Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
Technology
Christina Izzo

I saved you from scrolling for hours: This brutal hitman show on Hulu is the hidden gem you need to stream next

Scott Ryan in "Mr Inbetween".

Feeling decision fatigue? We can't blame you; from what to wear to what to eat to, yes, what to watch, constantly faced with choice can be admittedly and understandably exhausting. So let us choose for you, at least where TV is concerned.

If you're looking for a great series to click "play" on next, why not give a little love to a Hulu show that might have heretofore gone overlooked against bigger, better-known titles like "The Handmaid's Tale," "Shōgun," "Only Murders in the Building" and the like. We're talking about "Mr Inbetween," an Australian import created by, written by and starring Scott Ryan as a gun for hire hilariously tasked with balancing his brutal criminal activities with his more mundane duties as a father, brother and boyfriend.

The series ran for three seasons from 2018 to 2021, and though it got plenty of love from the critics (the half-hour comedy has an overall approval rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes), you might have missed it the first time around. Here's why you should check out "Mr Inbetween" on Hulu.

What is 'Mr Inbetween' about?

Expanding on a character he first introduced in his 2005 indie film "The Magician," Scott Ryan reprises his role as hitman Raymond "Ray" Shoesmith for this Down Under dark comedy.

In the suburbs of Sydney, Ray leads a humorous double life as a gun-toting criminal and professional "fixer" with the domestic demands of raising a child — he's got a young daughter, Brittany (Chika Yasumura), who he shares with his ex-wife Jacinta (Natalie Tran) — caring for a sick sibling (Nicholas Cassim plays Ray's terminally ill brother Bruce and being a good partner to his girlfriend Ally (Brooke Satchwell).

As any good TV antihero, Ray has a clear code of ethics he employs ("If you respect me, I respect you. Now, if you don't, we got a problem") that helps keep things compartmentalized, but soon enough, his violent professional activities start to affect his personal relationships.

Why I recommend streaming 'Mr Inbetween'

(Image credit: Hulu)

If you're a fan of darkly funny but dangerously gritty crime dramas like "Barry" and "Breaking Bad," you'll likely find plenty to like about "Mr Inbetween," which blends sharp writing, dry, deadpan humor and gripping performances from its cast. (Alongside the aforementioned actors, series regulars also include Justin Rosniak, Damon Herriman, Matt Nable and Jeremy Sims.) But the distinct, offbeat Aussie-ness of the whole show — from the authentic slang to the localized storytelling — helps the hitman dramedy stand out from its American-born contemporaries.

For his role as Ray, Scott Ryan took home two AACTAs (basically an Australian Emmy) for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama, as well as another for penning the season three episode "Ray Who?" And the show overall received widespread acclaim both in its home country and with critics abroad: John Doyle of The Globe and Mail called it "a little masterpiece of quiet, compulsively watchable comedy/drama. There are no big ideas here, but the strength of its small-scale narrative is breathtaking."

Stream "Mr Inbetween" on Hulu now

More from Tom's Guide

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.