Tell Me a Story

Tell Me a Story takes well-known fairy tales and reworks them into a tense, adult drama where quaint morals are replaced by secrets, obsession, and crime. Each season interweaves multiple stories, transporting fables like Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs into contemporary urban lives where ordinary people make dangerous choices. The show follows several interconnected characters, from parents and lovers to criminals and victims, as their hidden motives and pasts collide. The tone is dark and unnerving, leaning on psychological conflict rather than magic, and the plotting focuses on character decisions and their escalating consequences without spoiling any twists.

Created by Kevin Williamson, the series premiered in 2018 and adapts classic fairy-tale material into an anthology format aimed at adult viewers. Production emphasizes modern settings and moody cinematography to shift the source stories into a noir, psychological register.

Though it didn't dominate awards season, the series drew attention for strong lead turns, especially from Paul Wesley and Carrie-Anne Moss. It earned praise in reviews for its cast's willingness to play morally messy figures, even if it wasn't widely honored by major industry prizes.

Tell Me a Story resonated with viewers who like darker reinterpretations of familiar myths, and it prompted online discussion about how childhood stories change when seen through an adult lens. Several scenes and character beats were shared widely on social platforms, and the show contributed to a broader trend of taking nostalgic source material and pushing it into thriller territory.

Critical response was mixed to positive, averaging 7.1 out of 10 from audience votes based on 269 ratings, with many critics noting the series' strong atmosphere and committed performances. Recurring themes include the consequences of secrecy, the costs of revenge, and warped family dynamics, presented in a way that stresses psychological realism over supernatural explanation.