# 12 Monkeys (2015)

> A time traveler from a plague-ravaged 2043 races across the past to find the source of the outbreak that will destroy humanity.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/54368

## Facts

- Seasons: 4
- Episodes: 47
- Episode runtime: 43 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: science fiction, drama
- Created by: Terry Matalas, Travis Fickett
- Network: Syfy
- Cast: Aaron Stanford, Amanda Schull, Kirk Acevedo, Barbara Sukowa, Emily Hampshire, Todd Stashwick, Noah Bean, Alisen Richmond-Peck
- TMDB rating: 7.7/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3148266/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: dense
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: suspenseful, melancholic, urgent, hopeful, intense

## What critics say

Audiences rate the series positively, praising its high-stakes time travel plotting, emotional character work and a finale that rewards four seasons of investment.

## Synopsis

12 Monkeys (2015-2018) is an American science fiction series created by Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett for Syfy, adapted from the 1995 film. Aaron Stanford plays James Cole, a time traveler from a decimated future who must journey back to the present to locate and eradicate the source of a deadly plague. Amanda Schull plays Cassandra Railly, a scientist drawn into his mission, while Barbara Sukowa and Kirk Acevedo appear among the principal cast. The engine of the show is a dangerous, untested method of time travel and a relentless race against the clock, with each episode built from jumps between eras, shifting alliances and clues that point toward the outbreak. Across four seasons it unfolds as one continuing serialized story rather than a case of the week, so the order of episodes matters. The setting moves between a ruined future and a present-day America that is sliding toward catastrophe. The tone is suspenseful and melancholic, with dread about the plague balanced by warmth in the relationships between the leads. Fans of Dark, Travelers and Outlander will find resonance in its blend of time travel mystery and serialized sci-fi drama, along with the original Twelve Monkeys film that inspired it.

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