Small Prophets episode 4, “The Birds of America,” is listed for October 21, 2026 on Apple TV, according to Apple’s episode guide. Apple says the six-episode comedy from Mackenzie Crook releases new episodes every Wednesday through November 4, 2026, so two episodes remain after this one.
Crook created, wrote and directed the series, which first aired on the BBC in the U.K. Here is what Apple has confirmed about the new episode and the rest of the run.
When is Small Prophets episode 4 out?
Apple lists “The Birds of America” for Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Apple TV typically releases new episodes at 9pm ET / 6pm PT the evening before the listed date, so US viewers may have been able to watch it the evening of October 20. Apple does not state an exact release time.
Don’t miss the best of The Mac Observer
Set us as a preferred source and our Apple reporting ranks higher in your Google Search results and Discover feed — one tap, no account changes.
One catch: Apple says the series is available everywhere except the U.K., where it will come to Apple TV subscribers in 2027.
What happens in The Birds of America
Apple’s synopsis for episode 4 reads: “A delivery of horse manure pushes Clive to his limit as Kacey helps Michael bury the jars.”
That is the full official description. Horse manure is part of the old recipe Michael’s father Brian gives him at the start of the series, along with rainwater and “more than a little alchemy,” in Apple’s words. Clive’s obsession has been building, too: Apple’s episode 3 synopsis says “Clive’s obsession deepens.”
Apple’s stills for episode 4 feature Pearce Quigley, Sir Michael Palin, Lauren Patel, Mackenzie Crook, Kathryn Drysdale, Howard Gossington, Ed Kear and Charlotte Mills.
If you are catching up, our Small Prophets episode 2 recap covers how Michael’s shed experiment got started.
Small Prophets episode guide and schedule
Apple premiered the first two episodes on October 7, 2026, then moved to one a week. Titles and dates for episodes 1 to 4 come from Apple’s episode guide. Apple has not yet listed titles for episodes 5 and 6; the dates follow its weekly Wednesday schedule ending November 4.
| Episode | Title | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Down at the Cul-de-Sac | October 7, 2026 |
| 2 | Is This Legal? | October 7, 2026 |
| 3 | Should I Be Scared? | October 14, 2026 |
| 4 | The Birds of America | October 21, 2026 |
| 5 | Not yet listed | October 28, 2026 |
| 6 | Finale (not yet listed) | November 4, 2026 |
What Small Prophets is about
Apple describes the show as “a comic tale of the eccentric Michael Sleep (Quigley) who, since his darling Clea disappeared seven years ago, has lived a very ordinary life.” He works in a DIY store, visits his dad Brian, played by Palin, and hopes Clea will return.
With Brian’s recipe in hand, Michael sets out to create homunculi, which Apple calls “magical spirits that can predict the future,” hoping they can answer one question: will he ever see Clea again?
His young coworker Kacey, played by Lauren Patel, helps him. Apple says their friendship grows partly through a shared dislike of store manager Gordon, played by Crook, and it fuels the curiosity of his nosy neighbors, played by Sophie Willan and Jon Pointing, who want to know what is going on in the garden shed.
The show was filmed and set in and around Manchester and mixes in animation, according to Apple.
Small Prophets cast
Apple’s press release lists:
- Pearce Quigley as Michael Sleep
- Lauren Patel as Kacey
- Sir Michael Palin as Brian
- Mackenzie Crook as Gordon
- Sophie Willan and Jon Pointing as the neighbors
- Paul Kaye
Reception and who makes it
Apple says the first season holds a perfect 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and won the Best Series Award, International Panorama at Series Mania in March 2026.
Small Prophets is produced by Treasure Trove and Blue House Productions. Executive producers are Mackenzie Crook and Lisa Thomas for Treasure Trove Productions, and Christine Gernon and Emma Strain for Blue House Productions. Apple acquired the series from international distributor Sphere Abacus. Apple’s Small Prophets trailer announcement has the full schedule. Apple has not announced a second season.
How to watch
Small Prophets streams on Apple TV, which costs $14.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers, according to Apple. The Apple TV app runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, many smart TVs, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, PlayStation and Xbox, and at tv.apple.com.
