# Tell Me a Story (2018)

> A psychological thriller that reimagines beloved fairy tales as dark, twisted modern stories.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/69907

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 20
- Episode runtime: 50 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: drama, thriller
- Created by: Kevin Williamson
- Network: CBS All Access
- Cast: James Wolk, Billy Magnussen, Dania Ramirez, Dorian Missick, Michael Raymond-James, Davi Santos, Sam Jaeger, Zabryna Guevara
- TMDB rating: 7.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7695916/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: dark, twisted, tense, unsettling, ominous

## What critics say

Audience reception is mixed, with the first season rated above the second; the anthology-style fairy tale reinvention is appreciated for its dark twists but uneven across its run.

## Synopsis

Tell Me a Story (2018-2020) is an American psychological thriller series created by Kevin Williamson for CBS All Access. Across two seasons and twenty fifty-minute episodes, it takes the world's most beloved fairy tales and reshapes them into dark, twisted modern narratives. James Wolk plays Jordan Evans, a central figure whose world bends under pressure, alongside Billy Magnussen as Nick Sullivan, Dania Ramirez as Hannah Perez, and Paul Wesley as Tucker Reed. Each story pulls its characters toward hidden motives and buried secrets, with familiar tales turned into something unsettling and personal. The show is built as a serialized puzzle in which recognizable story beats carry new menace, and its tone is tense, shadowy and unsettling, with a cold sense of dread running beneath the glossy surface. Viewers who enjoy Once Upon a Time, Grimm and Hannibal will find a similar blend of mythic storytelling and psychological unease. The series was canceled after its second season, leaving the story open.

## Shows like Tell Me a Story

- [Tell Me Your Secrets (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/76663)
- [Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (2013)](https://ember.film/tv/51698)
- [The Watchful Eye (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/128112)
- [Utopia (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/68019)
- [Happy Town (2010)](https://ember.film/tv/17294)
- [American Gothic (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/57102)
- [YAGA (2026)](https://ember.film/tv/1104982)
- [The Beast in Me (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/165787)
- [Prodigal Son (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/77819)
- [Awake (2012)](https://ember.film/tv/36166)

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