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The Great War

The Great War

2024–Ongoing1 season2 episodes~84 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

A four-hour cinematic documentary covering U.S. involvement in World War I in the critical year of 1918. After three years of horrific battle in the trenches of France and Belgium, the Allies are on the verge of collapse—and Germany the cusp of victory. The United States is forced to rapidly train, arm, and ship millions of young soldiers overseas to Europe for the first time.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Great War?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Great War streaming on HISTORY Vault via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Highlights

What stands out about The Great War?

The Great War earns 1 badge: Nonlinear.

Reception

Is The Great War worth watching?

The Great War's Midcredits score is the 51st percentile of all shows, from 324 ratings across 2 sources. 66% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

51st percentile

Better received than 51% of shows

41st percentile among Documentary55th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)59th
Approval (how many liked it)42nd

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

72 /100

59th percentile of all shows

48th percentile among Documentary63rd percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

Approval

How many liked it

66% liked it

42nd percentile of all shows

37th percentile among Documentary47th percentile among 2020s
66% rated it 7–1034% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

30th percentile

322 ratings across platforms

53rd percentile among Documentary28th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 13% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the documentary focuses heavily on African American soldiers, though fans see it as necessary context while detractors view it as unbalanced.

Fans praised

  • entertaining and informative for general audiences
  • shows grittiness and heroism of soldiers
  • historians mostly knowledgeable, some top in field

Detractors panned

  • skims WWI history, hyper-fixates on Black soldiers and race
  • repeats same racial points without progressing
  • badly produced, includes inaccurate historical claims (e.g., Gettysburg figures)

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive65

captures trench warfare terror and wartime darkness

Emotional impactDivisive60

heroic deeds and soldiers' struggles evoke heartbreak and inspiration

CharactersDivisive55

profiles soldiers like Henry Johnson, but sacrifices context for valor

OriginalityDivisive45

rehashes known WWI history with some new clips

Plot and storyDivisive35

tries to blend overview of US entry with Black soldier stories, feels spliced

Pacing30

ad breaks and repetitive points slow momentum

Acting20

reenactments called cringeworthy and poorly cast

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 2024 · 2 episodes

  • S1E1

    Into Hell

    May 27, 202484 min
  • S1E2

    Over the Top

    May 28, 202484 minFinale

Watch experience

What is The Great War like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

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

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseContemplativeDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brutal · 3% of showsEpic · 3% of shows: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.
Told as
Nonlinear · 5% of shows: Events shown out of chronological order.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series presents its subject with solemn gravity, treating the historical material with earnest respect while using dramatic reenactments to evoke the war's brutality.
The rideThe series maintains a consistent tone of tension and solemn reflection, with the heaviest emotional weight spread across the coverage of battles and personal stories.
StructureThe series blends dramatic reenactments with documentary segments and expert commentary, moving between different soldiers' stories and the broader strategic narrative.
Episode formatThe series tells one continuous story of America's involvement in WWI across episodes, progressing chronologically from 1917 to 1918.
Season formatThe first season covers the entirety of US involvement in WWI from 1917-1918, forming a complete arc; the series is ongoing but likely anthology-like in future seasons if continued.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingHaunting · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe documentary leaves viewers reflecting on the scale of sacrifice and the overlooked contributions of African American soldiers, with brutal imagery that lingers.
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 series that combines historical analysis with reenactments, not a narrative film following a protagonist's journey toward a single plot resolution.

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 showsSelfWarSurvival
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%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% (this title) · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9% (this title): Survival 12% · War 1% (this title) · 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%

Survival

War · 1% of showsSacrifice · 2% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores the experience and cost of World War I, focusing on America's military involvement and the sacrifices made by soldiers and the nation.
StanceThe series presents a factual, educational account of America's role in WWI, observing historical events without a strongly celebratory or critical agenda.

The world

Early 20th centuryInstitutionalWildernessRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Sarah DeCourcy
SettingAmerican involvement in World War I, 1917-1918, on battlefields and home front
MusicThe score likely underscores dramatic reenactments with period-appropriate orchestral tones.

Content guide

Is The Great War okay for kids?

TV-14

The Great War is rated TV-14. As of July 31, 2025, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at severe (100/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Rated TV-14 for v, l.

Overall
Intense · 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
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Severe
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 The Great War have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Great War?

Cast

Yohuru Williams
as Self - Professor, University of St. Thomas
Edward T. O'Donnell
as Self - Professor, Holy Cross College
Doug Douds
as Self - Professor, U.S. Army War College
Richard S. Faulkner
as Self - Professor, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
Jennifer Keene
as Self - Professor, Chapman University
Steven Trout
as Self - Professor, University of Alabama
Le'Trice D. Donaldson
as Self - Professor, Texas A&M University
Christopher Capozzola
as Self - Professor, MIT
Michael Neiberg
as Self - Professor, U.S. Army War College
Adriane Lentz-Smith
as Self - Professor, Duke University

Crew

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