3 best shows to watch on Hulu for Memorial Day

Christine Persaud
·4 min read
A young man and woman carrying an older, injured man, his arms around their shoulders on either side, in a scene from We Were the Lucky Ones.
Vlad Cioplea / Hulu

As you take time to reflect on and honor our fallen soldiers this Memorial Day, sit back and relax with some quality family time, too. Appreciate all you have and enjoy a slow day at home. This might include curling up with the family or even on your own with a great TV show.

There are some wonderful military and war-themed TV shows on Hulu from which to choose. In some cases, you won’t be able to get through the show’s full run in a single day, even through the entire weekend. But start off with the first season and it might inspire you to continue with the three best shows to watch on Hulu this Memorial Day weekend.

M*A*S*H (1972-1983)

Two men sitting together, both wearing green army surgical uniforms in a scene from M*A*SH.
CBS

One of the most iconic war-themed TV series ever made, and in fact one of the best shows on television ever in general, M*A*S*H is either one of those shows you have never watched but should, or watched decades ago and is ripe for re-watching. The setting is the Korean War and the focus is a team of doctors and other medical staff serving soldiers in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) in South Korea. While the series is humorous in nature, this is merely to lighten the mood of the otherwise serious subject matter.

Along with depicting the details of the characters’ crucial jobs, M*A*S*H also humanizes its characters, diving into their personal lives and relationships, as well as how serving in the war affects them. The ensemble cast includes Alan Alda, Loretta Swit, and Jamie Farr. The M*A*S*H finale to this day remains the most-watched TV series finale ever and the most-watched scripted series episode. If you had a television in your home in 1983, it’s likely that it was tuned to this finale on the day of airing. If nothing else, dive into just the final episode to shed some tears and immerse yourself in the nostalgia of it all on Memorial Day.

Stream M*A*S*H on Hulu.

We Were the Lucky Ones (2024)

We Were the Lucky Ones | Official Trailer | Hulu

If you haven’t yet watched We Were the Lucky Ones, the historical drama is a beautifully inspirational and heartwarming though also devastating war-themed series to watch on Memorial Day. Set during the Holocaust, it follows the Kurc family, who become separated once Hitler’s reign of terror begins. Some go into hiding, some end up in concentration camps, and others escape to faraway (and nearby) countries. Once the dust settles and the war ends, surviving members set out on a journey to locate and reunite with their missing loved ones.

Starring Joey King and Logan Lerman, We Were the Lucky Ones has been met with overwhelmingly positive reviews, based on aggregate reviews on sites like Rotten Tomatoes. What’s great about watching this series on Memorial Day is that it combines the harrowing reality of pain and loss amid war with stories of hope, love, and perseverance. It’s tough to watch at times, but the uplifting story is made even more so with the knowledge that it’s based on the true story of Georgia Hunter and her family, who wrote The New York Times bestselling book of the same name.

Stream We Were the Lucky Ones on Hulu. 

The Unit (2006-2009)

Three soldiers posing in a promo image from the series The Unit.
20th Century Fox Television

One of those hidden gems, The Unit has a talented cast that includes Dennis Haysbert, Scott Foley, and Robert Patrick. The fictional top-secret military unit that’s at the center of the show is modeled after the real U.S. Army special operations unit, commonly known as Delta Force. Based on the book Inside Delta Force: The Story of America’s Elite Counterterrorist Unit written by Eric L. Haney, a retired member of the Force, you can expect authenticity with this show that largely flew under the radar through its four-season run.

The Unit follows the men who work in this military organization through pivotal moments, including training, dangerous, and time-sensitive missions, and their personal lives outside of the job. It’s a delicate balance as the members of the team must keep the specifics of their job a secret, with even their wives forbidden from knowing details and warned about sharing anything they do know.

In the high-stakes world of military operation, The Unit depicts the goings-ons at a top-secret organization that adds a layer of intrigue to its stories. Even though most of stories and details in the series are fictional, some episodes are based on real-life events, or at least heavily inspired by them.

Stream The Unit on Hulu.