Taken
Created by Alexander Cary
On NBC
A high-octane action prequel that traces a grieving operative's descent into CIA work, balancing revenge trauma with spy-thriller momentum.
The origin story of younger, hungrier, former Green Beret Bryan Mills as he deals with a personal tragedy that shakes his world. As he fights to overcome the incident and exact revenge, Mills is pulled into a career as a deadly CIA operative, a job that awakens his very particular, and very dangerous, set of skills.
Clusters
Where to watch
Questions people ask
Is Taken violent? Yes, very. More violent than 98% of series.
Is Taken scary? Somewhat. More frightening than 73% of series.
Is Taken sad? Somewhat. More sad than 72% of series.
Is Taken easy watching? Not especially. Less comforting than 70% of series.
Does Taken leave you hopeful? Not especially. Less hopeful than 63% of series.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Written about
- The Shows That Know They EndFinding
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Everything like Taken, and what each one shares →
Like Taken
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Taken
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Taken, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Taken, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Taken, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
