In surprising news, Apple TV+ has decided to pull the plug on Time Bandits. The series premiered on the streaming platform on July 24 and ended its 10-episode run less than a month ago, on August 21. The series, which is an adaptation of Terry Gilliam’s 1981 movie of the same name, has been canceled after just one season, per Deadline.
It’s not possible to gauge the show’s success (or lack thereof) because the viewership numbers have not been made public yet. But the rationale behind the cancellation seems to be the show’s lackluster performance, as it did not make it to Nielsen’s Top 10 rankings. In an era where big-budget shows, especially in the fantasy genre, are under intense scrutiny, they must meet certain viewership criteria to justify continuation on their respective streaming services. Unfortunately, Time Bandits fell short of expectations, leading Apple TV+ to reconsider the show’s future.
Time Bandits, based on a cult classic known for its imaginative storytelling, followed the same premise as the movie: An 11-year-old history nerd named Kevin becomes the newest addition to an infamous group of thieves, who spend most of their time taking on epic conquests across space and time. It featured a stellar cast, including Lisa Kudrow, Kal-El Tuck, and Charlyne Yi, and was helmed by showrunners Iain Morris, Jemaine Clement, and Taika Waititi. Both Clement and Waititi had recurring roles in the series as well. Unfortunately, Time Bandits had all the right ingredients, but it struggled to capture a broad audience.
Time Bandits Failed To Captivate Audiences
One of the primary reasons for the show’s failure seems to be a lack of effective marketing. Many casual and potential viewers were unaware that Time Bandits even existed, which led to low viewership numbers. Despite well-crafted episodes, high production values, and engaging storylines, it failed to resonate with a larger audience. This disconnect between quality and popularity is a challenge faced by many in the streaming world.
In an interview with Variety, showrunner Iain Morris spoke about the original Time Bandits and called it a “lost classic.” He expressed his disappointment about the movie not receiving enough recognition at the time of its release and hoped that the series would fix that.
“You mention it to a lot of people and they’ve never heard of it, but you meet other people and it’s their favorite film. But they are quite rare. So if you’re bringing these brilliant ideas that people have and these brilliant worlds, and expanding and changing and introducing them to a new audience, I think it’s great. Some of the best songs ever made are cover versions.”
That said, fantasy series in general are finding it increasingly difficult to establish their footing in the competitive streaming landscape. With shows like House of the Dragon, Interview With the Vampire, and Doctor Who becoming hugely successful, shows like Time Bandits end up as casualties in the battle. So, while the Rotten Tomatoes consensus calls Time Bandits“an energetic adventure that gets more absorbing as it goes along,” the Apple TV+ series fails to stand out.