[1] Critical response to the programme was generally favourable, with praise for its originality in addressing racism through the comedic insertion of modernity into a period setting.

He worked with an editor provided by Big Talk Productions, who were producing Cockroaches for ITV, and improved his script over a few drafts.

Modern-day scenes used fixed-camera shots, hard surfaces, fluorescent lights and colour schemes that wouldn't appear in earlier periods.

[8][9] Nick Foster and Oli Julian composed the original music for the programme and arranged the jazzy covers of modern songs.

[8] Jimi Famuewa wrote for the Evening Standard that Timewasters challenged the way in which black characters are portrayed in period dramas.

[3] Joel Keller of Decider recommended the programme, finding it to have unexpected humour in the way it treats racism "head on without taking itself ...

[16] Melody McCune of Geek Girl Authority wrote that the series "deftly and brilliantly doles out social commentary" of systemic racism in life and in media.

[17] Angelica Guarino of Common Sense Media thoroughly enjoyed the programme, calling it "harmoniously ambitious, off-beat, and fast paced," with uniform story arcs.

She particularly praised Taylor's performance, and encouraged parents to discuss with their children the racial issues raised and how it can be "empowering to make jokes about serious topics".

[25] Agathe Devionot of Just Focus felt that the series was a perfect fusion of comedy with the modernity of the main characters encountering cultural shock in the time-travel scenario.

"[8] Matthew Bell compared Timewasters to Derry Girls and Home, for finding humour in dark subject matter.

[3] Kate Holman wrote that the programme "challenges the traditional period drama" and expertly draws comedy from the juxtaposition of past and present prejudices.

British Film Institute lead programmer and event chair Justin Johnson[3][27] opened by stating that Timewasters "successfully combined a science fiction premise with a period setting [and] a full-on comedy.

[3][2] In early 2021, it was announced that a US remake of Timewasters was in development at ABC, under showrunner Lauren Ashley Smith with Lawrence Taylor, Kenton Allen and Matthew Justice (Big Talk Productions) also executive producing.