Hooked about half way through episode 5 of season 1. Many sleepless nights followed...
The story is simple; Travelers are sent to the 21st century from the future, to save the future world. For the time travel fans, this is a treat. Runtime is 45 min per episode with only 3 seasons and with episodes that get better and better as the series progresses. Only problem is the slow start; took me some time to get used to the interpersonal drama and the characters' struggles outside of their core missions. However, that very part became one of the great things about this series later on.
Casting was smart getting "Will from Will&Grace" as the lead. He delivers a good range of drama throughout the entire series and he is supported by a very well acting cast.
9/10 recommended series.
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Rob133130 September 2022Travelers not only met my expectations but surpassed them in every way. I know people like to throw the word "underrated " around on so many shows and movies but this show is the definition of underrated. Even though there are some flaws it is still entertaining and fast moving enough where the good far outweighs the bad. It's a show that's never predictable and before you know it you will become addicted to it. It's hard to get a fresh take on the time traveling genre but Traveled seems to do it. Once I started watching I couldn't stop. It's very addictive once you start watching it and will want to binge it as quickly as possible.
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djmotiv19 December 201810 episodes for Season 3 just isn't enough and I believe Season 3 is the strongest season yet.
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fung022 July 2017I tuned in to Travelers with low expectations. Time travel has rarely made for compelling television. Often, it's just an excuse for moving to a new historical setting each week. (Even Doctor Who stopped doing pure time travel after the first few years and started emphasizing the "relative dimension in space.") Travelers sounded particularly dreary: people from the future taking over humans in the present. Oh, great, a time travel story that lets us glimpse the wonders of... the present.
And yet, Travelers defied all these expectations and turned out to be one of the freshest bits of SF on TV.
It's not a special-effects-heavy show. Instead, it focuses on squeezing every drop of juice out of the slightly off-kilter premise. For a start, "taking over" present-day human hosts kills them. So there's a massive built-in moral dilemma. And it's worked out with painstaking logic. Time travelers try to pick people who were about to die anyway - but this too presents problems. The time travelers need to remain undiscovered, which means seamlessly picking up the threads of their hosts' lives. Time travelers may have motivations of their own, which need to be dealt with in the present. It all meshes beautifully.
I won't give away much more, other than to say each episode expands and twists the basic premise in a new and clever way. The acting is uniformly solid, and the characters are likable in spite of their sometimes glaring faults. The mix of characters has the feel of a really great ensemble, a group you'd really like to follow for a while.
What I didn't realize at first was that Travelers was created by some of the key members of the former Stargate TV team. Of course, two of that show's best writers, Mallozzi and Mullie, are masterminding the entertaining space opera Dark Matter. Meanwhile, Travelers is being put together by former Stargate writer and producer Brad Wright, with directing work by Stargate alumni Martin Wood and Andy Mikita. While Dark Matter is more light-hearted, Travelers carries on the harder-edged side of the Stargate tradition, without losing that show's uncanny addictiveness and entertainment value.
Even if you're not a Stargate fan, you should definitely give Travelers a chance. It's a show that really knows what it's doing. It knows how to tell stories that are morally deep, intellectually clever and emotionally satisfying, all at the same time. We've seen some really good SF on TV lately, but Travelers is the one show that I'm most excited to see more of. A LOT more, hopefully. -
Supermanfan-1313 November 2020Travelers really is such an entertaining show, it sucks that it was cancelled early! I can't complain too much because I never watched it when it was on and just now finished it. There are plenty of time travel shows to choose from but this is among the better ones! As you can tell by the reviews most people who've actually seen more than 15mins have really liked it!
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Clicked on this randomly because I was out of things to watch on Netflix and the description was interesting, pretty sure I would quit after the first episode.
BOY was I wrong. Hooked me right out of the gate with it's quirky premise and promise of a rich backstory, the acting was great and the writing was tight. Best off, over the first season run, it was NEVER predictable and always had me guessing.
I'd describe it as 12 Monkeys meets Fringe with a Stargate attitude. If those are things you like, you're in for a treat! -
Renfrew20 January 2020I can't believe an 8.1/10 IMDb rated show can be cancelled by Netflix (or anyone) after Season 3. Is Netflix trying to lose customers? I've always enjoyed time-travel movies/series. But Travelers is different. It is realistic science fiction with characters you love or hate. It is for this reason, Travelers is loved by both science fiction fans and the general public.
I was so upset when I learned Travelers was canceled after Season 3, that I signed the petition at change started by Travelers fan Lauren Brown.
I want to see Season 4, plus many more! -
calisouther9 January 2017This show has potential, but I have to disagree with others who have said, that the writing is tight. That's the one sloppy thing about it. If the writers hadn't been so inconsistent, I would have given it a better rating. To avoid spoilers, I will not go into detail - but I marathon shows - so anything that is off from one episode to the next pops right out at me.
