At a glance, the 2015 SyFy reboot of 12 Monkeys is a dark, depressing series. In the 2040s, most of the world’s population has been wiped out by a plague, and in Season 2, our various heroes are either constantly betraying each other or bickering about which time travel mission is the right one to pursue. But, for those who know and love the show, the truth is 12 Monkeys is actually filled with a ton of hope. And as the series goes along, several of the bigger arcs tend to play out along similar lines: Something that seemed deeply sad could contain an optimistic twist.
Ten years ago, on June 6, 2016, 12 Monkeys dropped its eighth episode in Season 2, titled “Lullaby.” Written by future Star Trek: Picard Season 3 writer Sean Tretta, “Lullaby” is a bittersweet, clever time-loop story that, even for sci-fi fans who have never seen 12 Monkeys, is essential viewing. This episode contains the best of Doctor Who and Star Trek, with its own quirky 12 Monkeys magic. Here’s why 10 years later it's worth your time, and is not a bad introduction to 12 Monkeys as a whole.
