Skip to content
MovieCove
Spawn

Spawn

It is time for a new warrior to emerge from the darkness

1997–1999Ended3 seasons18 episodes~30 min/epPG-13Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

After being betrayed and murdered by his employer, a government assassin is resurrected as a Hell spawn and is forced to act as the reluctant leader of Hell's army.

Your rating, lists and review

Where can I watch Spawn?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Spawn streaming on HBO Max and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

Rent / Buy

What stands out about Spawn?

Spawn earns 8 badges, led by Top 10% of shows and Standout acting.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Content

Is Spawn worth watching?

Spawn's Midcredits score is the 90th percentile of all shows, from 12K ratings across 2 sources. 87% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

90th percentile

Better received than 90% of shows

92nd percentile among Animation83rd percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)87th
Approval (how many liked it)88th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

80 /100

87th percentile of all shows

90th percentile among Animation82nd percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

87% liked it

88th percentile of all shows

91st percentile among Animation83rd percentile among 1990s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

83rd percentile

12K ratings across platforms

82nd percentile among Animation72nd percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 2% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the series is dark, violent, and aimed at adults, with Keith David's voice work being a standout.

Fans praised

  • Keith David's voice performance is perfectly suited to Spawn
  • Dark, faithful adaptation that captures the comic's gritty atmosphere
  • Visually striking animation with shadow work and color contrast

Detractors panned

  • Todd McFarlane's self-indulgent intros ruin immersion
  • Slow pacing with excessive brooding and little action
  • Flat, cliché dialogue and one-dimensional characters

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Keith David's voice perfectly captures Spawn's torment; supporting cast strong

AtmosphereDivisive80

Dark, gloomy, and immersive world-building matches comic's tone

CinematographyDivisive75

Dark, stylish shadow work and visual flair; occasionally too dark to appreciate

CharactersDivisive55

Spawn's internal conflict praised, but side characters called one-dimensional and derivative

Plot and storyDivisive50

Strong premise but disjointed execution; slow build with unresolved threads

DialogueDivisive45

Often cliché and flat, wastes good voice talent

Pacing35

Extremely slow, with episodes where nothing happens; drags between action

Ending30

Series ends abruptly on a cliffhanger; unsatisfying conclusion

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 39 points higher than women.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 8 points apart

Episodes

3 seasons

Season 3 · 1999 · 6 episodes

  • S3E1

    The Mindkiller

    May 23, 199925 min
  • S3E2

    Twitch Is Down

    May 24, 199925 min
  • S3E3

    Seed of the Hellspawn

    May 25, 199925 min
  • S3E4

    Hunter's Moon

    May 26, 199925 min
  • S3E5

    Chasing the Serpent

    May 27, 199925 min
  • S3E6

    Prophecy

    May 28, 199925 minFinale

What is Spawn like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you haunted.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it feels like

Moods
DreadTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Dark humor
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Brutal · 3% of showsSolemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series plays its dark, violent material completely straight, creating a brooding and brutal atmosphere without irony.
The rideThe series maintains a consistently high tension and dark, dread-filled atmosphere, with emotional weight centered on Spawn's internal conflict and the grim supernatural war.
StructureThe series follows a conventional linear narrative across seasons, with no structural tricks beyond occasional flashbacks.
Episode formatThe series tells a continuous story across its three seasons, with each episode advancing Spawn's arc and the larger conflict between Heaven and Hell.
Season formatAlthough aired over three seasons, the series was conceived as a complete, contained story from start to finish, fitting the single_season_story model for a limited series.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Haunting · 9% of showsUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe dark, violent imagery and tragic emotional core linger long after viewing, leaving a haunting and uneasy feeling.
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).Rebirth
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% (this title): Redemption 1% (this title) · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

7% of shows fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

Why this archetypeAl Simmons's arc of moral reawakening after being resurrected as Hellspawn fits rebirth/redemption, while his ongoing battle against hellish forces and corrupt officials also fits overcoming_the_monster.

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 showsSelf
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% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% (this title) · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% (this title) · 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%

Morality

Redemption · 3% of showsIdentityPower · 5% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Cosmic stakes: Consequences reach beyond the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores Spawn's struggle to reclaim his humanity and resist the corrupting influence of his Hellspawn powers, while navigating his role in the cosmic battle between Heaven and Hell.
StanceThe series interrogates the possibility of redemption under the weight of hellish power and a predetermined role in a cosmic war, with Spawn's personal journey at the center.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalAlternate dimensionHorror supernatural
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · Shirley Walker
SettingA gritty, crime-ridden city where hellish forces manifest, with portals to the underworld.
MusicShirley Walker's score blends dark orchestral themes with electronic elements, matching the brooding and supernatural tone.

Is Spawn okay for kids?

PG-13

Spawn is rated PG-13. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (87/100), sexual content at severe (82/100), language at severe (90/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (52/100) and frightening material at severe (93/100). Overall it is heavier than 98% of all shows.

Ratings in 14 other countries
  • UK18
  • Canada14+
  • Germany18
  • France12
  • Brazil14
  • FinlandK16
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands18
  • Norway18
  • Portugal16
  • SingaporeR21
  • Spain18
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Severe · all five categories
Heavier than 98% of all shows
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavier than 90% of all shows
Sex & Nudity
Severe
heavier than 97% of all shows
Profanity
Severe
heavier than 96% of all shows
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavier than 68% of all shows
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavier than 98% of all shows

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: frightening material, language, violence, and sexual content.

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 Spawn have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Who is in Spawn?

What are shows like Spawn?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Spawn include Angel (1999), Helstrom (2020) and Devil May Cry (2025).

Like this, but

What other shows share a tag with Spawn?

199 other shows share the rarest tag below, up against: demon. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.