Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge
Here’s what to stream over the holidays
When reuniting with loved ones for the holidays, a post-festivities, good old-fashioned movie night may be in order. But the massive libraries many of us have to choose from on our favorite streaming services can feel downright overwhelming — particularly when the whole family is weighing in on what to watch.
For your kick-back holiday viewing this season, may we recommend a handful of titles from Hulu? Hulu is one of the more popular premium streaming services you can subscribe to, and fairly affordable if you can live with ads. Basic Hulu (sans live TV) starts at $7 monthly or $13 per month to go ad-free. Between its originals, FX on Hulu, and its massive library of on-demand shows and movies, it’s a choice pick for anyone looking for a bit of variety.
This month, several anticipated titles are scheduled to hit the service. Whether you’re in the market for a sci-fi thriller or something to throw on for the whole family, we’ve got you covered.
Mother/Android
Mother/Android stars Chloë Grace Moretz as Georgia, who, along with her boyfriend Sam (Algee Smith), must face-off against rogue androids who have revolted against their human counterparts. Georgia, who is pregnant, hatches a plan to reach safety in Boston, but the two-week journey will see Georgia and Sam going head-to-head with killer bots in order to reach their final destination before Georgia goes into labor.
Trolls: TrollsTopia
For anyone with little ones in tow this holiday season, all-new episodes of DreamWorks’ TrollsTopia arrive this month. The animated streaming series is inspired by the Trolls films and will have plenty of musical fun to keep younger viewers occupied during the holiday festivities.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Season 15)
Everyone’s favorite clowns returned this month in season 15 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Mac (Rob McElhenney), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank (Danny DeVito) star in eight episodes for this record-breaking season, which cemented the show as the longest-running live-action sitcom in history.
New episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia air Wednesdays.
Devs
Devs isn’t a new FX title — the limited series originally premiered last year (you can read The Verge’s full review right here). But any sci-fi enthusiast who has yet to watch it would be wise to check it out. The mind-bending thriller is set on the remote campus of tech startup Amaya and follows software engineer Lily Chan (Sonoya Mizuno) as she seeks answers about a mysterious murder. Nick Offerman stars as Forest, the eccentric CEO of Lily’s employer and the mastermind behind a new technology that could forever alter Lily’s world as she knows it.
The Nowhere Inn
Carrie Brownstein and Annie Clark (known musically as St. Vincent) star in this mockumentary about a musician who teams with a friend to document her life as a performing artist. But when both become fixated on their ideas of which sides of Clark’s persona should be captured on film, the two find themselves navigating increasingly distressing creative landmines.
Pen15 (Season 2)
Pen15 isn’t the best choice for a family-friendly viewing affair, but the raunchy teen dramedy about teens Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine captures the hilarious if not painfully awkward experience of navigating teenaged social dynamics. New episodes of season 2 premiered on Hulu on December 3rd.
Letterkenny (Season 10)
The oddballs of the Letterkennyverse are back just in time for your post-Christmas holiday binge. The small-town comedy series returns for its tenth season on December 26th on Hulu.
Candified
Looking for a binge-worthy, holiday-themed reality series? In this Jackie Sorkin-hosted challenge series, candy artists team up to develop a fully functional, 1,000-square-foot house that’s crafted entirely out of candy — with no surface left un-candified. The artists will have six weeks to build their dream candy home. The series debuted on Hulu on December 1st.