NZ-made fantasy adventure series Time Bandits will not be returning for season two. We asked some of its biggest fans for their thoughts. 

Last week it was announced that Time Bandits, Apple TV+’s reboot of the 1981 time travel adventure film, would not be renewed for season two. The series, produced by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement and filmed around the Wellington and Wairarapa region, follows an 11-year-old boy named Kevin who joins a troupe of time travelling thieves through his wardrobe. 

 “This was basically a really long way of me getting to travel through time and be Kevin,” Clement told The Spinoff in July. On the fandom surrounding the cult classic, Clement knew they were wading into dicey waters. “Occasionally people are saying ‘THIS SHOULDN’T BE REMADE’ – I probably would have thought that too, but I also just really wanted to do it.” 

Reviews of the series were mixed upon its release in July. The Guardian gave Time Bandits five stars, calling it “a series of glorious romps” and “genuinely family-friendly viewing”. Variety called it a “giddy reboot” packed with “fantastical style and the blustery humor.” Less glowing critics called it fun but tiresome, a slog that doesn’t deliver the swag. 

But, you know what? All those reviews were written by boring fuddy duddy adults, not wide-eyed 11-year-olds marvelling at time travelling to Stonehenge, Troy and beyond. We asked the two biggest Time Bandits fans we could find to weigh in on the series, and it’s cancellation. 

Tessa, 11

I felt upset when I heard there wouldn’t be a second season of Time Bandits. I like it. It’s funny and has a good cast. It was even educational, you learned about things from the past. And I liked the demon.

I really love Phoebe [Penelope, played by Lisa Kudrow, who was Phoebe in Friends]. I liked how kind and caring the character that Phoebe played was, but also, well, she was a bitch. She slays. And I like how the little girl, the sister, is confused the entire time.

They’re stupid not to do another series. They should bring it back. It’s a great show. If they did another series more people would come back and watch the first series.

I’d rank it in my top three, after Friends and Taskmaster. It’s really funny. It’s bingeworthy – a solid 50% comedy and 40% adventure and then the last 10% – oh just make it 50% adventure.

I especially liked the last episode because the demon was funny.

More people will watch it if there’s more to watch. I’ve already said that but I say it again because it’s very important.

Pippa, 11

At first when I heard about Time Bandits, I was like “oh well, just another TV series being cancelled”. Then I thought “oh no, why? This is such a great kids show”. The main character is a kid, and there’s lots of kids who like to watch mystery shows. It can help you learn about history, but it’s also got lots of adult jokes. We could watch it all together. 

I like that there are lots of different timelines, and they all bind together into one. It’s telling history in a very different way. Also, Lisa Kudrow and Taika Waititi are in it, and I love them. Lisa Kudrow puts some Phoebe into it and makes it funny. She’s sassy. I think Taika is good too and influences it with his New Zealand sense of humour. Lots of New Zealanders would like that.  

My favourite moment is the bit where they go to the Ice Age and they’re at Kevin’s house but they’re thousands of years too early, and when Penelope recognises her ex-fiance Gavin in the medieval tapestry. I like Judy and how she feels everyone’s emotional pain. She’s the little one that doesn’t get noticed but she pays attention to everything. That’s like me!

Maybe they’re not doing another series because it’s on Apple TV+, and it’s not getting as many streams as it would on Netflix. Maybe the star rating wasn’t high enough. Maybe people weren’t grabbed in the first episode. 

I would give it a 9 out of 10. There’s humour and it’s creepy but also cool at the same time. 

Time Bandits streams on Apple TV+.