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Time-Travel TV Shows Ranked by Tomatometer

2022's Quantum Leap, The Peripheral, and Paper Girls are the latest to join Doctor Who, Manifest, Star Trek, and beyond in our list of 41 TV and streaming time-travel shows.

by | November 10, 2022 | Comments

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Quantum Leap stars Raymond Lee

(Photo by NBC)

Time travel has been on television since the The Twilight Zone’s 1958 original pilot episode, “The Time Element,” visited Pearl Harbor in 1941 (airing under Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse) and the Enterprise was hurled back to 1960s Earth in 1967 Star Trek episode “Tomorrow Is Yesterday.” Many shows devoted their entire premise to time travel, one of the best of which is the 1989–1993 NBC drama Quantum Leap. Every week, Sam Beckett would leap into a different year to right a cosmic wrong. Quantum Leap returned in September 2022 focusing on a new character, Dr. Ben Song (Raymond Lee). Eight season 1 episodes are now streaming on Peacock, and the show returns to NBC on January 2 to continue its weekly adventures.

The new Quantum Leap and 2022 series The Peripheral and Paper Girls join our list of time-travel television ranked by Tomatometer. The list includes classics like Doctor Who and its time-traveling TARDIS, Lost with its time-warped island, and Outlander’s romance epic whose characters skip through centuries. The Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles TV show brought killer robots and new freedom fighters back from the future, 12 Monkeys expanded its time loop on television, Back to the Future got an animated series of the adventures of Doc Brown, and even Timecop got a short-lived syndicated series.

More recently, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow was all about keeping time safe, NBC’s La Brea sent modern families to 10,000 B.C., and Russian Doll went from a Groundhog Day time loop to a subway back to 1982. Fan favorites like Timeless and Manifest and short-lived wonders like Journeyman and Day Break are also worth a look.

Read on to see the full list ranked by Tomatometer. Those without Tomatometer scores are then listed alphabetically. Tell us in the comments if we missed your favorite time-travel TV show.

Life on Mars (2006)
100%

#1
Synopsis: Months after a near-fatal car crash sends him hurtling back to the year 1973, police Detective Sam Tyler begins to... [More]
Starring: John Simm, Philip Glenister, Liz White, Dean Andrews
Directed By: S.J. Clarkson

Russian Doll (2019)
97%

#2
Synopsis: Emmy-nominated actress Natasha Lyonne stars in this comedy-drama series as Nadia, a young woman who is on a journey to... [More]
Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Charlie Barnett, Greta Lee, Annie Murphy
Directed By: Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler, Leslye Headland

Dark (2017)
95%

#3
Synopsis: When two children go missing in a small German town, its sinful past is exposed along with the double lives... [More]
Starring: Oliver Masucci, Karoline Eichhorn, Jördis Triebel, Louis Hofmann
Directed By: Baran bo Odar, Quirin Berg, Baran bo Odar, Jantje Friese

Loki (2021)
87%

#4
Synopsis: Loki, the God of Mischief, steps out of his brother's shadow to embark on an adventure that takes place after... [More]
Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Sophia Di Martino, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Directed By: Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard

The Outer Limits (1963)
92%

#5
Synopsis: "There is nothing wrong with your television set." That famous line opens each episode of the classic science fiction anthology... [More]
Starring: Vic Perrin, Robert Johnson
Directed By: Gerd Oswald, Leslie Stevens

Timeless (2016)
91%

#6
Synopsis: When a group with nefarious intentions attempts to change the world as we know it by altering the past, Lucy,... [More]
Starring: Abigail Spencer, Matt Lanter, Malcolm Barrett, Goran Visnjic
Directed By: Eric Kripke, Shawn Ryan, John Davis, John Fox

Paper Girls (2022)
87%

#7
Synopsis: In the early morning hours after Halloween 1988, four paper girls are out on their delivery route when they become... [More]
Starring: Camryn Jones, Riley Lai Nelet, Sofia Rosinsky, Fina Strazza
Directed By: Christopher C. Rogers, Stephany Folsom, Christopher Cantwell, Brian K. Vaughan

Future Man (2017)
91%

#8
Synopsis: Janitor Josh Futturman leads a pretty boring life, spending much of his time playing video games when he's not working.... [More]
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Eliza Coupe, Derek Wilson, Haley Joel Osment
Directed By: Kyle Hunter, Ariel Shaffir, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg

Doctor Who (2005)
90%

#9
Synopsis: An eccentric yet compassionate extraterrestrial Time Lord zips through time and space to solve problems alongside companions from planet Earth.... [More]
Starring: Jodie Whittaker, Mandip Gill, John Bishop, Tosin Cole
Directed By: Chris Chibnall, Matt Strevens, Sam Hoyle

