time travel children's show

The 32 Best TV Shows About Time Travel

Time traveling is a popular topic when it comes to all types of entertainment from books to films. But in recent years time travel has also become a popular theme in TV.

So let’s take a look at this list of the best time traveling TV shows and find out how each of them handles time travel and all the history that comes with it.

Doctor Who, BBC One (1963 – 1989, 2005 – present)

When it comes to time traveling and TV, probably the most notable name in this niche is Doctor Who  because this time travel series has been around for 39 seasons and is still going strong.

Hailing from British television channel BBC One, Doctor Who tells the tale of the Time Lord aka The Doctor, and his companions as they travel to different times and try to prevent evil forces from changing history and hurting innocent lives.

Once the Time Lord gets hurt beyond healing, he can transform into a new body and continue saving the world. Hence why at this point 13 (soon to be 14) different actors have played The Doctor.

Doctor Who is not only a huge part of the fabric of British popular culture but by now this time travel show has found its way into the hearts of many people all over the world.

It has inspired many spin-offs in the form of TV shows, comic books, movies, novels, you name it. But more than that, by now it has become an industry standard both when it comes to science-fiction television series and shows about time travel.

No wonder that Doctor Who continues to be successful after countless actor changes and plot twists.

Where to watch Doctor Who:

Timeless, nbc (2016 – 2018).

Another time travel TV series that has already become a cult classic and is adored by fans all over the world is NBC’s Timeless . And despite the turmoil that this show has gone through, it still is time traveling at its best.

Starring Malcolm Barrett, Matt Lanter, and Abigail Spencer as Rufus, Wyatt, and Lucy, Timeless  details the trio traveling to different times in an effort to stop their adversaries from rewriting history.

But as it later turns out, the conspiracy goes deeper than them just changing history. Since the people who our trio is chasing are traveling through time to take down a dangerous and all-powerful organization. The same one that helped build the time machine that Rufus, Wyatt, and Lucy are using.

And although Timeless went on for just two seasons (and a two-hour wrap-up movie), you should still check out the show because it’s not only entertaining but will make you think and want to know more about the events that each episode is exploring.

Where to watch Timeless:

Dc’s legends of tomorrow, the cw (2016 – present).

If you are a fan of superhero TV shows, then you will probably have heard about DC’s Legends of Tomorrow . It is a show that is a huge part of The CW’s Arrowverse. And has crossed over with shows like Arrow , The Flash , and Supergirl multiple times now.

And even if you don’t like the rest of the superhero series but do enjoy a good old time travel TV show, then I suggest you still give Legends of Tomorrow a watch.

The plot of this show is based around a team of superheroes that are traveling through time in their time machine christened the Waverider to prevent different catastrophes from happening. Both ones made by others and those created by the team’s previous adventures.

At the forefront, there are well-known DC heroes like Rip Hunter, Firestorm, The Atom, Kid Flash, Steel, and Vixen. Joined by some original characters like Caity Lotz’s White Canary among others.

One of the defining characteristics of Legends of Tomorrow is how fun it is. Because adjectives like unapologetic, witty, and entertaining are frequently used to describe this time travel series.

However, more than that, it adds an interesting layer to the whole Arrowverse universe. And above all, it is just a hoot to watch.

Where to watch Legends of Tomorrow:

12 monkeys, syfy (2015 – 2018).

Then there also is SyFy’s 12 Monkeys , which is a little darker take on time traveling. One that comes with mystery, drama, and apocalyptic stakes. But that doesn’t lessen how good this time travel TV series is.

Split between two timelines, 12 Monkeys centers on Aaron Stanford’s James Cole, who is tasked to travel back in time and stop the distribution of a virus that has the ability to end the human race as we know it.

In Cole’s real timeline, the year is 2043 and people are struggling to survive because of the terrible mutations caused by the virus. So Cole travels back to 2015 to find virologist Cassie Railly, played by Amanda Schull, that can help him stop the release of the virus and the organization that is behind it called The Army of the 12 Monkeys.

If you think about it, the post-apocalyptic setting and time travel really do go hand in hand. Because if you can go back in time to stop history from being changed, why not go back to change it if it prevents something terrible from happening?

And that is what this show explores. Beautifully combining elements of mystery, drama, and science fiction, to form a great TV show.

Where to watch 12 Monkeys:

Outlander, starz (2014 – present).

Want another show that mixes time travel with historical events and does it flawlessly? Then you should put Outlander on your must-watch TV show list!

The show starts in the 1940s when a combat nurse Claire Randall visits Inverness, Scotland as part of her second honeymoon with her husband Frank. Claire accidentally happens upon the standing stones at Craigh na Dun which transport her back in time to 1743.

To return to her own time she first has to survive 18th-century Scotland. And she does so by joining a group of rebel Highlanders from Clan MacKenzie and marrying one of the Highlanders, Jamie Fraser. But eventually, she falls in love with her new husband and aids the clan in evading British redcoats that are pursuing them.

Over the five seasons of Outlander that are currently out (with the sixth coming soon), we see Claire jump back and forth between the 20th and 18th centuries and her two families as she faces two pregnancies, wars, and much more. But eventually, Claire finds her way back to Jamie.

Where to watch Outlander:

Travelers, showcase (2016 – 2018).

Then we have Travelers , a joint venture between Netflix and Canada’s Showcase that will tick all of your time travel TV show boxes.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world , this show depicts the adventures of travelers – operatives who go back in time to prevent the collapse of society.

These travelers are transferred into the bodies of our current-day humans, who otherwise would die, to blend in with twenty-first-century people. And with the help of their artificial intelligence boss from the future, travelers carry out missions in order to stop many catastrophic events from happening.

Travelers is a great mix of sci-fi and drama, featuring a great cast and spine-tingling storylines. So if you love all that and love a good time-travel series, then look no further than Travelers .

Where to watch Travelers:

Dark, netflix (2017 – 2020).

Netflix’s first German original series was the science fiction series Dark , which mixes in some mystery drama with sci-fi: time travel, the apocalypse, wormholes, and parallel worlds.

Dark takes place in Winden, a fictional German town, and begins in 2019 after children begin to disappear from the town. As the show progresses, however, timelines jump drastically between as early as 1921 to as late as 2053.

As four families in Winden investigate the disappearances to reunite with their lost loved ones, they discover a wormhole beneath the local powerplant that allows them to travel between timelines, thus uncovering a generations-long conspiracy involving the town and their families.

Where to watch Dark:

The umbrella academy, netflix (2019 – present).

Netflix brings another to the list with The Umbrella Academy .

On October 1, 1989, 43 infants were suddenly born from unsuspecting women despite them not even being pregnant the day before.

7 of them were raised together as the Hargreeve siblings and trained in their respective abilities until their relationship became strained as teenagers and they drifted apart.

Now, as adults, they’re brought back together by the death of their adoptive father – and the threat of the end of the world, of course.

They’re forced to travel back in time but end up in different times and places, and must find each other again to stop the nuclear apocalypse.

Where to watch The Umbrella Academy:

Seven days, upn (1998 – 2001).

We know that the National Security Agency has its share of secrets, but what if one of those secrets was a time-traveling machine?

In UPN’s Seven Days , the plot centers on one such device made from alien technology found at Roswell.

The Chronosphere, as it’s called, can only be used in times when national security is at risk – the limited capacity of the device allows for just one human to go back in time by seven days in order to avert disasters.

Thus, when the White House is attacked, the NSA employs former Navy SEAL and CIA operative Frank Parker to go back and prevent it from happening.

Where to watch Seven Days:

Loki, disney+ (2021 – present).

Yes, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the greatest gifts to the cinema of our time. Now, the MCU has expanded even further into the television medium and we’ve got a few series to accompany it!

One of those is Loki , which of course, centers on the God of Thunder’s mischievous adopted brother.

After the events in Avengers: Endgame , particularly his stealing of the Tesseract, Loki inadvertently creates another timeline that began in 2012, making him a “time variant” version of himself.

When confronted by the authorities, Loki is given two choices: face punishment and cease to exist, or travel through time to fix his own mess and the threat that has emerged.

Where to watch Loki:

Making history, fox (2017).

The thing about traveling back in time is, you have to be very careful that your actions in the past won’t affect the future (which is essentially your actual present).

Most of the time, that’s something you wouldn’t know until you go back to your time. In Making History , however, Dan Chambers travels back in time to right before the American Revolution and sets off a series of events that seriously mess up the future.

Being able to constantly travel between time periods, Dan recruits the help of history professor Chis Parrish to travel with him and ensure that the American Revolution still takes place.

Where to watch Making History:

Quantum leap, nbc (1989 – 1993).

The title of NBC’s sci-fi comedy-drama Quantum Leap is also the name of the time travel machine that accidentally sends its creator, physicist Dr. Sam Beckett, back into the past.

Now, he’s stuck – and not as himself, either!

Sam discovers that he jumped into the body of a stranger and because he’s still himself, doesn’t know all the details of his current identity.

With the help of his friend Al, who appears as a hologram only he can see, he must fix something that went wrong so he can jump in time again and eventually get back to his own body.

Where to watch Quantum Leap:

Quantum leap, nbc (2022 – present).

Speaking of Quantum Leap , in 2022 NBC revived the 1989 series into a more modern take on the cult classic.

In this new Quantum Leap , thirty years have passed since Dr. Sam Beckett vanished into the Quantum Leap accelerator, and the Quantum Leap project was put to rest.

Now the project is restarted with a new team, who tries to puzzle together the mysteries behind Beckett and his time-traveling machine.

So, we follow Ben Song, the lead physicist of the Quantum Leap time travel project, who gets lost in the past after leaping back in time.

As he tries to return to the present he is helped by his fiancée Addison Augustine, who appears to him as a hologram during each leap, and the team back in the present time.

Where to watch Quantum Leap reboot:

The way home, hallmark channel (2023 – present).

Among the newest time travel shows on this list is Hallmark’s The Way Home which has already been renewed for a second season.

The Way Home follows three generations of Landry women who learn that they can time travel after discovering a magic pond on their family’s farm in Port Haven.

When Kat and her daughter Alice return to Port Haven and are forced to move in with Alice’s estranged mother Del, the three women use time travel to uncover their family history, including what really happened to Kat’s little brother Jacob and whether they can prevent his disappearance.

Where to watch The Way Home:

Russian doll, netflix (2019 – 2022).

Netflix’s Russian Doll deviates from the traditional time travel theme of a willing traveler in one specific timeline because Russian Doll’s protagonist Nadia Vulvokov not only has absolutely no choice or control over her so-called time traveling, but hers is also a time loop.

She wakes up every day having to relive the day of her 36th birthday party in New York City; every time, she dies and comes back to the exact same moment.

Every time, Nadia scrambles to figure out what happens to her and tries to prevent her death, leading her to find Alan, a man who is experiencing the same time loop.

Where to watch Russian Doll:

Undone, prime video (2019 – present).

Undone may be an animated series, but it certainly isn’t geared toward younger audiences; though there is a touch of comedy, the series leans more towards the psychological drama genre and “explores the elastic nature of reality”.

The series follows Alma Winograd-Diaz right after she gets into a near-fatal car accident.

Right before the crash, she has a strange vision of her dead father, and right after it, she finds that she now has the ability to manipulate and move through time.

Using this newfound power, she travels between time periods to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding her father’s death.

Where to watch Undone:

Voyagers, nbc (1982 – 1983).

Premiering back in the early 1980s, NBC’s Voyagers! Is set in a world where time travel already exists.

In fact, there’s already a secret society in place that trains its members, called Voyagers, to go back in time and make sure that historical events happen exactly the way they’re supposed to – otherwise it could affect the present in unexpected ways.

One such Voyager is Phineas Bogg, although he isn’t exactly the best at the job.

During an accidental trip to 1982, he meets the young Jeffrey Jones and ends up bringing him along on one of his missions.

Having lost his Guidebook, Phineas now needs to rely on the extremely smart Jeffrey to get history right.

Where to watch Voyagers!:

Fringe, fox (2008 – 2013).

Fox’s Fringe is a series that was well into the science fiction genre, with parallel universes, supernatural abilities, biotechnology, doomsday predictions, and of course, time travel.

The title is taken from fringe science, which is a branch that deals with scientific theories riddled with skepticism or even having been disproven already.

In Fringe , Special Agent Olivia Dunham is assigned to oversee the FBI ’s Fringe Division, which is run by Peter Bishop and his father Walter.

Together, the team uses both fringe science and Olivia’s knowledge in investigative techniques to explore the unexplained.

In the process, they discover a larger mystery involving parallel universes and alternate timelines .

Where to watch Fringe:

Time after time, abc (2017).

ABC’s Time After Time is based on the novel of the same name written by Kevin Williamson in 1979.

In addition to that, each episode takes its title from a line in Cyndi Lauper’s song, which was inspired by the film (and subsequently, the same book!).

In Time After Time , we are taken to H.G. Wells’ home in 1893.

During a dinner party, he reveals his time machine – right before his guest John Stevenson is arrested for actually being Jack the Ripper .

John escapes through the time machine and Wells follows him straight into the present: 2017. Thus begins a cat-and-mouse game as John attempts to gain control of the machine.

Where to watch Time After Time:

11.22.63, hulu (2016).

When you have anything with Stephen King involved, you know it’s going to be great.

Hulu’s eight-episode miniseries 11.22.63 is based on King’s novel 11/22/63 and is a science fiction thriller like no other.

Starring James Franco in the lead role, 11.22.63 follows Jake Epping, an English teacher from Maine .

His best friend Al reveals a time travel machine and asks him to take over the mission he’s been working on: to travel to the 60s and prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Will Jake be successful in changing a past that simply refuses to be changed?

Where to watch 11.22.63:

The 4400, usa network/sky one (2004 – 2007).

The 4400 is yet another slightly different take on the idea of time travel, in that there has been just one (fairly significant) shift forward in time, to the present.

Beginning in 1946, individuals who were easily overlooked or marginalized by society slowly began disappearing through beams of green light.

Now, all 4400 of them (hence the title) have been returned to the present day – without having aged a day and in some cases, even manifesting supernatural abilities like telekinesis, healing, and telepathy.

Tom Baldwin and Diana Skouris are assigned to investigate the phenomenon and find out why the 4400 have returned.

NOTE: For a fresher take on the show, you can also check out the reboot of the original series which is currently airing on The CW.

Where to watch The 4400:

Somewhere between, abc (2017).

When tragedy strikes our lives, we always wish there was something we could’ve done to prevent it.

In ABC’s Somewhere Between we meet Laura Price, a successful news producer with a great career, a loving husband who’s a district attorney, and a beautiful daughter named Serena.

However, her life changes when the serial killer she is helping the cops to catch kills Serena.

Distraught with grief , Laura attempts to complete suicide but is unsuccessful, instead waking up having time-traveled to a week before Serena’s death.

She teams up with Nico, a former SFPD detective who experienced the same reset and wants to find the real killer to change his brother’s fate as well.

Where to watch Somewhere Between:

Terra nova, fox (2011).

Terra Nova takes its viewers to both extremes of the time-traveling timeline.

The present-day is 2149, where overpopulation has threatened to deplete the Earth’s resources.

In an attempt to save Earth and mankind, scientists have found a way to travel back in time, sending groups of humans back to the Cretaceous Period to set up colonies.

Terra Nova focuses primarily on Elisabeth and Jim Shannon, and their three children, who have joined the 10th pilgrimage to Terra Nova.

They offer their expertise as a trauma surgeon and former narcotics detective and help those in charge with stopping those whose intentions go against the greater good.

Where to watch Terra Nova:

Frequency, the cw (2016 – 2017).

One concept in time travel is known as “the butterfly effect”, wherein one small change in time may have great effects elsewhere.

Frequency demonstrates this concept perfectly.

Raimy Sullivan is an NYPD detective who, after a strange weather phenomenon, discovers that she can communicate with her dead father through his old ham radio.

Believing he was a corrupt cop, she learns the truth and warns him of his murder, thus saving his life.

However, this has profound effects on the future – Raimy’s present.

Now, they must work together across time to save her father and preserve the present.

Where to watch Frequency:

Life on mars, bbc one (2006).

In many of the shows on the list so far, the protagonists experience a time loop that’s triggered at the point of their death.

It’s no different for Sam Tyler, the main character in the British series Life on Mars .

Sam is a Detective Chief Inspector with the Greater Manchester Police, but one day he accidentally gets hit by a car.

When he awakens, he’s in 1973 and working at one rank lower than he was: Detective Inspector.

The selling point of Life on Mars , however, is that we’re left unsure if Sam’s predicament is due to his actual death, a comatose, or time travel.

Where to watch Life on Mars:

Always a witch, netflix (2019 – 2020).

Always A Witch (or Siempre Bruja in its original Spanish title) is a Colombian series that is set in both present-day Colombia and the 17th century .

The series follows Carmen Eguiliuz, a young 19-year-old witch who, after committing the crime of falling in love with a white man in 1646 colonial Colombia, is scheduled to be burned at the stake.

She gets a chance to escape to a new life when the mysterious wizard Aldemar makes a deal with her: he will save the man she loves if she travels into the future to find the woman who can break his curse.

Where to watch Always a Witch:

Beforeigners, hbo (2019 – present).

HBO’s Beforeigners is a Norwegian sci-fi crime drama series and the first Norwegian original from HBO Europe.

The title is a clever play on words centered on the general plot: a group of “foreigners” has suddenly shown up at a neighborhood in Oslo, and they are all from “before” times, or several different time periods in history.

Whether from the Viking period , the Stone Age, or the more recent 19th century , each of these ‘Beforeigners’ tries to integrate in modern-day Norwegian society.

One of them even partners with a detective to investigate first a murdered Stone Age woman, then a series of murderers tied to Jack the Ripper.

Where to watch Beforeigners:

Alice, sbs tv (2020).

Alice was a South Korean sci-fi series that aired in late 2020.

In the lead-up to the main plot, the show’s background is explained to its viewers.

Set in 2050, time travel is monitored by an agency called Alice, which sends its clients to the past to help find closure with deceased loved ones.

Alice one day sends two agents to 1992 in order to find the Book of Prophecy, but one of them disappears with the book and her unborn child.

In 2020, the child becomes a detective and in his investigation into his mother’s death in 2010, discovers the existence of Alice and time travel.

Where to watch Alice:

Live up to your name, tvn (2017).

Yet another South Korean time travel series , Live Up to Your Name initially takes its viewers some 400 years into the past, right in the middle of the Joseon dynasty.

There we meet Heo Im, a doctor of traditional Korean medicine who also specializes in acupuncture.

On one of his treatments of the king’s migraines, he made a mistake and was charged with treason.

Chased by the king’s soldiers, he’s shot with an arrow and presumed dead when he falls into the river – except he ends up waking up in present-day Seoul instead, where he meets cardiothoracic surgeon Choi Yeon-kyung.

Where to watch Live Up to Your Name:

My only love song, netflix (2017).

Our third South Korean series is Netflix’s My Only Love Song , which aired in 2017.

We start off in modern-day Korea where we meet Soo-jung, a talented and top-level actress.

However, it seems that the fame may have gotten to her head as she’s arrogant, and believes fame and money make the world go round.

When things don’t go her way on her new show, she winds up in a time-traveling van that takes her to the 6th century.

There, she meets a man much like herself in terms of arrogance, but his hidden soft spot and generosity towards the poor changes her perspective on her own life and self.

Where to watch My Only Love Song:

Signal, tvn (2016).

Signal is based on the 2000 American film Frequency , but another thing that sets this South Korean series apart from others is that the cases investigated in the series are also based on real-life crimes in the country.

Signal follows a cold case profiler from 2015 and a detective from 1989 simultaneously; they discover they’re able to communicate with each other through an old walkie-talkie.

Using this unique ability to provide much-needed foresight in investigations, they team up to both solve and in some cases, even prevent these horrific crimes.

Where to watch Signal:

Rooftop prince, sbs (2012).

Last but not least, South Korea brings its last time-traveling series to the table with Rooftop Prince , a comedy-drama filled with intrigue, mixed identities, and possible reincarnations.

Crown Prince Lee Gak from the Joseon dynasty accidentally time travels to 2012 with three others from his entourage, and their lives are thrown into a whirlwind.

He crosses paths with Se-na, who looks exactly like his recently deceased wife.

In the hopes of getting answers about his wife’s mysterious drowning, he assumes the identity of another man who he also looks exactly like and attempts to marry Se-na in this timeline as well.

Where to watch Rooftop Prince:

11 comments.

Tomorrow people cw

You forgot The Time Tunnel, an Irwin Allen sci-fi show (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost In Space, Land of The Giants), all classic 60s sci-fi

Journeyman should also be on this list. It was only half a season on NBC but it wraps up to a satisfying conclusion.

Fantastic acting and interesting characters.

Glad someone else watched Journeyman. I thought I’d was a great spiritual successor to Quantum Leap.

Journeyman is one of the good shows u can watch but qunatum leap i watched and didnt like

Where is The Time Tunnel?????

Another show for your list is “Being Erica” (CBC, 2009-2011). Excellent writing, and very unique.

i was looking for this comment. such an underrated show

I concur. This was definitely a great one. It certainly provides a lot of food for thought.

Some of the information in the Doctor Who one is wrong. It started in 1963, it was only revived in 2005 (you put 2006), and it’s been going for 39 seasons, as of June 2022

Thanks for letting me know! I updated the article accordingly.

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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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Kids' Entertainment

Why can’t we all have a DeLorean?

Movies have a way of transporting us to another world for a few short hours. Sometimes to a totally different dimension! Truly, who hasn’t dreamt of hopping into a time machine after watching Back To The Future ? And if your kid’s imagination is also obsessed with all things time travel, be sure to check out these awesome, family-friendly movies.

While science hasn’t quite figured out how to time travel in real life just yet, these movies fulfill that sense of fantasy. Sure, some kids might want to travel back in time to sneak in an extra cookie after dinner or maybe even witness some historical events they learn about in school, but what time travel movies can teach kids is a valuable lesson on enjoying the moment. Live in the moment, focus on the good... that sort of thing.

Below, you’ll find a collection of fun and funny fantasy movies that not only have a positive message and can bring you to a different dimension, but are fun to watch with the whole family. Read on for some of the best kid-friendly time travel films.

Action Replayy

In this Hindi-language film, a young man named Bunty enlists the help of his girlfriend’s eccentric grandfather to help reconcile his parents who are on the verge of divorce. With the help of a time machine, Bunty travels back to the uber groovy year of 1975, where he tries to make his parents fall in love. Think of it as the Bollywood version of Back to the Future.

Watch Action Replayy , rated TV-PG, on Netflix .

Alice Through the Looking Glass

The mad hatter is in trouble and Alice has to save him. With the help of a magical looking glass, she travels back to Underland and through time, where she must find out what is wrong with the Hatter before time runs out.

Watch Alice Through the Looking Glass, rated PG, on Disney+ .

A Kid in King Arthur’s Court

A mysterious earthquake takes a 14-year-old little league player, Calvin Fuller, into King Arthur’s court. When Calvin awakens in the Middle Ages, he discovers that he must rid Camelot of evil in order to save King Arthur.

Watch A Kid in King Arthur’s Court , rated PG, on Disney+ .

A Wrinkle In Time

Following the disappearance of Meg Murray’s father, she is visited by three astral travelers who bring her and her brother on a journey through “a wrinkle in time” to worlds beyond their imagination.

Watch A Wrinkle in Time, rated PG, on Disney+ .

Back to the Future

Teenager Marty McFly travels to the 1950’s, thanks to a time machine built by his scientist friend, Doc Brown. While in the ‘50s, Marty meets his parents, and has to make sure that they fall in love in this dimension in time, other wise he will cease to exist.

Rent Back to the Future, rated PG, on YouTube Movies for $3.99.

Back to the 90’s

A teenager is transported back to his parents’ high school days, where he has the chance to alter the events that led up to their divorce in this swoonworthy, Thai musical.

Watch Back to the 90’s , rated TV-14, on Netflix .

Adam Sandler stars as a dad who has everything — except enough time to do it all. With the help of a magical remote, he is able to pause, skip, and rewind to some of the best parts of his life. Although the film is rated PG-13 due to language and some crude humor, the moral of the story, and Sandler’s LOL comedy, is worth the watch.

