Mackenzie Crook Gears Up for the Final Season of His Beloved Comedy ‘Small Prophets’
Mackenzie Crook, the creative force behind the acclaimed comedy Small Prophets, has exciting news for fans: he intends to develop a second series with more episodes. However, he also made it clear that he envisions this upcoming season as the conclusion of the story.
In Small Prophets, which Crook both wrote and directed, viewers follow Michael (played by Pearce Quigley) as he grapples with the unexpected disappearance of his partner. His father (portrayed by Michael Palin) provides a journal containing instructions for summoning homunculi—magical creatures that can predict future events. This high-concept comedy blends folklore and elements of magical realism against the backdrop of a suburban cul-de-sac.
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The first season concludes with a message reading: “To be continued.” Although the series took ten years to come to fruition, Crook assures fans they won’t have to endure another lengthy wait for the second season. “The majority of the ten years was figuring out what it was,” he explained. “Now I know what it is, I just have to go and finish off the adventure.”
Crook expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I’m quite excited about that because I want to know what happens next, and I’m the one who gets to figure that out. I do feel a real responsibility now. Obviously, I hoped it would go down well, but I didn’t realize how people would take it to their hearts so immediately. All these reactions have been so positive and heartfelt that I can’t f*** it up.”
While avoiding major spoilers, Crook hinted that the characters may travel beyond England’s suburbs in the next season.
As he contemplates the story and setting for the second series, Crook reflected, “I’ve got to figure out what I can change and what people want to be the same. How important is the setting of suburbia to the feel of the whole show? Would I be making a completely different show if [Michael] went off to Canada? He hasn’t got all the answers. If he went to Canada, he still doesn’t know where he’s going and what he’s going to find there.”
He also reinforced the significance of the homunculi, stating, “They need to come back. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that he will do the experiment again.”
Before diving into work on Season 2, Crook shared his thoughts on the show’s appeal. “There’s hopefully a kindness and a heart at the center of it,” he noted. “But it’s been a surprise, I suppose, to find that it’s appealing to such a wide audience.”
Small Prophets is produced by Crook’s Treasure Trove label and Blue House for the BBC, with Sphere Abacus handling international sales.
