User reviews

Let me first of all frame my review by saying I'm a massive fan of the original movie.

I hadn't even heard of this until I accidentally stumbled across it on Apple TV, and given that my partner has never seen the 1981 original (disgraceful, I know) I thought we should give it a whirl.

This is absolutely not a remake of the film. Most of the story beats are there, but it is otherwise completely different and is very much aimed squarely at kids, with some adult humour thrown in. Admittedly it starts off... not great, just ok, but stick with it for a few episodes and it becomes very funny, especially the episodes with the neanderthals and Mansa Musa.

It doesn't have the writing genius of Gilliam and Palin, but I enjoyed it as its own thing, and not just an updated version of the much loved film.

It helps if you're a fan of Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Concords) and Taika Watiti (What We Do in the Shadows) as their humour is pretty off the wall and improvised, but if you're a curmudgeon who says things like "in my day blah blah blah..." then you'll probably moan about this.

If you have adolescent kids, you won't really go wrong here. If you enjoy offbeat, stupid humour you'll have some fun. It's not amazing, but it's much better than it has any right to be, and I had a pretty decent time watching it.

I have minor hope for a 2nd series, but we'll see.

I am so glad I ignored the negative reviews. It's cute and funny and I ended up liking it enough to binge it. I never got bored as it's non stop action through all the historical periods and famous people. The scenery, sets, and costumes are also very enjoyable and well done. I found myself enjoying and chuckling at much of the sly, witty quips that constantly pop up. The actor who plays young Kevin was adorable, BTW. With each espusode you like each of the bandits more and more, even Lisa Kudrow's character despite her less than stellar acting. If you have a sense of humor and fun you will enjoy it.

It's fun. II's light. And Silly. Effects are sold. And acting is good. It's different spin on the original.

Time bandits concept x Peabody & Sherman + history of The world part 1 +

Taika Watiki and Jermaine Clement?

I'm Here for it.

The whole concept is worth your consideration. And you might even (gasp!) learn a little history.

Oh the horror!

All you review bombing film bros who hate it and think your review or opinion matters (or that you matter) just stfu and go watch something else. Or go make something better. I can't wait to read the reviews. ;-)

For the rest of you, watch it. If you like it, keep watching. If you don't, then stop. Simple.

So far it feels like you can watch it with your kids, which nowadays is a big ask. I would have 100% watched this with my daughters had this been on when they were young. Keep in mind I'm only through a few episodes.

So I started watching this as a big fan of the original film; one of my favourite films. For about the first ten minutes I hated it. And initially I thought it was just Political Correctness gone wrong to change the physical nature of the original bandits. But then I stopped comparing and started to appreciate this for what it is.

It's a modern take on an old tale, but is well made, with some great characters, and a few genuine 'laugh out loud' funny moments. I've just watch the first two episodes and can honestly say I'm really enjoying it.

The young lad playing Kevin is brilliant and, despite what a few other reviews have said, Lisa Kudrow has a really great character too.

I have fond memories of the 80s film. Always loved the adventure. Palin and Gilliam wrote a masterpiece for the film.

This outing, in tone, is overall similar. But it seems to have it's faults. I'm not yet certain if the faults out weight the pros.

It has a generally "fun" atmosphere. Dialog and settings are light-hearted and adventurous. Sort of a somewhat "silly" walk through historical settings. That's always a great watch. So there's a big plus there.

The cons.. well... Kudrow really. This appears to be an example of when you finally get a "name" to sign onto a project and they are thrust into a primary spotlight role regardless of how well they fit the part. Kudrow doesn't fit this part. Not at all. She's completely lacking the "wannabe tyrant with a lack-of-confidence" trait in the character she's portraying. Just wrong for the character. This is Kudrow *trying desperately* to play a Monty Python (Palin/Gilliam) character and falling flat. To me, Kudrow has always "forces" comedic roles (post Friends) - and it can become obvious at times.

I can't help but think swapping the roles of Jemaine Clement (the bad guy) and Kudrow would have been better for the series. Jemaine Clement is a fantastic comedic actor - and his talents appear to be wasted in the role he has in this.