Rent Click , rated PG-13, on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99.

Cinderella III: A Twist In Time

Cinderella is living her happily ever after, married to Prince Charming. But when Cinderella’s wicked stepmother gets a hold of the Fairy Godmother’s magic wand, she turns back time, leaving Cinderella searching for Prince Charming so she can break the spell.

Watch Cinderella III: A Twist in Time , rated G, on Disney+ .

Flight of the Navigator

David is an ordinary boy who takes a fantastical flying machine on a big adventure to the farthest reaches of the universe, and beyond.

Watch Flight of the Navigator, rated PG, on Disney+ .

Two lucky turkeys born on opposite sides of the tracks travel back in time to the first Thanksgiving for a history changing mission — prevent all turkeys from becoming dinner. Unfortunately, this proves to be difficult thanks to the colonists.

Watch Free Birds , rated PG, on Amazon Prime Video .

Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter’s third year at Hogwarts is off to a rough start. A famous killer has escaped prison and is bent on seeking revenge on Potter. Meanwhile, there is a rift between his two best friends, and a new teacher has been sent to protect him. But he manages to stay out of trouble, thanks to Hermione’s new ability to travel in time.

Watch Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban , rated PG, on Peacock .

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second One

When LEGO DUPLO invaders start to ruin everything in the path of the citizens of Bricksburg, it’s up to Emmet, Lucy, and LEGO Batman to travel to unexplored worlds to save their town.

Rent The LEGO Movie 2: The Second One, rated PG, on YouTube Movies for $3.99.

Meet the Robinsons

A young inventor named Lewis time travels to the year 2037, where he learns that the fate of the future is in his hands. With the help of the wacky Robinson family, he learns to keep moving forward.

Watch Meet the Robinsons , rated G, on Disney+.

Three high school outcasts invent the ultimate time machine to can take them back just far enough to alter conversations and interactions that led them to be uncool. But when their actions accidentally create a black hole, they learn that they can actually create a massive mess.

Watch Minutemen, rated TV-G, on Disney+ .

After the birth of his baby sister, 4-year-old Kun travels through time to meet people and pets from his family’s history in their mysterious home.

Watch Mirai , rated PG, on Netflix .

Saving Santa

An elf discovers the only way to stop an invasion of Santa’s Kingdom is to activate a secret time travel device in Santa’s sleigh. The elf musters enough courage to travel back in time to the North Pole to save Santa and have things go back to the way they were.

Rent Saving Santa, not rated, on YouTube Movies , for $2.99.

Shrek Forever After

Shrek, fully settled into married life, longs for the days when he was free to be an ogre. But after he’s duped into signing a contract, he enters in an alternate universe where ogres are hunted and he and his wife have never met. Shrek must find his way out of the universe in order to restore order and be reunited with his true love.

Watch Shrek Forever After, rated PG, on Amazon Prime Video .

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III

In this installment of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, reporter April O’Neil finds an ancient Japanese scepter that can transport people to different centuries. It’s up to the TMNT crew to travel back to the 17th century to save their friend and save the world.

Watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III , rated PG, on HBO Max .

Toy Story That Time Forgot

In the middle of one of Bonnie’s playdates, the Toy Story crew find themselves in uncharted waters when they discover that the new, cool set of action figure dinosaurs transports them to a prehistoric era in this short film.

Watch Toy Story That Time Forgot , rated TV-G, on Disney+ .

We’re Back! A Dinosaurs Story

Four dinosaurs are travel through time to modern day New York City, intent on bringing joy to the children living in the city. But, as always, nothing is what it seems.

Rent We’re Back! A Dinosaurs Story , rated G, on YouTube Movies for $3.99.

The Jetsons Meet The Flintstones

The beloved prehistoric family, the Flintstones, meet the family of the future, the Jetsons, when they are accidentally transported to the stone age. It’s your favorite cartoon families coming together to travel through time and switch lives — what more could you want?

Rent The Jetsons Meet The Flintstones, not rated, on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99.

This article was originally published on Aug. 14, 2021

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From 'Timeless' to 'Quantum Leap': 9 adventurous time travel TV shows worth going back to watch

The time periods might get old, but these shows never do.

Get ready to travel back to 10,000 B.C., because the second half of  La Brea 's sophomore season is here. The first half of Season 2 ended with most of the main cast deciding to return to perhistoric times rather than stick around in the '80s, in the hopes that they might one day be able to return to their correct time period. And, we learned that the cause of all this time travel madness might lie in the future, in the year 2076.

The midseason premiere , which runs a full two hours and airs tonight, Jan. 31, on NBC at 9 p.m. Eastern, will only take place in the year 10,000 B.C., though, as will the rest of the season, according showrunner David Appelbaum . Even if this next string of episodes won't involve any actual time traveling, the occasion of the midseason premiere has us thinking about some of the best time travel TV shows around.

We aimed at time-travel shows that skew more toward letting us explore the past and (recent) present in new ways. So, not a lot of apocalypse action to be had here (though we definitely recommend you binge more apocalyptic/future-y fare like Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, 12 Monkeys , and Continuum , too!). Instead, we’re looking at shows with more of a time-travel adventure bent focused on the far-flung or recent past.

From the biggies to deep cuts, these are some great time machines to jump into and distract yourself from reality.

01 . Timeless

If you’re looking for a wild, fun time-travel adventure, look no further than the short-lived Timeless . The series was a modest hit on NBC, inspiring a fervent fanbase, but the love wasn’t enough to extend its run past two seasons (plus an extended special to wrap up the show’s dangling storylines).

The series followed a rag-tag team of heroes as they zipped through time to different periods, trying to avert changes to the timeline and stop a mysterious cabal out to twist time to its own ends. It visited some great periods, from the Alamo to the heart of the space race in the late 1960s. It was smart, fun, and had a ton of heart.

Plus, even though the run was cut short, it actually has a true ending — so no pesky cancellation cliffhangers here.

How to watch: Hulu

02 . Legends of Tomorrow

The CW’s weirdest and wildest superhero show is also one of the most ambitiously goofy time travel exploits ever attempted. The series follows a team of D-list heroes thrown together on a space ship as they fly through time to try and stop "anomalies" in the timeline (they also tackle monsters and evil escapees from Hell along the way, to boot).

The show is just silly enough to work, but features enough seriousness to really make those time travel stories resonate along the way. Even more fun, all that time travel is also infused with tons of nods to decades of DC Comics lore, so there’s something for everybody.

Meet young Obama one episode, then head back to the Wild West (with Jonah Hex!) the next.

How to watch: Netflix, The CW app

03 . Outlander

This is a time travel story that starts in the past then goes way further back, but it’s one heck of a lovely and compelling tale.

The show follows a young woman who is swept from the 1940s all the way back to the 1700s, where romance, intrigue, and fantasy all come into play. It’s a love story at its heart, while also a fascinating exploration of the differences in a life lived across the eras.

How to watch: Netflix, Starz

04 . Quantum Leap

The OG, baby. This beloved late-1980s, early-1990s sci-fi series follows a man out of time, bouncing from body to body as he tries to right wrongs across the time stream.

Starring Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett, the show was smart, funny, and ahead of its time in a lot of ways. It also explored a ton of great periods in history, telling small-scale and world-shaking tales from the 1950s to the 1980s. With plenty of buzz about the reboot , it’s the perfect time to go back and enjoy those early adventures.

How to watch: Fridays on SYFY as part of SYFY Rewind.

05 . Making History

There’s a decent chance you missed this one the first go ‘round, and it’d be hard to blame you. The short-lived Fox comedy was burned off with little fanfare, having its initial 13-episode order chopped down to just nine before it was canceled.

But oh, what a fun nine episodes they were.

The show followed a slacker who figures out how to travel through time and does just that with his two pals. Think Doctor Who meets Bill & Ted , kinda? It also had a surprisingly rich pedigree, produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and starring Adam Pally, Leighton Meester, and Yassir Lester.

It was clever, hilarious, and really dug into the question of what you might really do with a time machine.

Watch it on : Amazon Prime (For Purchase)

06 . Doctor Who

The Doctor has been zipping around through history for longer than a lot of us have been alive and knows a thing or two about mucking around in the time stream.

Though the show often veers off into full-on sci-fi and fantasy, the time travel episodes are the meat and potatoes that make up the DNA of Doctor Who . The rotating regenerations of the Doctor have bounced everywhere from Pompeii to a trip back to hang out with Vincent van Gogh. Not to mention the fact that, if you’re looking for a very long binge, there are decades of Doctor Who going back to the early days, plus 12 seasons of the more modern run to keep you plenty busy.

Watch it on:  HBO Max

07 . Life On Mars (U.S.)

This one is based on a British series, but for our purposes, we’ll keep the focus on the U.S. version. The show starred Jason O’Mara as a present-day detective who wakes up in 1973 New York.

It’s a trippy, well-constructed cop and sci-fi series at its core, but more than that, it’s a compelling look at New York City in that much wilder era of the early 1970s. The vibe, the feel, the smell, even — it’s all there.

If you’re looking to disappear to the grittier, bell-bottomed world of NYC’s past, this should do the trick.

Watch it on: Amazon Prime (For Purchase)

08 . 11.22.63

This Stephen King-based miniseries was one of Hulu’s buzzy originals when it was still getting deeper into the original programming arena back around 2016. It follows a man, played by James Franco, who discovers the ability to travel back to the 1960s. So he takes on a mission to try and stop the assassination of JFK, forging a new life for himself in the 1960s in the hopes his efforts will make the world a better place. It also makes for an easy, concise binge, clocking in at eight episodes.

Watch it on: Hulu

09 . Journeyman

This short-lived 2007 series had all the makings of a sci-fi hit, except for the ratings. But despite its short run, the show was a smart, modern-day twist on the Quantum Leap formula.

It followed a newspaper reporter who suddenly starts jumping back in time, where he realizes he needs to help tweak the lives of those he meets for the better (sound familiar). But more than that, we get to see the impact these jumps make on his own life, as he reconnects with people from his past with the perspective and knowledge of his “future” life.

Sadly, it’s a bit hard to find on streaming, but well worth it if you can track it down.

Watch it on: Full series is available on DVD.

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• DC's Legends Of Tomorrow
• Quantum Leap
• Science Fiction
• Time Travel

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The 50+ Best Time Travel TV Shows, Ranked, Ranked

Are you ready to unravel the threads of time? This remarkable selection of the best time travel shows is filled with gripping narratives, memorable characters, and intriguing explorations of humanity's most complex enigma. These phenomenal series have not only captivated audiences but have also left an indelible mark on television history. Prepare to be taken on a thrilling ride through past, present, and future as these amazing tales challenge the limits of human imagination. 

The best time travel shows mesmerize viewers with their unique, thought-provoking explorations of temporal themes. With their gripping, groundbreaking, and original stories, these series immerse viewers in worlds where the rules of time are bent and broken. These exceptional shows have impacted the television industry at large, earning both pop culture prominence and critical acclaim for their unique takes on time-hopping adventures. 

Each offering in the best time travel TV shows selection offers a unique insight into the fascinating realm of temporal navigation. Embark on a mind-bending journey through different eras with Dark , where intricate storytelling keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Delve into the heart-pounding mission to save humanity in 12 Monkeys , a show that blends compelling character arcs with stunning visuals and complex narrative. Experience the race against time in Timeless , a thrilling adventure filled with historical intrigue, unexpected twists, and powerful emotions. These remarkable shows are just a few of the outstanding lineup waiting to transport you through the ages. 

Time travel shows are popular and have had a profound impact on television culture because of the engaging narratives, dynamic characters, and thought-provoking themes. By providing riveting stories, unforgettable characters, and thought-provoking insights into the nature of time, these phenomenal series have solidified their places in the pantheon of the greatest time travel TV shows. So, sit back and prepare to lose track of time as audacious heroes take you on unforgettable voyages through the ages. 

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  For those who appreciate intricate storytelling, Dark is the perfect fit as it masterfully explores themes of time travel, human relationships, and existentialism. This German-language Netflix original gained immense popularity globally for its complexity and mind-bending narrative structure. Don't miss out on this modern sci-fi masterpiece that has been compared to Stranger Things  with a darker twist.

Is Dark Worth Your Time?

• # 163 of 302 on The Best TV Shows Of The Past 20 Years
• # 148 of 278 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time
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Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Inspired by Terry Gilliam's cult classic film, Syfy's 12 Monkeys raises the stakes in science fiction television by expertly weaving together elements of time travel, suspense, and character-driven drama. The show boasts an incredibly talented cast led by Aaron Stanford and Amanda Schull, whose performances earned rave reviews from critics. Be prepared to be hooked on this intense yet thoughtfully crafted series that redefines the boundaries of traditional sci-fi storytelling.

Is 12 Monkeys Worth Your Time?

• # 91 of 279 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time
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Quantum Leap

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Quantum Leap is a beloved sci-fi classic well known for its unique premise and episodic adventures filled with heart and humor. Scott Bakula stars as Dr. Sam Beckett, who leaps through time to inhabit various lives while solving problems and altering history for the better. An essential watch for any fan of vintage television or science fiction, don't miss out on this entertaining journey through time.

Is Quantum Leap Worth Your Time?

• # 21 of 279 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time
• # 76 of 449 on The 440+ Best Binge Worthy Shows Of All Time
• # 57 of 148 on Shows With The Best Freakin' Series Finales Of All Time

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Drama meets adventure in Timeless as viewers follow a team of unlikely heroes tasked with chasing a dangerous fugitive through time. Tackling important historical events and figures, the show offers an enjoyable, educational, and thoughtfully presented fictional journey into America's past. Watch Timeless for its engaging pace, well-developed characters, and clever mix of history and science fiction.

Is Timeless Worth Your Time?

• # 68 of 279 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time
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• # 251 of 640 on The 500+ Best Drama Shows

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Based on Diana Gabaldon's best-selling novels, Outlander captivates viewers with its lush historical backdrop combined with elements of fantasy and romance. Set primarily in 18th century Scotland, the show seamlessly melds genres to create a visually stunning and emotionally poignant experience for fans of both history and fantasy alike. Tune in for the passionate love story between Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), but stay for the epic tale that unfolds across centuries.

Is Outlander Worth Your Time?

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• # 18 of 106 on The Best Drama TV Shows Airing Now
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The Twilight Zone

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  With its timeless blend of horror, fantasy, and science fiction storytelling, The Twilight Zone remains one of television's most influential series ever created. From the mind of Rod Serling, this anthology program invites viewers to explore strange new worlds filled with eerie twists and social commentary still relevant today. Step into The Twilight Zone for a classic dose of unpredictable entertainment that defies convention.

Is The Twilight Zone Worth Your Time?

• Dig Deeper... The Best Twilight Zone Episodes of All Time
• And Deeper... Longest Running Sci-Fi TV Shows
• # 9 of 279 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  A refreshing take on the time travel genre, Travelers introduces viewers to a compelling story about operatives sent back in time to prevent humanity's dystopian future. With standout performances from Eric McCormack and Mackenzie Porter, this Canadian-produced series delivers thrilling suspense while exploring themes of sacrifice and responsibility. Stream Travelers for an intelligent sci-fi experience that will leave you questioning your own reality.

Is Travelers Worth Your Time?

• # 56 of 279 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time
• # 336 of 636 on The 500+ Best Drama Shows
• # 4 of 20 on The Most Underrated Sci-Fi TV Shows Of The 2010s

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Featuring an ever-changing lineup of talented actors as the titular Doctor, this long-running British TV staple has captivated generations with its fantastical adventures through time and space. Doctor Who is beloved for its imaginative storytelling, eccentrically brilliant characters, and endearing camaraderie between the Doctor and their various companions—making it a must-watch institution in science fiction television history.

Is Doctor Who Worth Your Time?

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• # 3 of 252 on The 250+ Best BBC One Shows, Ranked
• # 254 of 469 on The 400+ Funniest TV Shows Ever, Ranked

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Adapted from Stephen King's mesmerizing novel by J.J Abrams' Bad Robot Productions, 11.22.63 stars James Franco as a high school teacher tasked with preventing JFK's assassination via time travel in this limited series event from Hulu Originals. This thrilling eight-part drama combines high-stakes intrigue with poignant character development for both fans of King's work or those new to time-travel mysteries.

Is 11.22.63 Worth Your Time?

• # 234 of 640 on The 500+ Best Drama Shows
• # 210 of 449 on The 440+ Best Binge Worthy Shows Of All Time
• # 3 of 105 on The 80+ Best Originals On Hulu, Ranked By Fans

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  This award-winning Canadian sci-fi series offers a fresh take on the time-travel genre by blending compelling crime drama with thought-provoking futuristic elements. Led by Rachel Nichols as a time-traveling cop from 2077, Continuum delves into themes of morality, power dynamics, and shifting allegiances—making it a must-watch for fans seeking intelligent science fiction grounded in human emotion.

Is Continuum Worth Your Time?

• # 75 of 143 on The Best Of Premium Cable TV Series
• # 76 of 278 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time
• # 297 of 449 on The 440+ Best Binge Worthy Shows Of All Time

Paper Girls

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Based on the acclaimed graphic novel series by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang, Amazon Prime's Paper Girls follows a group of young girls in the 1980s who become entangled in a time-traveling war that spans across multiple eras. Fans can look forward to a thrilling adventure infused with nostalgic charm, heartfelt friendships, and thought-provoking themes about growing up amid extraordinary circumstances.

Is Paper Girls Worth Your Time?

• # 194 of 669 on The 600+ Best TV Shows Of The Last 5 Years
• # 995 of 1,039 on The 250+ Best Streaming Shows Of The Last Few Years
• # 67 of 304 on The Best Shows Canceled After a Single Season

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  A captivating medical drama wrapped in mystery, Bodies focuses on two doctors working in different eras who find themselves linked through their patients' inexplicable illnesses. With thoughtfully constructed storylines that focus on ethics within the medical profession and a riveting look at how past actions can impact present realities, Bodies offers an intense viewing experience well worth diving into.

Is Bodies Worth Your Time?

• # 91 of 670 on The 600+ Best TV Shows Of The Last 5 Years
• # 137 of 645 on The 500+ Best Current Shows On Netflix
• # 129 of 132 on The Very Best British Crime Dramas

Russian Doll

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Nominated for nine Emmy Awards including Outstanding Comedy Series, Russian Doll is an inventive blend of dark comedy and existential exploration set within a seemingly endless time loop premise. Starring Natasha Lyonne as Nadia Vulvokov, this critically acclaimed Netflix original showcases sharp writing, brilliant performances, and unexpected twists that will keep audiences guessing until the very end.

Is Russian Doll Worth Your Time?

• # 37 of 669 on The 600+ Best TV Shows Of The Last 5 Years
• # 14 of 643 on The 500+ Best Current Shows On Netflix
• # 22 of 1,039 on The 250+ Best Streaming Shows Of The Last Few Years

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Based on the 2000 film of the same name, Frequency follows NYPD detective Raimy Sullivan as she discovers an old ham radio that allows her to communicate with her deceased father in the past. This CW series digs deep into themes of family, redemption, and fate while providing viewers with a thrilling mystery and gripping emotional drama. Watch Frequency to explore the unbreakable bond between parent and child across both time and space.

Is Frequency Worth Your Time?

• # 182 of 279 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time
• # 23 of 304 on The Best Shows Canceled After a Single Season
• # 131 of 149 on The 140+ Best Romantic Teenage Series

The Umbrella Academy

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Superheroes meet family dysfunction in Netflix's adaptation of Gerard Way's comic book series The Umbrella Academy —an enthralling mix of dark humor, action-packed sequences, and heartfelt character development set against a backdrop of impending apocalypse scenarios involving time travel elements. With a stellar ensemble cast led by Ellen Page and Robert Sheehan, this series stands out as an engaging alternative to traditional superhero fare.

Is The Umbrella Academy Worth Your Time?

• Dig Deeper... Wardrobe Secrets From Behind The Scenes Of ‘The Umbrella Academy’
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• # 7 of 670 on The 600+ Best TV Shows Of The Last 5 Years

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  From the creators of The Simpsons comes Futurama —an animated sci-fi/comedy series that has amassed a dedicated fanbase since its debut in 1999. Set in the year 3000, this hilarious show explores themes like fate versus free will while delivering biting social commentary and unpredictable storylines befitting any fan of adult animation or science fiction.

Is Futurama Worth Your Time?

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Legends of Tomorrow

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  For viewers craving an action-packed adventure filled with superheroes and time travel shenanigans, look no further than DC's Legends of Tomorrow . This CW spin-off showcases fan-favorite characters from Arrow and The Flash as they embark on missions throughout history while grappling with their own personal demons along the way. Watch Legends of Tomorrow for its delightful blend of comedy, drama, and high-flying heroics.

Is Legends of Tomorrow Worth Your Time?

• Dig Deeper... The Best Characters On 'Legends of Tomorrow'
• # 232 of 302 on The Best TV Shows Of The Past 20 Years
• # 115 of 279 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Lost remains one of the most influential television series in recent history thanks to its groundbreaking storytelling techniques, complex character development, and thrilling suspense. The show delves into themes of survival, morality, and the nature of human connection through a multi-layered narrative that keeps fans guessing from episode to episode—a must-watch for anyone seeking thoughtful entertainment with a touch of mystery.

Is Lost Worth Your Time?

• Dig Deeper... The Best LOST Characters
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• # 37 of 302 on The Best TV Shows Of The Past 20 Years

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Undone is an Amazon Prime original set apart by its unique rotoscope animation style and compelling exploration of mental illness within the framework of time travel-based storylines. Featuring Rosa Salazar's captivating performance as Alma Winograd-Diaz alongside Bob Odenkirk (star from Breaking Bad ), fans can expect thought-provoking content grounded in raw emotion with visually stunning visuals sure to draw them in.

Is Undone Worth Your Time?

• # 329 of 409 on The Best TV Shows Returning In 2022
• # 80 of 202 on The Best New Shows That Premiered in 2019
• # 42 of 52 on The Best 2019 Original Streaming Platform Shows

Watch This Show If You Love :  Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Prepare for an awe-inspiring journey through time as Quantum Leap masterfully combines science fiction, drama, and adventure while addressing thought-provoking social issues. The series has been widely praised for its innovative concept, strong performances, and compelling storylines. Embrace the opportunity to watch this influential show that pushes the boundaries of television entertainment in today's era.

• # 272 of 670 on The 600+ Best TV Shows Of The Last 5 Years
• # 30 of 38 on The 25+ Best Current Sci-Fi Shows
• # 174 of 279 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  A sinkhole appears in Los Angeles, swallowing up numerous individuals who then find themselves transported back millions of years into a prehistoric world unknown to modern humanity. La Brea offers a thrilling mix of survival drama, action, and science fiction elements while delving into themes such as family bonds and human resilience—an ideal watch for those seeking high-stakes adventure with heart.

Is La Brea Worth Your Time?

• # 635 of 636 on The 500+ Best Drama Shows
• # 8 of 17 on The Best New Shows About Time Travel
• # 36 of 64 on The Best NBC Dramas of All Time

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  This NBC mystery-drama explores themes such as destiny and interconnectedness when passengers aboard Montego Air Flight 828 return home after a seemingly routine flight only to find that five years have passed. Manifest's intriguing premise, coupled with strong performances from Josh Dallas and Melissa Roxburgh, will keep viewers invested in the characters' journeys of self-discovery and unraveling the truth behind their miraculous return.

Is Manifest Worth Your Time?

• # 162 of 279 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time
• # 286 of 449 on The 440+ Best Binge Worthy Shows Of All Time
• # 102 of 356 on TV Shows Canceled Before Their Time

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Picking up where the second film left off, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles expands upon the rich mythology established in James Cameron's iconic film franchise—offering fans a deep dive into the lives of Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) and her son John (Thomas Dekker) while introducing new characters alongside familiar faces from previous installments. Watch this gripping series for its well-executed blend of action-packed sequences and emotional character development that does justice to its cinematic predecessors.

Is Terminator: The Sarah ... Worth Your Time?

