YAGA on Sky: Cast, plot and why Carrie-Anne Moss’s supernatural thriller is perfect for Halloween

YAGA arrives on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Saturday 31 October, bringing an eight-part mystery thriller starring Carrie-Anne Moss, Noah Reid, Clark Backo and Hudson Williams to UK and Irish audiences. Premiering at 9pm on Sky Atlantic, with new episodes weekly, the Sky Exclusive blends a missing-person investigation, unsettling secrets, complicated relationships and elements of Slavic folklore.

The series, created and written by Kat Sandler, is set in a small coastal town where the disappearance of a young heir draws a private investigator into a disturbing web of suspects, hidden lives and ancient magic. With a charismatic university professor, a wary local detective and a mystery rooted in the legend of Baba Yaga, the drama promises a mix of contemporary crime and supernatural intrigue.

YAGA on Sky: key details

• UK premiere: Saturday 31 October 2026
• Time: 9pm
• Where to watch: Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW
• Release schedule: New episodes weekly
• Number of episodes: Eight
• Episode length: Approximately 30 minutes each
• Genre: Mystery thriller with supernatural and folkloric elements
• Creator and writer: Kat Sandler
• Main cast: Carrie-Anne Moss, Noah Reid, Clark Backo and Hudson Williams
• Canadian release: Crave, from 23 October 2026

What is YAGA about?

YAGA begins when Rapp, a private investigator played by Noah Reid, arrives in a small coastal community to investigate the disappearance of Henry Park, a young heir to a powerful fishery played by Hudson Williams.

What initially appears to be a missing-person case soon becomes more complicated. Rapp finds himself navigating a town full of enigmatic suspects, private histories and secrets that threaten to undermine the investigation. His work also brings him into conflict with Carson, a local detective who is apprehensive about his arrival and the methods he brings to the case.

The investigation draws Rapp into the orbit of Katherine, a charismatic university professor with a taste for younger men. Played by Carrie-Anne Moss, Katherine adds another layer of uncertainty to a story in which personal relationships and hidden motives are likely to prove as important as the evidence itself.

As the mystery develops, the series introduces elements of ancient magic and folklore, setting YAGA apart from a conventional detective drama. The result is a contemporary thriller that combines a disappearance, a close-knit coastal setting and the suggestion that forces beyond the ordinary may be at work.

The central question is not simply what happened to Henry Park, but how much the people around him know — and what they might be willing to conceal.

Who stars in YAGA?

YAGA brings together performers known for film, comedy, drama and genre television, with four familiar faces leading the series.

Carrie-Anne Moss as Katherine

Carrie-Anne Moss, best known internationally for playing Trinity in The Matrix films, stars as Katherine, a charismatic university professor whose relationships and influence place her at the centre of the town’s tangled social world.

Katherine’s interest in younger men is an explicit part of the character’s description, adding a potentially complicated dynamic to the wider mystery. Her role places Moss in a thriller that appears to be as interested in power and personal secrets as it is in the missing-person investigation.

Noah Reid as Rapp

Noah Reid, widely recognised for playing Patrick Brewer in Schitt’s Creek, takes the lead as Rapp, the private investigator brought in to find Henry Park.

His arrival puts him on a collision course with local detective Carson. As an outsider investigating a disappearance in a community with its own relationships and loyalties, Rapp must work out who can be trusted while pursuing the truth.

Clark Backo as Carson

Clark Backo plays Carson, the local detective who approaches Rapp with apprehension.

Backo is known for roles in Letterkenny and The Changeling. In YAGA, her character provides a local perspective on the case and creates an immediate point of tension with the visiting investigator.

Hudson Williams as Henry Park

Hudson Williams plays Henry Park, the missing young heir whose disappearance drives the story.

Williams is also known for Heated Rivalry. Although Henry’s absence sets the investigation in motion, his place within a powerful fishing family makes the case about more than locating one missing person. His connections and the secrets surrounding his disappearance are central to the series’ mystery.

The supporting cast

The wider ensemble includes performers with credits across Canadian and international television.

• Ezra Franky as Pam, known for Untamed.
• Patrick Gilmore as Eckert, whose credits include You Me Her and Travelers.
• Georgia Acken as Lily Sandeson, known for Under the Bridge and Lucid.
• Christin Park as Jake Conrad, whose credits include The Wrong Paris and Reginald the Vampire.

