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The Split

The Split

2018–2024Ended4 seasons20 episodes~60 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

The Defoes, a family of female divorce lawyers, are forced to face their past following the return of their estranged father after a 30 year absence.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Split?

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

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Highlights

What stands out about The Split?

The Split earns 3 badges, led by Standout acting and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is The Split worth watching?

The Split's Midcredits score is the 84th percentile of all shows, from 13K ratings across 5 sources. 90% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

84th percentile

Better received than 84% of shows

85th percentile among Drama82nd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)70th
Approval (how many liked it)93rd

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

75 /100

70th percentile of all shows

72nd percentile among Drama68th percentile among 2010s

Critics 72 · Audience 75

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

Approval

How many liked it

90% liked it

93rd percentile of all shows

93rd percentile among Drama92nd percentile among 2010s
90% rated it 7–1010% rated it 1–6

Critics 75% · Audience 91%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Reach

How many have seen it

85th percentile

13K ratings across platforms

80th percentile among Drama85th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 25% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree The Split is a glossy, female-centric family drama centered on divorce lawyers, with strong production values and a talented cast.

Fans praised

  • Nicola Walker's layered, emotionally raw lead performance
  • Authentic family dynamics and believable character relationships
  • Sharp, intelligent writing that balances legal and personal drama

Detractors panned

  • Slides into predictable, melodramatic soap opera
  • Unlikable, entitled characters making irrational choices
  • Stilted, mannered dialogue with clichéd speeches

What stands out

Acting85

Nicola Walker's commanding central performance and strong ensemble cast

Emotional impactDivisive70

Genuinely moving moments undercut by melodrama

Cinematography70

Slick, glossy London visuals and stylish production design

CharactersDivisive65

Richly drawn but often unlikable and irrational characters

DialogueDivisive60

Intelligent prose marred by stilted, speechifying moments

Plot and storyDivisive55

Engaging family and legal storylines that become repetitive and predictable

Pacing55

Slow build that picks up but can lag with drawn-out scenes

OriginalityDivisive40

Familiar soap opera tropes and clichés

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 18 points higher than men.

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

  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Episodes

3 seasons

Series 3 · 2022 · 6 episodes

  • S3E1

    Episode 1

    Apr 4, 202259 min
  • S3E2

    Episode 2

    Apr 11, 202258 min
  • S3E3

    Episode 3

    Apr 18, 202258 min
  • S3E4

    Episode 4

    Apr 25, 202258 min
  • S3E5

    Episode 5

    May 2, 202258 min
  • S3E6

    Episode 6

    May 9, 202258 minFinale

Watch experience

What is The Split like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark 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
TenseContemplativeBittersweet
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 10% of shows
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcNew arc each season
ToneThe series plays its material straight, treating the domestic and legal conflicts with gravity and emotional honesty.
The rideThe series builds tension around family secrets and legal battles, punctuated by contemplative moments, with the emotional weight culminating in the final season.
StructureEach episode follows a conventional three-act structure: a legal case is introduced, developed, and resolved, with personal subplots woven through.
Episode formatEach episode typically features a divorce case-of-the-week that runs parallel to the ongoing family drama, with the personal arc progressing across seasons.
Season formatThe series continues with the same cast but each season focuses on a new phase of the family's reconciliation and the professional challenges that come with it.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you reflecting on family secrets, the cost of divorce, and the fragile bonds that hold people together.
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).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% (this title) · 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%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Institutional injustice: A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).

18% of shows fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeIn a typical episode, a divorce lawyer helps a client navigate the legal system, which functions as an oppressive institution. The monster is the institutional process of family law, while the broader series arc adds a familial rebirth element.

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 showsSelfMemorySelf
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% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% (this title) · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% (this title) · 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

Memory · 3% of showsFamily bondsJustice · 14% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores how the past, both personal and professional, resurfaces to reshape the present, particularly through the lens of family secrets and the legal system.
StanceThe series primarily observes the Defoe family navigating memory and reconciliation without taking a strong moral or celebratory stance, letting the characters' choices speak for themselves.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score
SettingLondon's family law courts and the professional home lives of high-profile divorce lawyers

Content guide

Is The Split okay for kids?

TV-MA

The Split is rated TV-MA.

Ratings in 11 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany18
  • France18
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Austria16
  • NetherlandsAL
  • Spain18
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan18+
  • Türkiye18+

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does The Split have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Split?

Cast

At least 2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Nicola Walker
as Hannah Stern
Stephen Mangan
as Nathan Stern
Deborah Findlay
as Ruth Defoe
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Annabel Scholey
as Nina Defoe
Fiona Button
as Rose Defoe
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Elizabeth Roberts
as Liv Stern
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Barry Atsma
as Christie Carmichael
Toby Oliver
as Vinnie Stern
Mollie Cowen
as Tilly Stern
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Chukwudi Iwuji
as Zander Hale
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

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What are shows like The Split?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like The Split include Doctor Foster: A Woman Scorned (2015), The Affair (2014) and Fatal Attraction (2023).

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131 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: courtroom drama. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.