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The U.S. and the Holocaust

The U.S. and the Holocaust

A history to be reckoned with.

2022Miniseries1 season3 episodes~133 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

Americans consider themselves a 'nation of immigrants', but as the catastrophe of the Holocaust unfolds in Europe, the U.S. prove unwilling to open its doors to more than a fraction of the hundreds of thousands of desperate refuge seekers. Through riveting firsthand testimony of witnesses and survivors who as children endured persecution, violence and flight as their families tried to escape Hitler, this three-part documentary series delves deeply into the tragic human consequences of public indifference, bureaucratic red tape and restrictive quota laws in America. Did the nation fail to live up to its ideals? This is a history to be reckoned with.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The U.S. and the Holocaust?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The U.S. and the Holocaust 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 The U.S. and the Holocaust?

The U.S. and the Holocaust earns 5 badges, led by Top 5% of shows and Deeply moving.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is The U.S. and the Holocaust worth watching?

The U.S. and the Holocaust's Midcredits score is the 95th percentile of all shows, from 2K ratings across 2 sources. 87% 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 Documentary96th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)97th
Approval (how many liked it)88th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

86 /100

97th percentile of all shows

95th percentile among Documentary97th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

Big peaks at both ends — people either love this or bounce off it hard.

Approval

How many liked it

87% liked it

88th percentile of all shows

84th percentile among Documentary90th percentile among 2020s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

71st percentile

2K ratings across platforms

92nd percentile among Documentary72nd percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps acknowledge the documentary's detailed archival presentation and its focus on American anti-Semitism and isolationism before and during the Holocaust.

Fans praised

  • Masterful archival research and rare footage
  • Powerful emotional impact and unflinching rawness
  • Reveals uncomfortable parallels to today's politics

Detractors panned

  • Historical inaccuracies and omissions
  • Partisan slant on modern immigration policy
  • Repetitive and not up to Burns' usual standards

What stands out

Emotional impact85

Moved to tears, powerful and upsetting, visceral footage

Cinematography80

Striking archival footage and photos, masterful visual storytelling

Atmosphere80

Sobering and harrowing tone, immersive historical context

Characters70

Survivor and descendant interviews bring personal stories to forefront

Pacing40

Overlong episodes and draggy narration, but fans found absorbing

Originality40

Detractors cite covered ground; fans note new archival material but familiar angle

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 18 points higher than non-US viewers.

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 2022 · 3 episodes

  • S1E1

    The Golden Door (Beginnings — 1938)

    Sep 18, 2022129 min
  • S1E2

    Yearning to Breathe Free (1938 — 1942)

    Sep 20, 2022138 min
  • S1E3

    The Homeless, Tempest-Tossed (1942 — )

    Sep 21, 2022131 minFinale

Watch experience

What is The U.S. and the Holocaust like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — a slow-burn watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
ContemplativeElegiacDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Bleak · 3% of shows
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Anthology episodes · 6% of showsSingle-season story
ToneThe documentary presents its history with gravity and solemnity, remaining sincere and unembellished.
The rideThe series maintains a consistent solemn and reflective mood, with periods of dread as historical atrocities are recounted.
StructureThe series presents a chronological account of the Holocaust and America's response.
Episode formatEach episode is a self-contained documentary segment focusing on a different aspect of America's response, with no continuing narrative thread.
Season formatAll three episodes together tell one complete story about America and the Holocaust across one season.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingHaunting · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves viewers with a deep, sobering reflection on America's failings and the ongoing relevance.
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 archetypeNon-narrative documentary; no plot archetype.

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 showsSelfPrejudiceSociety
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% (this title) · 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% (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%

Society

Prejudice · 2% of showsMemory · 3% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series examines America's systemic prejudice and indifference during the Holocaust, forcing a reckoning with national memory.
StanceThe series documents America's response to the Holocaust with a respectful, analytical posture that does not celebrate or satirize but presents the historical record.

The world

Mid 20th centuryInstitutionalUrbanRuralRealistic
Orchestral classicalAmbientSupportive music · original score
SettingAmerica and Europe during the Holocaust era, 1930s-1940s
MusicThe score underscores historical gravity without overwhelming the narration.

Content guide

Is The U.S. and the Holocaust okay for kids?

TV-14

The U.S. and the Holocaust is rated TV-14.

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does The U.S. and the Holocaust have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The U.S. and the Holocaust?

Cast

Peter Coyote
as Narrator
Adam Arkin
Murphy Guyer
Carolyn McCormick
Joe Morton
Matthew Rhys
Paul Corning
Leon Dische Becker
Paul Giamatti
as Madison Grant
Olivia Gilliatt

Crew

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