time travel mystery tv series

80 of the Best Entertaining Time Travel TV Shows You Need To Watch

With romance, adventure, and fun plot twists, these time travel TV shows are sure to entertain.

The time travel trope is quintessentially romantic, with different themes and elements giving it a desperate, romantic air. There is the lone time traveler, bouncing across time in search of lost love. Or a group of travelers unable to return home due to a rift in the space/time continuum. Better yet, the star-crossed lovers fated only to get snatches of time together.  Swoon . There is so much to love about time travel TV shows!

At  The Silver Petticoat Review , we love time travel TV shows so much that we thought a list of binge-worthy shows was necessary.

Depending on your taste in time travel stories, below are 21 binge-worthy dramas, romantic comedies, and Sci-Fi/Fantasy stories (plus 59 bonus recommendations at the end). Not all are traditional versions of the trope, but each one includes an element of time travel.

Get ready! Your watch list is about to become longer!

Note:  Availability for the “Where to Watch” sections are for the US and are subject to change at any time. It was last updated in December 2022.

BINGE-WORTHY TIME TRAVEL TV SHOWS (#1-21)

(in no particular order).

#1 Timeless *

Synopsis:  With history threatened by an evil consortium, a historian, soldier, and scientist join forces to travel through time to save history.

Their adventures take them across history, where they cross paths with some famous and lesser-known figures in history. Yet, each time they save history, they risk changing the future.

Where to Watch:  The NBC series is available on Hulu or to buy on Digital and DVD.

* Timeless  is one of my favorite time travel shows! A lovely,  action-adventure romance  with time travel!

#2 Doctor Who

Synopsis:   Doctor Who   follows the trials of an extraterrestrial Time Lord. Known as the Doctor, he/she travels through time to solve problems and battle injustice across the universe.

Using the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimensions in Space) to travel, the Doctor recruits companions to assist him/her. With various incarnations,  Doctor Who  is a sweeping adventure in space and time.

Note: There are many iterations of  Doctor Who . Any would make our list of time travel series. Pick your favorite! The newer Doctors include Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, and Jodie Whittaker. The new Doctor will be Ncuti Gatwa in 2023.

Where to Watch:  You can stream the classic series on Britbox and the 2005 revival on HBO Max. Both series are available to buy digitally and on DVD.

#3 DC’s Legends of Tomorrow   

Synopsis:  Time-traveler Rip Hunter sets out to save the world with the timeline in catastrophic danger. 

Rip brings together an unlikely group of heroes and villains previously seen in  Arrow  and  The Flash.  

These heroes and villains must come together before they can save the planet. But can they put their differences aside before time runs out?

See our  review of  Legends of Tomorrow .

Where to Watch:  Stream on Netflix or buy digitally and on DVD.

#4 12 Monkeys * 

Synopsis:  Cole travels from a post-apocalyptic future to save the world from a lethal plague. He meets Dr. Cassandra Railly, a virologist, who joins him in his crusade.

It’s a race against time, as they trace the epidemic to its source and discover that appearances are deceiving and time itself is an enemy.

Where to Watch:  Stream on Hulu or buy digitally and on DVD.

Related Post  Romantic Moment of the Week: 12 Monkeys: Cassie and Cole  

*Another personal favorite! When it comes to time travel shows,  12 Monkeys  hits all the right notes!

#5 El Ministerio del Tiempo (The Department of Time)

Synopsis:  A secret government agency recruits three people from different eras to protect Spain’s history.

They bounce through time, chasing time-traveling intruders bent on manipulating history for their own purposes.

Where to Watch:  Stream on Pantaya or buy on DVD.

#6 Travelers 

Synopsis:  Several hundred years into the future, the last humans discover a way to send their consciousness back in time. These “travelers” assume the lives of random individuals.

With only their knowledge of history and social media profiles to guide their way, the travelers quickly discover that experience in the 21st Century is as challenging as their mission.

Content Warning:  Rated TV-MA, the show has strong language, violence, and implied nudity.

#7 Scarlet Heart / Scarlet Heart: Ryeo

Synopsis of Scarlet Heart : A near-fatal accident sends Zhang Xiao, a 21st Century woman, back in time to the Qing Dynasty. It is Kangxi Emperor’s reign, and Xiao is now the teenage daughter of a Manchu general.

Known as Ma’ertai Roux, Xiao attempts to return to the future. Navigating new relationships and love, Xiao adjusts to her new life until, one day, it disappears.

Where to Watch:  Stream on  Viki .

Note: There is also a Korean version of  Scarlet Heart  called Scarlet Heart: Ryeo .  Read our review here . It is only available to buy on DVD.

#8 Making History  

Synopsis:  Misunderstood college facilities manager Dan Chambers discovers time travel, using pop culture to become a beloved 18th Century figure. However, Dan fails to realize the impact time travel has on the present.

When Dan causes Paul Revere to delay his famous ride, he alters the events of the American Revolution. Dan then recruits well-liked history professor Chris Parish for help in correcting history.

Where to Watch:  Rent on Amazon Video or buy Digital.

#9 Sleepy Hollow  

Synopsis:  Ichabod Crane comes back to life 250 years in the future, where he must solve a mystery going back to the time of the founding fathers.

However, he is not alone. Due to a blood curse, the headless horseman also returns to the living. The headless horseman begins a slaying spree in present-day Sleepy Hollow. Ichabod realizes that the headless horseman is the first of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.

Enter Detective Abbie Mills. Familiar with the supernatural, Abbie joins forces with Crane to stop the evil infecting Sleepy Hollow.

Where to Watch:  Stream  Sleepy Hollow  on Hulu, the CW app, CW Seed, and Tubi. You can also buy the series on Digital and DVD.

#10 Torchwood

Synopsis:  Former time agent, Captain Jack Harkness, leads the Torchwood Three to investigate unexplained extraterrestrial events on Earth.

The group, part of a covert agency called the Torchwood Institute, battles supernatural threats outside the protection of the British government and law enforcement.

Where to Watch:  Stream on HBO Max or buy on Digital and DVD.

Content Warning:  The series is TV-MA for strong language in a few episodes. It also includes occasional explicit sensuality, suggestive content, and violence.

#11 Being Erica *

Synopsis:  During therapy, Erica Strange shares her list of regrets with her therapist. In a twist in treatment, Erica goes back in time to those moments with a chance to make different decisions.

Faced with rewriting her past or leaving things as they are, Erica faces each moment with humor and a new appreciation for her choices.

Where to Watch:  Stream on Hulu, Roku, Hoopla, Plex, and Crackle, and buy digitally and on DVD.

*The writing in this show is fantastic!

Content Warning:  Rated TV-14, it is, at times, TV-MA. There is sensual content, as well as nudity and some bad language.

#12 Heroes 

Synopsis:  Around the world, a group of ordinary people is discovering they have superpowers. One man wants their powers for himself.

To protect themselves, they must learn to help each other before he destroys them all.

Where to Watch:  Stream the superhero series on Peacock or buy digitally and on DVD. 

#13 The Librarians * 

Synopsis:  Based on popular TV movies,  The Librarians  are a group of people who protect magical items throughout time.

Consisting of an art historian, a thief, a mathematician, and a warrior, they travel through time to find supernatural objects and bring them under the protection of the Library.

Related:  Read our  romantic moment between Eve and Flynn from  The Librarians .

Where to Watch:  Stream on Hulu, Hoopla, and Amazon’s Freevee. You can also buy it digitally and on DVD.

#14 Early Edition *

Synopsis:  Having lost his job and his marriage, Gary Hobson wakes up one morning to find a cat sitting on a newspaper bearing the next day’s date.

Gary quickly learns that this early edition allows him 24 hours to try and save many people’s lives.

Where to Watch:  All seasons are available for DVD purchase on Amazon Prime.

*This one is an outlier when it comes to time travel TV shows. The only thing that travels in time is the newspaper. Still, it’s Kyle Chandler….. swoon!

#15 Erased 

Synopsis:  Satoru goes back 18 years to prevent the passing of his mother and three classmates.

Where to Watch:  Netflix

#16 Outlander

Synopsis:  British Army Nurse Claire Randall is on her second honeymoon and looking forward to a career as an Oxford historian. Suddenly transported back to 1742, Claire finds her freedom and life are in danger.

RELATED: ‘Midnight at the Pera Palace’ Review: The Time Travel Romance is Irresistibly Good

To survive, she marries Jamie Fraser. An unexpected passionate relationship develops, and Claire becomes caught between two very different men in two very different lives.

See  our review of  Outlander .

Where to Watch:  Stream on Netflix and STARZ or buy on Digital and DVD.

Content Warning:  TV-MA with   explicit sensual content, nudity, assaults, and graphic violence.

#17 The Eternal Love 

Synopsis:  Unhappy with a forced marriage, Qu Tan Er attempts to end her life. She awakens from her failed attempt with the spirit of another woman inside her body. The modern Xiao Tan is Tan Er’s opposite.

Stuck in the past world, she cannot return to the present day. Whenever one of the women lies, the other person takes control. Soon, complications in love arise as the differing women fall in love with two different men.

What will become of the foursome? And will Xiao Tan be able to find her way back to her own time?

Where to Watch:  Viki

#18 Lost in Austen *

Synopsis:  This smart take on Jane Austen’s  Pride and Prejudice  finds modern, working girl Amanda Price trading places with Elizabeth Bennet.

Unable to return to her time, Amanda must try her best to fit in among the Bennets, Bingleys, and Darcys. Yet, her presence in the lives of these beloved characters sets changes to the course of the classic tale.

See our  Lost in Austen review .

Where to Watch:  Stream on Britbox Amazon Channel, Freevee, and Pluto TV, and buy digitally on Amazon or DVD.

#19 Continuum 

Synopsis:  Detective Kiera Cameron, a cop from the year 2077, and a group of dangerous criminals called Liber8 are trapped in present-day Vancouver. Kiera must stop Liber8 before they destroy the corporate world, altering the future as she knows it. She enlists the help of tech genius Alec Sadler to find a way back home.

In the meantime, Kiera takes a job with the Vancouver Police Department. With help from her partner, detective Carlos Fonnegra, they keep tabs on Liber8. Different beliefs and backgrounds lead to suspicion, but slowly, Kiera and Carlos learn to trust each other.

Where to Watch:  Buy digitally from the Microsoft Store or on DVD.

#20 Frequency

Synopsis:  Detective Raimy Sullivan has lived with the pain and resentment of her father’s passing for 20 years. She believes her father, NYPD Officer Frank Sullivan, was corrupt, resulting in his passing. However, everything changes when she hears his voice coming from an old ham radio.

With Raimy’s warning in his ears, Frank survives the attempt on his life. Yet, the change in the past ends in tragedy for the future. Separated by time, connected by an old radio, the two detectives work together to find a way to rewrite the past without losing the ones they love.

Where to Watch:  Stream on the CW app and CW seed.

#21 Seven Days

Synopsis:  CIA Agent Frank Parker receives a special assignment from the NSA. He must travel back in time to prevent current-day catastrophes.

Yet, there is a catch – he must do so within seven days. Using a time machine built from alien technology, Frank races against time in the past to save the future.

Where to Watch:  Buy on DVD.

Whether you are a fan of pure romance or romantic comedies or love the adventure of time travel, there is something for everyone on our list of binge-worthy time travel TV shows. So dip in and travel back in time with some of the most swoon-worthy characters out there.

*Denotes a personal favorite of mine.

EVEN MORE TIME TRAVEL TV SHOWS TO WATCH (#22-80)

This section was updated in 2022 by Amber and Autumn (co-owners and editors of  The Silver Petticoat Review ). 

Numerous time travel TV series exist, and you can never have enough to watch! So, we thought adding a lot more to the list would be fun. 

Enjoy! We included a *star next to our personal favorites.

• #22:  356: REPEAT THE YEAR  (2020) – Korean Drama about ten people traveling back in time one year.
• #23: * THE 4400  (2004; 2021) – We recommend the original series over the reboot. Both shows have 4400 people appearing in the present day from different time periods, not having aged a day since they originally disappeared.
• #24: * AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.   (2013) – The later seasons of this fun Marvel series are all about time travel – and they are marvelous! The love story  between Daisy and Daniel Sousa  is perfect.
• #25:  ALCATRAZ  (2012) – Prisoners from Alcatraz disappeared in 1963 – only to reappear in the present day. The short-lived drama lasted only one season.
• #26:  ALICE  (2022) – A new time travel romance TV series on Kocowa and Viki.
• #27:  ALWAYS A WITCH  (2019) – A time-traveling witch in this Colombian series ends up in the present day.
• #28: * CHARMED (1998; 2018) – The original and new series about three sisters (and witches) include time travel episodes. Both shows are entertaining – but the original is superior.
• #29:  THE CROSSING  (2018) – Refugees from the future travel back in time to seek asylum.
• #30:  DARK  (2017) (TV-MA) – The German sci-fi thriller series deals with a time travel conspiracy in this hugely popular Netflix drama.

RELATED: 50 of the Best Romantic Period Drama TV Series of All Time to Watch

• #31:  DIRK GENTLY/DIRK GENTLY’S HOLISTIC DETECTIVE AGENCY   (2010; 2016) – Time travel is involved in these two versions of the story about a detective investigating supernatural cases.
• #32:  * A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES   (2018) (TV-MA – mild) – A witch and a vampire fall in love while trying to unravel the secrets of witches, vampires, and demons. She can time travel and much of  Season 2  takes place in Elizabethan times.
• #33:  FAITH  (2012) – Lee Min-ho stars in this time travel Korean series.
• #34: * FELICITY  (1998) – The coming-of-age romance drama from J.J. Abrams ends with a time travel twist.
• #35:  FIND ME IN PARIS  (2018) – A children’s show about an Edwardian ballet dancer who transports into the future with a mystical necklace.
• #36:  THE FLASH (AND OTHER ARROWVERSE SHOWS)  (2014)   – The CW superhero show is fun, likable, and regularly has time-travel storylines.
• #37:  FLASHFORWARD  (2009) – Joseph Fiennes stars in this canceled too-soon series about people having visions of their future.
• #38: * FRINGE  (2008) – An FBI agent explores unexplained fringe science with a scientist and his son in this brilliant sci-fi series.
• #39:  JOURNEYMAN  (2007) – Kevin McKidd stars in this show about a time traveler who helps people.
• #40:  KAIROS (2020) – The fantasy thriller K-drama series is available to stream on Viki and Kocowa.

• #41:  LA BREA  (2021) – A sinkhole in Los Angeles sends a group of people to an ancient world. Soon, a family becomes enmeshed in a time-travel conspiracy. It’s super fun (if illogical) and crazy – especially by Season 2.
• #42:  LEGION  (2017) (TV-MA) – Dan Stevens stars in this bizarre Marvel series about a man with abilities. Time travel becomes a significant element in Season 3.
• #43: * LIFE ON MARS/ASHES TO ASHES  (2006; 2008) (TV-MA – mild) – DCI Sam Tyler wakes up in 1973 after being in a car accident. The spinoff series  Ashes to Ashes  is about another Detective who wakes up in 1981.
• #44:  LIVE UP TO YOUR NAME (2017) – It’s a rom-com time travel K-drama series about a Joseon doctor transported into the present day.
• #45: * LOST  (2004) – Survivors of a plane disaster discover they’re stranded on a mysterious island. Time travel plays an essential role in the  brilliant romantic series .
• #46: * LOKI  (2021) – Loki ends up at the Time Variance Authority – agents who stop time variants and monitor the timeline. Loki soon must fight for his survival as he travels through time.
• #47: * MANIFEST (2018) – The mystery genre series begins when a missing airplane reappears five years later – and no one has aged.
• #48:  MY ONLY LOVE SONG (2017) – An actress time travels to the past in a magical van in this historical fantasy romance show.
• #49:  NINE: NINE TIMES TIME TRAVEL  (2013) – A TV anchorman tries to change his past in this romantic K-drama.
• #50:  THE OUTER LIMITS  (1963; 1995) – The sci-fi show includes episodes about time travel.

RELATED: 10 Romantic Time Travel Movies to Binge Watch: I’ll Love You to the End of Time

• #51: * PRIMEVAL/PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD (2007; 2012) – Primeval and its spinoff (not nearly as good) follow a team of agents and scientists capturing prehistoric creatures traveling to the present day through mysterious anomalies.  Doctor Who  fans should like this one.
• #52:  * QUEEN IN-HYUN’S MAN   (2012) – A scholar travels into the future and connects with an actress in this charming Korean fantasy rom-com.
• #53:  QUANTUM LEAP  (1989; 2022) – A scientist (Scott Bakula) becomes trapped in the past and must leap between bodies and various times. The original show is superior to the new one, but the revival is still entertaining.
• #54:  THE PERIPHERAL  (2022) (TV-MA for violence and profanity) – Chloë Grace Moretz stars in this new science fiction series with an original time travel twist.
• #55:  ROOFTOP PRINCE  (2012) – The popular fantasy rom-com Korean drama follows a Crown Prince from the past transported to the present day.
• #56:  *ROSWELL  (1999) – Two episodes of the iconic paranormal romance series deal with time travel.
• #57:  RUSSIAN DOLL  (2019) (TV-MA for lots of profanity and some explicit content) – A woman from NYC finds herself stuck in a time loop in this Emmy-winning series.
• #58:  *THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES  (2007) – The  Doctor Who  spinoff is a teen series with fantastic writing about the Doctor’s former companion, journalist Sarah Jane Smith, and her adventures with a group of teens.
• #59:  SHINING GIRLS (2022) (TV-MA) – Time travel plays into this mystery/crime drama starring Elisabeth Moss. The ending could have been better, but it’s an intriguing, well-acted series.
• #60:  SIGNAL  (2016) – This is South Korea’s version of  Frequency .

• #61: SISYPHUS: THE MYTH  (2021) – A woman from a war-torn future journeys to the past to change future events.
• #62:  SLIDERS  (1995) – A group of friends travels into parallel worlds.
• #63:  SOMEWHERE BETWEEN  (2017) – A woman relives a week to stop tragic events from happening.
• #64:  *SPLASH SPLASH LOVE (2015) – This adorable rom-com miniseries follows a teenage girl as she travels back in time to the Joseon Era.
• #65:  *STARGATE: SG-1  (1997) – A military team and scientists are part of a secret group that travels to other planets and occasionally different times through Stargates.
• #66:  *STAR TREK TV SHOWS (INCLUDING THE NEW SHOWS, PICARD, AND STAR TREK: DISCOVERY)  (Some series are TV-MA)   – Time travel plays an essential role in the  Star Trek  universe.
• #67:  STEINS;GATE  (2011) – An animated series about time travel.
• #68:  *TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES ( 2008) – This is an underrated romantic sci-fi series starring Lena Headey.
• #69:  TERRA NOVA  (2011) – A family from a dying future is transported to the prehistoric era to a colony of humans trying to survive.
• #70:  THE KING: ETERNAL MONARCH  (2020) – A romantic K-drama series about two parallel worlds where time travel plays a part.

RELATED: The Day of the Doctor – An Impossible Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Theory

• #71:  THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE  (2022) (TV-MA) – Steven Moffat’s new (but short-lived) romance series is about a married couple dealing with the problems of time travel.
• #72:  TIME AFTER TIME   (2017) – A short but sweet romantic series about a young H.G. Wells.
• #73:  THE TWILIGHT ZONE (1959) – The iconic classic series includes episodes about time travel.
• #74:  TOMORROW, WITH YOU  (2017) – A man can time travel with a subway and tries to avoid his future fate while also falling in love.
• #75:  TUNNEL (2017) – A detective travels 30 years into the future when chasing a suspect through a tunnel.
• #76:  *TRU CALLING  (2003) – A medical grad student develops an ability to relive the previous day and help people. 
• #77:  *THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY  (2019) – The quirky series follows former child heroes as they try to save the world.
• #78:  VOYAGERS!  (1982) – The classic family series follows a young boy and a team of time travelers as they fix history.
• #79:  11.22.63 (TV-MA for violence and profanity)   – James Franco stars in this mystery series based on the novel by Stephen King about a teacher who travels back in time to stop the JFK assassination.
• #80: MR. QUEEN (2020) – A chef is transported to the Joseon Era into the body of a queen in this Korean Comedy series.

What are your favorite time travel TV shows? What do you think is the best time travel show of all time? Drop me a line below!

Featured image credit: Doctor Who (BBC), Continuum (Showcase), 12 Monkeys (NBCUniversal Television Distribution), Torchwood (BBC), and Timeless (Universal Television/Sony Pictures Television/NBC). 

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Catherine is an avid reader and a self-declared professional binge watcher. It's not uncommon to find her re-watching a series or movie for the umpteenth time and still be crying into a box of tissues. When she's not hiding in her closet to read or watch a show or movie, Catherine is a wife, mother, and, in her spare time, a lawyer.

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26 thoughts on “80 of the Best Entertaining Time Travel TV Shows You Need To Watch”

thank you – have beeen looking forever for timetravel— y r we soooo fascinated– et me out of here i do not belon in this time — beeen this wy sincei ws 9 and read a book of a little boy being sent to mars after climbing a tree—- love fairies also — ok i am an old fashioned girl they used to call my pollyanna – then i became an out law—- my son in law does not beleive in annnnnythin but $$$$ and power– borrrrrring give me a gooood romance to live in.. oxoxoxoxoxoxox

This is a great list! I love the Korean drama Time Travel series. My favorites are Faith, Rooftop Prince, I love Lee Tae Ri, Signal and Tunnel.

Have you ever seen “Voyagers!”? It was like a predecessor to Quantum Leap and lasted 1 season on NBC. It stared one of the most beautiful men to ever grace television, the late Jon-Erik Hexum. He’s a roguish time-traveling pirate, Phineas Bogg, a Voyager that travels throughout time with a smart young boy and they have to fix moments where history’s gone wrong. It was a fun show. It’s definitely binge-worthy and Hexum was such a charming young actor. Although it was made with kids and education in mind, (Co-Produced by Scholastic) there’s plenty of romantic moments for Bogg!

He and Meeno Peluce (the boy, Jeffrey Jones) made a great team. I run a fansite and FB page for the series. You can watch it on Amazon Prime, and it’s currently free on NBC.com.

