Time Bandits Season 1 Episodes 5 and 6 Review: Georgian / Mansa Musa

Time Bandits hits past its midpoint with a pair of uneven episodes. One episode features a weak storyline starring the Earl of Sandwich, while the other contains a more sincere and joyful episode with one of the richest men who ever lived on Earth.

Time Bandits Season 1 Episode 5, “Georgian,” is more or less an irrelevant, one-off episode that barely offers any new tidbits that move the plot forward.

While “Georgian” begins amusingly enough with the titular Time Bandits trying to eat sticks for substances, most of the jokes in the episode fall flat. Even though Mark Gatiss from Sherlock and Doctor Who fame offers an admirably active performance as the Earl of Sandwich, the episode doesn’t take full advantage of its setting.

The subplot with Casanova falling for Judy, the empath within the bandits, feels very tacked on.

Alex Gibson-Giorgio’s performance as Casanova isn’t nearly as fun as Gatiss’s. And the running gag of every woman fainting at the mere sight of him (except for Judy) feels overplayed.

The subplot is the most that Judy, played by Charlyne Yi, has ever done in the show. Yet it doesn’t further develop her character — other than making her appear romance-proof. The episode also goes into Bittelig’s crush on Judy, but even that feels undercooked.

Half of the Time Bandits are still enigmas despite the season reaching the halfway point. Besides Penelope, Kevin, and Alto, hardly any other bandits have serious development.

The series gives Alto (Tadhg Murphy) a subplot about getting his first real acting gig and wanting the rest of the bandits to show up to his play.  It eventually leads to an entertaining confrontation of Alto trying to stop a duel, and he later admits he only wanted to be an actor after reading a pamphlet and misreading Hamlet as Hamphlet.

Time Bandits Season 1 Episode 6, “Mansa Musa,” is a much more earnest episode, boosted by strong guest performances. The episode starts strong and uncharacteristically dark, with black clouds grabbing Judy mid-time jump.

The bandits meet Mansa Musa, one of the richest men ever, who lived in northern Africa during medieval times. Kevin, who is often undervalued among the other time bandits, develops a bond with the man himself. 

The chemistry between Kal-El Tuck as Kevin and Hammed Animashaun as Mansa Musa is genuinely sweet, with both actors playing off one another very well. The Mansa Musa gives Kevin some genuine advice that does affect the young boy.

The rest of the bandits also have their own fun character journeys in this episode. Penelope (Lisa Kudrow) becomes depressed when she starts believing she isn’t the great thief she thought she was. Widgit, the map reader of the bandits played by Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, discovers to finally read the map.

Judy’s absence in the episode is barely noticeable, proving how little the character actually added to the show. Hopefully, her being a prisoner for the Supreme Being will further flesh out her character.

Kevin’s sister Saffron continues her quest to find her brother through time, while the demon Fianna stalks the bandits.

Not much progression is made with either plotline other than Saffron landing in the Ice Age, and Fianna shooting the Earl of Sandwich (which he ineffectively blocks with a sandwich underneath his coat).

The cracks in the show’s production value are starting to peek through. The CGI for the Mansa Musa settlement isn’t convincing, and the show is already reusing the Stonehedge set during the cold opening for the fifth episode.

“Georgian” feels like the least consequential episode in Time Bandits so far, whereas “Mansa Musa” offers some of the best material and character development. The end of Episode 6 hints darker things are waiting for the bandits, hopefully pointing to a more serious latter half of the season.

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

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