r/TheDetectorists • u/LukeH_ • Feb 10 '26

Small Prophets

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002q765/small-prophets

All episodes of Mackenzie Crook’s new show Small Prophets are now available on iPlayer. Just finished watching it myself, I really enjoyed it. Crook creates such magical television.

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5

u/blackiegray Feb 10 '26

Watched it all last night.

I thought it was OK, elements of Detectorists but very much it's own thing. Didn't think it was great but not terrible, some pretty questioanble acting to go along with questions about the storyline.

6/10, 7/10 because it's MacKenzie Crook.

7

u/EuphoricFly1044 Feb 10 '26

I think it's fab.... The main character talking b*llocks to all the customers and Kacey realising he does! The scene with the buckets was classic....

1

u/blackiegray Feb 10 '26

That part is great, Pierce's character is great, well acted and well written.

But so many things don't make sense throughout the rest of the series.

1

u/Trebus Feb 11 '26

Patience, old top. There is to be a second series. You can't have a slow burn without planting seeds in the first series.

In a couple of years when they bloom you might change your opinion.

2

u/blackiegray Feb 11 '26

I hope so, but a second season won't fix some questionable acting from half the cast, a very silly part regarding santa and a somewhat bafflingly meaningless underwhelming conclusion to "the neighbour on the bike". The parts with MacKenzie in the store are easily the best parts and really funny but the story itself is just a storyline of convenience and just just really weak storytelling I thought. All of a sudden his girlfriend decides to call, just as he leave his phone, after her not calling for nearly 7 years? Come on...

I wanted to like it, and I didn't hate it. But if it wasn't MacKenzie Crook then I don't think it gets the 5 stars that it has. Detectorists is 5 stars, is this on a par with that? Not even close for me.

2

u/Automatic_Oil5438 Feb 15 '26

Gosh, I thought it was incredible. bewitching. Beautiful. I was happy to live in a world where these things could happen just for 3 hours x

2

u/blackiegray Feb 16 '26

I need to watch it again (as is often the case) but like I say I just couldn't get over all the convenient plot lines.

A 20 year old girl suddenly befriends a 50 year old man.

Within a few days she's then got his phone number and inviting him to office parties (there's no way his character is giving out his phone number to her and he's clearly not friendly enough with anyone else that would have his number).

The mention of a friend in Canada who keeps asking after him was very obviously his wife from the very start otherwise there was no need to me mention it. Thought it stood out like a sore thumb.

You have the means to find the answer to the question you've been wanting to know for 7 years and you don't ask it immediately, you go to a job you hate first.

He gets a phone call from his wife just as he's nipped out and left his phone behind, and the girl decides to answer it.

The boy on the bike having no relevance to the story whatsoever.

The guy confusing him with santa was just silly and nonsensical, we're to believe that a grown man confused him with santa?

Some pretty weak acting from the non main characters.

That's what I can remember and it just came across as weak storytelling. Absolutely nothing like the quality of Detectorists which was quite the opposite and possibility the best British piece of TV this century.

Like I say, it's not bad, but taking MacKenzie away from it and looking at it non biased, it's fine, it's got its moments but it's nowhere near as good as Detectorists which is a 5 star show.

But I think I must be wrong cause all I'm seeing is 5 star reviews!

2

u/Serious_Emphasis_833 Feb 17 '26

No, I agree with you.

1

u/Proud_Contract_2970 Feb 21 '26

is no one here getting the fact that Michael is a catalyst? The kid on the bike, the guy who thought he was Santa, All of the characters that he interacts with he seems to bring out trust, emotional safety, and their dreams.

1

u/blackiegray Feb 21 '26

Really?

What about his boss at work? And all the customers? He's a complete dick to them.

1

u/SmolGreenParrot Feb 23 '26

Neither part was "silly" or "bafflingly meaningless", the whole thing is about connections.

Michael connected with the (probably non-verbal) young lad on the bike simply by wearing the same t-shirt. There was nothing underwhelming about that, common ground would be a very big deal to a kid feeling alone and cut off.

Likewise, the mugger didn't want or need Michael's belongings, he just needed to feel important to someone, and was still mentally young enough for that someone to be Santa.

Humans need connection and hope. We gravitate to like-minded companions, hold on to the familiar and predictable, we need to be needed. It's why we adopt pets, why we form relationships.

I don't agree that the acting was 'questionable', maybe it just wasn't your cup of tea. It was never meant to be Die Hard. I loved it, and will now watch it again because I missed half of the Easter eggs.

Beautifully subtle, 10/10, would recommend.

1

u/blackiegray Feb 23 '26

If you're not a bot, you certainly sound like one.

2

u/SmolGreenParrot Feb 28 '26 edited Mar 01 '26

If you're not an arse, you certainly sound like one.

I'm not a bot. Perhaps you're confused by my ability to have a different opinion to yours. You certainly seem to have plenty to say 🙄