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Catch-22

Catch-22

There's only no way out.

2019Miniseries1 season6 episodes~45 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

Pianosa Island, Italy, World War II. Bombardier John Yossarian tries to fulfill his duty, maintain sanity and return home as soon as possible, but incompetence and bureaucracy constantly stand in his way.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Catch-22?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Catch-22 streaming on Hulu and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Catch-22?

Catch-22 earns 8 badges, led by Visual feast and Standout acting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Catch-22 worth watching?

Catch-22's Midcredits score is the 81st percentile of all shows, from 24K ratings across 2 sources. 86% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

81st percentile

Better received than 81% of shows

77th percentile among Action80th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)73rd
Approval (how many liked it)85th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

76 /100

73rd percentile of all shows

71st percentile among Action71st percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

86% liked it

85th percentile of all shows

80th percentile among Action84th percentile among 2010s
86% rated it 7–1014% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

93rd percentile

24K ratings across platforms

76th percentile among Action93rd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 12% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the novel is a masterpiece that is extremely difficult to adapt faithfully to screen, and that this version prioritizes accessibility and dramatic coherence over replicating the book's disorienting structure.

Fans praised

  • strong cast with standout performances from Abbott, Chandler, Laurie, and Stewart
  • visually stunning aerial combat scenes and period production design
  • effective blend of dark comedy with genuine dramatic weight

Detractors panned

  • loses the novel's satirical bite and black humor through linear storytelling
  • key characters and subplots omitted or reduced, weakening the narrative fabric
  • chronological approach buries the climactic revelations that made the book powerful

What stands out

Cinematography82

widely praised for beautiful Italian locations, period authenticity, and visual polish

Acting81

cast praised across camps; Abbott's Yossarian divisive but performances generally strong

Effects and spectacle78

bombing runs and air combat called gripping and realistic; some note overuse of CGI

Plot and story60

linear chronology makes story more accessible but loses novel's layered unraveling

Characters58

many literary characters reduced or missing; fans find core cast engaging, detractors call them shallow stereotypes

Pacing55

uneven; some episodes feel padded, others praised for momentum after slow start

Humor45

most divisive element; fans find dark comedy effective, detractors say it's almost absent

Originality40

reviewers overwhelmingly call it a less daring, formulaic adaptation of a groundbreaking book

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 11 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 24 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 13 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 2019 · 6 episodes · 7.7 average across 6 rated episodes

  • S1E1

    Episode 1

    May 17, 201945 minTMDB rating 6.9
  • S1E2

    Episode 2

    May 17, 201947 minTMDB rating 7.1
  • S1E3

    Episode 3

    May 17, 201943 minTMDB rating 8.5Season best
  • S1E4

    Episode 4

    May 17, 201943 minTMDB rating 8.2
  • S1E5

    Episode 5

    May 17, 201942 minTMDB rating 8.4
  • S1E6

    Episode 6

    May 17, 201945 minTMDB rating 7.3Finale

Watch experience

What is Catch-22 like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Ironic, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
AbsurdTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Dark humor
Register
Satirical · 5% of showsAbsurdist · 6% of shows: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series treats the absurdity and horror of war bureaucracy with a satirical, darkly comic tone that never fully undercuts the emotional weight of the loss and futility.
The rideThe early part establishes the absurd situation, the middle intensifies the deadly pressure of the escalating missions, and the emotional weight is sustained throughout but peaks as the body count rises.
StructureThe story is told in a straightforward chronological order over six episodes, unlike the nonlinear novel.
Episode formatThe six episodes form one continuous story, adapting the novel's events in a somewhat nonlinear but serialized order.
Season formatThis is a limited series of one season telling a complete story.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves the viewer pondering the absurdity and tragedy of war bureaucracy, with a mix of dark humor and haunting loss.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

18% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe series focuses on Captain Yossarian's struggle to survive the absurd and deadly military bureaucracy, embodied by the Catch-22 rule and commanders like Colonel Cathcart, who keep raising the mission count.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfDutyMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2% (this title)
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Morality

Duty · 2% of showsSurvival · 12% of showsObsession · 2% of shows: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe central conflict is between Yossarian's desperate will to survive and the military's demand for duty, which he comes to see as a death sentence.
StanceThe series satirizes the military's system of duty and its absurd, self-destructive logic while also observing the personal cost through Yossarian's eyes.

The world

Mid 20th centuryInstitutionalWildernessStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingA US Army Air Forces base on a Mediterranean island during World War II

Content guide

Is Catch-22 okay for kids?

TV-MA

Catch-22 is rated TV-MA. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (74/100), sexual content at intense (74/100), language at intense (71/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (54/100) and frightening material at severe (80/100). Overall it is heavier than 75% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 14 other countries
  • Canada14+
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany18
  • France18
  • Ireland15
  • Brazil16
  • Austria16
  • FinlandK12
  • IndiaU
  • Netherlands12
  • PhilippinesG
  • RO12
  • Spain18
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 87% of all showsHeavier than 75% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 63%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 86%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 58%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 54%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 81%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: frightening material, sexual content, violence, and language. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA shows usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Catch-22 have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Catch-22?

Cast

Christopher Abbott
as Yossarian
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Kyle Chandler
as Colonel Cathcart
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Daniel David Stewart
as Milo
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Rafi Gavron
as Aarfy
Graham Patrick Martin
as Orr
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kevin J. O'Connor
as Lt. Colonel Korn
Austin Stowell
as Nately
Jon Rudnitsky
as McWatt
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Gerran Howell
as Kid Sampson
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Tessa Ferrer
as Nurse Duckett
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

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What are shows like Catch-22?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Catch-22 include Masters of the Air (2024), Band of Brothers (2001) and Generation Kill (2008).

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What other shows share a tag with Catch-22?

377 other shows share the rarest tag below, follows: soldier. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.