Time Bandits star Lisa Kudrow on playing Penelope and her experience of being on set

There's a new show that's premiering just in time! Apple TV+ offers up an adapted television series for the streamer called Time Bandits. The series is based on the 1981 film of the same name directed by Terry Gilliam and was created by Jemaine Clement (What We Do In The Shadows), Iain Morris, and Taika Waititi (Our Flag Means Death).

Time Bandits series can be described as a journey through time and space as a group of aptly named bandits are suddenly thrust into traveling with a new 11-year-old recruit. Transparently, the series tells the story of Kevin, the aforementioned 11-year-old played by Kal-El Tuck. Kevin is this enthusiastic history nerd who may as well mimic the many young and curious minds that are potentially watching the show right now. Through his association with the team, Kevin finds that hilarity and humility can be intertwined as he goes through adventures during the series.

Lisa Kudrow (Space Force) is one of the members of this ensemble cast in the series, portraying Penelope alongside Tadhg Murphy as Alto, Roger, Jean Nsengiyumva as Widgit, Rune Temte as Bittelig, Charlyne Yi as Judy, and Rachel House as Fianna. With a bevy of guest stars as well including Felicity Ward, Jonathan Brugh, Ross Noble and even the creators, Clement and Waititi.

The Parent Watch had the pleasure of speaking with Kudrow about her experience of working on set. While the motley crew doesn't designate a leader, Penelope steps up and acts as a guide for the rest of the team to look up to.

The series was shot in New Zealand and Toronto, and you can see the influences of the former's island culture within the series. However, believe it or not, parts of the show were actually shot on a soundstage.

"Every day, we were stepping on a new set was like stepping into a piece of artwork, Kudrow says of shooting on the sound stage. "It was so thrilling. Honestly, I've never been on something that took my breath away, just with how beautiful it was. The top of the Mayan Temple at sunset. I felt like, 'Where am I going to travel to? Where I will experience this?' It felt very real. They actually went, shot a sunset, and it was on this volume stage, all the walls. We were in the middle of a jungle on this set."

She also spoke about being able able to do some of her own stunts but also shouts out her stunt double Greta van den Brink, who went her in place for the more intense stunt sequences.

"Well, I tried to make it as the least physically challenging as possible." Kudrow explained. "There were some stunts, like floating through the air in the in the portals. I was proud of myself for some of the stuff I was able to do."

When asked about comparing herself to the character, the actress didn't shy away from saying that there are more differences than similarities.

"I wouldn't present my confidence in the same way that Penelope does, or assertiveness in the same way that Penelope does, but knowing it's there is good, especially as you get older," Kudrow says. 'It's just also from the generation that I'm from, where [you're] trying to make [people] happy: 'I don't want to step on any toes.' and then as we get older, it feels like we're allowed to say, 'No, that's not happening. Thank you. No.'"

Kudrow's words also speak to the through line of the series. It's premise is rooted in storytelling about escaping society's expectations of who and how you are supposed to present yourself. The show is definitly a vehicle for that. Knowing that your flaws make you unique is so important, no matter where you are. It helps that the show doesn't falter in creating a world where real life and fiction co-exist. Younger kids, older kids, and adults alike will appreciate the magical adventures shown and get the opportunity to be apart of the nostalgic legacy of Time Bandits.

The first two episodes of Time Bandits are available to stream right now on Apple TV+. The rest of the 10-episode season will be released in two-episode blocks every Wednesday up until the finale on Aug. 31.