The Big C

A suburban mother faces her cancer diagnosis while trying to find humor and happiness as well.

The Big C (2010-2013) is an American dark comedy drama series created by Darlene Hunt for Showtime. Laura Linney plays Cathy Jamison, a suburban high school teacher who receives a terminal cancer diagnosis and decides to live with reckless defiance instead of quiet resignation. Her husband Paul (Oliver Platt) struggles to keep the household together while their son Adam (Gabriel Basso) pulls away, and her outspoken, unexpected friendships with Andrea Jackson (Gabourey Sidibe) and the sardonic Sean Tolkey (John Benjamin Hickey) give her a new kind of company. The engine of the show is simple: Cathy wants to squeeze joy out of whatever time remains, while illness, medical bills, and family friction keep pushing back. Each episode is built from small schemes, awkward confrontations, and suburban routines disrupted by crisis. Across four seasons the series keeps a tone that is wry, warm, and frequently unsentimental, mixing sharp jokes with moments of real grief. Fans of Six Feet Under, Weeds, and Fleabag will find resonance in its blend of mortality, black humor, and flawed characters trying to live honestly. The tone stays irreverent and tender, with the comedy never fully hiding the ache underneath.

Audiences rate The Big C positively, praising its blend of dark humor and emotional honesty about illness and family.

• Six Feet Underdarkly comic family life shaped by serious illness, tonal blend of comedy and drama
• Weedscringe-free dramedy centered on a flawed suburban parent facing hardship with wit
• Fleabagsingle protagonist confronting mortality with sardonic humor and bittersweet warmth

Created by

Darlene Hunt

Release Date

2010-08-16

Episode runtime

27 min

Rating

8.1 / 10 (150)

What is The Big C about?

A suburban teacher facing a cancer diagnosis tries to find humor and joy in the time she has left.

What is The Big C like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Big C as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is The Big C violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Big C.

What did critics think of The Big C?

Audiences rate The Big C positively, praising its blend of dark humor and emotional honesty about illness and family.

Which shows are like The Big C?

Shows with a similar feel include Six Feet Under, Weeds, and Fleabag.

How long is The Big C?

The Big C: 4 seasons, 40 episodes.

Is The Big C still running?

No, The Big C has ended.

Where can I watch The Big C?

In United States, The Big C streams on Netflix, The Roku Channel, Netflix Standard with Ads, Tubi TV, Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel.