Time Team (1994– ) User Reviews

Excellent for the lay-person or enthusiast

[weezebumble · 10/10 · 25 September 2006]

Each show covers one archaeological dig - start to finish - incorporating the expertise of historians, anthropologists, paleontologists, area locals, geo-physicists, cartographers and area surveyors to name but a few. The team use artists to both sketch out archaic scenes as well as design computer graphics to show 3 dimensional perspectives of once existing structures. Adding re-enactments, experiments and the rebuilding of artifacts by modern experts only adds to the diversity of the show.

The holistic approach to the dig-site provides a fascinating, multi-tiered study that is accessible to the viewer, regardless of their background.

excellent entertaining archaeological show

[atomius · 10/10 · 14 July 2007]

The Time Team are a group of archaeologists who, having found a area of farmland in the British countryside that looks suspect of ancient remains, prepare a dig site to investigate and catalogue their findings.

This is a great bit of entertainment and you won't be bored after watching for fifty minutes. Truly entertaining show. From the geophysical investigations using state of the art technology to the actual trench sites over areas of historical interest the show never fails to amuse, educate and inform it's viewers, who, after so many years, must make a large fan base indeed.

The success of this show must in part be due to it's excellent team of archaeologists and it's presenter, Robinson, who give informative and interesting information on their various finds.

One can learn a lot from this show. Another merit point is that due to it's main concern being digging for unknown or questionable finds, you never know what they'll dig up next. excellent entertainment. 8 stars.

Terrific Show!

[Korpus500 · 10/10 · 22 November 2019]

Can you say binge watching? I've been watching all 20 seasons from start to finish and absolutely love it! For anyone interested in Archaeology and especially British archaeology this show is a treasure trove! Most seasons can be found on Amazon Prime and YouTube. Highly recommended! The characters who make up the team are quite amusing as well! Start with season 1 and watch the archeologists age and some go grey or lose their hair as you move through the seasons lol.

A perfect example of intelligent TV

[Steve-283 · 8 August 2004]

There is far too much rubbish on television these days. Thank goodness therefore for wonderful, engaging, intelligent programmes like Time Team (and its spin-off Extreme Archaeology by the same producer Tim Taylor).

Presented by Tony Robinson (of Blackadder fame) the premise of the programme is to bring together a number of Archaeologists, experts in various fields, to try and investigate a particular problem in three days.

The team works on various of locations, mainly in the UK but occasionally abroad. They investigate a wide variety of historical periods from stone age man living in Cheddar Gorge, through Roman villas up to an American World War II bomber which crashed in South East England.

The expertise and resources, both human and technological, that Time Team can bring to a dig means that they can often discover more about a site in the three days than the local archaeologists had been able to find out in previous years. In fact local archaeologists often invite the team to investigate problems that they haven't been able to deal with themselves. At the other end of the scale the team sometimes investigates anomalies that viewers have found in their own back gardens.

Another important part of the programme is a task or reconstruction relating to the dig. For example when working on Josiah Wedgewood's first kiln, the team showed the process that he went through to produce his pottery. In another episode when excavating a Roman villa, they produced a reproduction of a mosaic.

Overall this is an extremely intelligent programme with a superb presenter and interesting experts whose obvious enthusiasm really comes across when they are describing what is going on.

Finally it is worth mentioning the excellent 'Time Team Live' digs, where Time Team have conducted an excavation over the course of a few of days with a number of live programmes over that period where they give an update of what is happening and what they have found.

What is so wonderful about this programme is the thrill of discovery. Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen and the direction of the programme can change halfway through based on the evidence that has turned up. Its a long way from the latest boring, predictable soap opera!

Ground Force & Changing Rooms meets in your yard in Roman Times

[david_stever · 9/10 · 12 November 2003]

An archeological dig in your back yard, as you discover what happened in your back yard 350 or 3500 years ago, if you live in England, where your history didn't begin 400 years ago. The dig begins today, and they fill the whole thing back in, after they've been at it for three days. The excitement of the discoveries uncovered as they occur, the involvement of the property owners and the neighbors as they find the history around them.

