History Series / TimeTeam

A popular TV series on archaeology, broadcast by Creator/Channel4 in the UK from 1994 to 2013, fronted by Creator/TonyRobinson (of ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' fame), and from 2022 to present on [[https://youtube.com/@TimeTeamOfficial YouTube]].

In a typical episode, the Team have three days to investigate a site not otherwise open for excavation, such as the grounds of private homes, farmland, in a town centre, on a golf course, or occasionally within the bounds of major national landmarks like Westminster Abbey or Salisbury Cathedral.

Presenter Robinson and a team of experts, usually led by Professor Mick Aston or [[TechnologyLevels Iron Age/Bronze Age]] specialist Francis Pryor and including field archaeologist Phil Harding and his gang of diggers, congregate at the location and establish to camera the key intentions and hopes for the next three days. With the aid of the likes of landscape investigator Stewart Ainsworth, archaeological geophysicist John Gater and a rotating cast of specialists and historians relevant to the era/area/type of finds expected, the Team endeavour to locate and excavate the best areas of the site and to extrapolate and explain the significance of what they uncover. Discoveries would be brought back to life along the way by increasingly sophisticated computer graphics, but also, from the start, by the on-site artwork produced by speed-illustrator extraordinaire Victor Ambrus.

The locations -- usually in UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} -- have generally never been explored with modern techniques, and often not at all, making this programme one of the few examples of genuine scientific research being televised. Eras covered could range from Stone Age times to TheMiddleAges to [[UsefulNotes/VictorianBritain Victorian]] to UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo. At some of the sites, ''Time Team'' made discoveries of national historical significance.

The success of the programme inspired multiple imitators, such as ''Meet the Ancestors'' and ''House Detectives''. There have also been several SpinOff programmes, and live episodes; in 2006, for example, they broadcast live coverage of the Team digging up the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

The programme does not follow the normal tropes of [[AdventurerArchaeologist TV fictional archaeology]], but it does follow the standard structure, with [[TheTeaser a teaser]] and a [[CommercialBreakCliffhanger cliffhanger question before each ad break]].

** In some early episodes Robinson, at that point known primarily as an actor, would occasionally 'get into character' and perform to camera as, say, an imagined medieval peasant woman from the place being excavated. He soon grew out of this phase.

* InsistentTerminology: Tony and Phil got into an argument (and RunningGag) over the pronunciation of Mildenhall, with Tony pronouncing it phonetically and Phil continually correcting him that it was to be pronounced "Mine'all".

** Another episode had them having to do a fingertip search for rare newts which bred on the site before excavating any sites. Tony closed the episode by assuring us that "No newts were ''found'' during this dig".

* OneSteveLimit: If two archaeologists had the same first name, the least senior of the two would be given a nickname to separate them for the ease of referral.

* {{Scotireland}}: A discussed trope in the episode "Heroes Hill", when on a dig at Knock Dhu in Northern Ireland. They point out that Scotland is actually visible on the horizon, the two headlands are only separated by about fifteen miles of sea, and that many Iron and Bronze Age Kingdoms had territory in both and probably didn't see any difference, or primacy, between the two lands.

* SolemnEndingTheme: An alternative ending theme tune, without the drumbeats, is used on 'special' shows such as those dealing with [=WW2=] archaeology where the team have exhumed things like crashed aeroplanes, or sites where there has been significant death count.

* VerySpecialEpisode: Barrow Clump, a joint dig with [[http://www.wessexarch.co.uk/OperationNightingale Operation Nightingale]], which aims to rehabilitate wounded soldiers through archaeology.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Phil and Tony. 99% of the non-archaeology dialogue is them bickering with each and winding each other up.
* WarReenactors: Due to the nature of the show, Time Team makes a lot of use of these guys, having had them act out Roman, English Civil War, and even [=WW2=] Homeguard activities over the course of the show. Usually with Phil Harding joining them just for a laugh.

A popular TV series on archaeology, broadcast by Creator/Channel4 in the UK from 1994 to 2013, fronted by Creator/TonyRobinson (of ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' fame), and from 2022 to present on [[https://youtube.com/@TimeTeamOfficial YouTube.]]

