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Scenes from a Marriage

Scenes from a Marriage

Five acts. Endless emotion.

2021Miniseries1 season5 episodes~60 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

A chronicle of the many years of love and turmoil that bind a contemporary American couple, tracking their relationship as it progresses through a number of successive stages: matrimony, parenthood, infidelity, divorce and subsequent partnerships.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Scenes from a Marriage?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Scenes from a Marriage streaming on HBO Max and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Scenes from a Marriage?

Scenes from a Marriage earns 6 badges, led by Standout acting and Top 10% of the 2020s.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Scenes from a Marriage worth watching?

Scenes from a Marriage's Midcredits score is the 87th percentile of all shows, from 35K ratings across 2 sources. 89% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

87th percentile

Better received than 87% of shows

87th percentile among Drama90th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)78th
Approval (how many liked it)91st

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

77 /100

78th percentile of all shows

80th percentile among Drama82nd percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

89% liked it

91st percentile of all shows

91st percentile among Drama93rd percentile among 2020s
89% rated it 7–1011% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

89th percentile

35K ratings across platforms

86th percentile among Drama91st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 15% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The performances of Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain are universally acclaimed as exceptional.

Fans praised

  • masterclass acting by both leads
  • raw and realistic portrayal of relationship breakdown
  • brilliant writing and direction

Detractors panned

  • unlikable and unbelievable characters
  • slow, depressing, and emotionally exhausting
  • dialogue feels contrived and pretentious

What stands out

Acting95

career-best performances, remarkable chemistry

Emotional impactDivisive78

deeply affecting and painful vs manipulative and empty

DialogueDivisive60

intense, realistic conversations vs contrived and pretentious

Plot and storyDivisive55

realistic relationship journey vs pointless and tedious

EndingDivisive50

ambiguous and reflective vs unsatisfying and pointless

CharactersDivisive45

complex and relatable vs self-absorbed and unlikable

Pacing45

deliberate and tense vs slow and boring

OriginalityDivisive45

effective gender-swap adaptation vs unnecessary and inferior remake

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 15 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 9 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Limited Series · 2021 · 5 episodes · 7.0 average across 5 rated episodes

  • S1E1

    Scene I: Innocence & Panic

    Sep 12, 202156 minTMDB rating 7.3
  • S1E2

    Scene II: Poli

    Sep 19, 202163 minTMDB rating 7.0
  • S1E3

    Scene III: The Vale of Tears

    Sep 26, 202155 minTMDB rating 7.4Season best
  • S1E4

    Scene IV: The Illiterates

    Oct 3, 202166 minTMDB rating 7.0
  • S1E5

    Scene V: In the Middle of the Night, in a Dark House, Somewhere in the World

    Oct 10, 202155 minTMDB rating 6.5Finale

Watch experience

What is Scenes from a Marriage like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

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

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseMelancholicContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 10% of shows
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series treats its characters' emotional struggles with unflinching seriousness and no ironic distance.
The rideThe series maintains a constant, low-boiling tension and melancholic introspection across its run, with explosive emotional spikes punctuating the sustained atmosphere of unease.
StructureThe story is told chronologically across episodes spanning years.
Episode formatEach episode advances the couple's story in a continuous narrative, building on the emotional fallout of previous confrontations.
Season formatThe miniseries is a complete, finite story told over one season, with a definitive end point.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Haunting · 9% of showsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe raw depiction of a marriage's dissolution and its complex aftermath stays with the viewer.
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).Tragedy
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% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% (this title) · 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%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Doomed love: Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).

4% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe series charts the gradual disintegration of a marriage, a classic doomed relationship.

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 showsSelfMarriageBonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% (this title) · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • 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%

Bonds

Marriage · 2% of showsIdentitySelf-worth · 7% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe series dissects the institution of marriage itself, probing how love, hatred, desire, and monogamy collide within a long-term partnership, while the individuals' senses of self are profoundly reshaped by the relationship's arc.
StanceThe series holds the institution of marriage up to the light and interrogates it through the couple's experience, asking what it means to love, to fail, and to stay or leave.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
AmbientBackground music · original score
SettingThe domestic interiors and workplaces of a contemporary New York professional couple.
MusicThe spare, ambient score by Evgueni and Sacha Galperine underscores the emotional intimacy and unease without ever overwhelming the dialogue.

Content guide

Is Scenes from a Marriage okay for kids?

TV-MA

Scenes from a Marriage is rated TV-MA. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (30/100), sexual content at intense (71/100), language at moderate (59/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (43/100) and frightening material at mild (30/100). Overall it is heavier than 20% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 20 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany18
  • France18
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • Austria16
  • Czechia18+
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyVM14
  • MexicoB-15
  • Netherlands16
  • Poland16
  • Portugal16
  • ROAP
  • Russia18+
  • Spain16
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 49% of all showsHeavier than 20% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 13%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 81%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 32%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 36%
Frightening / Intense
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 15%

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

The reason to think twice is sexual content. 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 Scenes from a Marriage have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Scenes from a Marriage?

Cast

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

Jessica Chastain
as Mira
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Oscar Isaac
as Jonathan
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Sophia Kopera
as Ava
Nicole Beharie
as Kate
Corey Stoll
as Peter
Tovah Feldshuh
as Miryam
Michael Aloni
as Poli
Sunita Mani
as Danielle
Maury Ginsberg
as Arye
Susan Pourfar
as Elisheva

Crew

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TMDB's suggestions for shows like Scenes from a Marriage include Ambitions (2019), The Affair (2014) and Fatal Attraction (2023).

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