Talk:Time loop

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Contents

[edit] Works that are not time loops

Here are works that have been added, some of them repeatedly, and an explanation of why they aren't good examples of time loops. It's worth keeping this list around, since they're likely to be added again and again over time (hm, just like a time loop!). To be a time loop, time has to reset (typically to the same beginning point) more than once.

  • The Butterfly Effect (and sequel)
  • Déjà-Vu - limited time travel
  • Final Fantasy VIII refers to something resembling both the predestination paradox and the ontological paradox, but isn't a time loop
  • Galaxy Quest - simply traveling back in time thirteen seconds
  • "Monkey Wrench" [1] - no indication at all that they are time traveling
  • Planet of the Apes - In the first film the main character travels 2,000 years ahead in time to a world ruled by apes. Two of the apes he meets end up going back in time 2,000 years and changing the time line in a way that forms the future he visits. A classic time travel story type, but not a time loop. [editing what someone else wrote as i moved this to the Talk page.] --John_Abbe 23:41, 6 October 2007 (UTC)
  • Run Lola Run - a German film depicting three versions of the same twenty minutes in Lola's life, if she makes different decisions.
  • Sliding Doors - a British film showing the main character's life having two outcomes from missing and barely making a train.
  • Sphere just references time travel in finding a long ago crashed space ship from the future
  • Superman - not a time loop, just one-time time travel
  • Timequake by Kurt Vonnegut - time was repeated only once, and even more importantly, it was repeated exactly as in the first run - there was no possibility to change it (in the words of Vonnegut, there was no free will)
  • TimeSplitters 3 doesn't have repetition, but uses the predestination paradox (help yourself, then later be the person who helped you)
  • Witchblade - just a single reset at the end of the first season
  • Yesterday's_Enterprise - time travel, but not a loop

[edit] Death Ship

What about (the original) Twilight Zone episode "Death Ship"? 71.199.114.36 18:15, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] First time in mainstream television or film

Was "Cause and Effect" the first time this concept was employed in mainstream television or film? --Acegikmo1 22:59, 22 July 2005 (UTC)

Depends what/where you mean by mainstream - Przypadek (Blind Chance) came out in 1980 in Poland, and has over 800 votes at IMDB [2]. There were others between 1980 and "Cause and Effect", though apparently all less popular. --John_Abbe 23:39, 6 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Final Fantasy I

Another question on Video Games -> Final Fantasy I: "This was a poorly thought out plot as it says nothing about the Fiends of the Elements themselves, and it doesn't make sense for the loop to ever close given the linear nature of time as it seems to be set in the Type 0 universe of Final Fantasy." I've been searching my butt off and I can't find any evidence as to what a "Type 0" universe is. The sentence needs an internal link, or to be re-written.

[edit] Hermione in Harry Potter

What about the time turner Hermione uses in the harry potter books? I know it may be considered multiple one-time time travel events, but it is implied that she uses it to repeatedly access the same segment of time.82.24.155.138 00:34, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Dead Zone

The TV show Dead Zone should probably be mentioned as at least two episodes involve the repetition of the same sequence of events numerous times, until the hero manages to 'fix' them. Several other episodes involve repetitions of the same event, but it's not really a timeloop, just the same event from another angle. MrPhelps 18:23, 6 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Recent Edits

Heya, I just tweaked several things. Could someone just compare the page history to see if you agree with it all.

  • I wasn't sure about category: "Time Travel" vs. cat. "Time Travel in fiction". If we'd discussed "practical"/theoretical applications of time loops, rather than use as a literary device, I guess I'd prefer the former. However, as the article begins "A time loop is a fictional situation...", I guess the latter is more appropriate.
  • I'm also not sure if I added in too many internal links. I doubt it, but ya never know.
  • Oh yah, does anyone know how to do an internal link to a category? I ended up doing an external link to Time travel television series.

Thanks, samwaltz 14:24, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Reference "12:01" story at top?

The top section references "Groundhog Day" as the best known example, but I think the original short story "12:01" should also be referenced as the prime inspiration for this concept in other works of later fiction (film, TV and print). Though I don't know of a reference to the writers of Groundhog Day being so influenced, I would find it hard to think that they had not been. I'm not going to make this edit, but I do recommend that someone working on this article should give the "original" inspiration a bigger role. GGG65 05:03, 10 August 2007 (UTC)

J. G. Ballard's 1956 "Escapement" predates the Lupoff story by 17 years, and i'd bet that a determined serach would find other SF stories in between. Without sources, we don't know what was independently conceived, or inspired by what earlier works. For that matter, we don't have a source for Groundhog Day being the best known example, but it seems pretty likely to me, and although one might be tempted to remove it as original research, i think it's too valuable as an explanatory example that's likely to help many people quickly get what the article is about. Separately, i'd be in favor of mentioning "Escapement" (or whatever earliest story is found that features time loops), even if it didn't inspire all/any later time loop stories. I'd also love to see some interviews/sources regarding the Groundhog Day creators' inspirations :-). --John_Abbe 17:17, 10 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Seven Days

Removed Seven Days, then changed my mind - it's in the same category as Tru Calling. Was there an episode of Seven Days that had an actual time loop? If so, please add that to the episodes listing. --John_Abbe 17:27, 10 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Code Lyoko

Removed Code Lyoko because the returns to the past aren't time loops because the day does not closely repeat itself (e.g. anyone who died in the original time line remains dead after the return to the past) Furthermore, the return trips always result in the past being altered so that the return to the past won't be activated at the same time again. The only episode that could possibly be said to involve a time loop is "A Great Day". —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.162.139.144 (talk) 09:35, 5 November 2007 (UTC)