ABC’s newest show, Time After Time, has everything you could ask for in an adventurous drama: Intrigue, mystery, risk and of course time-travel!

After watching the two hour series premiere of Kevin Williamson’s Time After Time and speaking with Williamson and part of the cast we can tell you that this is going to be your favorite new Sunday drama. Watch out, Once Upon a Time, you may have met your match!

‘Time After Time’ ABC review

Time After Time is based off the ’70s film of the same name but with today’s technology and powerful storytelling it fits right in as one of best new dramas on TV. The show follows H.G. Wells as he discovers that one of his best friends, John Stevenson, is actually the one responsible for the murders happening all over Victorian London. Yep, he’s Jack the Ripper!

At the same moment Wells made this discovery John manages to steal his time machine, which was just introduced to him and the rest of Wells’ friends. In a mission to bring John to justice and answer for his crimes Wells follows him through time and lands himself in modern day New York, where he has to find John before it’s too late.

I know, I know. Another time travel show? Really? But no, it’s not just another time travel show! Williamson explained as much to us, saying, “it’s all present day. We do time-travel three or four times through the course of the season.”

This is not going to be your run of the mill show that follows characters as they go from decade to decade or century to century, this show is all about trying to catch Jack the Ripper in modern day because Wells was smart enough to make a safety net: The machine will always go back to the start of whatever journey it took unless the operator has the key to override it. It’s a clever way to keep the story in modern day America, which really makes any sort of time travel they do that much more important.

Throughout the series, and certainly in the first two hours, you’ll notice that John is way better at getting used to modern society and technology than Wells is. This isn’t a plot-hole but rather a fantastic way to make this chase last a lot longer. Explaining his character’s knack for modernness, actor Josh Bowman weighed in, “we wanted to make him somewhat of a chameleon, someone who’s hard to catch. It’s a cat and mouse thriller so we wanted to have Wells jump through more hoops than John would have to.

“When he gets into the world,” Bowman continues, “he jumps heads first and loves it and drinks it all up. He finds out how to use these different instruments and gadgets and whatnot to then give him an edge.” This is the exact opposite reaction that Wells has, who has envisioned the future as a utopia with technology helping to better society instead of destroy it. It would make sense, then, that the man who questions everything would have more trouble adjusting to 2017.

And this isn’t just a show about two guys chasing one another. Of course not! During Wells’ first entrance to modern day New York he meets Jane, the curator of a museum exhibit of which Wells’ very own time machine is the prized jewel. Starting off as a curious curator wanting to know how Wells got into her exhibit, Jane cements herself as the lead female who helps Wells through-out the series as they try to catch Jack.

Genesis Rodriguez, who plays Jane, is a fantastic pick for the role. She’s smart, witty and she gives Jane that pinch of spice that every bad-ass female lead needs to have if they’re going to face off with Jack the Ripper!

Rodriguez explains it best, saying, “Jane is a very strong, smart woman. She’s [career driven] and independent but then this charming man comes along and sweeps her off her feet. And that’s what [a lot] of women still want, is to have romance and excitement in their lives, even though we’re very much career-driven, focused women.”

If you’re looking for a show with a tough-as-nails female lead who has absolutely no interest in a romantic life then you might need to look elsewhere, but don’t give Jane up just yet. She’s still very much a central character and in fact you might see her as the hero of the show. Rodriguez concluded her explanation of Jane saying, “she’s saving H.G. every episode, time after time, haha, and it really is a great thing to be able to be the hero.”

“She’s very equipped to handle herself,” Williamson explains. And it’s very true. You’ll see in Sunday’s episode just how resourceful Jane can be. She’ll prove to be an asset to Wells not only because she’s from the 21st century but also because she manages to understand John enough to get just under his skin, making him question who he his and who he could be.

And finally one of my favorite aspects of this show is the introduction of Wells’ own genealogy and how the concept of family is very much a key part of what drives these characters. I don’t want to spoil the premiere but you’ll come to realize this Sunday that in order for these characters to succeed they’ll need help… and that help will come from the most surprising of sources.

‘Time After Time’ premieres Sunday, March 5 at 9/8c

As a sci-fi buff and a huge fan of anything H.G. Wells I’m extremely excited for the rest of the world to finally be introduced to, honestly, one of the most intriguing shows on TV right now. Will you watch this Sunday?