• # 198 of 302 on The Best TV Shows Of The Past 20 Years
• # 52 of 279 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time
• # 264 of 640 on The 500+ Best Drama Shows

Time Tunnel

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  This classic 1960s sci-fi series takes viewers on a spellbinding journey through time as two scientists become trapped within their experimental time-travel device known as "The Time Tunnel." With its combination of fascinating historical settings and adventurous storylines, this show is an essential watch for fans of vintage television or those interested in exploring early explorations of time travel onscreen.

Is Time Tunnel Worth Your Time?

Being Erica

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  With a unique blend of humor, drama, and time-traveling therapy sessions, Being Erica offers an entertaining yet introspective look at the life of Erica Strange (Erin Karpluk) as she revisits her past while grappling with the challenges of her present. The series skillfully tackles themes like personal growth, regret, and self-discovery—making it a must-watch for fans seeking relatable characters and thought-provoking stories.

Is Being Erica Worth Your Time?

The Outer Limits

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Often compared to The Twilight Zone for its anthology format and genre-defying narrative style, The Outer Limits explores themes like fear, identity, and what it means to be human through chilling tales that transcend space and time. Originally airing in 1963 before being revived in 1995, this cult classic continues to captivate fans with its unnerving storylines and unforgettable twists.

Is The Outer Limits Worth Your Time?

• Dig Deeper... Longest Running Sci-Fi TV Shows
• # 57 of 279 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time
• # 193 of 449 on The 440+ Best Binge Worthy Shows Of All Time

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Following the fan-favorite character's unexpected escape in Avengers: Endgame , Marvel's Loki delves into the God of Mischief's adventures through time and space under the watchful eye of the mysterious Time Variance Authority (TVA). Starring Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson alongside a strong supporting cast, this Disney+ original series does not disappoint with its clever writing, stunning visuals, and expert blend of humor and intrigue.

Is Loki Worth Your Time?

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• # 8 of 670 on The 600+ Best TV Shows Of The Last 5 Years

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  This action-packed sci-fi comedy from Hulu follows the misadventures of Josh Futturman (Josh Hutcherson), an ordinary janitor enlisted by two warriors from 2162 to save humanity from extinction. With its winning combination of slapstick humor, thrilling action sequences, and compelling character development, Future Man is a can't-miss series for fans who crave lighthearted fun with a futuristic twist.

Is Future Man Worth Your Time?

• # 9 of 105 on The 80+ Best Originals On Hulu, Ranked By Fans
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Land of the Lost

Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  A staple of Saturday morning television in the 1970s, Land of the Lost chronicles a family's journey through time to a prehistoric world inhabited by dinosaurs and other dangers unknown to modern civilization. This iconic children's show offers viewers nostalgic escapism combined with imaginative storytelling that has inspired generations since its debut over four decades ago.

Is Land of the Lost Worth Your Time?

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Watch This Show If You Love : Pineapple Express, Half Baked, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How High, Friday Why Should I Stream?  Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Terra Nova transports viewers back in time to "prehistoric" Earth where humanity's last hope for survival lies within a groundbreaking new colony. This ambitious Fox series explores themes like environmentalism and family dynamics while delivering visually stunning visuals and suspenseful storytelling that will captivate both science fiction enthusiasts and casual viewers alike.

Is Terra Nova Worth Your Time?

• # 186 of 302 on The Best TV Shows Of The Past 20 Years
• # 65 of 279 on The 260+ Best SciFi Shows Of All Time
• # 8 of 304 on The Best Shows Canceled After a Single Season
• Entertainment
• Time Travel
• Watchworthy

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.

10 Best Kid-Friendly Movies About Time Travel

• May 25, 2022

Time travel can be quite an overwhelming notion to grasp. Even adults will cook their noodles to comprehend such an idea and the tangled implications that this theory presents. So, how can one even hope to introduce time travel to kids? Well, there are several fantastic kid’s movies out there that tackle this concept in such a way that a child can grasp the gist of it. 

For today’s article, we will be looking at the best time travel movies suitable for kids. These films should arouse children’s interest in the theory of time travel and even physics in general. 

Time Travel Movies for Kids

1. mr. peabody and sherman (2014).

In this CGI science fiction kid’s movie, we follow the adventures of Mr. Peabody (Ty Burrell) and his adopted son, Sherman (Max Charles). Mr. Peabody is a super-intelligent scientist and inventor who also happens to be an anthropomorphic dog. Mr. Peabody invents a time machine that he calls the WABAC machine or the Wayback Machine and, along with Sherman, goes on an epic time-traveling adventure. 

The two go on to meet some of the most well-known figures in history, but when Sherman breaks the cardinal rule of time travel, the duo must go on a literal race against time to fix the timeline. The movie’s time travel plot is relatively straightforward. However, it also touches upon the concept of the Butterfly Effect, in which one small act can cause a ripple effect that will lead to significant consequences down the line. 

Amidst the science-centric plot, there is also a theme of the importance of family at the center that holds the movie together. The chemistry between Mr. Peabody and his adopted boy Sherman evolves throughout the film, and both will learn the importance of acceptance and trusting their children.

Duration: 1 h 32 min

2. The Last Mimzy (2007)

While The Last Mimzy also dabbles in the notion of time travel, it incorporates more of a mysticism vibe to the primary plot device. If you consider that people from the past will most likely view our technology today as magic, maybe this film is on point. 

The movie follows Noah (Chris O’ Neil) and Emma (Rhiannon Leigh Wryn), who discovers a box of inconspicuous toys and artifacts. One of the toys, a stuffed rabbit named Mimzy, becomes telepathically connected to Emma. As a result, both children start developing special powers, and their intellect also grows exponentially. 

Soon, the two children and their parents are apprehended by the FBI when one of Noah’s inventions causes a citywide blackout. The kids then reveal that the future is in grave danger, and they must get Mimzy back to the future. 

The Last Mimzy only touches upon time travel, but the core message of children being the hope of our future is a seed that is important to plant in the younger generation. 

Duration: 1 h 30 min

3. Meet the Robinsons (2007)

In this 2007 CGI science fiction-family film from Disney, the story follows a 12-year-old genius inventor named Lewis who hopes to get adopted finally. However, his world gets turned on its head when he meets a young time-traveler, Wilbur Robinson, who is on a mission to save the future by stopping the nefarious Bowler-Hatted Man.

At first, Lewis is rightfully skeptical of Wilbur’s claims. So, to prove that he is telling the truth, Wilbur brings Lewis to the future to meet his oddball but kind family. The movie handles time travel and the repercussions of one’s action quite well. It also teaches children to keep moving forward no matter how tough things get.

Meet the Robinsons is loosely based on the 1990s children’s book,  A Day with Wilbur Robinson , written by William Joyce. This movie has laughs, thrills, and a heartfelt story that will keep kids glued to the adventures of its main characters. 

Duration: 1 h 35 min

4. A Christmas Carol (2009)

We have dozens of choices here, but we will be going with the CGI motion-captured 2009 version. A Christmas Carol is based on the classic Charles Dickens novel of the same name. The 2009 CGI full-length feature has several fantastic actors attached to the project. Jim Carrey voices the old and grumpy Ebenezer Scrooge with his signature frenetic energy. Along for the ride is a solid supporting cast that includes Gary Oldman, Bob Hoskins, Colin Firth, Robin Wright Penn, and Cary Elwes. 

Everyone knows the story of A Christmas Carol as it has been a staple during the yuletide season. While the time-traveling aspect of the story is not precisely based on science, it does help open up that concept for young minds.

The story’s core message of compassion and being good to your fellow man is always an important lesson to give to children. 

Duration: 1 h 36 min

5. Time Bandits (1981)

This movie is a classic fun adventure tale that only the feverish mind of Terry Gilliam can deliver. The story is about an 11-year-old boy named Kevin, who his parents often neglect due to their jobs. Kevin is also fascinated by history and spends most of his days buried in books. 

When six time-traveling dwarves suddenly fall into his room, Kevin will have the chance of a lifetime to experience the things that he only reads in his books. Kevin decides to tag along with the dwarves to steal treasures from key historical figures such as the Time Bandits. 

The film is a wild and imaginative time-hopping adventure with an incredible cast that includes Sean Connery as King Agamemnon, John Cleese as Robin Hood, and Ian Holm as Napoleon Bonaparte. 

Duration: 1 h 50 min

6. Flight of the Navigator (1986)

Yet another 80s gem cracks this list; this time, it is the beloved Flight of the Navigator. Again, the movie features time travel in the most realistic depiction of the concept by attaching it to space travel. Young David Freeman is taken by aliens and imprints his brain with a vast star chart map. As David travels through the cosmos with a sleek spaceship to get back home, he realizes that the two-hour-long travel he made equated to eight years on Earth.

The theoretical time travel in this movie is caused by the scientifically proven time dilation effect. Time dilation slows down the perception of time for one individual compared to another depending on their current velocity. 

As David starts to understand the gravity of his current predicament, he must find a way to travel back to his original timeline. But is such a thing even possible, even with a super-advanced spaceship at his disposal? 

7. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Considered by most fans to be the best Harry Potter entry in the series, it holds one of the most notable third acts. At the helm, award-winning director Alfonso Cuaron undoubtedly helped craft the best Harry Potter film. 

As you might have already guessed, the time travel here is not based on any scientific theories, but all other elements of the concept are accounted for in the film. That shocking third-act twist caught everybody unfamiliar with the book by surprise. 

The less known about how it all plays out, the better. Let’s say that the time travel implementation in the film will automatically have you clamoring for a repeat viewing. 

Duration: PG

Rating: 2 h 22 min

8. The Girl Who Left Through Time (2006)

This 2006 Japanese anime science fiction film is loosely based on the 1967 novel by Yasutaka Tsutsui of the same name. It follows the story of a 17-year-old high school student, Makoto Konno, who discovers that she can time leap at will. 

Makoto, at first, casually uses this power at a whim to solve even the simplest of power and for personal gain. But, of course, one cannot tamper with time without consequences, and Makoto will learn that every action she makes has an equal reaction. 

The movie is a mix of hilarious, lighthearted moments. The final act shifts to a heavier theme and shows the repercussions of Makoto’s abuse of time travel and how it affects those around her. Will she be able to fix the mess she inadvertently made? 

Duration: 1 h 38 min

Rating: TV-PG

9. Back to the Future (1985)

We can’t have a list of time travel movies without including the most iconic one, can we? Back to the Future is a staple in pop culture with its memorable characters and iconic time-traveling DeLorean. Starring Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown, the duo will go on a time-hopping adventure for the ages. 

This film pretty much wrote the fictional rules of time travel in movies and is one of the most influential in the genre. Back to the Future has two sequels under its belt, but the first one will always have that special place in fans’ hearts. 

Duration: 1 h 56 min

10. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

The culmination of more than a decade of story-telling using different movies was unprecedented, and Avengers: Endgame showed that it could be achieved. This superhero blockbuster extravaganza is the climax of the MCU’s Infinity Stone Saga, and what a ride it was. 

Avengers: Endgame shows just how convoluted time travel can get by implementing a time travel element but completely reshaping the concept. One funny line in the movie has Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) realizing that all of the rules made by popular time travel movies are entirely wrong. 

Avengers: Endgame has everything that both kids and adults will love. The time travel plotline should spark interest in young audiences about that radical concept and its possibilities. 

Duration: 3 h 1 min

Rating: PG-13

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15 Time Travel TV Shows You Should Be Watching Right Now, From ’12 Monkeys’ to ‘Dark’ (Photos)

Prehistoric monsters, dangerous meta-humans and confused scientists — these time travel shows have it all

You’re not imagining it — there really is a mess of time travel shows available right now. Whether you’re watching on TV, cable or streaming, there’s no shortage of time-hopping shows that are messing up history.

Here are 14  time travel shows you should be watching right now.

“Frequency” (season 1 on Netflix) A police detective believes her father was killed 20 years earlier while undercover. When a HAM radio somehow connects her to her father in the past, the pair set out to change things — but a serial killer alters the past and their plans. The first season just ended, making this the perfect time to catch up.

“Dark” (season 1 on Netflix)

“Dark” is a German, English-dubbed sci-fi show that’s about a small town where local kids keep disappearing. Things get weird in a hurry as different time periods are introduced, but “Dark” is one of the best time travel shows out there at keeping everything straight and making sense, but with tons of nearly paradoxical twists and turns. 

“Future Man” (season 1 on Hulu)

Even though it’s a time travel comedy with the same goofball sense of humor as Executive Producer Seth Rogen’s movies, “Future Man” is surprisingly in-the-know about time travel. It’s also hilarious, particularly when it hits its stride toward the middle, jumping around to the 1950s, the 1980s, and the futuristic home of “The Terminator” Director James Cameron. Plus, it has one of the best, most intelligent “Back to the Future” parodies ever.

“The Flash” (season 1 on Netflix, new episodes on CW) DC Comics hero Barry Allen can run so fast, he can travel through time. Once he does, he realizes that time travel is central to what turned him into a hero, and to the plans of his nemesis.

“11.22.63” (series on Hulu) James Franco goes back in time to try to stop John F. Kennedy’s assassination in this adaptation of Stephen King’s novel. Trouble is, he’s stuck in the ’60s for years before the actual event, and the universe keeps trying to kill him. The complete miniseries is on Hulu.

“Outlander” (seasons 1-3 on STARZ) A woman is magically sucked through time from the 1940s to the 1740s in “Outlander.” She falls in love and tries to stop some historically awful events, but mostly spends her time trying to avoid getting raped. It comes up a lot, actually.

“Quantum Leap” (seasons 1-5 on Hulu) Thrown through time, Sam Beckett finds himself inhabiting the bodies of people throughout history. Each time he leaps, he has to figure out why he’s arrived when he has to try to fix a variety of situations for the better.

“Continuum” (seasons 1-4 on Netflix) Sixty years in the future, corporations have taken over the world. A group of terrorists travel back in time to start a class war to keep it from happening, along with a cop who tries to stop them.

“Travelers” (season 1-2 on Netlix) The future is bleak, so time travelers are trying to fix it by beaming themselves into the bodies of people in 2016 who are about to die. Taking over their lives, the travelers work like sleeper cells in an attempt to alter history. They have no idea if it’s working.

“Timeless” (season 1-2 on Hulu) There’s a bad guy time traveler who keeps trying to mess up American history, and good guy time travelers try to stop him. Every time they do, the present gets a little more messed up.

“12 Monkeys” (season 1-2 on Hulu) Based on the Terry Gilliam-directed, Bruce Willis-starring movie, “12 Monkeys” explores and expands on the original with Willis seeing his own death. There are a lot more time travel shenanigans here, especially for fans of the movie.

“FlashForward” (season 1 on Watch ABC) An unknown event gives everyone in the world a six-second look into their future. In the aftermath, the FBI tries to find out what caused the event, and everyone else tries to figure out if they can change their future.

“Primeval” (seasons 1-5 Hulu) Dinosaurs are turning up in the UK, thanks to strange time anomalies. A team of scientists tries to figure out what’s going on, and battle a few huge creatures along the way.

“Legends of Tomorrow” (new episodes on The CW) The world is headed toward disaster, so a rogue time traveler jumps back in time to gather super humans to stop it. They go on to fight to protect history from the supervillains who are trying to change it.

“Doctor Who” (BBC) More whimsical than scientific, the titular Doctor recruits companions from Earth to travel with him through time and space. Mostly, it’s to battle monsters, robots, cyborgs and aliens to save the planet.

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The Best Time Travel Shows to Watch on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon, and More

We've all dreamed of living in another period

Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan, Outlander

At this point, there's no shortage of shows that deal with time travel in some capacity. It's a popular subject, and for good reason! Now more than ever you might be looking for an escape from your daily life, or from this era altogether, and no one in their right mind could blame you for that. If you're of the belief that existing in one timeline is overrated, you've arrived at the right list.

Some of the shows here are action-packed dramas, while others take a more whimsical approach to history, but all of them are absolutely binge-worthy masterpieces. Whether you want to travel back hundreds of years or just a couple of decades, you'll find the perfect time travel show recommendation in the list below!

Looking for more recommendations of what to watch next?  We have a ton of them!  And if you're looking for more hand-picked recommendations based on shows you love,  we have those too .

Tom Hiddleston, Loki

Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU for short) already know that Loki ( Tom Hiddleston ) is a master trickster. He is literally the god of mischief, and for years his role in these movies was relegated to villain, nuisance, and foil to his brother Thor (Chris Hemsworth), but with Loki , he races through time and space in a series that puts him at the forefront of his own story. The series is a crime thriller that follows an alternate version of Loki who stole the Tesseract in  Avengers: Endgame , an event that basically broke reality. And, as these things go, it's now his responsibility to fix what he started. He's recruited by  Owen Wilson 's Mobius M. Mobius at the mysterious Time Variance Authority (TVA) to travel through history and correct the timeline he messed up. The series is the closest thing to putting an actual comic book on screen, full of madcap twists and turns, and seemingly self-contained, without having to place so much emphasis on setting up for future MCU installments. - Allison Picurro   [Watch on  Disney+ ]

Jodie Whittaker, Doctor Who

This one is a gimme, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention Doctor Who , and honestly, if you haven't watched this long-running British sci-fi series already, we're not sure you can even call yourself a fan of time travel. Doctor Who follows a centuries-old alien known as the Doctor who has the ability to regenerate and take on different faces (hence the "long-running" bit). The Doctor, currently portrayed by Jodie Whittaker , takes unsuspecting ladies (and a few dudes) on ridiculous trips through time and space. Yep, this one checks the space travel box too! If you do choose to watch Doctor Who though, be warned -- you will end up in a fight with someone on Tumblr about which Doctor is the best. It's unavoidable.  [Watch on   HBO Max ]

Eric McCormack, MacKenzie Porter, Nesta Cooper, Jared Abrahamson, and Reilly Dolman, Travelers

Netflix's   Travelers , initially a co-production with Canada's Showcase, doesn't get even half the recognition it deserves for constructing impossibly complex time travel mythology that is still understandable and engaging for its audience, so we're recognizing it by putting it on this list. In the series, squads of elite soldiers travel to the present from hundreds of years in the future in order to change history and save the human race. If that doesn't sound cool enough, let us just add that they do so by sending their consciousnesses into the bodies of people about to die and assuming their identities. So. Freaking. Cool.  [Watch on  Netflix ]

Aaron Stanford and Amanda Schull, 12 Monkeys

Based on the 1995 movie with the same name, 12 Monkeys follows a time traveler who travels from 2043 to 2015 to stop a deadly virus from wiping out most of the planet's population. However, what starts out as a simple mission to the past turns into a mind-boggling journey through some of the biggest historical events of the 20th century and a pretty epic love story. This series really digs into the rules of time travel like causation and paradoxes, so while it may give you one of the aforementioned headaches, it's seriously worth it.  [Watch on  Hulu ]

DC's Legends of Tomorrow

Caity Lotz, Matt Ryan, Olivia Swan, Dominic Purcell and Nick Zano, DC Legends of Tomorrow 

In a sea of series that focus on saving the world with time travel, DC's Legends of Tomorrow easily could have gotten lost in the shuffle. Luckily, this CW series quickly established itself as one part nonsense, two parts pure fun, which set it apart from all the rest. If you're looking for a lighter series to help you while the days away, this one is definitely for you. The Legends team does end up saving the world quite a few times, but most of the time they just wind up turning themselves into singing puppets or fighting giant stuffed animals.  [Watch on  Netflix ]

If you're looking for something a little more romantic to binge-watch, Outlander is your ticket. This series follows Claire Beauchamp ( Caitriona Balfe ), an English WWII nurse who accidentally travels from 1945 back to 1743 while on a trip to Scotland with her husband ( Tobias Menzies ). Thrown into the past and desperate to get home, Claire finds herself embroiled in a Scottish uprising while slowly but surely falling in love with a ruggedly handsome redhead named Jamie Fraser ( Sam Heughan ).  [Watch on   Netflix ,  Starz ,  Hulu with Starz add-on ,  Amazon Prime with Starz add-on ]

Abigail Spencer, Malcolm Barrett, Matt Lanter; Timeless

Though Timeless was canceled twice , its devoted fanbase, known as Clockblockers, were so passionate that the NBC series ended up getting a two-hour series finale to wrap things up, so you won't have to worry about a cliffhanger ending. The show follows a history professor ( Abigail Spencer ), a soldier ( Matt Lanter ), and an engineer ( Malcolm Barrett ) who use a government-created time machine to track down a mysterious villain who is trying to rewrite American history. This series pairs the whimsy of DC's Legends of Tomorrow with the high stakes of 12 Monkeys , making it the perfect "middle of the road" option for time travel fans.  [Watch on  Hulu ]

Though it was canceled after just one season, we're still including Terra Nova on this list because DINOSAURS. Set in a dying world where overpopulation has humans on the brink of extinction, scientists have found a way to send people back in time to the Cretaceous Period where the air is breathable, food is plentiful, and the human race can start over. Unfortunately, it's also where dinosaurs are hungry for human flesh, so that's a problem. This show wasn't executed very well (hence its cancellation), but it's worth a watch anyway just to see hot people running away from raptors.  [Watch on  Amazon ]

Lost in Austen

Jemima Rooper, Elliot Cowan, Alex Kingston, Gemma Arterton, and Hugh Bonneville, Lost in Austen

When you're ready to take a break from all the action and adventure, Lost in Austen is a great time travel alternative. Rather than traveling through time per se, lead character Amanda Price ( Jemima Rooper ) travels into the world of her favorite novel, Pride & Prejudice . Caught up in the Georgian Era -- and the fictional lives of Mr. Darcy ( Elliot Cowan ) and the Bennet family -- Amanda unwittingly ends up as a character in the story she loves so dearly, and falling in love with Darcy herself.  [Watch on  BritBox ]

The critically acclaimed Netflix series  Dark  is not only a complicated time travel drama, it's also a German series, so get ready to turn those subtitles on! The series, which just wrapped up its third and final season, follows multiple generations of four interconnected families living in the German town of Winden (once you've finished the show, our family tree will help explain how everyone is connected ), which just so happens to be home to an underground tunnel and wormhole. Time travel and family drama make for an extremely complicated series (we don't recommend just having this one on in the background, folks), but once you get into it, you'll never look back.  [Watch on  Netflix ]

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Time-Travel TV Shows Ranked by Tomatometer

2022's quantum leap , the peripheral , and paper girls are the latest to join doctor who , manifest , star trek , and beyond in our list of 41 tv and streaming time-travel shows..

TAGGED AS: streaming , television , time travel , TV

(Photo by NBC)

Time travel has been on television since the The Twilight Zone ’s 1958 original pilot episode, “The Time Element,” visited Pearl Harbor in 1941 (airing under Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse ) and the Enterprise was hurled back to 1960s Earth in 1967 Star Trek episode “Tomorrow Is Yesterday.” Many shows devoted their entire premise to time travel, one of the best of which is the 1989–1993 NBC drama Quantum Leap . Every week, Sam Beckett would leap into a different year to right a cosmic wrong. Quantum Leap returned in September 2022 focusing on a new character, Dr. Ben Song (Raymond Lee). Eight season 1 episodes are now streaming on Peacock, and the show returns to NBC on January 2 to continue its weekly adventures.

The new  Quantum Leap and 2022 series The Peripheral and Paper Girls join our list of time-travel television ranked by Tomatometer. The list includes classics like Doctor Who and its time-traveling TARDIS, Lost with its time-warped island, and Outlander ’s romance epic whose characters skip through centuries. The Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles TV show brought killer robots and new freedom fighters back from the future, 1 2 Monkeys expanded its time loop on television, Back to the Future got an animated series of the adventures of Doc Brown, and even Timecop got a short-lived syndicated series.

More recently, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow was all about keeping time safe, NBC’s La Brea sent modern families to 10,000 B.C., and Russian Doll went from a Groundhog Day time loop to a subway back to 1982. Fan favorites like Timeless and Manifest and short-lived wonders like Journeyman and Day Break are also worth a look.

Read on to see the full list ranked by Tomatometer. Those without Tomatometer scores are then listed alphabetically. Tell us in the comments if we missed your favorite time-travel TV show.

