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Hold the Sunset

Hold the Sunset

2018–2019Ended3 seasons14 episodes~30 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all shows

Edith's dreams of retirement to the sun with her long-term suitor Phil are shattered when her 50-year-old son Roger arrives home, seeking to recapture his boyhood happiness.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Hold the Sunset?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Hold the Sunset to rent or buy on Apple TV, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about Hold the Sunset?

Hold the Sunset earns 1 badge: Preferred by US Viewers.

Reception

Is Hold the Sunset worth watching?

Hold the Sunset's Midcredits score is the 16th percentile of all shows, from 975 ratings across 2 sources. 52% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

16th percentile

Better received than 16% of shows

14th percentile among Comedy16th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)14th
Approval (how many liked it)20th

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

60 /100

14th percentile of all shows

13th percentile among Comedy15th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

Approval

How many liked it

52% liked it

20th percentile of all shows

16th percentile among Comedy19th percentile among 2010s
52% rated it 7–1048% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

49th percentile

965 ratings across platforms

33rd percentile among Comedy55th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 52% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the show has a strong cast but is let down by weak writing and a dated feel.

Fans praised

  • good cast chemistry especially Cleese and Steadman
  • clean gentle humor without swearing or lewdness
  • relatable premise about older adults wanting independence from adult children

Detractors panned

  • script utterly unfunny and amateurish
  • dated and unoriginal sitcom format
  • Jason Watkins's character painfully annoying

What stands out

ActingDivisive60

strong cast but uneven; Cleese and Steadman praised, Watkins divisive

Pacing45

some find it gentle, others boring and slow

DialogueDivisive40

some good Cleese lines but overall script called weak and unfunny

Emotional impactDivisive40

some find it feel-good and rejuvenating; others feel only frustration

Plot and storyDivisive35

premise relatable but execution weak and episodes repetitive

HumorDivisive30

very divisive: fans laugh out loud, detractors find zero laughs

CharactersDivisive30

Roger universally panned as annoying; Edith seen as too dithering by detractors

OriginalityDivisive20

dated format compared to Terry and June or Waiting for God

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 30 points higher than non-US viewers.

Episodes

2 seasons

Season 2 · 2019 · 6 episodes

  • S2E1

    The Sale

    Aug 2, 201929 min
  • S2E2

    The Disappearance

    Aug 9, 201929 min
  • S2E3

    Aunty Joan

    Aug 16, 201929 min
  • S2E4

    The Lemming Family

    Aug 23, 201929 min
  • S2E5

    Damage Limitation

    Aug 30, 201929 min
  • S2E6
    S2E6

    Doing a Bunk

    Sep 6, 201929 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Hold the Sunset like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

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

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
WarmBittersweetAbsurd
Heaviest: middle
Register
Wry · 7% of shows: Amused and slightly dry about it.Warm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedOne continuous story
ToneThe series holds its material at a gentle, knowing distance, playing up the absurdity of a grown son's immaturity without ever turning cynical.
The rideThe series maintains an understated, lighthearted tone with moments of poignancy as family tensions and unfulfilled dreams surface.
StructureEach episode follows a conventional sitcom structure with setup, complications, and resolution, and the series as a whole builds on a continuous arc.
Episode formatEach episode continues the ongoing story of Edith, Phil, and Roger's intertwined lives, with new domestic situations flowing from prior events.
Season formatThe show follows the same core cast and plotline across all three seasons, with each season developing the central relationships and ongoing challenges.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Feel-goodBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayViewers are left with a warm, amused feeling from the gentle humor and the enduring bond between the characters, tinged with the melancholy of thwarted romance.
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).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% (this title) · 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%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of errors: Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.

12% of shows fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe series follows a typical episode where Edith and Phil's plans are repeatedly disrupted by Roger's return, leading to misunderstandings and domestic chaos.

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% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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%

Bonds

Family bondsRomantic love · 10% of showsPurpose
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores the push-pull between new romantic possibility and adult children's unanticipated dependency, as Edith's late-life plans are repeatedly sidelined by Roger's neediness.
StanceThe series gently observes the generational tug-of-war and the quiet comedy of late-life aspirations colliding with family duty, without overt judgment.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Theo Vidgen
SettingA quiet British suburb where middle-aged and elderly neighbours negotiate late-life romance and family interference
MusicA light, whimsical orchestral score punctuates the comedic beats and moments of tender reflection.

Content guide

Is Hold the Sunset okay for kids?

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • UKPG
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Spain13
  • Türkiye13+

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Hold the Sunset have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Hold the Sunset?

Cast

John Cleese
as Phil
Jason Watkins
as Roger
Alison Steadman
as Edith
Peter Egan
as Mr. Dugdale
Rosie Cavaliero
as Wendy
Anne Reid
as Queenie
James Cosmo
as Bob
Joanna Scanlan
as Sandra
Sue Johnston
as Joan
Rachel Sophia-Anthony
as Mother

Crew

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TMDB's suggestions for shows like Hold the Sunset include The King of Queens (1998), American Housewife (2016) and Home Improvement (1991).

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