The Hardy Boys are back in a dark and gritty Hulu series

Back when my innocent mind had not fully comprehended the dark crimes of murder and the grittiness of real investigation, I used to get my fix for a good crime story from The Hardy Boys series of books. The popular little novels followed brothers Frank and Joe Hardy as they uncovered mysteries in their hometown, earning a reputation as amateur detectives. It was innocent stuff and mostly small crimes, but these exploits contained enough tension, mystery, and some light action to help keep a young kid like myself entertained.

First published in 1927, the series has gone through many different iterations, all published under the pen name of Franklin W. Dixon (different authors have been involved in the projects). The Hardy Boys is about to get yet another iteration, this time as a new TV series from Hulu where Rohan Campbell and Alexander Elliot will star as the two brothers. Will it live up to my childhood expectations or ruin my memories of the franchise forever? Well, here’s a clued-up trailer for you:

Can’t say I am too excited about this. The series represents the first major roles for its young leads, and it shows as the acting doesn’t appear to be too great. The action and tension are also hardly present here, and this trailer just lacks any of the excitement that I remember from the stories as a kid. Or perhaps I have just grown up too much for this to appeal to me anymore. Considering this show is echoing other CW shows which I am not a major fan of, perhaps it shouldn’t be too unexpected.

While the Hardy Boys have always covered reasonably mature themes like drugs, murder and espionage, Hulu has promised that his series will be a lot darker than the books. None of which is really evidenced here. This trailer appears to indicate that the 13-episode season will focus on the boys moving to the small town of Bridgeport and investigating mysteries that include their absent mother. It is not clear yet if each episode will focus on a new mystery for the boys to solve or if the series will feature one extended conundrum to uncover.

The Hardy Boys will premiere on Hulu on December 4.

Last Updated: November 10, 2020