197 reviews
Now, firstly if this doesn't get a second series I am going to find the person who decided to leave it on a cliffhanger and words of a deeply personal nature will be shared.
Secondly and more importantly it's fabulous. Starts off as a serialised version of Timecop and by episode three you realise it's a very different kettle of fish.
What would you do if everything that's happened since the 1st of July was erased? Everyone born or conceived winks out of existence, everyone who died comes back. How many going in which direction would make you want to press the button that does it?
Think you have answers? You don't, you REALLY don't and what makes this show so great is that it doesn't either.
That's not to say there are arbitrary decisions but you get to feel your way through intensely muddy waters with each of the well rounded characters. The writing is superb, the internal logic holds together and it could very easily go off the rails but some bright mind sat there and built a set of rules and stuck to them.
With this level of writing it would be a shame if the acting was mediocre which has been known to happen when studios get their acting talent based on the number of Instagram followers rather than ability. I don't imagine they blew the budget on their cast because although you'll recognise people they're not household names, they're just really good.
It's hard to go deeper into the story without launching into major spoilers but the paragraph above covers it nicely. You get to follow the newest person on a team having to deal with those concepts and navigate the absolute mind (synonym for sex) that comes with a Matrix level reality check.
I loved it, some people (idiots) won't get it, they'll complain that it's confusing or complicated while telling you Reservoir Dogs is their favourite film and despite it actually involving time travel it's not as hard to follow across 8 episodes as that film was in 80 minutes.
If you like intelligent, thought provoking dramas then you'll like this, if Made In Chelsea is your idea of culture then leave it alone.
Secondly and more importantly it's fabulous. Starts off as a serialised version of Timecop and by episode three you realise it's a very different kettle of fish.
What would you do if everything that's happened since the 1st of July was erased? Everyone born or conceived winks out of existence, everyone who died comes back. How many going in which direction would make you want to press the button that does it?
Think you have answers? You don't, you REALLY don't and what makes this show so great is that it doesn't either.
That's not to say there are arbitrary decisions but you get to feel your way through intensely muddy waters with each of the well rounded characters. The writing is superb, the internal logic holds together and it could very easily go off the rails but some bright mind sat there and built a set of rules and stuck to them.
With this level of writing it would be a shame if the acting was mediocre which has been known to happen when studios get their acting talent based on the number of Instagram followers rather than ability. I don't imagine they blew the budget on their cast because although you'll recognise people they're not household names, they're just really good.
It's hard to go deeper into the story without launching into major spoilers but the paragraph above covers it nicely. You get to follow the newest person on a team having to deal with those concepts and navigate the absolute mind (synonym for sex) that comes with a Matrix level reality check.
I loved it, some people (idiots) won't get it, they'll complain that it's confusing or complicated while telling you Reservoir Dogs is their favourite film and despite it actually involving time travel it's not as hard to follow across 8 episodes as that film was in 80 minutes.
If you like intelligent, thought provoking dramas then you'll like this, if Made In Chelsea is your idea of culture then leave it alone.
- chippysmyth
- Jun 19, 2022
- Permalink
'The Lazarus Project', a group of secret government agents tasked with stopping extinction-level events in the world, recruit their newest member - an app developer named George (Paapa Essiedu). Using a type of serum, average humans, such as the leader, Wes (Caroline Quentin), and fellow agent, Archie (Anjli Mohindra), can recall "Time Loops" - a cosmic event that resets the universe back to July 1st. Upon reset, those who have taken the serum, and certain mutants, like George, can remember everything prior to the reset.
Without giving too much away on an episode-by-episode basis, this show is quite entertaining to watch! The special effects, acting, writing, and flow are all very well done. There are some open plot holes that I hope will be addressed in the following season(s), but overall, a fresh idea on time travel!
Worth a watch!
Without giving too much away on an episode-by-episode basis, this show is quite entertaining to watch! The special effects, acting, writing, and flow are all very well done. There are some open plot holes that I hope will be addressed in the following season(s), but overall, a fresh idea on time travel!
Worth a watch!
- balthesaur
- Jun 20, 2022
- Permalink
What a pleasant surprise. A very entertaining sci-fi show about a kind of time travel, something I don't remember seeing before in other shows or movies. All wrapped up with lots of action and twists.
