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The Sixties

The Sixties

The decade that changed the world.

2014Miniseries1 season10 episodes~42 min/epTV-PGMidcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

The space race, the cold war, "free love," civil rights and more: The decade of the 1960s shaped our history -- and changed the world. In collaboration with Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Mark Herzog, CNN explores perhaps the most transformative decade of the modern era in a 10-part documentary series and brings new insights into how those events shaped today.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Sixties?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Sixties streaming on CNN All Access via Prime Video, HBO Max and The Roku Channel (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about The Sixties?

The Sixties earns 4 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 10% of shows.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is The Sixties worth watching?

The Sixties' Midcredits score is the 94th percentile of all shows, from 1.9K ratings across 2 sources. 90% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

94th percentile

Better received than 94% of shows

92nd percentile among Documentary94th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)91st
Approval (how many liked it)93rd

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

81 /100

91st percentile of all shows

86th percentile among Documentary91st 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

90% liked it

93rd percentile of all shows

90th percentile among Documentary92nd percentile among 2010s
90% rated it 7–1010% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

60th percentile

1.8K ratings across platforms

85th percentile among Documentary64th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 51% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The series is well-produced and informative, but its perspective is limited — centering white American experiences and events while underrepresenting Black and global contributions.

Fans praised

  • informative and illuminating overview of the decade
  • nostalgic, engaging watch with no dull moments
  • superb production quality with expert use of archival clips and period music

Detractors panned

  • pervasive white perspective that marginalizes Black figures and culture
  • overly negative tone that undersells the decade's joy
  • US-centric focus ignoring global events and perspectives

What stands out

Atmosphere78

expertly blended archival footage and period tunes evoke the era

Originality55

comprehensive but familiar documentary approach; criticized for narrow focus

Emotional impactDivisive55

nostalgic for some, unduly bleak for others

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 17 points higher than non-US viewers.

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2014 · 10 episodes

  • S1E1

    Television Comes of Age (1960 - 1969)

    May 29, 201460 min
  • S1E2

    The World on the Brink (1960 – 1963)

    Jun 5, 201460 min
  • S1E3

    The Assassination of Kennedy (1963 - 1969)

    Jun 12, 201460 min
  • S1E4

    The War in Vietnam (1961 – 1968)

    Jun 19, 201460 min
  • S1E5

    A Long March to Freedom (1960 – 1968)

    Jun 26, 201460 min
  • S1E6

    The British Invasion (1964 - 1967)

    Jul 10, 201460 min

Watch experience

What is The Sixties like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

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

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
MelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Cold and cerebral · 6% of shows: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Episodic · 11% of shows: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Anthology episodes · 6% of showsSingle-season story
ToneThe documentary presents its material straight, using interviews and archival footage without overt commentary.
The rideThe series moves through a range of moods from rebellion and hope to the disillusionment of the late 1960s, with a wistful, reflective heaviest stretch likely toward the end of the decade covered.
StructureThe series presents a string of loosely linked documentary episodes covering different aspects of the decade.
Episode formatEach episode covers a separate theme (e.g., politics, music, drugs) with its own narrative arc, largely self-contained.
Season formatThe series is a single-season limited series covering the entire decade, already concluded.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer informed about a complex decade, but with an awareness of its mixed 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 series covering events of the 1960s, not a narrative film 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 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% · 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%: 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% (this title): 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% (this title) · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Society

Tradition vs change · 3% of showsFreedom · 4% of showsHope · 4% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores the social upheaval of the 1960s—civil rights, counterculture, music, and politics—as a clash between old and new orders.
StanceThe series presents a broad, observational account of a transformative decade without a single protagonist or an overtly celebratory or critical posture.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
JazzPopSupportive music · licensed compilation
SettingThe United States and broader Western world during the 1960s.
MusicThe soundtrack likely features period-appropriate songs from the 1960s.

Content guide

Is The Sixties okay for kids?

TV-PG

The Sixties is rated TV-PG.

Ratings in 9 other countries
  • AustraliaPG
  • Brazil12
  • Austria12
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoAA
  • Norway9
  • PortugalNR
  • Spain7
  • Switzerland12

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does The Sixties have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Sixties?

Cast

Robert MacNeil
as Journalist
Questlove
as Record producer (as Questlove)
Carl Reiner
as Alan Brady
Robert Culp
as Kelly Robinson - I Spy
Bill Cosby
as Alexander Scott - I Spy
Mikal Gilmore
as Journalist

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What are shows like The Sixties?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like The Sixties include The Nineties (2017), American Experience (1988) and The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011).

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