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Franklin

Franklin

Diplomacy is a game. America is the prize.

2024Miniseries1 season8 episodesTV-MAMidcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

In December 1776, Benjamin Franklin is world-famous for his electrical experiments. But his passion and power are put to the test when he embarks on a secret mission to France—with the fate of American independence hanging in the balance.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Franklin?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Franklin streaming on Apple TV.

Subscription

Highlights

What stands out about Franklin?

Franklin earns 2 badges, led by Preferred by Men and Rousing.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Franklin worth watching?

Franklin's Midcredits score is the 48th percentile of all shows, from 5.7K ratings across 2 sources. 68% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

48th percentile

Better received than 48% of shows

29th percentile among Biography53rd percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)51st
Approval (how many liked it)46th

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

71 /100

51st percentile of all shows

35th percentile among Biography56th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

68% liked it

46th percentile of all shows

24th percentile among Biography52nd percentile among 2020s
68% rated it 7–1032% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

87th percentile

5.6K ratings across platforms

72nd percentile among Biography89th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 63% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A handsomely produced historical drama centered on Franklin's diplomatic mission in France, with mixed reactions to its pacing and lead performance.

Fans praised

  • immersive period detail and lavish production design
  • Michael Douglas's charismatic, layered performance
  • fascinating look at Franklin's diplomatic maneuvering

Detractors panned

  • Michael Douglas miscast, never disappears into role
  • glacial pacing with little tension or excitement
  • excessive French subtitles distract from visuals

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive75

beautiful sets and costumes but often too dark and misty

AtmosphereDivisive70

sumptuous period immersion undermined by murky lighting

DialogueDivisive60

witty historical banter undercut by excessive French switching

ActingDivisive55

polarizing: fans find Douglas charismatic, detractors see no transformation

Plot and storyDivisive50

politically intricate but slow and lacking stakes for many

CharactersDivisive45

Franklin's grandson Temple deemed a weak, meandering subplot

PacingDivisive30

glacial, dreary, bogs down in meandering side stories

TensionDivisive25

political negotiations fail to build suspense or urgency

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 20 points higher than women.

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

  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 2024 · 8 episodes

  • S1E1

    Sauce for Prayers

    Apr 11, 202460 min
  • S1E2

    Welcome, Mischief

    Apr 11, 202450 min
  • S1E3

    Pride and Gout

    Apr 11, 202460 min
  • S1E4

    Small Revenge

    Apr 18, 202461 min
  • S1E5

    The Natural State of Man

    Apr 25, 202452 min
  • S1E6

    Beauty and Folly

    May 2, 202462 min
  • S1E7

    Begin by Creeping

    May 9, 202457 min
  • S1E8

    Think of Three Things

    May 16, 202466 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Franklin like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you fired up.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseContemplativeElegiac
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Epic · 3% of shows: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series treats Franklin's diplomatic gambit with gravity and historical reverence, playing the drama straight.
The rideThe series sustains a steady pressure of diplomatic maneuvering and espionage, with moments of reflection.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically across eight episodes, following a single mission.
Episode formatEach episode continues the single story of Franklin's diplomatic mission.
Season formatThe series covers one period in Franklin's life in a single, concluded season.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Rousing · 9% of showsThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves you inspired by Franklin's shrewd diplomacy and its world-altering consequences.
How it ends · evidence
Happy 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).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · 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% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% (this title) · 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%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

6% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe series follows Benjamin Franklin's mission to secure a Franco-American alliance, a high-stakes diplomatic quest filled with espionage and intrigue.

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 showsSelfFreedomPower
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% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4% (this title)
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · 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% · 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

Freedom · 4% of shows
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on the struggle for American independence, with Franklin's diplomatic gambit as the means to secure liberty.
StanceThe series portrays Franklin's gambit as a heroic achievement, celebrating the pursuit of freedom through diplomacy.

The world

Early modernUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score
Setting1778 Paris, the court of Louis XVI and the diplomatic salons.

Content guide

Is Franklin okay for kids?

TV-MA

Franklin is rated TV-MA.

Ratings in 43 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada18+
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • ArgentinaSAM 16
  • Austria16
  • Belgium16
  • BG16
  • CLR
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK16
  • Greece18
  • Hungary18
  • IDD
  • IndiaA
  • Israel18+
  • ItalyVM14
  • LTS
  • LU16
  • MexicoB-15
  • MY18
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • PhilippinesSPG
  • Poland16
  • Portugal16
  • PRTV-MA
  • Russia18+
  • SingaporeM18
  • SK15
  • South Africa16
  • Spain16
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan15+
  • THน 18+
  • UA18+
  • VITV-MA

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Franklin have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Franklin?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Michael Douglas
as Benjamin Franklin
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Noah Jupe
as Temple Franklin
Best so far: Their highest-reaching show role to date — the title is too recent to say more.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Daniel Mays
as Edward Bancroft
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Ludivine Sagnier
as Madame Anne-Louise Brillon
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Thibault de Montalembert
as Comte de Vergennes
Aïtor de Calvairac
as Jacques le Ray
Théodore Pellerin
as Marquis de Lafayette
Olivier Claverie
as Chaumont
Best so far: Their highest-reaching show role to date — the title is too recent to say more.
Lily Dupont
as Cunégonde Brillon
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Arthur Orcier
as Comte de Ségur
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

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What are shows like Franklin?

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