Josh Hutcherson's Hilarious Sci-Fi Series Is Impossible To Watch Today
by Danielle Ryan · /FilmRemember "The Last Starfighter?" The movie where a teenage Lance Guest beats an unbeatable arcade game and gets recruited as an actual starfighter? That's initially the premise of "Future Man," which follows underachieving janitor Josh Futturman (Josh Hutcherson) after he beats an unbeatable game, and two warriors from the future, Wolf (Derek Wilson) and Tiger (Eliza Coupe) appear in his room to recruit him to stop the apocalypse. There's just one thing: Josh is completely and utterly unprepared to be of any real help in a time-traveling war, and the man Wolf and Tiger were sent to kill is his kindly older boss, Dr. Elias Kronish (Keith David), who will create a cure for all diseases that leads to the rise of the evil Biotics. From there, things only get wilder, as Josh, Tiger, and Wolf travel through time (and even eventually end up in the afterlife) on their quest to save humanity from Kronish's cure.
"Future Man" is super funny and full of heart, but it's also not streaming anywhere. Look, this is a series where the "everyman" character really is an everyman and kind of a doofus, and it's a blast to watch Hutcherson play Joshy as he grows and evolves to try and meet the challenges ahead. There are some spectacular casting choices, like Haley Joel Osment as Dr. Kronish's sniveling assistant or series executive producer Seth Rogen as Susan, who runs a "Hunger Games"/"Rollerball"-esque death game in season 3. Heck, even Kurtwood Smith guest stars as Supreme Overlord General Vise Myrmbeater. It's really a shame that this outstanding Hulu original isn't available anywhere, because it's a gem that deserves to find a bigger audience.
Hutcherson fans would find a lot to love in Future Man
Josh Hutcherson has a pretty impressive fandom that has only grown in size and strength since "Future Man" ended in 2020 due to his starring roles in movies like the wildly popular "Five Nights at Freddy's," so it's honestly a surprise that Hulu hasn't brought the show back to let this whole new generation of fans discover the glorious grossness of "Future Man." Not only that, but since he could also potentially return to "The Hunger Games" franchise, the third season, with its crazy dystopian murder competition, will be even more relevant.
"Future Man" is the kind of show that's a lot of fun to go back and rewatch because there are so many little jokes and things to catch, but since Hulu removed it from their streaming service, it's just not available. Sure, individual episodes are on sale through digital retailers, but that will put you back around $90, and there is a Blu-ray available, but it's Region 2, so fans in the United States and Canada are unfortunately out of luck. Understandably, streaming services have to change out some of what's available due to rights and licensing, but why would you stop streaming your own originals?
C'mon, Hulu. I really need to go back to Cabo Wabo one last time.