Paula Hammond - Features EditorYou can’t go far wrong with the Time Bandits as source material, and even if the first season of Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement and Iain Morris’ reimagining is more of a set-up than a stand-alone, it’s all sorts of fun.
Charming and funny in equal measure, Apple TV+’s latest offering is yet another delightful surprise from a streaming service that consistently punches well above its weight.
With lush — and what looks like very expensive — visuals, and a suitably Python-esque vibe, Waititi manages that delicate balancing act of retaining enough nostalgic elements to keep Terry Gilliam fans happy, while enhancing and enlarging the cast of characters and their backstories.
Lisa Kudrow of Friends fame is delightfully bossy and self-absorbed, while still being charming. Jemaine Clement is never going to be David Warner — and Waititi is certainly no Ralph Richardson — but both still manage to make the roles of Evil and Supreme Being their own. However, the show belongs to Kal-El Tuck who is unbelievably good as the whiney-voiced Kevin, whose big heart and optimism for all things history-related are a joy to watch.
Guided by Lisa Kudrow, the eccentric crew of bandits embark on epic adventures while evil forces threaten their conquests, and life as they know it. As the group transports through time and space, the gang stumbles upon fascinating worlds of the distant past while seeking out treasure, depending on Kevin to shed light on each situation. The Time Bandits witness the creation of Stonehenge, see the Trojan Horse in action, escape dinosaurs in the prehistoric ages, wreak havoc during medieval times, experience the Ice Age, ancient civilizations and the Harlem Renaissance, and much more along the way.
Time Bandits is perfect family viewing with lots of sly jokes for the adults, and plenty of snigger-some moments to keep the little ones happy.
The ten-episode series will premiere globally with the first two episodes on Wednesday, July 24, followed by two new episodes every Wednesday through August 21, 2024.
