A little magic is coming to Apple TV this fall.
The streamer has announced that “Small Prophets,” the acclaimed six-episode comedy from BAFTA Award winner Mackenzie Crook, will premiere Wednesday, October 7, 2026. The series will be available on Apple TV outside the U.K.; British viewers will have to wait until 2027.
Created, written and directed by Crook, best known for the beloved “Detectorists,” the Manchester-set comedy follows Michael Sleep (Pearce Quigley), an ordinary DIY-store worker whose life has been on hold since his beloved Clea mysteriously disappeared seven years ago.
Then his dad Brian (Sir Michael Palin) reveals an unusual old recipe involving rainwater, horse manure and a touch of alchemy. Michael decides to give it a try, hoping to create homunculi — magical spirits said to predict the future — and finally get an answer to the question that has haunted him for years: Will he ever see Clea again?
With help from his young coworker Kacey (Lauren Patel), Michael embarks on an unlikely quest that soon attracts the attention of his eccentric neighbors, played by Sophie Willan and Jon Pointing, while Crook himself takes on the role of their thoroughly unhelpful store manager, Gordon.
Already a critical darling in the U.K., “Small Prophets” boasts a 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and took home the Best Series Award, International Panorama at Series Mania in March 2026.
Blending friendship, hope, suburban secrets and a generous sprinkle of the supernatural, the series promises the kind of gentle, oddball storytelling Crook does so well — with visually striking animation woven into the mix.
