Carrier (2008–2008)

TV ShowEndedDocumentary1 season, 10 episodes
Carrier poster

Plot

A 10-part series filmed aboard the USS Nimitz, is a character-driven immersion in the high- stakes world of a nuclear aircraft carrier. The episodes follow a core group of characters as they navigate their jobs, families, faith, patriotism, love, the rites of passage and the war on terror.

Email me if Carrier returns or gets revived

Highest-rated episodes all ranked

  1. 01Carrier S01E01All HandsS01E01 · 9.0On a bright May morning, 5,000 sailors and Marines bid farewell to their loved ones before the mammoth USS Nimitz pulls out of Coronado, California, and sets a course for Hawaii and beyond. Among the men and women who live and work on board are an airman who describes the ship as a small town; a pilot who considers the ship a powerful instrument of diplomacy; a sailor who questions “why we’re fighting to defend someone else’s freedom when we barely have our own”; a cook who dishes out 15,000 meals a day; and an airman who has just learned that his girlfriend is pregnant.

Episodes by season

Season0110Episodes2008Aired 9.0Season avg
  1. S01E01Carrier S01E01All HandsApril 27, 2008 9.0On a bright May morning, 5,000 sailors and Marines bid farewell to their loved ones before the mammoth USS Nimitz pulls out of Coronado, Cal
  2. S01E02Carrier S01E02Controlled ChaosApril 27, 2008—The men and women of the USS Nimitz live beneath the runway of a major airport. They sleep on the roof of a nuclear power plant. It’s a peri
  3. S01E03Carrier S01E03Super SecretsApril 28, 2008—The ship’s location and itinerary are classified. Details of how the nuclear reactor works are top secret. Many aspects of life on a nuclear
  4. S01E04Carrier S01E04Squared AwayApril 28, 2008—Mentoring and camaraderie are what hold the ship together. But life on deployment is stressful for everyone aboard, and there can be conside
  5. S01E05Carrier S01E05Show of ForceApril 29, 2008—The mission really kicks off when the Nimitz arrives in the Gulf. The conditions are extreme: flight deck personnel endure temperatures hove
  6. S01E06Carrier S01E06Groundhog DayApril 29, 2008—After two months in the Gulf, one day starts to become indistinguishable from the next. The airwing still hasn’t dropped a single bomb, whic
  7. S01E07Carrier S01E07Rites of PassageApril 30, 2008—The last day in the Gulf is the last chance to drop bombs before the Nimitz heads home. The jets take off, laden with ordnance, and return h
  8. S01E08Carrier S01E08True BelieversApril 30, 2008—This episode explores the many expressions of faith onboard the USS Nimitz: faith in self, faith in one’s shipmates, faith in the mission of
  9. S01E09Carrier S01E09Get Home-itisMay 1, 2008—A six-month absence places a heavy burden on relationships. The Navy holds seminars to counsel sailors on what to expect when they return ho
  10. S01E10Carrier S01E10Full CircleMay 1, 2008—As the Nimitz makes its final transit from Hawaii to California, the sailors and Marines on board prepare to return to their homes and famil

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

Photos

View all
1 / 3

Carrier

Poster · 1 of 3

Shows like Carrier all similar shows

The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.

  1. 01Documentary·CrimeTrust Me: The False Prophet2026In this true-crime documentary, a cult expert and filmmaker infiltrate a polygamist sect to expose a self-proclaimed prophet and bring him to justice.Compare
  2. 02DocumentaryLove Has Won: The Cult of Mother God2023Chronicles the life and death of Amy Carlson, also known as Mother God, a self-proclaimed spiritual savior who built a cult through her online manifestos and live-streaming sessions.Compare
  3. 03DocumentaryThe Last Movie Stars2022A celebration of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward’s iconic careers and decades-long partnership.Compare
  4. 04DocumentaryThe Real History of Science Fiction2014The series heads to the very frontiers of space and science to produce the definitive television history of science fiction, told through its impact on cinema, television and literature, with the help of filmmakers,…Compare
  5. 05DocumentaryAmerican Manhunt: Osama bin Laden2025Featuring rare footage and interviews with CIA insiders, this edge-of-your-seat documentary series traces the epic hunt for Osama bin Laden.7.6Compare
  6. 06DocumentaryHistory 1012020Infographics and archival footage deliver bite-size history lessons on scientific breakthroughs, social movements and world-changing discoveries.7.1Compare

Head-to-head pick any opponent

Stack Carrier's full episode-rating history against a rival, on one chart.

Carrier vs Trust Me: The False ProphetFull episode chartCarrier vs Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother GodFull episode chartCarrier vs The Last Movie StarsFull episode chart

Keep exploring top shows

ShortcutThe essential episodes

Short on time? The pilot-to-finale shortcut, only the episodes that matter.

MatchupCompare with another show

Two shows' episode ratings on one chart — settle it.

NetworkBest PBS shows

More from the same network, ranked by rating.

GenreBest documentary shows & films

The top of the documentary pile, across both mediums.