How Fortunate to Use the Word ‘Pythonesque’

In the latest episodes of “Time Bandits,” the titular group has transitioned from gnawing on sticks to enjoying sandwiches, a popular rage in Georgian England allegedly invented by the Earl of Sandwich. Much later, the series’ boy hero, Kevin Haddock (Kal-El Tuck), finds himself mingling with historical figures like Mansa Musa, the richest man in history. Kevin and his companions, led by Penelope (Lisa Kudrow), have faced numerous perils and narrow escapes.

This series, however, is less focused on action and more on the historical friends Kevin, Penelope, and the rest meet during their adventures—figures from various times and places that the show’s co-creators, Iain Morris, Jemaine Clement, and Taika Waititi, envision visiting.

Clement divulged that many of these destinations came from his 12-year-old son’s wish list. “I just asked my son, who is also a history fan—history nerd, you might say—if you could go anywhere, where would you want to go? What would you want to see?”

Thanks to these suggestions, the series explores various historical periods, like the deck of the 19th-century pirate Zheng Yi Sao’s ship and the Trojan War. Other inputs came from historians and writers on the show’s staff, who even included a stop during the Harlem Renaissance and featured Mansa Musa, thought to be the wealthiest individual ever.

“So he’s an obvious target to meet,” Clement said.

Historical events have their fair share of absurdity and wonder, a concept originally capitalized on by Terry Gilliam in his 1981 classic “Time Bandits.” This film served as a foundation for what Clement, Morris, and Waititi expanded upon. Gilliam’s creative sensibilities make it no surprise that Clement’s style has been compared to “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.”

However, Clement clarifies he wasn’t heavily influenced by “Monty Python.” Instead, he grew up watching shows like “The Young Ones” and “Black Adder.” Nonetheless, Morris, who previously worked with Clement on “Flight of the Conchords” and co-wrote “Next Goal Wins” with Waititi, believes Clement was more influenced by “Python” than he acknowledges.

Adapting “Time Bandits” allowed Morris to explore his love for history further. One episode sees Kevin and company clashing with the Earl of Sandwich over their decision to feast on a stolen pineapple. “A very close friend, Francesca Beauman, wrote a history of the pineapple. Jemaine knows Francesca as well,” Morris shared. The show blends comedy and education, encouraging viewers to google more about the historical figures they encounter.

The series aims to entertain parents who fondly remember watching Gilliam’s movie in their youth while inspiring them to watch this new version with their kids. Clement is pleased that families are watching it together, saying, “And I think when people look for family movies, they often look to the ‘80s because there were so many great family movies coming out then.”

Some changes were necessary to adapt to modern times. For instance, the character Pure Evil, played by Clement, wields less slapstick menace compared to David Warner’s portrayal in the original. This time, Clement’s villain is more cautious with his violence, though not entirely devoid of deadly moments.

The series also boasts more elaborate costumes and special effects, thanks to a larger budget from Apple, although Clement quipped about budget constraints that required him and Waititi to play key roles themselves. “We couldn’t bring the people we wanted to New Zealand for these relatively small parts,” he said.

The original movie’s villain aimed to dominate the world through personal computers, which were novel at the time. For this updated series, the script’s initial drafts were more critical of technology. Eventually, the focus shifted to Kevin’s parents struggling to connect with their son’s interest in reading and learning.

Another significant change from the original involved casting. Instead of recruiting little people to play the Bandits, average-sized actors were cast alongside Kudrow. Both Morris and Clement clarified they intended to feature characters played by little people but wanted to avoid backward depictions, a nod to Peter Dinklage’s comments on Disney’s live-action “Snow White.”

Clement added that one actor originally hired was a little person but chose another project. The intention was always to have a mixed cast, which led to secondary roles for actors with dwarfism that are expected to expand in the potential second season.

“We talked a lot about that, actually, and we read articles and stuff about what the set was like on the original ‘Time Bandits,’” Morris noted, concerned about not repeating past mistakes.

Despite some initial backlash, much of the feedback has been encouraging. “’Time Bandits’ is the first thing that my son’s ever been able to watch that I’ve done because it’s not just constant filth,” Morris said.

Morris and Clement enjoyed the creative process, drawing inspiration from Gilliam’s original movie. “The people that love ‘Time Bandits’ really love it,” Morris said. “I’ve enjoyed playing with it and taking the best from the original. How lucky to get a chance to use the word ‘Pythonesque,’ to use ideas that Terry Gilliam had and sort of play with them.”

Clement echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing how each character’s unique talents ultimately find their place. “But I think it has generally the same theme that the thing you’re good at will find its place one day, or you will find your place for it if you keep trying,” he said.

New episodes of “Time Bandits” stream Wednesdays on Apple TV+.

Source: Salon