We’ve seen a lot going on in Small Prophets, the new comedy on Apple TV. Our central figure, Michael (Pearce Quigley), is stuck because he doesn’t know what happened to his girlfriend, Clea. So, he’s turning to Homunculi. He’s growing tiny prophets that he hopes will tell him the truth. And he’s not doing it alone or as secretly as he thought.
We get a lot of that in Small Prophets season 1 episode 4, “Birds of America,” as well as learning what else threatens his future. Let’s dive in.
Nosy neighbors
Since we began, Michael has had an awkward relationship with his neighbor, Clive (Jon Pointing). Clive believes Michael’s house is an eye sore, and he’s tried to get Michael to clean things up. He comes out and sees the area out front has been cleared and takes it as a sign of progress. Then Michael gets a giant compost delivery, dumped right at the front of his property, and Clive’s shoulders drop.
While Clive is perturbed by what he sees, his wife Bev (Sophie Willan) is intrigued. She spotted the Homunculi in jars through his shed window. Now, she wants to know more. She tries to probe Michael for some information but doesn’t really get what she’s looking for out of him. Later, she spots Kayce (Lauren Patel), at the store. She tries to probe for more information, but Kayce is too guarded.
Despite her best efforts, Bev doesn’t learn much more. She’s continuing to watch, and it seems clear she’s now invested in getting to the bottom of what’s happening.
A plot hatched
In episode 3, Michael accused Roy (Paul Kaye) of visiting his father. But Roy left a message making it clear it wasn’t him. Michael didn’t get it last week, but he listens this week and becomes alarmed. So, he goes to find his father (Michael Palin) to get more information. He gets a vague description of the man, enough to know it’s not Roy. But that leaves him wondering who came to see his father and what they might have wanted.
Roy, meanwhile, has completed his own investigation. He was approached by Bea (Kathryn Drysdale) last week. She claimed to be an old friend of Clea and wanted to get in touch with Michael. But Roy lied about his name and number, realizing something was amiss. As Bea finds him in the episode, he is ready to confront her.
She’s not alone. Bob (Howard Gossington) is with her. Bob is the one who tried to impersonate Roy, and it’s to get more information about Clea’s business and what she might have. They are looking for a book, Birds of America, which is a rare and valuable tome. Now that he knows about the book, Roy agrees to help because his focus is on money. He needs money, and now he knows how to get it. If he can find the book.
Sharing the past
Meanwhile, Michael and Kayce continue to be bonded, and she continues to be fascinated by the Homunculi. She is helping Michael through the process. This week it meant shoveling manure and helping to bury the jars. That’s part of the final step before they will be ready to share the truth about the world and the future. It’s not clear if Kayce is invested because she wants answers or because she sees Michael as a sympathetic figure. Whatever her motives, she’s committed.
She’s also interested in learning more about Michael. She finds some boxes in his house — a lot of boxes. So, she asks Michael about them over a beer. Finally, he’s in a place to talk about Clea. The boxes are from her business, where she was an antiques dealer. He hasn’t been able to bring himself to open the boxes because they aren’t his. It also turns out he had been preparing the perfect classic Christmas room for Clea as a present that year. When she disappeared, he left it as it was so it would be ready for her when she returns.
Kayce is moved by the story. She asks to see the room. Michael agrees. He shares the room as he’s been sharing his story. More than anything, it seems to show how lonely and isolated these two people are and how much this connection is filling their lives.
We now know what people are seeking from Clea. Given that Roy is desperate for money and not above shady tactics, this isn’t likely to end well. Michael is focused on growing the prophets, but with Roy’s search lurking and Bev aware something is happening, it won’t remain a secret. I’m fascinated to see where this is going in its final two episodes.
Small Prophets streams Wednesdays on Apple TV. Check back next week as we recap all the action of the season. Have a theory or a question? Share it in the comments below.
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