Skip to content
MovieCove
Civilizations

Civilizations

2018Miniseries1 season9 episodes~60 min/epNot RatedMidcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

The story of art from the dawn of human history to the present day—for the first time on a global scale. Inspired by Civilisation, Kenneth Clark’s acclaimed landmark 1969 series about Western art, this series broadens the canvas to reveal the role art and the creative imagination have played across multiple cultures and civilizations.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Civilizations?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Civilizations streaming on BBC Select via Prime Video and BritBox.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Highlights

What stands out about Civilizations?

Civilizations earns 2 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Hopeful.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Civilizations worth watching?

Civilizations' Midcredits score is the 72nd percentile of all shows, from 771 ratings across 2 sources. 80% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

72nd percentile

Better received than 72% of shows

63rd percentile among Documentary70th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)67th
Approval (how many liked it)72nd

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

74 /100

67th percentile of all shows

57th percentile among Documentary65th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

80% liked it

72nd percentile of all shows

66th percentile among Documentary70th percentile among 2010s
80% rated it 7–1020% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

44th percentile

752 ratings across platforms

69th percentile among Documentary50th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 82% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Visually impressive photography of artworks and landscapes, but the series focuses almost exclusively on visual art rather than a broad definition of civilization.

Fans praised

  • updated global perspective on art history beyond Western bias
  • intellectually serious yet accessible commentary from top scholars
  • life-changing insight into art as a window into culture

Detractors panned

  • misleading title that neglects science, technology, and societal structures
  • presenters push personal agendas with exaggerated or unfair opinions

What stands out

Cinematography80

beautiful photography of art and landscapes

Emotional impact75

transformative for art newcomers

OriginalityDivisive70

welcome global update vs. derivative of Clark

DialogueDivisive55

commentary informative but sometimes pretentious or biased

Pacing30

sprawling and lacks analytical depth

Plot and storyDivisive30

incoherent structure, no overarching argument

Episodes

1 season

Series 1 · 2018 · 9 episodes · 4.2 average across 1 rated episode

  • S1E1

    Second Moment of Creation

    Apr 17, 201853 min
  • S1E2

    How Do We Look?

    Apr 24, 201853 minTMDB rating 4.2
  • S1E3

    God and Art

    May 1, 201853 min
  • S1E4

    Encounters

    May 8, 201853 min
  • S1E5

    Renaissances

    May 15, 201853 min
  • S1E6

    Paradise on Earth

    Jun 12, 201853 min

Watch experience

What is Civilizations like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you hopeful.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
ContemplativeHopefulWarm
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Warm
Told as
Episodic · 11% of shows: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series treats its subject matter with scholarly reverence and an affectionate eye for beauty, presenting art history with sincerity and wonder.
The rideThe series maintains a consistent reflective and appreciative tone throughout its episodes.
StructureThe series is composed of self-contained episodes each focusing on different cultures or themes across history.
Episode formatWhile each episode focuses on a different civilization, the series is a continuous thematic survey without a self-contained case structure.
Season formatThe series is a single-season limited series covering the story of ancient civilizations.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
HopefulRousing · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe series inspires appreciation for human creativity and leaves the viewer with a sense of connection across cultures and history.
How it ends · evidence
Cyclical 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 archetypeThis is a documentary series surveying world art and civilization; it has no narrative 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 showsSelfArtIdeas
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%: 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%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3% (this title)
  • Ideas 5% (this title): Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% (this title) · Technology 1%

Ideas

Art · 2% of showsLegacy · 3% of shows
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series focuses on the artistic and architectural achievements of ancient civilizations and what they left behind.
StanceThe series celebrates the ingenuity and artistic achievements of ancient civilizations.

The world

AncientInstitutionalWildernessUrbanRealistic
Orchestral classicalFolkSupportive music · original score · Tandis Jenhudson
SettingAncient civilizations across the globe, from Greece to Mesoamerica to Japan.
MusicThe score blends orchestral and folk elements to evoke the varied ancient cultures.

Content guide

Is Civilizations okay for kids?

Not Rated

Civilizations is not rated.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • Germany6
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoAA
  • PortugalNR
  • TürkiyeGenel İzleyici

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Civilizations have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Civilizations?

Cast

Liev Schreiber
as Self - Narrator (US version)
Simon Schama
as Self - Presenter
Maya Jasanoff
as Self - Harvard University
Mary Beard
as Self - Presenter
David Olusoga
as Self - Presenter
Jonathan Jones
as Self - Art Critic & Historian
Jay Xu
as Self - Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
Wulf Hein
as Self
Salima Ikram
as Self - The American University in Cairo
Benito Jesús Venegas Durán
as Self - Archaeologist

Crew

More like this

What are shows like Civilizations?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Civilizations include The Reluctant Traveler (2023), The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011) and How Do They Do It? (2006).

Like this, but

Explore by

What other shows share a tag with Civilizations?

Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.