Skip to content
Motif

Collateral

The truth doesn't take sides.

2018Miniseries1 season4 episodes~58 min/epTV-PGMotif score: 38th percentile of all shows

When a pizza delivery driver is shot dead in south London, a tenacious detective goes after the people traffickers behind his murder and unravels a conspiracy that goes to the top.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Collateral?

As of October 24, 2026, Motif lists Collateral streaming on Netflix and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about Collateral?

Collateral earns 4 badges, led by Preferred by Critics and Thought-provoking.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Collateral worth watching?

Collateral's Motif score is the 38th percentile of all shows, from 25K ratings across 2 sources. 65% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Motif score

How well it was received

38th percentile

Better received than 38% of shows

29th percentile among Crime36th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)38th
Approval (how many liked it)40th

Acclaim

Broadly Agreed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

67 /100

38th percentile of all shows

29th percentile among Crime36th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

65% liked it

40th percentile of all shows

28th percentile among Crime38th percentile among 2010s
65% rated it 7–1035% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

87th percentile

24K ratings across platforms

79th percentile among Crime88th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 5% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree that the series tries to tackle multiple serious social issues (immigration, military trauma, institutional hypocrisy) but disagree on whether that ambition makes it compelling or overloaded.

Fans praised

  • Strong central performance from Carey Mulligan as a quietly commanding detective
  • Ambitious interweaving of social issues (immigration, military, church, politics) into a single crime narrative
  • Tight 4-episode format that respects the viewer's time and builds intrigue

Detractors panned

  • Heavy-handed, preachy political messaging that overwhelms the crime story
  • Unrealistic character connections and contrived coincidences linking subplots
  • Stilted, unnatural dialogue that feels like theatrical exposition rather than natural speech

What stands out

Acting78

Carey Mulligan praised as compelling lead; some critics find her monotone or robotic

OriginalityDivisive60

Unusual blend of crime thriller with state-of-the-nation social commentary

PacingDivisive55

First episode gripping, later episodes slow and meandering

Plot and storyDivisive50

Intriguing premise undermined by excessive subplots and implausible connections

CharactersDivisive45

Interesting but thinly drawn; many characters feel like props for social commentary

TensionDivisive45

Lacks sustained suspense; more a slow-burn drama than a thriller

DialogueDivisive40

Stilted, overly theatrical, and preachy rather than naturalistic

EndingDivisive40

Unsatisfying conclusion with many loose threads and unanswered questions

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 12 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 21 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2018 · 4 episodes · 6.4 average across 4 rated episodes

  • S1E1

    Episode 1

    Feb 12, 201860 minTMDB rating 6.9Season best
  • S1E2

    Episode 2

    Feb 19, 201860 minTMDB rating 6.1
  • S1E3

    Episode 3

    Feb 26, 201860 minTMDB rating 5.7
  • S1E4

    Episode 4

    Mar 5, 201860 minTMDB rating 6.7Finale

Watch experience

What is Collateral like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

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

Setting

  • Contemporary
  • Realistic
  • Urban
  • Institutional

Style

  • Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
  • Cold and cerebral: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.

Themes

  • Deception
  • Justice
  • Power

What it asks of you

  • Even-paced
  • Full focus
  • Affecting
  • Ambiguous

How it leaves you

  • Thought-provoking
  • Unsettling

Feelings

  • Tense
  • Cold
  • Contemplative

Story

  • Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.
ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Heaviest: late
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series treats its serious subject with gravity and a cool, investigative detachment.
The rideSustained tension throughout, with a cold investigative mood, building toward a heavier climax.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically over four days, following the investigation step by step.
Episode formatA four-episode limited series telling one continuous murder investigation across all episodes.
Season formatThe series is a concluded limited series with one complete story across its single season.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Why it leaves you this wayThe series raises uncomfortable questions about complicity and immigration policy, lingering in the mind.
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% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% (this title) · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

8% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe series follows a detective investigating a seemingly random murder that gradually reveals a cover-up involving military intelligence and immigration policies.

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 showsSelf
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% (this title): Power 5% (this title) · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6% (this title)
  • 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

Deception · 6% of showsJustice · 14% of showsPower · 5% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on uncovering hidden truths—lies, cons, and manipulation—within intersecting criminal and political networks.
StanceThe series questions the systems of power and deception that allow crime and corruption to flourish, without offering easy answers.

The world

Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Ruth Barrett
SettingModern London, spanning police stations, streets, and the intersecting worlds of crime and politics.
MusicThe score likely underscores the tense, brooding atmosphere of the investigation.

Content guide

Is Collateral okay for kids?

TV-PG

Collateral is rated TV-PG. As of October 28, 2026, Motif content scores put its violence at moderate (53/100), sexual content at moderate (58/100), language at moderate (51/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (38/100) and frightening material at moderate (44/100). Overall it is heavier than 85% of TV-PG shows.

Ratings in 13 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany16
  • France18
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Austria14
  • Czechia18+
  • Hungary16
  • MexicoB-15
  • Poland16
  • RO15
  • Spain16
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 45% of all showsHeavier than 85% of TV-PG shows
Violence & Gore
Moderate
heavy for a TV-PG show
heavier than 76%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-PG show
heavier than 97%
Profanity
Moderate
heavy for a TV-PG show
heavier than 91%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a TV-PG show
heavier than 75%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-PG show
heavier than 64%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is sexual content, heavier than 97% of TV-PG shows.

Source: Motif content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Collateral have?

Motif's classifier found 5 depicted content warnings in Collateral: Gore or body horror (moderate), Sexual harassment or grooming (moderate), plus 3 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes or plot synopsis; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

Screened from limited information, so some warnings may be missing.

ModerateGore or body horrorSexual harassment or grooming

Cast and crew

Who is in Collateral?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Carey Mulligan
as DI Kip Glaspie
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Nathaniel Martello-White
as DS Nathan Bilk
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Hayley Squires
as Laurie Stone
Vineeta Rishi
as DC Rakhee Shah
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jeany Spark
as Sandrine Shaw
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Nicola Walker
as Jane Oliver
John Simm
as David Mars MP
Kae Alexander
as Linh Xuan Huy
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ahd
as Fatima Asif
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
July Namir
as Mona Asif
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are shows like Collateral?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Collateral include Gone (2026), Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent (2024) and C.B. Strike (2017).

Like this, but

Explore by

What other shows share a tag with Collateral?

237 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: conspiracy thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.