The second reason Rick stands out is more important, and that is how passionate he is about all the places he visits. He loves the history, the interesting details, the small out-of-the-way places … and it all comes out in his books and TV shows in a way that really makes you eager to go explore. Rick lives in the U.S., but he’s spent more than 30 summers in Europe, searching for all those interesting nooks and crannies that aren’t so easy to find unless you have a guide like Rick. A good sign that a travel writer really lives and breathes the places he describes: My wife and I bought our first Rick Steves book a few years ago for a trip to Italy, and we actually ran into Rick and his cameraman while walking on the shores of Lake Como. Hard to believe, but here’s the snapshot to prove it:

I think these kinds of run-ins must be a common occurrence for Rick. Notice that he didn’t ask the professional cameraman standing next to him to take the picture, but instead snapped the picture himself by holding the camera out and pointing it back at us. Nice technique, and very gracious. The crazy thing about this is that I’m not even the only member of the (relatively small) Hulu family to randomly run into Rick in Europe. The wife of a friend here at Hulu saw him in Venice. It’s a good sign that a travel expert is dedicated and passionate if you can hardly avoid running into him whenever you travel. :)

If you love to travel, I have no doubts that you’ll love this show. Here’s a sample in which Rick visits Tuscany and makes us all want to reach for a suitcase.

Andy Forssell
Hulu’s Intrepid Explorer

Now fans can flash back to Season 1 to see the castaways’ first harrowing days on the beach as they fight to survive and discover there are “Others” on the mysterious island. We once again see step-siblings Shannon and Boone and father and son Michael and Walt, as well as the now-familiar Jack, Sawyer, Charlie and Claire. This also is the season where Locke discovers a mysterious hatch and we learn about Kate’s life on the run.

I’m looking forward to revisiting these “vintage” episodes now that some — emphasis on “some” — of the island’s mysteries have been answered and I’ve seen what comes to Jack and Kate and the other passengers over the course of the next four seasons. After all, with the final season approaching (it returns to ABC in early 2010), why not go back and see how it all began?

Who are your favorite Lost castaways, past and present? Tell us about them in the comments section.

Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com)
Hulu’s Castaway

For those who didn’t waste spend precious hours of their youth watching this classic cartoon, She-Ra, twin sister to Eternia’s He-Man , is the alter ego of Princess Adora. She’s part of a great rebellion that is trying to free her home planet, Etheria, from the evil forces of Hordak. Her beloved horse, Spirit, helps with her efforts, transforming into a flying unicorn (no wonder I loved it!) named Swift Wind when the princess calls on the power of Grayskull. As She-Ra, the princess has superhuman strength and agility, a healing touch, and the ability to speak to animals. What more does a girl need, really?

So pull up a beanbag chair, make yourself a giant bowl of Cheerios, and settle in for 26 episodes of She-Ra goodness. And if that’s not enough, there’s plenty of He-Man, too, as well as a new anime series: Slam Dunk. It’s about a social outcast who joins the high school basketball team — to impress a girl, naturally — only to realize he’s an all-star player on the courts.

Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com)
Defender of Hulu’s Crystal Castle

After a chance meeting in a coffee shop, Tim (Simon Pegg, fromStar Trek and Shaun of the Dead) and Daisy (Jessica Hynes [formerly Jessica Stevenson]) find themselves searching for an apartment together. But upon realizing the best, most affordable apartments are only leased to professional couples, they have a brilliant idea: to pose as a couple in order to get a halfway decent place. As you’d expect, they run into all sorts of mishaps as they try to pull off the rouse for their drunken landlady whenever she stops by. (Mr. Roper, anyone?) But this U.K. import — written by Pegg and Hynes themselves — also combines its premise with wonderfully surreal moments and rapid-fire edits (much like another British comedy, Green Wing).

Best of all, each episode is jam-packed with pop culture references that target everything from Star Wars and Wolverine to Pulp Fiction and The Matrix. It’s the kind of show you want to watch again and again to catch all the insider jokes — and fortunately, all 14 episodes (2 seasons) are up on Hulu, making it easy to do just that. And, please, make sure you stick around for the next-to-last episode for a peek at Ricky Gervais before he went on to do The Office (the original series).

What’s your favorite pop culture reference in Spaced? Tell us in the discussions board for the series.

Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com)
Pop Culture Junkie

In addition, we’re happy to welcome Great Museums to the Hulu family. Underwritten by the Eureka Foundation, this in-depth series delves deeper into some of the country’s most iconic museums (plus a special look at Cuba’s museums). We asked the series’ Executive Producer, Marc Doyle, to tell us more about the show. Check out his post below. — Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com), Editor

The Great Museums project started in 1997 on a small cable network, but it really took off when the principals of the Eureka Foundation decided to underwrite the re-creation of Great Museums for the public television world. Our underwriters are committed to the educational power of television and new media and recognized that Great Museums was educational television at its best

The series itself was the brainchild of my wife and business partner, Chesney Doyle — or, as she quite accurately recalls, we had the crazy idea that as newlyweds, we should also be partners in a new business venture. Upon hearing our plans, a wise man told us “That’s like driving a race and learning to drive a race car at the same time.” But we didn’t listen and now, thanks to the support of the Eureka Foundation, we’re still on the course.

In the beginning, we basically asked ourselves two questions: First, if we were going to create a project from scratch, one that we were going to spend the rest of our working lives developing and building, what would we really enjoy working on? Second, we asked ourselves if there was a social or civic need for inspirational information that could effectively be communicated through the power of television and new media.

Our answer: Great Museums.

Each of the 43 episodes we’ve produced thus far has been based on the premise that our nation’s great museums house the DNA of the American experience. We feel that the keys to the American identity, and to finding our own place in the American story, are in our museums. We think of museum experiences as having the power to bring us together, on common ground, as opposed to separating us on the basis of differences. That’s why we talk to the indefatigable Margaret Burroughs, the founder of the first African American museum in the U.S. in “Riches, Rivals and Radicals:” her vision provided a way for all Americans to celebrate and preserve black culture.

The Great Museums episodes are not “tours” of museums. We instead use the museum’s collections and its expert curators to tell the museum’s many stories. It is a storytelling style that is more conversational — a bit more spontaneous. It is a less rigorous way to tell stories and pass on information, which we think makes viewers feel like they’re walking the museum and enjoying its treasures right along with us. There is nothing that can replace a real visit to a museum and the experience of seeing “the genuine article.” However, few of us can personally visit all the great museums in America.

We want Great Museums‘ viewers to experience the transformation that happens when you enter a museum. We also hope our films stimulate you to recognize the important role that museums play in our world and the great value they offer, both on an individual level and to our society. One way to start is to watch one of our featured episodes, “Riches, Rivals and Radicals.” This episode tells the story of the history of museums in America. It’s a fascinating story with many interesting characters and lots of plot twists. It’s a living story and there is no ending. In an interview, David Rockefeller talks about Colonial Williamsburg, which his parents actually founded. Now having this personal connection, an in-person visit to Williamsburg gives you an even greater sense of American heritage and history.

We hope it brings the museum world alive for you and inspires you to enjoy all the other Great Museums episodes, to visit www.greatmuseums.org, and to visit and support the great museums in your own backyard. — Marc Doyle, Executive Producer, Great Museums

We have more ABC titles on the way, too. Check our Hulu Days of Summer calendar to see what’s new each day this week; we’ll also post clues to the next day’s content each weekday on our Twitter and Facebook pages. (You can also check the Twitter feed on the main Hulu Blog page for clues if you’re not on Twitter or Facebook.

Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com)
Editor

Hulu: You were 13 when you took the role of Jeff Stone on The Donna Reed Show.
Paul Petersen: We started in 1958. I had my thirteenth birthday just as we got started.

How did you get the part?
I had worked quite a bit in some pretty high-profile projects before The Donna Reed Show, movies like Houseboat with Cary Grant and Sophia Lauren, and some pretty big TV shows like Playhouse 90. Donna Reed was aware of my work, and I had worked at Columbia Pictures before. So when I came in to read for the part, they knew my work and had confidence in me. As it happened, they had five boys and five girls that they wanted to cast, and Shelley Fabares and I were hooked up, and we had the brother-sister act down. So we won the parts and went on from there.

What’s it like having a renewed interest in the show — for instance, seeing it on Hulu?
I love it. First of all, I’m very proud of the show. All eight seasons deserve their reputation as classic television. And frankly, just because of the impact on the culture, I enjoy having people watch these shows to see how good television used to be.

Do you have any fun memories from the first season?
Of course. It was a great beginning. A lot of my memories are of in-between times. I loved doing the show because I had a delicious part. Playing the pesky little brother was me, was exactly me. The dialogue was crisp, I was working with smart and talented people, and it wasn’t hard work. It was fun. Establishing what amounted to a lifetime relationship with Donna Reed, Carl Betz and Shelley Fabares, was really one of the most enjoyable aspects of the work.

And was Donna Reed as perfect in real life as she was on television?
Well I won’t call her perfect, but she was a most interesting gal. I’ll tell you a quick story about my first day: My grandfather, Burr Jones Luce, was also born in Iowa, as was Donna Reed. But of course, he was quite a bit older than she. He insisted on taking me to work my first day, and he walked right up to Donna Reed — the star, the boss, the Academy Award winner — and he looked her right in the eye and said, “Donna Belle Mullenger, I knew your dad.” I was mortified, of course, but Donna, who was in fact born Donna Belle Mullenger in a small town in Iowa, just loved it. It was home; it was “Oh good, I’ve got an Iowa kid here.”

