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Gunpowder

Gunpowder

2017Miniseries1 season3 episodes~60 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

London, 1605. Robert Catesby, a 33-year old Warwickshire gentleman, devises a plot to blow up Parliament and kill the King.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Gunpowder?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Gunpowder streaming on HBO Max and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Gunpowder?

Gunpowder earns 4 badges, led by Not for the squeamish and Preferred by Critics.

  • Reception
  • Content

Reception

Is Gunpowder worth watching?

Gunpowder's Midcredits score is the 28th percentile of all shows, from 13K ratings across 2 sources. 58% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

28th percentile

Better received than 28% of shows

23rd percentile among Drama27th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)30th
Approval (how many liked it)29th

Acclaim

Broadly Agreed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

66 /100

30th percentile of all shows

28th percentile among Drama30th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.7 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

58% liked it

29th percentile of all shows

22nd percentile among Drama27th percentile among 2010s
58% rated it 7–1042% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

86th percentile

13K ratings across platforms

82nd percentile among Drama86th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 17% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The series is a well-produced, violent historical drama about the Gunpowder Plot with mixed views on its execution and accuracy.

Fans praised

  • splendid production values and period atmosphere
  • strong performances from cast including Kit Harington
  • gripping and tense historical drama

Detractors panned

  • slow pacing and dull storytelling
  • wooden lead performance and weak characterisation
  • gratuitous violence and historical inaccuracies

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive75

immersive period setting

CinematographyDivisive70

handsome but often too dark

ActingDivisive65

divisive: praised by fans as compelling, panned by detractors as wooden

Emotional impactDivisive55

moving for some, numb for others

Plot and storyDivisive40

thin, historically inaccurate, lacks tension

CharactersDivisive35

one-dimensional and underdeveloped

PacingDivisive35

slow, dull in places

EndingDivisive35

anticlimactic and unsatisfying

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 11 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 22 points higher than users.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 8 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2017 · 3 episodes · 7.1 average across 3 rated episodes

  • S1E1

    Episode 1

    Oct 21, 201759 minTMDB rating 6.5
  • S1E2

    Episode 2

    Oct 28, 201759 minTMDB rating 7.3
  • S1E3

    Episode 3

    Nov 4, 201759 minTMDB rating 7.6FinaleSeason best

Watch experience

What is Gunpowder like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark 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
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Bleak · 3% of showsBrutal · 3% of showsSolemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series plays its historical material with grim seriousness, dwelling on the brutality of the era and the desperation of the conspirators.
The rideThe series builds tension throughout, culminating in the known tragic failure of the plot, making the ending the heaviest stretch.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically over three episodes, following the planning, execution, and aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot.
Episode formatThe three episodes form a continuous narrative following the planning and failure of the Gunpowder Plot.
Season formatThe series tells one complete story across its single season.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer reflecting on religious persecution and political violence, and unsettled by the brutality depicted.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic 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).QuestMission
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% · Mission 4% (this title) · 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. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

6% of shows fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

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

Why this archetypeThe series follows Robert Catesby and his co-conspirators as they plan and attempt to blow up Parliament, a mission driven by religious persecution and a desire for revenge.

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% · 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% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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 showsFaith · 1% of showsBetrayal · 3% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores the conspirators' quest for religious justice through violent means, and the betrayals that threaten their cause.
StanceThe series questions whether religious violence in the name of justice is ever justified, without celebrating or condemning the conspirators outright.

The world

Early modernUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalAmbientSupportive music · original score · Volker Bertelmann
SettingJacobean London and the estates of Catholic recusants
MusicThe score uses period-appropriate instrumentation to underline the tension and tragedy.

Content guide

Is Gunpowder okay for kids?

TV-MA

Gunpowder is rated TV-MA. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (93/100), sexual content at moderate (48/100), language at minimal (6/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (35/100) and frightening material at severe (85/100). Its language has too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 66% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • AustraliaMA15+
  • Ireland18
  • MexicoC
  • Spain18
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 82% of all showsHeavier than 66% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 93%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 39%
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 17%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 88%

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

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA shows usually carry.

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 Gunpowder have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Gunpowder?

Cast

Kit Harington
as Robert Catesby
Liv Tyler
as Anne Vaux
Edward Holcroft
as Thomas Wintour
Mark Gatiss
as Lord Robert Cecil
Shaun Dooley
as Sir William Wade
Peter Mullan
as Father Henry Garnet
Derek Riddell
as King James I
Robert Emms
as Father John Gerard
Luke Broughton
as Thomas Bates
Tom Cullen
as Guy Fawkes

Crew

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