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Tell Me a Story

Tell Me a Story

Old tales. New blood.

2018–2020Ended2 seasons20 episodes~52 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

The world's most beloved fairy tales reimagined as a dark and twisted psychological thriller.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Tell Me a Story?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Tell Me a Story to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about Tell Me a Story?

Tell Me a Story earns 5 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Preferred by Under-30s.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Tell Me a Story worth watching?

Tell Me a Story's Midcredits score is the 59th percentile of all shows, from 11K ratings across 2 sources. 77% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

59th percentile

Better received than 59% of shows

56th percentile among Drama57th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)52nd
Approval (how many liked it)65th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

71 /100

52nd percentile of all shows

51st percentile among Drama49th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.5 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

77% liked it

65th percentile of all shows

60th percentile among Drama63rd percentile among 2010s
77% rated it 7–1023% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

90th percentile

11K ratings across platforms

87th percentile among Drama90th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 1% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps see the show as a modern crime drama with fairy-tale elements, but disagree on whether that works.

Fans praised

  • interweaving of multiple storylines
  • modern dark twist on fairy tales
  • strong performances by cast

Detractors panned

  • forced political commentary
  • unlikable characters making stupid decisions
  • slow pacing and dull drama

What stands out

ActingDivisive72

generally solid performances, especially Paul Wesley and Danielle Campbell

OriginalityDivisive60

modern fairy-tale concept praised as fresh by fans, dismissed as gimmick by detractors

Plot and storyDivisive55

interwoven storylines praised but often seen as predictable or contrived

TensionDivisive55

some effective suspense but often undermined by predictable twists

AtmosphereDivisive55

dark, gritty tone appreciated by some, felt hollow by others

CharactersDivisive45

many found characters unlikable, making stupid decisions

Emotional impactDivisive45

difficulty connecting with characters reduces emotional weight

PacingDivisive40

frequently called slow, especially first few episodes

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 12 points higher than men.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 38 points higher than over-30s.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 13 points higher than US viewers.

Episodes

2 seasons

Season 2 · 2019 · 10 episodes

  • S2E1

    The Curse

    Dec 5, 201949 min
  • S2E2

    Writer's Block

    Dec 12, 201949 min
  • S2E3

    Family Business

    Dec 18, 201957 min
  • S2E4

    Number One Fan

    Dec 25, 201953 min
  • S2E5

    New Pages

    Jan 1, 202043 min
  • S2E6

    Lost and Found

    Jan 8, 202049 min

Watch experience

What is Tell Me a Story like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseMelancholicDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Brutal · 3% of shows
Told as
Case of the week plus an arcNew arc each season
ToneThe series plays its dark fairy tale reimaginings completely straight, treating the grim, real-world consequences with earnest sincerity and no ironic distance.
The rideThe series sustains a consistently tense and dark mood with moments of emotional weight spread across both seasons.
StructureThe story is told in a straightforward chronological order across the season, with each fairy tale plotline following a conventional three-act structure.
Episode formatEach season interweaves multiple fairy tale storylines into a single overarching plot; episodes advance individual character arcs while building to a season-long conclusion.
Season formatSeason 1 and Season 2 each tell a complete, self-contained story using the same fairy-tale-meets-modern formula with largely new character configurations.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves you turning over how familiar stories map onto gritty, modern violence and injustice, and the moral ambiguity of everyone's actions lingers uneasily.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 40% of shows: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeAs a case-plus-arc hybrid series, each episode mixes investigation of who committed a crime and survival in a modern fairy tale scenario. The typical episode fits no single archetype; episodes alternate between pursuing a criminal, being hunted, solving a mystery, and surviving a trap.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfRevengeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% (this title) · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% (this title) · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% (this title) · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Morality

Revenge · 1% of showsGreed · 2% of showsBetrayal · 3% of shows
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series subverts classic fairy tales by centering on how revenge and greed unravel lives, with loyalty and trust constantly broken.
StanceThe series warns against the destructiveness of revenge and greed as it weaves multiple character arcs, all suffering the consequences.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score
Settingmodern New York where fairy tale archetypes play out in gritty reality

Content guide

Is Tell Me a Story okay for kids?

TV-MA

Tell Me a Story is rated TV-MA. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (66/100), sexual content at moderate (58/100), language at intense (65/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Overall it is heavier than 56% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • Brazil16
  • Austria16
  • MexicoD
  • RO15
  • Spain16
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 76% of all showsHeavier than 56% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 51%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 59%
Profanity
Intense
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 44%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 73%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 62%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: drug and alcohol content, frightening material, violence, and language. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA shows usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Tell Me a Story have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Tell Me a Story?

Cast

Danielle Campbell
as Kayla Powell
Paul Wesley
as Tucker Reed
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
James Wolk
as Jordan Evans
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Billy Magnussen
as Nick Sullivan
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Odette Annable
as Maddie Pruitt
Dania Ramirez
as Hannah Perez
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Eka Darville
as Beau Morris
Matt Lauria
as Jackson Pruitt
Natalie Alyn Lind
as Ashley Rose Pruitt
Sam Jaeger
as Tim Powell

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