Mackenzie Crook, the creator of the beloved Detectorists, returns with a new comedy that is nothing short of a delight. Small Prophets, which premieres on Sky, offers the same gentle sensibilities as its predecessor, but wrapped in phantasmagorical new shapes. The show is a pure pleasure, full of gorgeous surprises that reward those who dive in without knowing too much about its central premise.
The story follows Michael (Pearce Quigley), a lank-haired, long-bearded man living alone in an overgrown semi-detached house at the dead end of a south Manchester cul-de-sac. His routine is monotonous: waking from strange dreams, coaxing his battered Ford Capri to life, working at a DIY superstore, visiting his father in a nursing home, and returning to his silent house. This has been his life since his girlfriend Clea vanished seven years ago, her car found by the Severn Bridge but her body never recovered.
Despite the bleak setup, Crook infuses the story with wonder. Michael’s hidden talents emerge in his playful wind-ups at work, and his father Brian (Michael Palin) suggests a seemingly impossible scheme to uncover the truth about Clea. Michael and his young colleague Kacey (Lauren Patel) embrace the idea, leading to a tale that avoids facile whimsy through Crook’s careful storytelling. The casting is impeccable: Quigley shines in the lead role, Patel is sensational as the hopeful Kacey, and Palin is perfect as the eccentric father.
The supporting cast adds further delights, including Jon Pointing as the bewildered neighbour Clive and Crook himself as Michael’s ineffectual boss Gordon. The show resolves its mysteries with sunbursts of imagination that feel both fantastically unlikely and perfectly rational. Small Prophets is a testament to finding wonderful things in a world that often seems to have run out of them.