I miss the fact that Kevin was the same size as the rest of the bandits in the film. That made them all seem much more like a "gang" of bandits -- I somewhat "get" why that wasn't a choice in today's social climate I guess, but it's not as favorable to have Kevin be a small child compared to all the 6ft tall adults.

The "bandits" in this series aren't very quirky overall - or haven't shown it much yet - that's what made the bandits in the original Palin/Gilliam film so endearing.

Anyway.. after 2 episodes it's not horrible, but it's not yet "great" either. It's worth catching, but there's no telling if it'll get better or worse at this point. I think, largely, that depends on how central Kudrow is in each episode. Looking at the list of the cast, there does appear to be some great comedy names yet to appear in the series.

---------------------

After 6 episodes, it's just sort of lackluster and often "try hard." It's not bad, but I have yet to find any laughs. It CLEARLY tries.. but I'm just not finding it funny. And some aspects are just non-sensical.. they travel back to Georgian times and everyone is calling Kudrow's character "sir"?? I know today that may be a thing in 2024, but in the 1700s??? Historical settings are all very superficial and unrealistic in terms of character mindsets.

Time Bandits is light silly fun, with time travel, Jemaine Clement at his campiest, and Taika Waititi in a wig. What more could you ask for? If you're looking for something comforting and silly, this is the show for you. Do all the jokes land? No. But most of them do. Come for the jokes and stay for the rag tag found family of bandits.

Combine that with incredible effects (many of them practical effects) and lots of care put into the sets, costumes, puppetry, and extras. It's clear there was a lot of thought and work put into putting this show together. You might even learn a few things about history while you're watching!

I understand people not liking this. It's light and breezy, it doesn't really need to exist and it mostly destroys the charm of the practical effects which helped make the original so great. But the original was simple-minded in its ending, and this one adds more complexity to the dynamics involving the parents (using the word complexity liberally). And, like the original, it's very funny. The Prohibition episode in particular I found to be very enjoyable. This won't be for everyone, and I would get a hardcore Gilliam fan's anger against it, but sometimes, you just need to turn off your brain and enjoy yourself, and this show is a perfect way to do that. I spend all my time watching movies or reading about them on LetterBoxd, so the fact that I am not only watching a show, but looking forward to it and enjoying it enough to write a review certainly says something.

I really tried. I really wanted to like it but pretty much everything about it was dreadful.

Yes, I'm a big fan of the original but my love of that is not my reasoning for disliking this so much. The characters are just not interesting or funny or, to be blunt, even likeable. I got to Episode 7, it was a chore rather than a pleasure and I just couldn't tolerate any more. By that point I know longer cared how it ended but I can probably guess it has set it up for another season.

I like some of the actors in this but they are severely dull here. Lisa Kudrow is literally unbearable to watch. I know she's good at playing the dim-witted character but here she is so horrible in every scene, it's painful.

The special effects are great, I gave them the two stars. The rest, really not for me. I can see why people would like this with it's modern comedic style but alas, I couldn't stand it.

I'd say give it a go and see how you get on with it.

It's disappointing to see so many snobbish adults unfairly judge a children's show based on nostalgia and misplaced standards. Worse, they seem to have lost their imagination and humor, becoming bitter with age.

If you're an adult who remembers what it was like to be young and can still enjoy the simple things in life, this show will charm you. Yes, the humor is silly - because that's the point.

There's no harm in some light-hearted entertainment now and then. This show deserves to be seen for what it is: fun, adventurous, and perfect for both kids and adults (who still know how to enjoy life).

First and second episode review: I didn't find the trailer too interesting, so I wasn't really excited to watch this show. But because of Lisa Kudrow, the adventure genre, and it being an Apple TV Plus comedy show, I decided to give it a try.