Binged it in 2 days and can't wait for a 2nd season.
I won't waste time talking about acting and lightning, frankly when you enjoy something you just do, and as a sci-fi fan and time traveling shows, this one is just good fun.
It's not perfect but if you read the plot and think, mmm this sounds interesting, should I try it, I think you should, try 2-3 episodes, it's worth the time in mu opinion. And if you don't like it, just press reset, and get you 2 hours back...
Binged it in 2 days and can't wait for a 2nd season.
I won't waste time talking about acting and lightning, frankly when you enjoy something you just do, and as a sci-fi fan and time traveling shows, this one is just good fun.
It's not perfect but if you read the plot and think, mmm this sounds interesting, should I try it, I think you should, try 2-3 episodes, it's worth the time in mu opinion. And if you don't like it, just press reset, and get you 2 hours back...
Starts out as a fairly straightforward time-travel romp and slowly unpeels its characters to become an intense, brilliantly written and acted story of good people twisted and broken by the burden of a world saving power.
- andrew-659-152933
- Jun 15, 2022
- Permalink
This is a really good and original show.
I binged through it and enjoyed every episode.
I really hope they make a second series.
I've no idea why people are giving this bad reviews.
It really is one of the best shows on Sky in a long time.
Give it a go.
You won't be disappointed.
I binged through it and enjoyed every episode.
I really hope they make a second series.
I've no idea why people are giving this bad reviews.
It really is one of the best shows on Sky in a long time.
Give it a go.
You won't be disappointed.
I'm going to make this very short.
Sadly today younger people don't want anything that takes concentration to watch. The reason for this is they want to watch their phones while watching the show. You'll get lost if you do that with a good, intelligent show. So these people stopped watching it because it was too difficult for them to spend time on social media etc. And keep up with what was going on in the show.
That's the way the works us right now so you just have to expect that if you fund a great show you can accept it isn't going to last long. You just have to remember that.
And this was an excellent show.
Sadly today younger people don't want anything that takes concentration to watch. The reason for this is they want to watch their phones while watching the show. You'll get lost if you do that with a good, intelligent show. So these people stopped watching it because it was too difficult for them to spend time on social media etc. And keep up with what was going on in the show.
That's the way the works us right now so you just have to expect that if you fund a great show you can accept it isn't going to last long. You just have to remember that.
And this was an excellent show.
- eagleeyepatriot
- Jun 21, 2024
- Permalink
The series is a bit "Tenet" and quite interesting. The Lazarus Project has some forgivable continuity flaws, but it's a good TV series that mixes old time travel ideas from The End of Eternity, Groundhog Day, and The Adjustment Bureau. Despite the lack of temporal logic: "mutants" can revive months side by side with normal agents (non-mutants who cannot revive months), although they can use a special drug to remember, which ends up causing a certain exponential unsustainability, because instead to go back in time, they would actually be creating multiverses. But time travel is just that, travel of the imagination.
- antoniokuntz-32657
- Jun 15, 2022
- Permalink
First of, a mini rant about review bombing...It's pathetic and pointles. There is a definite pattern to it and I think most people know why. It's ruining the reputation of genuine, respectable review sites. Ok on to the series...absolutely loved it! I thought it was a creative take on the time loop genre and plenty of room to grow. The story is compelling, good character development and mostly great acting. There are minor moronic moments but easily forgotten as the story moves at pace. Look forward to S2 to see where the rabbit hole goes.
- steffijackson
- Jun 16, 2022
- Permalink
At last Sky has put on a really good series that's worth watching.
Ignore all the bad reviews and the idiots who bang on about woke this & woke that. Ignore those who say there's no character build. Their individual stories unfold as each episode builds to its crazy end with a good opening for at least one more season.
It's all about TIME, and the ability to create a restart point should a man-made global catastrophe occur.
This series requires your full attention and commitment. If you have a short attention span - don't bother... watch adverts instead.
If, on the other hand, you're up for a good well written story with good acting, a decent script, Bond-like excitement, some dry humour and some very human dilemmas thrown in just to mess with your head.....then DO NOT MISS THIS.
Enough said Please SKY, give us Season 2.... NOW!
Ignore all the bad reviews and the idiots who bang on about woke this & woke that. Ignore those who say there's no character build. Their individual stories unfold as each episode builds to its crazy end with a good opening for at least one more season.
It's all about TIME, and the ability to create a restart point should a man-made global catastrophe occur.
This series requires your full attention and commitment. If you have a short attention span - don't bother... watch adverts instead.
If, on the other hand, you're up for a good well written story with good acting, a decent script, Bond-like excitement, some dry humour and some very human dilemmas thrown in just to mess with your head.....then DO NOT MISS THIS.
Enough said Please SKY, give us Season 2.... NOW!
- littlebirdpica
- Jun 17, 2022
- Permalink
- matt-r-jones
- Jun 15, 2022
- Permalink
A top secret organisation, operating above & beyond the world's intelligence agencies... Which evidently doesn't perform psychological assessments on any prospective recruits. We're supposed to have a hard time taking the time reversion in as a sci-fi concept - as audience members - but I found if more difficult comprehending these character's gullibility. The first 3 episodes of the (1st, in case it gets a 2nd etc.) series get off to a really promising start & throughout, "The Lazarus Project" has a lot of personality - not to mention, cinematographer Richard Stoddard does a fantastic job in the final 2 installments & the theme tune's great... But nothing can compensate for the drop in quality from 4 onwards, which is a shame as I had hoped creator & writer Joe Barton had crafted another Giri/Haji but alas, sadly not.
First episode was promising, but then we find out all these highly trained time travel operatives only know to make bad decisions like they're in some highschool show.
People ignore protocols fully knowing what the consequences could be, and when those consequences turn on them they decide destroying the planet and killing billions is justified.
The main character is the least stupid of them because he's just a civilian app developer they decided it's ok to give responsibilities to like he's a freaking MI5 agent.
People in control constantly fail to recognize events that have strong possibilities to turn their agents, and they do this repeatedly creating more and more rogue agents. Their worst enemies are themselves.
Everyone is stupid in this.
People ignore protocols fully knowing what the consequences could be, and when those consequences turn on them they decide destroying the planet and killing billions is justified.
The main character is the least stupid of them because he's just a civilian app developer they decided it's ok to give responsibilities to like he's a freaking MI5 agent.
People in control constantly fail to recognize events that have strong possibilities to turn their agents, and they do this repeatedly creating more and more rogue agents. Their worst enemies are themselves.
Everyone is stupid in this.
Wow, I binged this one. I was dubious at first, the first episode was interesting but I wasn't completely sure. After episode three though, I was really enjoying it, and from that point all I can say is that it really builds well. The tone and momentum really gets you hooked. I watched it all in one sitting and now I'm waiting desperately for the next season!
REALLY enjoyable and worth biting into.
9/10 for me.
REALLY enjoyable and worth biting into.
9/10 for me.
- speterblakesmy
- Jun 18, 2022
- Permalink
Has a believable cast with an outstanding story.
Pacing was good with an interesting and multi leveled plot.
Made an account just to show my support for more quality sci-fi.
Pacing was good with an interesting and multi leveled plot.
Made an account just to show my support for more quality sci-fi.
- cooper-aus
- Jun 18, 2022
- Permalink
Its a very compelling premise, with okay acting, and fairly bad writing/directing.
Some of the character reactions are weird. There's an occasional injection of a weird progressive perspective. Overall, it's okay. The plot will keep you interested, but there are moments where most people will find it stilted or annoying.
Some of the character reactions are weird. There's an occasional injection of a weird progressive perspective. Overall, it's okay. The plot will keep you interested, but there are moments where most people will find it stilted or annoying.
Being an SF fan for over 50 years, I found this to be up there with the best of them.
Yes, it's not perfect and has some flaws in some of the acting and storytelling about how people are recruited etc. But, for a well thought out, keep you guessing sci fi, particularly Season 2, do not miss this one.
The story line was meticulously planned to last over the first 2 series and although some of the first series was a little drawn out, it is for that exact reason that all else revolves around, from, to and branching from the initial story that gets you truly involved.
Unlike many other series that no matter how good, get cancelled and leave you frustrated, you find that even if it stops at the end of Series 2, there was a type of closure letting you sit in in a euphoric understanding of the story, that even if no more are made, you are left content but longing for more.
