Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Hulu’s brand new time travel thriller 11.22.63 is an ecstatic marriage of super creepy horror and science fiction adventure. It follows James Franco‘s Jake Epping as he goes back to the 1960s with the mission to stop the Kennedy assassination. The story is the stuff of dreams and would easily be the coolest show we’ve seen in many moons, except for one small catch: Jake’s mode of time travel is kind of…lame.
Since the pop culture inception of time travel, writers and directors have struggled to find a mode of temporal transportation that is as cool as the act itself. For every T.A.R.D.I.S. and Hot Tub Time Machine, there’s something as mundane as 11/22/63’s dingy diner pantry. Sure, we’ve all fantasized about going back in time, but does the journey getting there have to include passing a pile of canned vegetables? Time travel is supposed to make us amped up and some of the most famous modes of transport are rather disappointing. Case in point: Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle gets to travel in time via nap!
With this in mind, Decider is looking back in time at the history of time travel in pop culture. We’re ranking 12 major time travel “devices” based on how cool they are.
Agree? Disagree? Downright confused? Flip through the gallery below to find out our rationale for the rankings.
Mode of Time Travel: Nap
Cool Factor: -1, because while naps are always cool and chill, the one thing that makes them uncool and un-chill is waking up in a different century where all your friends are old or dead.Art by Jaclyn Kessel
Mode of Time Travel: Ghosts
Cool Factor: 5, because as cool as it is to travel backwards and forwards in time, it's equally cool to have a close encounter of the spiritual kind -- and on Christmas, no less! Scrooge definitely is hoarding all the cool life experiences in this one. Art by Jaclyn Kessel
Mode of Time Travel: A Time Machine
Cool Factor: 7, because this is arguably where it all began: H.G. Wells gave us the first truly great science fiction tale about time travel. Consider it steampunk before the word "steampunk" was even a thing. Art by Jaclyn Kessel
Mode of Time Travel: TARDIS
Cool Factor: 10, because as small and strange as it might look on the outside, it's a whole ever-expanding world of badass within. Every doctor gets to redecorate the vast and expansive TARDIS and the machine itself is a living being with a soul of its own. There's also a swimming pool inside. Art by Jaclyn Kessel
Mode of Time Travel: A Map
Cool Factor: 1, because a map might seem mundane, but thanks to the creative genius of Terry Gilliam, this one is roaring with magic and weirdness.Art by Jaclyn Kessel
Mode of Time Travel: A Time Displacement Sphere
Cool Factor: -5, because what the heck is a "Time Displacement Sphere?" Sounds like super lame mumbo jumbo to us!Art by Jaclyn Kessel
Mode of Time Travel: Delorean
Cool Factor: 9, because who doesn't want to drive the sweetest wheels of the 1980s in any year in history? Plus, it comes with an eccentric best friend.Art by Jaclyn Kessel
Mode of Time Travel: Phone Booth
Cool Factor: -10, because we don't know who was in that phone booth before Bill & Ted got into it. Vagrants? Perverts? People infected with flu? A monster made out of chewing gum? Anyway you slice it, phone booths are gross.Art by Jaclyn Kessel
Mode of Time Travel: Rocks
Cool Factor: -4, because even though Claire technically travels through a mysterious magical portal in the middle of a Celtic rock formation, she still has to touch a rock to go back in time. Art by Jaclyn Kessel
Mode of Time Travel: Time Turner
Cool Factor: 9, because it's a pretty and portable way to keep the days of your life under control. Plus, it's only more cool because it's from the always awesome world of Harry Potter.Art by Jaclyn Kessel
Mode of Time Travel: Hot Tub
Cool Factor: 10, because forget the time travel part; We just want a hot tub.Art by Jaclyn Kessel
Mode of Time Travel: A Pantry
Cool Factor: -9, because there's nothing lamer than finding your way to 1961 next to a can of peas. Plus, what if you really just wanted peas? You have to go back to the 1960s to get some? There are so many questions raised by this time travel portal and none of the answers are slick, cool, or badass.Art by Jaclyn Kessel