In each episode, the Team have three days[[labelnote:*]](the length of a typical dig in the UK)[[/labelnote]] to investigate a site not otherwise open for excavation, such as the grounds of private homes, farmland, a golf course, or occasionally within the bounds of major national landmarks like Westminster Abbey or Salisbury Cathedral.

The locations -- usually in UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} -- have generally never been explored with modern techniques, and often not at all, making this programme one of the few examples of genuine scientific research being televised. At some of the sites, '''''Time Team''''' made discoveries of national historical significance.

A typical episode would feature presenter Robinson and a team of archaeologists, usually led by Professor Mick Aston or [[TechnologyLevels Iron Age/Bronze Age]] specialist Francis Pryor and including field archaeologist Phil Harding and his team of diggers, congregating at the site and establishing to camera the key intentions and hopes for the next three days. Eras covered could range from Stone Age times to TheMiddleAges to UsefulNotes/VictorianBritain to UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo.

With the aid of the likes of landscape investigator Stewart Ainsworth, archaeological geophysicist John Gater and a rotating cast of specialists and historians relevant to the era/area/type of finds expected, the Team endeavour to locate and excavate the best areas of the week's site and explain and extrapolate the significance of what they uncover. Discoveries would be brought back to life along the way by increasingly sophisticated computer graphics, but also, from the start, by the on-site artwork produced by speed-illustrator extraordinaire Victor Ambrus.

The success of the programme inspired multiple imitators, such as ''Meet the Ancestors'' and ''House Detectives''. There have also been several SpinOff programmes, and live episodes; in 2006, for example, they broadcast live coverage of the team digging up the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

* AnachronisticClue: In one excavation the team found a genuine mediæval sword -- but immediately below it in the ground was a modern-day electrical cable, so it could only have been placed there after the cable was buried.
* ArrowsOnFire: One of the experimental archaeology sections was testing to see if fiery arrows hitting thatch would work in real life. Their conclusion was; yes, but only if whatever they hit was left to smolder for several hours.

* BerserkButton: Do ''not'' step into Phil's trench without asking him first, as layman Tony found out early in season one. This is fairly standard archaeological practice, because you never know if you are about to stamp on less than obvious archaeology or just dirt. Phil just forgot Tony had zero archaeological experience at that point and gave him a full on DrillSergeantNasty earful.
* TheCameo: A dig at Sedgefield in County Durham had a coda in which [[UsefulNotes/TonyBlair the local MP]] visited the site.

* FromTheLatinIntroDucere: On a couple of episodes with Roman ruins, attempts were made to translate "Time Team" into Latin. The "team" presented a problem, as there wasn't an exact Latin analogue for a non-military group of people doing a task together, so they came up with something that translated literally as "Time Gang."
* FormulaBreakingEpisode: One later special departs from archaeology as Tony and Phil travel to America to take part in a paleontological dig and unearth dinosaur fossils.

** Averted in that Mildenhall’s local pronounciation is “Mil’nall”.

* TheNicknamer: Tony. As part of his presenting style he would come up with nicknames for bodies uncovered during the digs, and for historical personages being discussed, in order to humanise them. He also came up with nicknames for various archaeologists such as calling Mick Aston "Dumbledore" or Mick Worthington "Mick the Dig" in order to [[OneSteveLimit separate him from Mick Aston]].

** Starting in September 2020 the original producer began raising funds for a revival of the original ''Time Team'' as well. To drum up interest they've been uploading old episodes in HD to Youtube and having the people featured in the episode talk about their experiences. New episodes then started airing 2022 on the [[https://youtube.com/@TimeTeamOfficial Time Team’s official YouTube channel]], with more airing in 2023.
* ScotIreland: A discussed trope in the episode "Heroes Hill" on a dig at Knock Dhu in Northern Ireland. They point out that Scotland is actually visible on the horizon, the two headlands are only separated by about fifteen miles of sea, and that many Iron and Bronze Age Kingdoms had territory in both and probably didn't see any difference, or primacy, of each lands.
* SequelEpisode: Series 6 episode Return to Turkdean served as a direct one to the previous series' episode centred on the site of the same name.
* SolemnEndingTheme: An alternative ending theme tune, without the drumbeats, is used on "special" shows such as those dealing with [=WW2=] archaeology where the team have exhumed things like crashed aeroplanes, or sites where there has been significant death count.
* SouthernFriedGenius: [[Administrivia/TropesAreFlexible Different country, same trope:]] Don't let Phil's exaggerated [[UsefulNotes/TheWestCountry oi-be-drinkin'-zoider west country bumpkin]] accent fool you into thinking he's not just as smart as the rest of the team.