The uses of computer animation to show how things used to look (or might have looked!) and the technology that allows the scientists to 'look' into the ground even before the first shovel full of earth is turned over.

The show is seen in the US on the History Channel International channel, and is well worth looking up.

It's a good interesting programme with Tony Robinson!

[Irishchatter · 8/10 · 21 February 2016]

Its always on repeat nowadays but its a very interesting programme! Tony Robinson was definitely fit for being the host of Time Team. I say he was sick of being known for being involved with Blackadder so I think he just wants to get away from that and concentrate on hidden histories. I don't blame him, its a fantastic opportunity for him to host an archeology programme! He has a lovely voice anyway so that makes the programme a lot easier to understand what the archeology team are doing!

Its really interesting to find out of the way people lived back then and what they had to live. The amount of stuff the team find, is absolutely incredible! I'd often wonder if there is a hidden history underneath my house because you just don't know what you could find, its very astonishing!

I definitely think it is still one of the best programmes shown on TV and its sad that its not continuing on! I really hope there's a reunion of it happening in the future. Very good programme!

If you love archaelogy & English/Roman history...

[apexpropainting · 10/10 · 2 October 2020]

This is the show to watch and it had to be a dream job for the professionals working on this show for 20 years. All the different sites they got to dig that would take most archaeologists several lifetimes to visit. Don't let Phil Harding's happy go lucky attitude fool you, he's as smart as anyone in his field, possibly smarter. Mick Aston is another incredibly knowledgeable part of the team and the team leader who got the shaft later in the series by Channel 4 causing him to quit when they brought in some spokeswoman former model - on an archaeology show, I don't blame him. There are several other professionals that are regulars on the show who are also very well versed in their fields of expertise and they occasionally bring in specialists like pottery or weapons specialists and an osteoarchaeologist on occasion. The end of one episode a man said he learned 3 things in the 3 days the Time Team was there and the 3rd and final thing he learned was Phil Harding could really put back the beer, which is hilarious and not surprising. He's my favorite person on the show, and he will be yours too. Almost the entire series is available on Amazon Prime video.

Perfect for a relaxing binge

[fredit-43004 · 10/10 · 29 March 2022]

I've gone through the twenty years at least twice, and always come back. The talented and interesting "regulars" are a main reason for the show's continued popularity. Literally, it is timeless--not depending on the current news, celebrities, or fashions. It is educational, and it also would appeal to fans of mystery stories, because each episode involves a mystery and you participate as clues are dug up. The regulars are probably good friends, and not just good actors. Finally, each episode is independent, so you don't have to watch them in order and if you miss one or more episodes, you don't need to catch up on the story. I'm a permanent fan.

Great programme.

[plan99 · 10/10 · 8 January 2021]

Have a look at series 8 episode 3 for the best ever episode.

It can be watched on u-tube.

Pay very close attention to all that goes on.

A very exciting programme especially when they...

[kevinoreilly-47281 · 10/10 · 16 August 2020]

Finally change their clothes in season 4. Seriously though this show is real af. Great stuff!

Not like it was.

[nosferatu21 · 5/10 · 12 February 2012]

Just watched the Newmarket dig, Is it the first with the new lineup? Not impressed at all. Tony Robinson seemed lost and not as full of enthusiasm as he used to be. Even Phil Harding seemed to be struggling a little. Tony, Phil, Mick Aston and the rest of the team made a good crew...at ease with each other. Now it seems like a pint of flat beer! It's lost a lot of its 'punch' and life. Did watch every episode with interest as a budding archaeologist. Don't know now that I shall bother. Why can't can't they leave things alone that are obviously working well? With this new format, I wonder how long it will last, as I can see a ratings fall on the way. Such a shame, as it was a programme that introduced archaeology to a wider audience.