The premise is interesting, the acting pretty good and overall it's entertaining. Some of the characters are well developed. You find yourself caring about them, while - I think - others characters are just like props, with no meat on their bones.
It does keep you coming back for more – wanting to see what might happen next! -
lauranichols-7401022 December 2018I absolutely love this show and am hoping to see a 4th season (hopefully with the same characters) :)
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pavel_nyc28 February 2019I suppose I had certain expectations about this, but from what I have seen so far, this show is just about average. Has a very typical CBS or NBC vibe, almost PG rated-like, and that's not for me. I like my entertainment a bit grittier. Great pilot and decent concept though.
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TheMara6120 November 2019This is all I have to say, and I believe it speaks volumes. It's one of those shows so cleverly plotted, but also character-driven and sucked me in making me falling not only for the idea, but for the personages also. Right now, after a marathon-binge-watching, I so hate Netflix for cancelling it. It's so hard to find real-life characters and real-life problems in a show now.
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SnoopyStyle19 February 2019Marcy Warton (MacKenzie Porter) is mentally handicap and David Mailer (Patrick Gilmore) is her caseworker. Trevor Holden (Jared Abrahamson) is hiding his underground MMA fighting from his parents. Philip Pearson (Reilly Dolman) is a high school drug addict. Carly Shannon (Nesta Cooper) has a baby and hounded by her abusive baby-daddy cop Jeff Conniker. FBI agent Grant MacLaren (Eric McCormack) is investigating strange encrypted messages in the dark web. Each one gets possessed by a traveler from the future at the point of their historical deaths. In the future, humanity is barely hanging on after a catastrophy. Survivors are following the Grand Plan, created by the computer AI called the Director, to travel back in time and avert the pending catastrophe. A rival faction rises up fighting to regain free will for humanity. Vincent (Enrico Colantoni) is traveler 001 who failed at his mission and is hiding from the Director after carving a wealthy present day life.
It's always great to have a thinking sci-fi show. It is a great combo of character study, sci-fi apocalypse, and time traveling goodness. I love the movie Trancers and this has many of the same elements. McCormack is a solid lead and this has a lot of good actors. It's a Canadian show that is distributed by Netflix. It never really got any big buzz other than McCormack hocking it on his talk show appearances. It couldn't gain a big enough audience and it's cancelled after three seasons. -
xhidden9928 December 2016Others have penned notes on the time travel-ish aspect of it. To me though the truly creepy thing no one talks about is that it's basically a death sentence. There's no clear way for them to ever return or even see the long run results of their efforts. It's pretty much soldier on until you croak. Others have penned notes about the weird plot holes like even if you buy the premise, how could anyone know to the second the where and when random people hundreds of years ago died. We don't know that now, much less keep an archaeological record of it. To me though it's hit or miss. They seem to know everything about these 'dead' people except of course for the most crucial facts about them like they're dope fiends or retarded. Be good to know that what with perfect knowledge and all that. Or that there are seemingly other 'teams' the in the future where you would already know if they screwed something up....since some of them do, spectacularly.
But to me the weird, maybe the weirdest thing is that no one seems to know WTF they're doing. There is no strategic plan. There's no grand scheme. They get 'orders' from murky Wizard of Oz 'director' who seemingly is a micro managing control freak with a god complex who never tells them why they're doing what they're doing. So all sorts of confusion and miscommunication results. And of course because most of the team is late teen early 20's angry, full of self righteous fury against The Man they often stray off course to do whatever they want according to their own moral code.
Here's the thing. It's kind of aimless. We sort of know it's headed in some direction but it feels like just another 'slow-burn' shaggy dog story that no one will ever figure out and won't really end in anything like a satisfying conclusion. And so it will likely devolve into scene after scene of over the top character driven emoting replete with yelling. Lots and lots of yelling. -
tin-B8 July 2019Such a high score at IMDb but it still gets cancelled. The usual thing, good sci fi can't live as a tv series. Very few have ever made it outside of Star Trek. But that is not my point. Hopefully, the end of this great show will give us a new perspective. Why must they last for many seasons? Why not tell a dam good story from start to final episode, planned from the beginning, instead of getting cancelled and leaving fans without closure? There are so many sources for viewing on tv and internet, so much competition, we should embrace a new format: STORIES that have a progressive plan and ending.
This one is really good. I don't think they seriously meant for the ending to be the ending,but in retrospect, they decided it was a good enough ending. And, it is a good enough ending. Would have been a better ending if it had been purposely planned as an ending.