* WarReenactors: Due to the nature of the show, Time Team makes a lot of use of these guys, having had them act out Roman, English Civil War, and even WW2 Homeguard activities over the course of the show. Usually with Phil Harding joining them just for a laugh.

A popular TV series on archaeology, broadcast by Creator/Channel4 in the UK from 1994 to 2013, and fronted by Creator/TonyRobinson (of ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' fame).

** Starting in September 2020 the original producer began raising funds for a revival of the original ''Time Team'' as well. To drum up interest they've been uploading old episodes in HD to Youtube and having the people featured in the episode talk about their experiences.

* SouthernFriedGenius: [[Administrivia/TropesAreFlexible Different country, same trope:]] Don't let Phil's exaggerated [[UsefulNotes/TheWestCountry oi-be-drinkin'-zoider country bumpkin]] accent fool you into thinking he's not just as smart as the rest of the team.

[[quoteright:224:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cd2c241a8e8928f18329d60201ac2cbf.jpg]]
A popular series on archaeology, broadcast by Creator/Channel4 in the UK from 1994 to 2013, and fronted by Creator/TonyRobinson (of ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' fame).

In each episode, the team's archaeologists have three days[[labelnote:*]]the length of a typical dig in the UK[[/labelnote]] to investigate a site not otherwise open for excavation, such as a golf course. The sites have generally never been explored with modern techniques, and often not at all, making this programme one of the few examples of genuine scientific research being televised. At some of the sites, '''''Time Team''''' have made discoveries of national historical significance.

* AceCustom: Phil uses a personal shovel that he's modified to suit his needs. It has an extra-long handle and additional reinforcement so that he has better leverage when moving loads of earth. He also keeps it especially sharp in order to better pierce into hard soil.

* ArrowsOnFire: One of the experimental archeology sections was testing to see if fiery arrows hitting thatch would work in real life. Their conclusion was; yes, but only if whatever they hit was left to smolder for several hours.
* AsYouKnow: Helen does this to explain the 1906 Treasure Act to the audience, which mandates that if more than ten bronze coins are found in a single place, they must be reported
* BerserkButton: Do ''not'' step into Phil's trench without asking him first, as Tony found out early in season one. This is fairly standard archeological practice, because you never know if you are about to stamp on less than obvious archeology or just dirt. Phil just forgot Tony had zero archeological experience at that point and gave him a full on DrillSergeantNasty earful.
* TheCameo: A dig at Sedgefield had a coda in which [[UsefulNotes/TonyBlair the local MP]] visited the site.
* ClipShow: The episode "Greatest Discoveries" is just the main presenters (Tony, Phil, Mick Aston, Helen Geake, and Tony) sitting in a pub discussing past shows and clips thereof.

* EinsteinHair: Mick Aston's hair was worn in this manner.

* FormulaBreakingEpisode: One later special departs from archeology as Tony and Phil travel to America to take part in a paleontological dig and unearth dinosaur fossils.
* IconicOutfit: Phil Harding is never seen without his manky old hat with a feather stuck in it, and is also usually seen in a ratty, holey, old green woollen sweater. Mick Aston was equally known for his colourful jumpers that he began wearing after a producer asked him to brighten up his outfits to which he responded by wearing the most garish and hideous piece of knitwear he could find.

** averted in that Mildenhall’s local pronounciation is “Mil’nall”

* TheNicknamer: Tony. As part of his presenting style he would come up with nicknames for bodies uncovered during the digs, and for historical personages being discussed, in order to humanise them. He also came up with nicknames for various archeologists such as calling Mick Aston "Dumbledore" or Mick Worthington "Mick the Dig" in order to [[OneSteveLimit separate him from Mick Aston]].

