Time travel is frequently utilized in film and TV in a variety of interesting ways. It can be used as a narrative plot device, serve to deepen character development, or even disturb the status quo in a later bid for a series shakeup. Shows and films such as Lost, X-Files, The Twilight Zone, and many others have employed time travel to varying degrees of success to deepen side characters, explore narratives from a new viewpoint, or simply throw in a twist or two.
Since time travel is used so frequently in film and TV, the degree of its success varies, too. Time travel, when utilized properly, should hold up to its own internal logic. Closed loops, timelines, and paradoxes should make some sort of sense within the film or show’s internal world. The successful ones usually have narrative consequences or are grounded in scientific principles. These films and shows follow time travel rules in order to have fewer glaring inconsistencies. Movies such as The Terminator are certainly entertaining classics but still have major plot holes, while others fare much better.
|
Movie/TV Show |
IMDb Score |
|---|---|
|
Continuum |
7.6/10 |
|
Doctor Who |
9.8/10 |
|
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure |
6.9/10 |
|
Interstellar |
8.7/10 |
|
Primer |
6.7/10 |
|
Looper |
7.4/10 |
|
Twelve Monkeys (TV Show) |
7.7/10 |
|
Twelve Monkeys (Movie) |
8/10 |
|
Dark |
8.7/10 |
|
Predestination |
7.4/10 |
10 Continuum (2012-2015)
Created by Simon Barry
The time travel used in the show avoids plot holes by following a consistent set of rules, especially the “grandfather paradox,” where actions in the past directly affect the future.
Continuum is a sci-fi series where characters from the future travel back to the present to stop a catastrophic event. The show’s commitment to exploring the consequences of time travel across seasons helps avoid paradoxes. The time travel used in the show avoids plot holes by following a consistent set of rules, especially the “grandfather paradox,” where actions in the past directly affect the future.
Related The 10 Best Time Travel Movies, Ranked
The greatest time travel movies have complex plots and interweaving storylines, making them fun to watch and rewarding to unravel the many threads.
Continuum works because it sticks to a fixed timeline model; changes in the past permanently affect the future, retaining real stakes and consequences. The show also includes some clever limitations, such as the inability to travel back to the same moment twice. This attention to cause-and-effect detail, along with the consequences of altering history, make the show’s time travel feel grounded and believable.
9 Doctor Who – “Blink” (2007)
Directed by Hettie Macdonald
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7.8/10 Doctor Who AdventureMystery Sci-Fi
The latest season of Doctor Who introduces the Fifteenth Doctor, joined by new companion Ruby Sunday. Their first adventure begins with “The Church on Ruby Road,” where they face powerful new foes and unravel the mystery surrounding Ruby’s origins. The Doctor grapples with the aftermath of a unique regeneration event and battles enemies more formidable than ever before.
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*Availability in US Writers Russell T. Davies , Dave Gibbons , Kate Herron , Steven Moffat Main Genre Sci-Fi Cast Ncuti Gatwa , Millie Gibson , Susan Twist , Michelle Greenidge , Angela Wynter , Jemma Redgrave , Yasmin Finney , Anita Dobson Release Date December 25, 2023 Seasons 2
Doctor Who often deals with paradoxes and loose timelines that don’t always hold up to scrutiny. However, the episode “Blink” is a time travel and series standout because it relies on a closed-loop system, where all events are predestined and connected. The Weeping Angels send people back in time, and their actions in the past directly cause future events.
Related 10 Best Time Travel Shows, Ranked
Time travel has been used in television since the medium began, but with all of those choices, some time travel shows stand above the rest.
There are no glaring contradictions or paradoxes—everything happens as it always has and always will, which retains a logical consistency. Characters use information from the future, such as video recordings and letters, to guide their actions in the past, creating a seamless, self-contained loop. This tight structure, with clear cause and effect across timelines, allows the time travel to make sense and avoid plot holes.
8 Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
Directed by Stephen Herek
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10/10 Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure PGAdventureSci-FiMusicComedyRomance
Starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure follows the titular heroes, two high school students in 1980s California who must go on a time-traveling quest assembling historical figures in order to pass a history test and in doing so ensure a utopian future that they play a large part in. George Carlin stars alongside Reeves and Winter as Rufus.
