Jump to content

Timeless (TV series)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 2600:1001:b014:d3cf:7c2d:431c:8b42:abfd (talk) at 15:50, 22 November 2016 (→‎Production). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Timeless
File:Timeless Title Card.png
Genre
Created by
Starring
ComposerRobert Duncan
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes7 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Brad Van Arragon
  • Jim Barnes
  • Lana Cho
  • Shawn Williamson
Production locationsVancouver, Canada
CinematographySam McCurdy
Editors
  • Debbie Berman
  • David Kaldor
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time43 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseOctober 3, 2016 (2016-10-03) –
present

Timeless is an American science fiction drama series that premiered on NBC on October 3, 2016. It follows the adventures of an unusual trio—a history professor (Abigail Spencer), a scientist (Malcolm Barrett) and a soldier (Matt Lanter)—as they attempt to stop Garcia Flynn (Goran Višnjić), a time-traveling criminal, from changing the course of American history. The series was created by Shawn Ryan and Eric Kripke and also stars Paterson Joseph and Sakina Jaffrey. Executive producers include John Davis and John Fox of The Blacklist. Long considered one of NBC's hot pilots, it was ordered to series on May 13, 2016, after lengthy negotiations to obtain the series' "in-season stacking rights", which allow a network to stream all episodes of a series' current season via all the network's online platforms.[1] On November 1, 2016, NBC ordered three additional episodes totaling to 16 episodes for the first season.[2]

Premise

An experimental time machine is stolen by ex-NSA asset Garcia Flynn, who mysteriously goes off the grid after allegedly killing his wife and child. A team consisting of history professor Lucy Preston, soldier Wyatt Logan, and engineer Rufus Carlin is sent back in time using a prototype machine to capture him. However, they soon realize that Flynn and his associates are plotting to rewrite American history, and that each of them has a connection to his plan. Lucy's primary concern is for her ailing mother. Wyatt is shown grieving over the recent demise of his wife. Rufus, the scientist who helped develop the time machine, is distressed over the fact that Flynn stole his invention.

Cast and characters

Main article: List of Timeless characters

Main

  • Abigail Spencer as Lucy Preston, a history professor struggling to fulfill the legacy of her mother.
  • Matt Lanter as Master Sergeant Wyatt Logan, a U.S. Army Delta Force operative trying to cope with the death of his wife, Jessica.
  • Malcolm Barrett as Rufus Carlin, a programmer assigned to pilot the time machine "Lifeboat".
  • Sakina Jaffrey as Agent Denise Christopher, a Homeland Security agent in charge of the time machine recovery mission.
  • Paterson Joseph as Connor Mason, head of Mason Industries, the company that created the time machine.
  • Claudia Doumit as Jiya, a programmer at Mason Industries.
  • Goran Višnjić as Garcia Flynn, a master criminal who steals the time machine "Mothership" with the intention of changing American history.

Recurring cast

  • Matt Frewer as Anthony Bruhl, a key team member of the time machine project at Mason Industries.
  • Susanna Thompson as Carolyn Preston, Lucy's mother.
  • John Getz as the Rittenhouse Agent, a representative of the secret organization who keeps an eye on Rufus.
  • Chad Rook as Karl, Flynn's henchman.

Production

Development

Shawn Ryan and Eric Kripke, creators and show runners of the series drew inspiration from Quantum Leap, Back to the Future and Voyagers.