(PLEASE let there be more!) IMHO, take no heed from those that rubbish this fine production, particularly those that choose to call themselves "expert reviewers" I have usually found them to be so full of it that I take no notice of them.
Joe Kmetyk.
Yes, it's not perfect and has some flaws in some of the acting and storytelling about how people are recruited etc. But, for a well thought out, keep you guessing sci fi, particularly Season 2, do not miss this one.
The story line was meticulously planned to last over the first 2 series and although some of the first series was a little drawn out, it is for that exact reason that all else revolves around, from, to and branching from the initial story that gets you truly involved.
Unlike many other series that no matter how good, get cancelled and leave you frustrated, you find that even if it stops at the end of Series 2, there was a type of closure letting you sit in in a euphoric understanding of the story, that even if no more are made, you are left content but longing for more.
(PLEASE let there be more!) IMHO, take no heed from those that rubbish this fine production, particularly those that choose to call themselves "expert reviewers" I have usually found them to be so full of it that I take no notice of them.
Joe Kmetyk.
This is an interesting, intelligent, human spin on a time travel action story. Well written and acted. Isn't it odd that shows with a diverse cast are the ones that get bombed with bad reviews? Ignore them.
- mrgregfanning
- Jun 19, 2022
- Permalink
The pacing of season does vary at times but overall Season one is very good. However, if I knew that episode 8 ends on a cliffhanger I would have delayed watching this series until S2 comes out.
You may find that watch S1 alone is a frustrating viewing experience!
I made the same mistake with "Raised by wolves". I had to watch season one again because the gap between S1 & S2 was too long. (S2 of Raised .. also ends on a cliffhanger .... Damn!).
So I'll wait until S2 of Lazarus Project comes out .... then .... I'll find out (through research) if THAT ends on a cliffhanger ... and then wait until S3 or the final series comes out.
I hope it doesn't go the way of other good SciFi series such a HUMANS. S3 ended on a cliffhanger in 2018.
You may find that watch S1 alone is a frustrating viewing experience!
I made the same mistake with "Raised by wolves". I had to watch season one again because the gap between S1 & S2 was too long. (S2 of Raised .. also ends on a cliffhanger .... Damn!).
So I'll wait until S2 of Lazarus Project comes out .... then .... I'll find out (through research) if THAT ends on a cliffhanger ... and then wait until S3 or the final series comes out.
I hope it doesn't go the way of other good SciFi series such a HUMANS. S3 ended on a cliffhanger in 2018.
- mistermurphy
- Jun 18, 2022
- Permalink
Ignore the stupid negative reviews. One of of best British sci-fi's in years. If you love the idea if time travel, if you love twist and turns watch this show.. all the way to the end. Great TV.
- drewlmore-47760
- Jun 17, 2022
- Permalink
This is such a hard series to review.
Note- No plot spoilers but examples of dialogue which contain elements which some people may not wish to read about.
The idea is brilliant, original, creative and intelligent.
The acting is good, the melancholic feel and greyish colouring that runs through each scene draws you in. The plot is well thought out and kept me coming back to watch every episode.
Why couldn't they write better dialogue and make character interactions more realistic? It seems like a small thing but it adds up and becomes annoying.
A few examples of how the characters interact in most scenes...
1. One main character (Archie) begs another (George) who's partner has just died, out "for a pint" despite him repeatedly declining. Archie is seen bringing over two pints from the bar to George who is waiting looking depressed. George asks one question about the ethics of what they do causing Archie to launch into a short soliloquy before righteously leaving to go, then turning dramatically to say "oh and thanks for the pint"... whhhat!!?
2. The Lazarus project is a top secret government organisation whose entire role is to make use of a mysterious singularity (that is governed by quantum mechanics) an agency that is able to freely poach agents from MI-5. Yet one of the researchers states when something like (when ecplaining to someone else) "it's a bit like pavlov's cat, who ate some cyanide and so was dead and alive" before being corrected by one of the agents... surely this agency's incredible recruitment abilities would not pick someone who doesn't have any understanding at all of the main subject matter?
