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Ben Hur

Ben Hur

2010Miniseries1 season2 episodes~90 min/epMidcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

The struggle between the Roman Empire and its rebellious conquest Judaea, and two best friends caught in a terrible moment in history.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Ben Hur?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Ben Hur streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

Subscription

Free

Highlights

What stands out about Ben Hur?

Ben Hur earns 3 badges, led by Bittersweet and Preferred by Women.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Ben Hur worth watching?

Ben Hur's Midcredits score is the 21st percentile of all shows, from 2.4K ratings across 2 sources. 55% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

21st percentile

Better received than 21% of shows

14th percentile among Action20th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)20th
Approval (how many liked it)24th

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

63 /100

20th percentile of all shows

16th percentile among Action20th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.5 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

55% liked it

24th percentile of all shows

15th percentile among Action23rd percentile among 2010s
55% rated it 7–1045% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

63rd percentile

2.4K ratings across platforms

31st percentile among Action66th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 64% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

It is a lower-budget, more intimate retelling of the Ben-Hur story that emphasizes political and personal drama over epic spectacle.

Fans praised

  • strong cast chemistry and emotional performances
  • grittier, more intimate human story focused on personal stakes
  • effective political intrigue and expanded backstory for Messala

Detractors panned

  • cheap production values and disappointing chariot race
  • miscast leads lacking Mediterranean authenticity
  • inaccurate to the novel, botching religious and character details

What stands out

ActingDivisive65

decent but uneven cast; Morgan and Moore praised by fans, panned by detractors

CinematographyDivisive65

picturesque locations and authentic sets; some cheap TV feel

AtmosphereDivisive65

gritty, realistic ancient world; lacks epic grandeur

Plot and storyDivisive60

solid revenge story with political depth; detractors cite inaccuracy and missing key scenes

PacingDivisive60

engaging for most, but first part slow and padded for commercial breaks

CharactersDivisive55

more nuanced Messala and expanded political roles; weak villain threat

Effects and spectacleDivisive45

decent CGI naval battle but chariot race is a letdown

Originality40

derivative remake; fans appreciate fresh angle on politics

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 14 points higher than men.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 11 points higher than US viewers.

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 2010 · 2 episodes

  • S1E1

    Part 1

    Apr 4, 201090 min
  • S1E2

    Part 2

    Apr 11, 201090 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Ben Hur 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
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Epic · 3% of shows: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series plays its historical revenge drama straight, with sincere emotional weight and a grounded, realistic approach to the source material.
The rideThe story builds from betrayal and imprisonment through a revenge quest, with an emotionally heavy final act.
StructureThe miniseries follows a conventional beginning, middle, and end across its two episodes, with no nonlinear or unusual narrative devices.
Episode formatA miniseries of 2 episodes telling one continuous story.
Season formatOne season completing the entire narrative.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe series ends with a sense of forgiveness and the possibility of healing, leaving a bittersweet but hopeful aftertaste.
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).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% (this title) · 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%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

18% of shows fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeBen Hur's quest for revenge against Messala, who wrongly imprisoned him and his family, drives the story. The overarching structure is a personal vendetta against a tyrannical figure.

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 showsSelfRevengeMorality
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% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% (this title) · 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% · 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%

Morality

Revenge · 1% of showsRedemption · 3% of shows: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe story centers on a quest for vengeance that eventually gives way to a possibility of redemption.
StanceThe film likely questions the personal and moral costs of revenge, set against a backdrop of imperial power.

The world

AncientUrbanWildernessStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Rob Lane
SettingRoman Judaea, 1st century AD, from Jerusalem to the sea
MusicSweeping orchestral score typical of a biblical epic miniseries.

Content guide

Is Ben Hur okay for kids?

As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at intense (64/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Brazil14
  • MexicoC
  • Portugal12AP
  • TürkiyeGenel İzleyici
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavier than 83% of all shows
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (15 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 Ben Hur have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Ben Hur?

Cast

Joseph Morgan
as Ben Hur
Stephen Campbell Moore
as Messala
Emily VanCamp
as Esther
Kristin Kreuk
as Tirzah
Ray Winstone
as Arrius
Ben Cross
as Tiberius
Simón Andreu
as Simonides
Hugh Bonneville
as Pilate
Alex Kingston
as Ruth
James Faulkner
as Marcellus

Crew

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