Small Prophets on Apple TV+: Is Mackenzie Crook's Alchemy Comedy Worth It?

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Small Prophets on Apple TV+: Is Mackenzie Crook's Alchemy Comedy Worth It.

You're scrolling through Apple TV+ looking for something new, and suddenly you land on a series whose description seems to hover between crime docu, sitcom, and fantasy – that's exactly where Small Prophets lives. The mix sounds wild at first: alchemy in a Manchester suburb, served as a fantasy comedy with a mockumentary look. Mackenzie Crook created the series, and the French daily Le Monde views the result positively.

For you, that means: if you're into British humor that gently tips the everyday into the absurd, Small Prophets could become your next series favorite. Anyone looking for high-gloss fantasy with dragons and apocalypse is in the wrong place here – Crook stays close to suburban reality, just with a dash of lead-into-gold.

What's behind the new Apple TV+ series, and for whom is it worth a look? We contextualize the criticism from France.

What you need to know about Small Prophets

Small Prophets airs on Apple TV+ and is a fantasy comedy. The creator is Mackenzie Crook. The action is set in a Manchester suburb, where alchemical magic moves in – a scenario that hovers between British everyday life and quirky supernaturalism. Instead of epic battles or cosmic threats, you get perfectly normal suburban life, just with a pinch of transmutation.

The series' clever twist is its format mix: Small Prophets is mockumentary AND fantasy at the same time. You get pseudo-documentary imagery reminiscent of interview formats, while in parallel alchemical wonders happen that wouldn't fit in any serious documentary. According to Le Monde, Crook pulls off exactly this balancing act – and so convincingly that the mix doesn't lose its respective strengths.

La comédie fantastique de Mackenzie Crook réussit à allier les plaisirs du faux documentaire à ceux du fantastique le plus débridé.

For whom is Small Prophets worth it?

If you've always wanted to know what British suburban life looks like when the neighbors suddenly get interested in transmutation, Small Prophets is your series. The setting – Manchester suburb, i.e. narrow terraced houses and a pub around the corner – feels familiar, and it's precisely into this normality that alchemy breaks. This is no high-gloss fantasy epic, but a very British take on the genre.

You like mockumentary formats? You have nothing against a pinch of fantasy? Then Small Prophets is worth a look. Anyone more into action-packed high fantasy with big battles probably won't warm to this – Crook bets on quiet wit rather than loud magic.

Verdict

Small Prophets on Apple TV+ is not mainstream fare – and that's precisely its strength. Mackenzie Crook's alchemy comedy from Manchester's suburbs combines mockumentary with unbridled fantasy, and Le Monde considers this mix a success. For you, that means: an insider tip if you like British humor with a quirky twist and feel like a format blend that rarely works – but apparently does here.

Extra for you

You can find the detailed original review (in French) at Le Monde. If you want to take a first look, it's worth checking out the first 10 minutes – that's where you see whether Crook's mix works for you or you'd rather stick with classic fantasy.