I own the series and I was heartbroken when Jon died. I recently bought the 30 episode tv show from the 60’s The Time Tunnel…. Now this was where most time travel shows spawned from. Especially Quantum Leap.

Nice list! Back to the Future made me a sucker for time travel plots. So would the cartoon count as one?

How can Outlander be #16?

You NEED TO READ – It clearly states that the shows are in No Particular Order!

You forgot ‘The Time tunnel’ – The first American time travel show

Goodnight Sweetheart is THE ultimate time travel show!

Maybe you guys can help me….. I’m looking for a series perhaps a movie….. not sure. only saw a piece of it and have been searching ever since. I even looked trough all the male actors to cross reference, nothing. It seem to involve time travel an attempt to shift history. Almost achieve the goal by manipulating the son of the leader – I know its horribly vague…. but he ends up speaking to his son. He explains the situation from a watchmakers point of view- His hobby is watchmaking….the comparison he draws between ‘leading’ or directing humans where they need to be is similar to the watchmaker making a clock. its been almost two years…. but so far no luck finding this series. Help 🙂

think you may be thinking of inception (link removed)

How could you not have Netflix’s Dark on this list?

I agree. Dark is a pretty good series (3 seasons on Netflix). It’s a German show so you have to up with English lip syncing, but once you get used to it, it’s a good show.

Absolutely the best time travel show ever made imo

It is on the list (#30).

12 Monkeys needs to be #1 … Pretty sure it’s the only show that properly does time travel and causality! Love it

Continuum seems to be right on the money as we see a few corporations [e.g., Amazon] displacing small business, and taking over government. Science Fiction frequently becomes Science.

Looks like Continuum is no longer on Amazon Prime (unless you want to buy it. Is it anywhere else?

It looks like it’s only available to buy on Digital and DVD/Blu-ray now.

Netflix’s DARK is the best Time Travel show ever made. Never believe anything else!

Timeslip UK kids show from 60`s predates all these and deals with past , future, global cooling(remember that) and cloning.

I’ve never heard of it! Thanks for sharing. 🙂

It’s a indian movie named Time

Brødrene Dal og Spektralsteinene and Brødrene Dal og Mysteriet om Karl XIIs Gamasjer both have time travel as a key element. I prefer the former but both are pretty well planned out, although only the latter seems to remember concequences.

Thanks for the recommendations! 🙂

I like some others am trying to find a “Time Travel” movie that’s kind of like “If Only” Where a mans’ wife (Possibly Girlfriend) is killed in an auto accident an he keeps traveling back to that time to make her avoid it. He finds every time that it is avoided she is killed in another way. After so many attempts he goes back and gets in the car with her and they both die. So sort of like “If Only “ and sort of like the first part of “The Time Machine”(2002). I think the movie time-line was between 1970 and 2000 only guessing. I didn’t see the start of the movie. Always wanted to see it but the same accident happens or is averted only to have a new death.

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20 Best Time-Travel Shows Ranked

If you could travel back and forth through time, where would you go? What would you do? Who would you talk to? Even better, if you were writing a book, making a movie, or working on a television show about time travel, what would you include? The best TV shows about time travel all feature characters who visit other eras for various compelling (or even life-threatening) reasons. Maybe it's to prevent a coming apocalypse, maybe it's just to save one person's life — but as many of these shows teach, small changes can have big effects, and many of these characters learn that their time-traveling can change the world.  

Now, there are some great time travel-adjacent shows that don't quite fit this list. A fun romp like "Early Edition," for example, utilizes a time-traveling newspaper and potentially a time-traveling cat, but doesn't in and of itself feature a lot of time travel. Likewise, something like "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" is rooted in a time travel premise, but stays mostly in one time. With all that said, here's a look at our choices for the 20 best time travel shows on TV.

Save the cheerleader, save the world. That's what future Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka) tells present-day Hiro when he appears to him from the future, and that's what establishes "Heroes" as way more than just a superhero show.

The NBC series follows a group of regular people who develop special powers, not unlike mutants in the "X-Men" series, after a mysterious worldwide eclipse. Each character gains their own individual abilities. Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere) develops the ability to heal from any injury. Senator Nathan Petrelli (Adrian Pasdar) gains the ability to fly, while his brother Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) can temporarily absorb others' powers. Still, few of these characters have cooler abilities than Hiro, who can influence the space-time continuum. This means he can teleport, slow down time — and, of course, time travel.   

Understandably, Hiro's power set becomes a serious asset throughout the series, and his path to perfect his abilities is one of "Heroes'" strongest story arcs. The first few times he travels through time don't go as planned, and throughout the series, things can get in the way of him ending up where he wants to go or when he wants to be. While Hiro's time-traveling is just one part of the larger story, it's definitely one of the show's highlights – especially since Oka is so darn charming as the character.

19. 11.22.63

One of the best Stephen King TV series out there, the eight-episode "11.22.63" follows a man named Jake Epping (James Franco). He's a relatively normal guy who receives a chance to change history when his friend Al (Chris Cooper) tells him he's found a way to travel back in time. Al tells Jake that the portal he's discovered goes back to the year 1960 and that he's been working on a plan to stop the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Al's age and advancing cancer diagnosis prevent him from following through on the plan, however, and he asks Jake to take over for him. Jake agrees, but soon his quest is met with pushback from a mysterious source. As it turns out, the past doesn't want to be changed, and every step Jake takes toward preventing JFK's assassination leads to more cracks in the timeline. 

A charming and exciting time travel drama, "11.22.63" is a well-executed, twisty tale that only ranks so low on this list because it's in such great company. If you're looking for a quick, self-contained time travel miniseries that revolves around one of modern America's most notable events, this show is well worth a watch. 

When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crash lands on a deserted island, wacky and scary things start happening to the survivors. ABC's "Lost" deals with flashbacks, flash-forwards, mysterious groups that already have a presence on the island, a black smoke monster — and, as it turns out, an ancient battle between good and evil. One of the great appointment television shows before streaming broke through, "Lost" had fans talking about it and theorizing about its mysteries on a weekly basis.

The sci-fi drama captivated viewers for six seasons, and though time travel is referenced throughout the entire series run, it plays the biggest role in Season 4. As the island itself leaps from place to place and from time to time, the main group of characters jumps with it, encountering previous versions of themselves and island events that occurred in the past, and suffering from the effects of temporal displacement. The most beloved episode dealing with time travel is undoubtedly "The Constant," in which fan-favorite Desmond Hume (Henry Ian Cusick) figures out a way to stop his consciousness from jumping through time by finding his constant — his true love, Penny (Sonya Walger).

Of course, "Lost" is not just a time travel show, and famously covers such a wide variety of mysteries and sci-fi concepts that viewers might find it hard to keep up. As such, it ends up with this relatively low ranking. 

Like "Lost", "Fringe" is considered one of the most binge-worthy sci-fi shows of all time  but the fact that it isn't exclusively about time travel means it lands near the tail end of this particular list. The ABC show revolves around a science-fiction conglomerate that dabbles with interdimensional travel, wormholes, and alternate realities. Anna Torv stars as FBI Agent Olivia Dunham, who heads up the bureau's Fringe Division. With the help of "mad scientist" Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble), his estranged son Peter (Joshua Jackson), and their lab assistant Astrid Farnsworth (Jakisa Nicole), Dunham explores cases involving fringe science — be they about time travel, mind control, experiments gone wrong or any other strange and obscure criminal activity.

Time travel is more of a looming presence early in "Fringe," particularly present in the character of the Observer (Michael Cerveris), a bald, pale, genetically advanced human from the future. While Season 1 and Season 2 deal with the battle between two dimensions and realities, time travel really becomes an element in Season 3. Seasons 4 and 5 then deal with alternate timelines and the Observers that infiltrate the world from the future, intent on wiping out humanity. As you might expect, things can get a bit confusing, but the show sure is fun.

16. The Umbrella Academy

You have to respect a show that's so high-concept that time travel doesn't even get top billing. "The Umbrella Academy" boasts mysterious events, family drama, dance numbers, a talking chimpanzee, some of the cleverest superpowers in superhero shows, and a robot mom — and that's just scratching the surface. Based on "The Umbrella Academy" comics created by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance fame, the Netflix show is a saga that exploits everything from the butterfly effect to the grandfather paradox for emotional and comedic impact.

The central Hargreeves family consists of a group of kids all born on the same day, adopted by the same eccentric billionaire (Colm Feore). He has trained them to protect the world with their various superpowers, but they aren't particularly great at it, and their strict upbringing has left them with a wide array of issues and deep rifts between them. The dysfunctional bunch starts out fairly estranged, but slowly bonds to save humanity from an apocalyptic event ... only to cause another potential apocalyptic event by sprinkling themselves across time.

In between the tears in the space-time continuum, "The Umbrella Academy" is ultimately an ensemble story about found (and re-found) family, as well as a truly unique superhero show where personal failure and the side-effects of costumed crimefighter life play a huge role. However, since Season 1 largely approaches time travel through Number Five (Aidan Gallagher) and the Temps Aeternalis agency, and much of Season 3 focuses on a present-day alternate reality, only the 1960s-themed Season 2 goes truly all in on the concept of sending all main characters to a different era. 

15. Sliders

"Sliders" is a 1990s sci-fi adventure series that features Jerry O'Connell and friends getting lost across the multiverse. O'Connell ("Stand By Me") plays boy genius Quinn Mallory, inventor of the Timer — a device that lets him and his friends "slide" through a wormhole vortex into different versions of Earth. The thing about wormhole vortexes, though, is that they like to misbehave, meaning Quinn and his buds never know where they're headed next on their adventures. This makes their quest to get back home to their own Earth a tricky one.

"Sliders" starts off fun and strong, and is at its best when having bonkers fun — like when Rembrandt (Cleavant Derricks) discovers a world where he could have been Elvis-level famous — and when it's exploring real-world issues in a high-concept dimension, like when the crew visits an Earth that treats men worse than women. Even if you've seen it before, it's definitely worth a re-watch, because "Sliders" is one  TV show that's better than you remember.

14. Continuum

On "Continuum," Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols) is a Protector – think futuristic government agent from even more futuristic equipment — from the year 2077. She gets transported to the year 2012 along with a group of murderous terrorists, forcing Kiera to remain in the past as she chases them down. Fortunately, her gadgets and knowledge of the past soon come in handy and she finds loyal allies. Unfortunately, her enemies also know their history and plan on altering it for their own gain. 

"Continuum" milks the premise for all it's worth, while avoiding the pitfall of becoming a run-in-the-mill procedural with an unchanging status quo. While Kiera does handle her share of case-of-the-week story arcs, they're often connected to the group she pursues, and she never lets go of her primary target of stopping the terrorists. In order to avoid disrupting the timeline, she also has to go to great lengths to avoid revealing that either she or her targets are time travelers — and when their actions inevitably end up changing the future, she has to deal with the consequences. 

13. Timeless

If ever there was a time travel show that was canceled too soon, it's Eric Kripke and Shawn Ryan's "Timeless." The NBC sci-fi series stars Abigail Spencer as the historian Lucy, Matt Lanter as the soldier Wyatt, and Malcolm Barrett as Rufus, a scientist who makes up a team trying to prevent a mysterious organization from altering the courses of history through time travel. They're up againsts Garcia Flynn (Goran Višnjić), who travels throughout history intending to influence major events like the Hindenburg disaster. However, the team soon realizes that the villain they thought they were fighting is much larger and infiltrates the historical timeline in ways they never imagined. 

Instead of focusing on the usual historical suspects, "Timeless" often highlights forgotten people of color, women, and lesser-known historical figures, giving them their due and celebrating their contributions to society. This element of the show can be seen in the way Rufus, for instance, is reluctant to join the team because he knows how Black people are treated in the eras they visit. 

Despite its intriguing concept, the show was canceled after Season 1, but fans caused such an uproar that NBC reversed the decision of canceling "Timeless"  and renewed it for another season. After Season 2, NBC pulled the plug once more, and again, the fans cried foul. In a kind of compromise, NBC greenlit a special two-hour series finale that ties up loose ends and gives much-needed closure to the story. 

12. 12 Monkeys

The "12 Monkeys" SyFy series is based on the 1995 film of the same name that stars Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt — though the series makes a fair few changes to stretch the plot into a four-season sci-fi drama. The series stars Aaron Sanford as James Cole, a scavenger from the year 2024 who's tasked with traveling to 2015 in order to stop the release of a biological weapon. In the movie, James is helped by a psychologist named Kathryn Railly played by Madeleine Stowe, but here, he befriends a virologist named Dr. Cassandra "Cassie" Railly (Amanda Schull). Pitt's character, Jeffrey Goines, is also gender-swapped here, with Emily Hampshire playing Jennifer Goines.

Like the movie, the series deals with the Cassandra Complex, the idea that we have a hard time believing concerns about the future, no matter how likely and provable they are. It also deals with circular time and the idea that past events can be affected by future ones. If those aspects of the film lift your time travel antennae, the four-season show dives even deeper.

11. Paper Girls

"Paper Girls" is a brilliant time travel show that was canceled way ahead of its time. Based on the comics by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang, this Amazon series tells the story of a group of 1990s tween girls who get attacked by futuristic invaders. They manage to escape into the future, where one of the girls, Erin (Riley Lai Nelet ), meets her adult self (Ali Wong).

The show dispenses with grandfather paradox hand-wringing and instead uses the concept of the girls confronting their past and future selves, to brutally honest and hilarious effect. Young Erin is horrified to find out how much of herself she's abandoned by the time she turns into Old Erin, and refuses to let life work out that way. It motivates Erin to want to return to her home time even more — this kid has a clock to beat. However, there are two sides to the coin, and Old Erin is also able to care for her young self in ways she never felt able to when she was younger. It's a beautiful and potent visual metaphor that other characters also make good on. 

All in all, "Paper Girls" is a feast for the eyes as much as its ensemble cast is a feast for the soul. Plus, Jason Mantzoukas playfully chewing scenery as the ominous Grand Father? This show could have lasted until the end of time — or at least until Season 2.

10. Timewasters

"Timewasters" is a time travel comedy about a Black British jazz band that accidentally time-slips back to 1920s London, among other timelines. The quartet stumbles into an earlier time perod via a disgusting elevator that, yes, doubles as a time machine. Once the crew shows up in the past, they're treated like freaks, but they gain some measure of success as musicians. While the crew eventually tries to return to the present, they also have a "Back to the Future" moment when they seemingly get stuck in the 1950s.

"Timewasters" is full of funny jokes and great music, and it's a groundbreaking show in a number of ways. "People like us never get to time travel — it's what white people do, like skiing or brunch," creator Daniel Lawrence Taylor told the Royal Television Society . "For me, race is so important." Taylor also stars in "Timewasters," along with Kadiff Kirwan ("Slow Horses"), Adelayo Adedayo ("Some Girls"), and Samson Kayo ("Our Flag Means Death"). The show is also an excellent destination if you're into spotting a variety of British actors and comedians ... including Joseph Quinn, who went on to rise to fame as Eddie Munson on "Stranger Things."

9. Outlander

Based on the series of novels by Diana Gabaldon, Starz's "Outlander" follows the story of a World War II nurse named Claire (Caitriona Balfe) who finds herself thrown back in time after visiting a circle of mysterious Druid stones. She arrives in 18th Century Scotland and, after being taken in by a band of gruff Scots, she marries the dashing young Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) in order to avoid being taken prisoner by her real husband's (Tobias Menzies) apparent evil ancestor, Black Jack Randall (Menzies). Claire lives through a time of great upheaval in Scotland when tensions with British control are rising and history-making battles loom in the near future. Despite being initially reluctant to stay, she and Jamie fall deeply in love, and their romance remains the backbone of the series.

The entire "Outlander" timeline  takes some time to explain, what with several 20th-century characters taking the trip to the 18th century and the show covering versions of notable real-world historical events. Without further spoilers, all there is to say is that if you enjoy time travel shows that lean heavily toward historical drama, "Outlander" is where it's at. Also, if you view Tobias Menzies as an incorrigible dweeb due to his performance as Edmure Tully on "Game of Thrones," his monstrous "Outlander" villain is guaranteed to erase that image.

8. Quantum Leap

"Quantum Leap" stars Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett, a physicist who invents a way to travel through time. When the corporation funding his project threatens to shut it down, Sam uses himself as a guinea pig to test out the method. He finds himself thrown back in time, but in another person's body. The only other entity aware of his 'leap" is a hologram of his colleague and best friend, Admiral Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell). Al tells Sam that he must correct things that went wrong in the past before being allowed to leap back to his own time and body, and can only use the resources of the project's supercomputer, Ziggy.

With Sam leaping back and forth into different bodies at different times, the show uses a variant of the traditional procedural set up. New characters turn up to guest star and Sam gets to save the day, have a fling, and learn something new before leaping to the next destination, which just might be home one of these days.  

The series ran on NBC from 1989 to 1993, but its combination of time travel and case-of-the-week antics has proved enduring enough that "Quantum Leap" even gets a shout-out in "Avengers: Endgame." Despite being over three decades old, it remains a cool time travel series worth checking out.

7. The 4400

In the opening scenes of "The 4400," an enormous ball of light drops 4,400 people at the foot of Mount Rainier in Washington. They soon realize that they were all taken from some other point in time and deposited into the year 2004, unaged and without any memories of where they'd been. At first, everyone assumes that these people have been abducted by aliens. However, it soon turns out that the truth is far more time travel-related.

The returned people soon start developing "Heroes"-style powers that range from telekinesis to telepathy and super-strength, which people from the future have entrusted with to prevent various catastrophic events that they want to avoid in their timeline. Unfortunately, the 2004 government considers the powered folks a threat, and inhibits their powers with a neurological drug. 

The stories that unfold from this setup are exactly as complex and entertaining as you'd imagine, with various members of the titular group treating their powers in different ways and society having a hard time dealing with them. Unfortunately, "The 4400" ended abruptly after four seasons on a somewhat ambiguous note, but even so, it's a fun show to revisit.

6. Travelers

In Netflix's "Travelers," time-traveling operatives from a post-apocalyptic future are tasked with preventing certain events that have led to the downfall of society in their own present day of 2018. The travelers' consciousness takes over a person in the desired time who's just about to die, and the operative then lives out the rest of that person's days though with the mission in mind ... and a strict set of rules they must follow. Apart from a list of ways they're not allowed to interact with the past, they're also strictly forbidden from communicating with other known travelers outside their team, save for special circumstances dictated by the Director, who communicates by temporarily taking over children. 

It's a unique and complex premise, and the way the travelers scope out potential targets for takeover and learn to live as them is as timely as it comes — they use social media, GPS locations, and other readily available online information for their time-travel tricks. This adds a layer of present-day dread to the show's fascinating take on time travel. 

Loki Laufeyson (Tom Hiddleston) meets his match when he comes up against the Time Variance Authority in one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most ambitious Disney+ shows, "Loki." The TVA is so dedicated to maintaining a particular sacred timeline that they purge all alternate realities where someone made a choice they deem wrong, which might not always make sense, but precision isn't the point here. It's the idea of playfulness versus control. 

The Loki we see here is an alternate-timeline variant of the one the audiences are familiar with, and thus starts the show in full "The Avengers" villain mode before life — and time — starts grinding him down. Working with TVA agent Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson), he starts redeeming himself by tracking down an apparently evil version of himself, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) ... and ultimately tackling the biggest challenges time can offer.  

The God of Mischief's surprisingly human path of reckoning is the heart of a show that's deliciously stylish, silly, and sometimes scary. "Loki" takes a cops-and-robbers crime caper into time travel territory and explores hefty themes with a light touch, from mindless compliance to self-serving overseers to criminalizing anyone deemed different. "Loki" isn't just a time travel show — it's a show about everything time can offer and more, with characters dancing between eras as you might step from room to room. Also, it has Alligator Loki, who's objectively the best Loki of all. 

If "Loki" is too light-hearted for you, Netflix's "Dark" might be your jam ... provided you can make sense of its incredibly convoluted time travel storyline. Four families weave a tangled web of time travel in this German-language psychological thriller about missing kids, a rotten town, and how almost all of our secrets come out in time. In other words, it's a good time travel show, but it's definitely not a feel-good time travel show. 

"Dark" follows its many characters over the course of their lifetimes and, at one point, has three timelines going at once. Part of the intrigue and challenge of watching the show is trying to understand how (and when) each timeline threads into the other. If you decide to watch it, it's best to have an evidence board and plenty of red yarn ready to chart the relationships and betrayals the town of Winden sees over the years.

While "Dark" is as much a show about human connection and how frayed it can become as it is about time travel, it's also the MVP of using as many time travel paradoxes as possible during its three-season run. "Dark" is also an innovator in the field of wormhole placement. Wormholes are already not to be trusted, but a wormhole underneath a nuclear power plant? No, thank you.

3. Beforeigners

What happens when a bunch of Viking-era warriors, 19th-century figures, and Stone Age people pop up in modern-day Oslo? "Beforeigners" attempts to answer that question while navigating twisty murder mysteries with such efficiency that the Norwegian series may be best described as "crime travel." Adding to the intrigue is the way it focuses more on the present-day relationship between the time refugees and their modern counterparts than on how they showed up in the first place.

"Beforeigners" centers around the odd-couple partnership between hardened police detective Lars Haaland (Nicolai Cleve Broch) and eager new Viking police recruit Alfhildr Enginnsdóttir (Krista Kosonen), who investigate things like the murder of a Stone Age victim and even look into crimes with possible ties to Jack the Ripper.

The metaphor of time migration is an apt one for immigration, and this sci-fi show explores tricky real-life issues with plenty of scope. Creators Anne Bjørnstad and Eilif Skodvin got their start in comedy writing, and their commitment to the bit is evident in the show, including the language used. "Early on, I contacted researchers, professors who helped us. We also constructed the language that Stone Age people spoke, and even with the language from the 19th century: We worked on it to make it sound right," Bjørnstad told Variety . "Why not invest in language, which is such a big part of a person's identity?"

2. Russian Doll

"Russian Doll" could be pitched as "Natasha Lyonne's 'Groundhog Day,'" but that still wouldn't hint at half of the show's charm and emotion. This Netflix offering is a mind-bending time loop dramedy that's a stylish and surreal exploration of life, death, and all the trauma in between. Season 1 of "Russian Doll" features Nadia (Lyonne) stuck reliving her 36th birthday until she inevitably dies and resets back to her friend's bathroom. Later in the season, she discovers a fellow time traveler (Charlie Barnett). They quickly realize that the way out of their dead ends and into a new life is through helping each other.

