Limited series · ABC
The River
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Bruce Greenwood
Emmet Cole
8 eps
Joe Anderson
Lincoln Cole
8 eps
Leslie Hope
Tess Cole
8 eps
Eloise Mumford
Lena Landry
8 eps
Paul Blackthorne
Clark Quietly
8 eps
Thomas Kretschmann
Kurt Brynildson
8 eps
Daniel Zacapa
Emilio Valenzuela
8 eps
Shaun Parkes
Andres Jude "A.J." Poulain
8 eps
Paulina Gaitán
Jahel Valenzuela
8 eps
Scott Michael Foster
Jonas Beckett
5 eps
Katie Featherston
Rosetta "Rabbit" Fischer
5 eps
Lee Tergesen
Russ Landry
2 eps
Jeff Galfer
Sammy Kirsch
2 eps
Karen LeBlanc
Annabele
1 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How The River actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
The River reads strongest on Bingeability, Spectacle and Serialized.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
Wildlife expert and TV personality Emmet Cole sets course around the world with his wife, Tess, and son, Lincoln, while filming what would become one of the most popular shows in television. After he goes missing deep in the Amazon, his family, friends and crew set out on a mysterious and deadly journey to find him.
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E01
Magus
Dr. Emmet Cole, adventurer and TV personality goes missing deep in the Amazon. After a string search for him, his family and friends hold a memorial service in his honor. His wife, Tess, tries to face the reality of her husband death, while her son, Lincoln, is more than ready to move on. Six months later Emmet's location beacon catches a mysterious signal. Tess and Lincoln join her and Emmet's film crew on a journey through the Amazon to find him.
- Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S01E06
Doctor Emmet Cole
- Directed by Michelle MacLaren
- Written by Michael Green
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
Michael R. Perry
Showrunner
Oren Peli
Creator
Steven Schneider
Executive producer
Michael Green
Executive producer
Justin Falvey
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Zack Estrin
Executive producer
Darryl Frank
Executive producer
Steven Spielberg
Executive producer
Jason Blum
Executive producer
Aron Eli Coleite
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Wendy Battles
Writer
Soo Hugh
Writer
Glen Morgan
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Jaume Collet-SerraProducer
- Steven SchneiderExecutive Producer
- Oren PeliExecutive Producer
- Michael GreenExecutive Producer
- Justin FalveyExecutive Producer
- Zack EstrinExecutive Producer
Writing
- Aron Eli ColeiteWriter
- Wendy BattlesWriter
- Michael GreenWriter
- Soo HughWriter
- Zack EstrinWriter
- Glen MorganWriter
Direction
- Jaume Collet-SerraDirector
- Michelle MacLarenDirector
- Dean WhiteDirector
- Gary FlederDirector
- Kenneth FinkDirector
- Rob BaileyDirector
Cinematography
- John R. LeonettiDirector of Photography
- Tod CampbellDirector of Photography
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Fandango At HomeBuy
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Never stop watching
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