TV is a strange place these days, and this week’s lineup proves it. Three new shows premiere across Apple TV, Netflix, and CBS, each with a premise that would feel like a joke if it weren’t real. There’s a stop-motion horror show about tiny jar creatures, a sea-creature thriller starring Josh Hartnett, and a vampire sitcom about a 500-year marriage. The week also brings an Avatar: The Last Airbender sequel. Here’s the rundown.
Small Prophets Premieres on Apple TV
Mackenzie Crook created, wrote, and directed Small Prophets, and the show premiered in the U.K. back in February. Now it’s coming to Apple TV, and the premise is exactly as odd as it sounds. Pearce Quigley plays Michael Sleep, a hardware store worker living in a Manchester cul-de-sac. Seven years earlier, his partner Clea disappeared, and he’s still grieving. To find out what happened to her, Sleep decides to build homunculi—tiny, prophesying beings that live in glass jars full of water. The stop-motion animation renders them, and the whole thing feels like a weird little wonder.
Sleep has help from his dad Brian, played by Michael Palin. Together they try to figure out what happened to Clea. It’s a weird little wonder, and the description suggests the show knows it’s weird too. The A.V. Club‘s take on the series runs on Tuesday, so curious viewers can check that before deciding whether to dive in.
Below Brings Josh Hartnett to Netflix
Josh Hartnett captains the six-episode Canadian thriller Below, and the logline is giving Widow’s Bay with the Jaws levels turned way up. Hartnett plays Calvin Penney, a hard-bitten fisherman living in a remote Newfoundland community. Something terrible is lurking in the local waters, and Calvin is determined to keep his son Wade safe while protecting their community. He teams up with a visiting marine biologist, played by Mackenzie Davis, to uncover the dark secrets hidden deep in the ocean.
The creature terrorizing the town is described as a mysterious, violent sea creature. That’s a lot of setup for a six-episode run, so the pacing will be interesting to watch. The A.V. Club’s series review runs on Thursday, so anyone who catches the premiere can see what the critics think of the finished product.
Eternally Yours Adds Vampires to CBS
CBS is adding a vampire sitcom to its lineup, and the premise is a doozy. Eternally Yours follows Charles and Liz, a married vampire couple who have been together for 500 years. Their romance has gone bloodless and stale, and the show doesn’t waste time getting to the problem. Then their daughter Emma brings home her very earnest and very human boyfriend Max, and suddenly the routine gets a welcome jolt.
The show is a single-cam, half-hour sitcom from Ghosts’ Joe Port and Joe Wiseman. It stars Ed Weeks as Charles, Allegra Edwards as Liz, Helen J. Shen as Emma, Jaren Lewison as Max, Parker Young, Rose Abdoo, and Jeff Hiller. The A.V. Club’s review runs on Monday, so viewers can see what the critics think of the show’s attempt to make a 500-year marriage funny.
The Week’s Full Premiere Schedule
Here’s the quick look at everything coming out this week:
- Small Prophets premieres Wednesday on Apple TV, created by Mackenzie Crook.
- Below premieres Thursday on Netflix, starring Josh Hartnett.
- Eternally Yours premieres Thursday at 8:30 p.m. on CBS, created by Joe Port and Joe Wiseman.
- Avatar: The Last Airbender sequel also arrives this week.
All times are Eastern, and all three shows are premieres, so there’s plenty to watch if you’re looking for something new.
Reviews From The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is covering all three premieres this week, and their reviews will be published at avclub.com as each episode airs. The schedule is simple:
- Small Prophets: Take on Tuesday.
- Below: Review on Thursday.
- Eternally Yours: Review on Monday.
That means viewers can catch the premiere, wait a day, and see what the critics thought of it. It’s a handy system for anyone who wants to know whether a show is worth sticking with.
What to Watch First
The question is which one to start with. Small Prophets has the strangest premise, but it’s also the most niche. Below has Hartnett and a sea-creature thriller setup, which is a compelling draw. Eternally Yours is the most conventional, but it’s also the one that dares to make vampires boring for five centuries before fixing it.
The week also brings an Avatar: The Last Airbender sequel, which is a big part of the slate. It’s a busy week, and the A.V. Club’s reviews will help sort out which one holds up.
The Bottom Line
This week’s lineup is pure delight. A show about tiny jar creatures predicting the future and a vampire sitcom about a 500-year marriage both exist this week, and the fact that they do is the point. The A.V. Club’s reviews will give viewers the critical context, but the sheer audacity of these premises is enough to recommend them on their own.
Small Prophets is the most unusual of the bunch, and its stop-motion animation gives it a visual identity that stands out. Below leans on Hartnett’s star power and a Jaws-level setup, which should draw in viewers who want thrills. Eternally Yours is the riskiest, asking audiences to care about a relationship that has lasted 500 years. The reviews will provide the final word on whether any of them land.
The week is not for the faint of heart, but it is for anyone who enjoys the absurdity of television.
Key Facts Box
- Small Prophets: Wednesday, Apple TV, created by Mackenzie Crook.
- Below: Thursday, Netflix, starring Josh Hartnett.
- Eternally Yours: Thursday, 8:30 p.m., CBS.
- Avatar: The Last Airbender* sequel: Also arriving this week.
Source material: “What's on TV this week—Small Prophets and Below premiere,” The A.V. Club.
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