# Yaga (TV series)
**Yaga** is a Canadian eight-episode, half-hour mystery thriller television series that reimagines the myth of [Baba Yaga](https://www.edgepedia.org/baba-yaga), the witch of Slavic folklore, as a contemporary crime story set in a small coastal town. Created for the Canadian streaming service Crave by playwright Kat Sandler, who adapted it from her own 2019 play of the same name, the series stars [Carrie-Anne Moss](https://www.edgepedia.org/carrie-anne-moss), Noah Reid, Clark Backo, and [Hudson Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/hudson-williams), and premiered in September and October 2026.[1](https://www.amc.com/blogs/watch-a-sneak-peek-clip-of-yaga-premiering-october-23--1075863) • [2](https://www.sky.com/watch/yaga)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Eight half-hour episodes; also available as four one-hour episodes for international distribution[1](https://www.amc.com/blogs/watch-a-sneak-peek-clip-of-yaga-premiering-october-23--1075863) • [3](https://www.sphere-abacus.com/programme/4557/yaga) |
| Origin | Adaptation of Kat Sandler's 2019 stage play; Sandler serves as writer, showrunner, and executive producer[1](https://www.amc.com/blogs/watch-a-sneak-peek-clip-of-yaga-premiering-october-23--1075863) |
| Main cast | Carrie-Anne Moss as Katherine, Noah Reid as Rapp, Clark Backo as Carson, Hudson Williams as Henry Park[4](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/yaga) |
| Premiere | World premiere September 17, 2026 at the Toronto International Film Festival (Primetime program)[5](https://ca.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/hudson-williams-new-mystery-series-yaga/) |
| Streaming dates | October 23, 2026 on Crave (Canada) and AMC+ (U.S.); October 31, 2026 on Sky Atlantic and NOW (UK and Ireland); October 23, 2026 on HBO Max in Germany and Sweden[6](https://www.scene49.ca/entertainment/yaga-crave-episode-release-schedule-2026) • [2](https://www.sky.com/watch/yaga) • [7](https://wbd-deutschland.de/post/deutscher-trailer-der-crave-original-serie-yaga-verfugbar) |
| Production | Blink49 Studios and Front Street Pictures in association with Bell Media; international distribution by Sphere Abacus[8](https://www.amc.com/blogs/first-look-at-contemporary-mystery-thriller-yaga-released-at-comic-con-international--1075528) |
## Premise
The story follows Rapp ([Noah Reid](https://www.edgepedia.org/noah-reid)), a private investigator who arrives in the fictional coastal town of Whittock to investigate the disappearance of Henry Park (Hudson Williams), the young heir to a powerful fishery. His investigation brings him into conflict with an apprehensive local detective, Carson (Clark Backo), and a charismatic university professor with a taste for younger men, [Katherine](https://www.edgepedia.org/katherine) (Carrie-Anne Moss), while leading him into a web of enigmatic suspects, secret lives, and ancient magic tied to the Baba Yaga legend.[8](https://www.amc.com/blogs/first-look-at-contemporary-mystery-thriller-yaga-released-at-comic-con-international--1075528) Apple TV's description frames the series as "a psychological descent into ancient witchcraft, power, and seduction" in which two investigators question a mysterious professor about a missing student.[9](https://tv.apple.com/us/show/yaga/umc.cmc.5a84gh9hk5du10mgibraosyeb)
Williams plays two characters: the missing Henry Park and a lookalike character, Logan, who does not appear in the original play.[10](https://bookedandscreened.com/2026/09/21/yaga-everything-we-know-about-the-adaptation/) The supporting cast includes [Sheila McCarthy](https://www.edgepedia.org/sheila-mccarthy) as Olena Yaha, described as a cheeky and wise local woman originally from Ukraine, along with [Megan Follows](https://www.edgepedia.org/megan-follows), Patrick Gilmore, Katharine Isabelle, Hiro Kanagawa, Ezra Franky, Emilija Baranac, Georgia Acken, Anisa Harris, and Sam Krochmal.[11](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/yaga-hudson-williams-how-to-watch/) • [8](https://www.amc.com/blogs/first-look-at-contemporary-mystery-thriller-yaga-released-at-comic-con-international--1075528)
## The Baba Yaga myth and the adaptation
Baba Yaga is a supernatural, witchlike old woman from Slavic folklore who lives in the woods in a hut balanced on chicken legs; in different retellings she appears as a child-eating villain, a healer, a trickster, or a helper of heroes, and some Russian versions of the stories date back to the 17th century.[2](https://www.sky.com/watch/yaga)
**From stage to screen.** Sandler's play premiered in 2019, and the television adaptation reworks the myth through a modern lens. Sandler has described the series as "a collision of folklore, fairy tale, noir thriller, police procedural, horror, and feminist fantasy, while continuing to ask the question: What makes a witch?"[11](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/yaga-hudson-williams-how-to-watch/) Both the play and the series open with a monologue by the voice of Yaga herself, listing the different interpretations of the witch over the years.[12](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a74170556/hudson-williams-yaga/) Distributor Sphere Abacus markets the series as "part dark fairy tale, part prestige crime thriller" that asks what if the witch was never the monster.[3](https://www.sphere-abacus.com/programme/4557/yaga)
## Production
The series is produced by Blink49 Studios and Front Street Pictures in association with [Bell Media](https://www.edgepedia.org/bell-media) as a Crave Original. Co-directing duties belong to David Frazee and Rachel Talalay, while Mackenzie Donaldson, Andrew Miller, and Carrie-Anne Moss hold executive producer roles and Charles Cooper fills the producer position. The score is by composer Trevor Yuile.[8](https://www.amc.com/blogs/first-look-at-contemporary-mystery-thriller-yaga-released-at-comic-con-international--1075528) • [13](https://www.coremusicagency.com/news/television)
