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Darnell Martin

Darnell Martin

Director, also writer and producer · Born January 7, 1964 (62) · The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Darnell Martin (born January 7, 1964) is an American television and film director, screenwriter, and producer.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 7, 1964 (62)
From
The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Director, also writer and producer
Titles
39 on MovieCove · 48 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 1% in 30 days

What are Darnell Martin's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
26%
Bonds
24%
Ideas
12%
Society
10%
Morality
10%
Survival
10%
Power
8%
Self-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 4 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 6 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 0 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Melancholic
4
Hopeful
3
Romantic
2
Dread
2
Other
7

How their films linger

Bittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Darnell Martin's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 27 of their 39 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Darnell Martin's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

48 credits, 39 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • American Rust(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • The Good Lord Bird(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Outer Banks(2020)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • For Life(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • The I-Land(2019)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • New Amsterdam(2018)

    Show 11 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Lore(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all shows

  • Incorporated(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • Blindspot(2015)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Madam Secretary(2014)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • The Night Shift(2014)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Wish You Well(2013)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Sleepy Hollow(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Chicago Fire(2012)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Firelight(2012)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Grimm(2011)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Unforgettable(2011)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • The Lost Valentine(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Walking Dead(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Detroit 1-8-7(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Happy Town(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Mercy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Vampire Diaries(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Cadillac Records(2008)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Life on Mars(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • The Mentalist(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Gossip Girl(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Masters of Science Fiction(2007)

    Show Creator

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • Kidnapped (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Saved (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • South Beach (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God(2005)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Dragnet(2003)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent(2001)

    Show 10 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Prison Song(2001)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Oz(1997)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Nowhere Fast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Darnell

  • I Like It Like That(1994)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • ER(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Homicide: Life on the Street(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Cooking Tandoori Chicken (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Producer

  • Suspect (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Do the Right Thing(1989)

    Second Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Deadly Obsession (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Denise

  • Little brother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 48 titles, 47 of them dated from 1989 to 2021.

Biggest box office

Cadillac Records (2008)

$8.9M worldwide

Highest rated

The Lost Valentine (2011)

Midcredits 89th

Most popular right now

The I-Land (2019)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 48: 2 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting43 of 48: 39 only directing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score75thWriting4 of 48: 0 only writing, 4 with another roleProducing2 of 48: 1 only producing, 1 with another roleEditing1 of 48: 0 only editing, 1 with another roleOther crew2 of 48: 2 only other crew, 0 with another role

48 titles, 4 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1980s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew1990s9 · 1 acting · 8 crew2000s15 · crew2010s17 · crew2020s4 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Darnell Martin's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 72nd percentile, the median of all 8; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 63rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 39 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up20
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

22 of their 39 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser22
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · director, writer, producer

Prison Song (2001)

80th percentile spread · 18% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

The Mentalist (2008)

Midcredits 96th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 69/100 and the pacing 49/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Darnell Martin work with?

People who share at least 2 of Darnell Martin's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Peter C. Frank shares the most, 4.

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers