Hulu’s underrated series is now Top 10 at Netflix.
Netflix is the perfect streaming service for discovering hidden gems, and they recently added Shrill, a three-season Hulu original series. SNL’s Aidy Bryant leads the cast of Shrill as Annie Easton, a self-described fat young woman who wants to change her life, but not her body.
The series is adapted from Lindy West’s 2016 non-fiction book, Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman, making the series one of the best TV shows inspired by the creator’s life. It’s a sharp but compassionate depiction of self-love and female friendships. Shrill is an unflinching portrayal of how the world sees bigger women.
This is made clear from the opening of the pilot, when Annie’s good morning is interrupted in a coffee shop by a personal trainer who mistakes unsolicited criticism for helpful advice. Annie’s low self-confidence leads her to accept the crumbs she is given by her situationship with Ryan . At least Annie’s roommate Fran offers the kind of loyal, deeply invested friendship that becomes the show’s emotional anchor amid Annie’s romantic and professional missteps.
Shrill ran for three seasons, but with only six to eight episodes that are largely under 25 minutes, watching the series as a binge flies by. Shrill is perfect for people who want a messy, funny, deeply human story about self-acceptance, friendship, and refusing to shrink yourself for others.
Why Shrill Didn’t Break Out For Hulu In 2019 Shrill arrived on Hulu at a moment when the television landscape was in transition, and that timing may have limited its breakout potential more than its quality. While the series was a modest success for Hulu, it premiered in 2019, just before the industry fully embraced the kind of dramedy storytelling that would soon dominate awards conversations and cultural discourse.
At the time, Shrill didn’t quite fit into any clear commercial lane. It wasn’t a cultural lightning rod in the way Lena Dunham's Girls had been earlier in the decade, nor was it an instantly accessible comedy like Broad City. It also arrived in the shadow of Fleabag, an instant modern classic that captured enormous attention thanks to its stylized, transgressive voice and innovative direct-to-camera storytelling.
Compared to that level of formal experimentation and cultural momentum, Shrill was grounded and emotionally honest, but felt quieter and more restrained. In hindsight, its tone and structure arguably align more closely with the wave of character-driven dramedies that followed, such as Hacks and Somebody Somewhere. But those series benefited from a shifting industry appetite for nuanced, slow-burn storytelling and, in some cases, more traditional weekly release strategies that encouraged sustained conversation.
Shrill, by contrast, dropped in binge format, which may have undercut its ability to generate week-to-week cultural momentum. There are also broader structural factors to consider. Hulu has strong original TV shows, like The Handmaid’s Tale or Only Murders in the Building, but has never consistently functioned as a dominant hit factory in the way Netflix or HBO Max have.
Although Shrill was critically acclaimed, its central focus on fat acceptance and the everyday realities of fatphobia, while essential, also meant it was engaging with subject matter that mainstream audiences and awards bodies were still slower to fully center in 2019. In retrospect, Shrill feels less like an underperformer and more like a series slightly ahead of its time.
Shrill Is Perfect To Binge On Netflix Today Shrill delivers a complete emotional journey through compact, easy-to-watch episodes that beg you to click “next. ” Its mix of humor and vulnerability makes it feel comforting rather than exhausting, so you can move through all 22 episodes quickly without it ever feeling heavy, but still come out of the viewing experience with something emotionally resonant and quietly affirming. What makes the show so lovely is its emotional specificity.
It captures the small, often unspoken humiliations of being an overweight woman: everyone, from loved ones to strangers, treating your body like public property, disguising judgment as concern, or framing control as kindness. That lived-in honesty gives the series its weight, but it’s never punitive. Even in its most vulnerable moments, like Annie’s abortion in the pilot, the show frames her choices with clarity and care, treating them as acts of self-definition rather than shame.
At the same time, Shrill has a surprising tenderness in its depiction of women of every size. The “Pool” episode in season 1 stands out for its rare, liberating lens of plus-size women existing comfortably in their bodies at an inclusive pool party without being sexualized or scrutinized. Shrill is currently #5 on Netflix's Top Shows in the U.S. as of Tuesday, June 16, 2026 . Crucially, the show doesn’t turn Annie into a martyr.
It allows her to be flawed, selfish, and occasionally frustrating. That balance extends to her friendships as well, particularly her relationship with Fran, which echoes the bittersweet honesty of shows like Hulu's underrated comedy gem Broad City in recognizing that even the closest bonds sometimes need space to grow. The result is a series that feels warm, grounded, and emotionally complete, without ever losing its bite.
Shrill is a cathartic experience for anyone still learning how to be themselves without apology. Shrill 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Comedy Drama Release Date 2019 - 2021-00-00 Network Hulu Directors Andrew DeYoung Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse
Please follow us on Google to support us United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Why The Expanse Is the Perfect Follow-Up for For All Mankind FansFor fans of Apple TV+'s For All Mankind, Amazon Prime's The Expanse offers a compelling next step in the sci-fi space exploration narrative. Both series explore humanity's expansion into the Solar System, but The Expanse delves into a more mature, politically complex future where colonies on Mars and the Asteroid Belt have developed distinct societies. The shows share a common theme: space colonization amplifies, rather than solves, Earth's social and economic inequalities. The Expanse intensifies this focus by depicting the exploitation of the Belters, the working-class miners who extract resources for Earth and Mars but endure harsh conditions and systemic oppression. Set in 2350, the series portrays a Solar System teetering on the brink of war, with tensions between the United Nations, the Martian Congressional Republic, and the Belters driving a gritty, realistic narrative. The phrase 'Remember the Cant!' becomes a powerful rallying cry, echoing For All Mankind's 'Mars is ours!' but rooted in a struggle against class oppression. With its intricate politics, noir-tinged mystery, and emphasis on the human cost of expansion, The Expanse provides a thought-provoking continuation of the questions raised by For All Mankind, making it essential viewing for those invested in the socio-political dimensions of space colonization.
Read more »
5 Perfect Sci-Fi Shows To Watch After The BoroughsNetflix's new series The Boroughs is a wild sci-fi ride, and there are 5 other shows that can scratch that same itch, once you're done.
Read more »
Ole Miss Baseball Transfer Portal Tracker: Who's Staying, Who's Leaving, Who's Been AddedThe Ole Miss Rebels will have a busy offseason ahead of them.
Read more »
Pete Buttigieg Has Been Added To VidCon 2026's Speaker LineupVidCon Anaheim 2026 confirmed that Pete Buttigieg will take part in this year's event as he joins the list of speakers who will be there
Read more »