Hulu's push for exclusives gets a big boost from Fox (update)

As we've said so many times (this week) the battle between streaming services has become all about what exclusive content each one has to offer, and with HBO joining in soon it's only going to get tougher. It's no surprise then, that Hulu's next attempt to get a leg up on the competition is coming with help from the cable arm of part-owner (and former employer of its CEO Mike Hopkins) Fox. Hulu is about to become the best/only place to watch FX (and FXX, and FXXX whenever that launches) shows without a cable subscription and access to FX Now apps. So don't expect to see hows like Tyrant, The Strain, You're The Worst and Married on Netflix or Amazon, they're spoken for. That also goes for new shows debuting next year like the Louis CK / Zach Galifianakis production Baskets and the M Night Shyamalan Fox miniseries Wayward Pines.

At least for now though, older shows like Louie, Archer, Always Sunny, Sons of Anarchy, American Horror Story and The League are non-exclusive (no The Americans or Justified), so if you're expecting your fill of those on other streaming services they will still be there -- for now. FX prez John Landgraf has been unhappy that Netflix, in particular, strips the shows of their FX branding when streaming, which may explain some of the thoughts behind the move -- on Hulu, they'll be proudly marked as FX productions, hopefully driving folks back to cable for more content. It doesn't look like Hulu is changing its ads, or two-tiered Hulu / Hulu Plus availability system, but maybe adding (a lot) more to watch will get it back on track.

Update: Add another FX show to the pile. An expanded deal with MGM is bringing Fargo to Hulu too. Also new are the first two seasons of Vikings, and a slew of older MGM content like the Stargate series of shows, Dead Like Me, Outer Limits, and more