If you want animation that is not just for kids, Mahabharat is available in the US on Hulu right now. 28 seasons is a serious commitment, but one that pays off episode after episode. Its 9/10 TMDB score, built from 30 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. The visual style is immediately recognisable, but the writing is what keeps you watching. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Hulu.

There is a reason Mahabharat keeps coming up in conversation. Visually distinctive and narratively ambitious, Mahabharat operates well above the genre average. Mahabharat is a 2013 drama TV series on Star Plus based on Indian legendary epic of the same name. It has been produced by Swastik Pictures and features actors such as Saurabh Raj Jain as Lord Krishna, Shaheer Sheikh as Arjuna, Pooja Sharma as Draupadi, Aham Sharma as Karna and Arav Chowdhary as Bhishma Pitamah. The producers had creative associations with writer Salim Khan, author Devdutt Pattanaik, designer Bhanu Athaiya, music directors Ajay-Atul and Ismail Darbar, action director Ram Shetty and set designer Omang Kumar. Saurabh Raj Jain and Shaheer Sheikh bring voice work that does more than the format usually asks for. 28 seasons (2013–2014) gave the story room most shows never get. The visual gags in Mahabharat reward close attention without ever depending on it. Every minute repays the time invested, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

If you have been sleeping on Mahabharat because of the format, the format is not the issue here. Tyler Perry's The Oval is the obvious comparison, but Mahabharat earns its own place alongside it. 28 seasons in, there is no shortage of material once you get started. Visually distinctive and narratively ambitious in ways that hold up regardless of format. Worth watching in order from the beginning.

Mahabharat wrapped up in 2014, created by Siddharth Kumar Tewary — and 28 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro's free voice app makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just say the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.