third writing win under her belt for the variety program Saturday Night Live. For dramas, Robin Green (The Sopranos) holds the record for a single series for a female writer, with six noms and two wins. Comedy Writing Contender Odds 1. Hacks A Slippery Slope 71.5% 2. The Studio The Promotion 17.1% 3. Abbott Elementary Back to School 4.8% 4. What We Do in the Shadows The Finale 2.5% 5. The Rehearsal Pilot's Code 2.1% 6. Somebody Somewhere AGG 1.9% Aniello, Statsky, and Downs are competing at the 2025 Emmys against the following scribes: Quinta Brunson for Abbott Elementary ("Back to School"); Nathan Fielder, Carrie Kemper, Adam Locke-Norton, and Eric Notarnicola for The Rehearsal ("Pilot's Code"); Hannah Bos, Paul Thureen, and Bridget Everett for Somebody Somewhere ("AGG"); Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez for The Studio ("The Promotion"); and Sam Johnson, Sarah Naftalis, and Paul Simms for What We Do in the Shadows ("The Finale"). Rather impressively, there are eight females nominated this year in the Best Comedy Writing contest. Joining Aniello and Statsky are Brunson, who's on her third bid for Abbott Elementary, winning in 2022; Naftalis, now up for the second time for What We Do in the Shadows; and category newbies Kemper, Bos, Everett, and Frida. The Hacks showrunning trio previously won the writing race twice for Season 1's "There Is No Line" and Season 3's "Bulletproof." In Season 4's "A Slippery Slope," Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) quits her talk show live on air after defying an order from the network executive to fire her head writer, Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder). "We wanted the audience in Ava's head asking, has [Deborah] really changed, or is she always going to be this narcissist who looks out for number one?" Statsky says in the above video featurette. Aniello adds, "She made an emotional choice, which is so unlike her." Hacks is TV's reigning Best Comedy Series Emmy champion, and this year it's up for 14 nominations: series, lead actress (Smart), supporting actress (Einbinder), guest actress (Julianne Nicholson), guest actress (Robby Hoffman), writing (Aniello, Statsky, and Downs), directing (Aniello), casting, cinematography, costumes, hairstyling, music supervision, picture editing, and production design. Best of Gold Derby 'Australian Survivor vs. The World' premiere date and cast photos: 'King' George Mladenov, Cirie Fields, Parvati Shallow … 'Five new life forms from distant planets': Everything to know about 'Alien: Earth' as new trailer drops Everything to know about 'The Pitt' Season 2, including the departure of Tracy Ifeachor's Dr. Collins Click here to read the full article. Solve the daily Crossword