Season 2 takes some departures from the recursive reality set up in the first season, bending viewers' minds even more thoroughly. "Russian Doll" goes deep, but keeps a sense of humor even as it twists the knife in its characters' hearts — and their timelines. The show keeps audiences just oriented enough by linking its time loops to recognizable spaces and sound cues. You will never look at the subway the same way again, and you will probably never get Harry Nilsson's "Gotta Get Up" out of your head.

1. Doctor Who

Really, could any other show top a list like this?  The untold history of "Doctor Who"  goes all the way back to 1963, when the show premiered on the BBC. The series follows the adventures of a Time Lord who calls themselves the Doctor — an alien being from the planet Gallifrey who travels through space and time on a craft called the TARDIS, which is charmingly disguised as an old-fashioned British police call box and is famously bigger on the inside.  Every Doctor has their own companions  – humans who follow the Doctor throughout space and time, helping people, battling new and recurring villains, and dealing with the assorted wibbly-wobbly stuff on the Doctor's timeline .

The original series ran from 1963 through 1989 and established the neat trick of recasting the Doctor every few years or so, thanks to the premise that the character has multiple lives and can reincarnate himself into different physical bodies. The modern series was revived in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor, and talented actors like David Tennant (twice), Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whitaker, and Ncuti Gatwa have followed in his footsteps. Even without the fact that no other show has time travel quite as integrated into its very premise as "Doctor Who," the show's sheer longevity and cultural impact are more than enough to make it the king of the time travel hill. 

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The 25 Best Time Travel TV Shows, From ‘Doctor Who’ to ‘Timeless’

There are a few reasons we’re obsessed with time travel TV shows. For one, the high-stakes adventures promise plenty of mystery and thrills. And better yet, they span across a variety of genres, from historical dramas and comedies to mystery thrillers.

So, for our next binge-watching session, we're living vicariously through our favorite characters as they journey through time, whether they're exploring a major period in history or visiting a futuristic society. From Doctor Who to Timeless, keep reading for the best time travel TV shows you can stream right now.

The 20 Best Time Travel Movies to Stream Right Now (That Aren’t ‘Back to the Future’)

1. Dc’s Legends Of Tomorrow

• Rating: TV-14
• Who’s in it: Victor Garber, Brandon Routh, Arthur Darvill. Caity Lotz, Franz Drameh

Set in the Arrowverse, this superhero series includes several familiar DC characters, like White Canary, Captain Cold, Firestorm and Vixen. But fortunately, you don’t have to be well-versed on all things DC comics to enjoy this one. The CW series documents the adventures of a diverse team of superheroes as they travel through time to prevent disasters. And naturally, there’s no shortage of epic combat scenes.

2. Doctor Who

• Rating: TV-PG
• Who’s in it: Jodie Whittaker, Peter Capaldi, Matt Smith, David Tennant

Given that Doctor Who has become synonymous with time travel, it would be a crime to not include this classic. Over the span of 13 seasons, the show offered several versions of the Time Lord as they step into the infamous TARDIS and get swept through time. Seeing these heroes fight to save humanity and protect history just never gets old.

3. Timeless

• Who’s in it: Abigail Spencer, Matt Lanter, Malcolm Barrett

An unlikely team travels through time to stop the criminal mastermind, who stole an experimental time machine. And as they pursue him, they learn that he plans to change the course of history. Though it's not 100 percent perfect in terms of historical accuracy, it delivers plenty of action and thought-provoking themes.

4. Outlander

• Rating: TV-MA
• Who’s in it: Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Sophie Skelton

Set during World War II, Outlander tells the story of a married army nurse named Claire, who time travels to the year 1743 while in Scotland and starts a passionate relationship with a Highlander. Steamy intimate scenes, feminist themes and breathtaking scenery are just a few things you can expect from this beloved period drama.

5. Manifest

• Who’s in it: Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas, Athena Karkanis, J. R. Ramirez

Can you imagine hopping on a plane and landing five and a half years in the future? That’s exactly what happens to the passengers of a turbulent flight in this gripping supernatural drama. When they all return, they discover that their plane went missing and mysteriously returned years later. But what really happened? (You’ll have to wait until season 4 to get that answer, but until then, enjoy the first three seasons on Netflix.)

6. Beforeigners

• Who’s in it: Krista Kosonen, Nicolai Cleve Broch, Stig R. Amdam

HBO Nordic's first-ever original series follows a group of people from different time periods, who mysteriously land in 21st-century Norway. Dubbed the "beforeigners," these migrants attempt to blend in with the modern-day world—although it proves to be more challenging for some than others.

• Who’s in it: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, Lance Reddick

A cross between The X-Files and The Twilight Zone , Fringe follows the FBI's Fringe Division, where the team uses fringe science (a branch that explores the most bizarre or far-fetched theories) to investigate a series of mysterious cases—some of which are connected to alternate timelines. Fun fact: The show spawned three novels and a comic book series.

8. Quantum Leap

• Who’s in it: Scott Bakula, Dean Stockwell, Deborah Pratt

Bakula plays the iconic Dr. Sam Beckett in this five-time Emmy Award-winning series, and his random adventures will give you major Doctor Who vibes. Join the physicist as he “leaps” through time to fix historical errors.

9. My Only Love Song

• Who’s in it: Lee Jong-hyun, Gong Seung-yeon, Lee Jae-jin

Soo-jung (Seung-yeon), a self-obsessed movie star, accidentally time travels to 6th-century Gogurye after falling into a portal. There, she meets the handsome On-dal (Jong-hyun), a guy who appears to be just as obsessed with his wealth as she is. But his generosity towards people in need forces her to reconsider her own values.

• Who’s in it: Yuki Furukawa, Mio Yuki, Jin Shirasu

Based on Kei Sanbe’s Japanese manga series of the same title, Erased revolves around a man named Satoru Fujinuma, who has the ability to go back in time and stop life-threatening events right before they happen. But when his mother gets murdered, he’s sent back nearly two decades, giving him the opportunity to save even more lives.

• Who’s in it: Tom Hiddleston, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Eugene Cordero

Loki picks up right where Avengers: Endgame left off, with the God of Mischief accidentally creating a new timeline as a result of stealing the Tesseract. And now, the authorities present him with two options: to either accept his punishment or to travel back in time to correct his mistakes. Almost any Marvel fan will agree that this series is full of charm and a welcome change from the pacing and tone of the Marvel films.

12. Terra Nova

• Who’s in it: Jason O'Mara, Shelley Conn, Christine Adams, Allison Miller

Humanity gets a major do-over in this fascinating series, and there’s more than enough compelling themes to keep you invested (like Utopias gone terribly wrong). Terra Nova follows the Shannon family as they flee from a dying Earth in 2149 and travel to prehistoric Earth, where they join a colony of people known as Terra Nova and attempt to rebuild a civilization.

13. 11.22.63

• Who’s in it: James Franco, Sarah Gadon, Cherry Jones

Inspired by Stephen King’s novel 11/22/63 , the show details one time traveler’s efforts to go back in time and stop the assassination of former president John F. Kennedy. But when he goes to the year 1960, he builds a new life that could threaten the success of his mission. It’s worth noting that James Franco gives an unforgettable performance as Jake Epping/George Amberson.

14. Making History

• Who’s in it: Adam Pally, Leighton Meester and Yassir Lester.

Pally, Meester and Lester star as three friends from different time periods, who take full advantage of their ability to time travel—until they realize the ramifications of their adventures. The show is humorous and silly in the best possible way.

15. Somewhere Between

• Who’s in it: Paula Patton, Devon Sawa, JR Bourne

Laura Price (Patton) has it all: a successful career, a loving husband and a delightful young daughter. But when a serial killer murders her child, she falls into depression and attempts suicide. After the incident, Laura is stunned to find that she time traveled to the week before her daughter’s death. Can she save her daughter?

16. Umbrella Academy

• Who’s in it: Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman

The Haragreeves have become our favorite dysfunctional family, and for good reason. In this Netflix series, the seven adopted superhero siblings team up to investigate their father’s death and save the world from an apocalypse. But when they try to travel back in time, they end up in different periods, which only complicates things.

• Who’s in it: Natasha Lyonne, Charlie Barnett, Greta Lee

Amy Poehler teamed up with Natasha Lyonne ( Orange Is the New Black ) and Leslye Headland ( Bachelorette ) to create this critically acclaimed comedy drama. The series follows a game developer named Nadia (Lyonne), who finds herself trapped in a time loop after she dies at a party. As she tries to escape this trap, however, she discovers that she isn’t the only one. Yes, it sounds a bit like a modernized version of Groundhog Day , but trust us, it’s unpredictable and incredibly refreshing.

18. Travelers

• Who’s in it: Eric McCormack, Mackenzie Porter, Jared Abrahamson

A surviving group of humans, who live centuries in the future, have figured out how to send their consciousness back in time. Known as “Travelers,” they all go back to the 21st-century and assume the identities of random people with one mission in mind: to save the future of humanity.

19. Continuum

• Who’s in it: Rachel Nichols, Victor Webster, Erik Knudsen

The year is 2077, and the U.S. has officially become a corporatocracy. But three criminals, known as Liber8, are determined to go back in time and change the course of history by stopping corporations from replacing the government. As they time travel to the year 2012, a police officer joins them and does everything in her power to stop their violent plans—all while hiding that she’s from the future.

20. 12 Monkeys

• Who’s in it: Aaron Stanford, Amanda Schull, Barbara Sukowa

Follow the exploits of scavenger James Cole (Aaron Stanford) as he time travels from 2043 to the year 2015 to stop a deadly virus from wiping out most of the human race. Expect plenty of twists and complex themes that’ll spark interesting convos, from corporate greed to the downsides of technological progress.

21. The Ministry Of Time

• Who’s in it: Cayetana Guillén Cuervo, Juan Gea, Francesca Piñón

Welcome to The Ministry of Time, a top-secret Spanish organization that’s responsible for guarding the doors of time and reporting all time travel incidents to the Prime Minister. The series focuses on the Ministry’s patrol as they carry out their assignments, and while there’s no shortage of thrills, the show also does a phenomenal job of weaving in bits of Spain's history.

• Who’s in it: Louis Hofmann, Julika Jenkins, Andreas Pietschmann, Maja Schöne

Set in the fictional German town of Winden, Dark centers on four families who are connected to the mysterious disappearance of two children. Aside from exploring their relationships, the show takes viewers on a wild journey that involves a major time travel conspiracy—one that spans multiple generations.

23. Always A Witch

• Who’s in it: Angely Gaviria, Sofia Bernal Araujo, Dylan Fuentes, Valeria Henríquez

The Colombian series follows Carmen, a 19-year-old 17th-century witch who gets sentenced to death for falling in love with her master's son. However, she escapes her fate by time-traveling to modern day Cartagena as part of a deal with a wizard. Her task? To help him break his curse.

24. Voyagers!

• Rating: TV-G
• Who’s in it: Jon-Erik Hexum, Meeno Peluce, David Cadiente

Phineas Bogg (Jon-Erik Hexum) and his partner in crime, Jeffrey Jones (Meeno Peluce), are members of a secret group known as the Voyagers, who are tasked with making sure that history doesn’t change. The feel-good cult classic only lasted for one season, but all 20 episodes are simply delightful and worth the watch.

• Who’s in it: Rosa Salazar, Angelique Cabral, Constance Marie

This animated drama revolves around a young woman named Alma (Rosa Salazar), who, per the official logline , explores "the elastic nature of reality" after surviving a dangerous car accident. She then uses her newfound ability to investigate her father's death. (Psst, look out for the second season, which premieres on April 29 on Amazon Prime.)

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Best new Time Travel TV Shows in 2024 & 2023 (Netflix, Prime, Hulu & TV List)

New time travel TV series in 2024

Dark Matter

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Best time travel tv series on netflix, amazon prime, hulu, disney+ or dvd in 2024.

Quantum Leap

A Time Called You

The Lazarus Project

Again my Life

The Shining Girls

Paper Girls

The Peripheral

Tales from the Loop

The Wheel of Time

Twice Upon a Time

De Volta Aos 15

El ministerio del tiempo

Outer Range Season 2 Deepens Its Time-Travel Mysteries — But at a Cost

This is still one of the best sci-fi shows on TV. But is the novelty of the genre mash-up fading?

If you didn’t watch Outer Range in 2022 , you missed one of the strangest, most haunting, and original series of this decade. Neither a western nor fully a sci-fi time travel drama, Outer Range’s first season excelled partly because it defined genre expectations. For those focused on the mystery box aspects of the series — of which there are myriad — the show was slow to provide answers, which was part of its charm. Outer Range was determined to mosey on up to reveal its time travel paradoxes when it was good and ready.

Now, two years later, Outer Range is very much the same show, but somehow... changed. While Season 1 had the careful, understated pacing of a stage play, Season 2 is 100 percent a twisty science fiction time travel show, which just happens to be wrapped up in a western genre. Part of this subtle shift can probably be chalked-up to a different showrunner — Brian Watkins has been replaced in this season by Charles Murray. The former has a background as a playwright, and the latter is best known for his work on Luke Cage . This doesn’t mean Murray completely changed the show, but the shift is noticeable. For those who worried the sci-fi elements were too slow-going — or not explained well enough in Season 1 — Season 2 is more on-the-nose. If Season 1 was No Country for Old Men with an eerie spacetime void in the middle, Season 2 is very much Yellowstone meets Doctor Who . Does it work? The answer is a cautious yes , but you’re gonna need to do your homework first.

Recommending Season 2 of Outer Range is almost impossible without spoiling elements of Season 1. Indeed, a cursory Googling of the show, and Josh Brolin’s character in particular — rancher Royal Abbott — will ruin much of the mystery of Season 1. And so, it’s tempting to wonder whether or not Season 2 tops Season 1 in terms of delivering big, reality-defying twists.

As with Season 1, Outer Range focused on rancher Royal Abbott and his secret knowledge of a time portal that exists in a disputed part of what was once his land, but is also claimed by a rival family, the Tillersons. Season 2 doubles down on the family-drama aspect of the series, which includes a few non-linear aspects of both families, thanks to the existence of said time portal. So is Season 2 better than Season 1? Probably not, but we are getting more time with everybody, more instances of time travel, and thus, more twists than last time out. One twist of which is the dual identity ofImogen Poots’s Autumn.

Outer Range Season 2 hits the ground running with the Season 1 question of “Who is Autumn” and whether she really is a version of a much younger character, who has been unstuck in time. It’s a familiar sci-fi trope, but Outer Range thankfully breathes new life into what begin as very simple questions.

Imogen Poots as Autumn in Outer Range Season 2. Or is she playing someone else entirely?

The cast of the series is just as wonderful as they were in Season 1, with specific shout-outs to Josh Brolin as Royal, who directs the penultimate episode of the season. Poots is great, again, as the enigmatic Autumn, who, in a sense, carries this season as much Brolin does. As Joy Hawk, Tamara Podemski’s time-traveling adventures — teased at the end of last season — are epic, and perhaps some of the best aspects of the show. And, through Joy’s story, Outer Range reveals what makes Season 2 more clearly science fiction than the previous outing — more characters are time travelers.

However (as with many second seasons of shows), the essential novelty of Season 1 is absent in Season 2, which is nobody’s fault at all. It’s simply what happens when you tell more of a story. We’re no longer in awe of the uniqueness of the setting or aesthetic, we’re now mostly invested in the nitty-gritty of what’s going to happen next and what it all means. Analogously, Season 1 of Outer Range is like the first act of a James Bond movie, where everybody is dressed nicely, and we’re taking in beautiful scenery, with a hint of danger. Season 2 is like the the point where it’s all going down, and Bond is having to slug it out in a warehouse or hidden compound somewhere — you knew it was heading to this, but it feels oddly incongruent divorced from its beginning. This is a roundabout way of saying Outer Range Season 2 isn’t a piece of work that stands on its own; it's more stuff that happens in the world of Outer Range .

Outer Range’ s mysteries only get stranger in Season 2.

All-in-all, Outer Range Season 2 is much more interested in making sure the audience is asking the right questions, rather than letting you figure it out on your own. While Season 1 seemed to make it subtly clear that Autumn was, indeed and in fact, another name for a different character, Season 2 hits the ground running with everyone asking the same question: is that really true? This approach works, mostly, but it will send you back to the last few episodes of Season 1 fairly quickly, just to make sure you didn’t miss anything.

Perhaps the biggest letdown for Season 2 of Outer Range is that this dense and layered show is dropping all of its seven new episodes at the same time. In 2022, Prime Video dropped two episodes each week, allowing the complexity and artistry of the series to sink in over time. Outer Range is still a great show two years later, but it’s not exactly suited to the binge model. This is a show you’ll want to step away from after a few episodes, and then come back to and savor. If you do it all in a binge, you’re head might be spinning.

It’s still one of the best sci-fi shows on TV , but during this visit to Outer Range , you’re gonna need to make sure you’ve rewatched a bit of Season 1, or risk getting confused midway through. It will all work out in the end. Mostly.

Outer Range Season 2 drops all seven new episodes on Prime Video on May 16.

• Science Fiction

10 Most Rewatchable Time Travel Shows, Ranked

Travel time is probably one of the more popular plot devices within sci-fi (and some fantasy) TV shows. Fans of sci-fi and fantasy are familiar with various forms of time travel, including time loops, arguably made famous in pop culture by Groundhog Day , and traveling to the past to alter the future, reminiscent of Back to the Future . There are also time doors, time portals, wormholes, and your standard time machine. Sometimes, even events are triggers for time travel.

With all the different ways time travel can occur in fiction, there are plenty of television shows with interesting time-travel plots to choose from. However, some time-travel shows are more rewatchable than others because of plot holes, unrelatable characters, or repetitive plot devices. Luckily, there are time-travel television shows out there that are worthy of a rewatch by sci-fi and fantasy fans. These TV shows make time travel interesting with intricate storylines, loveable characters, and mind-bending timelines.

'Ashes to Ashes' (2008-2010)

Created by matthew graham and ashley pharoah.

Ashes to Ashes , in the same vein as Life on Mars , is a British crime drama series that ran for three seasons on BBC One. The series stars Keeley Hawkes as DI Alex Drake; it was shot in 2008 by Arthur Layton, and she is sent back to 1981. She comes face-to-face with DCI Gene Hunt (played by Philip Glenister ), whom she had read about during her investigation into the bizarre incidents surrounding Sam Tyler, the protagonist of Life on Mars . Alex is determined to figure out how to get back to her own time, but in the meantime, she teams up with Gene to solve cases.

While Ashes to Ashes tends to settle into a case in each episode, it stands out from a standard police procedural. The mystery of why Alex has been sent back in time permeates through the plot and keeps viewers intrigued about what is going to happen next. Life on Mars leaves the ending of Sam's story ambiguous, and Ashes to Ashes provides an explanation of Alex and Sam's time travel. There are so many interesting details within Ashes to Ashes that provide hints of what is coming in the show’s finale that it makes for a great rewatch. Viewers can pick up on things that they might have missed leading up to the big reveal. Not only are these hints fascinating for viewers to find and try to connect everything together, but the chemistry between the main characters, the moody Gene and the witty Alex, is magnetic, which gives fans a potential romance to invest in. After all, any police procedural needs a good dynamic relationship to keep viewers engaged with the show. Therefore, the Alex and Gene moments alone make A shes to Ashes worth watching again and again.

WATCH ON BRITBOX

'Russian Doll' (2019-2022)

Created by leslye headland, natasha lyonne, and amy poehler.

After getting hit by a car and dying, 37-year-old Nadia Vulvokov ( Natasha Lyonne ) finds herself reliving the day of her birthday over and over again in Netflix's comedy-drama series, Russian Doll . But, Natasha isn't alone in being caught in a time loop; Alan ( Charlie Barnett ) is also reliving the same day. And this is just season one of Russian Doll . In the second season, Nadia and Alan find themselves going between the past and present day. Nadia is taken back to the 1970s to "visit" her mother, x (y), and Alan goes to West Germany before the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.

When sci-fi fans think of time loops, they might picture the movie, Groundhog Day . Russian Doll separates itself from Groundhog Day by taking the monotony out of its plot with surprising twists and creating space for complex character development. The complexity of the time loops (and eventually time travel) really makes fans think about how everything is connected. Lyonne and Barnett give incredible performances in Russian Doll . Nadia and Alan are flawed characters, but this only makes them extremely relatable. Viewers will want them to escape the time loop and get back to their normal lives they are missing out on. The second season does away with the time loops and brings in time travel. Both Nadia and Alan want to change the past in order to make the future better .

Russian Doll

Release Date February 1, 2019

Creator Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler

Cast Elizabeth Ashley, Greta Lee, Charlie Barnett, Natasha Lyonne

Genres Drama, Mystery, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Rating TV-MA

WATCH ON NETFLIX

'Quantum Leap' (1989-1993)

Created by donald p. bellisario.

Before Scott Bakula helmed the Enterprise as Captain Jonathan Archer in Star Trek: Enterprise , he played a physicist named Dr. Sam Beckett. Dr. Beckett is working to make time travel a reality, but after a few years and lots of money, he discovers that the government is planning to pull the plug on his work. He decides to use himself as a test subject. Ever since he stepped into the Quantum Leap Accelerator, Sam has been living other people's lives in the past. But he isn't alone, as he has a little help from AI (Dean Stockwell), a hologram from his own time.

Firstly, Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell are really a great dynamic duo in Quantum Leap . The banter between Sam and Ai is one of the biggest reasons that this popular time travel show is worthy of rewatching. This is a formula for each episode, which can make it predictable but comforting at the same time. Sam finds himself in the body of someone else, and he must figure out how to help the person with a problem. Once he solves the problem, Sam then time travels to the next place. The show weaves in a lot of history and famous figures, which makes room for some great guest star appearances, like Bruce McGill as Al the Bartender in “Mirror Image” and Debbie Allen as Joanna Chapman in "Private Dancer."

Quantum Leap

Release Date March 26, 1989

Cast dean stockwell, Scott Bakula

Main Genre Action

Genres Drama, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure

'The Lazarus Project' (2022-2023)

Created by joe barton.

