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Twenty Twelve

Twenty Twelve

2011–2012Ended2 seasons14 episodes~30 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

A mock-documentary following the challenges - both personal and professional - faced by the team responsible for delivering the biggest show on Earth: the 2012 Olympics. From getting a busload of non-English speaking Brazilians from A to B, who to appoint to run the Cultural Olympiad and what to do when the much-vaunted wind turbines won't turn because there's no wind, it's all in a day's work for the men and women whose job it is to stage the greatest sporting event in the world.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Twenty Twelve?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Twenty Twelve streaming on BritBox and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Free

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about Twenty Twelve?

Twenty Twelve earns 5 badges, led by Award-winning performance and Standout acting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Cast

Reception

Is Twenty Twelve worth watching?

Twenty Twelve's Midcredits score is the 82nd percentile of all shows, from 2.7K ratings across 2 sources. 86% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

82nd percentile

Better received than 82% of shows

81st percentile among Comedy81st percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)75th
Approval (how many liked it)85th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

76 /100

75th percentile of all shows

76th percentile among Comedy73rd percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

86% liked it

85th percentile of all shows

82nd percentile among Comedy84th percentile among 2010s
86% rated it 7–1014% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

67th percentile

2.7K ratings across platforms

52nd percentile among Comedy70th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 41% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A mockumentary about the bungling committee preparing for the London 2012 Olympics.

Fans praised

  • deadpan satire of bureaucratic doublespeak
  • superlative cast and character acting
  • witty mockumentary format with layered humor

Detractors panned

  • lacks the comedic timing and character depth of The Office
  • storyline drags and feels aimless
  • mediocre execution with few genuine laughs

What stands out

ActingDivisive88

ensemble delivers deadpan perfection, Olivia Colman and Hugh Bonneville praised

DialogueDivisive85

overlapping improvised-seeming lines, witty and nuanced

HumorDivisive75

deadpan satire not for those expecting laugh-out-loud

CharactersDivisive75

recognizable types with indelible moments, some supporters lack definition

OriginalityDivisive70

fresh mockumentary take akin to Australian precedent

Pacing60

short seasons, but first episode slow to some

Plot and storyDivisive55

repetitive daily meeting format, but scenarios open out

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 15 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 9 points apart

Episodes

2 seasons

Season 2 · 2012 · 7 episodes

  • S2E1

    Boycott (1)

    Mar 30, 201228 min
  • S2E2

    Boycott (2)

    Apr 6, 201228 min
  • S2E3

    Clarence House

    Apr 13, 201229 min
  • S2E4

    The Rapper

    Apr 20, 201228 min
  • S2E5

    Catastrophisation

    Jul 10, 201229 min
  • S2E6

    Inclusivity Day

    Jul 17, 201229 min
  • S2E7

    Loose Ends

    Jul 24, 201229 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Twenty Twelve like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Ironic, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you wistful.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
AbsurdWarmContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Deadpan · 1% of shows: Delivered flat and unsmiling, which is the joke.Wry · 7% of shows: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Case of the week plus an arcNew arc each season
ToneThe show plays its absurd bureaucracy completely straight, with a deadpan mockumentary style that lets the satire emerge from the characters' own self-importance and nonsense.
The rideThe show sustains a consistently gentle, wry tone from start to finish, never building to heavy emotional beats.
StructureThe series is a mockumentary with talking heads and narrator, but no non-linear or other structural devices beyond the standard three-act format of each episode.
Episode formatEach episode presents a self-contained 'case' — a PR disaster or planning crisis — while threading a season-long arc leading to the Games, concluding in the finale.
Season formatSeason one builds to the handover and early preparations; season two covers the final sprint to the opening ceremony, ending with the Games themselves — each season a self-contained chapter in the same overarching story.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Wistful · 6% of showsCozy · 5% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe gentle satire leaves a warm, nostalgic feeling for the familiar absurdities of bureaucratic life, with a touch of longing for the real Olympics that followed.
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).Comedy
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% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2% (this title)
  • 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. · Comedy of manners: Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).

12% of shows fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeTypical episodes follow the team's daily meetings and recurring mishaps, satirizing bureaucratic ineptitude rather than a driving plot; the comedy arises from the group's social and organizational blunders.

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 showsSelfAmbitionSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% (this title) · Purpose 16% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% (this title) · 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% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

Ambition · 14% of showsPurposeClass · 4% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series skewers the desperate ambition of a middle-management team trying to make the once-in-a-lifetime project work, while finding comic significance in their small-scale strivings.
StanceThe show casts a fond, amused eye on its characters' bureaucratic follies, satirizing the system while still caring about the people trapped in it.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalRealistic
AmbientBackground music · original score
Settingthe 2012 London Olympics organizing committee's office and venues
MusicThe music consists of soft, jazzy cues that underscore the comedic tone without overwhelming it.

Content guide

Is Twenty Twelve okay for kids?

TV-14

Twenty Twelve is rated TV-14.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Portugal12AP
  • Spain13
  • Türkiye13+

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Twenty Twelve have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Twenty Twelve?

Cast

Olivia Colman won the BAFTA for this show.

Hugh Bonneville
as Ian Fletcher
BAFTA nominee: BAFTA Award nomination — Best Male Performance in a Comedy ProgrammeTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jessica Hynes
as Siobhan Sharpe
BAFTA nominee: BAFTA Award nomination — Best Female Performance in a Comedy Programme
Karl Theobald
as Graham Hitchins
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
David Tennant
as Narrator
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Amelia Bullmore
as Kay Hope
Vincent Franklin
as Nick Jowett
Olivia Colman
as Sally Owen
BAFTA win: BAFTA Award — Best Female Performance in a Comedy ProgrammeTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Morven Christie
as Fi Healey
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Samuel Barnett
as Daniel Stroud
Alex Beckett
as Barney Lumsden
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

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