Mackenzie Crook is back in the director’s chair for the BBC, this time blending the mystical with the mundane in Small Prophets (working title), a six-part comedy series just commissioned by the UK pubcaster.
Crook—best known for Detectorists and Worzel Gummidge—created, wrote, and will direct the series, which centers on Michael Sleep, an unassuming man who stumbles into alchemy and esoteric magic in an effort to locate his missing partner, Clea. Pearce Quigley leads as Sleep, with Sir Michael Palin cast as his father, Brian. Lauren Patel, Sophie Willan, Jon Pointing, and Crook himself round out the ensemble.
< b>BBC is billing this as a comedy that sidesteps genre convention, mixing suburban realism with magical thinking. It’s also Crook’s first major TV outing since 2022’s Worzel Gummidge, and reunites him with BAFTA-winning producer Gill Isles (Car Share, Alma’s Not Normal).
Set and shot in and around Manchester, Small Prophets brings in acclaimed animators Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson to deliver a blend of live action and stylized visuals—giving physical form to the Homunculi, ancient spirit guides summoned via a recipe passed down by Brian.
The commission lands as part of BBC Comedy’s continued push into riskier, auteur-driven fare with mainstream reach. Thematically, the series will chart familiar Crook terrain—quiet eccentricity, gentle absurdism, and a deep belief in the magic hiding beneath the surface of everyday life.
Sphere Abacus is on board for international sales. Airdate is TBA.