Lawsuit over concept

Ryan, Kripke, Sony Pictures Entertainment and NBCUniversal are being sued by Onza Entertainment for breach of contract and copyright infringement, claiming that the concept for Timeless is based on the Spanish series, El Ministerio del Tiempo (The Ministry of Time), which follows the adventures of a three-person team made up of two men and a woman who travel to the past with a view to preserving past events.[3]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Pilot"Neil MarshallEric Kripke & Shawn RyanOctober 3, 2016 (2016-10-03)1017.60[4]
The Lifeboat team pursues Flynn to May 6, 1937, where he prevents the Hindenburg disaster in order to bomb the dirigible on its return flight to Europe, when it is carrying important Americans to the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Lucy theorizes that Flynn wants to destroy the United States of America "in the crib." Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus hijack the Hindenburg and force its pilots to land it; as a result, all of the passengers survive despite the airship being destroyed by a stray gunshot from one of Flynn's henchmen. During a confrontation with Lucy and Wyatt, Flynn shoots and kills reporter Kate Drummond, whom Lucy and Wyatt had befriended and who was supposed to die in the original crash. Flynn reveals to Lucy that he possesses a journal written in her handwriting which she has yet to create; he urges her to ask Denise about "Rittenhouse." In the present, Denise denies knowledge of Rittenhouse and Rufus reluctantly gives Connor an audio recording from the mission. Lucy discovers that her invalid mother is now healthy, but her younger sister Amy no longer exists and Lucy herself is engaged.
2"The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln"Neil MarshallTom SmutsOctober 10, 2016 (2016-10-10)1026.20[5]
Flynn travels to April 14, 1865, the date of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. He works with John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirators, intending to ensure that the planned assassinations of Vice President Andrew Johnson, Secretary of State William H. Seward, and General Ulysses S. Grant are also successful. Rufus is upset that Lucy argues against trying to save Lincoln, despite the negative effects his death had on African Americans. Flynn tells Lucy that she will aid him in the future. Lucy meets Robert Todd Lincoln and attends the performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre as his guest; Flynn, frustrated with Booth's refusal to use a modern firearm, takes his place and murders Lincoln himself, but Lucy saves Grant while Rufus and Wyatt save Johnson and Seward, respectively. Lucy admits that, despite having decided to let Lincoln's assassination occur, she called out in an effort to save him. In the present, Lucy learns that her parents never met because her father married the granddaughter of a Hindenburg passenger, which means that the man who originally raised her was never really her biological father. Rufus refuses to make further recordings for Connor, but Connor forces him to continue on the basis of having financed his education; it is revealed that both are aware of "Rittenhouse." Lucy arrives home, late for her own engagement party, where she confronts her mother over her father's identity, but is interrupted by a greeting from her fiancé, a stranger.
3"Atomic City"Charles BeesonLana ChoOctober 17, 2016 (2016-10-17)1035.86[6]
In Las Vegas, 1962, when atomic tests are common near the city, Flynn uses intimate photographs to blackmail John F. Kennedy's mistress, Judith Campbell, into helping him steal a plutonium core, as her relationship with a general enables her to access the secure facility where it is kept. Rufus discovers that his coworker Anthony, whom Flynn abducted when he stole the Mothership, is Flynn's willing collaborator; a discussion between Flynn and Anthony reveals that their goal is the destruction of Rittenhouse. Anthony seemingly relinquishes the core to Rufus, who then puts himself in front of Wyatt's gun to protect Anthony. The team discover the core is a decoy; Flynn successfully escapes with the real device. Wyatt arranges for a telegram to be delivered to his wife fifty years later, in order to save her life in 2012. In the present, Denise orders Wyatt to eliminate Anthony, and Wyatt covers up Rufus's interference. Wyatt learns that his wife is still dead. Lucy tells her fiancé, Noah, that she needs to move out of their home to stay with her mother and clear her head; he lets her go, because he loves her. In the Nevada desert, Flynn and Anthony dig up the plutonium core, which they had buried rather than risk transporting it through time.
4"Party at Castle Varlar"Billy GierhartJim BarnesOctober 24, 2016 (2016-10-24)1045.47[7]
