Hulu announces new drama starring Elle Fanning, a docuseries from David Chang, and more

It’s a big news day for Hulu, which has already unveiled the first look at its Animaniacs revival and announced the renewals of Love, Victor and Taste The Nation With Padma Lakshmi. (Do not get this confused with the onslaught of news that would typically pour out of the Television Critics Association summer press tour, though, because that event was canceled earlier this year due to COVID-19 shutdowns. This is something else entirely.)

On Friday, Hulu also announced straight-to-series orders for two new shows. Written by Liz Hannah, The Girl From Plainville is inspired by the true story of Michelle Carter, who was at the center of a “texting-suicide” case in 2014 that was explored in Jesse Barron’s 2017 Esquire feature of the same name. The Girl From Plainville stars The Great’s Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter (the eponymous girl), and will delve into her relationship with Conrad Roy III, “and the events that led to his death and, later, her controversial conviction of involuntary manslaughter.” Liz Hannah and Patrick MacManus will serve as co-showrunners, with Elle Fanning and Kahan Ward (Echo Lake) executive producing.

The Next Thing You Eat has also been picked up by Hulu, and will see James Beard Award-winning chef David Chang team up with Oscar-winning documentarian Morgan Neville for a six-episode docuseries that “explores the seismic changes happening all around us and how they affect not only the restaurant world but people’s fundamental relationship to food.” It sounds a teeny bit like a global version of Taste The Nation With Padma Lakshmi, which is just fine by us. Chang and a wide array of correspondents will dig into the challenges and opportunities we face in how our food is grown, who prepares it, how we pay for it, and so much more. Chang and Neville will executive produce the series along with Christopher Chen, Dave O’Connor, and Chris Ying of Majordomo Media, as well as Caitrin Rogers of Tremolo Productions and Chad Mumm of Vox Media Studios.

But wait, there’s more: Hulu also announced that Maya Rudolph will narrate its upcoming original series, Eater’s Guide To The World, which will debut on November 11 with seven episodes. The show will take a look at “some of the most satisfying culinary destinations around the world including the Pacific Northwest, Casablanca, Tijuana and Costa Rica.” And Rudolph will narrate the journey and every meal, while also chatting and dining with locals. We assume this means this was filmed before the pandemic hit.

Hulu also shared the premiere date for Monsterland, an eight-episode anthology series based on Nathan Ballingrud’s North American Lake Monsters, which will debut on October 2. The cast for Monsterland sounds absolutely amazing: Kaitlyn Dever, Nicole Beharie, Jonathan Tucker, Roberta Colindrez, Adria Arjona, and Kelly frickin’ Marie Tran. Okay, here are a few more names: Hamish Linklater, Bill Camp, Marquis Rodriguez, Michael Hsu Rosen, Taylor Schilling, Trieu Tran, Mike Colter, and Adepero Oduye. Whew.

Finally, Hulu’s documentary on activist Greta Thunberg, I Am Greta, will stream on the platform beginning November 13.