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The Long Hot Summer

The Long Hot Summer

One woman's secret and another woman's love are all that can save him from a town's fury. Tonight, it's too hot to sleep!

1985Miniseries1 season2 episodes~200 min/epMidcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

When drifter Ben Quick arrives in a small Mississippi town, Will Varner, a family patriarch, sees Ben as a better choice to inherit the family business than his only son, Jody. Will therefore tries to push Ben and his daughter Clara into marriage. Clara is initially reluctant to court Ben, and Jody senses that Ben threatens his position.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Long Hot Summer?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Long Hot Summer streaming on Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

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Highlights

What stands out about The Long Hot Summer?

The Long Hot Summer earns 2 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Preferred by US Viewers.

Reception

Is The Long Hot Summer worth watching?

The Long Hot Summer's Midcredits score is the 42nd percentile of all shows, from 1.1K ratings across 2 sources. 73% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

42nd percentile

Better received than 42% of shows

37th percentile among Drama30th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)31st
Approval (how many liked it)55th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

66 /100

31st percentile of all shows

28th percentile among Drama22nd percentile among 1980s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.5 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

73% liked it

55th percentile of all shows

50th percentile among Drama43rd percentile among 1980s
73% rated it 7–1027% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

42nd percentile

1.1K ratings across platforms

30th percentile among Drama25th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a slow-burn Southern melodrama built on passionate performances and atmospheric heat, but its length and deliberate pacing can test patience.

Fans praised

  • Don Johnson as magnetic, enigmatic outsider with emotional depth
  • southern atmosphere captured through heat, humidity, and visual texture
  • central love story between Ben and Noel as intense, believable, and emotionally complex

Detractors panned

  • miscast leads—Judith Ivey unconvincing, Jason Robards lacks bombast
  • anachronistic costumes and props mixing 1930s and 1980s erode period credibility
  • tedious pacing and padded runtime from slow character setup

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive80

thick Southern heat and moral decay strongly conveyed; detractors see costume inconsistency

Cinematography75

beautifully shot—heat, light, and period locations vividly captured

ActingDivisive70

polarizing—fans praise Johnson and Robards; detractors find Johnson wooden and Ivey miscast

CharactersDivisive70

richly drawn archetypes with emotional complexity undermined by uneven casting

Emotional impactDivisive70

romantic and familial struggles resonate deeply with fans; detractors feel no connection

Plot and storyDivisive55

predictable story lifted by Faulkner source material; felt padded by slow exposition

DialogueDivisive50

sometimes stilted or unintentionally funny, but fans see authenticity in Southern cadence

Pacing35

slow burn that tests patience; many fans concede the first hour drags

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 10 points higher than non-US viewers.

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 1985 · 2 episodes

  • S1E1
    S1E1

    Episode 1

    Oct 6, 1985120 min
  • S1E2
    S1E2

    Episode 2

    Oct 7, 1985120 minFinale

Watch experience

What is The Long Hot Summer like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

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

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Melodramatic · 9% of shows: Heightened emotion, played large.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Warm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe miniseries treats its Southern Gothic melodrama with earnest seriousness, never winking at the viewer, but with heightened emotions and atmosphere.
The rideThe synopsis suggests a sustained atmosphere of tension and melancholy as the loner contends with condemnation and conflict.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional beginning-middle-end across its two-night broadcast.
Episode formatThe 2-episode run tells one continuous story about a loner's arrival and conflict, with no case-of-the-week reset.
Season formatThe series concluded after one season with a complete story arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe story of an outsider breaking through prejudice and finding love leaves you satisfied but aware of the simmering tensions that remain.
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).Rags
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% (this title): Underdog triumph 2% (this title) · 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%

Rags to riches: A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition. · Underdog triumph: Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).

3% of shows fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeBen Quick, an outsider judged by his father's reputation, gradually earns acceptance and rises in the community through his own merit and a strategic marriage.

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 showsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% (this title) · 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% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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%

Self

IdentityPrejudice · 2% of showsRedemption · 3% of shows: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe story explores how a person is judged by their family history and must fight to define themselves beyond inherited guilt.
StanceThe series questions whether a person can escape the shadow of their family's reputation and find their own identity.

The world

Early 20th centuryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Charles Bernstein
SettingA small, insular Southern farming community in the hot summer months.
MusicCharles Bernstein's score likely underscores the tensions in the small-town drama.

Content guide

Is The Long Hot Summer okay for kids?

As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (11 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 Long Hot Summer have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Long Hot Summer?

Cast

Don Johnson
as Ben Quick
Jason Robards
as Will Varner
Judith Ivey
as Noel Varner
Cybill Shepherd
as Eula Varner
Ava Gardner
as Minnie Littlejohn
William Russ
as Jody Varner
Wings Hauser
as Wilson Mahood
Alexandra Johnson
as Agnes Stewart
Stephen Davies
as Alan Stewart
Charlotte Stanton
as Mrs. Stewart

Crew

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