--- title: "Timewasters" year: 2017 canonical_url: "https://www.archytele.com/show/timewasters-2017" media_type: "tv" tmdb_id: 74539 imdb_id: "tt7333970" status: "Returning Series" seasons_count: 2 episodes_count: 12 runtime_minutes: 30 community_rating: 6.0 vote_count: 13 content_rating: "TV-PG" --- # Timewasters (2017) — Television & Cinema Intelligence Dossier > **Archytele Living Vault Canonical Record**: https://www.archytele.com/show/timewasters-2017 ## Executive Summary & Cultural Positioning Timewasters is a 2017 television comedy series that follows a struggling four-piece South London jazz band who find themselves transported back in time to the 1920s and 1950s via an elevator in a dilapidated block of flats. Met with stares and curiosity in the past, the group hilariously navigates the clash of cultures and social conventions all while exploring worlds that are both incredibly familiar and painfully foreign. Categorized as a comedy with a TV-PG rating, the series combines historical time travel elements with the contemporary perspective of its South London band members. The narrative centers on their fish-out-of-water experiences as they interact with societies from past decades. ## The Hook & The Verdict **The Hook**: "A struggling South London jazz band travels back in time via a dilapidated elevator." ### Why Watch - Follows a struggling four-piece South London jazz band as the main characters - Features time travel to the 1920s and 1950s triggered by an elevator - Explores humorous culture clashes and social conventions in past eras ### Caveats & Content Note - May not appeal to viewers looking for serious historical dramas rather than comedies. - Tone & Suitability: The series has a comedic tone focusing on cultural clashes and social conventions with a TV-PG rating. **Micro-Themes & Vibe Matrix**: #time-travel, #jazz-band, #comedy, #1920s, #1950s, #south-london, #culture-clash ## Streaming Availability Matrix | Region | Stream (Subscription) | Free / Ads | Rent / Buy | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **United States (US)** | Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads | None | None | ## Season Architecture & Lore Primers ### Season 1 (6 Episodes) Role: Meticulous television and film archivist. Task: Create a JSON object for "Timewasters" Season 1. Keys: overview (160-220 words), primer (array of exactly 4 concise bullet points). Constraints: Use ONLY provided synopsis and sources. No invented facts. No markdown/asterisks/headings/bullets in the text (except the array structure for the primer). Output valid JSON only. Word count constraint for overview: 160-220 words. Primer constraint: Exactly 4 concise bullet points. Title: Timewasters (2017). Genre: British science-fiction comedy. Premise: A struggling four-piece South London jazz band is transported back in time via an elevator in a dilapidated block of flats. Time periods mentioned: 1920s and 1950s. Season 1 specific details (from TMDB Synopsis): The band is transported to the 1920s. Their "time machine" is destroyed. They realize being young and black in the Jazz Age is difficult and unpleasant. They must navigate parties and pitfalls of the Roaring Twenties while searching for a way back home. Creators: Daniel Lawrence Taylor (writer/creator), Barunka O'Shaughnessy (writer). Cast: Daniel Lawrence Taylor, Kadiff Kirwan, Adelayo Adedayo, Samson Kayo. Drafting Content: Timewasters is a British science-fiction comedy series that follows a struggling four-piece jazz band from South London. The group finds themselves propelled back in time through an elevator located in a dilapidated block of flats. In the first season, the band members are transported specifically to the 1920s. Their journey becomes significantly more complicated when their time machine is destroyed, leaving them stranded in the past. As they navigate the Roaring Twenties, the group quickly discovers that being young and black during the Jazz Age is much more difficult and unpleasant than they had originally anticipated. The narrative follows the band as they attempt to manage the various parties and pitfalls of the era while simultaneously searching for a way to return to their own time. Throughout their experience, the band must deal with the clash of cultures and social conventions encountered while exploring these historical worlds. The series, created by Daniel Lawrence Taylor, explores these themes through a comedic lens as the musicians face the realities of life in a different century while trying to find a path back home. Word Count Check: 1. Timewasters 2. is 3. a 4. British 5. science-fiction ### Season 2 (6 Episodes) Role: Meticulous television and film archivist. Task: Produce a JSON object for "Timewasters" Season 2. Constraints: Use ONLY provided SYNOPSIS and SOURCES. No invented titles, names, dates, counts, awards, ratings, etc. Omit details not in the material. Write original, neutral, encyclopedic prose. No markdown, no asterisks, no headings, no bullet points (except the primer array). Output valid JSON only. overview key: 160-220 word summary. primer key: array of exactly 4 concise bullet points. TMDB SEASON SYNOPSIS: "In season two, the band are transported back to the 1950s. In an era of Cold War paranoia, the gang will have to stay on their toes if they want to get out alive." SOURCES: Title: Timewasters (2017) Rating: TV-PG Genre: Comedy General Overview: "A struggling four-piece South London jazz band find themselves transported back in time to the 1920s and 1950s via an elevator in..." (text cuts off). Overview (Target: 160-220 words): Fact 1: The series follows a struggling four-piece South London jazz band. Fact 2: They are transported back in time via an elevator. Fact 3: In season two, the band is transported back to the 1950s. Fact 4: The setting is an era of Cold War paranoia. Fact 5: The gang must stay on their toes to survive. Challenge: The source material is extremely sparse. Writing 160-220 words without inventing facts or repeating the same sentence is nearly impossible given the input. Drafting attempt: The comedy series Timewasters follows a struggling four-piece jazz band based in South London. The group finds themselves transported through time via an elevator, leading to various historical settings. In the second season, the band is transported back to the 1950s. This specific era is characterized by Cold War paranoia, which presents new challenges for the group. To ensure they get out alive, the gang will have to stay on their toes while navigating this period. The narrative focuses on the band's experiences within this historical context as they deal with the ## Filler vs. Essential Episode Classifier - **Total Tracked Episodes**: 12 - **Crucial Mytharc Episodes**: 6 (50%) - **Character Core Episodes**: 6 (50%) - **Side Quest / Filler Episodes**: 0 (0%) ## Key Cast Continuity - **Daniel Lawrence Taylor** as *Nick* - **Kadiff Kirwan** as *Jason* - **Samson Kayo** as *Horace* - **Adelayo Adedayo** as *Lauren* - **Ellie White** as *Janice* - **Anna Chancellor** as *Victoria* - **Liz Kingsman** as *Victoria* - **Kevin Garry** as *Curtis* - **John Stoate** as *Homeless Pete* - **Joseph Quinn** as *Ralph* ## Canonical Frequently Asked Questions ### Q: Where can I stream Timewasters (2017)? Streaming availability can be checked on the platform through the Now Streaming and Watch Now sections. ### Q: Is Timewasters worth watching? It is worth watching if you enjoy comedic time-travel stories featuring a jazz band navigating past decades. ### Q: What is the binge duration for Timewasters? The provided sources do not specify the total runtime or episode count for binge duration. ### Q: Are there essential episodes to watch? The provided sources do not list specific essential episodes. ## Grounded Source Citations - [Timewasters — The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/74539) --- *Generated by Archytele Open Intelligence Systems. Data verified against TMDB and JustWatch APIs.*