'The Time Traveler's Wife' Episode 1 Review: Theo James, Rose Leslie shine in complex, but promising drama
'The Time Traveler's Wife' replaces 'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty' on HBO, and while it may not have the same hard-hitting impact, it does, in its own way and style promise, a love story spiced with intense drama and a bit of a twist. Theo James' Henry DeTamble and Rose Leslie's Clare Abshire are husband and wife in a series centered around the former's ability to travel time due to a rare genetic disorder. It's a fun concept, rather intriguing, and absolutely promising. However, the focus on the intricacies of time travel might just be a turn-off for those who like a fast-paced story.
Time travel isn't new in Hollywood, and the HBO drama, based on the novel of the same name by Audrey Niffenegger and also picking elements from the Rachel McAdams-starrer in 2009, starts off well. The series gets a different treatment, unlike the movie that starts with the timeline where Henry loses his mother. Pardon us for letting this spoiler out, but the post-credits promo pretty much tells the story of her impending death. Coming back, the pilot starts off with a more documentary-style treatment with an older Clare and Henry recounting the time travel and the past.
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Henry has been seeing Clare since she was a kid and the love story begins right there as the little girl shapes her life around the versions of Henry she meets. The season opener sees him in the present — he's 28, and Clare's 20. The encounter is by chance, but it's she who recognizes him and what starts off as a good evening ends poorly for Henry as she finds out that he has a girlfriend named Ingrid. As she storms out angrily, the 26-year-old version watches it all and then meets her requesting to give his younger self another shot.
Over the course of the episode, there are quite a few versions of Henry, from a seven-year-old to a man in his thirties. The interactions between these characters are what make the series so complex. Apparently, it's one of the key rules of time travel, or at least that's what Paul Rudd's Scott Lang theorizes in 'Avengers: Endgame'. What makes 'The Time Traveler's Wife' different is the fact that it breaks almost every rule attached to the concept and weaves a rather interesting tale about it. It helps that it's buoyed a promising cast, although we see James and Leslie occupy the frame for almost an entirety of the first episode.
'The Time Traveler's Wife' is worth the watch. It's got potential, and with five episodes left, there's no telling yet whether it ends as a miniseries, or gets an order for a second season. For now, the series deserves another shot as it ends with a bit of a shocker and the promo gives a peek of what to expect. This will surely have an audience, but only time will tell if it leaves a mark.
'The Time Traveler's Wife' airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on HBO.