3. Why are an app developer, and later a primary school teacher, able to become international super-spy's within a few days of being recruited?
4. Shiv says to Archie, when he is recruiting her (from MI5), that she wouldn't be able to beat him in a fight because MI5's martial arts training is not very good. Implying he has been thoroughly trained. Yet he is completely decked repeatedly by George, who is essentially a wuss with zero training.
5. They keep saying "f&£king.. this and $h!t.. that" when there is no reason to. In think swearing can add to realism when used appropriately but it's just odd sometimes in this series.
6. It's actually hilarious when George drives a few hundred yards away from huge nuclear bomb down a country road before detonating it and is completely fine.
It's so frustrating because so much of an excellent series is all here. Despite its weirdness I will keep coming back for more.
I would say dialogue and screen writing: 3/10 Acting: 7/10 Plot: 9/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Overall: 6/10.
Note- No plot spoilers but examples of dialogue which contain elements which some people may not wish to read about.
The idea is brilliant, original, creative and intelligent.
The acting is good, the melancholic feel and greyish colouring that runs through each scene draws you in. The plot is well thought out and kept me coming back to watch every episode.
Why couldn't they write better dialogue and make character interactions more realistic? It seems like a small thing but it adds up and becomes annoying.
A few examples of how the characters interact in most scenes...
1. One main character (Archie) begs another (George) who's partner has just died, out "for a pint" despite him repeatedly declining. Archie is seen bringing over two pints from the bar to George who is waiting looking depressed. George asks one question about the ethics of what they do causing Archie to launch into a short soliloquy before righteously leaving to go, then turning dramatically to say "oh and thanks for the pint"... whhhat!!?
2. The Lazarus project is a top secret government organisation whose entire role is to make use of a mysterious singularity (that is governed by quantum mechanics) an agency that is able to freely poach agents from MI-5. Yet one of the researchers states when something like (when ecplaining to someone else) "it's a bit like pavlov's cat, who ate some cyanide and so was dead and alive" before being corrected by one of the agents... surely this agency's incredible recruitment abilities would not pick someone who doesn't have any understanding at all of the main subject matter?
3. Why are an app developer, and later a primary school teacher, able to become international super-spy's within a few days of being recruited?
4. Shiv says to Archie, when he is recruiting her (from MI5), that she wouldn't be able to beat him in a fight because MI5's martial arts training is not very good. Implying he has been thoroughly trained. Yet he is completely decked repeatedly by George, who is essentially a wuss with zero training.
5. They keep saying "f&£king.. this and $h!t.. that" when there is no reason to. In think swearing can add to realism when used appropriately but it's just odd sometimes in this series.
6. It's actually hilarious when George drives a few hundred yards away from huge nuclear bomb down a country road before detonating it and is completely fine.
It's so frustrating because so much of an excellent series is all here. Despite its weirdness I will keep coming back for more.
I would say dialogue and screen writing: 3/10 Acting: 7/10 Plot: 9/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Overall: 6/10.
Loved the first episode and it all went downhill after that, it's just so implausible. No not the time travel stuff, the fact that
1) he thought he had any chance of getting away with it
2) OK only on 7/8 but looks like he'll manage it.
These are supposed to be the cream of the crop, they handle international incidents yet an app designer can fool them with an add hoc plan.....total BS.
These are supposed to be the cream of the crop, they handle international incidents yet an app designer can fool them with an add hoc plan.....total BS.
I really love time travelling tv series but sadly there are only a few that exist out there and also there are only a few that are actually good. The Lazarus Project is about a guy who stuck in a TimeLoop which isn't really true, cause he isn't the only one, everyone is stuck in a timeloop billions of times but he is one of the few who can remember them. Later on he gets invited into a group under the name The Lazarus Project which is basically a team that focuses on stopping world ending events with time travel. It is a really interesting concept, but this isn't what makes this show super good. Every character, good or bad is reasonable, and you can see the motives behind everyone, and you easily understand why someone fights against this project while someone is supporting it. It is really dramatic and honestly one of the best science fiction television series I watched, and the ending of Season 1 reveals that Season 2 will be even better than the first, so I literally can't wait to be November. Go, watch this masterpiece!
- robloxworld
- Aug 20, 2023
- Permalink