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Michelle MacLaren

Michelle MacLaren

Director and producer, also writer · Born January 1, 1965 (61) · Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Michelle Maxwell MacLaren is a Canadian television director and producer who has worked on numerous series both in Canada and the United States, and is perhaps best known for her work on shows such as The X-Files, Breaking Bad and most recently Frank Darabont's acclaimed series The Walking Dead. She was recently nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards; one for directing a season three episode of Breaking Bad entitled "One Minute" and the other for Outstanding Drama Series (Breaking Bad), on which she served as an co-executive producer.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 1, 1965 (61)
From
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Works as
Director and producer, also writer
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 36 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 34% in 30 days

What are Michelle MacLaren's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
22%
Morality
22%
Bonds
20%
Survival
19%
Power
8%
Ideas
7%
Society
2%
Identity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 5 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 1 · Serious 0 · Dark 4

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 3 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 0 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 4

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Dread
5
Melancholic
5
Contemplative
3
Warm
2
Other
4

How their films linger

Unsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Michelle MacLaren's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Hulu (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michelle MacLaren's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

36 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Constellation(2024)

    Show 8 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Shining Girls(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Coyote (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

  • The Morning Show(2019)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • El Camino(2019)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Deuce(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Westworld(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Better Call Saul(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • The Leftovers(2014)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Chicks 'N' Guns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • The River(2012)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Hell on Wheels(2011)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Game of Thrones(2011)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Camelot(2011)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • The Walking Dead(2010)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • The Event(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • Memphis Beat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Modern Family(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Lie to Me(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • In Treatment(2008)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Breaking Bad(2008)

    Show 29 episodes · Director · Co-Executive Producer · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Population 436(2006)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Kyle XY(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • NCIS(2003)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Without a Trace(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • John Doe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • A Song from the Heart(1999)

    Executive Producer · Teleplay

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Beauty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Producer

  • A Child's Wish(1997)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Heart of a Child(1994)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Moment of Truth: Broken Pledges(1994)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Moment of Truth: A Child Too Many (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Producer

  • The X-Files(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Shame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Producer

  • Omen IV: The Awakening(1991)

    Production Manager

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 36 titles from 1991 to 2024.

Highest rated

In Treatment (2008)

Midcredits 92nd

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing27 of 36: 23 only directing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score90thWriting1 of 36: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing11 of 36: 6 only producing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thOther crew2 of 36: 2 only other crew, 0 with another role

36 titles, 5 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1990s10 · crew2000s9 · crew2010s14 · crew2020s3 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Michelle MacLaren's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 7; across their 5 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 44th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Reach · how many have seen their films

31stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 29 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved13
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · producer

A Child's Wish (1997)

67th percentile spread · 13% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Better Call Saul (2015)

Midcredits 99th · 96% liked

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Michelle MacLaren's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 4 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 50 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles24–59 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 42 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 71 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Michelle MacLaren work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michelle MacLaren's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Lawrence Horowitz shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Producers