Outlander (2014)
90%

#10
Synopsis: After serving as a British Army nurse in World War II, Claire Randall is enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland... [More]
Starring: Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Sophie Skelton, Richard Rankin
Directed By: Ronald D. Moore

DC's Legends of Tomorrow (2016)
89%

#11
Synopsis: "Arrow" and "The Flash" have some new superhero company in the CW's lineup with the addition of "DC's Legends of... [More]
Starring: Brandon Routh, Dominic Purcell, Caity Lotz, Nick Zano
Directed By: Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, Phil Klemmer

12 Monkeys (2015)
88%

#12
Synopsis: A man from the post-apocalyptic future, Cole uses a dangerous, untested method of time travel to get from 2043 to... [More]
Starring: Aaron Stanford, Amanda Schull, Barbara Sukowa, Emily Hampshire
Directed By: Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Travis Fickett, David Grossman

Continuum (2012)
88%

#13
Synopsis: Detective Kiera Cameron is a cop from the year 2077 who was raised to rely on technology more than anything... [More]
Starring: Rachel Nichols, Victor Webster, Erik Knudsen, Stephen Lobo
Directed By: Simon Barry, Jeff King

Star Trek: Discovery (2017)
85%

#14
Synopsis: Created by Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman for CBS All Access, the story of "Star Trek: Discovery" begins roughly a... [More]
Starring: Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman
Directed By: Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers

The Umbrella Academy (2019)
86%

#15
Synopsis: On one day in 1989, 43 infants are inexplicably born to random, unconnected women who showed no signs of pregnancy... [More]
Starring: Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman
Directed By: Steve Blackman, Mike Richardson, Keith Goldberg, Beau Bauman

Lost (2004)
86%

#16
Synopsis: The survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 were 1,000 miles off course when they crashed on a lush, mysterious island. Each... [More]
Starring: Naveen Andrews, Nestor Carbonell, Emilie de Ravin, Michael Emerson
Directed By: J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, Bryan Burk

Star Trek: Picard (2020)
89%

#17
Synopsis: Retired admiral Jean-Luc Picard -- still deeply affected by the loss of Lieutenant Commander Data and the destruction of Romulus... [More]
Starring: Patrick Stewart, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes
Directed By: Alex Kurtzman, Michael Chabon, Akiva Goldsman, James Duff

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008)
85%

#18
Synopsis: Tired of fleeing from both killers from the future and law officers in the present day, Sarah Connor resolves to... [More]
Starring: Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Brian Austin Green

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (2016)
85%

#19
Synopsis: Although bellhop Todd Brotzman doesn't have a lot going on in his life, the worst awaits him. It begins when... [More]
Starring: Samuel Barnett, Elijah Wood, Aaron Douglas, Dustin Milligan

11.22.63 (2016)
83%

#20
Synopsis: James Franco plays the role of Jake Epping, an ordinary high school teacher, who is presented with a chance to... [More]
Starring: James Franco, Chris Cooper, Sarah Gadon, Daniel Webber
Directed By: Stephen King, J.J. Abrams, Bridget Carpenter, Bryan Burk

The Twilight Zone (1959)
92%

#21
Synopsis: "The Twilight Zone" was the brainchild of Emmy Award-winner Rod Serling, who served as host and wrote over 80 episodes... [More]
Starring: Rod Serling

Star Trek (1966)
80%

#22
Synopsis: The iconic series "Star Trek" follows the crew of the starship USS Enterprise as it completes its missions in space... [More]
Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan
Directed By: Gene Roddenberry

The Peripheral (2022)
79%

#23
Synopsis: Set in the future when technology has subtly altered society, a woman discovers a secret connection to an alternate reality... [More]
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Gary Carr, Jack Reynor, Charlotte Riley
Directed By: Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy, Athena Wickham, Scott B. Smith

Daybreak (2019)
70%

#24
Synopsis: Navigating a post-apocalyptic world full of zombies and "Mad Max"-style gangs, a teenage outcast searches for his lost love.... [More]
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Krysta Rodriguez, Colin Ford, Sophie Simnett
Directed By: Michael Patrick Jann, Aron Eli Coleite, Brad Peyton, Jeffrey Fierson

Doctor Who (1963)
68%

#25
Synopsis: "Doctor Who" is a classic science-fiction series with a cult following. The Doctor is called a "Time Lord," a time-traveling... [More]
Starring: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker

The Twilight Zone (2019)
67%

#26
Synopsis: Jordan Peele hosts and narrates tales of science fiction, fantasy and the occult, exploring humanity's hopes, despairs, prides and prejudices... [More]
Starring: Jordan Peele
Directed By: Jordan Peele, Simon Kinberg, Win Rosenfeld, Audrey Chon

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures (1990)
60%

#27
Synopsis: Teenage best friends and rock 'n' roll upstarts Bill and Ted use a futuristic phone booth to travel through history,... [More]
Starring: George Carlin, Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Christopher Kennedy