The Lazarus Project is an action-packed time travel show that, unfortunately, only had two seasons. The show stars Paapa Essiedu as George Addo and Charly Clive as Sarah. George is happily living his best life with his wife, Sarah, but he notices something strange happening—a time loop. No one else seems to realize that the time loop exists, except for George. George is contacted by a secret organization, and it is told that he is one of the few people on Earth who can recall time-reversion events. He is invited to join the Lazarus Project team. Their mission is to prevent mass extinction events by any means necessary and then do a time reset. When Sarah is in a life-threatening car accident that results in her death, George wants to go back in time to save her. However, the Lazarus Project team doesn't approve of this, and George decides to save Sarah, even if it means breaking the rules. George's actions cause a cascade of events that threaten humanity.

Unfortunately, The Lazarus Project only ran for two seasons, but it made an impression on sci-fi fans. The show explores thought-provoking questions around topics like morality, as any good sci-fi TV show should, and brings up interesting dilemmas around time travel, which some shows might hesitate to address because of their complexity. The characters of The Lazarus Project, especially George, are put in high-stakes situations, which makes each episode like a mini-action movie. This sci-fi show has also been praised for the cast's intense performances. It's thrilling to rewatch The Lazarus Project to see how George's character changes throughout the show.

The Lazarus Project

Release Date June 16, 2022

Creator Joe Barton

Cast Charly Clive, Rudi Dharmalingam, Anjli Mohindra, Paapa Essiedu, Vinette Robinson, Caroline Quentin, Brian Gleeson, Tom Burke

Genres Drama, Sci-Fi, Action

Rating Not Yet Rated

Studio Urban Myth Films

'12 Monkeys' (2015-2018)

Created by travis fickett and terry matalas.

Adapted from the 1995 film directed by Terry Gilliam, which is one of the most rewatchable 90s sci-fi movies , Syfy's 12 Monkeys is a sci-fi television show starring Aaron Stanford as James Cole and Amanda Schull as Dr. Cassandra Railly. In a post-apocalyptic world in the year 2043, a group of scientists from Spearhead, led by Dr. Katrina Jones (Barbara Sukowa), discovers the abandoned Project Splinter. After many unsuccessful attempts to time travel, Dr. Jones recruits James Cole, a scavenger, to be a time traveler. She sends Cole back in time (also known as "splintering") to try to stop a pandemic of Kalavirus from happening. Cole meets Dr. Railly, a virologist, and they discover the virus was created by an organization known as the Army of the 12 Monkeys.

One of the biggest challenges for any time travel show is making it believable, and 12 Monkeys manages to do exactly that. There isn't anything off with the way the show weaves in different timelines. The elements of realism woven into the show's intricate plot are what make 12 Monkeys such a great show to rewatch. The writers put lots of hints within the dialogue, and 12 Monkeys fans love rewatching the show because they are able to catch the significance of these lines when they weren't able to before.

Release Date January 16, 2015

Cast Noah Bean, Barbara Sukowa, Amanda Schull, Aaron Stanford

Genres Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Adventure

Rating TV-14

'Undone' (2019-2022)

Created by raphael bob-waksberg and kate purdy.

After she almost dies in a car accident, Alma Winograd-Diaz ( Rosa Salazar ) discovers that she can manipulate time and sees her deceased father, Jacob Winograd ( Bob Odenkirk) . Alma investigates the truth about her father’s death. This is all just the first season of Undone . In the second season, Alma and her sister, Becca ( Angelique Cabral), go through a time-bending journey into their family’s generational trauma.

Undone is done in rotoscope, and the visuals in both seasons are breathtaking. It's like artwork coming to life. Besides the breathtaking visuals, Undone' s time-bending plot is intriguing, especially so during the second season, when Becca also experiences what Alma has been going through. The best moments of the show are the chemistry between Salazar and Cabral, who brilliantly portray the Winograd-Diaz sisters. This chemistry brings out the show’s best dark humor moments, making it worth watching.

Release Date September 13, 2019

Cast Constance Marie, Bob Odenkirk, Siddharth Dhananjay, Angelique Cabral, Rosa Salazar, Daveed Diggs

Genres Drama, Animation, Fantasy

'The Ministry of Time' (2015-2020)

Created by pablo olivares and javier olivares.

The Ministry of Time ( El ministerio del tiempo) , also called The Time Department , is a Spanish fantasy drama in which a secret organization, known only to the Spanish Monarchy and the Prime Minister, is in charge of guarding time doors and preventing anyone from changing history through time manipulation. Julián Martínez ( Rodolfo Sancho ), a paramedic from the 21st century, is recruited by The Ministry of Time, along with Amelia Folch ( Aura Garrido ), a university student from 19th century Barcelona, and Alonso de Entrerríos ( Nacho Fresneda ), a solider from 16th century Seville, to make sure that events in history go as planned.

The Ministry of Time is a fun rewatch for history buffs, as this time travel TV show focuses on historical events in Spain and around the world. With its focus on history, there are plenty of opportunities for significant figures, like Salvador Dalí and Isabella II of Spain, to make appearances throughout the show's four seasons. It's also entertaining to watch characters from different time periods interact together, especially Julián, Amelia, and Alonso.

WATCH ON VIX

'Dark' (2017-2020)

Created by baran bo odar and jantje friese.

Dark is a German television series on Netflix about generations of families, including the Kahnwalds, Nielsens, Tiedemanns, and Dopplers, over a span of time. In the town of Winden, Germany, children go missing, and there is a connection between the missing children and a cave underneath a nuclear power plant. The show’s main families discover a wormhole within the cave, and soon their secrets unravel.

The families in Dark are very elaborate and complex, just like the show’s plot, so it's easy to miss connections during the first watch through. The cast does a remarkable job of amplifying the show’s intensity with their acting. While the intensity can make it hard to binge-watch, it’s worth rewatching to experience the emotional journey that these families go on. Watching this sci-fi thriller is an emotional rollercoaster, as there are so many layers within the stories that cross different eras.

'Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency'

Created by max landis.

It's rare to have a sci-fi show that has humor without being cheesy (or puny), especially one that is also a crime drama. Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency takes the absurdity and hilarity of Douglas Adams' novel of the same name to a whole new level. Elijah Wood plays Todd Brotzman, a bellhop whose life is changed forever after he stumbles upon the body of a millionaire, Patrick Spring. Detective Dirk Gently, played by Samuel Barnett , meets Todd, and the two begin to investigate the murder. However, it won't be an easy investigation as Dirk has made some enemies who want him dead.

What makes Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency so rewatchable is just how absurd it is, and the strangeness in the plot (with its eventual dash of time travel) just adds to the show's great sense of humor. Elijah Wood and Samuel Barnett make a great comedic duo, and they go above and beyond to roll with any weirdness that is thrown their way. The "villains" in Dirk Gently are just as hilarious with their wicked sense of dark humor. One of the standout "villains" is Bart Curlish ( Fiona Dourif ), a holistic assassin who believes that the universe brings people for her to kill.

WATCH ON SLING

'Doctor Who'

Created by sydney newman, donald wilson, and c. e. webber.

One of the most beloved time travel shows is Doctor Who , which first premiered on November 23, 1963. The Doctor is a time lord, and they have been played by multiple actors over the years, including David Tennant and Jodie Whittaker . The current actor who plays the Doctor is Ncuti Gatwa , who gave a stunning performance in his first season debut . As a time lord, the Doctor travels in a Tardis, a time-traveling machine disguised as a police box. The Doctor doesn't travel alone; they are often accompanied by companions, humans who want to see the universe. Currently, the Doctor's companion is Ruby Sunday, played by Milie Gibson .

With over 800 episodes so far, there is so much history and lore in Doctor Who . That means there is a lot to rewatch! What makes this show such a great rewatch is the variation in storytelling and iconic characters. As Doctor Who fans are well aware, time travel makes for great adventures for the Doctor and their friends, which means rewatching episodes doesn't get old at all.

The show follows the adventures of a Time Lord, The Doctor, who is able to regenerate, and the Doctors human friends. The Doctor and his companions journey through time and space in the TARDIS a time-traveling ship shaped like a police box saving the universe with a combination of wit, bravery, and kindness.

Release Date March 17, 2006

Cast Christopher Eccleston, Peter Capaldi, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Ncuti Gatwa, Jodie Whittaker

Main Genre Sci-Fi

Genres Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure

Rating TV-PG

Studio BBC America

Streaming Service(s) Disney+

NEXT: The Best Time Travel Movies That Aren't Sci-Fi

7 Must-Watch Time-Travel TV Shows

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'Doctor Who's New "Season 1" Is Just a Copy of the First

Every ninth doctor episode in modern 'doctor who,' ranked, who is sutekh in ‘doctor who’.

Time travel is the gimmick that never gets old. Human beings love the idea of visiting the past, exploring the future, and discovering a new present. Any media with time travel in it lets us dream a little dream about what could be. The new Disney+ spin-off Loki revisits this theme, but the show has not leaned into the time travel aspect as much as initially expected.

In the run-up to the show, most of us anticipated weekly time-traveling escapades, much like Avengers: Endgame , the film that spawned the show. So, if you’re a bit underwhelmed by the lack of time travel on Loki and you’re looking for shows where it’s more than just a backdrop, here are seven shows with time-traveling antics that cannot be missed.

RELATED: So You're Loving 'Loki.' Makes Sense! What Should You Watch — And Play — Next?

The 1995 film 12 Monkeys was critically praised and is still considered a science-fiction marvel today, so a television remake was an unexpected choice. But, in 2015, Syfy released the series remake, and while the show didn’t draw in unanimous praise like its predecessor, 12 Monkeys is compelling from start to finish. James Cole ( Aaron Stanford ) is a time traveler sent into the past by Katarina Jones ( Barbara Sukowa ) to find Dr. Cassandra Railly ( Amanda Schull ) who can possibly stop a future plague being unleashed. They form an unlikely alliance as they are hunted by a mysterious group called the Army of the 12 Monkeys. Along the way, the pair make friends and enemies who will help and hinder their mission. Much of the show’s success rides on the spectacular characters, especially Emily Hampshire ’s Jennifer Goines. They are so well-rounded that you really feel like you know these people. Even the villains are nuanced. The character interactions are also another selling feature of this series. Each season pulls you in with intrigue, betrayal, and plot twists, all while the characters “splinter” to different time periods seeking answers and the end to the deadly virus that will eviscerate humanity. There are surprising moments of subversion in this show, which make it that much more fun to watch. This series could be the cathartic viewing you need during an actual pandemic.

Continuum follows Kiera Cameron ( Rachel Nichols ), a police officer from the future who finds herself stranded in the present. When she connects with a teenage genius, the two strike up an unlikely partnership that will help them stop ruthless killers who have travelled to the past from the future. Continuum could easily have fallen into the police-procedural tropes we've seen a million times. But the futuristic angle and a complex set of characters and relationships made this show memorable. As a protagonist, Kiera is compelling. She's great at her job, but also a person out of her time. She's simultaneously solving cases while unable to do the one thing she most wants—to return to her time and her life. Alec ( Erik Knudsen ), Kiera’s trusty tech partner, has surprising story arcs as the series evolves. Kiera's fellow detective, Carlos Fonnegra ( Victor Webster ), is far more layered than one expects. At once pleased to have a competent associate like Kiera, Carlos goes through bouts of suspicion when Kiera proves too good to be true. The villains are just as compelling in this show, able to thwart Kiera's efforts while having stories of their own. Featuring a who’s-who of Canadian actors, Continuum is one of the rare shows to be filmed and set in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which made it quite the hit for Canadian audiences.

If you’re looking for a mind-bending, jaw-dropping show, Netflix’s Dark is for you. This critically acclaimed German production is science-fiction and horror all rolled into one. The show is set in the small town of Winden and follows several sets of families, all of whom are interlinked in some way. The events of the show begin when a seemingly happy husband and father suddenly kills himself. His son Jonas Kahnwald ( Louis Hofmann ) is then sucked into a wormhole and travels to different times – and later, alternate timelines – where he discovers the truth about his town and his personal history. Dark is compelling television. You will never be able to guess what will happen next. This is edge-of-your-seat entertainment, and definitely one of the best original series to come out of Netflix. The casting on this show is outstanding – the story takes place over multiple generations and some of the actors chosen to play the younger and older versions of the characters are so perfect, it’s impossible to believe they’re not related in real life. The characters, once again, are the show’s greatest asset. Some you’ll want to protect, others you’ll hate on sight. The show concluded after three seasons, so you can marathon the whole thing without having to suffer through any cliffhangers.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow

A group of heroes are brought together by a mysterious figure claiming that they are ‘"legends" who must protect the timeline. That’s DC’s Legends of Tomorrow , a spin-off from several CWVerse shows. Unlike the other CWVerse series, this show isn’t directly based on a comic book series, but includes several comic book characters as part of the team. The show took some time to get its footing – the first season was inconsistent and by the end, several of the main cast members left the show. But since then, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow has found its stride. The show is comfortable being quirky and campy, with a group of characters who are irreverent but loyal. They are quintessential heroes – in other words, they’re complete disasters who mess up every mission they go on but find a way to fix it in the end. The series is beloved for its diverse casting (which has become better with every season), queer storylines, and the adorable central romance between co-captains Sara Lance ( Caity Lotz ) and Ava Sharpe ( Jess Macallan ). Oh, and there’s a lot of time traveling. The team travels through time in almost every episode, and they need to dress the part if they’re going off-ship. The Legends know how to look good while they fight baddies, be they humans, deities, or even aliens.

We couldn’t possibly leave out Doctor Who from our recommendations - what would this list of time travel shows be without a Time Lord? The show initially ran from 1963-1989 before it was resurrected in 2005 (a failed revival film notwithstanding). Many new Whovians may struggle with the older series – they’re dated and the sensibilities are regressive. The new Doctor Who series, on the other hand, is campy fun. The titular Doctor is a Time Lord who travels through time and space with various companions in his ship, the TARDIS. The show is family-friendly fare with aliens that are sometimes silly and sometimes scary. But none of them is a match for the Doctor and their companions. Every so often the Doctor regenerates with a new face and personality, which has allowed 13 different actors to play the character, including Tom Baker , Sylvester McCoy , Christopher Eccleston , David Tennant , Matt Smith , Peter Capaldi, and Jodie Whittaker , the most recent Doctor and the first woman to play the role. Whittaker’s Doctor has had the most diverse cast of companions and her storylines have been more political in nature, drawing in newer fans. The show has also hinted at shaking up Whovian lore, which has already provoked some amount of controversy. Everyone has a favorite Doctor; are you ready to watch all the seasons to find yours?

Erased is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kei Sanbe . The series was adapted into a live-action show by Netflix, with an anime adaption also available on Netflix. So, this is a two-in-one entry. Erased is the story of Satoru Fujinuma, who has the ability to travel into his past. When faced with imminent tragedy, Satoru must return to his childhood and prevent the murder and kidnappings of his schoolmates. Both the anime and the live-action shows are enthralling viewing. The characters are just regular people desperate to fix the wrongs in their life, which is what makes them so compelling to watch. Noriko Eguchi , who plays the mother in the live-action show, is brilliant in the role. The central murder mystery will keep you on edge – especially the storyline set in the past, because the characters are all children trying to keep each other safe. The Japanese setting is a refreshing change from most other shows, as well. Because the series is character-driven, you feel like you’re getting a taste of what living with these people would be like. The show also showcases Japanese cuisine that isn’t just sushi, which is great to see. The series could easily have been adapted for more seasons, but the showrunners stuck to the story of the original manga and wrapped up the arc in one season.

Timeless lasted less than 30 episodes, but it’s a beloved show among science-fiction fans. The show was initially canceled after its pilot season before being renewed when co-creators/co-showrunners Eric Kripke and Shawn Ryan successfully pitched a more family-oriented story to Sony Pictures Television. When it was given the boot again after the second season, fan campaigns earned the show a two-part finale that wrapped up the story. When you watch Timeless , you’ll understand the love – the show doesn’t take itself too seriously, though the characters face high stakes. In the show, a mysterious organization steals an experimental time travel device for nefarious purposes. A history professor ( Abigail Spencer) , a soldier ( Matt Lanter) , and an engineer ( Malcolm Barrett) are tasked with locating the culprit and preventing irreversible damage to the timeline. The charismatic cast, led by Spencer, Lanter, Barrett, and Goran Višnjić , will captivate you as the show visits some of the most epic moments in American history. The main trio of heroes are ably supported by a supporting cast of recognizable faces. Despite being about time travel, the story feels personal at times, especially since the main three character’s personal lives are occasionally threatened in the show. This is time travel with so much more, making it a must-watch.

KEEP READING: The 15 Best Time-Travel Movies Ever Made, Ranked

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5 Best Time-Travel Series To Watch In 2024

What would you do if you ever got a time machine? These TV shows give us some hints! 

• Aparna Sharma
• Updated - 2024-06-09, 14:00 IST

Best Time-Travel Shows To Watch

Dark (2017-2020), the umbrella academy (2019-2023), lost (2005-2010).

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'Bodies' Is a Fun Time Travel Mystery

Slide: 1 / of 1 . Caption: Caption: Emily Barber as Kathleen and Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as Det. Charlie Whiteman in Bodies. Matt Towers/Netflix

• Author: Geek's Guide to the Galaxy. Geek's Guide to the Galaxy Culture
• Date of Publication: 01.12.24. 01.12.24
• Time of Publication: 10:47 am. 10:47 am

‘Bodies’ Is a Fun Time Travel Mystery

The Netflix series Bodies is a time travel mystery about four detectives in different time periods attempting to solve the same murder. TV writer Andrea Kail was immediately captivated by the show’s intriguing premise.

“This came up in a list of upcoming shows on Netflix, and I’m like, ‘A detective show that’s also speculative fiction? Oh my god. Hello, wheelhouse,'” Kail says in Episode 558 of the Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy podcast. “So I was anticipating this for months.”

Bodies is based on a 2015 graphic novel by Torchwood writer Si Spencer . Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy host David Barr Kirtley was impressed at the way that showrunner Paul Tomalin was able to adapt such an experimental, impressionistic graphic novel. “Paul Tomalin made the story much more conventional—almost entirely in good ways,” Kirtley says. “He took this really trippy comic and tied the storylines together and made it make a lot more sense.”

Fantasy author Erin Lindsey enjoyed how Bodies keeps its focus squarely on the characters, unlike many time travel stories in which the intricacies of the plot threaten to overwhelm the story. “All of that [time travel] stuff is just scaffolding, and I really love that about it,” Lindsey says. “It’s there enough to intrigue and to direct, but ultimately this is four separate stories about four different people that are all interesting in their own right, and that’s what I connect to, personally.”

TV producer Ruairi Carroll appreciates Bodies as a fun time travel yarn that won’t make your head spin. “You can think about this, but you can also let it kind of wash over you, and that’s what I enjoyed about it,” he says. “I think this is designed to be a more enjoyable, entertaining program than some of the harder stuff like Dark .”

Listen to the complete interview with Andrea Kail, Erin Lindsey, and Ruairi Carroll in Episode 558 of Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy (above). And check out some highlights from the discussion below.

Erin Lindsey on multiple timelines:

They do jump a lot between these different timelines. One thing that they did that I thought was particularly clever was they don’t drop the future timeline into the equation until the very end of the first episode. You think you’ve got it figured out: “OK we’ve got our Victorian detective, our Second World War detective, and our modern detective, and we’re jumping back and forth between these three.” You’re just starting to feel comfortable, and then right at the very end it’s like, “Welcome to the future. What?”

David Barr Kirtley on logical problems:

I did have a long list of logical questions. Actually on a second watch it semi-addressed a lot of them. You’re like, “Why didn’t they do this? Why didn’t they do that?” And then at some point a character will say, “Oh, we just can’t do that. We tried and it didn’t work.” It doesn’t really logically make sense why they couldn’t, but since they addressed it I’m willing to sort of give them half credit for all that stuff. They anticipated all the objections and had a character say, “We can’t do that,” even though it’s very hand-wavy.

Andrea Kail on Gabriel Howell and Kate Ashfield :

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The two actors that I thought were outstanding were the teenager playing Elias Mannix—I thought he was fantastic. The pain turning into anger, and his eyes were so expressive. I thought he was great. And also the woman who played his adoptive mother. … She was the nice little Regency housewife from Sanditon , where she’s just sweet and everyone loves her. And she’s just a fucking lunatic in this. The scene where she’s being questioned and she just loses her shit and does that whole, “Ooh, I said too much,” and bites her tongue off. She was so good.

Ruairi Carroll on Bodies vs. Dark :

I thought Dark was way above this, to be honest with you. I thought overall it looked better, everything about it … There was a lot more going on in Dark . There were three seasons. We had how many different timelines, we had multiple characters, there was a lot going on. And that was part of the fun, trying to keep track of it all. At the same time I think I’d be more inclined to go back and rewatch this than Dark . It’s an easier watch. After sitting through three seasons of Dark , I’d be like, “Oh wow, I don’t know if I can put myself through that again.”

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The Best Time Travel TV Shows to Watch Right Now (And Where)

The allure of time’s elusive dance has, for eons, beckoned to the curious heart. Who hasn’t pondered the notion of stepping into yesteryears or peering into tomorrows yet to dawn?

This allure isn’t solely about chronological escapades. It’s a deeper, almost primal call. A longing to relive moments lost to time, an urge to amend choices, and a curiosity to gaze upon the horizons of the future.

The medium of television, with its expansive canvas, has adeptly mirrored this fascination, crafting tales that span eras, civilizations, and galaxies.

However, in our current age of television abundance, a dilemma arises for the discerning viewer: amidst this sea of chronicle-chasing narratives, which tales truly stand the test of time? Herein lies my expertise.

After immersing myself in a myriad of temporal tales, I’ve curated a compendium of the quintessential time-travel series.

So, I invite you: make yourself comfortable, perhaps with a beverage of choice in hand, and journey with me as we traverse the epochs, all from the intimate ambiance of your abode.

Table of Contents

1. “Doctor Who”

A classic among time travel tv shows.

“Doctor Who” is not just a show; it’s a cultural phenomenon. Launching in 1963, this British sci-fi series has become synonymous with time travel television.