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*Availability in US Release Date February 17, 1989 Writers Chris Matheson , Ed Solomon Director Stephen Herek Runtime 90 minutes Studio(s) De Laurentiis Entertainment Group Distributor(s) De Laurentiis Entertainment Group Cast Keanu Reeves , Alex Winter , George Carlin , Terry Camilleri , Dan Shor , Tony Steedman Expand
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure acknowledges the potential consequences of time travel without going into complicated paradoxes or scientific explanations. The film treats time travel positively, and history is seen as flexible but also self-correcting. Although Bill and Ted make changes in the past, history still unfolds in a way that supports their success.
A lot of
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
travels through the past, stopping in the following eras: 1,000,000 BC, 410 BC (Socrates), 1209 AD (Genghis Khan), 1429 (Joan of Arc), 1488 (Princesses Elizabeth and Joanna), 1805 (Napoleon Bonaparte), 1810 (Ludwig von Beethoven), 1863 (Abraham Lincoln), 1879 (Billy The Kid), 1901 (Sigmund Freud). There’s also one trip into the future, as Bill & Ted meet the future people that are inspired by their very music in 2688.
The movie’s funny approach to time travel shows the duo using practical logic, like leaving objects for their past selves, which is a fun take on the causal loop theory. Rather than focusing on the technicalities of time travel, the film presents the idea that personal growth and actions are more important in a super fun, accessible way.
7 Interstellar (2014)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
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8.1/10 Interstellar PG-13 Sci-FiDramaAdventure
From Christopher Nolan, Interstellar imagines a future where the Earth is plagued by a life-threatening famine, and a small team of astronauts is sent out to find a new prospective home among the stars. Despite putting the mission first, Coop (Matthew McConaughey) races against time to return home to his family even as they work to save mankind back on Earth.
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*Availability in US Release Date November 7, 2014 Writers Jonathan Nolan , Christopher Nolan Main Genre Sci-Fi Director Christopher Nolan Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures , Paramount Pictures Runtime 169 Minutes Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures , Warner Bros. Pictures Cast Matthew McConaughey , Anne Hathaway , Jessica Chastain , Mackenzie Foy , Ellen Burstyn , Michael Caine , Bill Irwin , Timothée Chalamet , David Oyelowo , John Lithgow Expand
Interstellar is Christopher Nolan at his most ambitious. He employs the use of real physics, including Einstein’s theory of relativity, to scientifically ground the time travel elements.The film depicts time dilation—how time moves slower near massive gravitational fields, like black holes. When Cooper and his crew approach the black hole Gargantua, years pass on Earth, while only hours pass for them. This aligns with scientific research, making the concept of time travel plausible within the film’s universe.
The portrayal of a wormhole as a potential shortcut through space-time is also consistent with theoretical physics. Interstellar merges science with fiction, emphasizing the impact of gravity and time on human experience, providing a real sense of realism that is supported by its deeply emotional, engaging narrative.
6 Primer (2004)
Directed by Shane Carruth
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Primer (2004) PG-13DramaSci-FiThriller
Primer is a low-budget independent film directed by Shane Carruth that centers around two engineers, Aaron and Abe, who accidentally invent a device capable of time travel. As they explore the potential and ramifications of their discovery, the boundaries between reality and possibility blur, leading to unexpected consequences. Known for its complex narrative and minimalist approach, Primer challenges viewers with its intricate plot and scientific dialogue.
Release Date October 8, 2004 Writers Shane Carruth Main Genre Sci-Fi Director Shane Carruth Studio(s) Studio Canal Runtime 77 Minutes Distributor(s) THINKFilm , IFC Films Cast Shane Carruth , David Sullivan , Casey Gooden , Anand Upadhyaya , Carrie Crawford , Samantha Thomson , Brandon Blagg Expand
Primer is often regarded as one of the most realistic time travel movies because of its meticulous approach to the complex paradoxes of time travel. It presents a grounded, DIY version of time machines, built with plausible scientific concepts rather than fantastical elements. The film emphasizes the chaotic consequences of altering timelines, focusing on the practical limitations and dangers of interfering with the past.
