--- title: "The Storyteller" year: 1988 kind: "series" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/the-storyteller" fi1m_score: 82 critics_reviews: 2 published: "2026-09-16T20:50:57.972628+00:00" updated: "2026-09-16T20:51:23.070570+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Storyteller (1988) Created by Jim Henson · 25m · MPA TV-Y7 · Action & Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama **Fi1m score: 82** · Critics: 2 of 6 reviews so far *In a sentence:* John Hurt makes a puppet seem a perfectly good reason to leave the light on > Jim Henson’s folk-tale series is absorbing, unsettling family television, with John Hurt an excellent narrator. Its elaborate puppetry rewards close attention, though the solemn tone can make short tales feel heavier than they need to. ## Synopsis The Storyteller (John Hurt) narrates folk tales populated by royalty, soldiers and witches. Among their characters are a Soldier (Bob Peck), a Witch (Miranda Richardson) and Sapsorrow (Alison Doody), with Anja (Jane Horrocks), Lidia (Gabrielle Anwar) and Lucky (Steven Mackintosh) also appearing across the series. Puppetry and effects accompany the human performers in stories drawn from folklore. The nine-episode series uses a 25-minute format for its mixture of fantasy, family drama and adventure. The emphasis is on separate tales and their telling, with John Hurt providing the narration. ## Review Jim Henson’s *The Storyteller* takes children’s fear seriously, and that is a good place for family fantasy to begin. This is an absorbing series, worth forgiving for the stretches when it seems a little too determined to be solemn. Anthony Minghella’s adaptations of folk tales give the puppetry stories sturdy enough to justify the effort spent on it. The nine-episode format also makes this a manageable encounter with the strange: there is no need to commit an entire evening. John Hurt is essential to its appeal. As The Storyteller, he makes the act of narration feel worth attending to, rather than something endured until the action resumes. We want to hear the tale because we want to hear him tell it, which is a considerable advantage for a programme built around a narrator. His presence gives the elaborate effects a human point of contact, and keeps the series from feeling like a display of technical accomplishments. The puppetry earns that attention. We found the creatures unsettling, because their physical presence makes the danger feel less easy to dismiss as make-believe. The skill involved is apparent, but it does not prevent us from accepting these beings as part of the stories. That is the achievement of the effects here: they let us notice the workmanship without turning every encounter into an opportunity to inspect it. John Fenner’s cinematography and Roger Hall’s production design help the creatures belong to the same fantasy as the human performers. There is a welcome seriousness about the visual treatment, which asks us to accept the creatures on the same terms as everybody else. Ann Hollowood’s costumes contribute to that feeling of a fully considered setting. Such care suits folk tales, where a king or a witch has to become convincing quickly, without a long explanation of who they are. Anthony Minghella’s writing is strongest when it allows wit and feeling into these old tales without apologising for their oddness. We do not need every witch explained or every king supplied with a sympathetic childhood. The difficulty is that the programme sometimes treats seriousness as a duty, and its humour has less room than it deserves. The stories remain compelling, but a little more playfulness would have made the darker passages more disturbing. David Yardley’s editing has a difficult task in fitting elaborate fantasy into episodes lasting 25 minutes, and the short running time is mostly an advantage. Yet the measured pace can make an episode feel longer than that, especially when the gravity goes unrelieved. Rachel Portman’s music contributes to that sense of occasion, though the cumulative effect can be rather heavy. A less ceremonial approach would sometimes have served the same material better. We value family fantasy that allows children to be afraid without treating them as foolish for it, and Jim Henson’s series respects that appetite. Adults have ample reason to stay, too, particularly for John Hurt and the pleasure of seeing puppetry taken this seriously. The occasional heaviness is a fair price for stories allowed to retain their unease. For family viewing, take a child’s tolerance for fear more seriously than the U certificate. *Fi1m score 82, published 16 September 2026.* ### Reviews we read (2) - **The AV Club**, Tasha Robinson (65/100, inferred): The DVD release showcases the series' sophisticated puppetry and effects as a proving ground for Henson's Creature Shop, with compelling folk tales adapted by Anthony Minghella and narrated by John Hurt. The overall tone is grave and ponderous, lacking the innocent charm of Henson's best work despite the artistry and timeless stories. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/jim-hensons-the-storyteller-dvd-1798198905) - **Den of Geek**, Neil McNally (85/100, inferred): The series is a beautiful and rare gem from Jim Henson's later work, blending authentic folktales with groundbreaking Creature Shop effects and strong direction from talents like Steve Barron. Standout episodes such as 'The Soldier and Death' (directed by Henson) and 'A Story Short' deliver emotional depth, wit, and memorable imagery that endure long after viewing. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/looking-back-at-jim-hensons-the-storyteller/) ## Details - **Created by:** Jim Henson - **Creator:** Jim Henson - **Director:** Steve Barron, Jim Henson, Charles Sturridge, Paul Weiland, Jon Amiel, Peter Smith - **Screenplay:** Anthony Minghella - **Writer:** Anthony Minghella - **Cinematography:** John Fenner, John Fenner - **Editor:** David Yardley - **Music:** Rachel Portman - **Production design:** Roger Hall - **Costume design:** Ann Hollowood - **Producer:** Duncan Kenworthy, Mark Shivas - **Cast:** John Hurt as The Storyteller; Miranda Richardson as Witch; Abigail Cruttenden as Princess; Jane Horrocks as Anja; Gabrielle Anwar as Lidia; Gemma Jones as Queen; Bob Peck as Soldier; Steven Mackintosh as Lucky - **Runtime:** 25m - **Certificate (MPA):** TV-Y7 - **Release (the US):** 15 May 1988 - **Genres:** Action & Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: streaming - Peacock: streaming, hd - The Roku Channel: free, hd - Peacock: free, hd - Amazon Prime Video: free - Amazon Prime Video: add-on - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy, hd - Apple TV: buy, hd *Checked 2026-09-16.* Also available in: CA, GB, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *The Dark Crystal* (1982): Handmade creatures and a troubled fantasy landscape, with little interest in reassurance. - *The Company of Wolves* (1984): For adults: folk-tale fears become more bodily, and considerably less suitable for children. - *Beauty and the Beast* (1946): A fairy tale whose physical transformations make tenderness and fear difficult to separate. - *The Juniper Tree* (1990): Spare, unsettling folklore that gives its people as much attention as its strangeness. - *Over the Garden Wall* (2014): Short woodland adventures with dry humour and darkness waiting just beyond the path. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/the-storyteller