UnReal’s fourth and confirmed final season is now available on Hulu in a surprise release of the entire season on the streaming platform. Back in May, mxdwn reported that the show written by Peabody Winners, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro and Marti Noxon, would be having its first run on Hulu in a deal with A+E studios. Though it may still air on Lifetime, it will be after it is out on Hulu. However, at the time there was a possibility of a fifth-season with Shapiro saying that she would want to keep the show going, “as long as we can.” 

The move seems a logical one, as UnReal, a critic’s favorite since it’s debut, never had very high ratings but always got an increase through streaming. Hulu revealed that the show seems to lend itself to binging with most people watching 3-4 episodes in one sitting and finishing a season in a matter of days. “UnReal has captivated audiences on Hulu since season one, so when this opportunity came to us, we knew we couldn’t miss out,” said Craig Erwich, Senior Vice President of content at Hulu. “This is a unique way to both satisfy fans of the show, while also continuing to introduce it to new audiences.”

UnReal’s fourth season, starring Shiri Appleby as Rachel Goldberg and Constance Zimmer as Quinn King in the role of producers on Everlasting, a The Bachelor-style show. It chronicles Rachel’s journey to create drama and manipulate the contestants to fit amoral executive producer Quinn’s storyline. This season sees Rachel, who has already made some morally questionable choices, take it to another level whilst attempting and failing to be a different person as well as dealing with topics such as sexual assault.

“We love season four of UnReal and its visionary creativity in bringing back many favorite characters for an all-star competition. When the opportunity to partner with Hulu arose, we immediately saw the huge benefit to UnReal’s loyal fans, as well as a unique way of recruiting first-time viewers to this ground-breaking series,” commented A+E Studios’ Barry Jossen. “UnReal has been an incredible ride filled with awards, critical recognition, committed fans and, best of all, insightful cultural dialogue throughout its run. We expect season four to deliver another great round of cultural influence with its timely themes.” A+E remain the sole owners of UnReal.

In terms of changes to expect this season, new cast members include François Arnaud, Natalie Hall, Meagan Holder and Alejandro Muñoz. Zimmer directed one episode and Appleby directed both the season finale and one other episode. Shapiro, co-creator, and Rukeyser, showrunner, are returning to produce the show.