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The Last Enemy

The Last Enemy

2008Miniseries1 season5 episodes~60 min/epMidcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

Reclusive mathematician Stephen Ezard returns to England after years in China, finds his brother's widow, and becomes entangled in a plot involving a new national database (TIA) and a terrorist scheme.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Last Enemy?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Last Enemy streaming on PBS Masterpiece via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about The Last Enemy?

The Last Enemy earns 2 badges, led by Thought-provoking and Broadly Agreed.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is The Last Enemy worth watching?

The Last Enemy's Midcredits score is the 47th percentile of all shows, from 2.9K ratings across 2 sources. 71% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

47th percentile

Better received than 47% of shows

43rd percentile among Adventure40th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)43rd
Approval (how many liked it)51st

Acclaim

Broadly Agreed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

69 /100

43rd percentile of all shows

43rd percentile among Adventure36th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

71% liked it

51st percentile of all shows

46th percentile among Adventure45th percentile among 2000s
71% rated it 7–1029% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

63rd percentile

2.9K ratings across platforms

54th percentile among Adventure56th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 31% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the series has a timely, thought-provoking premise about surveillance but is hindered by an overly complicated and poorly-paced narrative.

Fans praised

  • Benedict Cumberbatch's performance as a socially inept mathematician
  • chillingly relevant surveillance-state premise
  • complex plot rewarding patient viewers

Detractors panned

  • convoluted, incoherent plot with unresolved threads
  • slow pacing and padded runtime across five episodes
  • unconvincing love story and cardboard characters

What stands out

ActingDivisive82

exceptional cast, especially Cumberbatch and Carlyle, though some detractors find performances stiff

AtmosphereDivisive70

dark, paranoid tone effectively evokes dystopia

OriginalityDivisive55

timely surveillance premise but derivative of 1984 and similar works

TensionDivisive50

effective in early episodes, dissipates later

EndingDivisive45

chilling but unsatisfying resolution to many subplots

CharactersDivisive40

weakly written, motivations unclear, hard to empathize

Plot and storyDivisive35

overly convoluted, too many subplots, confusing until end

PacingDivisive25

too slow and padded for a five-hour miniseries

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 2008 · 5 episodes

  • S1E1

    Episode 1

    Feb 17, 200885 min
  • S1E2

    Episode 2

    Feb 24, 200856 min
  • S1E3

    Episode 3

    Mar 2, 200856 min
  • S1E4

    Episode 4

    Mar 9, 200856 min
  • S1E5

    Episode 5

    Mar 16, 200856 minFinale

Watch experience

What is The Last Enemy 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
TenseCold
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Cold and cerebral · 6% of shows: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series treats its near-future surveillance state premise with a straight, serious face, never winking at the audience, emphasizing dread and intellectual chill.
The rideSustained suspense with a cold, paranoid atmosphere that builds toward a climactic late-season resolution.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly across episodes, following Stephen's investigation in chronological order with no structural tricks.
Episode formatA single continuous story across 5 episodes, built like a long film.
Season formatOne season telling one complete story; concluded.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves you troubled by its vision of a surveillance state and the personal costs, even if the execution falters.
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).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

with Overcoming the monster underneath

Why this archetypeStephen Ezard's search for the truth behind his brother's death leads him into a government conspiracy, fitting the mystery structure with an investigation arc, while the oppressive surveillance state provides a monster to overcome.

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 showsSelfFreedomPower
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% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4% (this title)
  • 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% (this title) · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Power

Freedom · 4% of showsTruth · 6% of showsIdentity
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores liberty lost to surveillance and state control, alongside a personal quest for truth and self-discovery.
StanceThe series warns about the erosion of freedom through state surveillance, focusing on Stephen and Yasim's separate struggles.

The world

Near futureUrbanInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · Magnus Fiennes
SettingA near-future surveillance state in Britain
MusicMagnus Fiennes provides a tense, minimalist score that underscores the surveillance theme.

Content guide

Is The Last Enemy okay for kids?

As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its sexual content at intense (67/100). It has too few votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • UK15
  • Ireland15
Overall
needs 3 or more scored categories
not ranked
Sex & Nudity
Intense
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Overall standing needs at least three scored categories; this title has 1.

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 The Last Enemy have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Last Enemy?

Cast

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

Benedict Cumberbatch
as Stephen Ezard
Rising: A short career with a standing when this show came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Anamaria Marinca
as Yasim Anwar
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Max Beesley
as Michael Ezard
Robert Carlyle
as David Russell
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.
Eva Birthistle
as Eleanor Brooke
Geraldine James
as Barbara Turney
David Harewood
as Patrick Nye
Alex Caan
as Haman
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Christopher Fulford
as George Gibbon
Alina Serban
as Nadir
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

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