To be honest, at the beginning, it seemed kind of normal. I thought about skipping it after 20 minutes because it felt childish, average, and predictable. But as I continued watching, I really started to like it. I watched both episodes. The duration is fine, although I usually prefer comedy shows that are a bit shorter. This is the first adventure genre show I've watched, and I really enjoyed it. There were some nice jokes, and the show has a cool vibe. The cast is awesome, especially the young kid, who is a really good actor, and Lisa Kudrow, who is still amazing. I loved the visuals, the feel of the show, and the little bit of history lessons. I haven't watched the 1981 movie, but I don't think I need to since I'll be watching the remaining episodes. I would have liked the show even more if there was some romantic tension and if the episodes were less than 30 minutes. Also, it would have been better if all the episodes were released at once, but two episodes a week is also fine.

Overall, it's a nice, fun watch. This show might not be for everyone but it's definitely for me as I too would love to escape the reality. 3/5.

Update: I just finished watching all the episodes, and my ratings remain the same. If you don't think too logically, you might enjoy it. Kids will probably like it more. The ending is not predictable, which is good, although they ended it on a cliffhanger, likely aiming for a season 2 renewal. I'm not sure if a season 2 is necessary, but if it happens, I will watch it.

Who in the world thought this was a good idea? The movie ran like a more family-friendly Monty Python movie, but everything charming about the movie is gone now. The quirky dry British humor? Gone. Taika Waititi seems to have settled into a Marvel-friendly sense of humor. The juxtaposition of a band of dwarves as criminal masterminds? Nah, let's just put average height people in their place. I guess Inclusivity doesn't extend to little people. That's just too edgy. The grandfatherly proper gentleman Supreme Being? Nope. Instead we get Waititi being Waititi playing himself....again.

Even though the movie is over 40 years old, it holds up. The show is as forgettable as it is over-long.

The nostalgia police are out in full force to bash this show but it's actually brilliant. The people who rate it poorly will almost never be satisfied with a remake because their memories of the classics are all viewed through rose colored lenses. People were right about the Willow series, which actually was an unwatchable disaster, but the harsh critics are wrong about this. I have great respect for the integrity of IMDB ratings. I use them to filter out all of the garbage, so if people are going to gang up to distort the quality of a show I'm going to defend it!

Taika Waititi was the best possible choice (other than Terry Gilliam himself, who's now 83) to make this adaptation. His humor is dry and witty but still appropriate for kids 10+. This is not one of his second-rate shows where you can tell he was a passive force in production. It's obvious he's a fan of the original and that he put effort into making this not just entertaining, but also insightful and even a bit educational in that it reveals the all-too-beautifully-flawed humanity of our predecessors throughout history.

The whole family will be laughing out loud at the same jokes, which is not easy to achieve. It requires a bit of wit, whereas so much humor these days takes the easy route of shock or vulgarity for adults or overuse of clichés and/or slapstick for kids. Some parts might be a little scary for younger kids (which is true to the original) but our 12 year old is thoroughly enjoying it.

Kevin was cast well. He'll be relatable to kids who don't fit the popularity mold and prefer reading and utilizing their imagination to climbing the middle school social ladder. Jemaine Clement is amazing in the roll of Wrongness... absolutely hilarious! Waititi is also fantastic in the role of the Supreme Being. The bandits may be of different proportions from those featured in the 80s but that has absolutely no bearing on the quality of their chemistry, and I think Lisa Kudrow does a fine job as well and is funny in her own right.

Our family struggles with a lack of family shows that are entertaining for both kids and adults. We usually end up in some kind of compromise where one or the other party is enjoying the show while the other one sort of loses interest and ends up looking at their phone. This show is one of the rare gems that will have the whole family sharing laughs and wanting more.

A show obviously aimed at kids, and equally obviously with the intention of sneaking in a historical/classical education for them. Because of that it has a lot of differently aimed dialogue - to make jokes, inform and sneak in some important lessons (i.e don't believe what invaders tell you about those they invade) which some people might dislike because it's not a comprehensive and consistent drama or comedy competing with "prestige" shows.

But it is entertaining and fun, aimed at, I'd guess (like most comics and pop culture) the comprehension of twelve year olds, not unlike the original movie.

