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Hawthorne

Hawthorne

Every patient needs a hero.

2009–2011Ended3 seasons30 episodes~43 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows

Christina Hawthorne is a compassionate and headstrong Chief Nursing Officer heading up a group of dedicated nurses at Richmond Trinity Hospital on the hospital's front lines. She does everything in her power to help her patients. When necessary, she takes on doctors and administrators who are overworked, distracted or just unable to see the human being behind the hospital chart. But the long days at the hospital and Hawthorne’s intense focus on helping others take a toll on her personal life.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Hawthorne?

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

Subscription

Free

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about Hawthorne?

Hawthorne earns 4 badges, led by Overhyped and Cult Classic.

Reception

Is Hawthorne worth watching?

Hawthorne's Midcredits score is the 23rd percentile of all shows, from 3.4K ratings across 2 sources. 57% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

23rd percentile

Better received than 23% of shows

18th percentile among Drama20th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)21st
Approval (how many liked it)27th

Acclaim

Cult Classic: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

63 /100

21st percentile of all shows

17th percentile among Drama19th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

57% liked it

27th percentile of all shows

20th percentile among Drama22nd percentile among 2000s
57% rated it 7–1043% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

76th percentile

3.4K ratings across platforms

70th percentile among Drama69th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 22 days to Oct 26Up 10% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show centers on a maverick nurse who prioritizes patients over rules, often stretching believability.

Fans praised

  • Jada Pinkett-Smith's lead performance as a fierce, compassionate nurse
  • nurses' perspective on hospital drama
  • uplifting, feel-good tone despite formulaic trappings

Detractors panned

  • Jada Pinkett-Smith's one-note, smug performance
  • unrealistic premise of a rule-breaking CNO who focuses on individual patients
  • disjointed storylines and soap-opera plot shifts in later seasons

What stands out

ActingDivisive60

Jada Pinkett-Smith's performance polarizing; some fans call it fierce and flawless, detractors say one-note and overacted

Emotional impactDivisive60

Fans call it uplifting and moving; detractors see it as manipulative

PacingDivisive55

First two seasons steady; season 3 feels rushed and unfocused

CharactersDivisive50

Christina Hawthorne seen as saintly or annoying; side characters like Kelly praised but underused

Plot and storyDivisive45

Seasons 1-2 decent medical drama; season 3 criticized as disjointed and soapy

DialogueDivisive40

Called cheesy and horrid by detractors; fans rarely highlight it

OriginalityDivisive30

Formulaic hospital drama with nurse perspective as only twist

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 25 points higher than men.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 13 points higher than non-US viewers.

Watch experience

What is Hawthorne like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, serious 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
TenseWarm
Heaviest: late
Register
WarmSentimental · 4% of shows
Told as
Case of the week plus an arcOne continuous story
ToneThe show takes its medical drama and personal stories seriously, playing them straight with emotional sincerity.
The rideMedical emergencies create tension, while character interactions provide warmth; the series shifts toward heavier personal drama in its final season.
StructureThe series follows a conventional linear timeline across episodes and seasons, with no unusual storytelling devices.
Episode formatEach episode features a medical case-of-the-week while serialized character arcs unfold across seasons.
Season formatThe show follows the same core cast and storylines across three seasons, with a continuous narrative.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayViewers are left with a sense of the importance of care and family, tempered by the struggles Christina endures.
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).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% (this title) · 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%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

18% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeEach episode centers on a medical crisis (disease or injury) that the hospital staff must overcome, fitting the predator subtype of overcoming the monster.

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 showsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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%

Bonds

Parenthood · 1% of showsDuty · 2% of shows
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeChristina Hawthorne is defined by her role as a mother to her daughter and as a caretaker to her patients, balancing the demands of family and profession.
StanceThe show affirms the value of compassionate nursing and family devotion, celebrating Christina's commitment.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalUrbanRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingRichmond Trinity Hospital in Richmond, Virginia

Content guide

Is Hawthorne okay for kids?

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • Canada14+
  • Germany12
  • Austria12

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Hawthorne have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Hawthorne?

Cast

Jada Pinkett Smith
as Christina Hawthorne
Suleka Mathew
as Bobbie Jackson
Hannah Hodson
as Camille Hawthorne
Michael Vartan
as Dr. Tom Wakefield
Vanessa Lengies
as Kelly Epson
David Julian Hirsh
as Ray Stein
Christina Moore
as Candy Sullivan
Adam Rayner
as Steve Shaw
Anne Ramsay
as Dr. Brenda Marshall
James Morrison
as John Morrissey

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What other shows share a tag with Hawthorne?

178 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: medical drama. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.