Freddie Highmore’s British crime series The Assassin, co-starring Keeley Hawes, has a 72% Tomatometer score from 18 critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, checked as of 8 October 2026. Its Popcornmeter audience score is 43% from more than 100 ratings. That is a respectable result with critics, but it is not an impressive score overall, because audiences rated it noticeably lower.
What The Assassin is about
The series centres on a retired assassin who reunites with her estranged son. When her past catches up with them, the two go on the run and begin uncovering a dark conspiracy. Rotten Tomatoes lists it as a 2025-present series with one season, in the crime and mystery/thriller genres, and gives its original language as British English.
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Keeley Hawes plays Julie and Freddie Highmore plays Edward. The listing also includes David Dencik, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Gerald Kyd and Devon Terrell. Highmore’s best-known role is Dr Shaun Murphy in The Good Doctor, which is why the show is being promoted through his name.
The two Rotten Tomatoes scores
Rotten Tomatoes reports two separate measures, and they describe different groups of people. The Tomatometer is the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive. The Popcornmeter reflects ratings from general audience members. Comparing the two percentages as if they measured the same thing is the most common mistake readers make with this show.
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| Measure | Score | Sample | Whose opinion it reflects | Date and source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatometer (current) | 72% | 18 critic reviews | Professional critics | Rotten Tomatoes series page, checked 8 October 2026 |
| Popcornmeter (current) | 43% | 100+ ratings (shown as a threshold, not an exact total) | Audience members who rate on Rotten Tomatoes | Rotten Tomatoes series page, checked 8 October 2026 |
| Tomatometer (early) | 86% | 7 critic reviews | Professional critics | Collider, 28 July 2025, reprinted on IMDb |
Why the early 86% no longer describes the show
A July 2025 Collider article, reprinted on IMDb, reported 86% from seven critic reviews. That figure was a snapshot taken very early, when only a handful of reviews had been counted. As more critics filed reviews, the percentage moved to 72% across 18 reviews. The lower score is the one that reflects the wider critical response, so the 86% figure should be described as “at the time” if it is quoted at all.
The same July 2025 article reported a UK debut on Prime Video on 25 July. That detail comes from a secondary reprint rather than a distributor announcement, so treat the date as reported rather than confirmed.
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How to read the scores
- A 72% critic score means most of the 18 reviews counted were positive, but it says nothing about how strongly critics praised the show or how many liked it only moderately.
- A 43% audience score is a clear signal that viewers who rated the show were far less enthusiastic than critics. With more than 100 ratings, it is not a tiny sample, but it is still a fraction of the audience a series with a large platform presence could reach.
- Small critic samples move quickly. Eighteen reviews can swing sharply with a few additional notices, which is why the score may change again.
How to check the scores yourself
- Open the series page at rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_assassin.
- Read the Tomatometer percentage and the number of reviews beside it. Note the count, because a percentage without a count is hard to judge.
- Read the Popcornmeter percentage separately and note that its count is shown as a threshold.
- Check the date on which you viewed the page. Scores on this page change as reviews are added.
- If you are quoting an older figure, such as the 86% from July 2025, state its date and review count.
Where to watch
Rotten Tomatoes currently lists Acorn TV as the streaming service for Season 1. Availability depends on territory and can change, so confirm the current listing on the service itself before subscribing. The Rotten Tomatoes page is the only source checked for this listing, and it does not guarantee access in every country.
For readers who want the most reliable picture, the combination to remember is simple: a 72% critic score from 18 reviews, a 43% audience score from more than 100 ratings, and a 2025 early score that has since been superseded.
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