What are you up to these days?
I run a foundation of former kid stars called A Minor Consideration. That pretty much occupies my life, although the second part of this is my work with seniors across the country. I take this stuff very seriously and get a lot enjoyment and satisfaction out of the work.

What are you doing with seniors?
I actually have a television show here in Los Angeles, called Aging in L.A. for the Department of Aging. That work, it’s just an extension of the work I do for children because the stereotypes that attach to seniors are very much in evidence when I work with them. There are a lot of issues this society needs to address — there are 80 million baby boomers. They started turning 60 in January 2006, and there’s a boomer turning 60 every seven seconds.

And one last question, which episodes from Season 1 are your favorites?
The boxing lesson ["Pardon My Gloves"] is probably No. 1, but the Christmas show with Buster Keaton is probably No. 2.

We have more titles coming your way this week: more movies, classic TV and a cult-favorite series that offers a creative take on the afterlife. We’ll be revealing clues each weekday afternoon on Twitter and Facebook; follow us or become a fan to see if you can guess what’s in store.

Rebecca (rebecca.harper@hulu.com)
Editor

We’re also proud to announce the online premiere of Gunnin’ for That #1 Spot on Hulu, a riveting look at eight top high-school basketball players as they prepare for an elite matchup on the playground courts of Harlem’s famed Rucker Park, what many consider the Mecca of basketball. If you’re a hoops fan, you may recognize some of the players featured: Four of them are pros — Jerryd Bayless (Portland Trail Blazers), Michael Beasley (Miami Heat), Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Donte Green (was with the Sacramento Kings) — and another two, Tyreke Evans (Memphis) and Brandon Jennings (playing in the Italian League), are participating in the NBA draft tonight. (Kyle Singler will remain at Duke; Lance Stephenson starts college in the fall).

But even if you aren’t a fanatic about the sport, the stories of these up-and-coming players will captivate you, as will the footage of the Elite 24 Classic game in Rucker Park. A week ago, Hulu spoke to director Adam Yauch (of the Beastie Boys) about the film; while we were at it, we also asked him about the Beasties’ forthcoming album, Hot Sauce Committee, due out in September.

And if you enjoy Gunnin’ for That #1 Spot, you may wish to check out another basketball documentary, Hoop Dreams — a favorite with the Hulu team. It’s available on Hulu until June 28. — Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com), Editor

Hulu: One of the challenges that many independent filmmakers face is getting clearance to use music in their projects. Yet you were able to get music from The Game, Ludacris, Jay-Z and M.I.A. How did your standing in the music industry help you leverage a great soundtrack?

Adam Yauch: It was definitely tricky because of the budget of the film. I definitely had to reach out to a lot of people. My management company helped out a lot, reached out to a lot of labels and publishers and artists. And I was definitely texting and calling people right down to the last second, when I was mixing the film even, texting artists and saying “Am I keeping this in the film, or am I taking it out?” and “How are we doing this?” But for the most part, people were very supportive and helpful in getting it done.

Can you tell us about Rucker Park? What was it like shooting there?

It was definitely cool, going up to the Rucker to shoot and see the game. You know, there’s great energy up there. There’s great energy that comes from the crowd, and good honesty, too. You have people screaming things out. There’s a lot of heckling going on. It’s definitely an interesting atmosphere to be around.

And you played basketball with the guy who organized the Elite 24 game seen in the film, right?

Yeah, we used to play ball together.

Did you give it up or …?

No, I still play, but actually he hasn’t been playing these days. He messed up his knee and hasn’t been playing lately.

There’s been a number of documentaries about basketball — particularly Hoop Dreams. How is “Gunnin’” different from other docs?

I think it’s a snapshot of that period of time. It’s really like a look at where the world of elite high school basketball is in the late summer/early fall of [2006]. I think it’s interesting. It’s definitely different than Hoop Dreams in that sense. Hoop Dreams is an amazing film, but that’s a different time.

Do you think you ended up capturing the essence of Rucker Park, it being a Mecca of playground basketball?

Yeah, I think somewhat. I think it does get a bit of background, to give somebody a sense of it. You get a sense of what it meant to these kids to go out and play there, kids from all over the country. It meant a lot to them.

Speaking of the kids, how did you choose the particular set of players featured in the film?

They were recommended to me. I kind of wanted to get kids that were diverse in terms of their backgrounds, geographically, where they lived. I also wanted to kids that would probably be successful and make it into the NBA. My original plan was to do profiles on eight of the kids and pick five to use for the film, but I ended up really liking all of them and using all eight in the film.

