‘Wedding Season’ is well worth the investment

On Thursday, Hulu is premiering an eight-part British series that’s an unexpected treat. Called “Wedding Season,” it’s a romantic comedy that’s also a fast-paced action thriller and a mystery, not to mention a musing on fate. Like Apple TV+’s “Bad Sisters,” it twines together genres and becomes something unique, something that’s as character-driven as it is carefully plotted and suspenseful. It’s a wonderful feat of storytelling.

“Wedding Season” opens with a “Graduate”-like scene. Stefan (Gavin Drea) bursts into the church where Katie (Rosa Salazar) is exchanging vows with a wealthy guy she doesn’t love. He loudly urges her to run off with him, but, in an un-“Graduate”-like moment, she turns him down, and brutally so in front of her fiance’s family. Stefan leaves with his tail between his legs and the wedding proceeds. But wait: The day ends in disaster when the groom and his family wind up dead at the head table of the wedding reception. Katie and Stefan become suspects, and, ultimately, they hit the road together, “The End of the F***ing World”-like.

The narrative toggles between their efforts to find the killer, to prove their innocence — although Stefan and the viewer continue to wonder if Katie is behind it all — and the story of how their relationship unfolded in the months before the wedding day. It jumps from Ediburgh to Las Vegas and back, from violent episodes to rom-com warmth, and it brings in a bit of ensemble magic as Stefan’s loyal group of intimate friends try to figure out what’s going on. Meanwhile, two detectives are on Katie and Stefan’s trail after the murders, DCI Metts (Jade Harrison) and DI Donahue (Jamie Michie), who are having romantic issues of their own.

At points, you wonder why Stefan isn’t running away from Katie as fast as he can. She is trouble. But Drea and Salazar have a strong chemistry and, even when you think Katie must be the killer, you may find yourself rooting for them to stay together. “Wedding Season” will toy with you ruthlessly, and you will love every minute of it.