Hulu’s latest original series Future Man sees a janitor recruited via video game to help prevent an invasion and save mankind. The new self-aware series pokes some fun at sci-fi, along with a lot of comedy (dick jokes aplenty), pop-culture references, and time travel.
Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) stars as Josh Futturman, a janitor by day/world-ranked gamer by night. After getting to the final level, Josh is tasked with preventing the extinction of humanity after mysterious visitors from the future proclaim him the key to defeating the imminent super-race invasion.
Essentially the series is like the 1984 film, The Last Starfighter, which they are fully aware of with a reference in the trailer—”That’s The Last Starfighter. It’s the exact same plot as the movie.” The trailer also serves up a significant amount of nostalgia, so this self-aware series may be what the sci-fi genre needs, or doesn’t need?
If you’re planning on watching the series, be aware it is essentially a parody of science fiction series and films with the show coming from Seth Rogen, so be prepared for plenty of inappropriateness and over-the-top comedy. The pilot episode is said to be the weakest, so give it an extra episode or two before you make your final judgement. But essentially, if you’re looking for a few laughs or something to pass the time, this might be a show to watch when you have a spare second or two.
Meet The Cast
- Josh (Josh Hutcherson): Still living at home with his parents and in a dead-end job as a janitor at sexual disease research facility called Kronish Labs, Josh feels trapped. His only escape is his favorite video game, the famously unwinnable Biotic Wars until he wins and then visited by characters from the game who claim he’s been selected to travel back in time and help them save the world.
- Tiger (Eliza Coupe): Tiger is a Resistance leader from a nightmarish future where survival is a constant struggle. She’s tough, driven and extremely intense. This mission means everything to her, and she’s prone to flying off the handle every time Josh proves himself to be inept. She has the difficult task of controlling the boys while keeping everyone focused on the mission, especially when Tiger herself is starting to wonder if fighting for humanity has to mean giving up her own chance at happiness.
- Wolf (Derek Wilson): Wolf is a futuristic Resistance foot soldier, a bloodthirsty, deadly action hero with a speciality in blowing things up. After years of fighting, he’s desensitised to violence and human emotion. He’s basically an animal; he’s destructive, lacks hygiene and interpersonal skills, but is fiercely loyal to Tiger.
The series comes from executive producers Seth Rogen (Sausage Party, Knocked Up) and Evan Goldberg (Preacher, Superbad). Starring Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games), Eliza Coupe (Happy Endings), Derek Wilson (Preacher), Glenne Headly (Don Jon), and Ed Begley Jr (St. Elsewhere).
All 13 episodes of Future Man drop today on Hulu.
Will you be watching? Tell us in the comments below!