Life on Mars (2006) 100%

Russian Doll (2019) 97%

Dark (2017) 95%

Loki (2021) 87%

The Outer Limits (1963) 92%

Timeless (2016) 91%

Paper Girls (2022) 87%

Future Man (2017) 91%

Doctor Who (2005) 90%

Outlander (2014) 90%

DC's Legends of Tomorrow (2016) 89%

12 Monkeys (2015) 88%

Continuum (2012) 88%

Star Trek: Discovery (2017) 85%

The Umbrella Academy (2019) 86%

Lost (2004) 86%

Star Trek: Picard (2020) 89%

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008) 85%

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (2016) 85%

11.22.63 (2016) 83%

The Twilight Zone (1959) 92%

Star Trek (1966) 80%

The Peripheral (2022) 79%

Daybreak (2019) 70%

Doctor Who (1963) 68%

The Twilight Zone (2019) 67%

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures (1990) 60%

Quantum Leap (2022) 57%

The Twilight Zone (2002) 50%

Journeyman (2007) 44%

Time Trax (1993) 40%

The Time Traveler's Wife (2022) 38%

La Brea (2021) --

Timecop (1997) 0%

Back to the Future (1991) --

Dirk Gently (2010) --

Life on Mars (2008) --

Manifest (2018) 72%

The Outer Limits (1995) --

Primeval (2007) --

Quantum Leap (1989) --

The Twilight Zone (1985) --

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Exploring History's Greatest Adventures throughout time!

25 Time Travel Novels and series for Children, Middle Grade, and Young Adult

Time Travel Is An Exciting Science Fiction/Fantasy Genre Where The Plot Possibilities Are Truly Endless And They Can Sometimes Be As Educational As They Are Entertaining. Of course, not all time travel books are a set up to teach kids about a specific time period. Many are simply a fun fantasy. They’re the perfect gateway to historical fiction – especially if the child enjoys the time period.   Here are our picks for kid-friendly, time-travel books – some old, some new – including series and stand-alone novels.   A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. This book only makes the list because people would expect to see it. But the brother and sister characters do not travel “back” in time. Instead, they travel through space and time, from galaxy to galaxy in search of their father – perhaps to future worlds? For ages 9 – 12.   Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne. There are over 60 books in this series where siblings Jack and Annie go on adventures throughout history experiencing dinosaurs and sabertooth tigers, Vikings, Egyptian Pharoahs and more. These make great early reader books. For ages 5 – 8.   The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls by M. J. Thomas is an adventure-packed chapter book series that follows siblings Peter and Mary and their dog, Hank, as they discover ancient scrolls that transport them back to key moments in biblical history. For ages 6 – 9.   Rescue on the Oregon Trail (Ranger in Time #1of 13) by Kate Messner. Ranger is a time-traveling golden retriever who has a nose for trouble . . . and always saves the day! For ages 7 – 10 years   World’s Worst Time Machine (Volume 1) by Dustin Brady. From the bestselling author of Trapped in a Video Game series, Brady’s laugh-out-loud sense of humor and daring adventure will keep even the most reluctant reader wanting to turn the pages of this new series. For ages 8 – 11.   The Secret Lake by Karen Inglis. Siblings Stella and Tom go back 100 years from their London home to solve a mystery in this page-turning instant classic. For ages 8 – 11.   George Washington’s Spy (Time Travel Adventures trilogy) by Elvira Woodruff. Ten-year-old Matt Carlton and six friends are accidentally swept back in time–to Boston in 1776! The British now occupy the city, and redcoat guards are everywhere! For ages 7 – 10.   One if By Land, Two if By Submarine by Eileen Schnabel. When Paul Revere is kidnapped by a time traveler determined to change the outcome of the American Revolution, thirteen-year-old Kep Westguard is sent to Boston, 1775, to take his famous midnight ride. For ages 10+.   Displaced: Both Feet in the Game by JJ Carroll. Seventh grader Nikola and his friends travel back 100 years and must travel over 4,500 miles with no money, no means of transportation and a sinister FBI agent on their heels. For ages 8 – 12.   Laurella Swift and the Keys of Time by Allison Parkinson. Laurella Swift and the Keys of Time is the first in a new series of Laurella Swift adventures. The historical fantasy takes middle-grade readers on a rip-roaring escapade to the court of Cyrus the Great. For ages 7 – 12.   The Last Musketeer by Stuart Gibbs. On a family trip to Paris, Greg Rich’s parents disappear. They’re not just missing from the city—they’re missing from the century. So, Greg does what any other fourteen-year-old would do: He travels through time to rescue them. For ages 8 – 12.   Anachronist : The Infinity Engines series (Book 1) by Andrew Hastie. Travelling into the past using the timelines of ancient artefacts, the Oblivion Order explore the forgotten centuries, ones that never made it into the history books. They make subtle adjustments to the past – saving us from oblivion in the future. Young Adult.   Glitch by Laura Martin. Glitchers are people who travel through time to preserve important historical events. Regan Fitz finds a letter from his future self, warning about an impending disaster that threatens him and everyone he knows. For ages 10+.   The Rhythm of Time by Questlove. Seventh grader Rahim Reynolds goes back to 1997 and learns what every time traveler before him has: Actions in the past jeopardize the future. For ages 10 – 12.   Stealing the Sword (Time Jumpers series Book 1) by Wendy Mass. Aimed at newly independent readers with easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page. For ages 6 – 9.   Justice for Joe by Dianna Dorisi Winget. When twelve-year-old Birch first learns the rare clock gene she inherited from her grandmother enables her to time travel, she’s not excited–she’s terrified. For ages 8 – 12.   The Hat, George Washington, and Me! By Gregory O. Smith. Part time travel, part crazy school, full-time fun! “Hey Mom, there’s a patriot in my cereal box!” A fast-moving mystery adventure for children ages 8-14.   The Eye of Ra by Ben Gartner . For readers graduating from the Magic Tree House series and ready for intense action, dive into this middle grade novel rich with meticulous historical detail. For ages 8 – 12.   The Thrifty Guide to the American Revolution : A Handbook for Time Travelers by Jonathan W Stokes. If you had a time travel machine and could take a vacation anywhere in history, this is the only guidebook you would need! For ages 8 – 12.   Hot on the Trail in Ancient Egypt by Linda Bailey. Book 1 of the series. All twins Josh and Emma want to do is get out of the creepy Good Times Travel Agency where their little sister, Libby, has led them. But the peculiar shop owner encourages them to open one of his guidebooks first — and they suddenly find themselves transported back in time.   The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. Everyone thinks it’s just a game until strange things start happening. Has the Egypt Game gone too far? For ages 8 – 12.   Greg’s First Adventure in Time (Book 1 of 5) by C. M. Huddleston. Archaeology, time travel, and a moose hunt combine to force 12-year-old Greg to face his fears and find his strengths. Greg explores a world that existed more than 3,000 years ago with his new Native American friend Hopelf. While Greg learns about Native American ways of life, how to hunt and fish, and just to survive, he is always searching for a way back home. For ages 10+.   The Time Travelers by Linda Buckley-Archer. Gideon, Peter, and Kate are swept into a journey through eighteenth-century London and form a bond that, they hope, will stand strong in the face of unfathomable treachery. For ages 8 – 12.   Found (Book 1 of 8) by Margaret Peterson Haddix. One night a plane appeared out of nowhere, the only passengers aboard: thirty-six babies. As soon as they were taken off the plane, it vanished. Now, thirteen years later, two of those children are receiving sinister messages, and they begin to investigate their past. Their quest to discover where they really came from leads them to a conspiracy that reaches from the far past to the distant future–and will take them hurtling through time. For ages 10+.   The History Mystery Kids: Fiasco in Florida (Book 1 of 10) by Daniel Kenney. Professor Abner Jefferson is missing. His children watched him get sucked into a book. Now they must find him. By going back… through History! For ages 8 – 10.

J.J. Caroll

Bookstore Curator

© 2023. Historic Books for Kids - All Rights Reserved

Reading Pennsylvania, USA

[email protected]

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. 

'Parallels' Trailer Reveals a Teenage Time Travel Mystery Coming to Disney+

The French series will premiere on March 23.

If you’re looking for a new series to hold you over until the ever-elusive Stranger Things season four hits Netflix later this spring, Disney+ has just the thing. The streaming platform will be dropping all six episodes of their brand new original series, Parallels , on March 23. Along with the premiere announcement, Disney+ has also unveiled a trailer and first-look poster.

In the trailer for Parallels , which is a French language series, we are introduced to a group of teenage pals: Bilal, Romane, Samuel, and Victor. The four are your average circle of friends, each with their own side stories and even romances sprinkled amongst them. One night, the teens break away from their families and meet up for a party. What starts as a hangout session takes a bizarre turn when, after the lights go out, they come back on only to reveal that all members are missing except for Samuel. Things get even stranger when, instead of the rest of his friends, Samuel is joined in the room by an unknown adult man.

As the trailer unfolds, we learn that the man is Bilal, only now he’s an adult. Things continue to get even stranger when Romane and Victor also make reappearances as adults. Piecing together the puzzle, the friends must now sort through the questions surrounding their time travel as well as some new powers they have picked up along the way all while holding their friendships together and not drifting apart.

RELATED: 'Obi-Wan Kenobi': Star Wars Comics to Read Before Watching the Disney+ Show

Created by Quoc Dang Tran , Parallels stars Thomas Chomel , Omar Mebrouk , Jules Houplain , Jade Pedri , Naidra Ayadi , Guillaume Labbé , Gil Alma , Elise Diamant , Dimitri Storoge , Agnès Miguras , Maxime Bergeron , Victoria Eber , and Timoté Rigault . The series was directed by Benjamin Rocher and Jean-Batiste Saurel and was co-penned by Anastasia Heinzl , who wrote alongside Tran.

The poster attached to the show’s announcement sets the tone for the series, as it depicts both sides of the main characters running through a forest. Keeping an eye out for anyone in pursuit, the top half shows the child versions of the leads, while the lower features the characters post time warp. With the words, “To Find Themselves, They’ll Have To Get Lost” written at the top of the image, the series markets itself as a coming of age tale mixed with a bit of fantasy.

Though its themes may be geared towards a younger audience, even adults are sure to be intrigued as the story behind Parallels unfolds later in March. For now, check out the show’s trailer and poster below:

From modern classics to the shows we parents grew up on, there’s never been a better time to be a kid with a clicker.

Parents probably spend more time not watching kids TV shows than actually sitting down and watching them. Unlike family movie night, children’s television serves one undeniable purpose in the life of a busy family: a virtual babysitter. And, unlike 30 years ago, thanks to streaming, children now can binge-watch, just like their parents, requesting “one more episode” sometimes sweetly, sometimes because they’re hooked.

This isn’t to say children today watch too much TV, or that they watch more than we all did back in the ‘70, ‘80s, and ‘90s. And, in all the ways that count, what makes a good kids TV show is the same as it was back in the day: It’s a show that parents can walk away from, and, upon returning, won’t drive us too nuts. The greatest kids TV shows of all time are those that enrich our children’s lives in ways that we can enjoy, too.

Here at Fatherly , figuring out which kids TV shows are actually the greatest of all time means embracing several of these paradoxes. The writers and editors of this list — all TV critics who happen to be dads — didn’t decide that all of these shows were the most educational, most popular, or most politically progressive for the moment we live in. Many of the shows on the list tick those boxes too, sure. But like film, TV is an art form that informs as much as it entertains.

These shows are undeniably good — well-directed, acted, and produced — but they’re also, important. Great kids TV shows don’t just entertain our children. They inform them, subtly, or sometimes, hit them over the head with a message. They stick in the imagination of children, but not in an obnoxious way that is frustrating. Yes, many children’s shows are products, but the best ones don’t feel like pure consumption. There should always be something a little bit healthy in a great kids show, even if it’s just the fact that the show is extremely unique. Redeeming social value is good. Some educational value is great. But these things alone aren’t why adults watch TV, and this is also true of kids. So, we tried to think of not just great kids shows that are good for kids, but also great to watch . Some shows here are for very small kids. Some shows are for tweens. All of them are what we think are good shows first, and good kids shows, second.

With all of those criteria in mind, we also aimed to have fun with this list. It’s not remotely objective, nor is it biased. Fatherly’s 100 Best Kids TV Shows Of All Time, we hope, reflect the sensibilities of parents everywhere — it’s a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and a few big surprises along the way.

100. Rainbow Rangers

Rangers...assemble!

This action-adventure series features magical girls and ecological themes. If it sounds a little preachy, that’s OK. The charm of this show is that it isn’t for parents, but rather, for young kids who want a different kind of fantasy team-up, in which various characters all have powers not that different from the X-Men . It’s well-written and with its share of fun cameos like none other than Pierce Brosnan, who lends his voice as a scientist for the Rainbow Ranger’s take on COVID-19. — Ryan Britt

Rainbow Rangers streams on Netflix.

99. Salute Your Shorts

Salute Your Shorts

From its opening theme song, complete with the word “fart” in the lyrics, Salute Your Shorts proudly declares itself as a show that is a bit sweet, a bit rude, and incredibly funny. Set at a fictional sleepaway camp, the show followed a group of a half-dozen or so campers (most with instantly-memorable names like Donkey Lips, Sponge, and Z.Z. Ziff) who were often at odds with the head counselor, Kevin “Ug” Lee. Despite only running 24 episodes, the show still maintains a strong cult following. — Caseen Gaines

Salute Your Shorts streams on Paramount+.

98. Teen Titans Go!

The funniest superhero show...ever?

Teen Titans Go! is a comedy triumph, one that weaponizes any knowledge the viewer might have of DC comics canon against them and ultimately has them in stitches. In an era where meta-awareness is increasingly a requirement for robust franchises, Teen Titans Go! knows how to have fun with comic book lore rather than be bogged down by it. It’s both a perfect entry point to the DC Universe for new viewers just looking for a fun time and the ultimate endpoint. — James Grebey

Teen Titans Go! streams on HBO Max.

97. Lizzie McGuire

With friends like these...

Hilary Duff’s Disney Channel sitcom still appeals to countless teen girls as much as it did in 2001 as it does in 2023. Like Lizzie, Duff plays a typical teen trying to make her way through junior high school and life, which means contending with parents and siblings, mean girls, crushes, puberty, and homework.

What sets Lizzie McGuire apart is its effervescent star, Duff, a terrific supporting cast (Lalaine and Adam Lamberg as Lizzie’s best friends and Hallie Todd and Robert Carradine as her parents), and the animated Lizzie who expressed the character’s relatable, often panicked, feelings, fears, and aspirations. — Ian Spelling

Lizzie McGuire streams on Disney+.

96. The Magic Garden

More shows should be about people sitting around singing. Really!

Airing on New York’s WPIX for 12 seasons — from 1972 to 1984 — The Magic Garden lives up to its name, a show about people sitting in a magic garden playing music. Hosts Carole Demas and Paula Janis interact with the Chuckle Patch (giggling flowers), a Magic Tree, and a playful, peanut-loving squirrel named Sherlock (puppeteered and voiced by Cary Antebi). They also put on little shows, sparked by what they’d find when they opened the Story Box. Demas, Janis, and Antebi recently reunited for a few live 50th-anniversary performances and they’ve still got it. It’s one of the most unique kid’s shows of all time, and it very much holds up.

Demas and Janis are planning to produce an animated prequel focusing on young Carol and Paula becoming friends and discovering the wonders of the Magic Garden. — IS

You can watch huge chunks of The Magic Garden on YouTube.

95. The Flintstones

The bird really doesn’t want to be used as a record player needle — again.

Airing from 1960 to 1966, The Flintstones is basically a cartoon version of The Honeymooners, for better or for worse. Fred harrumphs and embarks on doomed schemes with his pal Barney, while Wilma and Betty look on incredulously. Add in loads of visual jokes and punny names — Ann Margrock, Stony Curtis, Mr. Slate, brontosaurus burgers — as well as Dino, the Flintstones’ pet pink dinosaur, who loves to lick Fred, and you’ve got a stone-cold classic. Late additions Pebbles, Bamm-Bamm, and the Great Gazoo actually improved the show. Does it make any sense? Nope! But the enduring brilliance of great kids shows is that they’re sometimes not required to make any sense or be anything but entertaining. — IS

The Flinstones streams on HBO Max.

94. Land of the Lost

The cave child is ready for a nap, please.

Ambitious way beyond its means, Sid & Marty Kroft’s Land of the Lost (1974-1976) sends the Marshall family — dad Rick, daughter Holly, and son Will — deep into the past (or something like it). There, the Marshalls encounter dinosaurs, and assorted creatures friendly (Cha-ka, a Pekuni) and dangerous (the hiss-worthy Sleestaks), as they struggle to survive and find a way home. Bona fide sci-fi talent — including huge writers like David Gerrold, Margaret Armen, Norman Spinrad, and Larry Niven — helped spin the show’s stories, particularly in its first — and best by far — season.

This is one of those classic old family shows that is way better and way more sophisticated than some might remember, and ripe for revisiting. — IS

Land of the Lost is streaming on Peaco ck.

93. Captain Kangaroo

Captain Kangaroo

CBS ran Captain Kangaroo for 29 seasons, from 1955 to 1984, a remarkable, legendary run. Countless millions of kids — and then their kids — grew up with the titular Captain, played by the wonderful and grandfatherly Bob Keeshan, who also created the show. Episodes — many of which kicked off with a major celebrity greeting Keeshan with “Good morning, Captain!” — featured sweet stories, visits from friends, entertaining puppets, animated shorts, knock-knock jokes (followed by a cascade of falling ping pong balls), songs, birthday greetings, and more. Favorite characters included Mr. Green Jeans (Hugh Brannum), Grandfather Clock, Mr. Moose, and Dancing Bear; the latter three roles were all performed or voiced by Cosmo Allegretti. — IS

Captain Kangaroo is streaming on the “Beta Max Channel” on Roku.

92. Clifford the Big Red Dog

How do they afford the dog food?

Norman Bridwell’s beloved children’s books came to life from 2000 to 2003 as an adorable animated series (encompassing 66 episodes over two seasons) featuring John Ritter as the voice of Clifford, a massive 25-foot Labrador retriever. His owner, 8-year-old Emily Elizabeth, loves Clifford so, so, so, so much as a puppy that his size represents her love for him. And off on adventures they go, with Clifford’s size and puppy energy wreaking good-natured havoc.

Of all the Clifford adaptations, this series captures the heart of the books. It’s not so much about the problems Clifford creates. It’s all about Emily Elizabeth showing children what unconditional love looks like. — IS

Clifford the Big Red Dog streams on PBS Kids.

91. Thundarr the Barbarian

Ookla! RIDE.

Imagine a post-apocalyptic show, in the vein of Planet of the Apes , with a character who behaves like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Conan movies. What you would have is the 1981 series Thundarr the Barbarian, which is shockingly good.

Some ‘80s and ‘90s kids like to say Thundercats was better. But the truth is, Thundarr is the true winner here, mostly because Hanna Barbera had the inspired gall to give Thundarr a knock-off lightsaber. – RB

You can buy episodes of Thundarr on Amazon.

90. The Jetsons

The Jetsons

Admit it: you saw the words The Jetsons and immediately started singing the show’s earworm of a theme song. Many people don’t realize that this Hanna-Barbera series ran for just one 24-episode season (1962-1963); another 51 episodes were produced between 1985 and 1987.

The original two dozen episodes tell the story of George Jetson and his family (wife Jane, daughter Judy, son Elroy, and dog Astro). The stories range from weird to weirder , but the imagery is what works here: brightly lit and straight out of the imaginings of the World’s Fair: flying cars, apartment complexes above the clouds, a robot maid (Rosey!), and an outdoor treadmill for Astro. Is it all in outer space? Or just very high in the sky? These are the questions children should be asking. — IS

The Jetsons are streaming on HBO.

89. Dragon Tales

These dragons want a word.

The idea of escaping the mundanity of the real world and traveling to a fantastical world full of adventures is popular for a reason. (See: the plots of many sci-fi movies and shows, several video games, and the entire Isekai anime genre.) The PBS series Dragon Tales remains a wonderfully age-appropriate version of this fantasy. Dragon Land, where Max and Emmy travel to hang out with their dragon friends, is exciting without ever feeling dangerous. Dragon Tales doesn’t condescend or make its fantasy boring — a much more magical accomplishment than you might think. — JG

Dragon Tales is streaming on Prime.

88. The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

George Lucas and his young Indys.

In 1992, when George Lucas decided to put his wise-cracking, whip-cracking anti-hero on the TV screen, he also did something brilliant: He turned the entire story of Indiana Jones into a history lesson for children.

Throughout all the episodes of Young Indy , the titular adventurer finds himself connected to various historical events from the early 1900s through the 1920s. One of the most excellent episodes finds Indy present during the Treaty of Versailles. At least one Fatherly editor remembers his history teacher showing this episode in class in the year 2000. That’s right, history teachers were using episodes of Young Indy ! If you’ve forgotten how great and educational this series is, it's time to catch up with the Joneses. — RB

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles is available for rent on Apple TV+.

87. Vampirina

Are they actually dead? Try not to think about it.

Based on the picture book series by Anne Marie Pace, Vampirina tells the story of a young family of monsters who move from Transylvania to Pennsylvania. As the theme song tells us, they get a case of “human race cultural shock,” right away. The fish-out-of-water theme pervades the entire series, making the titular character one of the most relatable vampires in all of fiction.

The show smartly never really gets into what kind of vampire “Vee” might actually be, and there’s never a mention of anybody drinking blood. But, the series does push it as far as a contemporary Disney series would allow. For kids who are having a hard time feeling seen at school, or for anyone feeling left out, Vampirina is both sweet and smarter than its saccharine appearance. — RB

Vampirina streams on Disney+.

86. Waffles + Mochi

Let’s get cooking.

Why are most kids cooking shows thinly-veiled celebrations of child labor and privilege? Kids should be taught that, in the words of Ratatouille, “everyone can cook,” not that cooking is a contest in which only those with special gifts can come out on top (and likely driven parents who are trying to make a child star out of a kid who likes to bake cakes). Instead, they should take a page from the brilliantly produced and downright inspiring cooking show Waffles + Mochi .

The formula is unbeatable: Two muppets representing the titular foods drive the plot (with a kid-life curiosity about food), Michelle Obama plays the role of mom working together to answer the kids' questions (and, yes, offer a moral or two along the way), and some of the world’s most influential chefs come in to inspire, breaking down the origins, uses, and meaning behind some of the most basic ingredients. Each episode brilliantly revolves around a single ingredient, a move reminiscent of Samin Nosrat’s Salt Fat Acid Heat (Nosrat is in fact one of the very best guests on the show). The show will drive you to the kitchen to, yes, make delicious recipes (the excellent Waffles + Mochi Get Cooking! cookbook helps) but more importantly to experiment, something even many adults are shy to do with food. Waffles & Mochi isn’t just a good kids cooking show — it’s one of the best cooking shows ever made, for kids, parents, and anyone truly curious about the food we eat. Bon appetit. — Tyghe Trimble

Waffles + Mochi streams on Netflix.

85. Izzy’s Koala World

The koalas all have great names on this show. This one is “Chompy.” Or is it “Stormboy?”

The premise of Izzy’s Koala World is simple: This is a reality TV show about a girl who takes care of koalas in Australia. Izzy is real. Her mother, who is a veterinarian, is real. The koalas are real. The show never shies away from the real danger the koalas might be in, but it’s also a gentle show that knows the audience is very young children. These adorable, real koalas may get separated from their families, but there are no real scares (and no death scenes) in Izzy’s Koala World .

A brilliantly thoughtful and sweet show, Izzy’s Koala World reminds kids that the real world is just as exciting and full of love as the world of fantasy. — RB

Izzy’s Koala World streams on Netflix.

Which Smurf are you?

Where would we be without the Smurfs? To leave this show off a list of the best kids shows of all time would be bizarre. This isn’t to say that the classic Smurfs aren’t a tad bit problematic.

But, the energy, family vibe, and overall goofiness have earned these blue creatures a place in our hearts for one very good reason — we all still relate to the various Smurfs, and in looking for who we relate to in any given moment, parents and children can find themselves. — Harlan Sharpe

Smurfs is streaming now on Tubi.

83. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Admit it — the concept that giant turtles are obsessed with pizza is awesome.

