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Dear...

Dear...

Profiles of society's most iconic figures and the lives of those they've inspired.

2020–Ongoing2 seasons20 episodes~30 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

An inventive and cinematic approach to biographies of the most iconic figures in society today by using letters written by those whose lives have been changed through their work.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Dear...?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Dear... streaming on Apple TV.

Subscription

Highlights

What stands out about Dear...?

Dear... earns 1 badge: Deeply moving.

Reception

Is Dear... worth watching?

Dear...'s Midcredits score is the 25th percentile of all shows, from 444 ratings across 2 sources. 56% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

25th percentile

Better received than 25% of shows

18th percentile among Documentary28th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)26th
Approval (how many liked it)26th

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

65 /100

26th percentile of all shows

17th percentile among Documentary29th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

56% liked it

26th percentile of all shows

21st percentile among Documentary29th percentile among 2020s
56% rated it 7–1044% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

51st percentile

437 ratings across platforms

77th percentile among Documentary51st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 11% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • innovative storytelling structure
  • inspirational and emotionally moving
  • shows the ripple effect of influential people

Detractors panned

  • lacks relevance outside U.S. audience
  • boring and feels like product promotion

What stands out

Emotional impact85

heartwarming and tearjerking stories

Originality78

fresh format of letters read by inspired individuals

Atmosphere70

uplifting and profoundly human tone

Plot and storyDivisive55

varied episode quality; some find aimless

Episodes

2 seasons

Season 2 · 2022 · 10 episodes

  • S2E1

    Viola Davis

    Mar 3, 202229 min
  • S2E2

    Sandra Oh

    Mar 3, 202229 min
  • S2E3

    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

    Mar 3, 202229 min
  • S2E4

    Billy Porter

    Mar 3, 202229 min
  • S2E5

    Jane Fonda

    Mar 3, 202229 min
  • S2E6

    Ava DuVernay

    Mar 3, 202229 min

Watch experience

What is Dear... like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you hopeful.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
HopefulWarmContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Register
WarmSentimental · 4% of shows
Told as
Episodic · 11% of shows: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Anthology episodes · 6% of showsNew arc each season
ToneThe series holds its material with sincere reverence, presenting each person's impact as genuinely transformative without irony or distance.
The rideThe series maintains a consistently hopeful and warm tone as it highlights the positive impact of iconic figures.
StructureEach episode follows a similar format: letters are read and stories are told, with no continuous story across episodes.
Episode formatEach episode is a self-contained story focusing on a different iconic figure and the letters written to them.
Season formatWhile each episode is independent, each season likely features a new set of iconic figures, continuing the same format.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
HopefulFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves viewers inspired by the ripple effects of the featured figures' lives, reinforcing a sense of hope and positivity.
How it ends · evidence
Happy 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).
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%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 40% of shows: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeThis is an episode anthology documentary series where each episode profiles a different iconic figure through letters from people they inspired, so there is no overarching narrative 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 showsSelfLegacySociety
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% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · 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% (this title): Community 25% (this title) · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3% (this title)
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% (this title) · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Society

Legacy · 3% of showsHope · 4% of showsCommunity: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores how iconic figures leave a lasting impact on individuals and communities, as expressed through personal letters.
StanceThe documentary celebrates the legacy of iconic figures by showcasing how their work has positively changed individual lives.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
FolkAmbientSupportive music · hybrid
SettingVarious locations where the letter-writers and the iconic figures' work have had an impact

Content guide

Is Dear... okay for kids?

TV-MA

Dear... is rated TV-MA.

Ratings in 42 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14+
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France10
  • Ireland15
  • New ZealandM
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil16
  • ArgentinaSAM 16
  • Austria12
  • Belgium12
  • BG16
  • CLR
  • Czechia18+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK12
  • Greece12
  • Hungary16
  • IndiaA
  • Israel18+
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-14
  • LU12
  • MexicoC
  • MY18
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • PhilippinesSPG
  • Poland12
  • Portugal16
  • PRTV-MA
  • Russia18+
  • SingaporeM18
  • SK15
  • South Africa16
  • Spain12
  • Switzerland12
  • Taiwan15+
  • THน 18+
  • UA18+
  • VITV-MA

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Dear... have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Dear...?

Cast

Matt Vogel
as Big Bird
Sameer Khan
as Father
Audra Milos
as Basketball Student
Charles James Adams
as Gymnast's Father
Taylor Lee White
as Yoga Student
Mycah Bacchus Maye
as Party Girl
Robin Zavala
as Community Volunteer
Stef 'Sharky' Schultz
as Lab Technician
Ryan Villacci
as Basketball Student
Toby Meservey
as Basketball Student

Crew

Directed by

Richard Wong, Alex Simmons, Abigail Fuller, Joris Debeij, Peter McCoubrey, Randy Wilkins
+3 more, Jennifer Harrington, Jenna Rosher, Matt Bieler

Written by

Aaron StrongoniTara Anaïse

Produced by

Jay Peterson, Lauren Hollingsworth, Jane Cha Cutler, Ashley York, Trevor Smith, António Forjaz
+37 more, Ian Egos, Runjan Dhar, Rikardo Gomez, Maggie Jay Mellor, Tamara John, Eugen Bräunig, Aaron Strongoni, Thomas Peyton, Josh Herring, Jaden Pan, Anna Dean, Grace Douglas, Meaghan Kelley, Liam Beatson, R.J. Cutler, Sarah George, Justin Yungfleisch, Vanessa Sanchez, Rishika Advani, Mickey Fonseca, Emily Cofrancesco, Mark DiCristofaro, Natalie Kottke, John Henion, Tara Anaïse, Cara Fitts, Danny Koerber, Sarah Strunin, Hannah Kadletz, Jennifer Harrington, Lyle Gamm, Todd Lubin, Donny Jackson, Jessica Jones, Ryan Gallagher, Tracy Shaffer, Allie Hirsch

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TMDB's suggestions for shows like Dear... include American Experience (1988), Down to Earth with Zac Efron (2020) and The Movies (2019).

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What other shows share a tag with Dear...?

312 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: music documentary. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.