At the heart of the series is the Doctor, a charismatic Time Lord from the distant planet Gallifrey.

Using the TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimension In Space), a time machine that externally looks like a British police box but is vast on the inside, the Doctor journeys through various epochs, from the distant past to the far future.

The charm of “Doctor Who” lies not just in its time-traveling adventures but also in its ability to reinvent itself.

Over the years, the Doctor has regenerated into different forms, portrayed by various actors, each bringing their unique style to the character.

Companions join the Doctor on these adventures, offering fresh perspectives and grounding the often otherworldly tales in human emotion.

Notable Episodes:

• “Blink”: A chilling tale involving statues that come to life when not being watched.
• “The Day of the Doctor”: A multi-Doctor story celebrating the show’s 50th anniversary.

Where to Watch:

“Doctor Who” can be streamed on BBC iPlayer and is available for purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime and iTunes.

2. “Outlander”

A romantic twist on time travel.

“Outlander” beautifully merges the romance genre with the complexities of time travel. The series, based on Diana Gabaldon’s novels, is as much a love story as it is a historical drama.

Claire Randall, the protagonist, is not just navigating the challenges of 18th-century Scotland but is also torn between two men from different times: her 20th-century husband Frank and the 18th-century Scottish warrior Jamie Fraser.

The lush Scottish landscapes, detailed period costumes, and intense character dynamics make “Outlander” a visual and emotional feast.

The series delves deep into the Jacobite uprisings, providing viewers with a rich historical backdrop against which the personal dramas play out.

• “The Wedding”: Claire and Jamie’s relationship takes a significant turn.
• “Dragonfly in Amber”: The season 2 finale with high stakes and emotional moments.

“Outlander” can be streamed on STARZ and is also available for purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime and iTunes.

Top Time Travel TV Shows The allure of time travel has always been a captivating subject for many. The idea of venturing into the past or the future, correcting mistakes, or simply exploring different eras has been a staple in the realm of television.

With a plethora of time travel TV shows to choose from, it can be daunting to pick the best. But fear not, fellow time travel enthusiasts!

We’ve curated a list of some of the top time travel TV shows that will transport you to different timelines, all from the comfort of your couch.

3. “Dark”

A complex web of time loops.

“Dark” is not your typical time travel series. Hailing from Germany, this critically acclaimed show intricately weaves a narrative that spans multiple timelines and generations.

At its core, “Dark” explores the interconnectedness of four families in the town of Winden, as they grapple with the repercussions of time travel on human nature and relationships.

The series masterfully blends elements of drama, mystery, and science fiction, creating a unique viewing experience.

The atmospheric cinematography, haunting score, and compelling character arcs make “Dark” stand out in the crowded genre of time-travel TV shows.

It’s a tale that requires attention to detail, as the narrative intricacies are as deep as the show’s philosophical ponderings on fate and free will.

• “Sic Mundus Creatus Est”: Revelations about the cave and its mysterious link to the missing children.
• “An Endless Cycle”: A pivotal episode that further dives into the complexities of the time loop.

“Dark” can be streamed exclusively on Netflix.

4. “Quantum Leap”

Righting wrongs, one leap at a time.

“Quantum Leap” offers a unique twist on the time travel trope, focusing on the moral dilemmas and personal growth of its protagonist, Dr. Sam Beckett. Sam’s time-traveling adventures are not of his own choosing; instead, he finds himself “leaping” into various individuals throughout history.

Each episode presents a new challenge, as Sam assumes the identity of the person he’s leaped into, aiming to correct a mistake in their life.

Accompanied by his holographic friend Al, Sam navigates these situations with a mix of wit, empathy, and determination.

The show skillfully balances episodic adventures with an overarching narrative, as Sam hopes each leap will be the one that finally takes him home.

• “The Leap Home”: A two-part episode where Sam leaps into his younger self, giving him a chance to reconnect with his family.
• “M.I.A.”: Sam leaps into a police detective in the 1960s, leading to an emotional journey involving the Vietnam War.

“Quantum Leap” can be streamed on NBC’s official website and is also available for purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime and iTunes.

5. “12 Monkeys”

A race against time.

Inspired by the groundbreaking 1995 film directed by Terry Gilliam, the “12 Monkeys” TV series expands upon the original’s storyline, adding layers of complexity and depth.

The show follows James Cole, a determined time traveler from a post-apocalyptic future where a deadly virus has decimated the human population.

His mission is clear: to stop the release of the virus and rewrite the course of history.

Throughout its run, “12 Monkeys” skillfully juggles multiple timelines, intricate character relationships, and the looming threat of the enigmatic “Army of the 12 Monkeys.”

The series delves into themes of destiny, sacrifice, and the nature of time itself, offering viewers a thrilling and thought-provoking experience.

• “Splinter”: The episode that kicks off Cole’s time-traveling journey, setting the tone for the series.
• “Die Glocke”: A high-stakes mission in World War II-era France with significant implications for the future.

“12 Monkeys” can be streamed on Hulu and the SYFY network’s official website. It’s also available for purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime and iTunes.

6. “Travelers”

A future-focused mission.

“Travelers” offers a fresh take on the time travel genre, focusing on the consciousness-transfer method rather than physical time travel.

The show paints a bleak picture of the future, with humanity on the brink of collapse. To change this outcome, special operatives, the “Travelers,” have their consciousness sent back to the 21st century, taking over the lives of unsuspecting individuals.

The series expertly blends action-packed missions with personal drama, as the Travelers grapple with the duality of their existence.

They must maintain their host’s lives while carrying out high-stakes operations to prevent future catastrophes. The show delves into the ethical and emotional challenges of their situation, raising questions about identity, relationships, and the greater good.

• “Protocol 6”: The team faces a moral dilemma when one of their missions puts a child’s life at risk.
• “17 Minutes”: A unique episode format where the Travelers race against time to prevent a disaster, with multiple do-overs.

“Travelers” can be streamed exclusively on Netflix.

7. “Continuum”

A cop from the future.

“Continuum” takes a unique approach to the time travel genre, grounding it in a blend of police procedural and speculative fiction.

The story centers on Kiera Cameron, a dedicated law enforcement officer from a future where corporations govern society.

When a group of anti-corporate terrorists known as “Liber8” escapes their execution by traveling back to the early 21st century, Kiera is inadvertently dragged along with them.

Now stranded in a past that is not her own, Kiera must navigate a world without advanced technology and the comforts of her time.

While she is determined to stop Liber8 and their attempts to alter the future, she also faces the challenge of working with the Vancouver Police Department without revealing her true identity.

As the series progresses, “Continuum” delves deeper into the gray areas of morality, exploring the consequences of one’s actions and the fluidity of good and evil.

• “A Stitch in Time”: The pilot episode sets the stage, introducing Kiera, Liber8, and the complexities of time travel.
• “Second Skin”: Kiera’s future technology becomes a target, leading to intense action and revelations about the nature of her suit.

“Continuum” can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video. It’s also available for purchase on platforms like iTunes and Google Play.

8. “Time After Time”

Historical figures in modern times.

Based on the 1979 novel of the same name, “Time After Time” offers a thrilling cat-and-mouse game between two historical figures: H.G. Wells and Jack the Ripper.

In this fictional portrayal, Wells has constructed a time machine which the infamous Jack the Ripper uses to escape to the present day.

Determined to capture the notorious killer, Wells pursues him to modern-day New York City. As Wells navigates the complexities of the 21st century, he also grapples with his own morals and the realization that his utopian beliefs might not hold up in this new world.

• “Pilot”: The inception of the chase, setting up the premise of the show.
• “Picture Fades”: Wells confronts the consequences of time travel on personal relationships.

“Time After Time” can be streamed on ABC’s official website and is also available for purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime and iTunes.

9. “Legends of Tomorrow”

Superheroes through time.

A spin-off from the popular “Arrow” and “The Flash” TV shows, “Legends of Tomorrow” assembles a team of heroes and anti-heroes to prevent time aberrations.

Led by Time Master Rip Hunter, the team travels through various eras, from the days of ancient Egypt to the futuristic world of 2166, to stop the immortal tyrant Vandal Savage and other threats to the timeline. The series combines action, humor, and heart, offering a fresh take on the time travel genre through the lens of superhero tropes.

• “Moonshot”: The team travels to the 1970s to retrieve a piece of the Spear of Destiny from the Apollo 13 mission.
• “The Good, The Bad, and The Cuddly”: A showdown in the Wild West against a demon and its minions.

“Legends of Tomorrow” can be streamed on The CW’s official website and app. It’s also available for purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime and iTunes.

Concluding Our Timeless Journey

Diving deep into the realm of time travel TV shows, we’ve unearthed a treasure trove of series that challenge our perceptions, tug at our heartstrings, and ignite our imaginations.

The unyielding grip of time travel on storytelling showcases our collective desire to escape our temporal bounds and experience epochs beyond our own.

For the curious newbie or the seasoned aficionado of the genre, this list stands as a definitive guide to the best temporal tales on television.

So, as you ready your remote and cozy up in your cherished binge-watching spot, remember: each click is a doorway to a new era. Set your course, time traveler, and enjoy the odyssey!

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15 Best Time Travel Movies & Shows to Stream Now

May 6, 2022

Time travel, much like magic wands or fairy godmothers, seems like something out of stories and not real life. While that may ( or may not ) be true, that doesn’t make it any less fascinating. 

Even though the events in time travel movies and shows are improbable (though not proven to be entirely impossible ), getting the chance to go back and fix wrong decisions or save someone important is something we all have fantasized about. 

Whether you’re into infinite time loops or races to prevent apocalyptic events, Hulu is the place to find some of the best time travel movies and shows.

Time Travel Movies on Hulu

In 2074, the mob has gotten… creative in how they handle hits. When they’re ready to “get rid of” someone, they simply send them to the past where specialized assassins, called “Loopers,” are waiting in the middle of the desert to finish the job. Eventually, every looper has to “close the loop” or, in other words, murder their future self to protect the secrets of their trade—but what happens when a looper’s future self outsmarts them?

Watch: Looper

Fast forward 45 years into the future. The earth has been destroyed by climate change, forcing humanity to live on artificial oxygen that is causing an incurable illness in humans. The only hope for the future of humankind comes in the form of one message: “Send Ethan Whyte.” In this pulse-pounding sci-fi thriller , Ethan Whyte (Kodi Smit-McPhee), an underground tunnel worker, is called to the future to finish the job his scientist father started.   

Watch: 2067

Demolition Man

In 1996, Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes), one of the world’s most prolific criminals and his arresting officer, John Spartan (Sylvester Stalone), aka “The Demolition Man,” were sentenced to life in a cryogenic prison meant to reprogram their violent nature. Decades later, in a utopian, post-apocalyptic society, Phoenix is unfrozen for a parole hearing and escapes. With a police force that has forsaken violence in any form, no one is able to catch him—no one except The Demolition Man.

Watch: Demolition Man

Peggy Sue Got Married

Back in high school, Peggy Sue (Kathleen Turner) was completely infatuated with her boyfriend (now husband), Charlie (Nicholas Cage). However, just before their high school reunion, Charlie runs off with another woman, sparking a divorce and forcing Peggy Sue to rethink her entire life. When Peggy Sue passes out at the reunion, she wakes up in her high school gymnasium—as a senior in high school. With the chance to live her life over again, will Peggy Sue make the same choices, romantic and otherwise?   

Watch: Peggy Sue Got Married

Time Loop Movies

Groundhog day.

We can’t talk about time loops without mentioning the most iconic time loop movie ever— Groundhog Day . 

Disgruntled weatherman Phil Conners (Bill Murray) is sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover Groundhog Day and report on whether or not the groundhog sees his shadow. Upset by the assignment, Phil is glad when the day is over. But, when he wakes up in the morning and it’s Groundhog Day…again, Phil decides to use it to his advantage—until he realizes he could be stuck in this time loop forever.

Watch: Groundhog Day *

*Groundhog Day requires STARZ® on Hulu add-on subscription.

Palm Springs

When Nyles (Andy Samberg) and Sarah (Cristin Milioti) have an interrupted encounter while at a wedding in Palm Springs, they find themselves waking up to the same day over and over again. When faced with this situation, there’s only one thing to do—whatever you want. 

In this outlandish and hilarious romantic comedy , Nyles and Sarah have free reign over the wedding day—and they make the most of it. However, eventually even a rule-free life has to come to an end. The only problem is that no one knows how to end it.

Watch: Palm Springs

In one of the best movies on Hulu , former special forces agent, Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo) gets trapped in a time loop that forces him to relive his assassination day over and over again. As he fights through each somewhat new day, Roy discovers a secret government project that may explain his repeated death. The more times he dies, the closer he gets to discovering the truth, saving his ex-wife and son, and staying alive.

Watch: Boss Level

Time Travel TV Shows

While you may not be able to watch time travel favorite, Manifest on Hulu anymore, that doesn’t mean all time travel shows are in the past. From Hulu Original Future Man , to Rick and Morty , check out our favorite time travel shows streaming now on Hulu.

From Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg comes the Hulu Original Series , Future Man , which follows Josh Futturman, aka “Future Man” (see what we did there?), in his attempt to save the human race. 

Josh (Josh Hutcherson), a janitor in a medical research facility, is an avid gamer—but when he beats “Bionic Wars,” he learns his favorite futuristic video game isn’t just futuristic, it is the future. When tasked with saving the world before it’s wiped out, Josh must use his gaming skills to defeat his former boss and protect humankind from a terrible fate.

Watch: Future Man

Cole (Aaron Stanford), a time traveler from a post-apocalyptic future, has traveled back in time in hopes of preventing a deadly plague that wiped out 7 billion people. The virus was released by an elusive organization called the “Army of the 12 Monkeys,” whose leader, “The Witness,” is a mystery and the key to saving humanity. Cole, with the help of renowned virologist Cassie Railly (Amanda Schull), must find The Witness and prevent him from unleashing the virus before it’s too late.  

Watch: 12 Monkeys

On November 22, 1963, the world was rocked by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Based on the novel by Stephen King, 11.22.63 follows Jake Epping (James Franco) as he’s asked to do the impossible—travel back in time to solve the mystery of JFK’s death and perhaps, even prevent it from happening. However, changing the course of history can have devastating effects on the present. Can Jake solve the mystery without disrupting the future? 

Watch: 11.22.63

Time travel is real. The past can be altered. The future is in danger. 

When scientist Lucy Preston (Abigail Spencer) discovers that time travel is real and, at the same time, that a man has stolen a time machine and is going back in time to change history, her world is turned upside down overnight. Alongside a soldier and a history professor, Lucy travels to the past in order to apprehend the man and save the future from a catastrophe before everything is erased.

Watch: Timeless

Rick & Morty

Rick, a scientific genius and alcoholic, and Morty, Rick’s average teenage grandson, embark on dangerous and mind-bending adventures into alien worlds , alternate dimensions, and infinite universes. The adult animated show follows the pair as they cause mayhem and get into trouble across the multiverse and at home. 

Watch: Rick and Morty

Time Travel Anime

Japanese anime , InuYasha , follows Kagome Higurashi, a 15-year-old girl living at a historic Japanese shrine, who just so happens to be the reincarnation of ancient priestess Kikyo, guardian of the Shikon no Tama, or Jewel of Four Souls. When Kagome accidentally falls into a well, she’s thrust back to feudal Japan in order to help young half-demon InuYasha find the scattered shards of the Shikon Jewel and protect it from the demons who seek it.   

Watch: InuYasha

Steins;Gate

Okabe Rintarou, or self-proclaimed Crazy Mad Scientist Hououin Kyouma, and his team of university science students are working on a device to send messages to the past. Much to their surprise, it works! Once the device is operational, Okabe and his team must stop an evil organization from carrying out their diabolical plans.

Watch: Steins;Gate

29-year-old Satoru Fujinuma is a struggling manga artist with a secret and strange ability—he can travel back in time to the moment before something life-threatening happens and is forced to continue doing so until the event is prevented. 

In this limited series , Satoru and his mother are in a deadly accident. In hopes of saving his mother, Satoru travels back in time, but finds himself traveling all the way back to his childhood, where he uncovers a series of events that led to his mother’s death.

Watch: Erased

Feel like traveling back in time yourself? We’ve got you covered—check out the nostalgic blasts from the past in our watchlists featuring shows from the 80s , 90s , 2000s , and old-school MTV.

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The Best New Shows About Time Travel

Engage in a riveting journey as we propel you into the captivating spectrum of compelling series that unfurl through time. Seamless blends of suspense, heart-thumping action, and mesmerizing storytelling characterize our carefully curated catalog of ongoing time-travel shows, promising more than a mere dalliance with the past, present, and future. 

Spanning more than 30 tantalizing shows, our lineup paints a fascinating tapestry of narratives that intrigue and inspire. From adrenaline-amplifying temporal adventures to spine-chilling thriller series that transcend perceived temporal realities, these narratives prod at the seams of the temporal fabric, offering a peek into the labyrinth of time. 

Ensuring comprehensive viewer engagement, our list is dynamically shaped by the collective preferences of an ever-evolving fandom. Check out the reviews, cast your vote using the interactive feature, and ensure your voice is heard in these crowd-sourced rankings. 

Your journey from selection to viewing is set to be a hassle-free adventure. Supporting a multi-streaming setup, each listing in our assortment comes equipped with dedicated service buttons for prominent streaming platforms. Spot these shortcuts for streaming giants like Amazon Prime, Max, Netflix, Hulu, Paramount+, and Disney+ conveniently positioned for each series for an easy, immersive viewing escapade. 

Our diverse suite is not merely a compilation of TV shows but is a passion-fueled, expertly curated assembly of storytelling genius. Different genres, directions, and dimensions coalesce under the broad umbrella of time travel, bringing you a rich slice of what imaginative authors and ingenious producers have dared to conceive. Steer clear of temporal paradoxes and let engaging narratives piloted by charismatic characters guide you safely through the river of time. Prepare for an exhilarating rollercoaster ride that defies the arrows of time, prying into the past, future, and everything in between.

Spanning over an incredible six decades, Doctor Who has solidified its legacy as one of the most influential television shows centering around time travel. With a seemingly endless roster of captivating characters, innovative storylines, and complex relationships that transcend time and space, this long-running British series pushes the bounds of conventional storytelling to dazzling new heights. The protagonist's ability to regenerate into different forms throughout the series adds a refreshing dimensionality rarely seen in other shows. Following the various incarnations of the enigmatic Time Lord known as the Doctor, viewers are treated to an array of thrilling adventures through past, present, and future worlds.

Is Doctor Who Worth Your Time?

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Outlander masterfully intertwines elements of historical fiction, romance, and fantasy for a riveting exploration of love across centuries. Based on Diana Gabaldon's best-selling novels, the show follows Claire Randall as she unexpectedly journeys from post-World War II Scotland back to 1743—a period fraught with political intrigue and danger. As Claire navigates this unfamiliar landscape while desperately seeking her way back home, she finds herself drawn into a passionate affair with highlander Jamie Fraser that defies not only societal norms but also challenges the very fabric of time itself.

Is Outlander Worth Your Time?

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Marvel enthusiasts can revel in Loki’s compelling foray into time manipulation as the mischievous god—played by Tom Hiddleston—navigates his way through an intricate web of quantum possibilities under duress from the Time Variance Authority (TVA). This gripping expansion of Marvel’s cinematic universe delves into themes such as destiny versus free will and examines how manipulation of timelines can have far-reaching consequences in a multiverse teetering on chaos. Combining action-packed sequences with moments brimming with existential introspection makes Loki essential viewing for fans of both superhero epics and thought-provoking sci-fi dramas.

Is Loki Worth Your Time?

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The Flash showcases themes including alternate realities, time paradoxes, and cosmic consequences through the prism of a classic superhero story. Centered on Barry Allen, a forensic scientist endowed with supernatural speed after a freak accident, the show follows his efforts to protect Central City from malevolent forces while grappling with the repercussions of manipulating timelines. Brimming with well-developed characters, emotional depth, and captivating story arcs that stretch across multiple timelines, The Flash delivers an exhilarating exploration of how even the most well-intentioned acts can have unforeseen consequences.

Is The Flash Worth Your Time?

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Quantum Leap

Quantum Leap remains an iconic entry in time travel television due in part to its innovative premise: Dr. Sam Beckett's consciousness leaping through time within various people's lives in order to correct historical wrongs—often discovering profound personal insights along the way. This 90s cult classic skillfully blends elements of drama, comedy, and science fiction while providing valuable commentary on societal issues still relevant today. Aided by his endearing holographic guide Al Calavicci, Dr. Beckett's heartrending journey back to his present offers poignant reflections on humanity’s capacity for redemption.

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The Lazarus Project

The Lazarus Project probes the depths of human morality by presenting its characters with an irresistible opportunity: a chance to rewrite their own personal histories free from pain or regret—a tantalizing premise fraught with unforeseen consequences. As these ordinary people grapple with questions surrounding fate versus free will and assess their true desires when granted absolute power over their destinies, viewers are treated to a thematically rich exploration of humanity’s potential for both greatness and self-destruction.

Is The Lazarus Project Worth Your Time?

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Twinkling Watermelon

A hidden gem in time travel television is Twinkling Watermelon —a fantastical journey into mysticism and interdimensional realms led by a pair of endearing protagonists. This whimsical tale explores deep existential questions as it weaves through parallel existences, challenging viewers' perceptions of reality while maintaining a quirky charm that sets it apart from traditional sci-fi fare. As our heroes navigate both temporal and metaphysical quandaries to unravel the secrets behind their entwined destinies, audiences are enchanted by this unforgettable adventure that pushes the boundaries of storytelling with each unexpected twist.

Is Twinkling Watermelon Worth Your Time?

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La Brea presents a unique spin on time travel by plunging its diverse cast into an uncharted prehistoric world following a catastrophic sinkhole event in modern-day Los Angeles. Armed with only their wits and survival instincts, these involuntary time travelers must navigate the treacherous landscapes of this primeval realm while grappling with impossible choices that could disrupt the fragile balance of time itself. This ambitious series provides a fresh take on the genre, seamlessly blending action-packed adventure with emotionally resonant human stories.

Is La Brea Worth Your Time?

