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Zero Day

Zero Day

Truth has been weaponized.

2025Miniseries1 season6 episodes~50 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

A former U.S. President is called out of retirement to find the source of a deadly cyberattack, only to discover a vast web of lies and conspiracies.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Zero Day?

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

Subscription

Highlights

What stands out about Zero Day?

Zero Day earns 6 badges, led by Star-studded and Preferred by Critics.

  • Reception
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is Zero Day worth watching?

Zero Day's Midcredits score is the 37th percentile of all shows, from 92K ratings across 6 sources. 71% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

37th percentile

Better received than 37% of shows

32nd percentile among Drama42nd percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)25th
Approval (how many liked it)51st

Acclaim

Broadly Agreed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

65 /100

25th percentile of all shows

22nd percentile among Drama28th percentile among 2020s

Critics 52 · Audience 66

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

71% liked it

51st percentile of all shows

46th percentile among Drama57th percentile among 2020s
71% rated it 7–1029% rated it 1–6

Critics 53% · Audience 53%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Reach

How many have seen it

85th percentile

92K ratings across platforms

80th percentile among Drama87th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 3% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A timely political thriller with an A-list cast anchored by Robert De Niro, but its flawed script prevents it from reaching its full potential.

Fans praised

  • Robert De Niro's commanding and charismatic lead performance
  • Compelling central premise of a politically balanced cyberattack thriller
  • Strong ensemble cast in their respective roles

Detractors panned

  • Woefully poor, illogical script with glaring plot holes and unrealistic details
  • Sluggish pacing and bloated middle episodes that lose narrative focus
  • Unconvincing, one-note character portrayals from some supporting cast

What stands out

ActingDivisive80

Robert De Niro's commanding gravitas versus Angela Bassett's unconvincing presidential performance

Cinematography65

Polished, high-production visuals and effective location work

CharactersDivisive45

Underdeveloped supporting roles and poorly fleshed-out character arcs

Plot and storyDivisive40

Engaging premise undone by illogical twists and unresolved subplots

Originality40

Familiar conspiracy thriller formula with predictable twists

PacingDivisive35

Strong start and finale let down by a sagging, tedious middle

Dialogue35

Rehashed political tropes and amateurish expository lines

EndingDivisive35

Anti-climactic, predictable wrap-up with many threads left dangling

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 14 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 20 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 16 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart

Episodes

1 season

Limited Series · 2025 · 6 episodes · 6.7 average across 6 rated episodes

  • S1E1

    Episode 1

    Feb 20, 202550 minTMDB rating 6.9Season best
  • S1E2

    Episode 2

    Feb 20, 202559 minTMDB rating 6.6
  • S1E3

    Episode 3

    Feb 20, 202551 minTMDB rating 6.6
  • S1E4

    Episode 4

    Feb 20, 202554 minTMDB rating 6.6
  • S1E5

    Episode 5

    Feb 20, 202544 minTMDB rating 6.8
  • S1E6

    Episode 6

    Feb 20, 202554 minTMDB rating 6.5Finale

Watch experience

What is Zero Day 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
TenseDreadContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series treats its subject with gravity and a moody, serious register, playing the thriller straight without irony.
The rideThe series maintains a tense, ominous mood throughout, with the heaviest emotional weight concentrated in the final episodes as revelations and consequences peak.
StructureThe story unfolds in a linear, serialized manner across six episodes, following a conventional investigation arc.
Episode formatThe series tells one continuous story across its six episodes, with each episode advancing the central investigation.
Season formatZero Day is a concluded limited series with one season telling a complete story.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves you questioning the nature of truth and conspiracy, with a resolution that feels safe but bittersweet due to personal losses and unresolved tensions.
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).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

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

Why this archetypeThe series follows a former president's commission investigating a devastating cyberattack, with the central question being who orchestrated it, fitting the mystery archetype.

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 showsSelfTruthIdeas
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% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% (this title) · 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% (this title): Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% (this title) · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Ideas

Truth · 6% of showsPower · 5% of showsJustice · 14% of shows
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 series explores the search for truth in a crisis where conspiracy theories blur reality, and the power dynamics that shape who controls that truth.
StanceThe series questions how truth is obscured in a crisis and whether conspiracy theories are self-generated, without settling on a clear answer.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score
SettingWashington D.C. in the aftermath of a massive cyberattack

Content guide

Is Zero Day okay for kids?

TV-MA

Zero Day is rated TV-MA. As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (48/100), sexual content at mild (17/100), language at moderate (57/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (43/100) and frightening material at moderate (50/100). Overall it is heavier than 10% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 33 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada18+
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France16
  • Ireland15
  • New Zealand16
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • ArgentinaSAM 16
  • Austria16
  • Belgium16
  • BG16
  • FinlandK16
  • Greece16
  • Hungary16
  • IndiaU/A 16+
  • LU16
  • MA16
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland16
  • Portugal16
  • PRTV-MA
  • Russia16+
  • SingaporeNC16
  • South Africa16
  • Spain16
  • Switzerland16
  • Türkiye18+
  • UA16+
  • VITV-MA
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 39% of all showsHeavier than 10% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 29%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 5%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 28%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 34%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 38%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 28% 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 Zero Day have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Zero Day?

Cast

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

Robert De Niro
as George Mullen
Best so far: Their highest-reaching show role to date — the title is too recent to say more.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jesse Plemons
as Roger Carlson
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.
Lizzy Caplan
as Alexandra Mullen
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.
Connie Britton
as Valerie Whitesell
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Joan Allen
as Sheila Mullen
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Matthew Modine
as Richard Dreyer
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Angela Bassett
as President Evelyn Mitchell
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Bill Camp
as CIA Director Lasch
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Dan Stevens
as Evan Green
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
McKinley Belcher III
as Carl Otieno

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What other shows share a tag with Zero Day?

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