There has been a surge of time-travel sci-fi TV shows, and some of the best time-travel TV shows have come out in the last 10 years. Predictably, many of them have similar plots, like time traveling to warn against a future threat or having to stop something existential, but they are beloved by viewers regardless. However, there are many underrated time travel shows and movies that, despite often being forgotten about years after they have ended, are nonetheless worthy of recognition.
Part of the problem with complex time-travel sci-fi series is that, by virtue of their complex plots, they can be inaccessible to mainstream audiences. As a result, while they may very well be worth persevering with, a limited initial appeal may have disappointing consequences for their future reputation. This is certainly the case for one Syfy series that, despite spanning 4 seasons and continuing the legacy of an iconic genre franchise, remains criminally underrated – even by genre lovers.
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Compared to other time travel shows, 12 Monkeys can be considered underrated. Exploring a plot to prevent the effects of a devastating future virus, the show was inspired by Terry Gilliam’s hit 1995 movie. Debuting in 2015, 12 Monkeys season 4 ended with a happy ending for its lead characters, but even with its strong finale, the show doesn’t have the hype as other time travel series. Scoring just 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, the show wasn’t as critically acclaimed as other popular Syfy shows like The Magicians and Wynonna Earp. As it ran concurrently with these hits,12 Monkeys often gets overlooked. Nevertheless, the show remains an underappreciated gem.
The
12 Monkeys
movie stars Bruce Willis as James Cole and Brad Pitt as Jeffrey Goines, who gets changed to Jennifer Goines in the show, and is played by Emily Hampshire.
The storytelling techniques in 12 Monkeys are effective and intelligent, allowing the show to navigate complex time travel plots without feeling convoluted. By 12 Monkeys season 4, there had already been dozens of events in the show that spanned multiple timelines and dimensions, and in the season 4 finale, a new timeline. Entertainment Weekly called the show a “soulful cliffhanger opera“, and held it in high regard, and while there are some differences between the show and the movie, as a standalone project, the 12 Monkeys TV show has aged well.
Although the show and movie have a similar premise, there are differences. Willis’ James Cole finds out that the origin of the virus comes from Pitt’s Jeffrey Goines, as he is the founder of the Army of the 12 Monkeys, whereas, in the show, the leader of the 12 Monkeys and the origin of the virus is known simply as the Witness, and is revealed slowly over the 4 seasons. The structural timeline of the show is non-linear and there is the Red Forest where time stands still, compared to the movie, where no such thing exists.
Characters in the television show are pulled from the movie and reworked to feel humanized.
Characters in the television show are pulled from the movie and reworked to feel humanized. Jeffrey Goines is portrayed as mentally unstable and maniacal, whereas the gender-swapped Jennifer Goines in the show has the same mental issues, but is given a purpose through the visions she has of possible future events. The 12 Monkeys movie may have provided the source material that established the show’s story, but the show expanded this narrative to cover multiple timelines and give the characters and world a depth that isn’t possible in a 2-hour movie. These improvements only illustrate further how 12 Monkeys is an underrated sci-fi show.
Source: Entertainment Weekly.
