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Legends

Legends

2014–2015Ended2 seasons20 episodes~60 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

Working for the FBI's Deep Cover Operations division, Martin Odum can transform himself into a different person -- whether it's an assignment as a Serbian extremist, a corrupt Chicago police officer, a British special forces colonel, or a legendary computer hacker. But when he learns that his life, itself, may be a lie, he faces the demands of his job and a desire to solve the mystery of his identity. And given the choice between the two, Odum doesn't always make the right decision.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Legends?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Legends to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about Legends?

Legends earns 5 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Preferred by Men.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Legends worth watching?

Legends' Midcredits score is the 63rd percentile of all shows, from 14K ratings across 2 sources. 81% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

63rd percentile

Better received than 63% of shows

53rd percentile among Action61st percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)49th
Approval (how many liked it)74th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

71 /100

49th percentile of all shows

43rd percentile among Action47th 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

81% liked it

74th percentile of all shows

65th percentile among Action73rd percentile among 2010s
81% rated it 7–1019% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

91st percentile

14K ratings across platforms

69th percentile among Action90th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 11% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree that Sean Bean's committed performance is a highlight, but the show's storytelling is often muddled and derivative.

Fans praised

  • Sean Bean's chameleonic performance as a deeply damaged protagonist
  • Intriguing central mystery about identity and lost past
  • Season 2's tighter European espionage focus and improved writing

Detractors panned

  • Convoluted time-jumping narrative that feels incoherent
  • Cliché-ridden, predictable plots and cardboard supporting characters
  • Second season's constant flashbacks and subtitles make it hard to follow

What stands out

ActingDivisive78

Sean Bean praised, supporting cast seen as weak or wooden

AtmosphereDivisive55

Dark, moody tone seen as engrossing by fans, dreary by detractors

TensionDivisive50

Suspense works early on but fades with predictability

Plot and storyDivisive45

Interesting premise but derails into predictability and incoherence

CharactersDivisive40

One-dimensional, clichéd side characters; Martin Odum is compelling but underdeveloped

PacingDivisive40

Slow build in season 1, season 2's time jumps break flow

Dialogue38

Jargon-heavy, trite, lacks wit

OriginalityDivisive35

Derivative Bourne/Homeland clone, full of genre clichés

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 25 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 10 points higher than critics.

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

  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Episodes

2 seasons

Season 2 · 2015 · 10 episodes

  • S2E1

    The Legend of Dmitry Petrovich

    Nov 2, 201543 min
  • S2E2

    The Legend of Kate Crawford

    Nov 9, 201544 min
  • S2E3

    The Legend of Curtis Ballard

    Nov 23, 201542 min
  • S2E4

    The Legend of Ilyana Zakayeva

    Nov 30, 201543 min
  • S2E5

    The Legend of Terrence Graves

    Dec 7, 201543 min
  • S2E6

    The Legend of Tamir Zakayev

    Dec 14, 201543 min

Watch experience

What is Legends 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
TenseContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Cold and cerebral · 6% of shows: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Nonlinear · 5% of shows: Events shown out of chronological order.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedOne continuous story
ToneThe show plays its espionage drama and identity mystery straight, with a dark, brooding atmosphere.
The rideThe mood is predominantly tense and contemplative, with the series building to a heavier emotional and psychological climax in later episodes.
StructureThe show uses flashbacks to Odum's past, especially in the second season, while the typical mission follows a three-act structure.
Episode formatThe series follows a single serialized arc across its two seasons, with each episode advancing the overarching mystery of Martin Odum's identity.
Season formatBoth seasons continue the same story and character arc, leading to an unresolved climax in the final episode.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingHaunting · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe unresolved questions about Odum's real identity linger, and the dark espionage world leaves a lasting unease.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

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).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% (this title) · 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. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

18% of shows fit this archetype

with Mystery underneath

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

Why this archetypeThe series follows Martin Odum's undercover missions against terrorist threats, but the central mystery of his own erased identity gives the main arc a puzzle-like structure.

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 showsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% (this title) · 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% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6% (this title)
  • 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%

Self

IdentityDeception · 6% of showsMemory · 3% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on a man whose professional ability to adopt false identities threatens to erase his own sense of self, probing who he really is.
StanceThe series interrogates the theme of identity, questioning whether a person can be defined by their roles when those roles are lies.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingUndercover operations across multiple global locations, with a focus on covert agencies and safe houses.

Content guide

Is Legends okay for kids?

TV-MA

Legends is rated TV-MA. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at moderate (42/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Brazil16
  • Austria16
  • LTN-14
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Intense · 3 of 5 categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (10 votes across 3 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 Legends have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Legends?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Sean Bean
as Martin Odum
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Morris Chestnut
as Tony Rice
Ali Larter
as Crystal McGuire
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tina Majorino
as Maggie Harris
Klára Issová
as Ilyana Crawford
Amber Valletta
as Sonya Odum
Aisling Franciosi
as Kate Crawford
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mason Cook
as Aiden Odum
Kelly Overton
as Nina Brenner
Steve Harris
as Nelson Gates

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What other shows share a tag with Legends?

191 other shows share the rarest tag below, follows: spy. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.