Apple TV unveils trailer for acclaimed Mackenzie Crook comedy Small Prophets

Apple TV has released the first trailer for Small Prophets, the acclaimed new comedy from BAFTA Award-winning creator, writer and director Mackenzie Crook, ahead of the series’ October premiere.

The six-part comedy will launch globally on Apple TV on October 7, 2026, with the first two episodes arriving together before new instalments are released weekly on Wednesdays through November 4. The series will not initially stream on Apple TV in the U.K., where it is scheduled to become available to subscribers in 2027. In Britain, the show will also air on the BBC.

Small Prophets has already built a strong reputation on the international festival circuit. The series won the Best Series Award in the International Panorama competition at Series Mania in March 2026, marking an early success for Crook’s latest project. Critics have also responded enthusiastically, with the first season currently holding a 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Reviews have praised the series for combining understated comedy with a more emotionally affecting story about grief, friendship and hope. Critics have described it as a “jewel-like, unhurried masterpiece” and “truly fantastic,” while other notices have highlighted its “gorgeous surprises” and Crook’s distinctive ability to find wonder in everyday life.

The series stars Detectorists actor Pearce Quigley as Michael Sleep, a solitary DIY-store employee whose life has barely changed since his partner Clea vanished seven years earlier. Living a quiet existence between work, visits to his father and the lingering hope that Clea might return, Michael receives an unexpected clue when his father Brian, played by Monty Python star and BAFTA winner Sir Michael Palin, reveals an unusual old recipe.

The recipe calls for rainwater, horse manure and a touch of alchemy. Intrigued but sceptical, Michael decides to follow its instructions and attempt to create homunculi — magical spirits said to possess the ability to predict the future. His motivation is simple: he wants an answer to the question that has consumed him for years — whether he will ever see Clea again.

His unlikely quest brings him closer to Kacey, a young colleague played by Lauren Patel. Their friendship develops amid a shared dislike of their manager Gordon, played by Crook himself, and provides Michael with an unexpected connection to the outside world.

Meanwhile, Michael’s increasingly mysterious activities attract the attention of his neighbours, played by BAFTA winner Sophie Willan and BAFTA nominee Jon Pointing. Their curiosity about what is happening inside his garden shed becomes a source of both comedy and tension as the suburban neighbourhood begins to close in around his secret.

The cast also includes Actor Award nominee Paul Kaye, adding to an ensemble that brings together performers from some of Britain’s best-known comedy series.

Set and filmed in and around Manchester, Small Prophets blends the familiar landscape of suburban Britain with elements of fantasy. The production incorporates animation into its storytelling, reinforcing the contrast between Michael’s mundane everyday existence and the increasingly strange world he discovers in his own back garden.

At its heart, the series explores the relationship between the magical and the ordinary, while examining how people cope with absence, loneliness and uncertainty. Its gentle tone and emphasis on character have drawn comparisons with Crook’s earlier work, particularly Detectorists, although Small Prophets introduces a more overtly fantastical premise.

The show’s festival success and perfect Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score have given it considerable momentum ahead of its international debut. Reviews have particularly singled out its warmth and emotional depth, with one critic calling it “completely lovely” and “compulsory viewing,” while another praised the series as an “impossible marvel of TV making.”

Produced by Treasure Trove and Blue House Productions, Small Prophets was created, written and directed by Crook. Executive producers are Crook and Lisa Thomas for Treasure Trove Productions, alongside Christine Gernon and Emma Strain for Blue House Productions.

Apple TV acquired the series from international distributor Sphere Abacus.

The first two episodes of Small Prophets premiere on Apple TV on October 7, 2026, followed by weekly episodes until November 4. The series will arrive on Apple TV in the U.K. in 2027, with the BBC also broadcasting the show in Britain.

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