Related Primer & 9 Other Impressive Indie Time Travel Movies
Budget is no limitation when a sci-fi flick is narratively, thematically, and creatively sound. These time travel epics are proof of that.
Characters experience time loops, causality issues, and moral dilemmas. Even small changes can spiral out of control. Its intricate, nonlinear plot mirrors the confusing nature of time manipulation, making the experience feel more realistic. While Primer is often deemed an especially confusing time travel movie, it takes a technical approach, reflecting the unpredictable, uncontrollable reality of what time travel might involve.
5 Looper (2012)
Directed by Rian Johnson
Looper R Sci-FiActionThriller
In the sci-fi action thriller Looper, time travel is possible, but illegal and only available on the black market. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target 30 years into the past, where a “looper,” a hired gun, is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich as a Looper and life is good… until the day the mob decides to “close the loop,” sending back Joe’s future self for assassination.
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*Availability in US Release Date September 28, 2012 Writers Rian Johnson Director Rian Johnson Studio(s) Sony Runtime 118 minutes Distributor(s) Sony Cast Bruce Willis , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Emily Blunt , Paul Dano , Noah Segan , Piper Perabo Expand
Looper presents time travel in a gritty way by focusing less on the mechanics and more on the moral consequences. Rian Johnson’s film portrays grounded time travel in a future where criminal organizations exploit it for assassination, using a fun, fairly believable premise that people from the future are sent to the past to be eliminated.
By dealing with paradoxes—such as the younger and older versions of the same person existing simultaneously—without trying to resolve them perfectly,
Looper
embraces the messy, morally ambiguous reality of time manipulation.
Instead of getting lost in scientific explanations, Looper focuses on the human impact of time travel, like memory changes and the psychological toll on characters encountering their future selves. By dealing with paradoxes—such as the younger and older versions of the same person existing simultaneously—without trying to resolve them perfectly, Looper embraces the messy, morally ambiguous reality of time manipulation.
4 12 Monkeys (2015-2018)
Created by Travis Fickett & Terry Matalas
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12 Monkeys TV-14AdventureMysteryDrama
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*Availability in US Cast Demore Barnes , Amanda Schull , Alisen Down , Andrew Gillies , Aaron Stanford , Murray Furrow , Emily Hampshire , Todd Stashwick , Noah Bean , Kirk Acevedo , Barbara Sukowa , Tom Noonan
12 Monkeys, a TV adaptation of the 1995 Terry Gilliam movie of the same name, embraces the complexity and unpredictability of time travel without oversimplifying its effects. It treats time as a self-correcting force, where attempts to alter past events often lead to unintended consequences, acknowledging the butterfly effect.
The show’s focus on paradoxes, causal loops, and the inevitability of certain events aligns with real-world theories. Rather than relying on speculative science, the show explores time travel’s moral and psychological implications, showing how characters must deal with the consequences of their actions. By showing the chaos and complexity of time rather than clean, straightforward solutions, 12 Monkeys creates a more realistic and compelling approach to time travel.
3 12 Monkeys (1996)
Directed by Terry Gilliam
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9/10 12 Monkeys rMysterySci-FiThriller
In 12 Monkeys, convict James Cole (Bruce Willis) travels back in time to learn the origin of a man-made virus that has unleashed worldwide chaos in the future. Terry Gilliam’s 1995 sci-fi movie, which boasts a cast that includes Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer, Madeleine Stowe, and David Morse, is based on Chris Marker’s 1962 short film La Jetée and originated a 2013 TV series adaptation.
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*Availability in US Release Date January 5, 1996 Writers Chris Marker , David Webb Peoples , Janet Peoples Director Terry Gilliam Studio(s) Universal Pictures Runtime 129minutes Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Cast Joseph Melito , Bruce Willis , Jon Seda , Michael Chance , Vernon Campbell , H. Michael Walls Expand
Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys treats time as fixed and irreversible, aligning with the idea that the past cannot be changed. Rather than focusing on altering history, the film emphasizes the psychological impact of time travel, as seen through the protagonist’s mental instability and confusion about his experiences.
