Discover 5 Hulu TV Shows That Outshine The Bear in Quality and Entertainment

As curtains close on June 25, 2026, Hulu’s series “The Bear” bids farewell to its fans. In the parlance of the restaurant world, Christopher Storer’s gripping kitchen dramedy is officially “86ed.” Renowned for five seasons, the show follows Jeremy Allen White’s portrayal of Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, a high-end chef who returns to his Chicago roots after the death of his brother Mikey, brought to life by Jon Bernthal. He shoulders the burden of reviving the family’s ailing sandwich shop. Alongside an eclectic group — including sous chef Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri), Mikey’s old friend Richie Jerimovitch (Ebon Moss-Bacharach), sister Natalie (Abby Elliott), faithful line cook Tina Marrero (Liza Colón-Zayas), and close family friend Neil Fak (Matty Matheson) — they aspire to transform The Original Beef of Chicagoland into a revered fine-dining establishment aptly named “The Bear.”

A cultural phenomenon, “The Bear” injected terms like “Yes, chef” and “Hands” into broader vernacular, captivating viewers with its taut narratives, meticulous editing — most notably the acclaimed one-take episode from the first season — and outstanding performances underscored by carefully curated soundtracks. These elements earned the series a host of accolades, including multiple Emmy Awards for White, Edebiri, and Moss-Bacharach, plus the coveted outstanding comedy series prize in 2023. One might wonder, then, if anything could surpass the brilliance of “The Bear.”

The answer is a resounding yes. For those just off a “The Bear” binge, eager for new viewing adventures, Hulu offers at least five other series that arguably surpass Storer’s widely talked-about creation. These shows deftly balance humor and drama, presenting fresher, more compelling options worth adding to any watchlist.

Among these standout series, “PEN15” emerges as a peculiar yet brilliant choice. Created by Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, and Sam Zvibleman with production support from The Lonely Island, “PEN15” is gloriously bizarre — an attribute that stands as a testament to its ingenuity. Erskine and Konkle boldly embody themselves as awkward seventh-graders, Maya Ishii-Peters and Anna Kone, respectively — navigating the cringe-worthy yet formative moments of adolescence. For those who navigated the early 2000s, the show strikes a nostalgic chord, capturing the era’s distinctive charm with impeccable props, such as the playful home phones adored by teenagers then.

In less adept hands, “PEN15” might have descended into mere gimmickry. However, Erskine and Konkle, equipped with faux braces, questionable haircuts, and ill-fitting school uniforms, convey the universal struggle of being an outsider during the most awkward of years. The series masterfully delivers humor through surreal “kissing” scenes with adult actors cleverly edited to replace younger characters, alongside awkward life lessons for Maya and Anna. “PEN15” doesn’t just reflect childhood; it resurrects the past in all its glorious, awkward authenticity, offering viewers a potent mix of nostalgia and hilarity.

Created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, “Reservation Dogs” is a landmark series for a handful of reasons — but most importantly, the entire cast is made up of Native American actors, and the vast majority of the directors and crew also hail from Native American tribes and lands. This is so important for a show like “Reservation Dogs” because this is a story that can only be told by someone who has authentically lived it — specifically, a story about a group of teenagers who want to embrace their heritage while also living outside of the Oklahoma reservation they feel has confined their lifes thus far.

“Reservation Dogs” focuses on a group of four Native American teenagers — the responsible and upright Elora Danan Postoak (Devery Jacobs), fatherless Bear Smallhill (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), mischievous Chester “Cheese” Williams (Lane Factor), and Two-spirited Wilhelmina Jacqueline “Willie Jack” Sampson (Paulina Alexis) — but also features a massive ensemble cast that includes Native American actors Zahn McClarnon, Dallas Goldtooth, and Elva Guerra. (The guest cast of this series also boasts incredible names like Lily Gladstone, Amber Midthunder, and even Megan Mullally, just to name a few.) Across just three seasons, “Reservation Dogs” brings you into the lives of these four teenagers and lets you experience all of their trials and tribulations … and it’s genuinely amazing from beginning to end.