Terry Gillian's original feature is one of his weakest and he's one of the great filmmakers so it's hard to understand why someone decided to make this into a series. Someone should have turned his masterpiece "Brazil" into a series instead. That said, there is plenty in Time Bandits that could be made into a series but this is really messy starting with the casting. It's really bad choices and bad acting. Literally it's the entire cast who don't seem to understand how to do the comedy aspect. It falls flat. Even Lisa Kudlow, who is a brilliant comedian, is awkward. It's poorly scripted with so many bad eye roll lines and doesn't go anywhere interesting. Shows that cater to kids can be successful and fun for adults, but the script is awful. It's also a fantasy and the visuals look cheap. It all adds up to a big fail. And did I mention how bad the casting is? It's just horrible all around and starts with the casting which is one of the worst ensembles I have seen in a long time.

"Time Bandits" on Apple TV+ starts strong, blending nostalgic nods with fresh twists that have me eagerly anticipating the next episodes. The series introduces new elements while paying homage to the '80s classic, promising an engaging journey through time filled with quirky humour and heartwarming moments.

The story centres on a likeable kid navigating a world where his tech-obsessed parents and embarrassed sister sharply contrast with his nerdy interests in history. Joining a crew of eccentric time bandits, he embarks on a whimsical adventure that mixes slapstick comedy with clever storytelling.

Lisa Kudrow surprises with a role perfectly suited to her comedic strengths, and Jemaine Clement delivers his usual hilarity as the villain. Despite occasional pacing issues that stretch the storyline, the series offers enjoyable and family-friendly escapades. Whether you're a fantasy fan or new to the genre, "Time Bandits" promises laughs, whimsy, and an entertaining ride through history that leaves you wanting more.

No, I have to say this is for the 21 minutes and 34 seconds. I could already tell you it has great comedic timing. It has a good chemistry of actors. Everything flows very well even the little boy he has great potential and I could already tell that it is a good add-on to the whole time bandit saga true there is no real little people in the main cast, but we shouldn't determine a show on just who they have in the cast. There are Lisa Kudrow that's the only person I know and I've seen a few of these other individuals but not a lot but the writing is very well done and I could tell that this will be a good show for everyone.

I was originally excited for this as it looked fun (at least from the preview). But after several episodes I grew disinterested each episode finally making it to the final one. And with that final one I just no longer cared. Did not care about the story, the characters, or the places they traveled to.

I don't think any of the actors should be considered bad, but there roles however were quite bad. And for this I blame a combination of bad writing to horrible directing & production. None of the characters drew me in, most often I just wanted them to finish their line so the story could continue. The stories are not bad, but none were exciting or fun. The humor, or what they thought was humorous was mostly cringe.

In the end this was just dumbed down pop culture lacking any artistic value. If they do a second season, they have to get new show runner, new writers, and get some talented directors to craft a story and characters that we can enjoy watching.

Seriously bad, she didn't even bother putting on a decent accent. She's just playing her one note, one colour, one trick character as she destroys the time bandits world. It ruins every scene she's in.

Jemaine Clement appears to have seen and understood the humor of the original film and importantly can convey it in his performance, but no one else can, and to be honest Jemaine isn't up to the genius of David Warner in the original.

There's some ok lines and mild laugh moments in this but let's face it, they've ruined it with a lame pastiche that comes nowhere near the original and just annoys those who have seen it. I suppose it's possible that modern society could have accidentally made a good remake of this wonderful show but really the odds were stacked against it and the show producers should have known that before hand.

As is always the case with shows that are remakes you have to look at the spread of votes. Then remove the scores at one and 10 and look at what the biggest scores are that remain. These are a true reflection of the quality of the program certainly not the overall score. We are three episodes in and I have to say the show is highly entertaining for kids and adults. The younger actors are amazing and carry the jokes really well. In fact with the exception of Kudro, the younger actors are the highlights. Kal-El has the oddest English accent that works brilliantly. It's all very silly, very Pythonesque, very Waikitiessque and very entertaining. Ignore the low scores, ignore the film bros, leave your ego at the door and watch Time Bandits 2024. You won't be disappointed.