In the ‘90s, just the title of this show seemed like it was trying to do too much. But today, everything about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ( TMNT ) seems quaint, in a good way. Every iteration of the series, more or less, is about family. And, the parenting lessons we can all get from Splinter are still valuable.

TMNT may not teach kids much about actual martial arts, other than the fact that fighting is not actually the point. The titular teenagers here act like teens, so impatient kids can feel like their heroes are just like them. — RB

The 1987 version of TMNT is available for rent on Apple TV+.

82. Ada Twist

Let’s science this up.

Based on the wonderful Questioneers book series, the Netflix show Ada Twist treats the scientific method like the ABCs. This empowering kids show has one stated goal: to demystify science for kids, by removing any pretension from discussions around fact-based subjects.

The result? Ada Twist and her friends don’t treat science as a superpower. They treat it as a normal, everyday part of life. As it should be. — RB

Ada Twist streams on Netflix.

Yeah...it gets like this.

Like Ren & Stimpy and roughly 25% of Spongebob, Larva is inappropriate . There’s no real way around that label given its obsession with bodily functions and cartoon violence that sometimes leads to actual death. But there’s a very big difference in the inappropriateness of this show compared to so many others — it’s 100% meant for the kids.

While Ren & Stimpy’s every revealed butt cheek and Spongebob’s quietly over-the-head penis jokes are given with a wink at the adults watching, Larva has an excess of toilet humor not to be subversive, but because kids like toilet humor. The two main characters, one red and one yellow caterpillar, often lean into pratfalls and gross jokes because, like kids, the world is large and scary and when they’re together roughhousing, farting, and being weird, they’re laughing. What better way to make their world a bit smaller, and more manageable? Profound? Not exactly. Socially redeeming? Not really. Sometimes we all could use a good chuckle. For kids, Larva is a laugh riot. — TT

Larva is streaming for free on Tubi.

80. The Facts of Life

The Facts of Life in 1980.

Although the series got off to an unwieldy and unfocused start, once The Facts of Life honed in on Blair, Tootie, Natalie, and Jo — and, of course, their headmistress Mrs. Garrett — the show was off to the races. The series was bold, not only for focusing on four adolescent girls, but also for the array of subjects that were covered in each episode. As the title suggests, the comedy really was on a mission to teach its characters and viewers that sometimes in life you have to take the good and take the bad. That’s just a fact. — Caseen Gaines

The Facts of Life is streaming on Tubi.

79. You Can't Do That on Television

Green slime is very important to childhood.

You Can’t Do That on Television holds the distinction of being the birthplace of Nickelodeon’s iconic green slime. But it was so much more than that. Launched in Canada in 1979, You Can’t Do That on Television served up variety show-style sketches for children, drenching countless kids and a few adults too in water and slime, and slamming endless locker doors. An ever-evolving cast starred in the show, which ran from 1979 to 1990 and gave us 144 episodes across its 10 seasons. Fun facts: A pre-teen Alanis Morissette appeared five times and the late, great Les Lye turns up in every episode (the only adult to do so), essaying multiple roles, including the show’s stage manager, a corrupt politician, and an inept firing squad commander. Slime is in. Incompetent adults are out. — IS

You Can’t Do That On Television streams on Paramount+.

78. Kim Possible

Eliminate the impossible.

A kind of early-aughts brand of girl power takes center stage in the fun and fast-paced Kim Possible , as the title character (Christy Carlson Romano) juggles high school, friends, family, and cheerleading with the responsibilities of saving the world on a regular basis. Ron Stoppable (Will Friedle) serves as her sidekick along with his pet Rufus (Nancy Cartwright), who happens to be a naked mole rat (and generates lots of laughs). In the best possible way, Kim Possible — which dropped 87 episodes over four seasons from 2002 to 2007 — at times feels like a fully animated Lizzie Maguire . In a world where girls are still searching for great action heroes, the classic feminism of Kim Possible still works wonders. — IS

Kim Possible is streaming on Disney+.

77. Inspector Gadget

Imagine, if you will, a combination of The Pink Panther ’s Inspector Clouseau and Get Smart ’s Maxwell Smart as an equally daft and inept — and bionic — police inspector who fights crime across the globe. Now add a brilliant and savvy young niece (Penny) and a brainy dog (named Brain, natch), as well as a KAOS-like big bad called M.A.D. (Mean and Dirty), and you’ve got Inspector Gadget . Over the course of two extended seasons (from 1982 to 1986), fans enjoyed 88 episodes of pure silliness made even more entertaining thanks to the on-the-nose (but still awesome) casting of Don Adams, Maxwell Smart/Secret Agent 86 himself, as the voice of Inspector Gadget. — IS

Inspector Gadget streams on PlutoTV.

76. Captain Planet

He’ll turn you into a tree.

Why can’t Captain Planet appear unless he’s summoned? Does he not exist without the belief that he exists? What do the magic rings do? Do they actually need the rings, or could they just call Captain Planet?

Hopefully, if you have a cool kid, they will ask all of these exact same questions while watching Captain Planet . The absurdity of the show is still great for kids today, and perhaps even more so than it was in the ‘90s. If you ever scoffed at the idea of an ecological superhero back then, you’re certainly not laughing now. The utter lack of cynicism is what makes this show immortal. Too bad Captain Planet doesn’t exist in real life. — RB

Captain Planet streams on YouTube.

75. Looney Tunes

Be more like daffy.

No childhood would be complete without exploding sticks of dynamite. Yes, various aspects of Looney Tunes are bizarre, violent, and straight-up disturbing, but in that way Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and all the rest reflect the real world. Life is looney, and at the very least, we should have a sense of humor about it.

The enduring impact of Looney Tunes is almost impossible to measure. Some purists would rank this show much higher on a list like this. We think it’s important that it’s here, but the truth is a discussion of Looney Tunes is much bigger than this list. Hot tip: Buy the DVDs. Getting all the good stuff online is going to be tricky for a while. — RB

Here’s Fatherly’s guide to streaming Looney Tunes .

74. Care Bears

Role model.

OK, Care Bears is not cool. But consider, for a moment, the existence of “Grumpy Bear.” In all versions of the Care Bears , in which some concepts have been retired, and new bears and cousins created, “Grumpy Bear” abides. The idea that all the Care Bears represent the different feelings of children and that the show does not shame the concept of an ever-present grumpiness is not only brilliant, but it’s also very kind. Children need as much love as the world can give. But, they also need to know it’s OK to be grumpy AF sometimes. — RB

Classic Care Bears streams on YouTube.

Can you hear the themesong?

Other than Batman: The Animated Series , no comic book TV adaptation ever went as hard as X-Men . This show didn’t try to water down the complex comic book storylines; it embraced all of that. From time travel paradoxes to people losing their powers, to figuring out how to fit in with a society that hates mutants, the X-Men had it all.

Today, various films have given kids and families different versions of these Marvel comic book favorites. But, in a sense, the best version of the X-Men was right here. And it’s never been topped. — RB

X-Men is streaming on Disney+. But, here’s the Fatherly guide to watching the episodes in the correct order.

72. Phineas and Ferb

They’re out of control.

Pre-teen stepbrothers Phineas and Ferb take advantage of their long summer vacation to build crazy contraptions and embark on wacky sci-fi-ish adventures, while their bratty older sister Candace plots to rat them out to Mom. And we haven’t even mentioned the boys’ pet platypus, Perry, who’s actually a spy. It’s all whiz-bang silliness, with lots of action and some catchy original songs. Fun fact: Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who wowed in The Queen’s Gambit and won audiences’ hearts as the little boy in Love Actually , voiced Ferb, while Ashley Tisdale ( The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, High School Musical ) voiced Candace. What does this prove? The talent of Phineas and Ferb is immense. It’s good because great people are in it. — IS

Phineas and Ferb stream on Disney+.

Doug on Nickelodeon.

Of the original Nicktoons, Doug was the most grounded — and the one with the most heart. It was easy to fall in love with Doug Funnie, who wrote in his journal every day, oftentimes about his adventures with his friend Skeeter (honk, honk!) and his feelings for Patti Mayonnaise. Doug both dared to be weird (who can forget the rock band The Beets and their hit single “Killer Tofu”?) while also relishing in the mundane aspects of adolescence: schoolwork, bullies, best friends, and unrequited crushes. With a literally colorful cast of characters, including Doug’s plucky pup Porkchop and artsy sister Judy, the show immediately left a lasting impression on everyone who came of age alongside Doug and the other residents of Bluffington. — CG

Doug is streaming on Paramont+.

70. The Brady Bunch

The original Brady Bunch in 1969.

Try looking at a three-by-three grid of blue squares without envisioning Carol, Mike, Marcia (Marcia, Marcia!), Greg, Jan, Peter, Cindy, Bobby — and don’t forget Alice — awkwardly tilting their heads to smile at each other. The Brady Bunch often wore its cheesiness on its sleeve, starting with the conveniently gendered conceit of a man with three sons marrying a woman with three daughters, but even the most cynical viewer could find something entertaining about the simplistic problems the Bradys found themselves into, complete with a heavy-handed lesson from the family patriarch.

With their dated fashion and a few truly groovy songs as part of their repertoire (while “Sunshine Day” might be their most notable hit, your kids will ask you to play “Keep On” over and over again), it’s no surprise that the Bradys found themselves the subject of two excellent tribute-parody films in the 1990s, and a not-so-excellent one in 2002. But even without those films, their variety of specials, animated series, and other offshoots, the original show still stands on its own two feet. — CG

You can stream the classic Brady Bunch on Paramount+.

69. Ghostwriter

The Original Ghostwriter on PBS

For a show designed to strengthen the reading and writing skills of children, Ghostwriter was more captivating than it had any right to be. Maybe it was the backdrop of a largely-romanticized version of New York City in the mid-’90s, or the well-developed and authentically diverse characters that included Black, Latinx, Asian, and white kids solving mysteries together. It may have been the character of Ghostwriter himself, a disembodied spirit who could make words appear on computer screens and across the sky, but in a way that was only visible to the chosen kids who could see him and summon him with their special pens. The show was educational, but beyond reading and writing, Ghostwriter taught kids how to think critically by encouraging the viewing audience to keep track of clues, either in their head or a physical notebook, over two-hour-long story arcs. — CG

New and old Ghostwriter streams on Apple TV+.

68. DuckTales

You can’t hear a picture...oh wait.

Both the classic version of DuckTales from 1987 and the more recent reboot have their charms. But, overall what this show has going for it in all incarnations is the way it perfectly pairs absurd premises with utter conviction.

Uncle Scrooge is pretty well redeemed by this series, though we’re still not sure how a duck can comfortably swim through giant pools of gold coins like that. Did we mention there’s a pilot duck character named “Launchpad” and we all just accepted that? Brilliant. — RB

DuckTales streams on Disney+.

67. Lily's Driftwood Bay

I’m sorry, that you turned to driftwood. But you’ve been drifting for a long, long time.

With a unique and utterly beautiful animation style, the stories of Lily’s Driftwood Bay encourage imaginative play through found objects. This isn’t the most gripping show of all time, but it is one that feels like taking a deep breath. For kids who need to unwind, as much as they need to be stimulated, this hidden gem is much more profound than it might seem, at first. But, like the treasures that Lily finds, the effect is cumulative. — HS

Lily's Driftwood Bay streams on Apple TV+.

66. Winnie the Pooh

Oh, bother.

No children’s library would be complete without the brilliant works of A.A. Milne, and the same is true when it comes to great kids TV. The 1977 Pooh shorts, created by Disney, in many ways, have supplanted the conception of the character in everyone’s mind. But, this isn’t an accident. First voiced by longtime Disney voiceover actor Sterling Holloway, the infectious nature of that Pooh-bear sound is universal.

Some great kids entertainment can be described and understood. Other times, it’s pure alchemy. All TV versions of Pooh come from the shorts that make up “The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh,” and most retain the heart and wit of the original.

Various Winnie-the-Poohs are streaming on Disney+ here.

65. Jonny Quest

Jetpacks have never been this sweet.

All versions of Jonny Quest deserve a place in the history of great children’s TV for one reason: The characters transform archetypes like James Bond or Indiana Jones, and turn those adventures into believable children. Not everything about the classic ‘60s Jonny Quest will scan as progressive or 100% politically correct today. But, this show’s heart was in the right place. Like reading an old Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew novel to your kid, Jonny Quest comes with a warning label. But, it’s still great fun, and there’s nothing quite like that theme song! — RB

Jonny Quest streams on Amazon Prime.

64. The Backyardigans

Best band on the block.

One of the greatest musical shows ever to hit Nickelodeon, The Backyardigans represents a very specific moment in the early aughts. In some ways, this show was the anti- Teletubbies , mostly because it just contains so much wit, charm, and heart. Shows that encourage sing-alongs can get tricky, fast. Luckily, The Backyardigans holds up. The songs are so good, in fact, TikTok has created a whole Backyardigan renaissance . — HS

The Backyardigans streams on Paramount+.

63. The Adventures of Puss In Boots

The coolest cat of them all.

What is it about Puss In Boots that keeps us all wanting more? The brash, fearless, and reckless cat with a sword is not a character who grows or reveals his complexities over time. He remains brash, fearless, and reckless in the face of his enemy-filled world. And yet, he’s not a two-dimensional character that can’t carry a movie (two, to be exact, plus scene-stealing cameos in the Shrek movies, and, why we’re here, three solid seasons of streaming television).

After all, his determination and defiance are charming and relatable — especially to the braggadocious 5-, 6-, or 7-year-olds who make up the ideal audience for Puss. While the Puss In Boots movies are masterful Quixotian cartoon adventures, the Puss In Boots television series (on Netflix, from 2015-2018) is more focused on the joy of the characters, bringing the adventure home to the cat and his pals. The show isn’t one that’s really for binging as the plots are a bit predictable, the villains mostly forgettable, and the lessons a bit thin. But Puss is undeterred, wearing his confidence like a badge and by the end of each episode, owning up to his mistakes — until the next episode, with swords drawn, ready to fight. — TT

The Adventures of Puss In Boots streams on Netflix.

62. Shaun The Sheep

Bleat a little louder.

Nick Park spun off this very British stop-motion animated children’s show from his super-popular Wallace & Gromit universe. Basically, in each seven-minute episode — 170 of them aired across six seasons from 2007 to 2020 — the mischievous Shaun tries to help his flock stave off utter boredom as they live out their lives on a farmer’s property. Determined to rein in the chaos is Bitzer, the farmer’s sheepdog, and Shaun’s frenemy. Since the animals, including the bad-buy pigs, don’t speak, Park and company amplified the slapstick comedy and the characters’ eyes, expressions, and, well, bleating. — IS

Shaun the Sheep streams on Prime.

61. Lamb Chop’s Play-Along

Iconic duo.

With her bright, tight red hair and infectious energy, puppeteer Shari Lewis invites kids to “play along” with her pals Lamb Chop, Hush Puppy, and Charlie Horse in each installment. Of course, most of her pals are sock puppets (we hope we didn’t ruin the illusion for anyone here!) but their personalities are all so distinct, it’s easy to forget that they each sprung from Lewis’ imagination. To ensure the show’s staying power, each episode ends with “The Song That Doesn’t End” playing over the final credits, which we are certain some people are still trapped singing after all these years. — CG

Lamb Chop’s Play-Along is streaming on YouTube.

60. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

In the club.

The Disney Channel hit Mickey Mouse Clubhouse teaches problem-solving skills to preschoolers and elementary schoolers through the interactive, computer-animated adventures of their soothingly familiar pals Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, and the rest of the Clubhouse game. It’s a brightly colored, tune-filled, and strangely meme-friendly romp for small children that uses music, repetition, computers, tools, and some of the most beloved characters in pop culture to educate and entertain plus its insanely infectious opening and closing songs are by They Might Be Giants. — Nathan Rabin

You can stream Mickey Mouse Clubhouse o n Disney+ .

59. The Wild Thornberrys

We’d follow them anywhere.

The masterstroke of The Wild Thornberrys is that Eliza Thornberry’s ability to speak to animals is a total secret. She couldn’t let anybody know, which added a level of tension and, weirdly, relatability to her otherwise fantastic life. What kid wouldn’t want to travel around the world chatting with elephants, tigers, and chimpanzees instead of going to dumb ol’ school? And yet, the fact that Eliza always had to stay guarded (with humans, at least) gave The Wild Thornberrys a sense of stakes that any viewer could get invested in. — JG

The Wild Thornberrys streams on Paramount+.

58. Pinky and the Brain

Time to take over the world.

Do kids know who Orson Welles is? The joy of Pinky and the Brain , a spin-off of The Animaniacs , was that it didn’t matter if you knew who voice actor Maurice LaMarche was impersonating, it was just a hoot to watch the evil genius Brain and his dimwitted associate Pinky try to take over the world. And yet, even if ‘90s kids didn’t get the reference, Pinky and the Brain ’s reverence for the pop culture of ages past is all over the show, and it’s this sometimes imperceptible sense of history that elevated the show of many Saturday morning cartoon competitors. — JG

Pinky and the Brain is available for rent on YouTube.

57. Gargoyles

Hard as rock.

The coolest show from the ‘90s is one that children today will love more than they can possibly imagine. When immortal gargoyles come to life to protect humans from bad humans, all the tropes of who is scary and who is good get inverted.

Come for the excellent gothic action adventure. Stay for a show that is deeply invested in making sure superficiality is not in your kids’ worldview, ever . — RB

Gargoyles is streaming on Disney+.

56. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

These meddling kids are metal AF.

Is the classic Scooby-Doo series from the ‘70s full of cheap animation and extremely formulaic and repetitive plots? Yes, of course, but that’s a feature, not a bug. The basic structure of the show — four teens and their talking Great Dane drive around solving mysteries, and in every single instance the answer is “somebody was faking a supernatural event” — is a winner. There’s so much charm in each episode that pulling off the culprit’s mask never gets old. Thank goodness for those meddling kids. — JG

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? streams on Tubi.

55. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?

There probably weren’t many ’90s kids who were experts at world geography, but when that globetrotting criminal Carmen Sandiego was on the loose, youngsters were happy to flex whatever knowledge they had to help find her. While Carmen Sandiego was a pretty niche game show, there was a lot for audiences of all ages — and knowledge levels — to enjoy. The producers may have wanted you to come for education, but we stayed tuning in for the musical stylings of Rockapella, whose clever geography-themed wordplay was on full display in every episode. “She put the ‘miss’ in misdemeanor / when she stole the beans from Lima” still lives rent-free in our heads. — CG

Where In the World Is Carmen Sandiego is on YouTube.

54. Rocky and Bullwinkle

The classic Rocky and Bullwinkle.

Jay Ward’s Rocky & Bullwinkle was to television what Mad Magazine was for print: an American institution that entertained while introducing multiple generations of children to the concepts of social satire and post-modernism. The animated variety show alternates between snappily written vignettes involving the titular duo and their Soviet-style antagonists Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale, blundering mountie Dudley Do-Right, the time-traveling pair Mr. Peabody and Sherman, and the fantastical world of fairy tales (Fractured Fairy Tales). The result was critically acclaimed and wildly influential in proving that an audience existed for cerebral cartoons that appealed to adults as well as children. Rocky and Bullwinkle was low-budget but you don’t need money when you have this level of wit and comic sophistication. — NR

Rocky and Bullwinkle streams on Amazon Prime.

53. Double Dare

Double Dare will never die.

Game shows were all over network television, but Double Dare was one of the first times that kids could see themselves as the contestants. The show’s host, the affable Marc Summers, assumed his master of ceremonies role as part “cool dad” and part serious, objective enforcer of the rules, and the questions ranged from incredibly accessible to truly challenging, at least for its key demographic. But let’s be honest — the physical challenges are what kept us tuning in. Getting covered in slime, whipped cream, and all other kinds of slippery filth never looked so fun. Arguably more than any other show on the network, Double Dare best embodied Nickelodeon’s key philosophy: kids rule. — CG

Double Dare streams on Paramount+.

52. Darkwing Duck

Let’s. Get. Dangerous.

The Disney version of Batman meets the Shadow, meets... well, a DuckTales spinoff that is beyond brilliant. In fact, Darkwing Duck is so memorable, we’re gonna go out on a limb and say it’s better than DuckTales!

Darkwing Duck suggests that the world of Disney cartoons could be wittier and less careful than some of the other Disney fare. And, unlike the somewhat problematic Uncle Scrooge or the absent father of Donald Duck, Drake Mallard is actually a great dad! — RB

Darkwing Duck streams on Disney+.

51. Power Rangers

It’s certainly close to the time for some ‘morphin.

The decision to take the special effects shots and the broadest possible plot outlines from the Japanese series Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger and recut it, dub it, and shoot new scenes with a group of American teenagers (with attitude!) was a brilliant one. Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers (and the many, many sequels and spin-offs that would follow) are a gem. Power Rangers is full of absurd creatures and kaiju, reused footage, cheap-looking fights, and repetitive plots. None of that matters when you’re a kid — only Morphin Time matters. — JG

The classic Power Rangers are streaming on Netflix.

50. Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Ahsoka doesn’t need two lightsabers. She’s just too cool not to have more than one.

The live-action Star Wars shows like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka are increasingly mining the Star Wars animated series for plots — and for good reason. Star Wars: The Clone Wars contains some of the most gripping storytelling in the entire franchise, give or take an Andor .

But what makes The Clone Wars extra special is that it manages to tackle deep themes and topics — nuanced and detailed looks at how the Jedi and the Republic sowed the seeds of their own (not entirely unearned) destruction — while also being a crackerjack week to week series of adventures in a galaxy far, far away. On top of all of that, The Clone Wars gave young girls the best Star Wars character of all time, in the aforementioned Jedi hero, Ahsoka Tano. — JG

Star Wars: The Clone Wars streams on Disney+.

49. Saved by the Bell

The classic cast of Saved By The Bell .

For kids who have yet to reach high school age, Saved by the Bell painted an idyllic picture of a school that kids would actually want to go to. Who needs a cafeteria when you have The Max, a cool restaurant next door that seemingly employs students to work during the day when they should be in class? While Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski were the main couple to watch, jock A.C. Slater and feminist (and occasional caffeine pill popper) Jessie Spano were the show’s more interesting twosome. Perhaps some held out hope that quirky nerd Screech would end up with fashionista Lisa Turtle, but alas, it wasn’t in the cards. — CG

Saved By the Bell is streaming on Peacock.

48. Family Matters

Did I do that?

You’d be forgiven for forgetting that Family Matters is a spinoff of the sitcom Perfect Strangers , as the show quickly established its own identity — even if that identity changed over the course of its run. What began as a series centered on a Black family in Chicago morphed into a star vehicle for Jaleel White’s lovably intolerable Steve Urkel, who spent the greater portion of the show’s nine seasons causing major property damage (“Did I do that?”), conducting scientific experiments, and pining for his lovely Laura Winslow.

While the writers found clever ways to maintain interest (including stunt casting Donna Summer as Urkle’s Aunt Oona from Altoona and introducing Michelle Thomas as his girlfriend, Myra Boutros Boutros Monkhouse), the show’s quality petered off, leading to Jo Marie Payton, who played matriarch Harriet Winslow, leaving the show midway through its final season.

That said, the legacy of Family Matters is utterly wonderful for kids. Urkel was a kind of “geek icon” that generations of kids desperately needed, while the basic morality tales of each episode hold up to this day. — CG

Family Matters streams on HBO Max.

47. Animaniacs

The original Animaniacs in 1993.

It’s impossible to know what the real-life Warner Bros. who founded the motion picture company a century ago — their real names were Harry, Albert, Sam, and Jack — would have thought of being reimagined as anthropomorphic feline-canine creatures, but their opinion really doesn’t matter. Audiences could not get enough of Yakko, Wakko, and their equally-important and equally-frenetic sister Dot. While the Warners were the stars of the show, it’s impossible to choose the “best” component of the series.

The theme song is an unforgettable and still easily-karaokable earworm, filled with witty wordplay and dated references (“…while Bill Clinton plays the sax…”) and besides the main trio, kids of all ages enjoyed Pinky and the Brain, Slappy Squirrel, Chicken Boo, and the rest of the cavalcade of curious creatures. There’s no studio lot in the world that’s more fun. — CG

Animaniacs is streaming on Hulu.

46. Clarissa Explains It All

Melissa Joan Hart as Clarissa.