[Principal photography](https://www.edgepedia.org/principal-photography) began in February 2026 in [British Columbia](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-columbia), including Victoria, which doubles for the fictional setting of Whittock, and filming has wrapped.[14](https://seriesreminder.com/series/yaga) • [5](https://ca.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/hudson-williams-new-mystery-series-yaga/)
## Release and distribution
AMC Global Media acquired the exclusive U.S. streaming rights for AMC+ in April 2026, in a deal with producer Blink49 Studios and distributor Sphere Abacus.[15](https://www.amcglobalmedia.com/2026/04/30/amc-global-media-acquires-exclusive-u-s-streaming-rights-to-craves-new-contemporary-mystery-thriller-yaga-from-producer-blink49-studios-and-distributor-sphere-abacus/) The series had its world premiere on Thursday, September 17, 2026 in the Primetime program of the [Toronto International Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/toronto-international-film-festival), and a panel presented exclusive content at New York Comic Con on Friday, October 9.[5](https://ca.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/hudson-williams-new-mystery-series-yaga/) • [1](https://www.amc.com/blogs/watch-a-sneak-peek-clip-of-yaga-premiering-october-23--1075863)
In Canada and the United States the series premieres on Friday, October 23, 2026 with two episodes, followed by one episode each Friday, and a two-episode finale on Friday, November 27. The eight episodes thus roll out over six Fridays.[1](https://www.amc.com/blogs/watch-a-sneak-peek-clip-of-yaga-premiering-october-23--1075863) • [6](https://www.scene49.ca/entertainment/yaga-crave-episode-release-schedule-2026) In the UK and Ireland, Sky holds exclusive rights and launches the series on [Sky Atlantic](https://www.edgepedia.org/sky-atlantic) and NOW on October 31, 2026 with a three-episode premiere.[2](https://www.sky.com/watch/yaga) [HBO Max](https://www.edgepedia.org/hbo-max) carries the series in Germany and Sweden with the same two-episode opening and two-episode finale schedule as North America.[7](https://wbd-deutschland.de/post/deutscher-trailer-der-crave-original-serie-yaga-verfugbar) As of late October 2026, Crave has not announced a second season.[14](https://seriesreminder.com/series/yaga)
## Reception
Reviewing the first seven episodes ahead of the premiere, Josh at the Movies called the series an "erotic horror thriller" with "an enticing cast and a charismatic lead performance from Reid," noting its half-hour format, [Twin Peaks](https://www.edgepedia.org/twin-peaks)-esque supporting characters, and escalating mix of flirtation, horror, and sexual intrigue, while finding some plot elements underdeveloped.[16](https://joshatthemovies.com/2026/10/21/tv-review-yaga-season-1/)
## References
1. [Watch A Sneak Peek Clip of YAGA, Premiering October 23, AMC Talk](https://www.amc.com/blogs/watch-a-sneak-peek-clip-of-yaga-premiering-october-23--1075863)
2. [YAGA | New Fantasy Drama Coming Soon | Watch on Sky and NOW, Sky](https://www.sky.com/watch/yaga)
3. [YAGA, Sphere Abacus programme page](https://www.sphere-abacus.com/programme/4557/yaga)
4. [YAGA - watch tv show streaming online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/yaga)
5. [Hudson Williams Takes on a New Mystery in Upcoming Series 'YAGA', Rolling Stone Canada](https://ca.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/hudson-williams-new-mystery-series-yaga/)
6. [YAGA episode release schedule: When do new episodes arrive on Crave?, SCENE 49](https://www.scene49.ca/entertainment/yaga-crave-episode-release-schedule-2026)
7. [Deutscher Trailer der Crave Original Serie „Yaga" verfügbar, Warner Bros. Discovery Deutschland](https://wbd-deutschland.de/post/deutscher-trailer-der-crave-original-serie-yaga-verfugbar)
8. [First Look at Mystery Thriller, YAGA, Released at Comic-Con International, AMC Talk](https://www.amc.com/blogs/first-look-at-contemporary-mystery-thriller-yaga-released-at-comic-con-international--1075528)
9. [Yaga, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/show/yaga/umc.cmc.5a84gh9hk5du10mgibraosyeb)
10. ['Yaga': Everything we know about the adaptation, Booked & Screened](https://bookedandscreened.com/2026/09/21/yaga-everything-we-know-about-the-adaptation/)
11. [The Hudson Williams-Starring 'Yaga' Is a Feminist Take on Iconic Folklore: Here's How to Watch, Marie Claire](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/yaga-hudson-williams-how-to-watch/)
12. ["I Want It to Be Horny for All"—On the Set of Hudson Williams's New Spooky Series Yaga, Harper's Bazaar](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a74170556/hudson-williams-yaga/)
13. [News | Television, Core Music Agency](https://www.coremusicagency.com/news/television)
14. [Yaga Season 1 Release Dates & Schedule, SeriesReminder](https://seriesreminder.com/series/yaga)
15. [AMC Global Media Acquires Exclusive U.S. Streaming Rights to Crave's New Contemporary Mystery Thriller Yaga, AMC Global Media](https://www.amcglobalmedia.com/2026/04/30/amc-global-media-acquires-exclusive-u-s-streaming-rights-to-craves-new-contemporary-mystery-thriller-yaga-from-producer-blink49-studios-and-distributor-sphere-abacus/)
16. [TV Review: Yaga – Season 1, Josh At The Movies](https://joshatthemovies.com/2026/10/21/tv-review-yaga-season-1/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Scripted television and comedy series › Drama and prestige series (individual series) › Science fiction, horror, and supernatural*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license