Kevin is a young history nerd and outcast especially with his own family. His bedroom wardrobe is actually a time portal and a group of time bandits come tumbling out. Penelope (Lisa Kudrow) leads Alto (Tadhg Murphy), Widgit (Roger Jean Nsengiyumva), Bittelig (Rune Temte), and Judy (Charlyne Yi) are on the run from the Supreme Being (Taika Waititi) who is determined to retrieve his stolen map. Wrongness (Jemaine Clement) rules the world of evil. Although he is unwilling to confront the Supreme Being directly, he is certainly willing to steal the map from the motley crew.

It's really sad to hear about Charlyne Yi's troubles behind the scenes. She is probably the second best comedic performer in the bandit group. Jemaine is being the big bad, but he's only in this intermedently. It's weird when Yi disappears from the show. There is a change in tone. I do like the sister being pushed into the group. I like the show, but it's ruined by something like that and it's canceled after only one season.

I wanted so badly to like this. I dozed off both episodes and had to go back and re-watch to make sure I didn't miss anything. I hadn't.

It was a bit like a Times Square Elmo or a croissant from Costco, a debased and pale imitation lacking soul and spark.

Kudrow phoned it in with a lazy and bland countenance and delivery. The boy playing Kevin is pretty good, but the supporting actors were a bit awkward almost all around. At no point did I feel humor, charm or engagement.

I will continue to watch to give it a chance. Some of the visual elements and costumes are well done. Maybe if I clench, I can suspend my hopes long enough to stay awake. The production falls short of being a complete travesty.

Some people may like it, but I would have to think those folks are a long mile away from Sesame Street or a proper Boulangerie. I make no apologies for appreciating the real deal or panning a pale imitation.

***updated- see end*** People review bombing because it's not a carbon copy of the original need to get a grip.

Anyone making it like that would lack any originality and it would be utterly pointless.

I'm 2 episodes in and so far I think it's a reasonably solid start.

The cast has been great, with the exception of Kudrow. She's not doing a bad job, I just don't think she's that suited to the role.

It's got some great witty dry humour and the set design and special effects have been great.

There's still a lot of direct similarity with the story and scenes from the original, which is nice from a nostalgia perspective.

It feels like a fresh take with Taika's quirkiness mixed into it.

I'll edit my score as it goes, but for the first 2 episodes, I'll give it a solid 7/10.

Update - I'm now 4 episodes on and staying at 7/10. It has continued to be fun and ohhh how some people that reviewed bombed this must be eating humble pie after episode 4 lol.

Update 2 - I am now 8 episodes in and I'm increasing my score from 7 to 8. This mainly down to the overall enjoyment/fun factor. The way the character development is playing out is really great to see.

Update 3 - having now completes the series, I'm staying at 8/10. Solid enjoyable funny adventure, nuff said.

I watched this with my two little girls and we loved it. It's sharp enough to crack up adults and keep kids interested. The characters are endearing without being sappy. Even better, it made my girls curious about the eras visited. We had conversations about history that probably wouldn't have come up unless we watched the show together. I loved that it was suspenseful without being too scary for my 6 year old, and snarky in a way that wasn't mean, just hilarious. By the end of the first, and very sadly last season, we were totally hooked and so excited for more. I am so disappointed it's been cancelled. Highly recommend.

Apple likes to put on a progressive, inclusive mask to sell their iPhones, but they couldn't even be bothered to hire little people actors for this show even when there are so few good roles for them in the first place. What a joke. All they did was steal a few elements from the original and slapped the time bandits name on it. Do yourself a favor and go watch the original movie from the 80's, directed by Terry Gilliam. It has more heart and humor than this soulless corporate cash grab ever will. You should be ashamed for putting your name on this garbage, Apple. Try to be a little better next time.

As someone who hasn't watched the original film, I quite enjoyed the show. I mainly watched it for Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement and, of course, every scene they were in was perfection. Lisa Kudrow tended to "overact" but in the end I quite enjoyed her character. The kid actors were fine, Kal-El Tuck got better as the show went on. As of now, there's only one season, but it seems like they may be setting it up for a second. I say; enhance the stakes, make each character feel more important, more whimsy and, most importantly, more dwarves! Terry Gilliam reportedly doesn't like this show but I wouldn't listen to him. He's old and stanky and doesn't understand.