Hulu viewers miss Oscars climax in live programming mishap

Sunday night was Hulu’s big debut at the Oscars, streaming the event live for the first time. But things took a turn for the worse when the livestream abruptly ended before the final and most exciting moments of the show, leaving viewers frustrated and missing out on key announcements. Mikey Madison’s win for best actress and the film “Anora” taking home the best picture award were lost to those watching on Hulu due to a scheduling system error.

Online outrage quickly followed, with fans eagerly anticipating the thrilling conclusion to Hollywood’s biggest night. To make matters worse, the stream started off with technical issues that prevented some users from logging on in time to catch the opening musical performance by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande from “Wicked.”

Disney, which owns Hulu, issued an apology for the mishaps, acknowledging the disappointment and inconvenience caused to viewers. They have now made a full replay of the event available on both Hulu and Hulu on Disney+, so fans can catch up on what they missed during the live broadcast.

While Hulu’s misstep at the Oscars is unfortunate, it’s not the first time a major streaming platform has encountered issues during live programming. Netflix users faced similar frustrations during the Tyson vs. Paul fight and the “Love Is Blind” reunion special, while CBS All Access, now Paramount+, famously crashed during the 2021 Super Bowl. Even earlier, Hulu’s live TV service cut off prematurely during the 2018 Super Bowl due to technical difficulties.

Streaming platforms are increasingly investing in live programming, and while hiccups like this are disappointing, they are learning opportunities for improvement. Despite the challenges, cord-cutters were able to watch the Oscars on Hulu for the first time this year, with previous access limited to Hulu Live TV subscribers and other services offering live streaming of ABC.

As more streaming platforms embrace live events, we can expect to see smoother experiences in the future. The Oscars may have hit a snag this year, but the show will go on, and viewers can look forward to a seamless streaming experience in the years to come.