Netflix gets plenty of credit for being the deepest streaming service on the internet, but Hulu could give it a run for its money. Between all the originals that the streamer is churning out and all of the library titles that they have access to, Hulu could actually be the deeper and more interesting streaming service.
Given all of the great shows available on Hulu, though, it can actually be difficult to decide what you want to watch. If you’re looking for a show that has gone under the radar, then we’d recommend checking out Life & Beth. The series, which is based on Amy Schumer’s actual life, tells the story of her character Beth as she reevaluates her life following a sudden and traumatic event. Here are three reasons you should check it out.
It’s the rare biographical show that actually feels true to life
Amy Schumer is not the universally popular figure she once was, but Life & Beth is a reminder of why she became such a phenomenon. In the series, Schumer essentially plays a not-famous version of herself, a wine salesman who finds herself reevaluating her life after she loses her mother.
While the show focuses primarily on Schumer’s Beth, the series is also generous to all of the people around her, and part of its joy comes from the way it often seems like Schumer is well aware of her many flaws, and is trying to love herself anyway.
It’s funny in surprising ways
Amy Schumer has always been great at finding humor in the unexpected, but Life & Beth has the kind of humor that can flow effortlessly out of real life. Comedy shows are great, and Inside Amy Schumer proved that Schumer knew how to write for them.
Life & Beth is a fundamentally different show, though, in that it is funny in the way that real life can be funny. It’s a comedy, in a manner of speaking, but one that lets its humor flow from the absurdity and mundanity that exists all around us.
Michael Cera is at the top of his game
While Schumer and the rest of the show’s ensemble cast are all excellent, Michael Cera emerges as the show’s real standout. He plays a version of Schumer’s real-life husband, and in doing so, becomes a character so lovable that it’s easy to see why Schumer wound up marrying him.
Michael Cera has been much more anonymous for the past decade, but Life & Beth is proof that he’s a genuinely great performer, and one who can effortlessly slide into a wide variety of different projects. He’s what makes Life & Beth really work, and he’s an outstanding piece of casting.
Life & Beth is streaming on Hulu.