Skip to content
MovieCove
Grant

Grant

2020Miniseries1 season3 episodes~85 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

This documentary-series examines Grant's life story using his perspective and experiences to explore a turbulent time in history: the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Grant?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Grant streaming on HISTORY Vault via Prime Video, Netflix, Pluto TV (free), Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Rent / Buy

BuyRentBuy

Highlights

What stands out about Grant?

Grant earns 4 badges, led by Top 5% of shows and Universally Loved.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Grant worth watching?

Grant's Midcredits score is the 95th percentile of all shows, from 3K ratings across 2 sources. 91% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

95th percentile

Better received than 95% of shows

92nd percentile among Documentary96th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)90th
Approval (how many liked it)95th

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

81 /100

90th percentile of all shows

85th percentile among Documentary92nd percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

91% liked it

95th percentile of all shows

92nd percentile among Documentary95th percentile among 2020s
91% rated it 7–109% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

67th percentile

3K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Documentary68th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 30% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors agree the series is historically significant but suffers from excessive commercial interruptions and mixed execution in details.

Fans praised

  • Justin Salinger's nuanced portrayal of Grant
  • informative mix of expert historians, reenactments, and period photos
  • corrects historical myths and highlights Grant's military and presidential significance

Detractors panned

  • excessive commercial breaks ruin flow
  • historical inaccuracies and questionable casting
  • awkward pacing and dull experts in some segments

What stands out

ActingDivisive82

Salinger's Grant praised as superb, nuanced; a few detractors call it laughable or miscast

Emotional impactDivisive80

Inspiring and moving portrayal of Grant's struggles and achievements

Originality80

Refreshing corrective to Lost Cause narrative, but familiar docudrama format

Atmosphere78

Immersive recreation of Civil War era and Grant's life, despite minor inaccuracies

CharactersDivisive75

Complex portrait of Grant as a man and leader, but limited character depth beyond him

Plot and story72

Sweeping but sometimes sparse overview of Grant's life; structural flaws noted

Cinematography70

Effective period visuals and maps, but some low-budget slow-motion and cheesy reenactments

Pacing45

Commercial breaks ruin flow; even fans complain, but reenactments keep engagement

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 15 points higher than non-US viewers.

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 2020 · 3 episodes

  • S1E1

    Unlikely Hero

    May 25, 202080 min
  • S1E2

    Lincoln's General

    May 26, 202080 min
  • S1E3

    Freedom's Champion

    May 27, 202080 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Grant like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and charged — a slow-burn watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
ContemplativeTense
Heaviest: middle
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Warm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
TonePlays its material straight, with solemn respect for the subject.
The rideThe series balances reflective analysis of Grant's life with the tension of military campaigns, with the emotional weight concentrated on the Civil War battles.
StructureTold chronologically across three episodes, combining reenactments with expert commentary.
Episode formatThe three episodes form a continuous biographical narrative of Grant's life, each chapter building on the previous one.
Season formatThe series is a limited documentary that tells Grant's complete story in one season.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingDevastating · 1% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer reflecting on Grant's underappreciated role and the tragic failure of Reconstruction.
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%: 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 covering Grant's life and the Civil War; it does not follow a 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 showsSelfWarSurvival
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% (this title): Survival 12% · War 1% (this title) · 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%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Survival

War · 1% of showsLegacy · 3% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series examines Grant's life through his experiences in the Civil War and Reconstruction, focusing on leadership during conflict and the lasting impact of his actions.
StanceThe series presents Grant's life and the historical period as a factual account, observing events neutrally without overt celebration or condemnation.

The world

19th centuryRuralInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalAmbientSupportive music · original score
SettingUnited States during the Civil War and Reconstruction era
MusicThe score accompanies the historical narrative with a mix of orchestral and ambient pieces to evoke the period's gravity.

Content guide

Is Grant okay for kids?

TV-14

Grant is rated TV-14. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (75/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at moderate (50/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (50/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • Germany12
  • BrazilL
  • MexicoD
  • Spain13
  • Türkiye13+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (11 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 Grant have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Grant?

Cast

Justin Salinger
as Ulysses S. Grant
Carel Nel
as Abraham Lincoln
Francis Chouler
as John Rawlins
Gabriel Harry Meltz
as Grant Staff Officer
Barton A. Myers
as Historian
Dianne Simpson
as Julia Grant
Craig Jackson
as General Halleck
Camilla Wolfson
as Young Julia
Daniel Fox
as Colonel Charles Marshall
Brian Heydenrych
as Robert E. Lee

Crew

More like this

What are shows like Grant?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Grant include Amend: The Fight for America (2021), How to Become a Tyrant (2021) and The Vietnam War (2017).

Like this, but

Explore by

What other shows share a tag with Grant?

Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.