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Back to 15 draws upon its protagonist’s journey back in time as an opportunity for poignant self-discovery and a reflection on the decisions that shaped her life. Employing clever narrative devices and emotionally charged storytelling, this Brazilian series offers relatable musings on adolescence, love, friendship, and personal growth—all wrapped up within a captivating exploration of time travel's potential consequences.

Is Back to 15 Worth Your Time?

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Tales from the Loop

Inspired by Simon Stålenhag's hauntingly evocative artwork, Tales from the Loop explores the lives of individuals living in an alternate reality where advanced technology is integrated into daily existence. The show's subtle approach to time manipulation offers viewers a refreshing departure from more overtly fantastical entries in the genre. Featuring a captivating ensemble cast and expertly crafted narratives that delve into themes such as love, loss, and longing across temporal dimensions, this mesmerizing anthology series invites contemplation of life's most profound mysteries.

Is Tales from the Loop Worth Your Time?

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Secrets of Sulphur Springs

Secrets of Sulphur Springs offers a unique perspective on time travel by presenting it through the eyes of teenagers experiencing its miraculous possibilities first-hand as they uncover dark secrets within their small town. Blending elements of mystery, adventure, and heartache, this family-friendly series demonstrates how even seemingly insignificant choices can have far-reaching implications across generations while delivering a poignant message about the power—and potential peril—of friendship when faced with life-altering decisions.

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The Ministry of Time

Hailing from Spain, The Ministry of Time expertly weaves elements of historical fiction with thrilling adventures through past and future eras as agents work to maintain the integrity of history itself. From ancient Rome to futuristic utopias, each episode immerses viewers in meticulously crafted worlds rich with intrigue and danger—all while maintaining a keen focus on character development that keeps audiences invested in every twist and turn. Blending humor and drama seamlessly, this international gem boasts enthralling storytelling that transcends both language barriers and conventional expectations for television.

Is The Ministry of Time Worth Your Time?

The Story of Park's Marriage Contract

The Story of Park's Marriage Contract seamlessly combines elements of time-bending supernatural intrigue with tender romance in this captivating Korean drama. When a mysterious contract sends the main protagonist spiraling back through time, she becomes entwined in an emotional love triangle that forces her to confront the limits of her own heart and the true nature of fate itself. This well-crafted narrative invites viewers to marvel at both fantastical temporal twists and authentic character connections that make for an unforgettable viewing experience.

Is The Story of Park's Ma... Worth Your Time?

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A Time Called You

A Time Called You delves into the intricacies and implications surrounding second chances as its protagonist unexpectedly finds herself transported 10 years into her past—a pivotal moment that forever altered her life's trajectory. Torn between the desire to rewrite a painful chapter and an innate understanding of the delicate balance governing temporal order, she faces impossible choices that challenge both her own sense of identity and viewers' preconceived notions about the nature of time itself.

Is A Time Called You Worth Your Time?

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Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. provides an unexpected twist on time-travel tropes by exploring them within an offbeat animation series centered around a megalomaniacal supervillain striving for world domination. As M.O.D.O.K.’s hapless attempts at conquering humanity repeatedly face setbacks—including encounters with alternate versions of himself from different timelines—he ultimately learns valuable lessons about personal growth and self-reflection amidst his twisted quest for power. Striking a perfect balance between irreverent humor and heartfelt character moments, this quirky show appeals not only to fans of superhero tales but anyone seeking a fresh take on familiar themes.

Is M.O.D.O.K. Worth Your Time?

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Is T. P Bon Worth Your Time?

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Time Hustler

Time Hustler flawlessly combines elements of crime drama with thrilling temporal adventures as its protagonists bend the rules of time in pursuit of ill-gotten gains—only to find themselves increasingly entangled in moral ambiguities along the way. As both law enforcement forces and their own consciences close in on them, these enterprising criminals must grapple with the true cost of their actions while navigating an ever-shifting web of temporal possibilities. Intriguing plotlines, compelling character arcs, and high-stakes suspense make Time Hustler essential viewing for fans seeking new twists on familiar themes in television.

Is Time Hustler Worth Your Time?

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As they say in well-written scripts, "You mean... like time travel?" + also a few bizarre stories about real people who have claimed, despite every law of physics, they have traveled through time.

Best 10 TV Shows About Time Travel Ultimate List

There have been numerous TV shows about time travel in the past. Although some shows did have time travel included in part of their plot (like Marvel Agents of Shield), in this list we focused on series that have time travel as a basic premise of the show. With that in mind, we narrowed down our picks to the top 10 TV series that are worth your time. However, keep in mind that there are other fantasy shows that you might like – this is just our pick of the best ones so far.

Table of Contents

10.  Timeless [2016-2018]

A hidden gem among TV series about time traveling is NBC’s Timeless. The show is a quick watch – it only has two seasons and 28 episodes in total but don’t be discouraged by that fact. Timeless still manages to land a meaningful, educating, heart-warming story with a compelling ending. The cast features Abigail Spencer as Lucy Preston a history professor, Matt Lanter as Wyatt Logan, a USA Delta Force Sargeant, and Malcolm Barrett as Rufus Carlin, a programmer. The trio is tasked with capturing a terrorist Garcia Flynn (Goran Visnjic) who is trying to rewrite history.

Although the premise of the show looks very much like what we have seen in Continuum, Travelers and 12 Monkeys, Timeless also offers a variety of real historical events that are shown in the series. The historical part might not always be 100% accurate but it is fun to see the fictional characters interacting with real-life events that took place. Although the show was canceled after two seasons, the viewers still got a well-deserved ending so we highly recommend Timeless.

9. Continuum [2012-2015]

One of the classic TV shows that exploited the topic of time travel is Continuum. Stretching through 4 seasons and 42 episodes, Continuum tells a story about detective Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols) who goes back in time by accident with a group of criminals called Liber8. The plot takes place in present-day as Kiera tries to stop members of Liber8 from altering the timeline and destroying the future in which corporations have sized the roles of the governments. A teenage wunderkind Alec Sadler (Erik Knudsen) helps her out on her quest as well as her partner Carlos Fonnegra (Victor Webster). 

Although the plot seems like more of what we saw in some earlier TV shows about time travel, the cast does a pretty decent job and the overall setting is fun to watch. As you can see, this show has been produced more than a decade ago but the CGI elements are not that bad and are watchable. But what really gives Continuum a place on our list is the character development that Kiera as a protagonist goes through.

8. Quantum Leap [1989-1993]

Quantum Leap is an old-school TV show that older viewers must have watched during 90s. The importance of this show is the fact that after its initial success, many directors pitched ideas for similar shows in the future – and that’s how we got so many time travel series. Although Quantum Leap is highly praised, it is a bit outdated nowadays, so it might not be the best choice for younger viewers.

Be it as it may, the show focuses on Dr. Sam Beckett, who gets thrown back in time while experimenting on his own project (Quantum Leap). The protagonist is accompanied by his friend Admiral Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell) but in the shape of a hologram. Dr. Beckett continues to leap to different people in his own timeline and hopes to correct the past in order to finally leap to the presence. Quantum Leap offers a unique mixture of science fiction, drama, and comedy all while exploring the topic of time traveling.

7. 12 Monkeys [2015-2018]

12 Monkeys is a sci-fi masterpiece remake of a 12 Monkeys movie (1995) that has time travel in the essence of its plot. As you might remember from the movie, a mysterious group called “12 Monkeys” released the virus which killed over 7 million people and brought humanity to its downfall. The same plot premise is in the show as time traveler Cole (Aaron Stanford) uses an experimental time-traveling device to come back to the present and assist Dr. Cassandra Railly (Amanda Schull) in stopping the virus.

The cast does a great job, especially Amanda Schull, and really brings out the darkness of events that are about to come. This show is perfect for viewers who like disaster like shows combined with time travel – 12 Monkeys has it both.

6. DC Legends of Tomorrow [2016-2022]

Superhero TV shows have all the rage nowadays so it’s just fair to put one that’s about time travel on this list as well. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow might not have the most interesting story but boy, they are fun to watch. Most of the episodes are stand-alone and you can simply sit on your sofa, watch one and continue after a month without worrying about missing the parts of the plot. When it comes to the story, basically, a team of superheroes travels back in time to prevent bad things from altering the timeline, thus saving the future.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow is a part of the Arrowverse so the show crosses over with Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl several times. The main reason why this show is on our list is the fact that it’s relaxing to watch, witty, and overall entertaining. Caity Lotz, Amy Louis Pemberton, and Dominic Purcell are just some of the names that star in this show – the cast is full of superstars well-known to superhero fans.

5. Manifest [2018-2023]

The show was canceled after three seasons and picked up and renewed by Netflix for the fourth and final season. Manifest tells a story about Flight 828 which vanished into thin air and reappeared five and half years later. The problem is that the passengers have no idea what happened since from their perspective, they just went through a troublesome storm but landed on time, as planned. As they rejoin society, numerous problems arise, especially when some passengers start getting visions (“ Callings “) of future events.

The show has a strong “Leftovers” vibe to it, exploring the topic of how humans are unable to cope with things that they can’t explain. Melissa Roxburgh (Michaela Stone) and John Dallas (Ben Stone) are the stars of the show and have received numerous praises for their performance in Manifest. This TV series is about time travel but also offers a lot more and tells a mysterious story that you will surely enjoy.

4. Dark [2017-2020]

Dark is the first Netflix German series. The show itself is difficult to place as it combines several genres, including sci-fiction, horror, mystery, drama, and thriller. While this combo might not work for some other shows, Dark is an exception – the show delivers magnificently although one might argue that it’s a slow-burn in the beginning. Dark is one of the shows like Black Mirror in a suspenseful feeling that you get while watching it.

Dark starts in Winden, a small fictional German town in 2019. Children begin to disappear from the town so an investigation led by four families takes place. Throughout the three seasons of Dark, the truth will include multiple timelines, wormholes, conspiracies, and parallel worlds. We won’t say any more since the whole point of the show is for the viewer to try to understand the events that took place (and when the events took place). The German cast is lead by Louis Hofmann, Karoline Eichhorn, and Lisa Vicari. This time-travel TV series received praise from both the audience and the critics and is a must-watch. 

3. Fringe [2008-2013]

When it comes to TV shows about time travel, supernatural phenomena, parallel worlds, and doomsday events, Fringe is a must-see masterpiece. First of all, the show has that 2000’s vibe to it which is sure to evoke memories from older viewers. Fringe is well-written and humorous and even a non-fiction fan will be able to enjoy it.

The cast is just astonishing: Anna Torv plays FBI Agent Olivia Dunham who leads Fringe Division. This division is kinda similar to “unsolved cases” that Molder and Scully used to investigate in X-files, although without (that many) aliens. Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) and his son Peter (Joshua Jackson) assist her in solving these cases. The show has many episodes that are stand-alone type but in the end, it wraps up nicely and tells a compelling story about father and son love filled with sci-fi elements.

2. Travellers [2016-2018]

Travelers have a unique story that widely differs from similar TV shows about time travel and that’s one of the reasons why it’s so high on our list. The basic premise of the show is that the future is ruined and people from it ( Travelers ) transfer their conciseness into humans that are about to die in the 21st century in order to alternate the timeline, following orders from an AI called “Director”. Sounds wild, right? Well, it works pretty well –  Travelers are super fun and the characters are well-written and very diverse.

The cast is brilliant and is led by Eric McCormack (Grant MacLaren) and MacKenzie Porter (Marcy Warton). Another thing that puts this show at the top of our list is the fact that the sudden ending of season 3 really leaves a massive impact on a viewer. We must admit that a decision from Netflix to cancel Travelers after three seasons is baffling. Be it as it may, we are sure that you will enjoy this story and the ending will leave you breathless.

1. Doctor Who [1963-1989; 2005-present]

When a TV show has an actual Guinness record category of longest-running science fiction series, it is hard not to put it in the first place in our list. Doctor Who is a british sci-fi TV show about time travel and numerous other fictional motives and it has been on BBC since 1963. The show follows the adventures of a Time Lord ( The Doctor ), a being that appears to be human but explores the universe, combats foes and helps people in need using his time-traveling ship ( TARDIS ).

Since Doctor Who had over 850 episodes so far, we won’t try to dig into the plot too much – it would require multiple articles just to cover it. The show gained so much popularity that it is considered a part of British culture and the fans call themselves “Whovians”. We highly recommend that you give this show a try (or a rewatch) since Doctor Who is a classic among TV shows about time travel.

Vuk Radulovic is a graduated historian with a keen interest in the fantasy genre. For over 20 years he watched, listened, and read basically everything that came across his hands when it comes to fantasy TV shows, books and movies.

He has a particular interest in the Witcher realm as well as the Sword of Truth book series. He thinks the Demon Cycle book series is one of the most underestimated fantasy books of all time. He is looking forward to The Last of Us series.

When he is not in the fantasy realm, Vuk likes to nurture his interest in SEO marketing and content writing.

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Time Travel TV Shows

1. The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

2. Beast Wars: Transformers

3. Futurama

4. Gargoyles

5. Quantum Leap

6. Star Trek: The Next Generation

7. The 4400

11. Megas XLR

12. Samurai Jack

13. Star Trek: Enterprise

14. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

15. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

16. 11.22.63

17. 12 Monkeys

18. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

19. American Horror Story

20. The Flash

22. Outlander

23. Russian Doll

24. Terra Nova

More to explore

Recently viewed.

Netflix's time-jumping mystery thriller Bodies looks temptingly twisty in new trailer

Netflix's adaptation of the acclaimed graphic novel features four detectives, four timelines and one mysterious dead body

If you like your detective dramas dystopian and your stories sci-fi, Netflix 's Bodies could be the perfect show for you. It features a murder victim and the detectives investigating their death: all four of them, with the same body appearing in four different timelines from the late 1800s to the early 2050s. As the strapline puts it: "Four detectives. Four timelines. One body."

Based on the graphic novel by Si Spencer, Bodies is a mix of time-traveling sci-fi, police procedural, murder mystery and period drama, and features a strong cast including Amaka Okafor, Emmy nominee Shira Haas, Olivier Award winner Kyle Soller   and SAG Award winner Stephen Graham.

I need to declare an interest here: I'll watch pretty much anything with Stephen Graham in it, most recently the intense restaurant drama Boiling Point . But even without his involvement, this would be on my to-watch list. The graphic novel it's based on garnered rave reviews, and as Comics Alliance puts it , it's effectively four genres in one: "Inspector Hillinghead's is a classic Victorian detective tale, the 1940 story is a WWII-era detective noir, the present-day yarn a modern urban horror, and 2050 a discombobulated science fiction."

What is the Netflix show Bodies about?

Speaking to Netflix , show creator Paul Tomalin said that it's "mind-snapping... It’s a police-procedural show that shifts and transforms from moment to moment, so you never know what’s coming next … a wolf in detective drama's clothing."

The show begins with the discovery of a dead body in London; business as usual for a city detective, or so it seems. But what the detective doesn't yet know is that the same victim has been discovered by three other detectives in three other timelines: in 1890, in 1941, and 30 years in the future. As each detective investigates the mystery the timelines begin to knit together and reveal a sinister conspiracy – one that by the looks of the trailer has Stephen Graham's authoritarian leader at the very heart of it.

It'll be interesting to see whether in addition to the stories, the Netflix show takes the visual imagination from the graphic novel too: it had a different artist for each story, giving each of the four stories its own distinct style. It was a hugely ambitious piece of storytelling and I'm really excited to see how Tomalin has brought it to the screen. If it sicks the landing, it could absolutely be one of the best Netflix shows this year.

Bodies will be available to stream from 19 October.

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15 Funniest Comedy Sci-Fi Shows of All Time

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While sci-fi is a genre known for its epic stories where the main characters are constantly exploring strange new worlds, some of the genre’s greatest achievements on television have come from combining its creativity with comedy . You’d think that a fish-out-of-water wouldn’t fuse well with hard sci-fi and concepts of space, time travel and technology. Well, you’re wrong.

TV shows like Star Trek and Doctor Who are sci-fi legends . Over the years, they have cultivated a devoted following by mixing captivating stories with subtle humor and staying proportionate all along. But for those who have already consumed the more popular sci-fi TV shows, we’ve curated a list of some lesser known comedic sci-fi shows that deserve just as much recognition, if not more.

These funny and futuristic works of televised fiction have it all – clever writing, zany characters, playful social satire and increasingly absurd premises. They are comedic masterpieces masquerading as sci-fi gems and are overlooked in favor of more successful and popular shows. That said, we’re here to help you discover your new favorite comedy sci-fi shows.

15 The Middleman (2008)

The middleman.

In The Middleman , we follow Wendy Watson, a struggling artist who shares an apartment with her animal activist friend. Lacey. Wendy is hired by a secret agency to fight against threats like mad scientists, hostile aliens, and strange science fiction phenomena. A rookie heroine herself, Wendy joins forces with the eccentric title character, and they fight an endless array of supernatural forces – from robots to smugglers – to protect humanity.

A Hidden Cult Classic

A short-lived but highly beloved cult series, The Middleman only aired for a couple dozen episodes before being canceled due to low ratings . Regardless, it left an enormous impact on the sci-fi genre.

The series is adapted from the Viper Comics series created by Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Les McClaine, and it stars Matt Keeslar and Natalie Morales as the perfect and oddly humorous crime fighters. As far as comedy goes, it is “the kind of show you'll want to watch repeatedly to catch a line you missed the first time.”

14 Future Man (2017 – 2020)

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Co-produced by Seth Rogen, Future Man is a time-traveling sci-fi adventure series that revolves around a janitor named Josh Futturman, who excels at a popular video game about saving the world. After he completes the game, he is recruited by Tiger and Wolf, two mysterious visitors from the future, and told about how mankind is on the brink of ruin from the real Biotic Wars and he must battle those responsible to stop the disaster.

An Action-Packed Ride Across Time

Led by a powerhouse trio of Josh Hutcherson, Eliza Coupe and Derek Wilson, Future Man is an extremely raunchy and irreverent series that never takes itself too seriously. It ran for three seasons, during which time, the show sent its protagonists on unhinged trips across time and space, making sure there were jokes and laughter gags at every turn. Of course, beyond the production values and genre-bending comedy, the plot is clever and layered as well.

13 Quark (1977 – 1978)

A gem of a classic, Quark is another short-lived sci-fi comedy TV show worth checking out. It is set on the USS Garbage scow, a massive space vessel that roams the galaxy collecting the universe’s trash and is commanded by its inventor, Adam Quark. His highly unusual motley crew includes a set of identical twins as navigators, a humanoid being acting as the ship’s engineer, an old and mad scientist, and a Spock-like science officer.

Each mission takes Quark and company on a strange new adventure.

Quark Was Way Ahead of Its Time

With its tongue-in-cheek tone and ensemble of lovable oddballs , Quark feels like a science-fiction version of M*A*S*H . Only, it came decades earlier. The series was created by Buck Henry for NBC and it was led by Richard Benjamin, who took on the charming and delightful title role with equal parts absurdity and sincerity. Even though its satire of bureaucracy was too weird for the mainstream audience of the 1970s, Quark found a devoted fan base.

Related: 10 TV Shows That Capture The Aesthetic Of The '70s

12 Dexter's Laboratory (1996 – 2003)

Dexter's laboratory (2006).

In Dexter’s Laboratory , a genius boy named Dexter uses his secret lab hidden under his bedroom to conduct experiments and hone his skills. He is constantly at odds with his extroverted big sister Dee Dee, who is always trying to get in his lab and play with his inventions, no matter how dangerous they turn out to be. Their hapless antics make for the most destructive and hilarious episodes.

Sibling Love, or Scientific Chaos?

You are not a true ‘90s kid if you haven’t spent your weekends glued to Cartoon Network on the weekends to watch your favorite animated shows . Dexter’s Laboratory made science fun for kids with its clever wordplay and silly humor and taught viewers about the trials of growing up. The siblings were voiced by Christine Cavanaugh and Candi Milo, who infused them with imaginative and infectious energy. Overall, the show became a landmark for smart cartoons.

11 People of Earth (2016 – 2017)

People of Earth is an alien abduction comedy from creator David Jenkins. It revolves around a skeptical and experienced writer named Ozzie Graham who stumbles upon a support group for alien abductees and digs for the truth behind their claimed alien encounters. As he delves deeper, his own beliefs are thrown out the window because the more far-out and troubled their tales get, the more they seem real and possible.

Fresh Take on the Extraterrestrial

Even though this wonderful and weird sci-fi comedy from TBS only lasted for two seasons, it was one of the few at the time to offer a humorous take on the existence of UFOs.

In just twenty episodes, it subverted audiences’ expectations by being quirky and relatable, with the endearing ensemble providing the most easy-going laughter as they search for answers and a place to belong. Also praised for its high-concept premise, People of Earth is probably one of the best comedies of the decade.

10 Better Off Ted (2009 – 2010)

Better off ted.

Set against the backdrop of an amoral science-based company called Veridian Dynamics, Better Off Ted follows a hapless single father and head of research development Ted, who is simply trying to get past each day without getting into too much trouble. Surrounded by outlandish coworkers, Ted’s daily struggles range from testing unethical products and science projects to making sure the company maintains its position in the cutthroat corporate world.

Workplace Comedy Infused With Sci-Fi

Criminally underrated, this sci-fi series adds satire to the nine-to-five grind . It portrays a ridiculously exaggerated corporate giant where there is no regard for ethics or normalcy, just plain and perfect humor. Better Off Ted is led by a cast that includes Jay Harrington and Portia de Rossi among others. Critics spread praises for its writing, direction and surreal humor, calling it “the most original sitcom to come along in a while.”

9 Futurama (1999 – Present)

A science-fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening (known for The Simpsons), Futurama begins in the late 20th century, with pizza delivery boy Philip J. Fry getting cryogenically frozen for 1,000 years and waking up in the future. He looks for a new job and lands a spot at an intergalactic delivery company run by his distant nephew. Along with Leela and Bender, he goes on zany adventures and gets caught up in the most hysterical situations.

Futurama Is The Simpsons in Space

Groening uses the animation medium to parody science-fiction giants like Star Trek and The Twilight Zone . There are so many references to the shows that the universe of Futurama doesn’t even seem strange anymore.

The show has been revived a couple of times but its gorgeously beloved ensemble has continued to deliver laughs by staying faithful to its pulpy roots. The iconic voice cast, which includes Billy West, John DiMaggio and Katey Sagal, deserve all the praise for their work.

