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Conviction

Conviction

2006Ended1 season13 episodes~60 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

A fast-paced character-oriented story, focuses on the lives and loves of the young assistant district attorneys in New York, following their career paths as these passionate but naive ADAs are confronted with tough, emotional cases that challenge their limited experience – and force them to mature quickly or be overwhelmed.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Conviction?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Conviction to rent or buy on Apple TV, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about Conviction?

Conviction earns 2 badges, led by Preferred by Women and Preferred by US Viewers.

Reception

Is Conviction worth watching?

Conviction's Midcredits score is the 43rd percentile of all shows, from 1.1K ratings across 2 sources. 72% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

43rd percentile

Better received than 43% of shows

35th percentile among Crime37th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)35th
Approval (how many liked it)53rd

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

67 /100

35th percentile of all shows

29th percentile among Crime30th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Big peaks at both ends — people either love this or bounce off it hard.

Approval

How many liked it

72% liked it

53rd percentile of all shows

42nd percentile among Crime47th percentile among 2000s
72% rated it 7–1028% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

61st percentile

1.1K ratings across platforms

39th percentile among Crime54th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 39% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree this was a departure from the classic Law & Order formula: a glossier, more character-and-romance-driven legal drama — which fans welcomed and detractors saw as a betrayal of the franchise.

Fans praised

  • Character-driven focus on young ADAs' personal and professional lives
  • Strong ensemble cast, especially returning Alexandra Cabot (Stephanie March)
  • Intense, emotional finale that rewarded those who stayed

Detractors panned

  • Too much focus on soap-opera personal lives, too little on legal realism
  • Shallow, clichéd characters and predictable plotting
  • Perceived as cynical, conviction-at-all-costs portrayal of prosecutors

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive70

Glossier, more stylish look than the L&O franchise; beautifully filmed but felt slick to some

ActingDivisive68

Generally solid, with special praise for Stephanie March and Eric Balfour; detractors found cast wooden or hired for looks

Emotional impactDivisive62

Fans moved by character stakes and finale; detractors unaffected by shallow soap drama

OriginalityDivisive60

Seen as a fresh, character-first twist on the franchise — or a derivative sex-and-soap clone

CharactersDivisive55

Fans loved the vulnerable-yet-tough young ADAs; critics called them shallow, clichéd archetypes

DialogueDivisive55

Snappy banter (esp. Peluso) praised; at other times, wooden and unrealistic in court scenes

Plot and storyDivisive50

Multi-case episodes occasionally overstuffed; fans found it thought-provoking, detractors saw formulaic twists

PacingDivisive48

Early episodes rushed and overstuffed; season found footing and strong finale

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 27 points higher than men.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 25 points higher than non-US viewers.

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2006 · 13 episodes

  • S1E1
    S1E1

    Pilot

    Mar 3, 200645 min
  • S1E2
    S1E2

    Denial

    Mar 10, 200645 min
  • S1E3
    S1E3

    Breakup

    Mar 17, 200645 min
  • S1E4
    S1E4

    Indebted

    Mar 24, 200645 min
  • S1E5
    S1E5

    Savasana

    Mar 31, 200645 min
  • S1E6
    S1E6

    Madness

    Apr 7, 200645 min

Watch experience

What is Conviction like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, serious 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
TenseHopeful
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Melodramatic · 9% of shows: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcOne continuous story
ToneThe show is uneven but generally plays its material straight, mixing gritty legal drama with lighter soap-opera elements.
The rideThe series maintains a steady pressure from casework and personal stakes, with occasional uplifting resolutions.
StructureEpisodes follow a conventional case setup, development, and resolution, with personal subplots woven through.
Episode formatEach episode features a new case-of-the-week with a trial resolution, while team members' personal lives provide an ongoing serialised thread across the season.
Season formatThe single season follows the same cast and cases throughout, with the team's dynamics developing episode by episode.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves viewers reflecting on the challenges of seeking justice while also feeling invested in the characters' personal growth and camaraderie.
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 typical episode follows young prosecutors confronting injustices embedded in the legal system, with the overall series arc tracking their personal growth.

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 showsSelfJusticeMorality
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% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): 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% (this title) · 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

Justice · 14% of showsPurposeCommunity: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series follows prosecutors as they pursue legal justice while balancing personal lives, exploring what drives them and their collective bonds.
StanceThe series examines the challenges and moral complexities of seeking justice within a flawed legal system, without clear-cut answers.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingNew York City prosecutors' office and courtrooms

Content guide

Is Conviction okay for kids?

TV-14

Conviction is rated TV-14.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • CanadaPG
  • Germany16
  • France18
  • Spain16

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Conviction have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Conviction?

Cast

Eric Balfour
as Brian Peluso
Jordan Bridges
as Nick Potter
Milena Govich
as Jessica Rossi
Stephanie March
as Alexandra Cabot
Anson Mount
as Jim Steele
Julianne Nicholson
as Christina Finn
J. August Richards
as Billy Desmond
Catrina Ganey
as Cheryl
Hudson Cooper
as Arraignment Clerk
Samantha Shelton
as Diane Kastle

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What are shows like Conviction?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Conviction include Law & Order (1990), Matlock (2024) and New York Undercover (1994).

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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.