Time Bandits: Where to Stream New Taika Waititi’s Show & Is It Worth Watching?

The first four episodes of a TV series remake of Terry Gilliam's fantasy comedy Time Bandits has dropped. The new version was adapted for streaming by the creators of What We Do in the Shadows, Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement.

What Is Time Bandits About?

Young Kevin loves history, and reads books about barbarians and dinosaurs. His family, however, is not too happy about his hobbies: they prefer to sit in front of the TV, and Kevin is offered to communicate more with his friends, at least on the Internet, and to get involved in something more modern.

One night, a gang of bandits led by Penelope bursts into the child's bedroom. They have stolen a map from their boss, Supreme Being, which allows them to travel through time. Now they go to different eras and try to steal valuable things. Of course, Kevin goes along, because he can see with his own eyes what he has only read about.

TV Remake Enriches the Story of the Original Movie

The original Time Bandits was released in 1981 and has since become a cult classic. It was created by members of the British comedy troupe Monty Python. The fantasy comedy, while aimed at a family audience, went beyond the scope of a children's movie.

Taika Waititi and his regular co-writer Jemaine Clement took on the task of modernizing the classics. The creators of the remake did not just remake the original, but offered a new take on a familiar story.

The first season will consist of ten episodes. Each episode is a journey to a specific time period. There are many locations: in the first episode alone you can see a Viking beach battle, Chinese pirates, Stonehenge under construction, and ancient Troy.

Time Bandits Is an Ultimate Taika Waititi's Project

Taika Waititi's previous work has captivated viewers around the world for good reason. The jokes in them may be simple, but his movies and series are by no means silly. Eagle vs Shark, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Our Flag Means Death, and even What We Do in the Shadows tell stories about people who cannot find their place in life and join forces with fellow outcasts.

Waititi and Clement brought their usual ideas to Time Bandits. In the original, Kevin was also interested in ancient Greece and other history, but this part of his life was little explored in the movie, probably due to the limited time.

In the series version, Kevin is a typical character from Waititi's films. He is a lonely geek who cannot connect with his family and prefers to live in dreams.

For many, Time Bandits could stand in for Waititi's Our Flag Means Death — it is a show filled with light humor mixed with a touching story about finding yourself.

Where to Stream Time Bandits?

The first four episodes are already available on Apple TV+, and the next two will be released on August 7.