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Masada

1981Show1 season4 episodes

Action & AdventureDrama
74
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb7.8

A nerve-racking, epic drama series about history and war, with standout world-building.

Good for friends night · teens · binge-friendly

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing · graphic violence bothers you

Where to watch

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Not streaming in any country yet.

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Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Shows with

Episodes

1 season · 4 episodes · best: S1E1 "Part I" 7.8

Episodes

7.6

Story

Masada is a 1981 American historical drama television miniseries aired on ABC under the tentpole ABC Novel for Television. The screenplay by Joel Oliansky is based on Ernest Gann's 1971 novel The Antagonists. A dramatization of the historical siege of the Masada citadel in Roman Palestine by legions of the Roman Empire in AD 73. A siege that ended when the Roman armies entered the fortress, only to discover the mass suicide by the Jewish defenders when defeat became imminent.

Feels like

  • Historical Epic
  • Ancient Warfare
  • Siege Drama
  • Roman Empire
  • Jewish History
  • Heroic Stand
  • Political Intrigue
  • Survival Story
  • Grand Scale

Cast

24 of 36 · most episodes first

Crew

Directors
Boris Sagal
Written by
Joel Oliansky, Ernest K. Gann
Produced by
Richard Irving, George Eckstein
Music by
Jerry Goldsmith, Morton Stevens

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

April 5, 1981 · April 8, 1981 · Ended

First aired
April 5, 1981
Last aired
April 8, 1981
Status
Ended
Length
1 season · 4 episodes
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama, Action & Adventure
Original language
English
Also spoken
French
Made in
United States
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

Underestimating Badassery, Obstructive Bureaucrat, Scare Chord +9

  • Underestimating Badassery
  • Obstructive Bureaucrat
  • Scare Chord
  • Staff of Authority
  • Better to Die than Be Killed
  • Officer and a Gentleman
  • Compilation Movie
  • No Plans, No Prototype, No Backup
  • A Father to His Men
  • The Queen's Latin
  • Hope Spot
  • Incendiary Exponent

12 of 72 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

4 questions, like "Is Masada worth watching?"

Questions about Masada

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Is Masada worth watching?

74
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 74 (IMDb 7.8).

How long does it take to watch Masada?

8 h

About 8 hours: 4 episodes in 1 season of about 120 minutes each, aired from 1981 to 1981.

Will I feel good after watching Masada?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 7 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

What tropes does Masada use?

Underestimating BadasseryObstructive BureaucratScare ChordStaff of AuthorityBetter to Die than Be KilledOfficer and a GentlemanCompilation MovieNo Plans, No Prototype, No BackupA Father to His MenThe Queen's LatinHope SpotIncendiary Exponentand 60 more

TV Tropes lists 72 tropes for it, including Underestimating Badassery, Obstructive Bureaucrat, and Scare Chord.