Timeless is such an underrated gem of a show. It’s co-created by Eric Kripke, who also created Supernatural and Revolution (very fabulous shows, too). So gather round fellow history and time-travel buffs, this one is a gauntlet of perfection and representation. And when I say representation, I don’t just mean the beautiful, talented cast. The series itself highlights moments in history that are often overlooked and makes a point of focusing on under-represented groups and their contributions.
The show follows historian Lucy Preston, US Army Master Sergeant Wyatt Logan, and coder and programmer Rufus Carlin as they travel through history to stop supposedly crazed-killer Garcia Flynn from wreaking havoc and irrevocably changing the history of the world. The other central characters are Connor Mason, Denise Christopher and Jiya Marri, who all work with the ‘time team’ on their missions, usually staying in the present time and working on the science and bureaucracy that inevitably comes alongside running a time machine. The time machine, nicknamed the ‘lifeboat’, is one of two, with Flynn using the new fancy model (the ‘mothership’) and the Time Team using the original, older model. As their missions get more and more dangerous, the trio realises that the enemy isn’t who they thought and the danger is far worse than they realised. Friends become enemies, enemies become friends.
The primary antagonists of the show are those who work for ‘Rittenhouse’, an organisation that spans centuries and controls everything from corporations to politics. Flynn’s objective is to destroy Rittenhouse and as the series unfolds, you slowly learn why. Rittenhouse also has a connection to Lucy, who begins delving into the mystery of her past after she accidentally erases her original history for a new one with an unintended, devastating consequence.
Despite the fact that the show only lasted two seasons (WHYYYYYYYYYYY) it covers a phenomenal number of historical moments: The Hindenburg disaster; the assassination of Abraham Lincoln; Las Vegas’ atomic tests, John F. Kennedy and Judith Campbell; Ian Fleming and Nazi Germany; the Alamo, Davy Crockett and James Bowie; the Shawnee tribe and chieftain Nonhelema; Katherine Johnson and the Space Race; Bonnie and Clyde; Sophia Hayden, the Chicago’s World Fair and H. H. Holmes; Ernest Hemingway and Josephine Baker; Marie Curie and Irène Joliot-Curie; Wendell Scott and the Darlington 500; Hedy Lamarr; the Salem Witch Trials; Robert Johnson; Alice Paul and Grace Humiston; Harriet Tubman and many, many more. For history buffs, this show is a straight up shot of awesome sauce.
The relationships of the show, like any show, are the bedrock of the series. The characterisation is great and develops well. The core trio are wonderful friends who have each other’s backs. There’s a burgeoning romance between Lucy and Wyatt, and Rufus and Jiya, and the core couples are adorable. Mostly, though, the friendships are the best part and take a more central role than the romantic relationships.
The show was famously cancelled twice, but ultimately got its finale to wrap up the storylines, so it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, thankfully! I wish we got more than two seasons, but the two seasons of absolutely wonderful, so get watching!
**gifs found online, not mine
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