Quantum Leap (2022)
57%

#28
Synopsis: Dr. Ben Song, lead physicist of a top-secret government time-travel program known as Quantum Leap, makes an unauthorized leap into... [More]
Starring: Raymond Lee, Caitlin Bassett, Ernie Hudson, Mason Alexander Park
Directed By: Steven Lilien, Bryan Wynbrandt, Donald P. Bellisario, Deborah Pratt

The Twilight Zone (2002)
50%

#29
Synopsis: Award-winning actor and director Forest Whitaker hosts this version, which features two self-contained stories per episode. Each story stars well-known... [More]
Starring: Forest Whitaker
Directed By: Pen Densham, Mark Stern, John Watson

Journeyman (2007)
44%

#30
Synopsis: Commuting takes on a whole new meaning for San Francisco newspaper reporter Dan Vasser, who unexpectedly finds himself traveling through... [More]
Starring: Kevin McKidd, Moon Bloodgood, Gretchen Egolf, Reed Diamond
Directed By: Kevin Falls, Alex Graves

Time Trax (1993)
40%

#31
Synopsis: Cop Capt. Darien Lambert travels from the 22nd century to the present in search of fugitives from the future, including... [More]
Starring: Dale Midkiff, Liz Alexander, Peter Donat

The Time Traveler's Wife (2022)
38%

#32
Synopsis: Clare and Henry's love story involves a marriage with a problem -- time travel.... [More]
Starring: Rose Leslie, Theo James, Desmin Borges, Natasha Lopez
Directed By: Steven Moffat, Sue Vertue, Brian Minchin, David Nutter

La Brea (2021)
--

#33
Synopsis: A massive sinkhole opens up in the middle of Los Angeles, separating a family between two worlds. The mother and... [More]
Starring: Natalie Zea, Eoin Macken, Jon Seda, Nicholas Gonzalez
Directed By: David Appelbaum, Avi Nir, Alon Shtruzman, Peter Traugott

Timecop (1997)
0%

#34
Synopsis: In the near future, cocky Timecop Jack Logan tries to "protect the past and preserve the future" by going on... [More]
Starring: Ted King, Cristi Conaway, Don Stark, Kurt Fuller
Directed By: Lawrence Gordon, Robert Singer

Back to the Future (1991)
--

#35
Synopsis: Doc and his young cohort Marty McFly travel through time.... [More]
Starring: Christopher Lloyd, Bill Nye, Tom Wilson, Mary Steenburgen

Dirk Gently (2010)
--

#36
Synopsis: Detective Dirk Gently operates based on the fundamental interconnectedness of all things.... [More]
Starring: Stephen Mangan, Darren Boyd, Jason Watkins, Lisa Jackson

Life on Mars (2008)
--

#37
Synopsis: Adapted from a hit BBC show, this genre-bending crime drama/buddy comedy/sci-fi fantasy revolves around modern-day police detective Sam Tyler, who... [More]
Starring: Jason O'Mara, Harvey Keitel, Michael Imperioli, Gretchen Mol
Directed By: Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, Scott Rosenberg

Manifest (2018)
72%

#38
Synopsis: When Montego Air Flight 828 landed safely after a turbulent but routine flight, the crew and passengers were relieved. But... [More]
Starring: Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas, J.R. Ramirez, Luna Blaise
Directed By: Jeff Rake, Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke, Jackie Levine

The Outer Limits (1995)
--

#39
Synopsis: In the tradition of the 1960s cult show of the same name, this anthology series features different actors, many well-known... [More]
Starring: Kevin Conway
Directed By: Pen Densham, Richard B. Lewis, John Watson

Primeval (2007)
--

#40
Synopsis: Strange, unexplained "anomalies" have ripped multiple holes in the fabric of time and space, allowing dangerous (and dangerously hungry) creatures... [More]
Starring: Hannah Spearritt, Andrew Lee Potts, Ben Mansfield, Ben Miller
Directed By: Tim Haines, Adrian Hodges

Quantum Leap (1989)
--

#41
Synopsis: Former scientist Sam Beckett finds himself trapped in time due to an experiment gone awry, leaping into the body of... [More]
Starring: Scott Bakula, Dean Stockwell, Dennis Wolfberg, W. K. Stratton
Directed By: Michael Zinberg, Donald P. Bellisario

The Twilight Zone (1985)
--

#42
Synopsis: This 1980s revival of the classic sci-fi series features a similar style to the original anthology series. Each episode tells... [More]
Starring: Robin Ward, Charles Aidman

57% Quantum Leap: Season 1 (2022) episodes 1-8 are now streaming on Peacock; the series returns with new episodes on NBC on January 2, 2023.

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