Additional cast members include Sheila McCarthy (Women Talking, The Miniature Wife), Megan Follows (Anne of Green Gables, The Way Home), Hiro Kanagawa (Star Trek: Discovery, Altered Carbon), Katharine Isabelle (The Order), Emilija Baranac (Riverdale, Fakes), Anisa Harris (Yellowjackets, School Spirits) and Sam Krochmal (Fire Country).

Their characters have not all been disclosed, leaving plenty of room for the supporting cast to populate the town with potential allies, witnesses and suspects.

What does YAGA mean? The Baba Yaga folklore connection explained

The title YAGA draws on the legend of Baba Yaga, a supernatural figure from Slavic folklore whose stories have been retold in different forms over centuries.

Baba Yaga is often depicted as an old woman with extraordinary powers who lives deep in the forest in a hut balanced on chicken legs. In some versions of the legend, she is a dangerous witch who threatens or abducts children. In others, she acts as a guide, helper or unlikely source of wisdom for those who encounter her.

That contradiction is part of what makes the folklore so enduring. Baba Yaga is not always a straightforward villain: her role can change according to the story, the choices made by its characters and the lessons they must learn.

YAGA brings this folkloric tradition into a modern mystery-thriller setting. Rather than taking place entirely within a traditional fairy tale, the series centres on a missing heir, a private investigator and a coastal community. The inclusion of ancient magic suggests that the folklore will inform the drama’s atmosphere and mysteries, although the precise way the legend connects to the investigation remains to be seen.

For viewers who enjoy thrillers that blur the boundaries between crime, myth and the supernatural, this combination is a key part of the series’ appeal.

How many episodes of YAGA are there?

YAGA consists of eight episodes, each approximately 30 minutes long.

Sky’s UK release begins on Saturday 31 October, with the premiere scheduled for 9pm on Sky Atlantic and availability on NOW. New episodes will follow weekly, meaning viewers can expect the mystery to unfold across the series rather than arrive as a single complete release.

No further series has been confirmed in the information provided for this preview. The eight-part run is the announced first season, and any decision about a continuation remains unconfirmed.

When does YAGA start on Sky Atlantic and NOW?

YAGA premieres in the UK and Ireland on Saturday 31 October 2026 at 9pm, exclusively on Sky Atlantic and NOW.

The Halloween launch date gives the thriller a fitting place in the autumn television schedule, particularly given its blend of mystery, hidden identities and supernatural folklore.

The series will also be available in Canada on Crave from 23 October, ahead of its UK and Irish premiere.

Who made YAGA?

YAGA is a Crave Original series produced by Blink49 Studios and Front Street Pictures in association with Bell Media. Kat Sandler created and wrote the series, while David Frazee and Rachel Talalay serve as co-directors.

Executive producers are Mackenzie Donaldson, Andrew Miller and Carrie-Anne Moss, with Charles Cooper serving as producer. International distribution is handled by Sphere Abacus.

Sky acquired the series for the UK and Ireland through Lucy Criddle, Director of Acquisitions and Strategic Projects.

The production brings together Canadian companies and talent for a story that draws on folklore while using a contemporary crime investigation as its starting point.

Is YAGA suitable for children?

An official age rating has not been provided in the information available for this preview. However, the series’ mystery-thriller premise, adult relationships and supernatural themes suggest that it is aimed primarily at an adult audience.

Viewers should check Sky’s programme information for the official classification and any content guidance when it becomes available.

Why watch YAGA?

YAGA brings several strands together: a missing-person investigation, a suspicious coastal community, a cast of characters with complicated private lives and a supernatural thread inspired by an enduring folkloric figure.

The combination of Noah Reid as an outsider investigator, Clark Backo as a wary local detective and Carrie-Anne Moss as an influential professor gives the mystery several competing perspectives. Hudson Williams’ missing heir sits at the centre of the story, while the supporting ensemble offers a broad pool of possible connections and secrets.

Its eight-episode format also gives the series room to develop its central mystery over several weeks. The Baba Yaga connection adds another question to the investigation: whether the folklore is simply part of the town’s cultural backdrop or something more significant to the events unfolding there.

YAGA premieres Saturday 31 October 2026 at 9pm on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK and Ireland, with new episodes weekly. In the U.S. YAGA streams on AMC+.

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