The only bad part about the show,other than a few loopholes and bugs that we have all learned to overlook when they are minor, is that the baby, Jeffrey Jr., never stopped crying. I swear, they scared thousands of young couples away from parenthood for that reason alone.
Enjoy the show. -
sharneshaan22 December 2018What can I say brilliant sci-fi. Had me hooked from the very beginning. Great character development, story line and exciting, lots of action and heartfelt story line. So hope to be watching season 4 this time next year.
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RubyRed3311 December 2016This is a unique show, different from other time travel scenarios, in the way it is written, acted, and how well it's produced. I'd actually call it THE new break-out series to watch for 2016. It's nice to know there are still true Creatives working in the industry who can produce a gripping, interesting program without the benefit of a huge budget or glossing every other scene over in tons of fancy CGI.
I wouldn't mind just a bit more in the special effects arena, but there is a Realness to the plot/episodes that manages to transcend the lack of technical effects, which let's the viewer's imagination do some of the best work. That may be the singular quality that makes it so phenomenal to watch! I also think that as this sci-fi series grows its following, Travelers could be a lot like other Cult Favorites that were lower budget but grew up --just enough-- to start incorporating a few more well-placed, topically-consistent special effects (think Lost Girl, Fringe, DW, Orphan Black, etc).
The plot is well-premised, based on a peek at a frightening future that is almost too easy for viewers to conjure up on their own. Travelers may be firmly anchored in Here and Now, but the Future and Past are folded into the Present with excellent story lines and smooth, logical character development. This yields amazingly restrained but thoughtful performances from the actors, including the ever-talented Eric McCormack (in, what may very well be, the best role of his career). The episodes are so subtle yet intense that each one will grab you by the brain and you won't want to stop watching. I've re-watched the pilot episode a few times now, and it still hasn't gotten old. Like a very good book, each new pass yields a little more for the imagination to chew on.
I highly recommend this gem of a show and truly hope Travelers gets picked up for a long, healthy run. Fingers crossed! -
yohan32919 December 2018After finishing season 3 in a sleep deprived binge session, I need more now.
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rnixon197428 December 2018The first two seasons of Travelers were better than the last one. The early episodes had an urgency, an edge to them that this season's do not. The mission was as important (if not more so) as the characters, and that worked well.
To me, the third season has spent too much time on Kat and Jeff. These characters' relationships with Mac and Carly have been fleshed out, almost ad nauseam, over the last 10 episodes. Kat distrusts Mac. Alright, I get it. After seeing this harped on for this long, I ended up hoping she'd finally just divorce him and get it over with.
As for Jeff being an abusive alcoholic and hating Carly, I felt largely the same way. Write him out, as nothing interesting was happening with his character. That says more about the writing than Brinson's performance.
The show is enjoyable, overall. If shopworn melodrama is not your cup of tea, be prepared to hit fast forward when you see Jeff and Carly (or Kat) onscreen during season three. -
zombie84-126 March 2020Somebody needs to bring this amazing show back. maybe for two more seasons. please
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I was hoping this wouldnt be a "crime of the week" series, but i was wrong. It had a great idea and its polished and good, for being what it is. But i was hoping for a series that wouldnt focus on weekly episodes, but rather a larger series spanning arc style, like alot of modern series started using after series like the wire, game of thrones and homeland, for example. Now we get the usual "big, interesting story arc as the background that we only get a few minutes of progression on every week, after the crime of the week is resolved". Its sad, but i guess they didnt have interesting material to flesh out the main idea for x amount of seasons. Make a miniserie next time, and spare us this format. On top of this, we get even MORE filler from the super annoying "family drama" with spouses that take up way too much time. Filler inside of filler.
If they took all the interesting bits from the main story arc, deleted all the rest and ended up with a 8-12 episode mini-series total, with a conclusion, this would have been a 9/10 series!
With that said. Its still a good watch if you like that style of tv-series. Just watch it on netflix, so you have that handy 10-second-fast-forward-button ready for clicking every time a family argument/make up-session comes on the screen! Be ready to click that button alot. -
AntonTh23 October 2018I just stopped watching 12 Monkeys because after six episodes I found it quite boring, flat, repetitive and full of plotholes. It might have been watchable for me if I hadn't seen Travelers first.
'Travelers' adds limitations, new aspects and hurdles to the time travel concept that manage to keep it fresh. After all, when time travel is just a matter of flipping a switch, who cares what happens anyway.
At the end of the second season, the plot gets messy and it's time to wrap up but season 3 renewal seems to be confirmed. I hold my breath! -
Time travel is hard to do right. This show tried and failed, not always miserably.
If you have a good memory and cannot stop doing basic reasoning on what you hear or see, you will not enjoy it.
We follow some agents from the future that are here to save humanity. (No pressure) They have to follow some rules that make more or less sense and are sworn to obey the intelligence behind the great plan.
The intelligence itself has to follow some other rules (because it's "the good guys") and sending somebody back can only be done under some specific conditions. For example it has to know the exact position a few seconds before the time of death of the recipient, It can never use somebody that was not about to die. (Of course there rules are broken when it suits the plot, and coherence be damned)
In almost every single episode, the champions of humanity are acting like your everyday naive idiot. An example ? A member of the team gets some medication from some very suspect woman to keep him from hard drugs, allegedly. The MD will barely raise and eyebrow and days later, after the "cured" guy acts like even more like a violent junkie looking for its next fix, the "wise guy" of the team, the oldest soul, will only make a comment to the crazy teammate but nothing more will be done to get to the bottom of what looks like some very dangerous and very suspect situation. (Knowing they have enemies)
There is a made-up rule that say one cannot send a traveler earlier that the last one that was sent because of some ripple effect. Which is nonsense (even in this context) as the future is allegedly always fixing by incremental changes and can kill any adult by making it a phone (making a possible problem disappear). It is clear this was though-up to induce a weakness in the plan, and this is actually said in one episode "we get one go at this, there is no do-over"
Speaking of which. The arch-nemesis of the serie is an insult to the intelligence of the viewer. The first traveler ever refused to kill himself (because, reasons, don't even try to make sense of it). The guy was on one of the tower of 9/11 and we have to believe him exiting the building alive was not caught on the always spying eye of the future ? That in the years that followed he never was close to a device that could spot him ? Killing his wife making her a messenger to basically ask him to kill himself was a better plan than, say, sending somebody inside her (still killing her, mind) to do the job ? But given the number of stupid mistakes this Deus Ex Machina does (so something bad can happen, lazy storytelling 101 a.k.a Macguffin) this is not really a surprise the spectator can come up with a better solution in a couple of seconds while hanging the laundry ...
I could go on and on and on ... and this is only about the laziness of the writing.
I will barely mention the situation where a tiny skinny girl beating up a group of violent guys (maybe they were particularly ticklish) and other accidental comical situations.
The show is not all bad though. Sometimes, every few episodes, there is some scene that made sense and looked properly prepared to unravel slowly. Some scene that would make me smile. It was always ruined in the next five minutes though, but still.
I don't have anything bad to say on the acting, the effects or the music so they are probably adequate, at the very least (not that I had my eyes on the TV : I've endured this to have some "noise" in the house while doing various chores
The one show that I've seen completely was the last episode of season two. Probably one of the worst episodes when it comes to coherence and rationality. I may not be the most feeling-oriented guy on the planet and may be surprised by reactions based on them, but what happened there was just ... artificial, irrational, uncalled for. And of course you will have to forget all that was said for two seasons stop yourself from screaming at the screen.
With these champions, if they ever do a third season, I foresee a tragic ending. -
Travelers are people from the future that transfer their consciousness to people from present time (who are ready to die, because the show doesn't want as feel bad). For some reason the families, friends and husbands/wives doesn't seem to notice or care much for the new difference in personalities. But here comes the real stupidity: The travelers act like the previous life of the host is important to them. Why? Why? Why? The explanation is that they try not to interfere with the past, but the people whom lives occupy were supposed to die. It isn't like travelers lack money or supplies. The reason is that this shows want's to insist on exploring emotional relations that are not based in any logic. The show is lazy and tries to sell cheap emotions. There are other major plot holes, i know that this is to be expected in a time travel show, but oh my god there so dumb.
This is not a spoiler, i am talking generally. -
jojosunset15 December 2018After watching some time travel shows I find "Travelrs" to be one of the better ones. No aliens, no time travel machine. Just a well-written plot that one can actually follow & Characters that I really like & believe in. I'm not an expert in this genre for sure but I definitely enjoyed the show.
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If you breeze on by this one, you will miss something.
Canuck Sci-fi veteran Brad Wright (Stargate) seems to have teamed up with Canadian actor/producer Eric McCormack to bring us one of the tightest and leanest shows I have seen in quite some time.
The concept is a joy. Wright has taken the notion of "walk-ins" (something that was hugely popular in the 1970s and then disappeared) and updated it to a more modern, edgy, arc for this series.
The writing is so tight you could use it to re-skin a drum.
Unfortunately, so is the budget. The budget is so lean that you almost expect the TV to turn itself off the moment the show ends. To save power.
The opener hooked me -- solid acting, direction, really neat characters you can care about -- and I can happily put up with sparse location shoots in return for an interesting show. (As for example in the classic Canadian series Witchblade, which also got the most output from the least input.)
Intrigued, happy, optimistic. Hopefully this show will find an audience.
((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))