10 Must-Watch Action Shows on Hulu for Thrilling TV

Hulu has become one of the best places to stream action shows, with a library that spans everything from genre-defining classics to modern thrillers. These series deliver high-stakes chases and explosive fights while also building worlds where danger feels constant and survival hinges on every decision.

If you’ve exhausted the best action shows on Netflix, or even the best action shows on Prime Video, then Hulu is your next stop. Hulu’s library is filled with network television both old and new that stand toe-to-toe to even the biggest budgeted shows on TV today.

10

Firefly

2002, 1 Season

When Firefly premiered in 2002, it fused space-western adventure with found-family storytelling. Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a former soldier turned smuggler, leads the crew of Serenity across fringe worlds, dodging Alliance control and dangerous jobs. Episodes mix snappy banter, tight hand-to-hand fights, and small moral dilemmas as the crew survives by wits and hustle.

Its appeal endures because the characters are perfectly drawn. River’s mystery, Zoe’s steadiness, and Jayne’s self-interest create lively friction, while inventive set pieces keep the momentum going. Hulu makes the series easy to discover, and though it’s the prime example of a sci-fi TV show canceled too soon, it’s so good that it’s stood the test of time 23 years later.

9

Angel

1999–2004, 5 Seasons

A spin-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel carved its own identity as a darker, more brooding supernatural drama. Centered on the vampire cursed with a soul, the series followed Angel as he sets up a detective agency in Los Angeles, taking on demons, corrupt corporations, and his own struggles with redemption.

The best Angel episodes like the rise of Wolfram & Hart and the introduction of memorable allies raised the narrative stakes from street-level cases to battles with systemic evil. Fights carried real urgency, but less violent moments of redemption and sacrifice really differentiated it from Buffy.

8

Smallville

2001–2011, 10 Seasons

Long before streaming platforms, Smallville was testing how far Clark Kent’s origin story could stretch on network TV. The series began with a teenager trying to blend in at high school in rural Kansas, only to discover powers that set him apart. Ten seasons later, it has become a superhero TV show must-watch from start to finish.

Clark wrestled with everyday choices, like friendship and romance, honesty, while slowly moving toward his Superman destiny, and it never rushed his formative years. That balance of human-scale tension and larger-than-life set pieces gave the show its pulse, not to mention Michael Rosenbaum’s stellar Lex Luthor performance as the perfect foil to Tom Welling’s Clark.

7

Graceland

2012–2015, 3 Seasons

One of the best USA Network TV shows, Graceland followed a group of undercover agents from different federal agencies living together in a seized Californian beachfront mansion. Each episode blended procedural twists with the personal lives of operatives juggling fabricated identities. At its core was the tension of trust, both in the field and inside the house they called home.

Graceland stood apart from other procedurals of that era because it dipped into psychological drama. Missions often blurred moral lines, asking how long someone could live under a lie before losing themselves, and it affected how these characters reacted in their personal lives. These days, it plays like an overlooked time capsule of early 2010s action television.

6

Burn Notice

2007–2013, 7 Seasons

When Burn Notice premiered in 2007, it established itself as one of the best American spy shows of all time. Michael Westen wasn’t saving the world; he was stuck in Miami with no resources, cut off from the agency that trained him. The show turned that setup into a clever engine for weekly stories, where surveillance cameras and street smarts became his new arsenal.

The secret to its appeal wasn’t only the explosions or elaborate cons; it was the voice guiding them. Michael’s dry narration turned spy jargon into something sharp and funny, while the rapport with Fiona and Sam grounded the action in loyalty and wit. Burn Notice is less like disposable summer TV and more like a playful reworking of the spy genre.

5

Prison Break

2005–2009, 5 Seasons

Fox’s Prison Break didn’t waste time easing into its premise. From the pilot, viewers saw Michael Scofield walk into Fox River Penitentiary carrying an escape plan mapped across his tattoos. His mission: rescue his brother Lincoln before execution. This one motivation combined intricate plotting with the constant threat of discovery inside the prison’s violent ecosystem.

Part of the thrill came from how fast Michael’s plan could go south. A missing tool or one overheard conversation could topple months of preparation, and that precarious balance made the early Prison Break seasons so thrilling. While later storylines expanded beyond the prison walls, the original escape arc remains the benchmark.

4

Station 19

2018–2014, 7 Seasons

A Grey’s Anatomy spin-off might not sound like a natural fit for action television, but Station 19 proved otherwise. Set inside a Seattle firehouse, the series follows firefighters balancing emergencies with personal turmoil. Each Station 19 episode drops viewers into high-stakes rescues while also exploring the bonds and conflicts within the close-knit team.

One of the clearest demonstrations of the show’s intensity came in season 3 episode 12, “I’ll Be Seeing You,” when a storage facility fire trapped multiple crews inside collapsing floors. The sequence played out with blockbuster intensity and flashbacks, but it also deepened Andy Herrera’s arc as she was forced to take command under impossible circumstances.

3

Sons Of Anarchy

2008–2014, 7 Seasons

Kurt Sutter’s Sons of Anarchy ran for seven seasons, tracking the outlaw biker club SAMCRO as it navigated loyalty and violent clashes with rival gangs. At the center was Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam), torn between the legacy left by his father and the bloody realities of the life he’d inherited.

Few scenes captured the show’s mix of adrenaline and consequence better than arguably the best Sons of Anarchy season, the season two finale, which culminates in a “Red Wedding” type of scenario that’s thrilling for the audience, but devastating for the characters. Sons of Anarchy also spawned the Mayans M.C. spinoff, so there’s even more to catch up on after the final episode.

2

Justified

2010–2015, 6 Seasons

FX’s Justified follows U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, a lawman whose old-school approach often blurred the line between justice and vengeance. Set in Harlan County, Kentucky, the series built a world of coal-town crime, family feuds, and shifting alliances, with perhaps Timothy Olyphant’s best TV show character anchoring it through charm and sharp timing.

Olyphant’s steady cool gave Raylan a sharp, distinctive presence, while Walton Goggins delivered one of TV’s best villains in Boyd Crowder, a man equal parts preacher and old friend turned nemesis. Beyond anything else, Justified is simply one of the best Western shows ever made, so if you haven’t watched it, what are you waiting for?

1

24

2001–2010, 9 Seasons

Few network thrillers captured early-2000s anxiety and planted that feeling onto the audience like 24. Starring Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer, the series unfolded in real time, every 24 season chronicling a single day across 24 tense hours. Counterterrorism threats, political maneuvering, and personal sacrifice collided in a format that kept audiences guessing right up to the final tick of the clock.

Sutherland’s relentless intensity kept us all invested, but the ensemble deepened its impact. Directly from season one, an iconic actor’s shocking turn remains one of TV’s great betrayals, a twist that still stings on rewatch. That mix of tight pacing, explosive set pieces, and performances willing to go to extremes made 24 a genre-defining action series.