From 2015 to 2017, Hulu was the exclusive home to two of the worst people in the history of streaming … and they were just delightful to watch. Created by star Julie Klausner, “Difficult People,” an acidic and straight-up bitter comedy produced by Amy Poehler, introduces audiences to Billy Epstein (Billy Eichner) and Julie Kessler (Klausner), two best friends who wander around New York City, get into shenanigans, and utter tons of unprompted, out-of-context, and hysterically mean evaluations of pop culture. (At one point, the two are attending a show and Julie says, out of nowhere, “Isn’t it funny how Jimmy Fallon slowly turned The Tonight Show into a children’s birthday party?” This never comes up again, but it’s unbelievably funny.) 

With comedy legends like Andrea Martin on hand as Julie’s controlling mother Marilyn, then-newcomers like Cole Escola providing insane one-liners during all of their scenes as one of Billy’s restaurant coworkers (years before Escola won a well-deserved Tony for originating the role of Mary Todd Lincoln in their original farce “Oh Mary!”), and character actor and Swiss army knife of a performer James Urbaniak as Julie’s boyfriend, the main cast of “Difficult People” is stacked. That’s to say nothing of supporting players like Gabourey Sidibe, Shannon DeVido, and Derrick Baskin and guest stars like Seth Meyers, Nathan Lane, Kate McKinnon, and John Mulaney, just to name a few. If you’ve never watched “Difficult People,” this underrated gem is uncomfortable but amazing … and a lot funnier than “The Bear.”

Yes, there are two Sterlin Harjo shows on this list — but you know what? Not only does he work with Hulu a lot, this guy is just really good at making television. After “Reservation Dogs” ended in 2023, Harjo returned to the streamer with “The Lowdown” in 2025, bringing Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke to the small screen in a story that’s very loosely inspired by the wonderful misadventures of writer and historian Lee Roy Chapman.

Hawke stars as Lee Raybon, a man in Tulsa, Oklahoma who works as a book seller and amateur historian (he calls himself a “truthstorian”) who takes a huge risk by publishing a big exposé on a local powerful family called the Washburgs. When the patriarch, Dale Washburg (Tim Blake Nelson), dies under strange circumstances, Lee finds himself drawn into a mystery bigger than he ever dreamed alongside his friend, private investigator Marty Brunner (Keith David), who’s working for the Washburgs and trying to uncover the truth.

Hawke is endlessly charming as the endlessly curious, impulsive, and hilarious Lee, and he and David are joined by fellow industry veterans and legends like Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tracy Letts, and Michael Hitchcock. (Plus, for “Reservation Dogs” fans, some of those performers show up in guest roles … as does four-time Emmy winner and “Game of Thrones” alum Peter Dinklage.) “The Lowdown” is fresh, funny, and gripping, and it blends comedy and drama in a way that “The Bear” could never manage.

Ramy Youssef is one of Hollywood’s most promising performers, having proven himself as a phenomenal stand-up comedian and actor throughout the years — and if you haven’t seen his eponymous Hulu show “Ramy,” you’re in for a treat. Created by Youssef alongside his collaborators Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch, “Ramy” takes place in New Jersey and stars Youssef as, you guessed it, a guy named Ramy Hassan … but more specifically, it focuses on Ramy’s life as a first-generation Muslim-American living in a neighborhood and world split by strict political lines. Ramy frequently seeks advice and counsel from his sister Dena (“Moon Knight” star May Calamawy) and bristles against the strict rules set by his parents, Egyptian immigrants Farouk and Maysa (Amr Waked and “Succession” player Hiam Abbess). 

As Ramy struggles with dating, American social norms that clash with those of his family, and the rediscovery of his own personal faith, the larger series takes a searing look at how welcoming and unwelcoming America can be to anyone deemed “different” — and how first-generation “kids” like Ramy have to carefully figure out the best way to assimilate that will keep their families and society at large happy. “Ramy,” like many of the other shows on this list, strikes a perfect balance between comedy and drama … which is, again, something “The Bear” struggled with for its entire run.

All of these shows, including “The Bear,” are streaming on Hulu now.