Hulu's 91% RT Romance Is Quietly One of the Best Shows on Streaming

Published Sep 5, 2026, 11:23 AM EDT

Erin Konrad’s love for everything entertainment dates back to elementary school when she became obsessed with classic Hollywood musicals. When she’s not catching up on all her favorite television shows, she’s advising her friends and family on what they should binge watch next.

She has her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Creating content for Collider gives her the opportunity to combine her writing skills with her passion for television and movies. She spends her free time trying to beat her personal record of reading 137 books in a year and cuddling with her dog, Gracie.

It’s often hard for television to get the romance genre quite right. Most series tend to be cheesy and predictable, which can sometimes make them feel unrealistic. However, when a romance depicts love in all its messy glory, it becomes so much more watchable. One romantic drama limited series, which aired six years ago, is actually a gorgeous representation of love and the heartaches that go along with it.

Normal People first premiered on Hulu back in April 2020, while the world was in the thick of a pandemic, so it’s possible you missed checking it out. If that’s the case, the 12-episode drama makes for a perfect binge-watch. Adapted from the 2018 Sally Rooney novel of the same name, Normal People follows the complicated relationship between Marianne Sheridan (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell Waldron (Paul Mescal). The two first meet in high school in County Sligo, Ireland, but they couldn’t be more different.

Marianne comes from a wealthy family, yet totally lacks love and support. She’s a complete outcast and seems too shy to connect with anyone. Connell was raised by his single mother, Lorraine (Sarah Greene), and is basically the king of the school. He’s a fantastic student and athlete, and contrasts sharply with Marianne’s isolated world. The two cross paths while Lorraine is working as the Sheridan family’s cleaner, but what unfolds is a twisty, pain-fueled relationship. Throughout the series, Marianne and Connell come together and drift apart as they experience mental health struggles and a world that seems destined to keep them apart.

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