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Trying

Trying

Together they're a family.

2020–Ongoing5 seasons40 episodes~30 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

All Nikki and Jason want is a baby—the one thing they can't have. So they decide to adopt. With their dysfunctional friends, screwball families, and chaotic lives, will the adoption panel agree that they're ready to be parents?

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Trying?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Trying streaming on Apple TV.

Subscription

Highlights

What stands out about Trying?

Trying earns 3 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 10% of the 2020s.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Trying worth watching?

Trying's Midcredits score is the 89th percentile of all shows, from 18K ratings across 5 sources. 91% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

89th percentile

Better received than 89% of shows

87th percentile among Comedy91st percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)78th
Approval (how many liked it)95th

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

77 /100

78th percentile of all shows

79th percentile among Comedy82nd percentile among 2020s

Critics 69 · Audience 78

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

Approval

How many liked it

91% liked it

95th percentile of all shows

95th percentile among Comedy95th percentile among 2020s
91% rated it 7–109% rated it 1–6

Critics 97% · Audience 90%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Reach

How many have seen it

85th percentile

18K ratings across platforms

76th percentile among Comedy87th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 8% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is a light, feel-good British comedy about a couple trying to adopt, with a strong emphasis on warmth and sentiment.

Fans praised

  • lead chemistry between Rafe Spall and Esther Smith feels authentic and warm
  • heartwarming blend of genuine emotion and dry British humour
  • first three seasons offer a relatable, touching portrayal of the adoption journey

Detractors panned

  • unfunny, cloying script with forced, cheesy comedy
  • main characters come across as irritating and lacking in chemistry
  • season 4+ time jump makes characters unrecognisable and the show loses its charm

What stands out

ActingDivisive78

lead performances praised as natural and believable, but detractors call Rafe Spall hammy and Esther Smith irritating

Emotional impactDivisive75

fans consistently mention crying from joy or sadness; detractors find it syrupy

EndingDivisive70

early season finales satisfy; later seasons leave fans divided on resolution quality

CharactersDivisive65

Nikki and Jason called charming and relatable by fans; detractors find them one-dimensional and unlikeable

HumorDivisive65

dry British comedy works for fans, but detractors find it unfunny or cringeworthy

DialogueDivisive65

witty, natural-sounding banter praised by fans; detractors call it flat or cliché-ridden

Plot and storyDivisive62

predictable but emotionally engaging storyline; later seasons criticised for losing coherence and becoming repetitive

OriginalityDivisive50

familiar adoption premise likened to Catastrophe and 90s rom-coms; some call it unoriginal for the genre

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Episodes

5 seasons

Season 5 · 2026 · 8 episodes

  • S5E1

    Rollercoaster

    Jul 8, 202627 min
  • S5E2

    First Days

    Jul 15, 202628 min
  • S5E3

    The Mousetrap

    Jul 22, 202630 min
  • S5E4

    The Hurricane

    Jul 29, 202628 min
  • S5E5

    Ick

    Aug 5, 202628 min
  • S5E6

    Halloween

    Aug 12, 202626 min
  • S5E7

    Tuscany

    Aug 19, 202632 min
  • S5E8

    WoodScott

    Aug 26, 202633 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Trying like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and charged — a slow-burn watch that leaves you hopeful.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
HopefulWarmMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmWry · 7% of shows: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
SerializedNew arc each season
ToneThe series treats its emotional subject with warmth and gentle humour, never mocking its characters' earnestness.
The rideWatching the series feels predominantly hopeful and warm, with occasional melancholic dips as the adoption process brings disappointments; the heaviest emotional stretch occurs in the middle seasons when setbacks accumulate.
StructureThe story is told in straightforward chronological order across seasons, with no nonlinear or complex devices. A time jump in later seasons is still linear.
Episode formatThe series tells a continuous story of Jason and Nikki's adoption journey across seasons, with each episode advancing the timeline and character arcs.
Season formatEach season follows a new phase in the adoption process: initial steps, matching with a child, placement, and then parenting challenges, with a time jump between seasons 3 and 4.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
HopefulFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer uplifted by the couple's persistence and the warmth of their relationships.
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).QuestMission
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% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% (this title) · 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%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

6% of shows fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeThe series follows a couple's determined mission to adopt a child, overcoming obstacles and growing as individuals and as a family. Their journey transforms them, giving it a rebirth undertone.

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 showsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% (this title) · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% (this title) · 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% · 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%

Bonds

Family bondsParenthood · 1% of showsPurpose
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on Jason and Nikki's dream of becoming parents, exploring the bonds of family, the challenges of adoption, and how this goal gives their lives renewed direction.
StanceThe series celebrates the formation of family bonds through adoption, treating the couple's quest with warmth and affirmation rather than skepticism.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
PopFolkSupportive music · hybrid
Settingcontemporary London; the couple's home and the adoption agency offices

Content guide

Is Trying okay for kids?

TV-14

Trying is rated TV-14. As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (9/100), sexual content at moderate (39/100), language at moderate (39/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (43/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). Its frightening material has too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 18% of TV-14 shows.

Ratings in 44 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14+
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • New ZealandM
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • ArgentinaSAM 13
  • Austria12
  • Belgium12
  • BG16
  • CLR
  • Czechia18+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK12
  • Greece12
  • Hungary16
  • IDD
  • IndiaA
  • Israel18+
  • ItalyT
  • LTS
  • LU12
  • MexicoC
  • MY18
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • PhilippinesSPG
  • Poland12
  • Portugal16
  • PRTV-14
  • RO12
  • Russia18+
  • SingaporeM18
  • SK15
  • South Africa16
  • Spain12
  • Switzerland12
  • Taiwan15+
  • THน 18+
  • UA18+
  • VITV-14
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 18% of all showsHeavier than 18% of TV-14 shows
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a TV-14 show
heavier than 7%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 51%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 51%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 68%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (5 votes)

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is drug and alcohol content, heavier than 68% of TV-14 shows.

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 Trying have?

MovieCove's classifier found no content warnings in Trying's parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

Cast and crew

Who is in Trying?

Cast

3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Rafe Spall
as Jason Ross
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Esther Smith
as Nikki Newman
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Sian Brooke
as Karen Newman
Darren Boyd
as Scott
Oliver Chris
as Freddy
Phil Davis
as Victor Ross
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Marian McLoughlin
as Jilly Newman
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Scarlett Rayner
as Princess
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Cooper Turner
as Tyler
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Roderick Smith
as John Newman
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

More like this

What are shows like Trying?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Trying include The Politician (2019), Breeders (2020) and Workin' Moms (2017).

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1K other shows share the rarest tag below, follows: parent. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.