Before she was Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Melissa Joan Hart commanded the role of Clarissa Darling, a somewhat normal teenager who, like most teenagers, felt like she was completely abnormal. Throughout the series, she tried to navigate through school, puberty, friendships, and family dynamics — especially when it came to her annoying little brother Ferguson. While the title seems to suggest that Clarissa was explaining how life worked, in most episodes she was just trying to figure it out. Kids tuned in for five seasons to try and figure it out alongside her. — CG

Clarissa Explains It All streams on Paramount+.

45. Freakazoid!

Freakazoid!

The best children’s entertainment is paradoxically sometimes deeply uninterested in entertaining children. That’s certainly true of the gleefully irreverent, wildly post-modern 1990s superhero spoof Freakazoid, which was executive produced by Steven Spielberg, who also appears on the show regularly as a character. The absurdist parody revolves around a mild-mannered computer geek who becomes a sort of super-powered sentient internet after a fortuitous accident. That means that he’s fast, funny, powerful, and incredibly obnoxious, a motor-mouthed, pop culture-crazed goof who is forever shattering the fourth wall and making fun of himself, his world, and everything else like a teenaged, slightly more family-friendly Deadpool. Freakazoid! feels so contemporary and ahead of its time that it’s honestly surprising it hasn’t been resurrected repeatedly the way seemingly everything else even half-tolerated has. — NR

Freakazoid! is available for rent on YouTube.

44. The Little Rascals

The gang’s all here.

When Hal Roach had the idea to take a ragtag group of children of different ages, races, sizes, and singing abilities and put them on screen together in the 1920s, before television existed, he inadvertently created one of the best programs for children of all time. The Little Rascals , originally released as theatrical shorts under the title Our Gang , remain timeless.

Everyone who has seen them, or watched the well-done 1994 film adaptation, has a favorite character, sight gag, bit of wordplay, or song that was performed. While the 10- and 20-minute shorts stand alone, it’s worth tracing them down and watching in order, just to see the different generations of kids join the gang, often as very small children, and exit once they’ve aged out. For example, Spanky, easily the most popular “rascal,” first appeared when he was just three years old and lasted until he was fourteen and the series ended. For the uninitiated, might we suggest starting with “Our Gang Follies of 1938,” an unusually big-budget entry that showcases a lot of what made the series so special to this day. — CG

The Little Rascals is streaming on Freevee via Amazon Prime .

43. Garfield and Friends

Garfield and Friends

Even at its Reagan-era best, Jim Davis’ newspaper and marketing bonanza Garfield was never more than a pleasant, pandering mediocrity. Film Roman improved considerably on Davis’ wildly successful if famously formulaic comic strip about a lasagna-loving, Monday-hating fat cat with a series of classic, Emmy-winning specials like Garfield on the Town and Garfield’s Halloween Adventure and then Garfield and Friends, which ran from 1988 to 1994. Lorenzo Music, who co-created The Bob Newhart Show in an earlier life, was the perfect voice for Garfield, besting even the film world’s Bill Murray in his ability to make lazy selfishness charismatic and endearing while the consummate professionals o Film Roman, the veterans behind The Simpsons, The Critic, and Family Guy, provided slickly appealing animation and character design. Unlike its inspiration, Garfield and Friends wasn’t just popular. It was good as well. — NR

Garfield and Friends streams on Tubi for free.

42. Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973)

Kid Spock and Adult Spock team up to throw logic at the problems of childhood angst.

In the 1970s, when Sesame Street dominated the Emmy Awards for best daytime children’s show, there was a brief hiccup, and, in 1975, that award went to... Star Trek . That’s right, the famous and immortal sci-fi show from the 1960s was briefly reborn from 1973 to 1974, as an animated series for children. The show ditched Captain Kirk’s fist fights from the classic show and replaced the action with more rescues, more representative, and best of all, more kooky aliens.

Though the animation style from Filmation feels stilted by today’s standards, the intelligence and wit of this series holds-up surprisingly well today. Nearly every episode presents some kind of inversion of our assumptions about the villains, and usually, problems can be resolved by talking things through, or with phasers set lightly to stun. Most interestingly, Star Trek: The Animated Series , was the first major children’s TV series to depict the death of a child’s pet on screen in the excellent episode “Yesteryear.” Yes, Fred Rogers lost his fish in 1970, be he himself is not a child. In “Yesteryear,” Spock time travels to help himself as a child, and yes helps himself mourn the loss of his adorable pet, a giant teddy bear monster with fangs. — RB

Star Trek: The Animated Series streams on Paramount+.

41. Muppet Babies (Classic)

The classic Muppet Babies.

The bold stylistic technique that made Muppet Babies unique as well as beloved unfortunately also ensures that it will almost assuredly never be available to stream in any legal format in the United States. The fondly remembered staple of Reagan-era childhoods used film clips of some of the best-known and most lucrative intellectual property in existence to illustrate the vivid fantasy world of baby versions of Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and the rest of Jim Henson’s puppet creations.

That includes multi-billion-dollar franchises like Star Wars as well as Henson’s own creations like Labyrinth. Muppet Babies would remain charming, funny, and lovable even without movie excerpts it’s undoubtedly prohibitively difficult and expensive to clear but they lend this unique version of a classic set of characters a flavor and texture all its own. — NR

Muppet Babies streams on Disney+.

40. Peppa Pig

Get these creatures away from muddy puddles.

Peppa Pig is as English as tea time, cricket, and the Queen. The wonderfully droll adventures of porcine charmer Peppa Pig, her brother George, and their parents make life in jolly old English seem so idyllic and quaint that it famously led to a rash of fake British accents from American children who internalized the show a little too intensely. Peppa Pig represents the most irresistible, and the most irresistibly British English export since Wallace and Gromit. — NR

Peppa Pig streams on Paramount+.

39. The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show

Peppermint Patty and Charlie Brown

Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson’s legendary Peanuts animated specials, most notably 1965’s A Charlie Brown Christmas and 1966’s It’s the Great Pumpkin, brought Charles Schultz’s American institution to television with its melancholy soul and bittersweet brilliance intact. In 1983 Melendez took a rare foray into the world of episodic television with The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show, a series that brought Chuck and the gang to the small screen while maintaining the fragile alchemy and delicate genius of both Schultz’s comic strip and its television special spin-offs. As with the specials, The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show eschewed professional adult voice actors in favor of actual children. In Season 2, that included Stacy Ferguson, aka Fergie of Black Eyed Peas, as Sally Brown and Peppermint Patty. — NR

The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show is streaming on Apple TV+.

This guy has 8-years-old for a very long time.

What is the longest-running animated educational kids’ program in history? The answer may shock folks, but it’s Arthur . Yes, the show about a cartoon aardvark, his pals, and his family, which mined and expanded the world introduced by Marc Brown in his beloved Arthur books. The secret ingredient in the gumbo over the course of its 25-season run (1996-2022) was Arthur himself, who remains sweet, hopeful, honest, caring, earnest, creative, and more as the 8-year-old experienced the joys and challenges of life.

And those joys and challenges include everything from problem-solving, bullying, and making friends to bedwetting, death, and sibling relationships, all made age-appropriate for the show’s target audience, children ages 4 to 8. — IS

Arthur is streaming on Amazon with a PBS Kids add-on.

37. Bill Nye the Science Guy

He’s gonna science this so hard.

It almost feels like a falsehood to say that Bill Nye made science “cool.” Part of the Science Guy’s whole appeal was that he was sincere, exuberant, and just a little awkward. He’s Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor , but actually a scientist (technically his background is in mechanical engineering). This, paradoxically, was the key to why his beloved show worked so well. There was a wonkiness to his experiments that made it so you couldn’t help but share his enthusiasm. — JG

You can rent episodes of Bill Nye on YouTube.

36. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

He has the power!

If it’s been a while since you watched the original He-Man , the one thing you’ve probably forgotten is that He-Man has a totally unnecessary secret identity. But don’t let this extremely still detail make you think He-Man is somehow not a good show. In fact, just the opposite. With a ton of heart and a truly unique place in children’s adventure fiction, He-Man is better than you remember, not worse. And that’s its true secret identity: It seemed like a corny show designed to sell action figures, but, underneath that, was the real show, which was, and is, amazing. — RB

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe has a ton of episodes streaming for free on YouTube right here.

35. Thomas and Friends

This cheeky one will chuff you.

There is something so charmingly, well, British about Thomas & Friends . Though later iterations of the franchise would modernize its look and storytelling, the original episodes from the ‘80s and ‘90s eschewed so much of what we think of kids TV to be today. The model train animation was deliberate and loving but also kind of janky. The trains didn’t speak; rather a narrator described all the action as if one were simply hearing a story. The whole thing is wonderfully uncanny. — JG

Thomas and Friends streams on Amazon Prime.

34. The Electric Company

Hey, you guys …!!

The Electric Company — which cranked out 780 episodes across six seasons (1971-1977) — was the hippest, loosest children’s entertainment series ever produced. The theme song rocks, and so does the cast: Rita Moreno, Morgan Freeman, Irene Cara, and Denise Nickerson (Violet from Willy Wonka !), with Mel Brooks, Joan Rivers, Gene Wilder, Diane Keaton, Walt Frazier, and Carol Burnett among the live-action and voiceover guest stars.

The segments range from sketches to animated bits ( The Adventures of Letterman !) to songs, all with a lesson, moral, or piece of advice. Yes, this seems like a dated show, but it influenced much of what came after, and it is truly unique. Again, just look at that amazing cast. (Fun fact: Paul Dooley — Molly Ringwald’s dad in 16 Candles and Pops in The Wonder Years — co-created the show.) Dont you want those folks entertaining your kids? — IS

The Electric Company is available to purchase on Amazon.

33. Molly of Denali

Molly doesn’t mind the cold!

A relatively recent PBS series, Molly of Denali is a series that excels at representation in a way that some other so-called “classic shows” struggle with. Molly is a native of Alaska, and the show naturally, and whimsically, introduces all sorts of themes about indigenous peoples to its wonderful storylines. Of the newer crop of PBS offerings, Molly of Denali deserves the label of “instant classic.” — HS

Molly of Denali streams on PBS Kids.

32. Avatar: The Last Airbender

Don’t mess with Aang and the gaang.

There’s a chance that, for a certain generation of kids Avatar: The Last Airbender is the most important TV show. The Nickelodeon series, a loving, respectful, and deeply thoughtful homage to anime and Eastern cultures, is such a masterful synergy of world-building, characters, animation, and storytelling, and all of these elements (pun intended) come together for an epic story that rivals Star Wars or Harry Potter when it comes to the impact it has had on those who fell in love with the Gaang.

If you’re looking for a show that does fantasy in a way that actually helps kids, rather than confuses them, Avatar beats the Force and Hogwarts any day of the week. — JG

Avatar: The Last Airbender streams on Netflix.

31. Gilligan’s Island

This guy is basically every single grade-schooler.

There may not have been children on Gilligan’s Island , but the misadventures of the Skipper, his little buddy Gilligan, the wealthy Howells, brainy Professor, glamorous movie star Ginger, and farm girl next door Mary Ann, who fell victim to what has to be the worst three-hour tour in history, were perfect fodder for kids who wanted to see adults in silly situations. There’s a certain joy in knowing how a story will end, especially if you don’t know exactly how you’ll get there. Just as every South Park viewer waited to find out how Kenny would meet his maker throughout the show’s first five seasons, Gilligan devotees got a kick out of knowing that, no matter how hard they tried, the seven shipwrecked acquaintances were never going to get off the island. — CG

Gilligan’s Island is streaming for free on Tubi.

30. Puffin Rock

The puffins are adorable, but the narrator is over it.

Hands down, one of the gentlest shows for toddlers and preschoolers from the 21st century. Featuring a bunch of creatures who live on a little island near Ireland, the best thing about Puffin Rock is the constant, slightly baffled narration from Chris O'Dowd. It’s like he’s channeled his character from Brides Maids and turned it into an omniscient god for this cutesy children’s universe. Also, for parents, this unflappable voice and narration style works as a kind of inner mantra. Having a hard time? How would the Chris O’Dowd Puffin Rock narrator articulate it? See, you feel better already. — RB

Puffin Rock streams on Netflix.

29. The Magic School Bus (Classic)

The Magic School Bus

Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen’s Magic School Bus books let kids use their imaginations to further bring to life the adventures of Miss Frizzle and her students, as they rode their yellow bus like a time machine into a wide variety of stories. The animated version of The Magic School Bus (1994-1997) took it to the next level, with colorful imagery, toe-tapping music, and the boundless energy provided by Lily Tomlin as the voice of Miss Frizzle. A follow-up series, The Magic School Bus Rides Again , ran for two seasons (2017-2018) and centered on Miss Fiona Felicity Frizzle (voiced by Kate McKinnon) and also featured Tomlin’s Miss Frizzle as Fiona’s older sister. — IS

The Magic School Bus streams on Netflix.

28. Tumble Leaf

Good figuring, Fig.

The No. 1 thing this show has going for it is that it’s a visual feast. With an animation technique that utilizes stop motion, and a style seemingly borrowed from Wes Anderson, Tumble Leaf is quirky in all the right ways. It’s also, refreshingly, a show in which its young creatures solve logistical problems, rather than emotional ones. The Fig, Maple, and the rest of the Tumble Leaf crew are a stable lot and their can-do attitude and rallying cry “let’s figure this out!” is infectious. On top of all of that, the basic idea of a treasure chest called “a finding place” is brilliant. When you watch Tumble Leaf with your very young ones, they’ll want to make they’re own “finding place,” which can instantly turn household objects and forgotten toys into things of wonder. — RB

Tumble Leaf streams on Amazon Prime.

27. The Real Ghostbusters

Bustin’ makes them feel good.

In 1984, Ghostbusters was not a children’s brand. By 1986, the cartoon series The Real Ghostbusters changed everything. Not only did this show forever alter the pop culture definition of a “ghost” (but seriously, what were some of those creatures?) it also disabused ‘80s and ‘90s kids of their preconceived notions of the word “real.”

The first script editor on The Real Ghostbusters was comic book and sci-fi TV maestro, J. Michael Straczynski. Sci-fi fans know him as the creator of Babylon 5, the guy who co-wrote wrote the first Thor movie in 2011, and the co-creator of Sense8. If you feel like the early seasons of The Real Ghostbusters have a legitimate science fiction flavor, that’s why. Straczynski is that good. — RB

The Real Ghostbusters streams for free on Crackle.

26. Superman (1940s)

This guy doesn’t even need those laser eyes.

There are a lot of ways to introduce your kids to The Man of Steel, but the Max Fleischer animated shorts remains the absolute best place to start.

What do kids learn from this Superman? Well, other than the fact that he always stands up to bullies, the Fleischer shots also teach kids about the power of minimalist art forms . These shorts barely need dialogue to convey the story. Superheroes can be art, these timeless shorts are proof. — RB

All the 1940s Superman cartoons are streaming on YouTube.

25. Fraggle Rock

The classic Fraggle Rock Christmas Special.

Kids and adults love Fraggle Rock in equal measure. This Jim Henson project serves up wildly colorful puppets, catchy songs, inventive sets, and lively humor. It’s pure entertainment with the educational elements feathered into the fun, rather than the reverse. Over the course of nearly 100 episodes (five seasons, 1983-1987), Fraggle Rock gave us Red, Boober, Wembley, Gobo, and Mokey, as well as their fellow Fraggles singing, dancing, exploring, and, occasionally working. Meanwhile, Uncle Traveling Matt spent a great deal of time in Outer Space aka the Human world. Fraggle Rock begat an animated series and, most recently, a winsome reboot, Fraggle Rock: Back on the Rock , featuring most of the same characters and their voices/puppeteers, returning too. — IS

Fraggle Rock is streaming on Apple TV+.

24. SpongeBob Squarepants

SpongeBob Squarepants

Not every kids show needs to be educational. This brings us to SpongeBob SquarePants , about a frenetic, well-meaning sea sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea, pals around with a very dopey starfish, and flips burgers at the Krusty Krab, where he works for the pirate-loving Mr. Krabs and alongside the ever-cranky Squidward. Cue day-glo animation, whipsaw-quick editing, nonstop visual and spoken jokes (some for the kids, some for the adults), and whimsical music. SpongeBob launched in 1999 and exploded into a cultural phenomenon that spawned movies (with Johnny Depp, and Keanu Reeves), a Broadway musical, tons of tie-in merch, a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float, and on and on. And speaking of on and on, Nickelodeon continues to drop new episodes, with the show closing in on the 300 mark! — IS

Spongebob Squarepants streams on Paramount+.

23. Transformers

He’s got the touch.

In some other version of this list, this show is No. 1. In 1984, the fact that anyone didn’t view the debut of Transformers as a world-shattering moment is truly shocking. The premise combines two things that little kids love: utter absurdity and utter commitment to said absurdity. Meanwhile, the sci-fi world-building of Transformers held together better than Star Wars and made several generations of children deeply attached to robots who — really think about this — transformed into cars, planes, trucks, and sometimes, cassette tapes. The brilliance of the Transformers was, when you left your house, you could imagine anything as a possible robot in disguise. They were always with you. — RB

Transformers (1984-1987) is streaming for free on Tubi.

22. The Wonder Years

The Wonder Years .

Running from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, and spanning from 1968 to 1973, The Wonder Years fully deserves its reputation as one of television’s finest dramas. Kevin Arnold’s (Fred Savage) coming-of-age tale touches on first love, friendship, sibling rivalry, the fun, and the follies of middle-class family life. Everyone watching crushed hard on Winnie (Danica McKellar) and wanted a best friend like Paul (Josh Saviano). Beautifully filmed and sensitively written, the show also boasted great period costumes, a perfect theme song (Joe Cocker’s cover of “With a Little Help from My Friends”), a superb core cast, and amusing recurring characters (including Robert Picardo as Coach Cutlip). It’s a classic. — IS

The Wonder Years is streaming on Hulu.

21. Batman: The Animated Series

The greatest Batman ever. Seriously.

It’s closer to known fact than hot take to say that this was the best Batman adaptation there’s ever been or that the late, great Kevin Conroy was the best Dark Knight. Bruce Timm’s heavily noir-influenced take on the Caped Crusader is a masterpiece; a fully realized world of superheroes and crime. Though Batman: The Animated Series rarely shied away from some of the more unsavory aspects of Gotham, it was never “mature” — it just has an immense respect for its audience. — JG

Batman: The Animated Series streams on HBO Max.

20. Doc McStuffins

The Doc is...living in a sci-fi show.

Created by contemporary kids show mega-genius, Chris Nee , the basic premise of Doc McStuffins takes the general conceit of Toy Story (toys are alive!) and turns it into a science-fiction hospital show. The show is relentlessly upbeat, the characters absurdly charming, and the specificity of each toy’s specific malady increasingly surprising. At some point, Doc Mcstuffins doesn’t really worry about there not being direct analogs for some of the things that need fixing with the toys. This is how hard Doc McStuffins owns its premise, which is likely the secret reason for its success. — RB

Doc McStuffins streams on Disney+.

19. Dinosaur Train

How does the time tunnel work again?

There’s no dad alive raising a fan of PBS’s greatest dinosaur show who can resist singing its title out loud, in a baritone descending A minor: “Dinosaur Traaaaaa-in.” The charming, fun, and addictive qualities of Dinosaur Train all start with the title song, written by Jim Lang (of Hey Arnold! fame) but inspired by, I don’t know, Primus? It’s a bop that outlines the very strange plot of the show: A Pteranodon has a bunch of babies but one of them turns out to be a T-Rex. They keep him and decide to go on a series of trips on a time-traveling train that takes them all over the Mesozoic era, that 80-million-year period where dinosaurs reigned.

The premise sounds like a toddler pipe dream (“Dinosaurs! And trains! And time travel !”) but thanks to Lang’s deft hand, a deluge of dino facts, properly interesting subplots, and an animation style that is like Cocomelon crawling out of the uncanny valley, the series is as watchable for a three-year-old (PBS says the show is for 3- to 6-year-olds and they’re spot-on here) as it is for the adult humming the theme songs beside them on the couch. — TT

Dinosaur Train streams on Amazon Prime .

18. The Muppet Show

Shirley Bassey on The Muppet Show in 1981.

The brilliance of The Muppet Show is in the simplicity of the premise. Take Jim Henson’s lovable felt and foam creations, task them with staging a variety show in a theater, toss in some hecklers, sprinkle celebrity guest stars on top, mix in a healthy amount of humor for all ages, and you have a recipe for an international hit. Much like The Flintstones , it was hard to pin down exactly who the targeted demographic was for The Muppet Show , which meant that, like The Flintstones , it really was a show for everyone. While some viewers may have tuned for the guest star of the week, the back-and-forth antics between Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, and the rest of the gang was reason enough to keep coming back. — CG

The Muppet Show is streaming on Disney+.

17. Rugrats

Rugrats created a universe of entertaining and sometimes annoying characters, all of whom orbited around Tommy Pickles, an adorable and adventurous 1-year-old. The show’s genius is that it told its nearly 200 stories (1991-2004) from the vantage points of Tommy and the babies/toddlers around him. Parents, grandparents, and next-door neighbors, etc., were weird, unpredictable, and, of course, loving caretakers. Like some other shows on this list, Rugrats inspired flotillas of merchandise, a few films ( Rugrats in Paris is fantastic), a spin-off ( All Grown Up! ), and a recent reboot (with much of the original voice talent returning, including E.G. Daily as Tommy). Season 2 of the new Rugrats debuts on April 14. — IS

Rugrats is streaming on Paramount+.

16. Blue’s Clues

Steve is on the case.

Perfect for preschoolers, Blue’s Clues blended live-action, animation, and education into its 143 episodes (1996-2006, six seasons). Everything clicked, from likable first host Steve (Steve Burns) to the adorable animated dog, Blue, who left clues about her plans for the day, clues that Steve and the audience at home had to decipher. Blue’s Clues felt interactive and immersive. It moved unhurriedly and asked kids to decipher, interpret, or just guess, and provided long pauses following any questions it posed, giving children a moment to talk out loud or converse with a parent, sibling, or caregiver. A reboot, Blue’s Clues & You!, debuted in 2019. There are three generations of hosts , and they’re all great. — IS

Blues Clues is streaming on Paramount+.

15. Storybots

Ask them anything .

The “Ask The Experts” genre of kids TV is too often the kind of show aimed at parents who want to feel good about putting their kids in front of programming to get 30 minutes or so to themselves (while the kids are learning! ). The problem is not so much that these shows don’t connect with the kids — there are tons of fantastic nonfiction kids shows — but that the delivery is just so grating. What they lack in well-written script, the hosts, often in a silly lab-coat-looking getup, try to make up for with enthusiasm and volume.

Storybots instead bring personality, with a funny collection of cartoon robots, each with their own point of view (or, you might say, learning style), and connects them with actors parents can recognize. Kevin Smith, Snoop Dogg, Ali Wong, David Cross, and Wanda Sykes show up as “experts” and they nail the roles, one and all. The writing is to thank here. “All you ask about is cats! Why always cats? Can’t I get one dog?” says Snoop Dogg in the “How Do Computers Work?” If you find yourself sitting down to explain to your kid who that computer technician actually is (“the thing about Snoop Dogg is…”), well, mission accomplished, Storybots. — TT

Storybots streams on Netflix.

14. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood

Daniel Tiger is about to flip out. Sound familiar?

Daniel Tiger is easily the most depressed character on this list. And that’s saying something. In nearly every single episode, Daniel has a full meltdown about something. He’s never wearing pants , and things in his neighborhood of make-believe seem to suggest he’s living in a Matrix -esque simulation . Technically a spinoff from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood , the emotional chaos of Daniel Tiger’s day-to-day is much, much darker than the show from which it came. If Bluey is the show that makes parents feel seen (and also insecure) then Daniel Tiger is the show that makes toddlers feel seen. All children do think like these characters. It’s spooky. But it’s also brilliant. — RB

Daniel Tiger (mostly) streams on Amazon Prime with a PBS Kids add-on.

13. Tom and Jerry

We would tell Jerry to watch out, but, well, you know.