8 Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (2016 – 2017)

Dirk gently's holistic detective agency.

Fans of Doctor Who should definitely check out this sci-fi gem. It revolves around the antics of the titular fast-talking ‘holistic’ detective, who simply does not believe in coincidences. Which is why when a crime leads him to bellhop Todd Brotzman, Dirk convinces him to become his assistant. Together, they use unorthodox methods and silly hunches to solve bizarre cases. And every time, somehow, things end up working their way.

Detective Drama with Absurd Premise

Loosely based on a cult novel series , Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency only lasted for two seasons, but the episodes covered everything – from missing persons’ cases to assassins with psychic powers.

The more mysterious and magical the adventures got, the more entertained the audience were. Its strength lay in Samuel Barnett and Elijah Wood's dynamic performances as well as the ingenine narrative, which combined the detective format with a refreshing sci-fi premise and absurd takes on both.

7 Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988 – Present)

Mystery science theater 3000.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 is basically YouTube reaction videos in the form of a television series. The premise of the 13-season long show centers around a janitor named Joel Robinson, who becomes an unwilling test subject for two mad scientists.

Apparently, they trap him on the Earth-orbiting Satellite of Love and force him to watch some of the worst B-movies ever made so they can monitor his reactions to them. Joel, along with his robot pals, provides real-time running commentary on the acting, plots, special effects and more.

Simply the Greatest of All Time

Revived multiple times by various networks over the course of three decades and counting, MST3K transformed a difficult viewing experience into TV comedy gold. It was beloved by fans across the world because they took pleasure in what Joel and his robot sidekicks have to say about the most ridiculous low-budget flicks. The theatrical, mike-dropping commentary was a unique format at the time, and it paved the way for more individuals to make fun of trashy movies.

6 Sliders (1995 – 2000)

When an experiment in quantum physics goes wrong, Quinn and his friends get stuck in a parallel universe and find themselves “sliding” between worlds in their search for a way back home. Their timer device sends them into the most bizarre alternate dimensions, like a world where America lost the Revolutionary War and another where patriarchy does not exist. Each of their slides bring thrills and chills in equal proportion.

An Adventure Spanning Parallel Worlds

When movies started to explore the multiverse , viewers were more than captivated by the myriad of possibilities. But looking back to the 1990s, Sliders had already taken television audiences on a joyride of surprises with its five seasons and a revival film. Anchored by refreshing performances from Jerry O'Connell, John Rhys-Davies and more, the series had certain plot points that were extremely creative. Other times, the friends were just having fun.

5 Rick and Morty (2013 – Present)

Rick and morty.

As far as adult animated shows go, Rick and Morty is among the most successful ones. The protagonists are a sociopathic genius scientist Rick Sanchez and his unintelligent grandson Morty Smith. The pair goes on randomly insane adventures across multiple universes and planets.

While they don’t exactly get along, their reckless missions draw them closer. Whether fighting mutant blobs or causing intergalactic trouble, Rick and Morty manage to find comfort and chaos everywhere they go.

Well-Constructed and Endlessly Funny

A smashing hit on Adult Swim , Rick and Morty has aired for seven seasons so far. Its sci-fi plots are ingenious. But what’s more praiseworthy is the episodes’ ability to deliver massive doses of humor in their 22-minute long runtime. The main characters are voiced by several artists like Justin Roiland, Ian Cardoni, Chris Parnell, and more. Not only does the show subvert sci-fi expectations, but it also offers a demented take on family by being sharp and unpredictable.

4 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996 – 2001)

3rd rock from the sun.

In 3rd Rock from the Sun , four aliens are sent from their planet to Earth on a mission to observe the behavior of human beings. They disguise themselves as humans and live in an attic apartment in the fictional city of Rutherford, Ohio.

Dr. Dick Solomon leads his crew, which comprises Tommy, the oldest member of the crew stuck in the body of a teenager; Sally, a security officer; and Harry, their transmitter with horrible communication skills. They’re forced to be 20-somethings with temp jobs, which leads to several mishaps.

Offers Unique Sci-Fi Escapism

Created by Bonnie and Terry Turner for NBS, this beloved sci-fi sitcom is so silly that it’s almost relatable. The best element of the show is the aliens’ inexperience and unfamiliarity with Earth because it leads to several witty jokes about culture and the mundanity of following a routine. Ahead of the 90s trends, it paved the way for the genre to embrace social commentary and workplace satire as something that entertains audiences. The series also won a bunch of Primetime Emmy Awards.

3 Hyperdrive (2006 – 2007)

Hyperdrive is a British sitcom created by Kevin Cecil and Andy Riley. It takes place in the year 1951 and follows the adventures of the crew of HMS Camden Lock as they convince alien governments to transfer their businesses to Britain in order to protect their country’s interests. But all is not as easy as it seems because Commander Henderson and his crew are often outmatched by their opponents and no day aboard their starliner is ever routine or relaxed.

Shenanigans on a Space Station

Nick Frost headlines this show as the bumbling leader of the crew; his character reminding Star Wars fans of Captain Kirk. Hyperdrive only lasted for two seasons and twelve episodes, but in the brief time, it plunged viewers into a dysfunctional and ever-changing universe with its gorgeous visuals and incredibly paced narrative. Its cult following developed with time after fans were on the lookout for silly shows about space to provide them with non-stop laughter.

Related: 10 Sci-Fi TV Series That Are Scientifically Accurate

2 Eureka (2006 – 2012)

The protagonist of Eureka , Deputy U.S. Marshal Jack Carter, arrives in the titular town, which is a high-tech, government-funded town populated by scientific geniuses. Here, the greatest minds of the country immerse themselves in super-powered inventions and creative experiments to make stuff that would shape the future. But the challenge is to avoid dangers because there is only so much Global Dynamics can do to cover their mishaps up. Carter steps in to save the day.

Makes Hard Sci-Fi Accessible to All

A Syfy original, Eureka charmed its audiences for six seasons. The heartwarming cast was made of Colin Ferguson, Jordan Danger and Salli Richardson. Their likable turns allowed the show to explore the possibilities of innovation and deliver spectacle after spectacle of humor. Also worth mentioning is the fact that all the storylines were based on hard sci-fi concepts, which were meant to get viewers invested in the complex and boundary-pushing plots .

1 Red Dwarf (1988 – Present)

Red dwarf (1988).

Most of the shows on this list see a motley crew of likable characters going on an intergalactic adventure. So to find creatively within the same trope is a huge responsibility.

Red Dwarf switches things up by introducing viewers to Dave Lister, the last human alive. He is stranded three million years deep into space on the titular ship, with only a hologram creation of his once roommate, an evolved neurotic cat, and an android to keep him company. Their encounters involve mutants and their quests range from time travel to battling computers.

30 Years On, Red Dwarf Has Aged Well

Red Dwarf is so legendary that it still holds its title as the longest-running, highest-rated sitcom on BBC Two. A cult hit without a doubt, it spanned over a decade and was revived on several occasions because viewers simply couldn’t get enough of its lovable misfits and their adventures across space and time.

The show is testament to the fact that when done right, no idea is too silly to mine for laughs. Critics praise the series for striking “a unique balance of sci-fi comedy” and we cannot agree more.

The 35 Best Korean Time Travel Dramas

Korean dramas have captured the hearts of viewers worldwide with their unique storytelling and captivating narratives.

One particular theme that has always had immense popularity is time travel.

These dramas skillfully weave together the complexities of the past, present, and future, inviting viewers on a thrilling journey through time.

The allure of time travel lies not only in the imaginative plotlines but also in the emotional depth it adds to the narratives.

Characters find themselves facing extraordinary circumstances as they grapple with the consequences of altering the course of history or attempting to rectify past mistakes.

This exploration of the human condition, accompanied by a touch of fantasy, creates a profound and thought-provoking viewing experience.

Moreover, K-dramas often infuse time travel narratives with elements of romance, heightening the emotional stakes and adding a layer of the dramatics that we’ve all come to know and love with K-dramas.

The intricate relationships that develop between characters across different time periods lend an air of mystery and longing, making these dramas all the more captivating.

In this article, we will delve into the world of K-dramas that feature time travel! So fasten your seatbelts as we embark on a thrilling journey through time and discover the enchanting realm of Korean dramas about time travel.

Mr. Queen, tvN (2020 – 2021)

Mr. Queen is a historical fantasy drama series that tells the story of Jang Bong-hwan, a womanizing, free-spirited chef working in the Blue House who gets transported back in time and finds himself inhabiting the body of Queen Cheorin in the Joseon dynasty.

Jang Bong-hwan must negotiate the complicated world of the royal court, where political intrigue and power struggles are common while coping with the confusion of being in a woman’s body.

In his role as Queen Cheorin, he is forced to rely on his resourcefulness and uncanny partnerships to survive after becoming embroiled in a plot to depose the king.

Queen and I, tvN (2012)

Queen and I is a fantasy romantic comedy-drama that revolves around Kim Bung-do, a scholar in the Joseon dynasty.

He is also one of the supporters of the rightful Queen In-Hyun, who had previously been deposed by a royal concubine.

A magical talisman somehow transports Bung-do to the present where he encounters the famous Queen In-hyun – who happens to just be a character in a new K-drama – and ends up falling in love with the actress who plays her, Choi Hee-jin.

However, their romance faces numerous challenges and Bong-gu must navigate the complexities of the unknown future, all while striving to find a way back to the past.

Splash Splash Love, MBC (2015)

Splash Splash Love is a Korean time-travel romantic drama that follows the story of Danbi, a high school student who, in a bid to escape a major mathematics exam, uses her time-travel abilities to transport herself to the Joseon era during a rainstorm.

Despite hating math in her own timeline, she becomes known as the smartest in this kingdom!

She and the King inexplicably fall in love, but Danbi makes the hard choice to return to her own time.

King Lee Do swears that he will find her again and once again during a rainstorm, the two are reunited through Lee’s reincarnation.

The King: Eternal Monarch, SBS TV (2020)

The King: Eternal Monarch is a fantasy romance drama that follows the parallel worlds of the modern-day Republic of Korea and the Kingdom of Corea.

Emperor Lee Gon of Corea discovers a portal connecting the two worlds and crosses over to find detective Jung Tae-eul, who is a familiar face associated with his father’s murder.

As they navigate their differences and the political tensions in both worlds, they uncover a dangerous conspiracy and strive to protect their loved ones.

Love blossoms between them, but they face immense challenges, including a power-hungry villain who seeks to exploit the portal for his own gain.

Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938, tvN (2023)

One of the most recently aired series on the list is Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 , which actually just recently wrapped up its 12th and final episode.

It serves as the second season of the popular supernatural fantasy drama Tale of the Nine Tailed , but the storyline is also somewhat of a prequel.

Following the events with Nam Ji-ah in the original series, protagonist Lee Yeon is transported back in time to 1938 and the then Japanese occupation of Korea.

Dr. Jin, MBC (2012)

Dr. Jin is a historical medical drama that follows the story of Jin Hyuk, a brilliant neurosurgeon in the present day who, because of his highly analytical mind, can sometimes be cold and indifferent.

After suffering from a personal tragedy involving his girlfriend, he gets transported back in time to the Joseon dynasty.

Struggling to adapt to the primitive medical practices of the era, Jin Hyuk uses his modern knowledge to save lives and make advancements in medicine and even medical devices.

He meets people who help him, but his actions soon start interfering with the course of history.

Rooftop Prince, SBS (2012)

In a complex story of intersecting fates and (possible) reincarnations across timelines and generations, Rooftop Prince weaves romance into comical misunderstandings and heartwarming moments.

Crown Prince Lee Gak and his three loyal servants time-travel from the Joseon era to present-day Seoul in a bid to solve the mysterious death of his beloved Crown Princess.

He poses as the lost grandson of a wealthy CEO – who he happens to resemble exactly – and encounters a woman who also looks exactly like his late wife.

Getting closer to her might help solve the mystery of her death back in their timeline, but he may end up hurting someone else along the way.

Live Up to Your Name, tvN (2017)

In the historical medical drama Live Up to Your Name , Heo Im is a respected doctor and acupuncturist in the Joseon era, tending to the poor by day and the nobles by night.

However, he is mistakenly charged with treason and supposedly killed. Instead he wakes up in present-day Seoul!

In the modern era, he meets and forms an unlikely partnership with Choi Yeon-kyung, a pragmatic and ambitious cardiothoracic surgeon.

Together, they navigate the clash between traditional and modern medical practices while overcoming personal obstacles and gradually developing a deep bond.

Faith, SBS TV (2012)

Also known as The Great Doctor , Faith begins in a historical setting where the King’s wife is fatally injured in an accident.

He orders his Captain of the Royal Guard, Choi Young, to enter a portal to retrieve the “Heaven’s Doctor” that they heard of in their legends.

Choi Young travels to modern-day Seoul and brings back Eunsoo, an actual doctor, who then saves the queen.

He had promised to bring her back once her duty was done, but they both soon get embroiled in schemes to keep Eunsoo in the past as more and more people become selfishly interested in her medical prowess.

Life on Mars, OCN (2018)

In a slightly different theme from the previous shows on the list, Life on Mars is a crime thriller series that follows a talented forensic scientist who also leads a crime investigation team.

After an accident, Taejoo awakens to find himself transported back to 1988 with no idea how he got there or why.

Now a detective in the past, he works with his current team to solve a serial murder case with the antiquated technology and methods of the era in order to also solve the mystery behind his time travel.

Signal, tvN (2016)

Signal is yet another crime thriller series that is less about actual physical time travel and more about a mysterious connection between past and present that stems from a seemingly innocuous object: a walkie-talkie.

Park Hae-young is a young criminal profiler from the present day who stumbles upon a mysterious walkie-talkie that helps him solve a murder cold case through its ability to connect him to a detective from the past, Lee Jae-han.

Through the walkie-talkie, they collaborate to solve cold cases and prevent crimes from happening, but consequences soon follow.

Times, OCN (2021)

Similar to Signal , OCN’s political thriller series Times connects the past and present, but this time through a phone and between two journalists : Jinwoo in 2015 and Jungin in 2020.

They work together at first to prevent the murder of Jungin’s father, who is the current president of South Korea.

Along the way, they uncover a dangerous conspiracy involving political corruption and manipulation of time and work together to fight against the forces that seek to control the future so they can preserve their nation’s tomorrow.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, SBS TV (2016)

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo is a historical drama series based on a Chinese novel.

Like many of the previous shows on this list, the series features the protagonist (named Hajin) traveling way back in time but this time, to the Goryeo dynasty to the year 941.

On top of that, she finds herself in the body of Haesoo, one of the many male princes of the current ruling family who are all fighting for the crown.

As she navigates political rivalries and intense love triangles, Ha-jin discovers her own destiny and the tragic fate that awaits those around her.

Chicago Typewriter, tvN (2017)

In the popular fantasy drama series Chicago Typewriter , viewers will meet three central characters whose stories unfold over the course of time – specifically, two different timelines.

There’s Sejoo, a handsome and renowned writer with many fans who suffers from depression; Seol, a veterinarian and fan of Sejoo; and Jinoh, a talented ghostwriter.

As their paths converge, a mysterious typewriter helps them discover how their past lives were connected during the Japanese occupation of Korea in the 1930s , and how their friendship then crossed decades into the present.

Manhole, KBS2 (2017)

If we could time travel, we’d always be tempted to go back in time to prevent the things that we don’t want to happen.

In Manhole , Bongpil does just that when he discovers a manhole that allows him to travel back in time.

What does he do when he gets to the past? Well, anything to stop his dream girl’s wedding from happening!

However, his efforts often lead to hilarious and chaotic consequences.

Alongside his loyal friends, he navigates the challenges of altering the past and learns valuable lessons about love, friendship, and the importance of living in the present.

Hit the Top, KBS2 (2017)

Hit the Top is a combination of humor and nostalgia, and takes place primarily in the constantly evolving world of K-pop.

Back in the early 1990s, popular K-pop idol Hyunjae accidentally time travels to 2017, where he soon discovers that he had been in the news for mysteriously disappearing and subsequently presumed dead.

As he adjusts to his vastly different life in the future, he tries to investigate the cause of his time travel.

At the same time, an aspiring K-pop trainee crosses his path – one who he is more connected with than either of them expected.

My First Love, OCN (2018)

The South Korean romantic fantasy drama My First Love centers on Kang Shinwoo, a man in his 30s who goes back in time to his high school years.

Shin-woo runs into his younger self and his first love, Han Jisoo, when he travels back in time. Shin-woo makes an effort to rewrite their fate and win Jisoo’s affection in an effort to alter the tragic course of their history.

At the same time, Shinwoo discovers important lessons about love, regret, and the value of honoring the present as he wrestles with the repercussions of changing the past.

Tomorrow, with You, tvN (2017)

Tomorrow, with You is a romance series that follows the story of Yoo Sojoon, a time-traveling CEO of a real estate agency who can foresee his future through subway rides, and his wife Marin, a cheerful and optimistic amateur photographer.

To change his impending tragic fate that he accidentally glimpses, he marries Marin and together, they navigate the complexities of marriage while battling against their own personal struggles.

Eventually, Sojourn learns to truly love her amidst the consequences of altering destiny.

Marry Him If You Dare, KBS (2013)

Yet another romance drama on the list is KBS’ Marry Him If You Dare , which is set in the world of television broadcasting.

It follows the story of Na Mirae, a young woman who receives a mysterious opportunity to travel back in time to change her future.

The present Mirae is married to news anchor Kim Shin but travels to visit her 32-year-old self to prevent that from happening.

This causes her to go down a completely different path to really pursue the dreams she had always wanted.

Familiar Wife, tvN (2018)

The decisions we make impact the road our lives go down; one different decision could catapult things in a direction we never would have expected.

That’s what happens in Familiar Wife , a romantic fantasy drama that tells the story of Joohyuk, a married man who regrets the choices he made in his life.

One day, he encounters a mysterious opportunity to travel back in time and change his past.

In the blink of an eye, the life he knew with his wife Woojin and best friend Joonghoo is gone and his first love Hyewon comes back into the picture.

Go Back Couple, KBS2 (2017)

It’s complicated enough when a person goes back in time to change their previous decisions, but what happens when two people time travel together? Especially when these two people have a life together in the present?

Go Back Couple follows married couple Bando and Jinjoo, who are parents to a young boy and have become deeply unsatisfied with their lives – family, career, and relationship-wise.

Suddenly, the couple is transported 18 years back to when they were university students, where they make different choices and learn the enduring power of love.

The Light in Your Eyes, JTBC (2019)

The Light In Your Eyes is also known as Dazzling  and emphasizes the importance of valuing the people who cause the lights in our eyes to shine throughout our lives.

In the drama series, we meet a young woman named Hyeja who possesses a special watch that allows her to manipulate time. However, using the watch causes her to age rapidly.

After having used it one too many times, Hyeja is now passing the time at an elderly care center where she meets Joonha, an employee who looks like the young Hyeja’s husband.

Nine: Nine Time Travels, tvN (2013)

A news anchor named Park Sunwoo finds nine magical incense items that enables him to travel 20 years back in time in the fantasy thriller drama entitled Nine: Nine Time Travels .

Sunwoo makes numerous trips to the past in an effort to change the tragic events that have occurred in his life, changing both his decisions and the course of history.

He soon learns, though, that every change has unintended consequences both for himself and those he loves around him, and he is forced to deal with the moral dilemmas that follow.

Sisyphus: The Myth, JTBC (2021)

In the dystopian science fiction series Sisyphus: The Myth , engineer and brilliant quantum physicist Taesul crosses paths with a mysterious woman from the future named Seohae.

In Seohae’s present, she explores a war-torn Korea and travels back in time to both prevent Taesul’s death and his invention of the time travel device she used.

Meanwhile, Taesul is trying to investigate the strange circumstances around his brother’s death and a time-travel conspiracy where he finds himself embroiled in a dangerous game where past, present, and future collide.

Tunnel, OCN (2017)

Some crimes can span decades, with the case passing through the hands of several teams and detectives without ever getting resolved.

In the crime thriller Tunnel , we begin the story in 1986 when Detective Park Gwangho is hot on the tail of a serial killer.

He chases the perpetrator through a tunnel and ends up in 2016 where the same killer is still on the loose and just beginning to continue his murder spree.

Gwangho teams up with Detective Kim Seonjae and criminal profiler Shin Jaeyi to race against time and apprehend the killer before they can commit further crimes.

Alice, SBS TV (2020)

Science fiction drama series Alice weaves a complex tale of love, fate, and the consequences of tampering with time.

The title is a reference to the time-traveling agency in 2050 that sends clients to the past in order to find peace and closure with dead loved ones and also makes sure these trips are done properly.

Viewers meet Alice agents Taeyi and Minhyuk as they travel almost 60 years to the past on a mission, but their personal lives get intertwined and affect the present – 2020.

My Perfect Stranger, KBS2 (2023)

My Perfect Stranger is one of the newest shows on this list, having just finished airing in June of this year!

The romance mystery tells a beautiful story of two strangers who time travel back to 1987.

Haejun is a seemingly aloof newscaster who is trying to seek the truth behind a serial killing case; Yoonyoung is an editor at a publishing company who wants to prevent the marriage of her parents.

They find themselves in the past and also discover that their goals are more intertwined than they think.

Kairos, MBC TV (2020)

Kairos is similar to a few other shows as the time travel occurs in parallel timelines that connect characters instead of actually traveling through time.

However, it is also a rare one as the timelines are only one month apart!

Seojin is a company executive whose daughter suddenly goes missing while Aeri is a young woman living one month behind and whose mother also disappears.

When Seojin and Aeri meet through a phone call, he asks the latter to help find his daughter while helping to find her mother in his future timeline.

God’s Gift: 14 Days, SBS (2014)

God’s Gift: 14 Days tells the story of Kim Soohyun, a distraught mother whose daughter is abducted and killed, who miraculously gets the chance to travel back to the two weeks prior to the tragedy.

Soohyun is in a race against time to find the kidnapper and stop terrible things from happening because she is determined to change the outcome.

She discovers that the truth is much more complicated and perilous than she had anticipated as she digs deeper into the murky secrets surrounding her daughter’s death.

365: Repeat The Year, MBC TV (2020)

If you could repeat the last year of your life, would you?

