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Emma

Emma

Love knows no boundaries. And neither does she.

2009Miniseries1 season4 episodes~62 min/epMidcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

Emma Woodhouse is a congenial young lady who delights in meddling in other people’s affairs. She is perpetually trying to unite men and women who are utterly wrong for each other. Despite her interest in romance, Emma is clueless about her own feelings, and her relationship with gentle Mr. Knightley.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Emma?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Emma streaming on BritBox, Hulu, Peacock, Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Emma?

Emma earns 4 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 10% of shows.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Emma worth watching?

Emma's Midcredits score is the 91st percentile of all shows, from 20K ratings across 2 sources. 89% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

91st percentile

Better received than 91% of shows

90th percentile among Comedy86th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)86th
Approval (how many liked it)91st

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

79 /100

86th percentile of all shows

87th percentile among Comedy81st percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

Approval

How many liked it

89% liked it

91st percentile of all shows

90th percentile among Comedy88th percentile among 2000s
89% rated it 7–1011% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

86th percentile

20K ratings across platforms

78th percentile among Comedy80th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 26% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The adaptation is beautiful to look at and stays broadly faithful to the novel's plot and characters.

Fans praised

  • Romola Garai's spirited, nuanced performance captures Emma's charm and growth
  • Jonny Lee Miller brings warmth, restraint and chemistry as Mr. Knightley
  • Expansive runtime allows faithful character development and book depth

Detractors panned

  • Lead performance lacks period deportment, feels too modern and over-expressive
  • Script replaces Austen's wit with shallow, anachronistic dialogue
  • Jonny Lee Miller lacks authority and age distinction needed for Knightley

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive80

Rich period feel, immersive world of Highbury

CinematographyDivisive80

Beautifully shot English countryside, period houses, elegant camera movement

ActingDivisive70

Garai's lively, nuanced Emma vs. detractors' criticism of modern, unladylike mannerisms; Miller's warm Knightley praised by fans but panned as too young/weak

Plot and storyDivisive70

Four-hour length allows full story but some find deviations and modernizations weaken coherence

CharactersDivisive65

Fans cite deeper arcs for Mr. Woodhouse, Miss Bates, Jane Fairfax; detractors say Emma is bratty, Knightley lacks gravitas

Emotional impactDivisive65

Fans moved by character growth, loneliness themes; detractors find leads unaffecting

PacingDivisive65

Leisurely pace allows immersion; some feel first episodes drag, third act picks up

DialogueDivisive45

Mixed: fans enjoy lively banter and chemistry but detractors lament loss of Austen's precise wit

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 16 points higher than under-30s.

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

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2009 · 4 episodes

  • S1E1

    Episode 1

    Oct 4, 200958 min
  • S1E2

    Episode 2

    Oct 11, 200958 min
  • S1E3

    Episode 3

    Oct 18, 200958 min
  • S1E4

    Episode 4

    Oct 25, 200958 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Emma like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you feeling good.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
JoyfulWarmBittersweet
Heaviest: late
Register
WarmRomantic · 7% of showsPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series treats its characters and social comedy with warmth and sincerity, never undercutting the emotions with irony.
The rideThe series balances comedic warmth with moments of melancholy and self-reflection, with the emotional weight concentrated in the final episodes as Emma faces the consequences of her actions.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly across four episodes, moving from Emma's confident matchmaking through complications to her eventual understanding and happy resolution.
Episode formatThe series tells one continuous story across four episodes, following Emma's journey from matchmaking mistakes to self-awareness.
Season formatThe limited series tells a complete, self-contained story in one season, adapting Austen's novel in full.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe series ends with Emma's growth and her union with Knightley, leaving a warm, uplifting sense of happiness and hope.
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).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

Why this archetypeThe series follows Emma's comedic matchmaking misadventures and her eventual self-discovery, fitting a comedy of manners that satirizes social conventions and romantic entanglements.

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 showsSelfSelf-worth
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · 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%: 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

Self-worth · 7% of showsRomantic love · 10% of showsComing of age · 9% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeEmma's journey is about recognizing her own worth and the worth of others beyond social status and matchmaking, intertwined with romantic and coming-of-age elements.
StanceThe series observes Emma's social world with a critical yet affectionate eye, celebrating her growth while gently satirizing the mores of her community.

The world

19th centuryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score
SettingHighbury, a small English village
MusicSamuel Sim's score evokes the period with elegant, understated orchestral arrangements.

Content guide

Is Emma okay for kids?

As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at minimal (0/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at minimal (8/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • CanadaPG
  • France10
  • BrazilL
  • Austria12
  • Spain12
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (20 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

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 Emma have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Emma?

Cast

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

Romola Garai
as Emma
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Gambon
as Mr. Woodhouse
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.
Jonny Lee Miller
as Mr. Knightley
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jodhi May
as Anne Weston
Robert Bathurst
as Mr. Weston
Louise Dylan
as Harriet Smith
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Blake Ritson
as Mr. Elton
Tamsin Greig
as Miss Bates
Valerie Lilley
as Mrs. Bates
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Dan Fredenburgh
as John Knightley
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

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What are shows like Emma?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Emma include Poldark (2015), Pride and Prejudice (1995) and Lark Rise to Candleford (2008).

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What other shows share a tag with Emma?

293 other shows share the rarest tag below, relationship: friends to lovers. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.