Near-Perfect British Sci‑Fi Comedy 'Timewasters' Almost Got a U.S. Remake

Timewasters takes a different tack on time travel. Created by Daniel Lawrence Taylor and broadcast on ITV2 from 2017 to 2019, the two-season British comedy follows four struggling musicians from South London who discover a time-traveling lift in their building.

Stranded first in 1926, they spend their adventures trying to find gigs, places to stay and ways not to make things worse—far from the usual world-saving drama. Taylor stars as anxious bandleader Nick, joined by Adelayo Adedayo as Lauren, Kadiff Kirwan as Jason and Samson Kayo as Horace.

Season two moves the group into the late 1950s cool-jazz scene, and across both seasons the story unfolds in just 12 episodes. The cast’s chemistry and the show’s jazz reinterpretations of modern songs are woven into the comedy rather than treated as set decoration.

United Kingdom, South London

timewasters, daniel taylor, itv2, british comedy, time travel, south london, samson kayo, adelayo adedayo, kadiff kirwan, jazz reinterpretations