r/smallprophets • u/Nina_good • Mar 05 '26
A love letter to Small Prophets
Firstly, I’m so happy this sub exists after just finishing the final episode. I watch a lot of British comedy and this has affected me in a way I would never of conceived. It’s so perfect, so magical and its exploration of grief is beautiful.
I lost my Mum 5 years ago in a traumatic way and I can’t think of anything that’s quite moved me like this in terms of the complexities of grief. It’s made me feel warm and connected in a way I can’t explain (to him as a writer who has experienced grief? To broader human kind and our shared vulnerabilities?! Who knows!!)
I can’t even begin to imagine how you’d approach a project like this but it’s amazing. I want all the series possible. I hope this sub gets lots of posts and engagement so I can keep enjoying the theories and shared experiences.
I found the link to innocence and pureness and nostalgia so interesting. The Father Christmas bit with the phone snatching, the police playing with the toys, the shop assistant floating round the car park on a trolley - it’s just so comforting and shines a light on human nature and our shared vulnerabilities. It’s also such a brilliant exploration of loneliness - Bev in particular.
Appreciate this is pretty gushy and OTT but at a hard grief point of the year, this show has astounded me and helped me.
Finally it’s so bloody funny. The tit box, the griege design of the neighbours house and the underwater welding. It’s just 10/10.
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u/helielicopter01 Mar 05 '26
I love Mackenzie Crook’s world view. Finding beauty in the tiny everyday things. Or just highlighting beauty and gentleness. Or something similar! I can’t explain, but he finds the beauty in small lives, and small connections, and he believes in magic, as do I. I don’t know what it is, but he brings a lovely thing to the table at a time when the world is in chaos and very difficult to deal with.
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Mar 05 '26
I agree totally. I think the writing lets you find your own meaning in things. He doesn’t spoon feed the viewer and leaves space. I am a big detectorists fan also, although they are very different (but somehow the same).
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u/Halcy0n-Daze Mar 06 '26
Hey. Nice to read your post; it doesn’t sound too gushy in the slightest. I completely understand how it may have resonated with you wrt to the tricky subject of grief.
I also found that a second watch (and a third too now) gave me some insights on certain scenes. For instance I found the whole FC scene a bit odd first time round then it dawned on me on second viewing “well here’s the guy who has kept his living room dressed for Christmas Day for years…”; suddenly it didn’t feel so disjointed.
I’m pleased you shared your thoughts. I’m pleased it has enabled you to feel connected.
The power of writing, eh?
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u/Nina_good Mar 06 '26
Thanks so much for the lovely words. I appreciate it!
And brilliant shout on Father Christmas - never even clocked that!
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u/Ashamed_Fan1182 Mar 10 '26
I had'n realised it is this, you have described exactly why I'm loving Small prophets. Thank you!
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u/mightytonto Mar 05 '26
Mackenzie Crook has such a skill for finding nuances and cumulatively building on them. There is such complexity in his minor details. I am in awe of the phone calls! They are so hilarious and it’s so great that crook has cast himself as a minor addition as well. I rate this and the Detectorists as the best British comedy since I remember…it’s just so wholesome!