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I Am...

I Am...

2019–Ongoing3 seasons8 episodes~47 min/epMidcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

Each hour-long film follows a different woman as they experience "moments that are emotionally raw, thought-provoking and utterly personal".

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch I Am...?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists I Am... streaming on HBO Max.

Subscription

Highlights

What stands out about I Am...?

I Am... earns 3 badges, led by Standout acting and Haunting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is I Am... worth watching?

I Am...'s Midcredits score is the 43rd percentile of all shows, from 1.2K ratings across 2 sources. 72% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

43rd percentile

Better received than 43% of shows

38th percentile among Drama41st percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)35th
Approval (how many liked it)53rd

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

67 /100

35th percentile of all shows

32nd percentile among Drama34th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

72% liked it

53rd percentile of all shows

47th percentile among Drama52nd percentile among 2010s
72% rated it 7–1028% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

59th percentile

1.2K ratings across platforms

50th percentile among Drama63rd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 1% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps acknowledge the series' strong acting and its grim, uncomfortable realism, but disagree on whether that makes for compelling viewing.

Fans praised

  • Top-notch lead performances, with specific callouts for Kirsty and Vicky McClure standout
  • Realistic, hard-hitting portrayal of ordinary women's lives at a crossroads
  • Superb direction, camera work, lighting, and soundtrack

Detractors panned

  • Repetitive themes across episodes, focusing on 'needy whiney' female characters
  • Slow, boring, and depressing, with one episode called 'utterly dreadful'
  • Lack of character sympathy due to selfish or unlikable protagonists

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Mostly praised as 'supreme' and 'brilliant,' though detractors single out a few weak performances

Atmosphere75

Uncomfortably realistic, gripping, and immersive; some find it oppressive

Emotional impactDivisive65

Moves fans to tears but leaves detractors cold or annoyed

CharactersDivisive60

Fans see complex women at a crossroads; detractors find them 'needy whiney' or unsympathetic

OriginalityDivisive60

Praised for realism but noted as thematically repetitive across episodes

Dialogue55

Mentioned as naturalistic but not quotable

Plot and storyDivisive50

Varied opinions: some see purposeful 'snapshots,' others see repetitive, meandering stories

Pacing40

Slow for some, engaging for others; 'boring' from detractors

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 19 points higher than men.

Episodes

3 seasons

Series 3 · 2022 · 1 episode

  • S3E1

    I Am Ruth

    Dec 8, 202292 minFinale

Watch experience

What is I Am... like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you haunted.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
ContemplativeBittersweetTense
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brutal · 3% of showsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Anthology episodes · 6% of showsAnthology seasons · 2% of shows
ToneThe series presents its slice-of-life stories with brutal, unflinching realism, leaning into the discomfort of everyday crises without undercutting them.
The rideThe series maintains a steady emotional pressure, with quiet moments of tension and reflection spread across each episode.
StructureEach episode is a self-contained story, and the series does not employ a recurring narrative device beyond the anthology format itself.
Episode formatEach episode is a self-contained story with its own protagonist and emotional arc, connected only by the thematic thread of female experience.
Season formatEach season presumably offers a new set of episodes, each with a different woman and setting, rather than a continuing storyline.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Haunting · 9% of showsUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe raw, often painful portrayals of women's struggles linger long after each episode, leaving a sense of unease and reflection about real-life inequities.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous 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).
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%: 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% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 40% of shows: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeAn anthology series of standalone character studies about women at emotional crossroads; there is no overarching plot archetype across episodes.

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% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · 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%

Bonds

Family bondsIdentitySelf-worth · 7% of shows
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 centers on women in intimate moments where familial and personal ties are tested and redefined.
StanceThe series observes its female protagonists' emotional journeys with empathy and restraint, avoiding overt judgment.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticInstitutionalUrbanRealistic
AmbientMinimal or silentSupportive music · original score
Settingvaried British domestic and community settings across episodes
MusicScoring likely underscores intimate moments but is not prominent enough to be named from synopsis alone.

Content guide

Is I Am... okay for kids?

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • UK12
  • France16
  • Ireland12
  • Brazil14
  • Spain16

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does I Am... have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in I Am...?

Cast

Samantha Morton
as Kirsty
Gemma Chan
as Hannah
Vicky McClure
as Nicola
Lesley Manville
as Maria
Suranne Jones
as Victoria
Letitia Wright
as Danielle
Kate Winslet
as Ruth
Nicola Coughlan
as Helen
Paul Kaye
as Ryan
Perry Fitzpatrick
as Adam

Crew

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