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Helstrom

Helstrom

Every family has its demons.

2020Ended1 season10 episodes~50 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

Daimon and Ana Helstrom are the son and daughter of a mysterious and powerful serial killer. The siblings have a complicated dynamic as they track down the terrorizing worst of humanity — each with their attitude and skills.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Helstrom?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Helstrom streaming on Hulu and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Reception

Is Helstrom worth watching?

Helstrom's Midcredits score is the 37th percentile of all shows, from 12K ratings across 2 sources. 66% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

37th percentile

Better received than 37% of shows

29th percentile among Action42nd percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)34th
Approval (how many liked it)42nd

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

67 /100

34th percentile of all shows

27th percentile among Action37th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

66% liked it

42nd percentile of all shows

31st percentile among Action47th percentile among 2020s
66% rated it 7–1034% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

89th percentile

11K ratings across platforms

65th percentile among Action91st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 10% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show has a dark, supernatural premise and capable actors, but it struggles to fully commit to horror or action.

Fans praised

  • dark supernatural tone and horror elements
  • strong central performances, especially Sydney Lemmon
  • entertaining despite low expectations

Detractors panned

  • dull, formulaic horror-drama execution
  • weak dialogue and clichéd script
  • overly restrained family drama lacking scares

What stands out

Acting70

strong leads, especially Sydney Lemmon, limited by material

Effects and spectacle60

good VFX, but derivative

CharactersDivisive55

siblings compelling, side characters flat

Plot and storyDivisive50

intriguing premise, overly complicated

AtmosphereDivisive50

dark but not scary, lacks tension

OriginalityDivisive45

derivative, unfaithful to source

DialogueDivisive40

clichéd and weak

PacingDivisive40

slow, drags

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 8 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2020 · 10 episodes · 6.2 average across 10 rated episodes

  • S1E1

    Mother’s Little Helpers

    Oct 16, 202056 minTMDB rating 6.3
  • S1E2

    Viaticum

    Oct 16, 202049 minTMDB rating 6.6Season best
  • S1E3

    The One Who Got Away

    Oct 16, 202046 minTMDB rating 6.5
  • S1E4

    Containment

    Oct 16, 202053 minTMDB rating 6.3
  • S1E5

    Committed

    Oct 16, 202047 minTMDB rating 6.2
  • S1E6

    Leviathan

    Oct 16, 202049 minTMDB rating 6.5

Watch experience

What is Helstrom like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you bittersweet.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseDread
Heaviest: middle
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Episodic · 11% of shows: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Case of the week plus an arcSingle-season story
ToneThe show plays its horror and family drama straight, with a sombre, portentous atmosphere that never winks at the audience.
The rideA consistently tense atmosphere with dread from the hunt and family secrets, likely peaking in mid-season revelations.
StructureA case-of-the-week structure framed by a season-long arc about the siblings' family legacy.
Episode formatEpisodes likely feature tracking specific villains while a season-long arc about the mother and the siblings' powers unfolds.
Season formatA single season that tells a complete story, concluding the siblings' arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe unresolved family legacy and the siblings' uneasy reconciliation leave a bittersweet, thoughtful residue.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

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).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): 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% (this title)
  • 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. · Inner demon: The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.

18% of shows fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

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

Why this archetypeThe series follows siblings confronting both supernatural threats and their own inherited darkness, making inner_demon the primary subtype. A rebirth arc underlies their struggle with identity.

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% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • 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% · 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% (this title) · 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

IdentityFamily bondsTrauma · 5% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe siblings grapple with their lineage as children of a serial killer, exploring who they are in relation to that dark inheritance.
StanceThe series questions how identity is shaped by family and whether one can escape a monstrous lineage.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalHorror supernatural
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score
SettingA present-day city where a serial killer's legacy haunts his children.

Content guide

Is Helstrom okay for kids?

TV-MA

Helstrom is rated TV-MA. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (70/100), sexual content at mild (24/100), language at moderate (47/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (35/100) and frightening material at severe (80/100). Overall it is heavier than 40% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UK18
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • IDD
  • Netherlands16
  • Russia16+
  • SingaporeNC16
  • Spain16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 65% of all showsHeavier than 40% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 58%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 9%
Profanity
Moderate
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 16%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 17%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 81%

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

The reason to think twice is frightening material and violence. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA shows usually carry.

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 Helstrom have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Helstrom?

Cast

Tom Austen
as Daimon Helstrom
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sydney Lemmon
as Ana Helstrom
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Elizabeth Marvel
as Victoria Helstrom
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ariana Guerra
as Gabriella Rosetti
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
June Carryl
as Dr. Louise Hastings
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Robert Wisdom
as Caretaker
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alain Uy
as Chris Yen
Daniel Cudmore
as Keith Spivey
Trevor Roberts
as Father Joshua Crow
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Erica Tremblay
as Young Ana
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.

Crew

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