When Hulu secured streaming rights for the 2025 Oscars, it seemed like a win for both the platform and its subscribers. But as Hollywood’s biggest night unfolded, so did one of Hulu’s most embarrassing failures. A widespread outage left thousands of users locked out, frustrated, and scrambling for alternatives. While the company issued a standard “we’re working on it” response, the damage was already done.
This isn’t just about one night of streaming issues—it’s a glaring example of how unreliable and unprepared Hulu has become, especially when it comes to major live events.
Hulu Promised Exclusive Oscars Streaming—Then Failed to Deliver
For weeks, Hulu aggressively marketed itself as the only way to stream the Oscars live. Subscribers, many of whom already pay for the expensive Hulu + Live TV package, trusted the platform to deliver a smooth experience. Instead, users were met with app crashes, login failures, and—perhaps the most ironic part—the abrupt replacement of the Oscars stream with an episode of 20/20.
If that wasn’t bad enough, Hulu’s response was frustratingly vague:
"Having issues logging in? If so – we’re on it! Our team is actively investigating, and we hope to have things back up and running soon."
That’s not exactly what you want to hear when you’re paying for a premium service.
Subscribers Demand Refunds—And They Have a Point
As the outage dragged on, social media erupted with complaints, many of them calling for compensation. One user fumed:
“Hulu owes every single one of their subscribers a refund for this! Otherwise, we have a very strong case for a class action lawsuit about false advertising.”
Another vented their frustration:
“This is ridiculous. You advertised for MONTHS as being the ONLY SERVICE to watch the Oscars. You monopolized the telecast and now have MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO WATCH. You better be offering refunds and discounts for subscribers this month.”
These aren’t just angry tweets—they highlight a bigger problem with streaming services in general. Customers pay increasing prices for access to live events, only to be met with technical failures and zero accountability.
So, does Hulu actually owe users a refund? While streaming terms of service usually protect companies from guaranteeing uninterrupted service, Hulu’s aggressive advertising of exclusive Oscars streaming could open them up to claims of false advertising.
Hulu’s Outage Raises Bigger Questions About Its Reliability
The Oscars debacle isn’t just an isolated incident—it’s part of a growing pattern of technical failures and customer dissatisfaction with Hulu’s live TV service. Users frequently report issues with buffering, login failures, and sudden blackouts during high-traffic events.
This raises an important question: Can Hulu handle major live broadcasts?
If the answer is no, then why is the platform still pushing itself as a go-to option for live TV?
It’s also worth noting that Hulu isn’t some underfunded indie startup—it’s owned by Disney. With the financial and technological resources of one of the biggest media corporations in the world, there’s simply no excuse for such a massive failure on one of the most-watched nights in entertainment.
The Alternatives: Where Else Could Viewers Have Watched the Oscars?
Hulu’s failure forced many users to scramble for other ways to watch the Oscars. While Hulu marketed itself as the exclusive streamer, that wasn’t entirely true. Other services that offered live access included:
- YouTube TV – A pricier but often more reliable alternative to Hulu + Live TV
- FuboTV – Another live TV streaming service with fewer reported outages
- Sling TV – A budget-friendly option that includes ABC in select markets
- ABC App – Many viewers found they could bypass Hulu altogether by streaming directly from ABC
The lesson here? If you’re relying on Hulu for major live events, always have a backup plan.
Conclusion: Is Hulu Worth the Price Anymore?
Hulu’s Oscars outage was more than just an inconvenience—it was a betrayal of trust. The platform positioned itself as the only option for streaming the event, failed to deliver, and then offered a generic, impersonal response as thousands of users missed one of the biggest nights in entertainment.
Streaming services are supposed to be a solution to the problems of traditional cable. But if Hulu can’t even guarantee a stable stream for a high-profile event, then what exactly are customers paying for?
For frustrated subscribers, this outage might be the final push they need to switch to a more reliable streaming provider. And if Hulu doesn’t start taking these failures seriously, it risks becoming the service that no one trusts for live events.