Travelers

TV review by Mark Dolan, Common Sense Media
Travelers Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Smart time travel show balances thrills with humanity.

Netflix Action 2016
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Parents say

age 15+

Based on 6 reviews

Kids say

age 14+

Based on 3 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

Stands out for .

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Travelers is a science fiction show where people from the future inhabit the bodies of present-day individuals who have just died in order to prevent the end of life on earth. There are mildly disturbing scenes of people dying before the travelers enter their bodies. The lives they enter aren't perfect: One characters inhabits the body of a junkie, another the body of an abused wife, and another that of a high school bully. The show depicts the harsh realities of these people but through the lens of how the travelers try to improve their hosts lives without blowing their cover. There's a real humanity to the show that offsets some of the darker qualities. Teens with an interest in suspenseful science fiction stories with strong characters and without a lot of future tech will find Travelers an enjoyable watch.

Community Reviews

christianfreiss
christianfreiss Adult
December 15, 2019
age 17+

Lifeless

The show is a story that slowly spins out of control. I won't spoil the ending for the person who wants to watch it after this review, but keep in mind their is a steady smearing of faith and all intimate relationships fall apart. There is a twist, but overall the mission takes the forefront, and relationships fail. The upside to it was that the previous reviews were correct about it not being dark or crude. There is still profanity, shirtless scenes, blood, ect, but the tone doesn't stoop to such a primal level. Finally, thank you Commonsense Media. I'm grateful for this resource
Petalknits
Petalknits Adult
September 3, 2019
age 18+

Good, but....

This is well-written and interesting. But by season 3, expect much more violence, the f-bomb every other word (writers seem to get less creative) and more in the bedroom department. Bedroom activity, while not showing great detail, is definitely there. It is glorified between 2 unmarried people and seems "okay" because they are in love. One night stands. In one episode, I was nearly ill. A serial killer vomits an eyeball. Unrealistic, but still a gross concept. Way more blood. Blood splatter is shown frequently coming from the backs of heads, for instance. In the beginning of the show, the gore was more about medical procedures. Seemingly, as with all shows, sex, gore and language must sell. So many shows go downhill so fast. The upside is that there is a lot of self-sacrifice and lots of love toward others and the world around them.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Four people: a single mom, a junkie, a high school athlete, and a janitor with a cognitive disability, all of whom are supposed to die on the same day, have their bodies inhabited by TRAVELERS from the future (led by Will and Grace's Eric McCormack), sent here to prevent the eventual extinction of the human race. In addition to their missions, they also have the challenge of seamlessly integrating into their new hosts' lives without anyone finding out.

Is It Any Good?

Surprisingly low-key for such a high-concept show, this series offers a good mixture of suspense and personal drama. With five characters to feature, each with different lives and personal problems, as well as a mission of the week to focus on, the scripts do an excellent job juggling the separate elements and keeping all the relationships easy to follow. The wide variety of characters means the show gets to explore many different kinds of stories: young love, marital drama, and family conflict, in addition to the more action-focused plotlines.

Travelers isn't groundbreaking television by any means, but there's a real humanity to the characters that gives it an unexpected gravity. What's particularly refreshing is that even though Travelers takes its premise seriously, it never becomes self-serious, and in this genre that isn't always an easy feat.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about time travel in Travelers. What do you think would be the coolest part of traveling back in time? The hardest?

  • Imagine it's possible to transfer your mind into another person's body. Would you do it? Is there a specific person or kind of person whose body you'd want to inhabit?

TV Details

Our Editors Recommend

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    Time travel sci-fi with bloodless violence, tough heroine.

    age 15+

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