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Coma

Coma

2012Miniseries1 season2 episodes~80 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

A young medical student discovers that something sinister is going on in her hospital after routine procedures send more than a few seemingly healthy patients into comas on the operating table.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Coma?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Coma to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

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Reception

Is Coma worth watching?

Coma's Midcredits score is the 10th percentile of all shows, from 2.4K ratings across 2 sources. 40% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

10th percentile

Better received than 10% of shows

6th percentile among Drama10th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)14th
Approval (how many liked it)8th

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

60 /100

14th percentile of all shows

10th percentile among Drama14th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.1 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

40% liked it

8th percentile of all shows

5th percentile among Drama8th percentile among 2010s
40% rated it 7–1060% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

61st percentile

2.4K ratings across platforms

52nd percentile among Drama65th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 19% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree this is a glossy, suspenseful but flawed medical conspiracy thriller that never lives up to its source material or cast.

Fans praised

  • Lauren Ambrose's workhorse lead performance as the determined medical student
  • Well-built suspense and tension throughout the conspiracy investigation
  • Strong technical production values from the Scott brothers

Detractors panned

  • Glaring plot holes and implausible character behavior
  • Overlong runtime that drags in the middle
  • Underdeveloped characters and wasted talented cast

What stands out

Acting72

Lauren Ambrose praised, veteran cast enjoyed but underused

TensionDivisive72

Suspense acknowledged as well-built, but undercut by logic issues

AtmosphereDivisive70

Uneasy feel in the Jefferson Institute scenes, modern glossy style

Characters35

Underdeveloped, motivations unclear, unnecessary subplots

PacingDivisive35

Called overlong and dragging in first half

Plot and storyDivisive30

Numerous logic holes, unexplained threads, implausible investigation

Originality30

Derivative remake, slavishly copying the original's shots

Emotional impact30

Lacked emotional meat and connection to victims

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2012 · 2 episodes

  • S1E1

    Part One

    Sep 3, 201278 min
  • S1E2

    Part Two

    Sep 4, 201287 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Coma like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you unsettled.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
DreadTenseContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Melodramatic · 9% of shows: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series plays its medical conspiracy straight, with a dark, brooding atmosphere and heightened dramatic stakes.
The rideThe mood is driven by mounting dread and tension as the conspiracy unfolds, with the heaviest emotional pressure likely building toward the climax.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly as the protagonist investigates the mysterious comas, leading to a confrontation and resolution.
Episode formatThe two-episode miniseries tells one continuous story from discovery to resolution.
Season formatThis is a two-episode limited series that completes its narrative in one season.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
UnsettlingThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves viewers uneasy about medical ethics and the exploitation of vulnerable patients, lingering as a cautionary tale.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet 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% · Corporate villainy 1% (this title) · 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. · Corporate villainy: A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).

18% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe miniseries follows a medical student uncovering a corporate conspiracy where healthy patients are intentionally put into comas for experimentation, fitting the overcoming the monster archetype with the hospital and its backers as the corporate villain.

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 showsSelfCorruption
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%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 5% · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% (this title) · 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%

Power

Corruption · 3% of showsJustice · 14% of showsTrauma · 5% of shows
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how institutional corruption in a hospital endangers patients, driving a protagonist's quest for justice amid the trauma caused.
StanceThe film warns about the dangers of institutional corruption in healthcare, with a single protagonist uncovering the truth.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · David Buckley
Settinga hospital where routine surgeries lead to mysterious comas
MusicBuckley's score likely amplifies the suspenseful and brooding atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Coma okay for kids?

TV-14

Coma is rated TV-14.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • Germany16
  • Brazil14
  • Spain18

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Coma have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Coma?

Cast

Lauren Ambrose
as Susan Wheeler
Steven Pasquale
as Mark Bellows
Geena Davis
as Dr. Agnetta Lindquist
James Woods
as Dr. Howard Stark
Joe Morton
as Dr. Nelson
James Rebhorn
as Oren
Michael Weston
as Peter Arno
Joseph Mazzello
as Geoffrey Fairweather
Brian J. Smith
as Paul Carpin
Natalie Knepp
as Hanna Goldberg

Crew

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What other shows share a tag with Coma?

178 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: medical drama. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.