No cartoon has ever quite done physical comedy like Tom & Jerry (sorry Wile E.). The chase that you get in each and every episode (there are 164) is a symphony of action, with multiple movements ramping up and down, shifting expectations and, ultimately, gliding into a finish where Jerry, the mouse, escapes the clutches of Tom, the cat. But to say this cartoon is all about a chase is like saying Charlie Chaplin was a man who’s really good at falling down.

Not to put too fine a point on this storied show, but Tom & Jerry is something of a philosophical treatise, a Sisyphean allegory where the roles are clear, the tasks and outcomes predetermined, but the object lessons ever-shifting. This is most obvious in episodes where the chase is disrupted, like in “The Night Before Christmas” (1941). In this classic, Tom gets his win, locking Jerry outside in the snowy cold, and then, instead of curling up by the fire as a cat is want to do, he looks at the door in a few ensuing and excruciating seconds of silence. He is a cat without purpose, and the viewer can’t help but feel dread. Fortunately, Tom shows his “humanity” — opening the door, thawing the mouse, giving them a candy cane, and ending with the required detente. They live to chase another day. What other end could there be? — TT

Tom & Jerry is streaming on HBO Max.

12. Doctor Who

Tom Baker as the 4th Doctor.

Even longtime fans of the cult British sci-fi series may not know that Doctor Who began as a children’s program. Created in 1963 by Sydney Newman and Verity Lambert for the BBC, the stated goal of Who was to use a time travel premise to introduce children to science concepts and history lessons. At the same time, Doctor Who was to be a family-friendly action-adventure series, starring a protagonist who never carried a gun, but instead, solved problems through their wits and intelligence.

Six decades later, Doctor Who has, more or less, retained that mission statement. Although the fan base is much bigger than families, and the contemporary versions of the show are better for kids 8 and up, Who has an undeniably upbeat vibe. The titular Doctor is “never cruel or cowardly,” and even in the darkest of these timey wimey adventures, the series is wise, funny, and big-hearted. In fact, in the mythology of the show, our favorite Time Lord has two hearts instead of one, which tells you everything you need to know about how the metaphors on this show work. The Doctor’s time/space machine, the TARDIS, is “bigger on the inside,” and over the years Doctor Who has proven to be capacious enough to take several generations of fans along for the journey. If you give Who a closer look through the eyes of a parent, you can see why Disney+ snatching it up for 2023 makes perfect sense. — RB

Doctor Who is currently streaming on HBO Max and BritBox . In Fall 2023, it will hit Disney+ .

11. The Powerpuff Girls

The real Justice League.

Sugar, spice, and everything nice (plus a little Chemical X). Those are the ingredients that created The Powerpuff Girls , an immensely stylized and smart take on superpowers and girl power. The show had a rogue’s gallery to rival Batman’s (the verbose monkey Mojo Jojo and Him, a Yellow Submarine -inspired devil, are all-timers), and the core trio of Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup were worthy of entry into any Justice League. — JG

The Powerpuff Girls are streaming on HBO Max .

10. A Series of Unfortunate Events

This photo is a borderline spoiler. That’s how good this show is.

The greatest middle-grade book series produced in the last twenty years is without a doubt Daniel Handler’s excellent Lemony Snicket books, including the volumes that comprise both All the Wrong Questions and A Series of Unfortunate Events . But, the 2017-2019 TV series nearly matches the brilliance of the first 13 books with one simple trick: While most adaptations of great children’s literature tend to condense , the TV version of Unfortunate Events actually managed to expand the Baudelaire saga and give us characters and scenes that were impossible to depict in the books.

The wit, style, intelligence, and pure originality of this series may never be topped. The only real negative thing to say about it is that the fact that hews so closely to the story of the 13 original books, means, there was never going to be a season 4. Certainly not for young kids, but your older kids are gonna love it. And, even if they don’t, you can just watch it by yourself. This isn’t just one of the best children’s shows ever , it’s one of the best TV shows of the past two decades. Period. — RB

A Series of Unfortunate Events streams on Netflix.

9. Octonauts

The Octonauts.

The greatest thing about the Octonauts is that it doesn’t try too hard to be excellent. Featuring a crew of brave explorers — who all just happen to be talking animals — the Octonauts travel the world in their undersea ship, the Octopod. With a musical score equal parts John Barry’s 007 and Michael Giacchino’s The Incredibles, the name of the game here is adventure above all. Each character has a catchphrase that is somehow not annoying, which blends well with a format that mixes the best elements of Star Trek, Voltron, and Thunderbirds. On top of that, The Octonauts is 100 percent non-violent and incredibly educational. Via “Creature Reports” (and later, “OctoReports”) we learn about various animal life, natural phenomenon, and more. The Octonauts is a show with a conscience that is never preachy. It’s also full of wit without resorting to banal “quirkiness,” a true rarity among contemporary kids' shows. The only thing bad about this show is that parents will wish it existed when they were in preschool, too. — RB

The Octonauts and its various standalone movies all stream on Netflix. The spinoff show, which is nearly the exact format, Octonauts: Above and Beyond also streams on Netflix.

8. Pee-wee’s Playhouse

Paul Reubens in Pee Wee’s Playhouse .

When Pee-wee Herman invited viewers into his kaleidoscopic playhouse in the fall of 1986, the show was the only program on CBS’s Saturday morning children’s television lineup that wasn’t entirely animated. Luckily, Pee-wee and his human friends (like the mildly-flirtatious Miss Yvonne and disembodied head, Jambi the Genie) were like cartoon characters brought to life. Paul Reubens (the Clark Kent to Pee-wee Herman’s Superman) broke the children’s television mold by creating a show that was as innovative as it was retro and familiar as it was unique. Where else could you see someone jump inside of a puppet, like the Magic Screen, make a spaceship by playing connect the dots, and then flying into space… just moments before or after watching a classic cartoon from the 1940s. Week after week, Pee-wee encouraged kids to be creative, take up space (sometimes just by screaming “real loud” at the secret word), and be the best friend—and version of themselves—that they could be.

It was a place where “anything can happen,” as Cyndi Lauper sings in the theme song, and where everyone is welcome. For all of Playhouse ’s crowning achievements, perhaps one of its most significant was creating a truly inclusive environment. The 1988 prime-time Christmas Special featured a segment on Hanukkah and Black actors like Laurence Fishburne (back when he was Larry), S. Epatha Merkerson, Gilbert Lewis, and William Marshall were series regulars. The show was set in the fictional Puppetland, but things would be much more fun if the real world was like the one Pee-wee lived in. — CG

Pee Wee's Playhouse is available for rent on YouTube .

7. Wild Kratts!

Wild Kratts

Most cartoons celebrate the cute and the fuzzy aspect of animals. But there’s so much more to the animal kingdom. What about the bite of a polar bear or the long flight of a butterfly, the speed of a basilisk, or the ink shot of a squid? The Kratt Brothers — Chris and Martin — celebrate the superpowers of animals with a show that’s half animal documentary, half cartoon adventure.

Wild Kratts ! the longest-running series from these real-life zoologists (the Kratt brothers also created Kratt’s Creatures , Zoboomafoo ) has such staying power because of an ingenious formula. This is a show that shines a light on the badass side of all creatures great and small, explores the fragility of the natural world, and then satisfyingly takes down ecological villains all in a tightly packed 25 minutes. — JG

Wild Kratts! streams on PBS Kids via Amazon Prime.

6. Dora the Explorer

Seriously, Swiper. Don’t.

Swiper no swiping! If your toddler watches one show, let it be Dora the Explorer. The brilliance of this show is boundless. It’s a show that casually introduces English-speaking kids to Spanish while making kids who speak Spanish as their first language feel seen. It’s a show led by a young girl who is a good-natured thrill seeker and also best friends with a monkey. Dora is like Indiana Jones for toddlers. She’s immortal. She’s wonderful. The only question is: Does she live inside of a computer or what? — RB

Dora the Explorer streams on Paramount+.

5. Schoolhouse Rock!

School House Rock!

If “knowledge is power,” as the Schoolhouse Rock! theme exclaims, then viewers of the three-minute animated educational musical segments are among the most powerful people in the world. If you grew up between the 1970s and 1990s, there’s a good chance you are familiar with the series’ distinct style—you may not know his name, but I bet you can hear Jack Sheldon singing “I’m Just a Bill” and “Conjunction Junction” right now — and even if you divorce them from the educational content, a lot of the songs still hold up as pieces of music. There have been several attempts to renew interest in the series over the years, including a recent anniversary special on ABC featuring pop artists of today, but nothing beats the originals. — CG

Schoolhouse Rock is (mostly) streaming on Disney+.

4. Reading Rainbow

LeVar Burton in 'Reading Rainbow.'

LeVar Burton can lay claim to three remarkable and career-defining television roles: Kunta Kinte in Roots , a decades-long long stint as Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation (and its movies and spin-offs), and his work as the creator/host of Reading Rainbow . For more than 20 years as a show (1983-2006) and now as an app, Burton and Reading Rainbow encouraged kids to, yes, read, read read — but also to take the lessons from books and apply them to the real world in order to more fully experience life.

Most episodes of Reading Rainbow took a page from Mister Rogers’ factory tours: Burton would visit a place — a bowling alley in Ohio or the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC., or the sandy beaches of Sanibel Island in Florida — and talk to an expert there about how that place is meaningful. The episode would then be brought together with a lesson gleaned from a picture book, read by narrators who reflected Burton’s career and personal favorites including Ruby Dee, Patrick Stewart, Alfre Woodard, Pete Seeger, Julia Child, Raul Julia, and James Earl Jones. Like Mister Rogers, the pace is slow, careful, and deliberate — just right for young minds. But Burton relied more heavily on his settings and guests to bring the real world to the kids. The many voices from each episode — of narrator, author, experts, alongside Burton — completed the promise of the theme song, brilliantly sung by Chaka Khan, that “I can go anywhere” with “friends to know, and ways to grow.” That’s Reading Rainbow. — IS

Reading Rainbow streams on Amazon Prime.

Bandit really gets into it.

It’s popular to say that Bluey is so huge because it captures the actual experience of parents trying desperately to entertain their children. This is false. Bluey presents a bizarre idealistic world in which peppy parents utterly give themselves over to every whim their children ever have.

And yet it's in that idealism where Bluey thrives. Yes, it makes parents feel a little bit guilty, but it also empowers families to spend time together in new and creative ways. From an instructive point of view, Bluey has invented more games to pla y with your children than, perhaps, any other show in recent memory. The show is down to Earth in the extreme, which is its superpower. In some ways, because of its obsession with the commonplace, Bluey is a kids show about nothing , which is why, it’s about everything. — RB

Bluey streams on Disney+. (But there are some episodes you can’t watch in the U.S.! Here’s our full list of banned or censored Bluey episodes. )

2. Sesame Street

The cast of Sesame Street in 1969.

Sesame Street has been on the air for over 50 years and remains the gold standard in children’s entertainment for the entirety of its run. What began as a program to supplement the education of Black and brown kids in America’s cities has grown into an internationally-recognized phenomenon, beloved by kids and adults the world over. Sesame Street ’s strength is in its fun, varied, and holistic view of learning. In one segment, you can see a comedic musical vignette with a human teaching a Muppet how to tie their shoelace, and then a moment later, see an animated spot about counting to twelve. It was diverse in the way it approached edutainment, and also in the way it approached humanity—even if often expressed through Muppets like Big Bird, Grover, Telly, Elmo, Bert and Ernie, and the many others that have graced our screens over the last half-century. Sesame Street paints an idyllic neighborhood where people talk through their feelings, often with others who look nothing like them.

It’s impossible to estimate how many people were positively impacted by getting to meet Latinx characters like Luis and Maria, Black characters like Gordon and Olivia, deaf actress Linda Bove, and celebrity guests from different cultures and walks of life who passed through the Street in each episode. Every once in a while criticism springs up about the show — “It was better when I was a kid!” — but those sentiments are really about how attached we all feel to our childhood memories of sitting on the floor while laughing and learning, along with our favorite characters. No matter how old we get, a small part of us will always want to know how we can get (back) to Sesame Street. — CG.

Sesame Street streams on HBO Max and PBS Kids .

1. Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

Fred Rogers in 1980.

Fred Rogers spent 30-plus years (1968-2001) as the genial host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and millions of people still consider him a dear family friend, a source of calm in a storm, and a man who made simple sense of the world. Rogers walked into his house, got comfy (off came the jacket and shoes, on came the sweater and sneakers), sang “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” and spoke directly to the camera as he addressed his audience of young kids. He told stories, introduced them to the real world (teaching them how macaroni is made, for instance), stepped into the fantasy world of the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, and welcomed friends and special guests.

His philosophy and personality influenced not just countless generations of children, but also other children’s entertainers. If there’s an alternate universe in which Fred Rogers didn’t decide to do what he did, we don’t want to know about it. He taught us to look for the helpers, and we’re lucky every day that he did. — IS

Here are all your options for streaming Mister Rogers’.

This article was originally published on May 4, 2023

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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Where Are O.J. Simpson’s Kids Now? What to Know About Arnelle, Jason, Sydney and Justin

O.J. Simpson was a father to five children before his death on April 10

Rebecca Aizin is an Editorial Assistant at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023. Her work has previously appeared on Elle, HGTV and Backstage. 

O.J. Simpson was a father of five before his death at the age of 76 .

The former NFL player shared three children, Arnelle, Jason and Aaren, with his first wife, Marguerite Whitley, and welcomed two kids, Sydney and Justin, with his second wife Nicole Brown Simpson . Aaren died a month before her 2nd birthday after drowning in the family swimming pool.

Simpson's family was thrust into the spotlight after the murder of Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman in June 1994. Simpson was detained days later and an 11-month trial commenced that was dubbed "The Trial of the Century" by many legal experts. On Oct. 3, 1995, 100 million people in the U.S. alone watched as Simpson was acquitted on both counts of murder.

On April 10, 2024, Simpson died at 76 years old from cancer. His family announced the news on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account in a statement.

Bei/Shutterstock ; Vinnie Zuffante/Getty

"On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace," they wrote.

Here’s everything to know about O.J. Simpson’s five children: Sydney, Justin, Arnelle, Jason and Aaren.

Arnelle Simpson, 55

Alexander Tamargo/Getty

Simpson’s eldest daughter was born on Dec. 4, 1968, when the football player was 21 years old. Arnelle testified at his 1994 trial where he was accused of murdering his second wife, Nicole. She claimed that her father was "emotional," "distraught" and "out of control" when he learned of her death, per CNN.

Arnelle remained a vocal supporter of her father, speaking out again during his 2017 parole hearing following his jail sentence for a 2007 armed robbery at a Las Vegas hotel. At the time, she asked that her dad be released so her family could “move forward.”

"As a family, we recognize he's not the perfect man, but as a man and a father he has done his best to behave in a way that speaks to his overall nature and character,” she said, after describing him as her “best friend,” per CBS .

Jason Simpson, 53

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Simpson and Whitley’s second child, Jason, was born in 1970. Jason was by his dad’s side during important moments of his career, including when he was inducted into the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame in Rich Stadium in 1980.

He also attended the premiere of Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult alongside his father, Nicole and two younger siblings three months before Nicole’s murder.

After the infamous police chase where the authorities were tailing a white Ford Bronco containing Simpson and his friend and former teammate Al Cowlings, Jason met his father at his Brentwood home and tried to speak to him. Jason was handcuffed by the police at the time and led back into the house.

Per the Los Angeles Times , as of 2016, Jason was living a private life as a chef at an Atlanta restaurant, St. Cecilia.

Aaren Simpson

Simpson and Whitley welcomed their third chid, daughter Aaren, in 1977. Just one month shy of her 2nd birthday, Aaren tragically drowned in a pool. Simpson rarely discussed the incident in public.

Sydney Brooke Simpson, 38

Bei/Shutterstock

Sydney, O.J. and Nicole’s first child together, was born on Oct. 17, 1985. She was only 8 years old when her mom died, and was helped raised by her aunt and Nicole’s sister, Tanya Brown, after Nicole’s death.

Sydney and Justin moved to Florida in 2000, six years after their mom’s death, and have lived in relative anonymity since. Sydney graduated from Boston University in 2010 with a degree in sociology and spent time in Atlanta before she moved to St. Petersburg, Florida.

As of April 2016, Sydney works in real estate as an owner of multiple properties in Florida that she oversees, per the Tampa Bay Times .

That same year, in February 2016, Sydney and her brother Justin attended the wedding of their cousin , Sean Brown, who is Nicole’s sister Denise Brown's son, in Newport Coast, California. They were photographed at the ceremony as he wed Laguna Beach ‘s Casey Reinhardt.

Justin Ryan Simpson, 35

DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock

O.J.’s youngest child, Justin, was born on Aug. 6, 1988. He was 5 years old when his mom was murdered outside the house as he slept.

Like his sister, Justin works in real estate and, as of 2016, was employed by Coldwell Banker. He is an agent based in St. Petersburg, telling the Tampa Bay Times , "It's a great place to live, why not St. Pete? It’s gorgeous here.”

In February 2022, Justin announced on his Instagram that he was expecting a child with his partner, a baby girl they named Lana.

“We are extremely excited, scared, nervous and in love ❤️ ❤️ ❤️,” he captioned the post. “In only a few short months we will be welcoming little Lana and can’t wait for you to meet her!”

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YouTube Kids Series ‘Tab Time’ Debuts New App, Children’s Book Series and Online Store (EXCLUSIVE)

By Sharareh Drury

Sharareh Drury

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YouTube’s popular “ Tab Time ” series, starring “America’s mom” and Emmy-winning host Tabitha Brown, just got bigger.

Brown and creative studio Kids at Play have announced the launch of the “Tab Time World” app plus an all-new children’s book series and online shop as an expansion of the Emmy-winning young children’s series “Tab Time,” co-created by Brown and Kids at Play founder Jason Berger.

The eBooks and App, developed in partnership with Google Kids Space, will be available for free exclusively on Google Kids Space and Google Play for a limited time. Additionally, the books will be available in the “Tab Time World” app and everywhere eBooks are sold. “‘Tab Time’ is special to so many of us and expanding keeps our hearts and minds open for love to grow! Parents and kids love smart devices and to give them self-love and learning tools from ‘Tab Time’ in books and apps was in perfect alignment,” Brown says of the new offerings. “I’m excited for families to get to experience it all together! The more we gather with learning and love, the better the world will be! That’s what ‘Tab Time’ is all about and that makes me so excited.”

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Brown narrates the new interactive comic picture series, which was written by “Tab Time” showrunner Sean Presant and illustrated by “Tab Time” animator Michael Scanlon. The first two books in the series are “Avi to the Rescue” and “Lenny and the Truck-Driving Dinosaurs,” each based on characters from the hybrid live-action/animated series.

Brown notes that upcoming stories in the book series will follow episodes from the YouTube series.

“The stories will piggyback off the episodes. Like when we feel afraid, or when we make a mistake, that’s really an oops-ortunity. We’re helping kids give themselves space and time to grow, learn, respect and love themselves and others,” she says.

Additionally, the show has launched an official store on  shop.tabtime.tv , featuring “Tab Time” themed backpacks, shirts, hoodies, hats, bibs, onesies, sippy cups, blankets, bags and more.

“The shop is really a response to demand. When we first launched ‘Tab Time,’ parents and kids were creating their own amazing  DIY-style costumes and such. So, with the shop, we are providing an official source with quality materials and fun artwork for parents and kids who want to bring the digital world of ‘Tab Time’ to their physical reality,” Berger says.

Tabitha Brown is represented by CAA and Brecheen, Feldman, Breimer, Silver & Thompson, LLP. Jason Berger is represented by UTA, Artists First and Rothenberg, Mohr and Binder, LLP. Sean Presant is repped by Nick Terry at World Builder Entertainment. “Tab Time World” was developed by Kids at Play and Space Inch.

Watch a visual tour about the new “Tab Time World” app below.

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• Solar Eclipse 2024

10 Surprising Facts About the 2024 Solar Eclipse

A total solar eclipse will sweep across North America on Monday, April 8, offering a spectacle for tens of millions of people who live in its path and others who will travel to see it.

A solar eclipse occurs during the new moon phase, when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, casting a shadow on Earth and totally or partially blocking our view of the sun. While an average of two solar eclipses happen every year, a particular spot on Earth is only in the path of totality every 375 years on average, Astronomy reported .

“Eclipses themselves aren't rare, it's just eclipses at your house are pretty rare,” John Gianforte, director of the University of New Hampshire Observatory, tells TIME. If you stay in your hometown, you may never spot one, but if you’re willing to travel, you can witness multiple. Gianforte has seen five eclipses and intends to travel to Texas this year, where the weather prospects are better.

One fun part of experiencing an eclipse can be watching the people around you. “They may yell, they scream, they cry, they hug each other, and that’s because it’s such an amazingly beautiful event,” Gianforte, who also serves as an extension associate professor of space science education, notes. “Everyone should see at least one in their life, because they’re just so spectacular. They are emotion-evoking natural events.”

Here are 10 surprising facts about the science behind the phenomenon, what makes 2024’s solar eclipse unique, and what to expect.

The total eclipse starts in the Pacific Ocean and ends in the Atlantic 

The darker, inner shadow the moon casts is called the umbra , in which you can see a rarer total eclipse. The outer, lighter second shadow is called the penumbra, under which you will see a partial eclipse visible in more locations.

The total eclipse starts at 12:39 p.m. Eastern Time, a bit more than 620 miles south of the Republic of Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean, according to Astronomy . The umbra remains in contact with Earth’s surface for three hours and 16 minutes until 3:55 p.m. when it ends in the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 340 miles southwest of Ireland.

The umbra enters the U.S. at the Mexican border just south of Eagle Pass, Texas, and leaves just north of Houlton, Maine, with one hour and eight minutes between entry and exit, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) tells TIME in an email.

Mexico will see the longest totality during the eclipse 

The longest totality will extend for four minutes and 28 seconds on a 350-mile-long swath near the centerline of the eclipse, including west of Torreón, Mexico, according to NASA.

In the U.S., some areas of Texas will catch nearly equally long total eclipses. For example, in Fredericksburg, totality will last four minutes and 23 seconds—and that gets slightly longer if you travel west, the agency tells TIME. Most places along the centerline will see totality lasting between three and a half minutes and four minutes.

More people currently live in the path of totality compared to the last eclipse 

An estimated 31.6 million people live in the path of totality for 2024’s solar eclipse, compared to 12 million during the last solar eclipse that crossed the U.S. in 2017, per NASA .

The path of totality is much wider than in 2017, and this year’s eclipse is also passing over more cities and densely populated areas than last time. 

A part of the sun which is typically hidden will reveal itself

Solar eclipses allow for a glimpse of the sun’s corona —the outermost atmosphere of the star that is normally not visible to humans because of the sun’s brightness.

The corona consists of wispy, white streamers of plasma—charged gas—that radiate from the sun. The corona is much hotter than the sun's surface —about 1 million degrees Celsius (1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit) compared to 5,500 degrees Celsius (9,940 degrees Fahrenheit).

The sun will be near its more dramatic solar maximum 

During the 2024 eclipse, the sun will be near “solar maximum.” This is the most active phase of a roughly 11-year solar cycle, which might lead to more prominent and evident sun activity, Gianforte tells TIME.  

“We're in a very active state of the sun, which makes eclipses more exciting, and [means there is] more to look forward to during the total phase of the eclipse,” he explains. 

People should look for an extended, active corona with more spikes and maybe some curls in it, keeping an eye out for prominences , pink explosions of plasma that leap off the sun’s surface and are pulled back by the sun’s magnetic field, and streamers coming off the sun.

Streamers “are a beautiful, beautiful shade of pink, and silhouetted against the black, new moon that's passing across the disk of the sun, it makes them stand out very well. So it's really just a beautiful sight to look up at the totally eclipsed sun,” Gianforte says.

Two planets—and maybe a comet—could also be spotted

Venus will be visible 15 degrees west-southwest of the sun 10 minutes before totality, according to Astronomy. Jupiter will also appear 30 degrees to the east-northeast of the sun during totality, or perhaps a few minutes before. Venus is expected to shine more than five times as bright as Jupiter. 

Another celestial object that may be visible is Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks , about six degrees to the right of Jupiter. Gianforte says the comet, with its distinctive circular cloud of gas and a long tail, has been “really putting on a great show in the sky” ahead of the eclipse.