** In one episode, they're excavating the grounds of one of London's law societies, but have to get permission from the gardener to carefully lift a geranium bed. At the end of the episode, Tony says "Just in case any lawyers are watching, not a single geranium was harmed during the making of this program".
** Another Episode had them having to do a fingertip search for rare newts which bred on the site before excavating any sites. Tony closed the episode by assuring us that "No newts were ''found'' during this dig".
* NoodleIncident: In "Return to Turkdean" (Season 6), reference is made to a "Ford Cortina twenty meters down". There are additional references to a buried Cortina before and after this episode (Season 6 episode 6 "Smallhythe, Kent", for example).[[note]]For those wondering, it is in reference to an Irish Farmer who once decided that an old Ford Cortina would be an adequate substitute for a new septic tank. Read the story here: https://connachttribune.ie/farmer-comes-clean-on-his-diy-septic-tank-a-buried-cortina/ [[/note]]

* {{OOC Is Serious Business}}: The Team nearly always moans about the UsefulNotes/BritishWeather, but the episode "Romans on the Range" had weather so bad that even Phil Harding (who prided himself as being an "all-weathers archeologist") downed tools and led the protest about unsafe conditions which convinced the director to hastily arrange some shelter. He had a point, the wind-chill on the main trench was minus-ten Celsius.
* RageQuit: Sadly what Mick Aston did over changes to the format ahead of cancellation. Things were smoothed over, and he was going to become involved with the show again, but then the show was cancelled before anything more could be done. [[DownerEnding Then he died.]]

** ''The Great British Dig'', the pilot episode of which was broadcast on More 4 in 2020 (with a four-episode series the following year), is basically ''Time Team'' with a different name, younger archaeologists and Hugh Dennis as the presenter. In the Maidstone episode, they even ''go to the pub''.
** Currently (starting in September 2020) the original producer is raising funds for a revival of the original ''Time Team'' as well. To drum up interest they've been uploading old episodes in HD to Youtube and having the people featured in the episode talk about their experiences.

* TeamDad: Senior site archeologist Mick Aston who managed to soothe troubled egos, and keep the digs running smoothly.
* TreasureMap: As a show about real archeology you would not expect ''Time Team'' to feature one of these, but on the dig on Looe Island they were actually given a real "treasure map" that had been discovered by an amateur historian which, intriguingly, managed to coincide with a real geophysical anomaly. It turned out to be the marker place for a Victorian era flagpole. So much for the treasure of Cornish pirates.

* VitriolicBestBuds: Phil and Tony. 99% of the non-archeology dialogue is them bickering with each and winding each other up.

* AndNowForSomethingCompletelyDifferent: One later special departs from archeology as Tony and Phil travel to America to take part in a paleontological dig and unearth dinosaur fossils.

* SouthernFriedGenius: [[Administrivia/TropesAreFlexible Different country, same trope:]] Don't let Phil's exaggerated oi-be-drinkin'-zoider country bumpkin accent fool you into thinking he's not just as smart as the rest of the team.

In each episode, the team's archaeologists have three days to investigate a site not otherwise open for excavation, such as a golf course. The sites have generally never been explored with modern techniques, and often not at all, making this programme one of the few examples of genuine scientific research being televised. At some of the sites, '''''Time Team''''' have made discoveries of national historical significance.

* OneSteveLimit: If two archeologists had the same first name, the least senior of the two would be given a nickname to separate them for the ease of referral.

** ''The Great British Dig'', the pilot episode of which was broadcast on More 4 in 2020 (with a four-episode series the following year), is basically ''Time Team'' with younger archaeologists, a different name and Hugh Dennis as the presenter. In the Maidstone episode, they even ''go to the pub''.

** Currently (starting in September 2020) the original producer is raising funds for a revival of the original Time Team as well. To drum up interest they've been uploading old episodes in HD to Youtube and having the people featured in the episode talk about their experiences.