The 12 Monkey’s Remake Is the Best Sci-Fi Show Ever

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While the 1995 Terry Gilliam film starring Bruce Willis, Madeline Stowe, and Brad Pitt is well-known, it’s not the strongest adaptation of this story. That honor belongs to a ten-year-old reboot for the SyFy channel, which many consider to be one of the best science fiction series ever created. The show stands out because it raises the stakes even higher than the original, especially considering both versions begin with a world-ending plague.

I’ll never forget seeing the movie as a teenager – my friends and I snuck into the R-rated showing. We were a bunch of sci-fi loving rebels, and the film completely floored us. I even remember trying to hide my tears during Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” which felt surprisingly sad after what we’d just watched. So, when I heard 12 Monkeys was becoming a show on SyFy, I was skeptical. It felt wrong to try and remake such a great film. But it was the early 2010s and TV was changing, so I gave the first four episodes, co-created by Terry Matalas & Travis Fickett, a try. By the end of the first episode, “Atari,” I was completely drawn in. And by the end of the second season, the show had become my second favorite thing called 12 Monkeys.

Before Terry Matalas Took on the Show, Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys Was Already a Remake

The core story of 12 Monkeys, including its surprising conclusion, originated with a short film. Robert Kosberg, with the filmmaker’s blessing, then presented the idea to Universal Studios. David and Janet Peoples were brought in to write the screenplay, changing the disaster from nuclear war to a deadly plague, and Terry Gilliam was hired as the director. Gilliam has noted that the film’s “inspired by” credit was actually a new designation created by the Writers Guild specifically for this project.

Universal Pictures was interested in making more content based on 12 Monkeys, but struggled to come up with a compelling sequel or reboot until they found the pilot for a series called Splinter, created by Matalas and Fickett. Because the pilot already involved time travel, it was a natural fit for a television series. The first season drew inspiration from the original film’s script by Marker and Peoples, loosely following the movie’s plot. However, instead of simply investigating the past, James Cole is sent to Philadelphia with the mission to eliminate the person responsible for the world’s destruction.

Interestingly, many shows unintentionally echo themes from earlier works. While stories about time loops have existed since at least 1915 with P.D. Ouspensky’s Strange Life of Ivan Osokin, and other examples came before La Jetée and the original film, the TV series 12 Monkeys is remarkable for its skillful storytelling. Seemingly minor details introduced in the first season unexpectedly become crucial later on. The show doesn’t just include references to existing time travel stories or the film it’s based on; it creatively reworks these elements to create a new, impactful, and fulfilling narrative.

Why the 12 Monkeys Series Is a Classic Sci-Fi Masterpiece, Even More Than the Film

The film and the 12 Monkeys series both play with the idea of time travel, but in different ways. The film suggests time is fixed and unchangeable, while the series cleverly reveals that actions in the past can alter the future. This creates tension and offers a glimmer of hope. The series uses well-crafted scenes, like the one shown, to demonstrate how changing the past affects what’s to come. Aaron Stanford takes on the role originally played by Bruce Willis.

Amanda Schull now plays the role originally held by Madeline Stowe, renamed ‘Cassandra.’ As an epidemiologist, her character can foresee future events. The biggest change, however, is to the character previously played by Brad Pitt, and it’s not just the casting of Emily Hampshire. Originally, the script was called Splinter. In 12 Monkeys, this character is the most crucial and endearing – a truly tragic and innocent figure. The show retains the film’s sci-fi themes of warning against repeating history, but ultimately expands on those ideas and improves upon them.

Forget confusing twists – the dangerous group known as the Army of the 12 Monkeys is genuinely a threat. By the second season, the show reveals that the plague which devastated the world wasn’t even the biggest mistake. The series follows characters traveling through time, often on missions together, where they face repeating time loops, witness major historical moments, and encounter a fresh and fascinating take on the classic sci-fi “paradox.” It all culminates in a now-iconic line of dialogue – “Mother Nature doesn’t like it when you rearrange her furniture” – that’s delightfully bizarre without any explanation.

The 12 Monkeys Series Was Expertly Written, Performed and Dared to Be Hopeful

Given the way 12 Monkeys concluded, it’s easy to see why the creators approached the story as they did. Having been a fan for years and working with the writers from the late 90s through the early 2000s, he learned that while science fiction can explore dark themes, it should ultimately offer a hopeful outlook. The show definitely features intense, frightening, and disturbing scenes throughout its four seasons. However, the ending wasn’t overly sentimental or sad; instead of focusing on a perfect “happily ever after,” it suggested that happiness can be found in the present moment.

Beyond the central mystery, the show features compelling characters. One in particular starts out as deeply unlikeable, but by the end, will leave viewers heartbroken and change how they experience even familiar things like the Breakfast Club soundtrack (and even a song from Dirty Dancing gains new resonance). What truly sets the series apart from the original film isn’t its action or male leads, but its powerful female characters. Dr. Railly, Jennifer, and Dr. Katerina Jones are just a few of the strong women whose stories are as central to 12 Monkeys as the protagonist Cole’s. While their backstories might seem contrived if simply described, the series reveals them in a way that feels earned, surprising, and, looking back, surprisingly inevitable.

Time travel stories often involve complex ideas that can be confusing, but the characters’ dedication keeps you invested even when they’re lost. As the stakes get higher, viewers might even temporarily forget about the initial problem, making its return all the more devastating. Like Star Trek, 12 Monkeys is grounded in real scientific theory, but the final result is truly captivating and feels like magic thanks to the talent of everyone involved.

Following its second season, SyFy renewed 12 Monkeys for two more seasons, allowing the show to complete its ambitious storyline, which it did in 2018. This wasn’t unexpected, as the show consistently delivered high quality. Despite having a relatively small budget compared to many modern TV series, the creators crafted an epic, cinematic, and emotionally resonant conclusion to a story that spanned all of existence while also exploring deeply personal feelings. Successfully achieving such a satisfying ending is a feat in itself, but 12 Monkeys also encourages viewers to reflect on their own lives – not the past or future, but the present moment, which is all we truly have. And like the characters in the show, fans find that rewatching the series is just as rewarding, if not more so, than the initial viewing.

You can now watch all of 12 Monkeys on Prime Video. The show and the original 1995 movie are also available to buy on DVD, Blu-ray, and as digital copies.

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2026-02-11 00:09