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Prohibition

Prohibition

As a battle raged… an era roared

2011Miniseries1 season3 episodes~60 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

The history of the rise, rule and fall of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the entire era it encompassed (1920-33). After nearly a century of activism, Prohibition was intended to improve the lives of all citizens by protecting individuals, families and society at large from the devastating effects of alcohol abuse; but paradoxically it made millions of people rethink their definition of morality.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Prohibition?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Prohibition streaming on PBS Documentaries via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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via Prime Video

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Highlights

What stands out about Prohibition?

Prohibition earns 4 badges, led by Top 5% of shows and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Prohibition worth watching?

Prohibition's Midcredits score is the 95th percentile of all shows, from 3.8K ratings across 2 sources. 92% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

95th percentile

Better received than 95% of shows

92nd percentile among Documentary94th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)89th
Approval (how many liked it)96th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

81 /100

89th percentile of all shows

83rd percentile among Documentary89th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

Approval

How many liked it

92% liked it

96th percentile of all shows

95th percentile among Documentary96th percentile among 2010s
92% rated it 7–108% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

71st percentile

3.7K ratings across platforms

92nd percentile among Documentary74th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 25% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A detailed, well-researched account of a failed law that generated widespread defiance and organized crime.

Fans praised

  • Immersive deep-dive into the movement's origins over a century
  • Excellent archival footage and celebrity voice cast
  • Illuminates unintended consequences like organized crime's rise

Detractors panned

  • Biased liberal narrative, moralizing against conservative dry forces
  • Tedious political minutiae, lacks balanced opposing viewpoints

What stands out

Acting80

Top celebrity voices add gravitas

Plot and storyDivisive78

Comprehensive three-part arc from temperance to repeal

Atmosphere75

Brings the era to life through photos and expert interviews

OriginalityDivisive60

Familiar Ken Burns style but fresh topic for casual viewers

Emotional impact60

Sobering look at unintended suffering

PacingDivisive55

Some find it slow and repetitive at 5+ hours

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 24 points higher than users.

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

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

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 2011 · 3 episodes

  • S1E1

    A Nation of Drunkards

    Oct 2, 201196 min
  • S1E2

    A Nation of Scofflaws

    Oct 3, 2011120 min
  • S1E3

    A Nation of Hypocrites

    Oct 4, 2011107 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Prohibition like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, serious and charged — a slow-burn watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
ContemplativeTense
Heaviest: middle
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Wry · 7% of shows: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe documentary presents its material with earnest historical rigor, mixing solemn reflection with occasional wry humour about the absurdity of the era.
The rideThe middle episode likely covers the Prohibition era itself, carrying the most dramatic weight and tension as the policy is enforced.
StructureThe series follows a chronological progression across its three episodes: the rise of the temperance movement, enforcement struggles, and eventual repeal.
Episode formatThe three episodes form one continuous narrative from the rise of temperance through Prohibition to its repeal.
Season formatThe series is a limited, concluded run of one season telling a complete story.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingInfuriating · 4% of shows: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves the viewer pondering the unintended consequences of moral legislation and enraging at the systemic failures and hypocrisy it reveals.
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).
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%: 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% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 40% of shows: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeThis is a historical documentary series with no central protagonist or narrative arc; the Booker archetypes do not apply.

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 showsSelfJusticeMorality
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%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% (this title) · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4% (this title)
  • Morality 11% (this title): 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% · 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

Justice · 14% of showsFreedom · 4% of showsClass · 4% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series examines the moral crusade to ban alcohol as a pursuit of justice, while also exploring the encroachment on personal liberty and the class dimensions of the temperance movement.
StanceThe series poses questions about the morality, effectiveness, and consequences of a nationwide prohibition policy without settling on a firm answer.

The world

Early 20th centuryUrbanRuralRealistic
Orchestral classicalJazzSupportive music · original score · David Cieri
SettingUnited States during the temperance movement and Prohibition era
MusicCredited composers include David Cieri and Wynton Marsalis, suggesting a blend of classical orchestration and jazz elements to evoke the era.

Content guide

Is Prohibition okay for kids?

TV-14

Prohibition is rated TV-14.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Spain13
  • Switzerland0
  • Türkiye13+

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Prohibition have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Prohibition?

Cast

Patricia Clarkson
as Reader
John Lithgow
as Reader
Campbell Scott
as Reader
Sam Waterston
as Reader
Philip Bosco
as Reader
Kevin Conway
as Reader
Tom Hanks
as Reader
Josh Lucas
as Reader
Blythe Danner
as Reader
Jeremy Irons
as Reader

Crew

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