Time Bandits Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Kevin Haddock

Critic’s Rating: 2 / 5.0

2

The Time Bandits Series Premiere left much to be desired but may ultimately appeal to the most youthful audience.

Now, that’s not to say nothing is appealing for adults. For those familiar with Taika Waititi’s various big and small screen efforts, the comedic elements of abrupt, explosive laughter are prevalent.

If you enjoy What We Do in the Shadows, you’ll feel right at home with Time Bandits. We are in the middle of an era of reboots and remakes. It was only a matter of time before the Time Bandits’ conundrum was resurrected for a new audience generation.

It’s a conundrum because the original Time Bandits, a 1981 theatrical release, was fairly popular, grasping and retaining the #1 spot for four consecutive weeks.

However, if you pull the average person to the side today and ask them what they thought about Terry Gilliam’s classic from the early ’80s, you’ll likely get a blank, unknowing stare in return.

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However, the historical depth of content in Hollywood is strong, as is the reach of modern-day screenwriters and producers. Apple announced the premiere date for the new Time Bandits series in May.

Apple TV+ isn’t known for its deep and diverse library of fantastic content but the powers that be know how to create a cinematic and pricey experience.

The question is: Is Time Bandits worthy of the remake effort, or is it just another cash grab scrounged from a once popular and now obscure movie?

Waititi Goes for Speed, and It Shows

The Time Bandits Series Premiere is but one of ten, which is becoming rare nowadays. Most series lengths stretch to eight episodes, so it was a bit surprising to see the rapid pace of the premiere.

Within the space of half an hour, the primary protagonist is established, the time bandits show up, and they’ve traveled to three different locations.

If only the local DMV moved at such a pace.

The dialogue is rapid-fire, and we barely have time to appreciate Lisa Kudrow’s Phoebe-like return to the small screen. The immensity of the cast further complicates this.

Kal-El Tuck tackles the series’ primary protagonist, Kevin, while Penelope (Kudrow), Widget (Roger Jean Nsengiyumva), Alto (Tadhg Murphy), Bittelig (Rune Temte), and Judy (Charlyne Yi) round out the Bandits.

Kevin’s family is dismissed quickly, though Pure Evil (Jemaine Clement) and the Supreme Being (Taika Waititi) are additional, recurring roles.

It’s a lot to swallow all at once. Episode 1 is a shade over 46 minutes in length, and it’s exhausting. Billed as a comedic adventure, the comedy side is overwhelmingly present. Rarely is there a moment of seriousness.

The dialogue comes and goes in brief flashes of jocular wit. This leaves Kevin to shoulder most of the dramatic burden.

Unfortunately, as child actors usually go in Hollywood, his moments are hit and miss. The nerdy charm of a history fanatic is displaced when the actor is more aware of the camera and less so of the character.

Again, these moments are fleeting out of necessity, as the story leaps from one moment to the next with little time to digest the previous.

A Glimmer of Hope

Fortunately, there are flashes here and there. Kudrow is right at home playing the aloof, whimsical leader of misfits. Rune Temte is in the perfect place as well.

For those who have seen his performance as Ubba in The Last Kingdom, that manic, almost hilarious (if not for the fear of what he might do next) persona is spot on.

Charlyne Yi’s Judy isn’t given much to do in the first episode, but her dry, matter-of-fact wit fits right into a Taika Waititi experience. Widget is the navigator of the bunch, and there are hints at depth within the irreverent veneer.

Bittelig is funny, but it’s difficult to place him within the bandit puzzle. With a PG rating, the Time Bandits Series Premiere is aimed at a very young audience, though it often does much to dissuade adult viewers from paying much attention.

The set pieces are fantastic, and the cinematography is breathtaking, as is typical of an Apple creation.

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Time Bandits Season 1 Episode 1 is full of sights and sounds from history. Stonehenge, ancient war ships, the demonic underdwelling of Pure Evil, and the gates of Troy sets are all visual feasts. The bandits jump from time period to time period, each place unique to its culture and time.

Waititi, Jemaine Clement, and Iain Morris are no strangers to big-budget productions. Placing an Apple product in their hands was a prudent move, visually speaking. The original Time Bandits was only a two-hour movie, but a ten-episode series about time jumping provides the showrunners with opportunities galore.

If nothing else of note happens within the next nine episodes, the visual journey will be spectacular.

The First Part of a Longer Journey

The Time Bandit series has much more content to work with than the original, for obvious reasons.

With the first episode in the bag, there’s no way the remaining nine episodes can maintain the same pace without coming apart at the seams.

One thing Waititi has to work out is the juxtaposition between the patience of a younger audience and the pacing of a ten-episode story arc. As it stands, we know little about the Time Bandits, aside from their breakup with the Supreme Being and resolve to indulge in a time-hopping life of thievery.

Throughout the 46-minute episode, Time Bandits also violates the golden rule of storytelling — show, don’t tell.

Before the one-quarter point, Penelope relays the entire story of how they got there, the Supreme Being, their part, and their plans. The original took a little longer to explain this.

Who knows? Maybe this will fit right in with a PG audience but shows aimed at even younger audiences do far better at skipping around the violation of this golden rule.

As a history buff and highly intelligent child, Kevin would have been better served by exploring the mystery of these time-hopping strangers and how they ended up in his bedroom, chased by an enormous multi-faced head.

A Shiny Car with an Empty Driver’s Seat

The Time Bandits series premiere is off to a fast start, but not necessarily in the manner of a well-told story.

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The rapid-fire time jumps, extreme pacing, overly witty dialogue, and telling instead of showing aren’t great signs. However, with nine episodes to go, there is room for improvement.

The characters are colorful and animated, with a protagonist who is the polar opposite of Kudrow’s detached and unsympathetic character. If the series slows down long enough for the audience to appreciate it, a smorgasbord of possibilities abounds.

While drama is often the killer of comedy, the opposite holds true as well. Without a visceral connection to the characters, it’s difficult to care what becomes of them, despite the hilarity they bring to the table.

Thor: Love and Thunder (a Waititi project to the bone) also suffered from this — too much smartassery in lieu of reasonable dialogue and empathetic character-building.

The six to ten-year-old demographic may love it, but if that group is the hinge upon which the entire show swings, this door may fall off its hinges before it satisfactorily closes.