In the mystery thriller 365: Repeat The Year , 10 people are given the opportunity to reset their lives by going back one year in time.

They participate in a time-traveling experiment, hoping to change their fates and undo their regrets.

However, they soon realize that altering the past has dire consequences, and they must unravel the mystery behind the experiment to save their lives.

Reunited Worlds, SBS (2017)

In Reunited Worlds , a man named Sung Haesung mysteriously reappears 12 years after his untimely death.

While he hasn’t aged, he finds that everyone around him has changed and gone on with their lives.

Haesung reconnects with his childhood friends, including his first love Jung Jungwon, as he navigates the difficulties of his new reality.

Together, they learn the truth about his time travel and work to mend relationships, sever old wounds, and find happiness in the present.

See You in My 19th Life, tvN (2023)

See You in My 19th Life is based on the webtoon of the same name that was published on Naver.

It tells the story of Jieum, who has lived out several lifetimes through reincarnation and has the supernatural ability to remember all of her past lives.

Her 18th life is tragically cut short due to an accident, and as she lives out her 19th, she knowingly heads down a path that will lead her to reconnect with a man from her previous life.

A Time Called You, Netflix (2023 – present)

Then there is the romance drama A Time Called You , which premiered on Netflix relatively recently – on September 8th, 2023.

It is an adaptation of a Taiwanese series and follows Junhee, who continues to mourn her boyfriend Yeonjun’s death one year later.

Somehow, she finds herself transported back to 1998 and in the body of an 18-year-old named Minju, who meets Siheon, a boy who looks like her deceased partner.

Marry My Husband, tvN (2024 – present)

The newest series on this list is Marry My Husband , which premiered on tvN on January 1st, 2024.

Marry My Husband follows Jiwon, described as a “time-limited woman” who has the opportunity to go back ten years.

In her new present, she dreams of exacting revenge on her cheating, murderous husband who killed her after having an affair with her best friend.

The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract, MBC (2023 – present)

Finally, we come to the last show in this countdown – The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract .

The fantasy romance series tells the story of Park Yeonwoo, a beautiful woman from the Joseon dynasty who loses her husband on the first night of their marriage.

She suddenly finds herself transported to the 21st century and under a modern marriage contract with Kang Taeha, who looks exactly like her husband.

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The best time travel movies & tv shows of 2022 (so far).

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Stories that surround time travel and time loops are a popular convention in media, and seemingly even more so in 2022, as seen with the just-released Paper Girls on Amazon Prime and also The Adam Project on Netflix .

Unlike the (un)lucky protagonists of these stories, viewers have only so many available hours in the day, and it can feel like a waste of time to sit through a story that doesn't work towards something interesting. Whether it analyses the angles in time travel mechanics or uses it as a moment for existential ideas, 2022 contains a lot of great movies and TV shows that deserve to be watched, so those looking for something specific can jump straight into what they are looking for.

Paper Girls (2022 - )

Paper Girls is Stand By Me on a time travel road trip and with the tiniest dose of Pacific Rim . Directed by Stephany Folsom and based on the comic book by Brian K. Vaughan, the Amazon Prime series follows four young girls — Erin Tieng (Riley Lai Nelet), Tiffany Quilkin (Camryn Jones), Mac Coyle (Sofia Rosinsky), and KJ Brandman (Fina Strazza) — delivering newspapers in 1988 before they are suddenly involved in a time-traveling conflict in 2019.

Related: The Best Ali Wong Movies & TV Shows According To IMDb

Time is a method in which the characters face existentialism in the meaning of their future, and rectify the damage held by past selves. In one of the best subplots early in the series, Mac meets the older version of her brother and slowly comes to terms with not only her future but the fact that she hasn't matured enough to realize the abuse she's going through. The time-twisting adventure is a vehicle for action to occur too of course, but it's those elements of Stand By Me — the relationship between four growing girls sharing their conflicts together — that are the true core of the show.

The Adam Project (2022)

Directed by Shawn Levy, it follows an Adam from 2050 (Ryan Reynolds) with his younger self (Walker Scobell) on an adventure to save the future from the disaster it already is.

The Adam Project is to time-traveling sci-fi what Real Steel is for boxing movies  -- it has some fun ideas, a decent execution, a wise-cracking child and doesn't try to wow with anything new. It's a fun action flick pretending to be sci-fi, with Reynolds doing his Deadpool act without the fourth-wall humor. There's sincerity to the bond between the two Adams and their father (Mark Ruffalo), with whom they haven't had enough time to bond, but little else. It has no concerns with doing anything more than having fun and will please anyone trying to fill 90 minutes.

Karmalink (2021)

Karmalink is a uniquely Buddhist take on the metaphysical concepts surrounding time for a spiritual spectacle directed by Jake Watchel and co-written with Christopher Larsen. The directorial debut gained its limited theatre release this year after being loved at 2021 film festivals and focuses on a 13-year-old orphan from a near-futuristic version of Phom Penh, Cambodia, searching for a golden Buddha statue.

It shows the beautiful lives of its poor citizens, as well as the divide between it and the rich population, exploring gentrification, technological alienation, neo-colonialism, and its terrible effects on a warm little community. Its story is grounded, with a touch of The Goonies , and surrounded by colorful cinematography that compliments Cambodian culture and beauty. It greatly deals with typically associated sci-fi themes, but it's the celebration of its environment and the seemingly uncontrollable forces changing it that truly makes it a great addition to its genre.

Undone: Season 2 (2019 - )

Made by the minds of BoJack Horseman, the Amazon Prime series continues its psychedelic time trip from the first season with Alma (Rosa Salazar), Becca (Angelique Cabral), and Jacob (Bob Odenkirk).

Related: The Main Characters Of Amazon's Undone Ranked By Likeability

Fan theories speculate on the legitimacy of its time travel, but regardless, the method is used to examine the damage dealt by war, racism, mental health, and inherited pain after trauma. Season two goes further than season one in examining the histories of Alma's parents and grandparents, and what eventually leads to the negative characteristics of the protagonists. It's less so a time travel mystery, as much as it is using it as a method to brilliantly dissect the problems that can occur while immigrating and the ripple effects it causes.

The Lazarus Project (2022 - )

The Sky-exclusive British action drama was directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner, Laura Scrivano, and Akaash Meeda, and stars Paapa Essiedu as George, who's awakened his ability to see time loops and is invited into an organization formed to use the loops to prevent world-ending disasters. It's nowhere close to the comedy of Groundhog Day or Palm Springs , instead looking closer into the damage it inflicts more than those films do.

It explores the ethics and emotional damage within its specific systems and grounds them in the stories of each of its cast members, posing scenarios that prompt audiences to consider which is the more moral choice. Watching characters deal with the erasing existence of a child, the stress and pain of reliving childbirth over and over and over again, or watching characters make sacrifices for the most saved lives possible — it's a level of empathy felt from the other side of the screen. It's an underrated little gem that demands the attention of any sci-fi fan.

Archive 81 (2022)

Based on a podcast by Daniel Powell and Marc Sollinger, the found-footage horror show switches perspectives between film archivist Dan Turner (Momoudou Athie) and documentarian Melody Pendras (Dina Shihabi) as they both discover the bizarre cult within the Visser building in Lower Manhattan.

Related: The Archive 81 Main Characters Ranked By Likability

Creator Rebecca Sonnenshine weaves a uniquely unsettling version of time travel. The perspectives between Dan and Melody initially seem separate from each other, but the mystery of its time travel through found footage latches onto the viewer as its steadily revealed. It's a slow binge that's more 'creepy' than outright shocking, but it's a great watch for anyone interested in a series happy to pace itself, and separates itself from other found-footage horrors by the time-distorting connection between Melody and Dan.

The Umbrella Academy: Season 3 (2019 - )

The superhero show, created by Steve Blackman and based on the comic book by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, gained some good faith for its great LGBTQ+ arc with Viktor Hargreeves (Elliot Page) and continues the story from its well-received second season of a dysfunctional family trying to get their lives back.

This season hardly delves into time travel compared to its previous seasons, but still uses it in a way to delve into the reparation and breaking of familial connections. Klaus (Robert Sheehan) has been great at every step of the series but is particularly strong here for using this alternate timeline as a second chance to grow closer with their father Reginald (Colm Feore). It's a story as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming, setting up for another season of reality-bending adventures to come.

Russian Doll: Season 2 (2019 - )

The humorous original season didn't seem like it was prime material for a second series, but regardless it abandons its time-looping narrative in favor of changing family history in the past. It stars the Orange Is The New Black favorite Natasha Lyonne, who co-created the show along with Leslye Headland and Amy Poehler of Parks And Recreation fame.

Just as with the first season, Lyonne can carry the entire show by herself through her great acting and character work, but it follows a great story as she dives into her family history. But unlike Undone , Lyonne's character of Nadia lives directly in the shoes of her Jewish Hungarian ancestors and faces the reality of the impossibility to change time and how she needs to live with it. It's a story of acceptance, but with the same humor, it carried its first season. And even if it won't be as charming a surprise as the original, it's still worth a watch.

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• Paper Girls (2022)

'The Paradox Hotel' by Rob Hart is a trippy time travel murder mystery (exclusive)

Hart spoke with us on his old-fashioned murder mystery at a luxury hotel for time travelers.

Ever since H.G. Wells' sci-fi novella "The Time Machine" entered Victorian society in 1895, we've been transfixed with the notion of hopping backwards and forwards via the turbulent waters of the time stream. 

Expanding upon the time travel idea of skipping through the centuries, film franchises and TV shows like "The Terminator," "Back to the Future," "12 Monkeys," "Looper" and "Doctor Who" have all explored the promise and the perils of time travel to varying degrees over the last 50 years. The result is some of the best time travel movies of all time.

Now New York Times bestselling author Rob Hart is dipping his imagination into the temporal pool with " The Paradox Hotel ," (Ballantine Books, 2022) where he introduces us to a mysterious lodging facility located beside a timeport that specifically caters to wayward time travelers.

Hart’s work has already attracted Hollywood luminaries by selling the adaptation rights to his 2019 futuristic thriller " The Warehouse " to Imagine Entertainment’s Ron Howard for his next directorial project. "The Paradox Hotel" has also been optioned to develop into a TV series. (If you're interested in more wild science fiction reads, check out our best sci-fi books guide.

The Paradox Hotel: A Novel | was $28 now $20.49 at Amazon.

Dive into an old-fashioned murder mystery with a time travel twist in Rob Hart's new novel "The Paradox Hotel" out now. 

This sci-fi mystery's storyline introduces the character of January Cole, a director of security at the Paradox Hotel, where a typical day finds rich tourists checking in dressed to impress for a dozen different time periods while awaiting departures for flights to the past. It's a bizarre workplace environment where clocks might tick backwards and temporal spirits roam.

There's also the conundrum of a dead body in Room 526 that, like Schrödinger's Cat, is both there and not there at the same instant. But January is the only one who can see this spectral corpse and her reality begins to unravel when VIP guests arrive as the U.S. government prepares to privatize time travel technology and a ghostly murderer is on the loose inside the hotel.

"I've always loved time travel stories, and I finally decided to give it a try with 'The Paradox Hotel' — which seemed like a good idea when I started, and then I learned that actually writing time travel is pretty complicated," Hart told Space.com. "But it was worth it! Since it was about time travel, I was pretty adamant that it needed robots and dinosaurs — because if I'm going to do it, I'm going to have fun with it. But it was also a great mechanism for exploring grief, and how hard it is for us to face ourselves." 

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Hart first got the premise while searching for real-world parallels, and discovered it in the current state of space travel. 

" Something that started as a research venture by the government, and became underfunded over the years, which opened the door to private investment,."  Hart explains." And now you've got guys like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk sending tourists into space. It seems like time travel would follow a similar path. But here's the thing: space isn't just about tourism. It's about communication networks, and how zero-G would improve manufacturing and shipping, and the fact that the average meteor contains trillions of dollars in precious metals. There are a lot of ways to profit in space, and it was fun to figure out the ways people could profit with time travel."

"The Paradox Hotel" was officially optioned for an episodic TV series by Universal's Working Title, and Hart reveals that the development process is coming along great. 

"I just recently read the finished draft of the pilot episode, and it's just bonkers brilliant," he adds. "It takes a lot of liberties, but in the best way possible, really spinning out the worldbuilding and the mystery aspects, and making them work in a really visual way. At this point we move on to the next steps in the process, and sure, it's just an option, and this stuff takes forever, and it might not even get made — but I'm excited to have made it this far."

Rob Hart's " The Paradox Hotel " is available now at book stores and online outlets.

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Jeff Spry is an award-winning screenwriter and veteran freelance journalist covering TV, movies, video games, books, and comics. His work has appeared at SYFY Wire, Inverse, Collider, Bleeding Cool and elsewhere. Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters.

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10 Great Mystery Shows You Can Stream Right Now

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Mystery TV shows have always captivated audiences with their intricate plots and compelling characters who are unraveling enigmas. Since 2020, the genre has seen many fantastic new series that push the boundaries of whodunits with psychological drama , science fiction and dark comedy. Some feature cliché murder mysteries in new ways, and others have creative premises based on other kinds of journeys for answers.

One of the standout mystery series in recent years is The Watcher . The show invites the viewers to guess the identity of the stalker and question the motives of every character, creating an eerie atmosphere. Similarly, Sugar is a disappearance mystery in which the protagonist private investigator seemingly can't trust anyone. In contrast with these more realistic shows, Severance is an example of a mystery series that takes a dystopian sci-fi approach. Together, these shows exemplify the versatility and enduring appeal of the mystery genre in contemporary television.

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10 The Crowded Room Questions a Crime’s Motive

The Crowded Room is a 2023 crime limited series starring Tom Holland in the lead role of complex criminal Danny, marking a significant departure from his iconic portrayal of Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Amanda Seyfried co-stars as Rya, a psychologist and researcher who unpacks Danny's involvement in a shooting. The series is inspired by the true-crime story of Billy Milligan, which unfortunately makes the show significantly less mysterious for those aware of Milligan's story.

As the narrative unfolds, viewers are drawn into a labyrinthine plot that reveals secrets and twists at every turn. The nonlinear storytelling keeps the audience guessing, with each episode peeling back layers of the protagonist's mind and different perspectives on the circumstances surrounding the central crime. The viewer who's not yet familiar with the real-life inspiration is invited to learn alongside Rya about the unexpected nature of Danny's motives, the questioning that drives her character until the big reveal in the series finale.

The Crowded Room

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9 Murderville Is an Improvisation Game Show

10 best murder mystery comedies of all time.

Zero Effect and Clue are just two of the many great murder mystery comedies that provide thrills and laughs in equal measure.

Murderville is a unique and entertaining 2022 mystery television series that works as an improvisation game. The show stars Will Arnett as Detective Terry Seattle, a seasoned but eccentric investigator who solves a new murder case in each episode. While Arnett and the core cast follow a loose script, each episode features a guest star who is not given a script and must improvise their way through the investigation. This innovative setup combines elements of comedy and mystery, resulting in a show that is both unpredictable and hilarious.

The guest stars include celebrities like Conan O'Brien and Maya Rudolph, who bring their unique personalities and comedic styles to their episodes. As the guest stars stumble through clues, interrogate suspects and discuss evidence, Will Arnett's charismatic performance anchors Murderville . Arnett's comedic timing and ability to adapt to the unpredictable actions of the guest stars ensure that each episode is both cohesive and entertaining, appealing to both mystery enthusiasts and comedy fans.

Murderville

8 the outsider features a mysterious figure who lurks around.

The Outsider is a 2020 mystery series based on the Stephen King 2018 novel of the same name that has been canceled after one season. It stars Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo, Julianne Nicholson, and Ozark 's Jason Bateman, who also directed the first two episodes. HBO's cancelation leaves the show without a satisfying closure, which stops it from ranking higher among the best mystery shows since 2020.

The story starts with the gruesome murder of a young boy and the arrest of a local school coach as the main suspect. What seems like a disturbing but overall straightforward investigation turns into an unpredictable web of mysteries, while an ominous figure lurks around the protagonists and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. The show gets emotional and scary when it needs to, balancing the different sides to its dark premise.

The Outsider (2020)

When an insidious supernatural force edges its way into a seemingly straightforward investigation into the gruesome murder of a young boy, it leads a seasoned cop and an unorthodox investigator to question everything they believe in.

7 Only Murders in the Building Is a Hilarious Murder Mystery

Only Murders in the Building is a mystery-comedy series created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman that has been getting praise since its debut in 2021. The show stars Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez as an unlikely trio of true-crime enthusiasts who come together to solve a murder in their upscale New York City apartment building. Each episode unravels new layers of the central murder case, with the protagonists using their amateur skills to solve it.

Steve Martin and Martin Short bring their legendary comedic chemistry to the screen, while Selena Gomez provides a grounded and relatable counterbalance to their characters. The trio's interactions are both hilarious and heartfelt, adding depth to the narrative and making their bond central to the show's appeal. With its charming characters, witty dialogue and intricate mystery, Only Murders in the Building stands out as a must-watch series.

Only Murders in the Building

6 sugar exposes the dark side of los angeles, sugar's mind-bending season 1 finale, explained.

The shocking reveals of Episodes 6 and 7 of Sugar come to a heady point in the Sugar Season 1 finale, which puts a neat bow on the mystery.

Sugar is a 2024 mystery television series starring Colin Farrell as John Sugar, a private investigator who is hired by a famous Hollywood producer to investigate the disappearance of his granddaughter Olivia. Set in Los Angeles, the narrative is packed with unexpected and dark twists and a touch of science fiction that adds intrigue to the story. Amy Ryan stands out in the supporting cast as Melanie, Olivia's former stepmother who befriends Sugar.

Sugar subverts typical mystery tropes and delivers a fresh, unpredictable experience that starts seeming like a simple mystery narrative but develops into a multi-layered plot. Colin Farrell's performance is a highlight of the series, with the season's big reveal about John Sugar's true nature justifying some peculiar aspects of his character. Farrell brings gravitas and wit to the role, making John Sugar both compelling and relatable.

Sugar (2024)

5 the watcher proves how scary stalking is.

The Watcher is a 2022 mystery series starring Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale as Nora and Dean Brannock, a couple who move into their dream home in the suburbs but soon start to be terrorized by a mysterious stalker. Inspired by true events, the stalker sends ominous letters to the house and signs them as "the watcher." The tension escalates as the couple uncovers disturbing secrets about their new home, its previous inhabitants and their neighbors.

The performances of Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale are pivotal to the show's success, bringing emotional depth and authenticity to their roles. Their portrayal of a couple grappling with fear and the strain of the situation on their relationship adds a compelling human element to the narrative. The supporting cast includes Jennifer Coolidge and Mia Farrow, who also deliver memorable performances that add to the unsettling atmosphere of the series.

The Watcher (2022)

4 mare of easttown is a small-town crime thriller.

Mare of Easttown is a 2021 crime limited series starring Kate Winslet as the titular Mare, a seasoned detective in the small town of Easttown who investigates the disappearance of a local girl when the murder of another local girl happens. Mare gives her all to the job while dealing with the loss of her son, who committed suicide in their home not long before the series' timeline. The show highlights the interpersonal connections in the town in parallel to Mare's uncovering of the mysteries.

Full of plot twists and with a range of possible suspects for the central murder, Mare of Easttown is one of the less predictable modern mystery series. Kate Winslet is amazing as the thick-skinned Mare and the supporting cast features standout performances from Evan Peters, Jean Smart and Cailee Spaeny. Although Mare of Easttown still has a big unsolved mystery by the finale, the ending brings closure to the show's main storyline and Mare's personal conflicts.

Mare of Easttown

3 i may destroy you focuses on a less-discussed crime.

I May Destroy You is a 2020 dark comedy-drama that is far from a conventional mystery show, but its plot centers around a protagonist desperate to uncover the culprit of a terrible crime. Michaela Coel plays Arabella, a young English writer who is drugged and sexually assaulted at a bar she often goes to. The limited series follows Arabella and her best friends Kwame and Terry as they try to rebuild Arabella's life after being a victim of rape, a journey that goes through her obsession with finding the perpetrator and seeking revenge.

Although a lot more happens in I May Destroy You besides the unraveling of the central mystery, the show still falls in the category of always coming back to Arabella's investigation into what happened to her. It's rare for a show to have a crime's victim so actively engaged with solving the case, which makes it instantly stand out. The plot twists and hilarious dark jokes attest to how well-written it is, and Michaela Coel's nuanced performance is hypnotizing.

I May Destroy You

2 severance is a mind-bending dystopian science fiction, the best tv shows to binge-watch ever.

With so many streaming services for viewers to binge-watch their favorite TV shows like Game of Thrones, the choices can be overwhelming.

Severance is a 2022 science-fiction mystery show starring Adam Scott as Mark, an employee of a shady company called Lumen. Just as all Lumen employees, Mark undergoes a surgical procedure that allows the company to separate his personal from his work life memories. As they go down on the elevator to leave, their brain "switches" from "innie" to "outie" as the different versions of the same person are called.

Each episode of the first season leaves the viewers with more questions than answers. As Mark and his co-workers question the company's agenda, the story goes through mind-bending plot twists and several confirmations that something dark is happening at Lumen. The Severance Season 1 finale ends on a huge cliffhanger , and fans are eager to find out if Season 2 will make the mystery even more complex or solve some of its entanglements.

1 The White Lotus Features a Mysterious Death Each Season

The White Lotus is a 2021 satirical comedy series that incorporates elements of mystery that keep the narrative exciting. Intended to be a 6-part series, each of the six seasons is set in a different location of the fictional White Lotus resort. Season 1 takes place in Hawaii and Season 2 happens in Italy, while the upcoming Season 3 of The White Lotus will be set in Thailand . The show features a fantastic ensemble cast including Jennifer Coolidge, Aubrey Plaza and Sydney Sweeney, and most characters only appear in one season.

The paradise-like locations and the excitement of taking a vacation are ruined for the characters in The White Lotus , who are not trying to uncover a mystery themselves — it's the viewer who needs to analyze them as suspects. Although the meat of the show is the drama between the characters, the audience knows someone will die by the end of each season from the first episode. This completely changes the experience of watching the show, as each character starts to seem capable of murder while tensions rise.

The White Lotus