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The Franchise

The Franchise

Lights. Camera. Anxiety.

2024Ended1 season8 episodes~30 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

The crew of an unloved franchise movie fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The series shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking, to ask the question — how exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every f*ck-up has an origin story.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Franchise?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Franchise streaming on HBO Max and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about The Franchise?

The Franchise earns 1 badge: Standout acting.

Reception

Is The Franchise worth watching?

The Franchise's Midcredits score is the 25th percentile of all shows, from 6.9K ratings across 5 sources. 59% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

25th percentile

Better received than 25% of shows

22nd percentile among Comedy28th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)22nd
Approval (how many liked it)30th

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

64 /100

22nd percentile of all shows

22nd percentile among Comedy24th percentile among 2020s

Critics 67 · Audience 63

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

59% liked it

30th percentile of all shows

25th percentile among Comedy34th percentile among 2020s
59% rated it 7–1041% rated it 1–6

Critics 73% · Audience 62%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Reach

How many have seen it

70th percentile

6.8K ratings across platforms

55th percentile among Comedy72nd percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 49% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is a satirical look at superhero filmmaking that demands insider knowledge and favors a specific British comic sensibility.

Fans praised

  • razor-sharp rapid-fire writing
  • outstanding ensemble cast
  • wry, knowing satire of Hollywood

Detractors panned

  • jokes consistently fall flat
  • unfunny and cringey
  • too insider, niche appeal

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

virtually all praise the cast; detractors call it wasted or wooden

AtmosphereDivisive75

authentic-feeling chaos of a film set; some find it manic and off-putting

DialogueDivisive70

fans hail rapid-fire wit; detractors call it banal and lazy

CharactersDivisive70

fans find them richly drawn; critics see clichés and unlikable types

PacingDivisive65

fans praise quick momentum; detractors feel rushed and confused

OriginalityDivisive60

fresh take on franchise satire for fans, derivative genre spoof for critics

HumorDivisive55

divisive: fans love the dry satire; many say it's not funny

Plot and storyDivisive55

loose workplace comedy structure; some find it aimless

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2024 · 8 episodes · 5.8 average across 1 rated episode

  • S1E1

    Scene 31A: Tecto Meets Eye

    Oct 6, 202429 minTMDB rating 5.8
  • S1E2

    Scene 36: The Invisible Jackhammer

    Oct 13, 202428 min
  • S1E3

    Scene 54: The Lilac Ghost

    Oct 20, 202428 min
  • S1E4

    Scene 83: Enter the Gurgler

    Oct 27, 202428 min
  • S1E5

    Scene 16: Eric's Hospital Scene

    Nov 3, 202428 min
  • S1E6

    Scene 110: Baptism of Fire

    Nov 10, 202429 min
  • S1E7

    Scene 113: The Bridge

    Nov 17, 202428 min
  • S1E8

    Scene 117: The Death of Eye

    Nov 24, 202430 minFinale

Watch experience

What is The Franchise like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Ironic, light and charged — 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
Satirical humor
Register
Satirical · 5% of showsAbsurdist · 6% of shows: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Cynical · 1% of shows
Told as
Case of the week plus an arcSingle-season story
ToneThe series holds its material at a satirical, knowing distance, mocking the absurdities of blockbuster filmmaking while never entirely losing affection for its characters.
The rideThe series swings between manic set chaos and quieter moments of creative doubt, with the emotional weight building through the mid-run as the production teeters.
StructureThe story is told in a conventional linear order, with no recurring structural devices across the run.
Episode formatEach episode centres on a different production crisis (actor feuds, script breakdowns, set disasters) while the whole season tracks the film's troubled path to completion.
Season formatThe show is a concluded limited series tracking one production from first day to final wrap.

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 you thinking about the state of corporate cinema while being angry at the exploitation and nonsense it satirises.
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 archetypeAn ensemble workplace satire about the chaos of superhero franchise filmmaking has no single plot archetype; the typical episode follows the team coping with absurd production crises.

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 showsSelfFameSociety
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% (this title) · 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% (this title): Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% (this title) · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% (this title) · Technology 1%

Society

Fame · 5% of showsArt · 2% of showsPurpose
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe show explores the tension between creative ambition and the commercial machinery of franchise filmmaking, questioning what is lost when art becomes product.
StanceThe show satirizes the industrial blockbuster machine, laughing at the artistic and human compromises while leaving room for genuine affection for its beleaguered crew.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalUrbanRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · hybrid
Settinga superhero franchise film production, mostly on set and at studio lots

Content guide

Is The Franchise okay for kids?

TV-MA

The Franchise is rated TV-MA. As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (14/100), sexual content at minimal (6/100), language at severe (95/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at minimal (13/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Brazil16
  • MexicoB-15
  • SingaporeM18
  • Spain16
  • VITV-MA
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Profanity
Severe
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (5 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (30 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

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 The Franchise have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Franchise?

Cast

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

Himesh Patel
as Daniel
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.
Aya Cash
as Anita
Jessica Hynes
as Steph
Billy Magnussen
as Adam
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.
Lolly Adefope
as Dag
Darren Goldstein
as Pat
Isaac Powell
as Bryson
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Richard E. Grant
as Peter
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Daniel Brühl
as Eric
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.
Justin Edwards
as Rufus Maley
Best so far: Their highest-reaching show role to date — the title is too recent to say more.

Crew

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TMDB's suggestions for shows like The Franchise include Documentary Now! (2015), Portlandia (2011) and The Young Ones (1982).

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