The Luminaries
On TVNZ 1
A moody, visually sumptuous 19th-century mystery woven around love and revenge on a remote frontier, where beauty and darkness coexist in a tightly plotted six-episode arc.
The 19th-century tale of love, murder and revenge as men and women travel across the world to make their fortunes on the wild West Coast of New Zealand's South Island.
Clusters
Keywords
Where to watch
Questions people ask
Is The Luminaries sad? Yes, very. More sad than 91% of series.
Is The Luminaries scary? Yes. More frightening than 87% of series.
Does The Luminaries leave you hopeful? Not especially. Less hopeful than 73% of series.
Is The Luminaries violent? Somewhat. More violent than 71% of series.
Is The Luminaries easy watching? Not especially. Less comforting than 70% 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.
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
You have seen this shape before.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Like The Luminaries
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as The Luminaries
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like The Luminaries, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like The Luminaries, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like The Luminaries, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