12 Monkeys
is directly adapted from the 1962 award-winning short French film
La Jatee
, directed by Chris Marker.
The film’s cyclical narrative and focus on predestination align with real-world theories about the impossibility of changing major events. It also delves into the ethical and emotional consequences of time travel, portraying a dystopian future that feels grounded in its grim depiction of humanity.By blending complex timelines with a gritty, paranoid atmosphere, 12 Monkeys offers a dark but entertaining exploration of time travel that emphasizes consequences over fantasy elements.
2 Dark (2017-2020)
Directed by Baran bo Odar
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Dark MysteryDramaCrime
Netflix’s Dark is a sci-fi thriller that follows the populace of a German town on the search for a missing child that quickly spins into a time-traveling journey into the heart of a conspiracy. The show’s core follows four different families and follows them through different generations after they discover a wormhole near the local nuclear power plant.
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*Availability in US Release Date December 1, 2017 Writers Jantje Friese Cast Tamar Pelzig , Louis Hofmann , Moritz Jahn , Stephan Kampwirth , Christian Hutcherson , Karoline Eichhorn , Andreas Pietschmann , Maja Schöne , Deborah Kaufmann , Oliver Masucci , Jordis Triebel , Peter Benedict Seasons 3 Directors Jantje Friese Showrunner Jantje Friese Expand
The mind-boggling Netflix show Dark explores the concept of deterministic time loops, where the past, present, and future are all interconnected and unchangeable. The show leans into the idea of predestination, where characters are bound by their fates. Rather than relying on cheap devices, Dark presents time travel as complex and intertwined with the fabric of existence itself, with every action creating a ripple that ultimately leads back to its origin.
If you stop watching
Dark
at Season 3, episode 7, the infinite loop will never break, and you can start again from Season 1.
The show’s dense, engrossing exploration of generational impact and how choices echo through time adds a grounded realism to the narrative. By focusing on the psychological and moral toll of time travel, Dark offers a thoughtful portrayal of its consequences.
1 Predestination (2014)
Directed by Michael Spierig & Peter Spierig
Predestination RThrillerSci-Fi
Predestination follows a Temporal Agent on an intricate series of time-travel missions to prevent catastrophic crimes. As he embarks on his final assignment, he faces the elusive criminal he has pursued through time, aiming to avert a devastating attack threatening thousands of lives.
Release Date January 9, 2015 Writers Michael Spierig , Peter Spierig Main Genre Sci-Fi Director Michael Spierig , Peter Spierig Distributor(s) Sony Pictures Releasing Runtime 97 minutes Studio(s) Screen Queensland , Screen Australia , Blacklab Entertainment , Wolfhound Pictures Cast Ethan Hawke , Sarah Snook , Noah Taylor , Christopher Kirby , Madeleine West , Jim Knobeloch , Freya Stafford , Elise Jansen , Tyler Coppin , Christopher Stollery , Christopher Sommers , Kuni Hashimoto , Sara El-Yafi , Paul Moder , Grant Piro , Christopher Bunworth , Jamie Gleeson , Christina Tan , Dennis Coard , Milla Simmonds , Ruby Simmonds , Cate Wolfe , Ben Prendergast , Carmen Warrington , Sharon Kershaw Expand
The film explores the idea that time travel doesn’t allow for altering the past but instead fulfills it, as all actions are part of a self-contained, inescapable cycle.
Predestination is a realistic time travel movie because it tightly adheres to the concept of a closed causal loop, where all events are predetermined and unchangeable. The film explores the idea that time travel doesn’t allow for altering the past but instead fulfills it, as all actions are part of a self-contained, inescapable cycle.
Predestination does well to avoid fantasy, instead focusing on the existential consequences of characters discovering their roles in these loops, portraying time travel with a fatalistic realism. Its intricate plot showcases the complexities of identity and choice within a fixed timeline, emphasizing how every event leads to its own cause. This deterministic approach grounds the film with a focus on inevitability, making its take on time travel both logical and thought-provoking, and should have made the film a much bigger hit.