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Queen

Queen

1993Miniseries1 season3 episodes~94 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

Queen is the story about Easter, the illegitimate daughter of James Jackson, III and her lifelong affair with plantation owner Tim Daly, which would result in the birth of Queen. Queen's story revolves around her early years as a slave who yearns to know who her father is, and her condition as a fair skin mixed race woman who spends her life trying to figure out where exactly she fits in.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Queen?

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

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about Queen?

Queen earns 4 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Preferred by Women.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Queen worth watching?

Queen's Midcredits score is the 69th percentile of all shows, from 1.9K ratings across 2 sources. 78% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

69th percentile

Better received than 69% of shows

53rd percentile among Biography58th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)67th
Approval (how many liked it)67th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

74 /100

67th percentile of all shows

55th percentile among Biography56th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

78% liked it

67th percentile of all shows

45th percentile among Biography58th percentile among 1990s
78% rated it 7–1022% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

56th percentile

1.9K ratings across platforms

33rd percentile among Biography38th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A sprawling historical family saga tracing a mixed-race woman's search for belonging across the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Fans praised

  • Halle Berry's emotionally powerful lead performance
  • Grand scale of the production with beautiful cinematography and score
  • Revealing exploration of mixed-race identity in the post-Civil War era

Detractors panned

  • Halle Berry miscast as too dark-skinned for a passing-white character
  • Overlong runtime and uneven pacing
  • Dialogue with exaggerated slave dialect and grammatical errors is grating

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive75

Immersive period re-creation with convincing 1850s South feel

Cinematography75

Beautifully filmed plantation landscapes and period design

ActingDivisive65

Halle Berry polarizing as passionate but unconvincingly fair-skinned; Danny Glover universally strong

Emotional impactDivisive60

Powerful and moving for fans; cringe-inducing and unaffecting for detractors

Plot and story55

First half derivative of Mandingo; episodic structure with uneven stretches

CharactersDivisive55

Queen's resilience praised but some find lack of bond with characters

Pacing40

Long 4+ hour runtime called tedious and slow

Dialogue35

Exaggerated slave dialect and missing verbs irritate modern audiences

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 41 points higher than men.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

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

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 1993 · 3 episodes

  • S1E1

    Episode 1

    Feb 14, 199395 min
  • S1E2

    Episode 2

    Feb 21, 199391 min
  • S1E3

    Episode 3

    Feb 28, 199396 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Queen like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and charged — a slow-burn watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
MelancholicContemplativeTense
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Melodramatic · 9% of shows: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe material is played straight as a sincere period drama, treating its characters and historical setting with gravity and emotional directness.
The rideThe struggle for identity within a harsh social order suggests sustained emotional weight and tension across the series.
StructureThe story is told in a straightforward chronological order, spanning Queen's life from before her birth through her adulthood across the antebellum period, the Civil War, and Reconstruction.
Episode formatA 3-episode miniseries telling a continuous life story; each episode is a chapter.
Season formatOne season of three episodes telling the complete story of Queen, a limited series.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer contemplating the deep scars of racial prejudice and identity, while Queen's resilience and determination to build a future for her children offer a glimmer of hope.
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).Rags
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% (this title): Underdog triumph 2% (this title) · 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%

Rags to riches: A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition. · Underdog triumph: Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).

3% of shows fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

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

Why this archetypeThe story follows Queen, a biracial girl born into slavery, as she struggles to find a place to belong in post-Civil War America, facing prejudice and hardship. Her journey towards self-acceptance and a sense of home loosely fits an underdog rise, while the societal forces she battles align with a monster of oppression.

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% (this title) · 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% · 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% (this title) · 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

IdentityPrejudice · 2% of showsFamily bonds
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeQueen's struggle to fit in explores her mixed-race identity against a backdrop of racial prejudice and complicated family ties.
StanceThe film centers on Queen's personal ordeal of identity and belonging, presenting her journey without heavy moral judgment.

The world

19th centuryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Michael Small
Settinga plantation in the antebellum American South
MusicA score that underscores the emotional gravity of Queen's journey.

Content guide

Is Queen okay for kids?

TV-14

Queen is rated TV-14. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (50/100), sexual content at severe (83/100), language at moderate (50/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (17/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Brazil14
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Severe
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (9 votes across 5 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 Queen have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Queen?

Cast

Ann-Margret
as Sally Jackson
Patricia Clarkson
as Lizzie
Tim Daly
as Col. James Jackson Jr.
Ossie Davis
as Parson Dick
Danny Glover
as Alec Haley
Jasmine Guy
as Easter
Martin Sheen
as James Jackson Sr.
Madge Sinclair
as Dora
Sada Thompson
as Miss Mandy
Paul Winfield
as Cap'n Jack

Crew

More like this

What are shows like Queen?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Queen include Roots (1977), Tess of the D'Urbervilles (2008) and Pride and Prejudice (1980).

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