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Frequency

Frequency

1996 called. 2016 answered.

2016–2017Ended1 season14 episodes~42 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

Detective Raimy Sullivan is stunned when a voice suddenly crackles through her father’s old, long-broken ham radio – it’s Frank Sullivan, somehow transmitting over the airwaves and through the decades from 1996. Separated by twenty years, father and daughter have reunited on a frequency only they can hear, but can they rewrite the story of their lives without risking everyone they love?

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Frequency?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Frequency streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

Free

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about Frequency?

Frequency earns 4 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Preferred by Users.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Frequency worth watching?

Frequency's Midcredits score is the 71st percentile of all shows, from 15K ratings across 2 sources. 82% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

71st percentile

Better received than 71% of shows

70th percentile among Drama69th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)61st
Approval (how many liked it)77th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

73 /100

61st percentile of all shows

61st percentile among Drama59th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

82% liked it

77th percentile of all shows

74th percentile among Drama75th percentile among 2010s
82% rated it 7–1018% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

86th percentile

15K ratings across platforms

82nd percentile among Drama86th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 2% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the show is a loose expansion of the movie's time-radio premise that mixes family drama with police procedural elements.

Fans praised

  • captivating premise and emotional father-daughter bond
  • strong lead performances and engaging character development
  • addictive binge-worthy pacing that keeps you on edge

Detractors panned

  • illogical time-travel rules and over-the-top character choices
  • predictable story that becomes formulaic after a few episodes
  • weak, bland female characters and subpar music

What stands out

TensionDivisive70

edge-of-your-seat suspense for fans, but detractors find it forced and melodramatic

Emotional impact68

emotional father-daughter bond resonates deeply for fans, but some find it overbearing

PacingDivisive66

binge-worthy and addictive for fans, while detractors find it slow and predictable

ActingDivisive63

strong female lead and solid cast, with detractors calling some performances wooden

CharactersDivisive62

well-developed characters, especially the father-daughter bond, but detractors find them unlikable or poorly written

EndingDivisive60

satisfying yet bittersweet; some fans want more, detractors find it rushed or predictable

OriginalityDivisive58

praised for expanding the movie concept, but detractors call it a derivative rip-off

Plot and storyDivisive45

compelling overall story but criticized for time-travel logic gaps and predictability

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 13 points higher than over-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 29 points higher than critics.

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

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

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2016 · 13 episodes · 7.7 average across 4 rated episodes

  • S1E1

    Pilot

    Oct 5, 201642 minTMDB rating 7.9
  • S1E2

    Signal and Noise

    Oct 12, 201642 minTMDB rating 7.5
  • S1E3

    The Near Far Problem

    Oct 19, 201642 minTMDB rating 7.9
  • S1E4

    Bleed Over

    Oct 26, 201642 minTMDB rating 7.6
  • S1E5

    Seven Three

    Nov 2, 201642 min
  • S1E6

    Deviation

    Nov 9, 201642 min

Watch experience

What is Frequency like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

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

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
HopefulTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
WarmTender · 10% of shows
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series treats its time-crossed family bond with sincere warmth, balancing emotional gravity with a hopeful spirit.
The rideThe series swings between the hopeful joy of reconnection and the tense consequences of altering the past, with the middle seasons likely holding the deepest emotional conflict.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly across two timelines, intercutting between 1996 and 2016 in a conventional dramatic structure.
Episode formatThe show tells one continuous story across its single season, with each episode advancing the overarching plot of altering the past.
Season formatThe series is a limited-run story with one season that concludes its narrative arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
HopefulWistful · 6% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves a hopeful feeling about healing family bonds across time, tempered by the wistful impossibility of the connection.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet 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).QuestRescue
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% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% (this title) · 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%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

6% of shows fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeA police detective uses a ham radio to communicate with her deceased father across timelines, driven by a mission to save him and alter tragic events.

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 showsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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%

Bonds

Family bondsMemory · 3% of showsRedemption · 3% of shows: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe series is fundamentally about the bond between a father and daughter, and how altering the past reshapes memory and offers a chance at redemption.
StanceThe series celebrates the bond between father and daughter, ultimately affirming that love can transcend time and tragedy.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score
SettingA city in the present day and the same city twenty years earlier, linked by a ham radio

Content guide

Is Frequency okay for kids?

TV-MA

Frequency is rated TV-MA. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (53/100), sexual content at mild (18/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UK12
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland12
  • Brazil12
  • IndiaU
  • PortugalNR
  • Russia16+
  • Spain13
  • Türkiye13+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 5%
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (21 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 Frequency have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Frequency?

Cast

Peyton List
as Raimy Sullivan
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Riley Smith
as Frank Sullivan
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.
Devin Kelley
as Julie Sullivan
Mekhi Phifer
as Satch Reyna
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ada Breker
as Young Raimy
Lenny Jacobson
as Gordo
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Daniel Bonjour
as Daniel Lawrence
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Anthony Ruivivar
as Stan Moreno
Beth Lacke
as Meghan Womack
Kenneth Mitchell
as Deacon Joe Hurley

More like this

What are shows like Frequency?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Frequency include Minority Report (2015), Timeless (2016) and Doctor Who (2005).

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What other shows share a tag with Frequency?

125 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: time travel. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.