Timewasters: Difference between revisions

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| caption =

| alt_name =

| genre = {{unbulleted list
| [[Science-fiction]]<br>
| [[Comedy]]<br>
| [[Satire]]

}}

| creator = [[Daniel Taylor (actor)|Daniel Lawrence Taylor]]

| developer =

| writer = {{unbulleted list
| Daniel Lawrence Taylor<br>
| [[Barunka O'Shaughnessy]]

}}

| story =

| director = [[George Kane (director)|George Kane]]

| creative_director =

| starring = {{unbulleted list
| [[Adelayo Adedayo]]<br>
| Daniel Lawrence Taylor<br>
| [[Kadiff Kirwan]]<br>
| [[Samson Kayo]]

}}

| theme_music_composer =

| opentheme =

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| related = <!-- To be used only for remakes, spin-offs, and adaptations. If US version gets its own article, it can be linked here.-->

}}

'''''Timewasters''''' is a British science-fiction comedy television programme, first broadcast on [[ITV2]] in 2017 with a second series broadcast in 2019. It was created by [[Daniel Taylor (actor)|Daniel Lawrence Taylor]] and written by Taylor and [[Barunka O'Shaughnessy]]. It was produced for ITV Studios by [[Kenton Allen]] and Matthew Justice of [[Big Talk Productions]]. EpisodesThe episodes were directed by [[George Kane (director)|George Kane]]. The programme stars Taylor, [[Adelayo Adedayo]], [[Samson Kayo]] and [[Kadiff Kirwan]] as the members of an unsuccessful all-black South London [[jazz quartet]] who time-travel to the [[1920s in jazz|1920s]], and later the [[1950s in jazz|1950s]], visiting the [[Jazz Age]] and post-war [[cool jazz]] period while experiencing culture clashes as they manoeuvre in the unfamiliar eras.<ref name="DeadlineIMDb"/>

Critical response to the programme was generally favourable, with praise for its originality in addressing racism through the comedic insertion of modernity into a period setting. It is also known for satirizing [[historical drama]]s and their lack of diversity. There was critical praise for the writing, direction, chemistry of the main cast, and music. Taylor won the Breakthrough Award at the 2018 [[Royal Television Society]] Programme Awards, and the programme was nominated for Best Scripted Comedy at the [[2018 British Academy Television Awards]].

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Main cast (the jazz quartet):<ref name="DeadlineIMDb"/><!--ref for the four main cast only-->{{efn|Taylor named the four main characters after his four siblings.<ref name="CarsonRenaissance"/>}}

*[[Daniel Lawrence Taylor]] as Nick Wolton, trumpet and bandleader

*[[Kadiff Kirwan]] as Jason, saxophone

*[[Adelayo Adedayo]] as Lauren Wolton, drums

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*Kevin 'KG' Garry as Curtis

*[[Joseph Quinn (actor)|Joseph Quinn]] as Ralph

*[[Liz Kingsman]] as Victoria (series 1)

*[[Anna Chancellor]] as Victoria (series 2)

*Frankie Wilson as Terry, leader of a group of [[Teddy Boy]]s

*Kristy J Curtis as Rita, a Teddy Girl in Terry's group

*[[Theo Barklem-Biggs]] as Len White, a club owner

*[[Ellie White]] as Janice, a Russian spy

*Oliver Wellington as JJ, Jason and Victoria's son

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*[[Sophie McShera]] as Rose Bickerton, Lauren's superfan

*[[Amy Beth Hayes]] as Nicola, Nick's romantic interest

*[[Danielle Vitalis]] as Myrtle, Horace's grandmother

*[[Daniel Rigby]] as Martin, an alternate-reality version of Horace

*[[Tom Bennett (actor)|Tom Bennett]] as [[Ronnie Scott]], a jazz musician and club owner

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===Series 1 (2017)===

{{Episode table |overall=5 |series=5 ||airdate=16 |airdateR=<ref name="RT1"/> |episodes=

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 1

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=== Music ===

The cast took lessons to act like they could play their instruments, but don'tdo not play any music in the series.<ref name="RTSTravel"/><ref name="BCGInterview"/>

[[Nick Foster]] and Oli Julian composed the original music for the programme and arranged the jazzy covers of modern songs.<ref name="LBBscore"/> Foster posted the ''Timewasters Season One Original Soundtrack'' on his [[SoundCloud]] account.<ref name="S1OST"/> Cover songs include "[[Hey Ya!]]", "[[Return of the Mack]]",<ref name="GizmodoReview"/> and "[[Back to Black (song)|Back to Black]]".<ref name="GGA"/>

