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Traitors

Traitors

2019Ended1 season6 episodes~60 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

1945 London. Feef is seduced by a rogue American spy into spying on her own country. Her task? To uncover a Russian agent in the heart of the British Government.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Traitors?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Traitors streaming on Netflix.

Subscription

Highlights

What stands out about Traitors?

Traitors earns 3 badges, led by Thought-provoking and Broadly Agreed.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Traitors worth watching?

Traitors' Midcredits score is the 29th percentile of all shows, from 4.4K ratings across 2 sources. 62% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

29th percentile

Better received than 29% of shows

21st percentile among History27th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)25th
Approval (how many liked it)35th

Acclaim

Broadly Agreed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

65 /100

25th percentile of all shows

17th percentile among History25th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.7 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

62% liked it

35th percentile of all shows

41st percentile among History33rd percentile among 2010s
62% rated it 7–1038% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

74th percentile

4.4K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among History76th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 51% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slow-burn post-WWII spy drama that is well-acted and atmospheric but polarizing for its pacing and historical liberties.

Fans praised

  • Gripping spy thriller with layered characters
  • Strong period atmosphere and production design
  • Excellent performances, especially Keeley Hawes and Emma Appleton

Detractors panned

  • Historically inaccurate with skewed ideology
  • Muddled plot with too many subplots
  • Painfully slow pacing and poor lighting

What stands out

ActingDivisive76

Keeley Hawes and Emma Appleton praised as standouts; detractors find some performances stiff or miscast

AtmosphereDivisive75

Authentic post-war dreariness and noir tone praised; criticized as too dark

CharactersDivisive62

Fans see deep motivations; detractors find them one-dimensional or confusing

CinematographyDivisive60

Gritty noir look praised; excessive dark scenes and wonky camera angles criticized

TensionDivisive60

Growing suspense in later episodes; many found it lacking in thrills

DialogueDivisive60

Crisp and unexpected for fans; anachronistic and cringeworthy for detractors

Plot and storyDivisive55

Engaging for some but convoluted and historically inaccurate for many

PacingDivisive35

Slow-burn that rewards patience for fans; tortoise-like and boring for detractors

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

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

  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2019 · 6 episodes

  • S1E1

    Feef

    Feb 17, 201945 min
  • S1E2

    Hugh

    Feb 24, 201945 min
  • S1E3

    Priscilla

    Mar 3, 201945 min
  • S1E4

    Rae

    Mar 10, 201945 min
  • S1E5

    Jackson

    Mar 17, 201945 min
  • S1E6

    It's me

    Mar 24, 201945 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Traitors 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
TenseDread
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.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 plays its post-war espionage drama straight, with a serious, grounded tone that respects the historical setting and moral complexities.
The rideThe series maintains tension throughout, with the emotional weight likely accumulating toward the consequences of betrayal.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional chronological order across its six-episode run, following Feef's recruitment, her deepening immersion in espionage, and the escalating stakes.
Episode formatThe six-episode series tells one continuous story about Feef's recruitment and espionage.
Season formatThe series concluded after one season with a complete narrative arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves the viewer pondering the cost of loyalty, the murky ethics of espionage, and the erosion of trust in a world where allegiances shift, ending with a lingering unease about what Feef has become.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous 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 archetypeThe series follows a young woman recruited to spy on her own government, exposing Soviet moles within the British establishment. The institution she infiltrates and the systemic betrayal of trust function as the antagonist she must 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 showsSelfBetrayalMorality
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%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% (this title) · 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%

Morality

Betrayal · 3% of showsDuty · 2% of showsIdentity
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe story centers on a civil servant turning against her own government, examining the tension between duty to country and personal conviction.
StanceThe series questions what loyalty means when a person's government may not deserve it, without taking a clear side.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Nitin Sawhney
SettingPost-WWII London, British government and espionage circles
MusicThe score likely underscores the period tension and moral ambiguity.

Content guide

Is Traitors okay for kids?

TV-MA

Traitors is rated TV-MA. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (46/100), sexual content at moderate (59/100), language at moderate (48/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (44/100) and frightening material at moderate (36/100). Overall it is heavier than 11% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 13 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany12
  • France18
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea19
  • Austria14
  • Czechia18+
  • Hungary16
  • Poland16
  • ROAP
  • Spain18
  • Switzerland16
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 41% of all showsHeavier than 11% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 27%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 61%
Profanity
Moderate
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 17%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 39%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 21%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is sexual content, heavier than 61% of TV-MA shows.

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 Traitors have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Traitors?

Cast

Emma Appleton
as Feef Symonds
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Brandon P Bell
as Jackson Cole
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Keeley Hawes
as Priscilla Garrick
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Luke Treadaway
as Hugh Fenton
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Benjamin Walker
as Jimmy Derby
Michael Stuhlbarg
as Rowe
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jamie Blackley
as Freddie Symonds
Robert Goodale
as Mark Stephens
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Simon Kunz
as Herbert Quick
Nikhil Parmar
as Alex Mulligan
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

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What are shows like Traitors?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Traitors include Turn: Washington's Spies (2014), The Terminal List (2022) and MI-5 (2002).

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What other shows share a tag with Traitors?

191 other shows share the rarest tag below, follows: spy. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.