Archaeology with a West Country accent

[Bamber81 · 7 June 2004]

Now in it's 12th series, Time Team is a programme I have grown up with and come to know the 'team' as almost part of the family. Now as an adult I can fully appreciate the historical value of the show as well as the entertainment value. Tony Robinson is a great host with an 'ordinary joe' approach to Archaeology that neither excludes nor patronizes the viewer. Mick Aston is the go-between professory type whose novel outlook on a 'stuffy' profession is fresh and appreciated. The diggers are obviously the crux of the show with Carenza Lewis, Mick Worthington and the irrepressible Phil Harding on hand to uncover (or sometimes not) the secrets that lay buried. And then there is landscape archaeologist, Stewart Ainsworth, whose insight and knowledge of the areas is amazing to watch and, after finding hidden evidence in maps and photographs is often the star of the show.

So well done to all who are involved in Time Team and I hope this continues to be a long and happy friendship.

better than the other crap they make shows out of

[geoaar-1 · 5/10 · 11 October 2015]

I love archeology and was overjoyed when I first found this show. But after seeing a few episodes my enthusiasm decreased markedly.

It seems all too often they end up digging a site where there's nothing to be found. Or what they can find doesn't translate very well into television format. An imperceptible stain in the soil that we're told is ironclad proof of an Anglo-Saxon settlement is hardly riveting. And then there's the regular crew, some of whom I find to be nigh unto repellent in their on-air personas (Phil being chief in that regard).

Then, with scant to non-existent evidence the whole staff, no doubt desperate to make a program out of nothing, go off on wild speculation about the vast villa or palace that once surely graced the landscape. I guess it's safe enough to do that as there's seldom any method to verify whatever theories they cook up, no matter how outlandish and unsupported.

I could still find the program very interesting if they'd just give up on the idiotic (and utterly arbitrary) 3-day time limit. Home many shows have they ended with the closing "well, we could have done better if we'd have only had a little more time" or some such. Here's an idea - TAKE THE TIME YOU NEED TO GET THE JOB DONE.

Anyway, it was a nice try. I just wish they'd have approached it differently.

Gotta Dig.... Gotta Dig

[leg1ndyoll · 8 February 2004]

Time Team has now entertained the likes of myself for 10 years. With episodes like the 2 visits to Turkdean or the Mosaic at Dinnington or even the thousands of tons of soil moved to reveal the viaduct in Wales, how can you help but be in awe at the speed Tony, Mick, Carenza, Phil and all the hard working diggers excavate sometimes hard to work sites. I haven't missed many episodes and if I have it will only be some of the very early ones. I hope they never stop making this unmissable piece of entertaining education.

Fantastic, Wonderful, Joyous and there is Phil Harding.

[alistairrolls · 11 February 2002]

Time team is without doubt the best telly show in the know universe. One day quantum archeologists from beyond infinity will dig some singularity trenches and discover traces of Time Team.

From this the profound discovery will be made; namely that there were pockets of humanity that were truly inspirational individuals.

Phil Harding is the absolute guv'nor.

Al out.

An interesting and informative programme.

[Sulla-2 · 21 August 2005]

Although it can be seen every day, all year round on the Discovery channels, new series are filmed in the summer and broadcast very early the following year. Obviously Live digs are different and potentially more exciting. I like Tony Robinson and Mick Aston, but my two favourites are Carrenza Lewis and Phil Harding. In the past few years, Phil has been in danger of being a bit of a caricature with his hat with the feather and his shorts regardless of the weather. He needs nothing extra to be the star of the show as he exudes both enthusiasm and professionalism. My favourite programmes are the roman digs when there is always something to see. Mr least favourite are those from prehistoric times.

Not a film at all!

[davidf33 · 6 February 2000]

This is actually Tony Robinson hosting a series or archeological digs around the UK. Apparently he took a course at his local University in Archeology to fill in a summer and then teamed up with his professor to make 4 series of these programmes! Programmes cover a weekends dig, together with 'bring the past to life' demonstrations.