“Time Bandits,” streaming on Apple TV+, tags along with an 11-year-old boy, Kevin, and a gang of inept thieves as they hop in and out of time portals, crossing paths with everyone from cavemen to ‘90s punksters.
The 10-episode adaptation of a 1981 movie is being marketed as a kids’ adventure, which is somewhat problematic. There’s plenty of violence and heavy themes, like how to cope with separation, that may be more difficult to explain to children than the importance of Chinese pirate Zheng Yi Sao in the early 19th century.
But the series does offer a new generation an excuse to get better acquainted with some other important historical figures: the geniuses behind Monty Python.
To be clear, no members from the English troupe are directly involved in the re-imagined TV series. But their absurdist approach to humor — siphoning the air from the swollen heads of authority figures — is on display during the travelers’ funniest pit stops.
The co-creators, which include Oscar winner Taika Waititi (“Jojo Rabbit”) and “Flight of the Conchords” veteran Jemaine Clement, were clearly thinking of the lads when they came up with a scene outside the Trojan Horse in which the guards are too busy bickering over trivial matters to realize they’re being hoodwinked. The story in which the Earl of Sandwich talks himself into a fruitless duel would have perfectly been at home on “Monty Python’s Flying Circus,” the groundbreaking sketch comedy series that originally aired on the BBC from 1969-74. Same goes for a visit with the builders at Stonehenge, where the gift shop has opened before construction has been completed.
The leader of the thieves, Penelope, is played by “Friends” veteran Lisa Kudrow, which means you get plenty of Phoebe-like double takes when trouble arises. But she also gets lines that could just as easily have come from the mouths of those knights in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” who shrieked “Run away! Run away!” as they scampered from their enemies while clapping coconut shells together.
“This could be dangerous,” Penelope says to Kevin from one of their hiding places. “Go see if it is.”
In many ways, the TV version has more Pythonesque moments than the movie did. That’s a bit of a surprise since that film, now streaming on Max, was co-written by troupe veterans Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin and features playmate John Cleese as a glib Robin Hood, addressing the bandits with the same kind of superficial airs that politicians put on for constituents they don’t really give two hoots about.
But there’s not a ton of those moments. I suspect that’s because Gilliam wanted to show Hollywood executives he was capable of deeper material than an irate customer complaining about a dead parrot.
The strategy worked. He would go on to make ambitious, dark fare like “Brazil,” “The Fisher King” and “12 Monkeys.”
But I do wish Gilliam had injected as much silliness into “Bandits” as he did into “Holy Grail,” his 1975 directorial debut. I had the same yearning when watching the TV series.
Clement, Waititi and co-creator Iain Morris get so bogged down in sermonizing that they pass up lots of opportunities to be silly and smart at the same time.
That combination is rare these days. Lots of comics swear they were influenced by the Monty Python founders, but few actually have the guts — or ability — to emulate them truly.
Young consumers of pop culture are missing out. Getting an education in good comedy should be a vital part of their development. SpongeBob SquarePants and the Hawk Tuah Girl won’t get the job done.
Neal Justin covers the entertainment world, primarily TV and radio, for the Star Tribune.
