A24 has a time travel series line for sci-fi fans, which is based on one of the greatest books of the genre from the 21st century. Time travel shows are a dime a dozen, but only a few of them manage to maintain logical consistency throughout their runtimes. While most shows of the sci-fi subgenre use time travel as a mere narrative device to undo the past, a handful of them adhere to a fixed set of rules.
Netflix’s Dark and Syfy’s 12 Monkeys are two of the best examples of well-rounded and consistent time travel shows. While both also encounter paradoxes and complicated causal loops through their time travel storytelling, they ensure that these elements never come at the expense of overall narrative coherence. It seems likely that, soon, A24’s new time-travel show will join the ranks among the better offerings of the genre, like Netflix’s Dark and Syfy’s 12 Monkeys.
The upcoming show in question adapts Kaliane Bradley’s The Ministry of Time, and its filming is set to start soon in 2026. If done right, The Ministry of Time‘s upcoming adaptation could prove to be one of the better modern time travel shows. It already seems to have a lot going in its favor and holds immense potential ahead of its release.
What The Ministry Of Time Is About & How The Book Was Recieved
The Ministry of Time is more of a genre bender that combines time travel tropes with spy thriller action and romance. In the original book, the central premise is set in near-future London where a titular government department called the Ministry of Time finds a way to “save” individuals from historical moments right before their recorded dooms.
One of the main characters in the book is a civil servant who takes it upon herself to help the time-displaced expats grow accustomed to their new modern lifestyles and find psychological stability. The central narrator of the story in the book is paired with Commander Graham Gore, who is a real historical figure from Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated 1845 Arctic expedition.
As she helps him adjust to the modern world, the two end up falling for each other. This is when things take an intriguing turn in the novel, as the couple’s romantic developments create a conflict of interest between them and ministry. This sets the narrator on the path towards finding some dark secrets about the Ministry of Time and the rippling consequences of manipulating time.
The Ministry of Time served as Kaliane Bradley’s debut novel. Despite this, it went on to earn multiple awards and nominations. It even landed its place among Amazon’s Best Books of the year 2024 and won a Goodreads Choice Award in sci-fi. It was also a finalist for the prestigious Hugo Award and became an instant New York Times Bestseller and a Sunday Times Bestseller in the UK after release.
The Ministry Of Time Will Be A Challenge To Nail In Live-Action
When it comes to its portrayal of time travel, The Ministry of Time never becomes as overly complex and loopy as Dark and 12 Monkeys. However, adapting it still seems like a challenging feat because of its mix of tones. Kaliane Bradley brilliantly moves from one genre to another throughout the book with her writing forte. For a series, though, a mishmash of too many genres could seem too chaotic if not done correctly.
The acclaimed sci-fi book also dabbles with serious themes surrounding British imperialism and assimilation, while making its romance plot internal monologue-heavy. Translating these elements while ensuring all the diverse genres of the book are captured will not be easy for the upcoming TV adaptation of the novel.
What works in the show’s favor is that Alice Birch is its head writer and executive producer. Considering how her writing worked wonders for the Normal People adaptation, her involvement spells promise for the upcoming time travel show. Hopefully, A24‘s The Ministry of Time will eventually prove to be as compelling as its source material and deliver a time travel story that is both emotionally resonant and intelligent.
