Hulu’s New Mystery Thriller ‘Furious’ Achieves Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score

Serial killer dramas have become a saturated genre in the streaming landscape, with platforms vying to create their own versions of the suspenseful, cat-and-mouse thrillers centered around a brilliant investigator and an equally clever killer. Many of these shows follow a familiar formula, which has started to feel predictable even to die-hard fans of the genre.

This makes it significant when a new series manages to distinguish itself even before its premiere. Hulu has been generating buzz for its upcoming show ‘Furious,’ which reimagines a decades-old thriller concept into something that critics are already labeling as one of the more insightful entries in the genre this year.

This reputation is supported by impressive numbers. Ahead of its debut, ‘Furious’ boasts a perfect 100 percent average Tomatometer score, an extremely rare achievement for any new television series, regardless of platform or genre. The show is set to premiere on Hulu on July 27, featuring a single season that spans eight episodes across the mystery, thriller, crime, and drama categories.

‘Furious’ follows FBI agent Alice Black, portrayed by Emmy Rossum, as she pursues a mysterious and calculating female serial killer. As their paths converge, the distinction between right and wrong begins to blur, complicating what initially appears to be a straightforward quest for justice.

The series draws loose inspiration from the 1987 film ‘Black Widow,’ which featured Debra Winger and Theresa Russell as a Justice Department investigator and the woman she chases for marrying and murdering wealthy men. According to reports on the adaptation, showrunner Elizabeth Meriwether takes the story in a significantly different direction almost immediately, using the source material as a launching point rather than a strict guideline.

In this adaptation, Rossum’s character, Alice, is a former NYPD homicide detective now serving as a probationary agent at the bottom rung of the FBI, a demotion linked to a past relationship with an abusive superior played by Jake Lacy. Lola Petticrew stars alongside her as Catherine, a serial killer characterized as calm, chameleonic, and chillingly deliberate, operating primarily through manufactured intimacy rather than overt violence.

Critics have lauded both lead performances, noting that Rossum brings a haunting, dead-eyed quality to Alice, while Petticrew portrays Catherine as a disturbing reflection of a culture that sexualizes young women. The show’s supporting cast includes Scoot McNairy as an NYPD detective and longtime friend of Alice, along with Quincy Tyler Bernstine as a veteran FBI agent who becomes a mentor figure throughout the investigation.

Reviews have also highlighted the series’ willingness to take its time exploring its themes rather than rushing toward procedural resolutions. One review described the show as an exploration of female rage and the ways women are wronged or driven to violence before ever picking up a weapon themselves. This thematic depth has been cited as a reason why the show successfully justifies extending its premise across a full season instead of the tighter runtime of its film predecessor.

‘Furious’ will debut with its first three episodes available at launch, followed by new episodes released weekly, culminating in a finale expected on August 31. With such strong reviews and a premise centered around morally complex characters, the series seems poised to become one of the most talked-about thrillers of the summer.

What are your expectations for ‘Furious’ this week? Share your thoughts in the comments.