SiftPop

by Samuel Nichols, Contributing Writer

I remember my mother buying a copy of The Time Traveler’s Wife when I was seven or eight years old. The cover of the book had the protagonist, a young Clare Abshire, standing in a clearing with some men’s clothing with her. Thinking it strange, I decided to never read it. Then about 10 years passed, and I went to college. My mom asked if I wanted to take any of the books with me, and I took that book. The cover of the book and the title, which were all I knew of it, seemed intriguing to me then. Lord knows I did not actually read it; an actuarial science major destroyed my habit of reading for fun. But then a month ago, my friend Michael texted me if I would be watching the show based on the book I took from my Mom and never read. I let him use my HBO Max account, and he has good recommendations, so I gave it a chance. Then I turned it on and was thrilled to see a unique take on time travel. The usual HBO touch is added in and you’ve got yourself a very interesting new show.

The Time Traveler’s Wife follows the story of wife and husband, Clare Abshire (Rose Leslie) and Henry de Tamble (Theo James). Henry is a time traveler who is unable to control his ability to move throughout time. One moment he will be living in his proper time, and then he is transported back or forward to another point in his life. This creates an odd relationship where Clare first meets Henry when she is six years old and when Henry is a grown man traveling back in time, whereas Henry first remembers meeting Clare when he is in his twenties. Clare learns to help out Henry when he is need. The constant time jumps and traveling do put a strain on them, creating tension. However, they find a way to stick together through it all.

Right off the top, this is my favorite use of time travel as a plot device in entertainment. It is almost a complete reinvention of the concept. Having it be a medical condition rather than a science project or a superpower makes Henry a relatable protagonist. This thing just happens to him, and then he has to deal with a consequence of something that is not his fault. Plus there are some unique twists with these jumps, where he jumps to the same days in his life over and over again, reliving traumatic moments. It’s similar to how we all have emotional hangups about our bad days where we rethink them, except Henry has to actually go back in time.

On top of this, these jumps really make the relationship between Henry and Clare unique. While she has been in love with a man she has known her whole life, he just met her in his late twenties. While it is obvious by the title that they will get together, their winding road to get there shows the two of them growing together, making this a solid romance story.

The leads here are terrific. Leslie brings a fire, kindness, and vulnerability, which are difficult to balance. Being married to someone with such a difficult condition is terrifying. But the brave face she puts on is inspiring and strong. On the other hand, while I have not been impressed by James’ previous works (specifically the Divergent films), his physical performance in this role is strong. Basically playing a time-traveling homeless adventurer, he has to be willing to fight and run for his life. He brings that desperation to this show.

Another thing that is deserving of praise is how it feels the story has wrapped up, but leaves room for us to revisit this universe. Since getting into this show, I have dug into the book a bit and now where the story can go from here. There is certainly enough content to make another season, and I would love to see it. 

Score: 8/10

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