A Tale of Time Bandits

So, let’s talk about the Time Bandits TV show, or as I like to call it, the one that went belly-up faster than you can say “what happened to my dwarves?” Based on the wacky, time-traveling film from 1981 by the legendary Terry Gilliam, this series was supposed to be Apple’s crowning glory. Spoiler: it wasn’t. Despite getting some decent reviews, it got the ol’ axe last year. Sad face.

Gilliam’s Unfiltered Take

And who better to shed some light on this fiasco than the man himself, Terry Gilliam? In a typically no-holds-barred chat with la Repubblica, Gilliam gave us the inside scoop on what went wrong. Drum roll, please: it turns out, the show was missing a crucial component—short people! Yes, you heard that right. Gilliam insists that the absence of little folks in the cast was a major reason for the show’s downfall. Apparently, the big wigs were all about the teen audience and figured short actors wouldn’t appeal. What?!

Wait, Where are the Dwarves?

Gilliam dropped a bombshell, saying, “They kept it from me for months that there were no dwarves in the series – something I consider structural to that story.” Ouch! That’s like making a cupcake without sugar; it just ain’t right. And by the time he caught on, it was too little, too late.

Script Shenanigans

But wait, there’s more! Our favorite fedora-loving director wasn’t thrilled with the direction the series took once he got his hands on those scripts. He had high hopes for co-creator Taika Waititi, who directed the brilliant Jojo Rabbit. Gilliam thought, “Wow, I’m passing the baton to someone awesome!” But then, reality check: it turned out Waititi was about as involved as a sloth at a marathon.

In Gilliam’s Words

Our buddy Terry lamented, “They brought me in as a non-writing executive producer, and I thought I had a bit of control, but when I read the scripts, I didn’t like them.” Talk about disappointment! He expected to hand over his beloved project to someone who would make it shine like a diamond, but it seems things didn’t quite sparkle as he had hoped.

Too Expensive to Keep Going

Meanwhile, Taika Waititi himself claimed that the show crashed and burned because it was “too expensive” to keep afloat. It’s a sad day when a great idea runs dry from a money pit. If only they had more little people running around with their antics!

A Look Back at the Original

For those who don’t remember, the original Time Bandits was the first gem in Gilliam’s “Trilogy of Imagination.” Followed by the equally bizarre Brazil in 1985 and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen in 1988, the movie became a cult classic. It had its fair share of love from audiences and critics alike, and some even view it as one of the best family films ever made. Fun fact: there was a sequel in the works back in the ’90s, but it got tossed aside after some cast members, sadly, passed away. Ain’t that a bummer?

Final Thoughts

In the end, the Time Bandits TV adaptation turned out to be a swing and a miss. With a lack of the quintessential dwarven charm and creative disagreements, it just couldn’t keep the magic alive. Let’s hope the next attempt doesn’t forget the little people! Literally.