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Metalocalypse

Metalocalypse

2006–2023Ended5 seasons64 episodes~11 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

Part-American, part-Scandinavian death-metal band Dethklok has a lingering effect on its fans, who take the words seriously and do anything Dethklok lyrics say. The government fears the band's influence and sets out to destroy it by covert means; for example, by sending military pharmaceutical psychotropic drug manufacturers. Deemed sociopaths for tossing hot coffee at their concert attendees, two of the band members are alcoholics, and they all have self-esteem issues.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Metalocalypse?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Metalocalypse to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about Metalocalypse?

Metalocalypse earns 8 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 10% of shows.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Content

Reception

Is Metalocalypse worth watching?

Metalocalypse's Midcredits score is the 91st percentile of all shows, from 20K ratings across 2 sources. 87% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

91st percentile

Better received than 91% of shows

92nd percentile among Animation86th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)89th
Approval (how many liked it)88th

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

81 /100

89th percentile of all shows

91st percentile among Animation85th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

87% liked it

88th percentile of all shows

91st percentile among Animation84th percentile among 2000s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

91st percentile

19K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Animation86th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 29% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is a darkly humorous, gore-filled cartoon that satirizes metal stereotypes through the antics of an ultra-successful death metal band.

Fans praised

  • Authentic celebration of metal culture and inside jokes
  • High-quality original music that stands on its own
  • Hilarious character dynamics and quotable dialog

Detractors panned

  • Juvenile humor reliant on gore and shock value
  • One-dimensional characters and formulaic jokes
  • Uninspired execution despite promising premise

What stands out

Sound and musicDivisive85

Original songs written and performed by Brendon Small are widely praised as genuinely good metal

OriginalityDivisive75

Unique premise blending metal parody with adult animation; detractors call it derivative of Spinal Tap

DialogueDivisive72

Witty banter and quotable one-liners; broken English of Scandinavian characters praised

AtmosphereDivisive72

Dark, brutal world-building with a consistent metal aesthetic

CharactersDivisive70

Each band member a distinct caricature of metal archetypes; fans find them lovable, detractors call them one-dimensional

HumorDivisive70

Dark and absurdist comedy; fans find hilarious, detractors see as juvenile and forced

ActingDivisive70

Voice cast includes metal icons and Mark Hamill; character voices distinct but sometimes hard to understand

Plot and storyDivisive45

Loose episodic structure with occasional serialized arcs; fans enjoy randomness, critics find aimless

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 16 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 35 points higher than critics.

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

  • Women vs men 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Episodes

4 seasons

Season 4 · 2012 · 12 episodes

  • S4E1

    Fanklok

    Apr 29, 201211 min
  • S4E2

    Diversityklok

    May 6, 201211 min
  • S4E3

    Prankklok

    May 13, 201211 min
  • S4E4

    Motherklok

    May 20, 201211 min
  • S4E5

    Bookklok

    May 27, 201211 min
  • S4E6

    Writersklok

    Jun 3, 201211 min

Watch experience

What is Metalocalypse like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Ironic, serious and intense — a relentless watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
AbsurdTenseThrilling
Heaviest: late
Dark humor
Register
Satirical · 5% of showsAbsurdist · 6% of shows: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Campy · 2% of shows
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcNew arc each season
ToneThe show holds its own material at a knowing distance, satirizing metal culture and its excesses while playing the absurdity straight.
The rideThe series is predominantly absurd and manic, with mounting tension as the conspiracy plot thickens, leading to a darker final stretch.
StructureEpisodes follow a conventional three-act structure, with the band facing and resolving an absurd crisis.
Episode formatEarly seasons are largely episodic, with self-contained absurd plots, but a conspiracy arc emerges over time, becoming dominant in later seasons.
Season formatEach season advances the overarching conspiracy plot while maintaining Dethklok's core status quo, especially in the later serialized seasons.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunCathartic · 3% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe absurd satire and brutal humor leave you entertained and still laughing.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet 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).ComedyFarce
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% (this title): Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% (this title) · 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%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Farce: Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).

12% of shows fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe typical episode follows Dethklok's absurd and violent misadventures, driven by their incompetence and the chaotic consequences of their fame.

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

Bonds

FriendshipFame · 5% of shows
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on the band members' dysfunctional but enduring friendship as they navigate the chaos of global superstardom.
StanceThe show satirizes rock stardom, corporate greed, and fan culture, gleefully mocking its subjects while still celebrating metal's over-the-top spirit.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
RockExperimentalForeground music · original score · Brendon Small
Settinga hyper-violent, metal-fueled world where the band's every action causes global chaos
MusicThe show features original Dethklok death metal songs composed by creator Brendon Small, integral to the series' identity.

Content guide

Is Metalocalypse okay for kids?

TV-MA

Metalocalypse is rated TV-MA. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (91/100), sexual content at intense (71/100), language at severe (85/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (94/100) and frightening material at severe (84/100). Overall it is heavier than 97% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 16 other countries
  • UK18
  • Canada18+
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany18
  • France18
  • Belgium12
  • Czechia18+
  • Hungary16
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland16
  • Portugal12AP
  • ROAP
  • Russia18+
  • Spain18
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Severe · all five categories
Heavier than 98% of all showsHeavier than 97% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 90%
Sex & Nudity
Intense
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 81%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 83%
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 98%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 87%

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

Heavy almost across the board: drug and alcohol content, violence, language, frightening material, and sexual content.

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 Metalocalypse have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Metalocalypse?

Cast

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

Brendon Small
as Nathan Explosion
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Tommy Blacha
as Toki Wartooth
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Mark Hamill
as Senator Stampingston
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Victor Brandt
as General Crozier
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Malcolm McDowell
as Vater Orlaag
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Laraine Newman
as News Anchor
George Fisher
as Metal Masked Assassin
Werner Herzog
as Ishnifus Meaddle
Kirk Hammett
as Barkeep
Janeane Garofalo
as Abigail Remeltindrinc

Crew

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474 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: dark comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.