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== Planned US remake ==

In 2019, Taylor stated that he was in talks with [[LL Cool J]] as a potential producer for a US remake of the series for CBS.<ref name="RTSHit"/><ref name="CarsonRenaissance"/> In early 2021, it was announced that a US remake of ''Timewasters'' was in development at [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], under showrunner [[Lauren Ashley Smith]] with Lawrence Taylor, Kenton Allen and Matthew Justice (Big Talk Productions) also executive producing. The remake would be set in New York City and explore the [[Harlem Renaissance]] while contrasting the black experience of 2021 with that of 1926.<ref name="DeadlineRemake"/><ref name="NewYorker"/> The untitled project was being developed for ABC through [[CBS Studios]].<ref name="DeadlineDeal"/> It was reported that a pilot was scheduled to be filmed in early 2021, following COVID-19 delays.<ref name="BCGuspilot"/><ref name="Deadlineuspilot"/> However, a lack of press releases or reportage after August&nbsp;2021 suggests that it did not go into production.

In 2019, Taylor stated that he was in talks with [[LL Cool J]] as a potential producer for a US remake of the series for CBS.<ref name="RTSHit"/><ref name="CarsonRenaissance"/>

In early 2021, it was announced that a US remake of ''Timewasters'' was in development at [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], under showrunner [[Lauren Ashley Smith]] with Lawrence Taylor, Kenton Allen and Matthew Justice (Big Talk Productions) also executive producing. The remake would be set in New York City and explore the [[Harlem Renaissance]] while contrasting the black experience of 2021 with that of 1926.<ref name="DeadlineRemake"/><ref name="NewYorker"/>

==See also==

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<ref name="DeadlineRemake">{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/lauren-ashley-smith-developing-u-s-remake-of-british-time-travel-comedy-timewasters-in-the-works-at-abc-1234679842/ |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |title=Lauren Ashley Smith Developing U.S. Remake Of British Time-Travel Comedy 'Timewasters' In the Works at ABC |first=Peter |last=White |date=25 January 2021 |access-date=28 August 2021 |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723012518/https://deadline.com/2021/01/lauren-ashley-smith-developing-u-s-remake-of-british-time-travel-comedy-timewasters-in-the-works-at-abc-1234679842/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="DeadlineDeal">{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2021/08/lauren-ashley-smith-overall-deal-cbs-studios-1234821098/ |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |title=Lauren Ashley Smith Inks Overall Deal With CBS Studios |first=Denise |last=Petski |date=24 August 2021 |access-date=5 January 2025 }}</ref>

<ref name="Deadlineuspilot">{{cite news |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |title=Big Talk CEO Kenton Allen on 'The Offenders' Renewal; Getting 'Back' Back On Channel 4/Sundance; The End Of 'Friday Night Dinner' |first=Jake |last=Kanter |date=13 January 2021 |url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/big-talk-kenton-allen-the-offenders-back-friday-night-dinner-1234670955/ |access-date=5 January 2025 }}</ref>

<ref name="RTSTravel">{{cite web |url=https://rts.org.uk/DanielLawrenceTaylor |title=Daniel Lawrence Taylor: People like us never get to time travel |first=Ed |last=Gove |publisher=[[Royal Television Society]] |date=30 September 2017 |access-date=28 August 2021 |archive-date=28 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828200908/https://rts.org.uk/daniellawrencetaylor |url-status=live }}</ref>

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<ref name="BCGInterview">{{cite web |author=<!--staff writers--> |title=Timewasters Interview |website=[[British Comedy Guide]] |date=9 October 2017 |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/timewasters/interview/timewasters/ |access-date=28 August 2021 |archive-date=28 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828181151/https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/timewasters/interview/timewasters/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="BCGuspilot">{{cite web |author=<!--staff writers--> |title=Timewasters to be piloted in America |website=[[British Comedy Guide]] |date=13 January 2021 |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/6161/timewasters-usa/ |access-date=5 January 2025 }}</ref>

<ref name="GizmodoReview">{{cite web |first=Cheryl |last=Eddy |title=''Timewasters''{{'}} Time-Travel Adventures Are Definitely Not a Waste of Time |url=https://gizmodo.com/timewasters-time-travel-adventures-are-definitely-not-a-1847081036 |website=[[Gizmodo]] |date=15 June 2021 |access-date=28 August 2021 |archive-date=28 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828181154/https://gizmodo.com/timewasters-time-travel-adventures-are-definitely-not-a-1847081036 |url-status=live }}</ref>

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[[Category:2017 British television series debuts]]

[[Category:2019 British television series endings]]

[[Category:2010s time travel television series]]

[[Category:ITV sitcoms]]

[[Category:British English-language television shows]]

[[Category:Television series by Big Talk Productions]]

[[Category:Television series set in the 1920s]]

[[Category:Television series set in 1958]]

[[Category:British time travel television series]]

[[Category:RacismTelevision inshows televisionabout racism]]