Sometimes your favorite fairy tale characters *don’t* live happily ever after. CBS All Access’ new psychological thriller Tell Me a Story is here to subvert all the classic tales of The Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel into a dark, gritty series … with potentially fatal results. The new 10-episode drama from the mind of Kevin Williamson stars Paul Wesley (The Vampire Diaries), James Wolk (Zoo), Billy Magnussen (American Crime Story: People v. O.J. Simpson), Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City) and more as reimagined characters from the iconic fairy tales.
But even though the cast boasts some Once Upon a Time alums, this is decidedly not your childhood fairy tale series … so maybe don’t watch this with your kids or younger siblings. Set in modern-day New York City, the first season of the serialized drama interweaves the fairy tale characters’ lives into an epic and subversive tale of love, loss, greed, revenge, sex, drugs, and murder. With Williamson at the helm, aka the man behind bloody projects like The Following and Scream, Tell Me a Story is set to twist the classic tales into something completely new and downright terrifying. We’re calling it now: this is going to be your new thriller obsession.
Cancel all your Halloween plans, because during the 2018 Summer Television Critics Association press tour on Sunday, CBS All Access exec Julie McNamara announced that Tell Me a Story would fittingly premiere on Halloween later this year. New episodes will then debut weekly on the network’s premium digital subscription, video on-demand and live streaming service. Because who needs trick-or-treating when you can stay in and give yourself nightmares with a new show?
Based on the dark, first-look footage, it’s clear that Williamson is infusing this new series with his trademark brand of psychological horror. But what’s fascinating is that it’s hard to tell which character is which. Obviously Danielle Campbell’s Kayla is Little Red Riding Hood (did that red raincoat tip you off or what?), but which guy is the Big Bad Wolf of her story? And since when were the Three Little Pigs the villains of their story? Based on the first look trailer alone, Wesley’s first television role since The Vampire Diaries could go either way between hero or villain, but it’s definitely something completely new for him.
What do you think of the new fairy tale inspired drama? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Images/video: CBS