And since that game, five of them went on to play in college. A few of them are already pro.

Right now four of them are in the pros, and there’s two that could make themselves eligible for the draft. I think one of them, Brandon Jennings, is definitely going to make himself available for the draft this year. And with Tyreke [Evans], I’m not sure if he’s going to stay in school a little longer. [Editor's note: Evans announced his eligibility shortly after our interview with Yauch, he is expected to be selected in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft.] I wouldn’t be surprised if all eight of them ended up in the NBA if you look a few years from now. Lance Stevenson, the youngest one, who was 15 when we shot the documentary, is just going to be starting college [this fall].

Has he said where?

Memphis or Arizona, but he hasn’t declared.

With many of the players, we see how supportive their families are, of course. But what surprised me was how some of their neighborhoods came together to help the boys out. How did you see these communities come together?

It’s definitely interesting to see how much it means to everybody in the neighborhood, and to see how much people are rooting for them. It was really interesting being around that, getting to shoot and go to the different places and see the kids and all their friends. It’s cool to see.

Are you going to be watching the NBA Draft?

Yeah, I’m going to check it out. Last year, I actually went to the draft, the first time I ever went there. It was great to see a bunch of the kids going into the NBA, which is an amazing thing to watch. It’s just crazy because it’s something they’ve been striving for most of their lives, most of them since they were very young kids. And to see that happen … The fact that they’re sitting there, and they don’t even know what city they’re going to be moving to. They’re sitting there, waiting to find out where they’re going to live, who their coach is going to be, and who their friends are going to be. To see that happen, it’s pretty wild. And there ares trades going on while it’s going down … I mean these kids are basically going to go home and pack their bags and move to Minneapolis, or San Francisco, or Boston, or New York, wherever, in the morning. It’s pretty wild.

What about the nicknames — “Doo Be Doo,” “Pay Up,” “Be Easy” — they get on the playground? Do they end up sticking around after the competition?

Yeah, a lot of times the nicknames stick with them. Bobbito [Garcia] is great. He was the announcer. He’s definitely a classic at coming up with nicknames for people. And obviously, you see in the film, it means a lot to the kids, to get a nickname. It’s important to them.

I loved Shampoo — that was the best nickname of them all.

Yeah, that killed me. I was laughing so hard. “Sham-POOOO!”

“Gunnin’” isn’t your first foray into directing — you’ve directed a number of Beastie Boys videos (”Ch-Ch-Check It Out,” “Intergalactic,” “So What’cha Want”). Do you prefer being behind the camera, or in front?

Honestly, I think I kind of prefer being behind it, directing. In some ways, when you’re directing something and you know what needs to get done, sometimes it’s just easier to jump out from behind the camera and just do it, rather than try to describe something.

The Beastie Boys have been in the spotlight lately as you’re performing at festivals and shows. What’s it been like up there on stage?

It’s fun. We just did a couple of shows. We played at Bonnaroo, which is a big festival in Tennessee. That was a lot of fun. We did a couple shows leading up to that. It’s been nice to go out and play.

Can you tell us something about the new Beastie Boys album you’re working on, Hot Sauce Committee? Are you trying any new sounds, anything like that?

Yeah, it’s been just kind of experimenting around the studio. A lot of it is us playing instruments, and sampling ourselves playing. We’re making some records.

You recently reissued a digitally remastered Paul’s Boutique. Can you believe it’s been 20 years?

I know. It’s weird, right?

What was it like revisiting that album?

It was cool. Some of the stuff sounded better than I thought it would; some sounded worse. Some of the music, some of the tracks, like “Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun” is definitely cool; the music track on that. And “Hello Brooklyn” — some of the music tracks are really strong.

For a new clue tomorrow, follow Hulu on Twitter (twitter.com/hulu). Or become a fan of Hulu on Facebook: visit facebook.com/hulu and check for clues on your activity feed each afternoon. We’ll reveal the titles on the Days of Summer calendar page in the morning.

Enjoy the game,
Rebecca (rebecca.harper@hulu.com)
Editor

We’re starting things with The Last of the Mohicans, the epic film starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Directed by Michael Mann (whose Dillinger flick, Public Enemies, opens next week), it is the story of Hawkeye, a frontiersman raised by Mohawk Indians who finds adventure and romance in Colonial America.

We’ll continue releasing new titles and more seasons of popular series on Hulu each day throughout the summer. As for what’s in store the rest of the week, it’s a secret — but we can give a few hints: You’ll see more of a team of intergalactic travelers and more of a Saturday morning cartoon superhero this week, plus a rogue crime fighter who hails from Canada, and six colorful ninjas who are on a mission to fight evil. Check back tomorrow to see what’s next!

Rebecca (rebecca.harper@hulu.com)
Editor