Hulu sets US premieres of three UK TV series

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It’s not quite the same as getting into original programming, as Netflix has done, but Hulu has struck exclusive deals for the US first-run rights to three TV series which have aired in the UK. They will be available on both Hulu.com and the Hulu Plus subscription service.


First up is the British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTA) award-winning “Misfits” (pictured), premiering with the first two episodes of season one on June 20th. “The Booth at the End” will premiere on July 11th and “Whites” on July 20th; both will launch with the first episodes from the first season, and new episodes for all three will be released each week up through the current, on-air seasons.

“As soon as the team saw Misfits, The Booth at the End and Whites, we knew that these shows would be a perfect addition to the high-quality premium TV programming offered on Hulu. Like the other exclusive content we’ve offered on the site, these shows are smart, unique and engaging,” said Andy Forssell, SVP of Content Acquisition and Distribution for Hulu. “With this summer slate, not only are we offering TV fans a great schedule of top-notch new current season content, but we are also providing additional opportunities for our advertising partners to connect with key audiences through the summer season,” he added.

Since US audiences aren’t yet familiar with them, here are descriptions of the three series provide by Hulu:

Misfits
Produced by Clerkenwell Films for Channel 4 and distributed by BBC Worldwide.
For fans of : Heroes, Battlestar Galactica, Flash Forward, Warehouse 13, Caprica, Being Human
Kelly (Lauren Socha), Nathan (Robert Sheehan), Curtis (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett), Alisha (Antonia Thomas) and Simon (Iwan Rheon) are five unruly teenagers forced to do community service as payback for their crimes. But when a freak electrical storm hits their town, strange things begin to happen to them that are way out of their control. In fact, they have no idea that they’ve actually turned into superheroes, each with a power, a power they didn’t choose or want – a power which reveals each of their deepest, darkest insecurities. But while they just want to finish their community service and get through the challenges of everyday teenage life – relationships, friendships, parents and sex – fate has another task in store for them: they must save their town from the evil that has descended upon it. If you think life’s tough for your average superhero, it’s even tougher when you’ve got a curfew.

The Booth at the End
Produced by Vuguru.
For fans of: Lost, Fringe, 24, Lie to Me, X-Files
In this psychological thriller, a mysterious man sits at the booth at the end of a diner. People approach him because they’ve heard The Man has a gift. He can solve their problems: a parent with a sick child, a woman who wants to be prettier, a nun who has lost her faith. The Man can give these people what they want. For a price. The Man makes a proposition. In exchange for realizing their desires, these individuals must complete a task, return to The Man and describe every step in detail. The trick is that these tasks are things that would normally be inconceivable to them. Set off a bomb. Rob a bank. Kill a child. But the Man never forces anyone to do anything. It’s always up to the individual to start – or stop. The Booth at the End asks the question: “How far would you go to get what you want?”

Whites
Produced by BBC, Distributed by Content Media Corporation.
For fans of: The Office (UK), Peep Show, Spaced, Top Chef, Kitchen Confidential, Kitchen Nightmares, Master Chef
Set in the kitchen of a country house hotel, Whites follows the trials and tribulations of head chef Roland White (Alan Davies) and his long suffering sous chef Bib (Darren Boyd). Having been on the brink of success 15 years ago, Roland has since lost the sparkle and drive needed to win a long-coveted Michelin star. He can cook with the best of them when he puts his mind to it, but laziness gets the better of him, much to the annoyance of restaurant manager Caroline (Katherine Parkinson). Bib, meanwhile, is under pressure and hasn’t spent time with his wife for months. It doesn’t help that Skoose (Stephen Wight), the apprentice chef, has zero respect for him or that quirky waitress Kiki (Isy Suttie) takes an order for an eggless omelet and the owner Celia (Maggie Steed) steals food right off the plate just as they are about to go out. Despite all their problems, Bib knows he is lucky to be working alongside a true culinary genius and Roland knows that Bib is a true friend. But this doesn’t stop things from getting heated in the kitchen.

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