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Copper

Copper

In 1864, he was New York's finest.

2012–2013Ended2 seasons24 episodes~42 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

Kevin Corcoran is a rugged young Irish immigrant policeman trying to keep the peace in the historical Five Points neighborhood in 1860s New York City while searching for information on the disappearance of his wife and death of his daughter.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Copper?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Copper streaming on AMC+, Pluto TV (free), The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free).

Subscription

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Highlights

What stands out about Copper?

Copper earns 5 badges, led by Atmospheric and Visual feast.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Copper worth watching?

Copper's Midcredits score is the 66th percentile of all shows, from 12K ratings across 2 sources. 83% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

66th percentile

Better received than 66% of shows

57th percentile among Action64th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)50th
Approval (how many liked it)79th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

71 /100

50th percentile of all shows

43rd percentile among Action48th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

83% liked it

79th percentile of all shows

70th percentile among Action77th percentile among 2010s
83% rated it 7–1017% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

81st percentile

11K ratings across platforms

52nd percentile among Action82nd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 3% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps acknowledge the show's gritty historical setting and strong production design, but disagree on whether the grim tone and characterization serve the story.

Fans praised

  • vivid 1860s Five Points setting
  • solid lead and supporting performances
  • gritty, uncompromising tone and violence

Detractors panned

  • story buried under misery and brutality
  • unlikable, thuggish protagonist
  • underdeveloped characters

What stands out

Atmosphere90

authentic, squalid Five Points brought to life

CinematographyDivisive85

gritty, immersive production design and period detail

ActingDivisive75

solid lead and supporting cast, though detractors find the protagonist off-putting

TensionDivisive70

edge-of-seat moments; gratuity criticized

OriginalityDivisive65

fresh take on 1860s NYC compared to typical period pieces

PacingDivisive50

mixed—some find it gripping, others drag

Plot and storyDivisive40

detractors say story takes a backseat to misery; fans like the twists

CharactersDivisive35

detractors cite lack of development and unlikable lead; fans find them compelling

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

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

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

  • Women vs men 5 points apart

Episodes

2 seasons

Season 2 · 2013 · 13 episodes

  • S2E1

    Home, Sweet Home

    Jun 23, 201345 min
  • S2E2

    Aileen Aroon

    Jun 30, 201345 min
  • S2E3

    The Children of the Battlefield

    Jul 7, 201345 min
  • S2E4

    I Defy Thee to Forget

    Jul 14, 201345 min
  • S2E5

    A Morning Song

    Jul 21, 201345 min
  • S2E6

    To One Shortly to Die

    Jul 28, 201345 min

Watch experience

What is Copper like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

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

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseContemplativeMelancholicWarm
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Brutal · 3% of shows
Told as
Case of the week plus an arcNew arc each season
ToneThe show presents its material with gritty realism, never shying away from the brutality and injustice of the era, played completely straight.
The rideThe show maintains a persistently gritty and suspenseful atmosphere, punctuated by moments of character-driven warmth and moral reflection.
StructureThe narrative is straightforward, each episode following a case from crime to resolution with a seasonal arc running in the background.
Episode formatEach episode presents a self-contained police case while a season-long narrative arc concerning corruption and personal vendettas unfolds.
Season formatWhile the second season continues the story, it introduces new central conflicts and shifts the series' focus, fitting the 'new arc per season' model with a returning cast.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe show leaves you contemplating the brutal realities of 1860s New York and the moral compromises of its characters.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous 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).Mystery
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 archetypeEach episode follows Detective Corcoran investigating a crime in Five Points, driven by the question of who committed it and why.

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 showsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7% (this title)
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

IdentityClass · 4% of showsLoyalty · 7% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores how a man forged by war and Irish heritage navigates a new identity as a detective in a racially and socially stratified New York, alongside the competing loyalties to his past and his present duty.
StanceThe series interrogates themes of justice, loyalty, and identity within a corrupt and stratified society, questioning the possibility of moral integrity in a flawed system.

The world

19th centuryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Supportive music · original score
SettingThe Five Points neighborhood and the broader slums of 1860s New York City

Content guide

Is Copper okay for kids?

TV-MA

Copper is rated TV-MA. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (78/100), sexual content at moderate (39/100), language at intense (73/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (83/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • Canada18+
  • Austria16
  • Switzerland18
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 27%
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
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 (23 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 Copper have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Copper?

Cast

Tom Weston-Jones
as Detective Kevin Corcoran
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kyle Schmid
as Robert Morehouse
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Anastasia Griffith
as Elizabeth Haverford
Ato Essandoh
as Doctor Matthew Freeman
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kevin Ryan
as Detective Francis Maguire
Dylan Taylor
as Andrew O'Brien
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Tessa Thompson
as Sara Freeman
Franka Potente
as Eva Heissen
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ron White
as Captain Ciaran Joseph Sullivan
Kiara Glasco
as Annie Reilly

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