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Sitting Bull

Sitting Bull

2025–Ongoing1 season2 episodesMidcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

Learn the incredible life of the legendary Hunkpapa Lakota chief. A fierce warrior, loving father, and holy man, the story of Sitting Bull provides a new perspective on the United States as the nation rapidly evolved around the legendary figure.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Sitting Bull?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Sitting Bull streaming on HISTORY Vault via Prime Video, Netflix, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Rent / Buy

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Highlights

What stands out about Sitting Bull?

Sitting Bull earns 2 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Thought-provoking.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Sitting Bull worth watching?

Sitting Bull's Midcredits score is the 76th percentile of all shows, from 572 ratings across 3 sources. 81% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

76th percentile

Better received than 76% of shows

68th percentile among Documentary81st percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)74th
Approval (how many liked it)74th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

76 /100

74th percentile of all shows

64th percentile among Documentary78th percentile among 2020s

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

69th percentile among Documentary78th percentile among 2020s
81% rated it 7–1019% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

39th percentile

572 ratings across platforms

64th percentile among Documentary37th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 11% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film's focus on Sitting Bull's life and the historical context of the Lakota struggles is evident to both sides.

Fans praised

  • Fair, well-researched treatment of Sitting Bull's life and legacy
  • Expert historians and descendants illuminate the era
  • Historical accuracy praised despite some dramatic license

Detractors panned

  • Historical inaccuracies and errors in key events
  • Poor depiction of General Custer and battles
  • Casting and political slant criticized

What stands out

Plot and storyDivisive70

Covers his life from childhood to death, but detractors cite historical errors

Emotional impact70

Fans find the story moving, especially regarding his legacy

AtmosphereDivisive55

Some find immersive, others note setting inaccuracies

Effects and spectacleDivisive45

Battles described as poorly done and dated by detractors

ActingDivisive45

Casting of Sitting Bull criticized by detractors; fans note some below-par acting

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2025 · 2 episodes

  • S1E1
    S1E1

    Nations Collide

    May 27, 202587 min
  • S1E2
    S1E2

    Never Give In

    May 28, 202585 min

Watch experience

What is Sitting Bull 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
TenseMelancholicElegiac
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcSingle-season story
ToneThe documentary treats its historical material with gravity and solemn respect, playing it straight as an educational, mournful account.
The rideThe series maintains a serious, tense atmosphere throughout but grows more somber and elegiac as it covers Sitting Bull's surrender and mysterious death.
StructureThe documentary is structured chronologically through the life of Sitting Bull.
Episode formatEach episode covers key events (e.g., the Battle of Little Bighorn, the reservation years) while collectively forming a continuous biographical arc.
Season formatThe series is a limited two-episode event charting Sitting Bull's entire life from childhood to death.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingHaunting · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe documentary leaves you reflecting on the tragedy and resilience of Sitting Bull's story, and the ongoing relevance of his legacy.
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).
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 archetypeThis is a documentary that follows the life of Sitting Bull through its subject matter, not a narrative with a plot archetype.

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 showsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · 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% (this title)
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9% (this title): Survival 12% (this title) · 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% (this title) · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Survival

Survival · 12% of showsFreedom · 4% of showsTradition vs change · 3% of shows
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on Sitting Bull's fight to preserve his people, their land, and their culture against the encroaching U.S. government and settlers.
StanceThe series grieves the loss of Lakota sovereignty and culture, portraying Sitting Bull's resistance as heroic but ultimately tragic.

The world

19th centuryRuralInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalFolkSupportive music · original score · Sebastian Robertson
SettingGreat Plains and reservation lands during the Sioux Wars and later Wild West shows
MusicRobertson's score blends orchestral and Native folk elements to underscore the emotional weight and cultural perspective.

Content guide

Is Sitting Bull okay for kids?

As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at minimal (0/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (5 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 Sitting Bull have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Sitting Bull?

Cast

Joel Oulette
as Crazy Horse
Michael Spears
as Sitting Bull
Glen Gould
as Sitting Bull's Father
Trevor Carroll
as Inkpaduta
William Belleau
as Bloody Knife
James Burke
as General Alfred Sully
Wayne Charles Baker
as Four Horns
Jarrod Daniel
as Gall
Stefany Mathias
as Her Holy Door
Pat Alec
as Crow King

Crew

Directed by

Christopher CegielskiPhillip Montgomery

Written by

Leonid Leonov, Randy Counsman, Christian Baker, Russell McCarroll, Jonathan Soule, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti
+4 more, Rex Obano, Tim W. Kelly, Stephen David, Trevor Cameron

Cinematography

Kevin McRoberts, Shady Hanna, Liam Mitchell, J. Adam Giese, Joe Gabriel, Michelle McCabe

Edited by

Kevin Taddei, Joe Headrick, John Kilgour, Jonathan Soule, Douglas Moxon, Doug Moxom
+2 more, Ryan Doyle, Brendan McCarthy

Music by

Sebastian Robertson

Produced by

Chet Fenster, Richard Foster, Aren Prupas, Katy Haas, Leonid Leonov, DJ Two Bears
+25 more, Ronald K. Fried, Randy Counsman, John Henry Malone, Emily Aguilar, Rey Amaya, Ria Gazdar, Tara Jan, Jonathan Soule, Nicholas Wiczynski, Charles Marquardt, Tim W. Kelly, Peter Sherman, Larry Pourier, Crystal Echo Hawk, Lorenzo De Boni, Janine Heath, Vince P. Maggio, Stephen David, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson, Zachary Behr, Mary Donahue, Jonas Prupas, Eli Lehrer, Phillip Watson

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