The eclipse can cause a “360-degree sunset” 

A solar eclipse can cause a sunset-like glow in every direction—called a “360-degree sunset”—which you might notice during the 2024 eclipse, NASA said . The effect is caused by light from the sun in areas outside of the path of totality and only lasts as long as totality.

The temperature will drop 

When the sun is blocked out, the temperature drops noticeably. During the last total solar eclipse in the U.S. in 2017, the National Weather Service recorded that temperature dropped as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. In Carbondale, Ill. for example, the temperature dropped from a peak of 90 degrees Fahrenheit just before totality to 84 degrees during totality.

Wildlife may act differently 

When the sky suddenly becomes black as though nighttime, confused “animals, dogs, cats, birds do act very differently ,” Gianforte says.

In the 2017 eclipse, scientists tracked that many flying creatures began returning to the ground or other perches up to 50 minutes before totality. Seeking shelter is a natural response to a storm or weather conditions that can prove deadly for small flying creatures, the report said. Then right before totality, a group of flying creatures changed their behavior again—suddenly taking flight before quickly settling back into their perches again.

There will be a long wait for the next total eclipse in the U.S.

The next total eclipse in the U.S. won’t happen until March 30, 2033, when totality will reportedly only cross parts of Alaska . The next eclipse in the 48 contiguous states is expected to occur on Aug. 12, 2044, with parts of Montana and North Dakota experiencing totality.

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Conan O'Brien returns to 'The Tonight Show' after 2010 firing: 'It's weird to come back'

Conan O'Brien has come home again.

The comedian was a guest Tuesday on NBC's "The Tonight Show," marking his first appearance on the late-night program since he was ousted as its host in 2010.

"It's weird to come back," O'Brien told host Jimmy Fallon . "It's weird. I haven't been in this building for such a long time, and I haven't been on this floor in forever."

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

Prior to his "Tonight Show" stint, O'Brien hosted "Late Night" on NBC for 16 years, and he told Fallon that "all these memories came flooding back to me" after returning to the building where he taped his show.

O'Brien became host of "The Tonight Show" in 2009, succeeding Jay Leno. But he famously was fired from the job after less than a year, with Leno himself returning. The decision to replace O'Brien with Leno sparked widespread controversy, with many fans rallying beyond O'Brien and slamming NBC for its treatment of the comedian. Leno left "The Tonight Show" again in 2014 and this time was succeeded by Fallon.

O'Brien and Fallon did not directly discuss the "Tonight Show" hosting controversy on Tuesday. But O'Brien told the host about how "weird" it feels when "someone else is in your studio," noting that Kelly Clarkson is currently taping her show where he used to film his.

HBO just announced a new travel series starring Conan O'Brien

"I love Kelly Clarkson. Who doesn't love Kelly Clarkson? But still I felt like, 'It's not right! Blasphemy!'" O'Brien joked. "'They should have burned it to the ground!'"

Jimmy Kimmel Amy Schumer, more congratulate Conan O'Brien on finale: 'Thank you for everything'

After exiting "The Tonight Show," O'Brien went on to host "Conan" on TBS for 11 years before ending the show in 2021 . Since then, he has hosted the podcast "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend" and will debut a new travel show on Max, "Conan O'Brien Must Go," on April 18.

Though O'Brien has left the world of late-night behind, he told Fallon that he "adored" the gig, describing it as the "best job in the world." But he also expressed satisfaction with the freedom that podcasting provides to conduct longer interviews. "I loved this," he said of late-night. "I absolutely adored it. But this is a nice thing to do at this stage in my life. It's really fun."

O'Brien closed the interview by praising Fallon, saying it's "beautiful" what he has done with "The Tonight Show."

"You made it your own," O'Brien said. "You've done so much great, quality work, and I couldn't be happier for you. I really am thrilled for you, and you deserve all good things."

Fallon, in turn, told O'Brien that he "raised the bar" and "made me work hard."

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Conan O'Brien returns to 'The Tonight Show' after 2010 firing: 'It's weird to come back'

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Breaking news, us drug shortages hit all-time high, pharmacists warn.

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Drug shortages in the US are at an all-time high, and some of the medications in short supply are life-saving chemotherapy drugs and emergency medications stored in hospitals, pharmacists warn. 

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and Utah Drug Information Service reported that there were 323 active drug shortages in the first quarter of the year, marking the most shortages since they have been tracking the data since 2001.

It surpassed the previous record of 320 shortages in 2014, according to the data. 

While ASHP CEO Paul Abramowitz warned that all drug classes are vulnerable to drug shortages, he said that “some of the most worrying shortages involve generic sterile injectable medications, including cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency medications stored in hospital crash carts and procedural areas.” 

This includes drugs like oxytocin, Rho(D) immune globulin, standard of care chemotherapy, pain and sedation medications, and ADHD medications. 

The “ongoing national shortages of therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder also remain a serious challenge for clinicians and patients,” Abramowitz added. 

Short-term shortages are caused by demand outstripping supply, but “the most severe and persistent shortages are driven by economic factors that undermine investment in manufacturing capacity, manufacturing quality, and supply chain reliability,” according to a separate report from the ASHP. 

“These economic challenges are driven by extreme price competition among generic manufacturers,” the ASHP added. 

Abramowitz continued to stress that more work needs to be done at the federal level to fix the root cause of the issue. 

“ASHP will continue to engage with policymakers regularly as we guide efforts to draft and pass new legislation to address drug shortages and continue to strongly advocate on behalf of our members for solutions that work,” he said.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)  published a white paper  last week recommending ways Congress can assist with the issue.

“With today’s white paper, HHS offers solutions and stands ready to work with Congress to ensure no patient faces the devastating consequences of drug shortages or goes without needed medicines,” it said in a press release.

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42 Best Time Travel & Quantum Theory TV Series

The best TV series with a major time travel premise. Shows that were reviewed, but didn't make the cut: Legends of Tomorrow The Flash Time Tunnel Terra Nova Primeval Time Traveling Bong The Girl from Tomorrow Goodnight Sweetheart Lost in Austen 7 Days Journeyman Tru Calling 5ive Days to Midnight The Fantastic Journey Time Trax Mirror, Mirror Dr. Jin Somewhere Between Captain Z-ro Ashes to Ashes The Librarians Rick and Morty Star Trek Discovery

• Movies or TV
• IMDb Rating
• In Theaters
• Release Year

1. Doctor Who (2005–2022)

TV-PG | 45 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi

The further adventures in time and space of the alien adventurer known as the Doctor and his companions from planet Earth.

Stars: Jodie Whittaker , Peter Capaldi , Pearl Mackie , Matt Smith

Votes: 246,083

2. Dark (2017–2020)

TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery

A family saga with a supernatural twist, set in a German town where the disappearance of two young children exposes the relationships among four families.

Stars: Louis Hofmann , Karoline Eichhorn , Lisa Vicari , Maja Schöne

Votes: 442,207

3. Loki (2021–2023)

TV-14 | 586 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy

The mercurial villain Loki resumes his role as the God of Mischief in a new series that takes place after the events of “Avengers: Endgame.”

Stars: Tom Hiddleston , Owen Wilson , Sophia Di Martino , Wunmi Mosaku

Votes: 410,195

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

TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

Holistic detective Dirk Gently investigates cases involving the supernatural.

Stars: Samuel Barnett , Elijah Wood , Hannah Marks , Jade Eshete

Votes: 57,196

5. Devs (2020)

TV-MA | 51 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

A computer engineer investigates the secretive development division in her company, which she believes is behind the disappearance of her boyfriend.

Stars: Sonoya Mizuno , Nick Offerman , Jin Ha , Cailee Spaeny

Votes: 47,424

6. Doctor Who (1963–1989)

TV-PG | 25 min | Adventure, Drama, Family

The adventures in time and space of the Doctor, a Time Lord who changes appearance and personality by regenerating when near death, and is joined by companions in battles against aliens and other megalomaniacs.

Stars: William Hartnell , Patrick Troughton , Jon Pertwee , Tom Baker

Votes: 39,470

7. Russian Doll (2019–2022)

TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Drama, Mystery

A cynical young woman in New York City keeps dying and returning to the party that's being thrown in her honor on that same evening. She tries to find a way out of this strange time loop.

Stars: Natasha Lyonne , Charlie Barnett , Greta Lee , Elizabeth Ashley

Votes: 106,846

8. Erased (2017)

TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

After finding his mom killed, Satoru's time-traveling ability takes him back 18 years for a chance to prevent her death and those of three classmates.

Stars: Yûki Furukawa , Tomoka Kurotani , Reo Uchikawa , Brenda Joan Wong

Votes: 4,379

9. The OA (2016–2019)

TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

Having gone missing seven years ago, the previously blind Prairie returns home, now in her twenties with her sight restored. While many believe she is a miracle, others worry that she could be dangerous.

Stars: Brit Marling , Jason Isaacs , Scott Wilson , Alice Krige

Votes: 115,553

10. Lost (2004–2010)

TV-14 | 5,445 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy

The survivors of a plane crash are forced to work together in order to survive on a seemingly deserted tropical island.

Stars: Jorge Garcia , Josh Holloway , Yunjin Kim , Evangeline Lilly

Votes: 593,837

11. The Umbrella Academy (2019–2024)

A family of former child heroes, now grown apart, must reunite to continue to protect the world.

Stars: Aidan Gallagher , Elliot Page , Tom Hopper , David Castañeda

Votes: 274,515

12. The Peripheral (2022)

TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Set in the future when technology has subtly altered society, a woman discovers a secret connection to an alternate reality as well as a dark future of her own.

Stars: Chloë Grace Moretz , Gary Carr , Jack Reynor , JJ Feild

Votes: 79,839

13. Life on Mars (2006–2007)

TV-14 | 959 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery

After a near-fatal car accident, smart, savvy, sharp-suited detective Sam is mysteriously transported back to 1973. Confused by his new surroundings, Sam tries to return to the present, but the police force of long ago needs his help.

Stars: John Simm , Philip Glenister , Liz White , Dean Andrews

Votes: 32,293

14. Quantum Leap (1989–1993)

TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

During an experiment into time travel, a scientist finds himself trapped in the past, "leaping" into the lives of different people, sorting out their problems and changing history in hopes of getting back to his own life in the present.

Stars: Scott Bakula , Dean Stockwell , Deborah Pratt , Dennis Wolfberg

Votes: 36,394

15. Dark Shadows (1991)

TV-PG | 45 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror

Victoria Winters comes to Collinwood, an isolated mansion in Maine, to work as a governess, but soon finds herself drawn into a strange world of vampires, ghosts and curses.

Stars: Ben Cross , Barbara Blackburn , Jim Fyfe , Joanna Going

Votes: 2,133

16. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008–2009)

TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy

Set after the events in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Sarah Connor and her son, John, try to stay under-the-radar from the government, as they plot to destroy the computer network, Skynet, in hopes of preventing Armageddon.

Stars: Lena Headey , Thomas Dekker , Summer Glau , Richard T. Jones

Votes: 62,758

1 season - 21 episodes

17. Timeless (2016–2018)

TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

An unlikely trio travels through time to battle unknown criminals and protect history as we know it.

Stars: Abigail Spencer , Matt Lanter , Malcolm Barrett , Paterson Joseph

Votes: 46,999

18. Making History (2017)

21 min | Adventure, Comedy, History

Making History follows three friends from two different centuries as they try to balance the thrill of time travel with the mundane concerns of their present-day lives.

Stars: Adam Pally , Leighton Meester , Yassir Lester , John Gemberling

Votes: 2,611

19. Frequency (2016–2017)

TV-MA | 42 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

A police detective in 2016 discovers that she is able to communicate with her father via a ham radio, despite the fact that he died in 1996.

Stars: Peyton List , Riley Smith , Devin Kelley , Mekhi Phifer

Votes: 14,365

1 season - 10 episodes

20. 12 Monkeys (2015–2018)

TV-14 | 42 min | Adventure, Drama, Mystery

Follows the journey of a time traveler from the post-apocalyptic future who appears in present day on a mission to locate and eradicate the source of a deadly plague that will nearly destroy the human race.

Stars: Aaron Stanford , Amanda Schull , Noah Bean , Barbara Sukowa

Votes: 48,608

4 seasons - 42 episodes

21. 11.22.63 (2016)

TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance

Jake Epping, a teacher, gets a chance to travel back in time to avert the death of John F. Kennedy. However, history's aversion to alteration and his love for the era and a woman endanger him.

Stars: James Franco , Sarah Gadon , George MacKay , Chris Cooper

Votes: 98,972

22. Being Erica (2009–2011)

TV-14 | 45 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama

"Therapist" Dr. Tom - who is constantly spouting famous and not so famous historical quotes - is Erica Strange's savior and worst enemy.

Stars: Erin Karpluk , Reagan Pasternak , Michael Riley , Kathleen Laskey

Votes: 10,193

4 seasons - 46 episodes

23. Timeslip (1970–1971)

30 min | Family, Sci-Fi

Simon and Liz were teenage friends who fell into a time hole and found themselves trapped in various periods of the 20th century, where they encounter all sorts of adventures. Many of them ... See full summary  »

Stars: Cheryl Burfield , Spencer Banks , Denis Quilley , Iris Russell

24. The Ministry of Time (2015–2020)

TV-MA | 3,155 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

A warrior from the 16th Century, the first female university student from the 19th Century, and a paramedic from the 21st Century join a secret agency to prevent people from changing Spanish history using time-traveling doors.

Stars: Cayetana Guillén Cuervo , Juan Gea , Francesca Piñón , Jaime Blanch

Votes: 5,547

2 seasons - 26 episodes

25. Steins;Gate (2011–2015)

TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama

After discovering time travel, a university student and his colleagues must use their knowledge of it to stop an evil organization and their diabolical plans.

Stars: Mamoru Miyano , Asami Imai , Kana Hanazawa , Ashly Burch

Votes: 73,105

26. Sleepy Hollow (2013–2017)

TV-14 | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Crime

Ichabod Crane is resurrected and pulled two and a half centuries through time to unravel a mystery that dates all the way back to the founding fathers.

Stars: Tom Mison , Lyndie Greenwood , Nicole Beharie , Orlando Jones

Votes: 64,135

4 seasons - 58 episodes

27. Travelers (2016–2018)

TV-MA | 45 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Hundreds of years from now, surviving humans discover how to send consciousness back through time, into people of the 21st century, while attempting to change the path of humanity.

Stars: Eric McCormack , MacKenzie Porter , Nesta Cooper , Jared Abrahamson

Votes: 64,184

2 seasons - 21 episodes

28. Torchwood (2006–2011)

TV-MA | 50 min | Action, Drama, Mystery

The members of the Torchwood Institute, a secret organization founded by the British Crown, fight to protect the Earth from extraterrestrial and supernatural threats.

Stars: John Barrowman , Eve Myles , Kai Owen , Gareth David-Lloyd

Votes: 43,394

29. Tales from the Loop (2020)

TV-MA | 50 min | Drama, Sci-Fi

The townspeople who live above "The Loop," a machine built to unlock and explore the mysteries of the universe, experience things previously consigned to the realm of science fiction.

Stars: Daniel Zolghadri , Paul Schneider , Rebecca Hall , Robert Nahum

Votes: 22,695

30. Undone (2019–2022)

TV-MA | 377 min | Animation, Drama, Fantasy

After she very narrowly survives a serious car accident, a woman discovers that she has a new relationship with time.

Stars: Rosa Salazar , Angelique Cabral , Constance Marie , Bob Odenkirk

Votes: 23,406

31. Odyssey 5 (2002–2004)

After witnessing the sudden implosion of Earth from orbit, a group of five Odyssey astronauts is sent five years back in time by an alien force to find the cause and prevent the disaster. A vast conspiracy stands in their way.

Stars: Peter Weller , Sebastian Roché , Christopher Gorham , Leslie Silva

Votes: 3,158

1 season - 13 episodes

32. Fringe (2008–2013)

TV-14 | 46 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

An F.B.I. agent is forced to work with an institutionalized scientist and his son in order to rationalize a brewing storm of unexplained phenomena.

Stars: Anna Torv , Joshua Jackson , John Noble , Jasika Nicole

Votes: 257,171

33. Alcatraz (2012)

TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama

In 1963, all the prisoners and guards mysteriously disappear from Alcatraz. In the present day, they resurface and a secret agency are tasked with re-capturing them.

Stars: Sarah Jones , Jorge Garcia , Jonny Coyne , Parminder Nagra

Votes: 40,262

34. Counterpart (2017–2019)

TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller

A hapless UN employee discovers that the agency he works for is hiding a gateway to a parallel dimension that's in a cold war with our own, and where his other self is a top spy. The war slowly heats up thanks to spies from both sides.

Stars: J.K. Simmons , Olivia Williams , Harry Lloyd , Nazanin Boniadi

Votes: 30,877

35. The Time Traveler's Wife (2022)

TV-MA | 45 min | Drama, Sci-Fi

Tells the intricate love story of Clare and Henry, and a marriage with a problem... time travel.

Stars: Rose Leslie , Theo James , Everleigh McDonell , Gui Agustini

Votes: 17,533

36. Nine: Nine Time Travels (2013)

52 min | Fantasy, Mystery, Romance

A TV anchorman discovers that a mysterious bundle of incense has the power to send him back in time, where he has the opportunity to alter the past.

Stars: Lee Jin-wook , Jo Yun-hie , Jeon No-min , Hie-ryeong Kim

1 season - 16 episodes

37. Voyagers! (1982–1983)

TV-G | 60 min | Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi

A member of a league of time travelers and a boy travel through time repairing errors in world history.

Stars: Jon-Erik Hexum , Meeno Peluce , David Cadiente , Stephen Liska

Votes: 1,751

1 season - 17 episodes

38. The Crossing (2018)

TV-PG | 42 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi

Refugees from a war-torn country 180 years in the future start showing up in the present to seek asylum in an American town.

Stars: Steve Zahn , Natalie Martinez , Tommy Bastow , Rob Campbell

Votes: 10,176

39. Flashforward (2009–2010)

TV-14 | 42 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

A special task force in the FBI investigates after every person on Earth simultaneously blacks out and awakens with a short vision of their future.

Stars: Courtney B. Vance , Joseph Fiennes , Jack Davenport , Zachary Knighton

Votes: 62,063

1 season - 19 episodes

40. Outlander (2014– )

TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Claire Beauchamp Randall, a nurse in World War II, mysteriously goes back in time to Scotland in 1743. There, she meets a dashing Highland warrior and gets drawn into an epic rebellion.

Stars: Caitríona Balfe , Sam Heughan , Sophie Skelton , Richard Rankin

Votes: 178,711

41. The Man in the High Castle (2015–2019)

In a dystopian America dominated by Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, a young woman discovers a mysterious film that may hold the key to toppling the totalitarian regimes.

Stars: Alexa Davalos , Luke Kleintank , Rufus Sewell , Rupert Evans

Votes: 110,694

42. The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007–2011)

TV-PG | 30 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

Investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith, with the help of her adopted son, his friends, and an intelligent supercomputer, combats evil alien forces here on Earth.

Stars: Elisabeth Sladen , Daniel Anthony , Alexander Armstrong , Tommy Knight

Votes: 6,742

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Travel could be a good deal this summer. Here's when plane ticket prices will peak.

Spring is springing, and according to Hopper, it’s time to start thinking about your summer vacation plans.

New data from the online booking site shows some favorable trends for travelers in the next few months, including slightly lower airfares compared with 2023 and hotel and car rental prices that are more or less flat year-over-year.

Here’s what you need to know as you prepare to book, whether you’re looking for a domestic getaway or go on an overseas adventure. It’s also not too late to take advantage of deals on some last-minute trips.

How much are spring and summer plane tickets?

According to Hopper, the best deals right now are on domestic airline tickets. Round-trip flights within the U.S. are averaging $290 in April, but prices are expected to rise in the months ahead.

Hopper’s data shows prices for domestic flights will peak between May and June at $315 on average, then will gradually fall through the summer, reaching a low of $264 on average in September.

On a call with investors discussing first-quarter earnings Wednesday, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said summer travel demand has been pushed forward in recent years in part because schools, especially in the South, are finishing their summer breaks earlier in the year.

Is airport Wi-Fi safe to use? How to keep your information safe while traveling.

Short vs. long cruises: Which one is right for you? Here's how they compare.

This summer also will be a good time to travel internationally; Hopper data shows fares to most destinations abroad are down compared with last year. 

“Airfare to international destinations continues to improve following two years of bloated prices due to quickly recovering demand, high fuel prices and supply constraints. Airfare to most major regions of the world has dropped compared to last year with the exception of trips to Canada,” Hayley Berg, Hopper’s chief economist, said in the report. “International fares remain higher than pre-pandemic levels to most regions, as higher fuel prices persist and airlines continue to rebuild capacity to many regions.”

How much will a hotel room for the spring and summer cost?

Hotel prices remain mostly flat compared with the same time last year. Rooms in the U.S. are averaging $206 a night; better deals are available in some trending international destinations like Osaka, Japan, and Istanbul, Turkey.

According to Hopper, Las Vegas, New York and Chicago remain popular destinations in the U.S.

Will car rental prices rise this summer?

Car rental prices also haven’t increased much since last year and average $42 a day, according to Hopper.

The report shows most travelers rent a car for about four days, and warm-weather destinations like Orlando and Los Angeles remain popular pickup points.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected].

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

OJ Simpson’s Net Worth At Death Shows the Staggering Amount He Still Owes Nicole Brown & Ron Goldman’s Families

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He had one of the top publicized murder trials in the US. OJ Simpson’s net worth at the time of his death drastically differed from his earlier life. The former football player owed a lot after committing several crimes in his lifetime.

“If I Did It” by O.J. Simpson

That would all be overshadowed by the events in 1994, when his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, were  found murdered outside Nicole’s home  in Los Angeles. Simpson quickly became the prime suspect in the case, which sparked a media frenzy. The subsequent trial, known as the People v. O.J. Simpson, lasted for nearly nine months from 1994 to 1995.

Despite substantial evidence against him, including DNA evidence and circumstantial evidence , Simpson was acquitted of all criminal charges on October 3, 1995. The verdict was met with widespread controversy and debate, with many believing that Simpson had gotten away with murder.

In a subsequent civil trial in 1997, Simpson was found liable for the wrongful deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman and was ordered to pay millions in damages to their families. However, he has maintained his innocence in the murders.

Simpson was also involved in several other crimes in 2007 where he was arrested for stealing sports memorabilia and was convicted on charges of multiple felony counts, including criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, assault, and robbery. He was sentenced to 33 years but was released in October 2017.

So what was OJ Simpson’s net worth at the time of his death? Read more to find out.

What is OJ Simpson’s net worth?

Now that he’s passed, Simpson’s assets will almost certainly have to go through what’s known as the probate process in court before his four children or other intended heirs can collect on any of them.

According to People, Simpson Died $114 million in debt to Ron Goldman’s family. “He died without penance,” the attorney for Ron Goldman’s father told the magazine. “He did not want to give a dime, a nickel to Fred, never, anything, never.” He continued: “He [still] owes on the current status of the judgment,” David Cook said, noting that Simpson’s failure to pay the family, the money owed with interest has blown up to over $114 million as of this year. 

When drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1967, Simpson demanded $650,000 for five years, which was one of the top salaries in pro sports history at the time.

How much money did OJ Simpson lose?

In a divorce settlement with Nicole Brown Simpson, OJ Simpson was ordered to pay $10,000 per month in child support plus a one-time payment of $433,750 ($730,000 after adjusting for inflation).

Years after the murder case, Simpson was found guilty in a civil wrongful death lawsuit and a jury awarded the estate of Ronald Goldman $33.5 million. Simpson had paid little of the $33.5 million judgment (equivalent to $64 million in 2023) and accumulated interest to around $96 million. It’s estimated he only paid off $132,849.53, according to TMZ .

How did OJ Simpson earn money?

How did oj simpson die.

How did  OJ Simpson  die? According to his family’s statement made on April 11, 2024, he died after a battle with prostate cancer. “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” his family shared in a statement on X. “He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” their statement read.

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