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Published 14:22 4 Mar 2025 GMT
Updated 16:45 16 Apr 2025 BST

Small Town, Big Story - a new sci-fi comedy series set in Ireland - can now be watched in its entirety via NOW Entertainment and Sky Atlantic.
Created by Chris O'Dowd (Moone Boy) - who also has a supporting role in the show - the story revolves around a Hollywood producer named Wendy (Christina Hendricks, Mad Men) who returns to the struggling Irish border town she grew up in to make a movie.
While the locals are thrilled about the Hollywood production's arrival, the town's doctor Séamus (Paddy Considine, Dead Man's Shoes) fears that Wendy's arrival will shine a spotlight on a hidden secret they share.
And the first scene of the series lets audiences know that this secret may be otherworldly in origin.
Alongside Considine, Hendricks and O'Dowd - Small Town, Big Story has a great cast including Clarke Peters (The Wire), David Wilmot (Bodkin), Eileen Walsh (Small Things Like These), Peter McGann (Good Boy), Susan Lynch (Bad Day for the Cut), Tim Heidecker (Tim & Eric), as a well as a whole host of cameos from notable Irish actors.
Having watched the pilot, JOE can confirm that the show is very funny but is also an intriguing blend of quirky Ireland-set small-town comedy-drama, showbiz satire and sci-fi.
You can read some positive reviews for Small Town, Big Story below:
Absolute Geeks: “Small Town, Big Story emerges as a delightful and nuanced exploration of community, secrets, and the collision of disparate worlds."
The Guardian: "How much you enjoy Small Town, Big Story will depend on how you feel first about whimsy and second about genre mashups. If your appetite for both is large, then Chris O’Dowd’s creation (he wrote and directed) has plenty to make you happy."
The Times: "Much of O’Dowd’s dialogue is sharp, especially when writing for the local characters."
All six episodes of Small Town, Big Story can be watched through NOW Entertainment and Sky Atlantic now.
@joedotie “Wicklow is gorgeous” 😍🇮🇪 Chris O’Dowd chatted to JOE about shooting in Ireland and replicating the north west of the country in Wicklow 😂 He also spoke about reuniting with his Moone Boy co-stars 👀 Small Town, Big Story is out on 27th February on SKY and streaming service NOW! 📺 #ireland #dublin #irish #wicklow #chrisodowd ♬ original sound - JOE.ie
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