TIME travel shows don’t exactly dominate the TV landscape.
That said, though, offerings that veer into this lane have always generated ample curiosity to merit being made. And some have achieved immense success.
For teenagers of the ’80s, Quantum Leap was the show. It’s futuristic angle bowled them over every time Scott Bakula slipped into an array of characters, as part of his covert experiment project as Dr Sam Beckett. Let’s not forget his beam-me-up-Scotty holograph sidekick, Admiral Al Calavicci, played by Dean Stockwell.
Shortly thereafter, the new millennium brought Terminator: The Sarah Chronicles – a moderately successful sci-fi adaption of the hit movie franchise. But it piqued enough curiosity to survive for two seasons.
In more recent times, we have had shows like Supernatural, Sleepy Hollow, Fringe and Stargate take up the time travel baton from very distinct angles. Each time, enhanced by superior technical precision.
This brings us to producer Steven Spielberg’s Terra Nova, a completely nonsensical write-off in my opinion, and the more fascinating period time hop of Claire Beauchamp Randall, who, while married and a World War II nurse in 1945, finds herself transported to the battlefield of Scotland in 1743.
And now, 12 Monkeys joins the bandwagon. Mind you, though, this thrilling sci-fi undertaking is a cut above the rest in terms of its production value, tone and storyline.
Borne from the 1995 hit movie of the same name starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe and Brad Pitt, the series boasts the sophisticated talents of Aaron Stanford (Nikita, X-Men: The Last Stand) and Amanda Schull (Suits).
The story starts with a vagrant-looking James Cole (Stanford) seeking out Dr Cassandra Railly (Schull), a leading virologist. At first, she is rather disbelieving of his claim of coming from the future – 2043. Albeit a rather bleak one as he informs her: “Everyone you meet is already dead.”
When he does eventually manage to convince her of his authenticity – as in he doesn’t need a straightjacket, just her help – they seek out Leland Front (aka Goines), a man who is deemed responsible for unleashing the deadly plague that wiped out 7 billion people and, in so doing, destroyed civilisation in 2017.
But the mission fails. And, upon closer investigation, it is discovered that the destruction is actually linked to the “Army of the 12 Monkeys” and the person who can help them is in the Philadelphia mental institution.
12 Monkeys has that big screen allure. And the chemistry between the leads works beautifully to create that ambiance of nerve-wracking tension and drama.
It’s face-paced and cleverly crafted to be as mystifying as possible. As this is a TV series, the creators fleshed out the sequence of events by switching things up with the characters and plot. And it works.
FLASHBACK TO THE MOVIE
• 12 Monkeys was directed by Terry Gilliam.
It released in 1995 and bagged mostly positive reviews.
• Bruce Willis played James Cole, Madeleine Stowe played Kathryn Railly and Brad Pitt played Jeffrey Goines.
• Interestingly, Gilliam was not sold on Pitt for the role. But he was convinced by the casting director and it proved a shrewd decision for both him and the then growing actor. Pitt won a Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, but lost out to Kevin Spacey (Usual Suspects) at the Oscars.
• The movie was shot on location in Philadelphia and Baltimore and the weather problems proved to be a major obstacle.
• 12 Monkeys airs on M-Net Edge (DStv channel 102) at 8pm tonight.