Summary
Taika Waititi’s new TV show,Time Bandits, has become a streaming success. Created by Waititi, Jemaine Clement, and Iain Morris – based on the 1981 fantasy adventure film directed by Terry Gilliam – the new Apple TV+ series follows an unlikely alliance between a band of thieves and an 11-year-old history buff as they embark on a dangerous quest to rescue his family, and save the world at large. TheTime Banditsshow castincludes Lisa Kudrow, Kal-El Tuck, Tadhg Murphy, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, Rune Temte, Charlyne Yi, Rachel House, and Kiera Thompson.
Now, after airing only four episodes, Waititi’s new TV show has become a streaming success.Time Banditsfinished fifth onReelgood’s Top 10 TV shows chart and ninth on their Top 10 overall chart for the week of July 25-31. In terms of TV shows,Time Banditsfinished belowThe Bear,The Decameron,House of the Dragon, andPresumed Innocent. Check out the full Top 10 lists below:
What Critics & Audiences Are Saying About Time Bandits
It’s Acclaimed By Critics, But Divisive Among Audiences
Waititi’s new TV show is based on the 1981 film of the same name, which is regarded by critics as a classic time-travel fantasy for its imaginative set designs and DIY special effects that render a vibrant and unique world, resulting in a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes.Reviews for theTime BanditsTV showpraise the new takewhich trades the original film’s quirks for a more family-oriented approach, offering a lively adventure that becomes increasingly captivating as it progresses, resulting in a slightly lower, but still strong 79% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Time Bandits Ending Explained
Terry Gilliam’s imaginative fantasy film Time Bandits stretched the boundaries of what was possible in movies, and its ending left many questions.
However,theTime BanditsTV show has proven to be much more divisive among audiences, as indicated by its 50% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes from 100+ ratings. Any time a beloved or classic property is remade, it’s bound to be divisive among those who cherish the original, which is certainly responsible for some of the backlash against theTime BanditsTV show. However, some of it is racist backlash directed toward the TV show’s diverse cast, which includes Rwandan, Asian-American, and New Zealand actors.
Despite some backlash from audiences, the show is critically acclaimed and popular on streaming. However, at the time of writing,Time Banditshasonly aired four episodes, and with six more to go, it remains to be seen if the fantasy adventure series can maintain this high degree of quality throughout its first season, with two new episodes airing every Wednesday on Apple TV+. If it does,Time Banditsshould be renewed for a second season, which Waititi and Clement are already in the process of writing.
Time Bandits
Cast
Eleven-year-old Kevin joins a group of time-traveling thieves on a comedic and perilous adventure. As they navigate through various historical periods, they embark on a mission to save Kevin’s parents and ultimately the world, blending humor with high-stakes drama in this adaptation of Terry Gilliam’s cult classic.