Jiya locates Flynn by tracking his usage of the power grid to power the Mothership, but Flynn's group escapes in the machine. In Germany, December 1944, the team believes Flynn intends to give the nuclear weapon to the Nazis, but it turns out he is actually planning to abduct Wernher von Braun and deliver him to the Soviet Union. With help from Ian Fleming, the team secures von Braun's defection to the Allies. Wyatt helps Lucy find "something to fight for" to overcome her fear during field work, while Ian and Rufus discuss the matter of trust among spies. Rufus confronts von Braun, who claims that moral considerations impede innovation. In the present, the team discovers that their adventure inspired a James Bond film that is new to the timeline. Lucy demands that Denise and Connor help her recover Amy as a condition of her continued cooperation. Rufus correctly theorizes that Anthony has used the plutonium to create a permanent battery for the Mothership, rather than a weapon. Rufus refuses to continue spying on his teammates, but a man from Rittenhouse threatens Rufus's family if he does not cooperate.
5"The Alamo"John TerleskyAnne Cofell SaundersOctober 31, 2016 (2016-10-31)1055.24[8]
Wyatt receives word that the NSA is bringing in another operative to replace him, as he has failed to take down Flynn. Flynn travels to March 2, 1836 and makes a deal with Mexican President General Antonio López de Santa Anna to help bring down the Texas Revolution three days before the original end date of the Battle of the Alamo. Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus follow suit and enter the Alamo Mission, but Flynn kills William B. Travis, preventing him from finishing his "Victory or Death" letter. Making matters worse is the Mexican Army waving the red flag to take no prisoners in their siege. Flynn is upset that the timeline is changing; in the original timeline, Santa Ana allowed the women and children to leave the Alamo before the final assault. Before the Mexicans begin their attack, Wyatt and Rufus dig an underground passageway to the aqueduct while Lucy overcomes writer's block and finishes Travis's letter before entrusting it to John William Smith, a young soldier who would later become the first mayor of present-day San Antonio, Texas, who escapes with the women and children while James Bowie and Davy Crockett fend off against the invading Mexicans. In the present day, Lucy and Rufus inform Agent Christopher that they will not continue their mission without Wyatt; as a result, Wyatt stays with the team. The team discovers that Lucy's letter, although substantially different from Travis's original, preserved the timeline by rallying support for the Texas revolution. Lucy reconciles with her mother, who tells Lucy about her real father, then hands Lucy a piece of paper with her real father's name.
6"The Watergate Tape"Greg BeemanKent RotherhamNovember 14, 2016 (2016-11-14)1064.53[9]
Rufus is paid a visit by Mason and the Rittenhouse Agent, who assigns his team to go after Flynn to June 20, 1972, the start date of the Watergate scandal. During the scandal, President Richard Nixon had conversations in the Oval Office recorded, but 18½ minutes of the tape had been erased by his secretary. The team must prevent Flynn from obtaining the lost recording, but soon after arriving in the timeline, they are nabbed by Flynn, who reveals that he has stolen the tape and that Rittenhouse was involved in the scandal. He orders Lucy and Rufus to find a missing document within five hours to save Wyatt's life; Rufus, however, is ordered to destroy the doc when it is found. Flynn reveals to Wyatt that while he was in the NSA, he intercepted a series of financial transactions between Rittenhouse and Mason Industries, but when he reported this to his superiors, Rittenhouse had his wife and daughter murdered; since then, he swore to destroy Rittenhouse through time travel. Flynn also exposes what Lucy wrote about Wyatt on her future journal. Using intel obtained from Mark Felt a.k.a. "Deep Throat", Lucy and Rufus are led to the D.C. branch of the Black Liberation Army and discover that the "doc" is a female ex-member of Rittenhouse who knows the organization's entire roster. Tensions arise when Lucy discovers that Rufus has been carrying a recording device throughout their travels and they are divided between their orders involving Doc. At the last minute, Lucy and Rufus escort Doc to her drop-off point after revealing her hideout to Flynn and Rittenhouse, resulting in a gunfight between both factions while Lucy rescues Wyatt. The trust between the trio is strained after they discover each other's secrets and motives. Back in the present day, the Rittenhouse Agent questions Rufus on his actions in 1972 and reveals that he was the one Rufus was contacting on the timeline. Lucy discovers her father's name is Benjamin Cahill and decides to pay him a visit. However, when she meets her father and possibly a brother that she never knew about, she leaves without introducing herself. Cahill promptly makes a phone call to inform someone that Lucy has just visited him.
7"Stranded"Holly DaleArika Lisanne MittmanNovember 21, 2016 (2016-11-21)107N/A
The Lifeboat team follow Flynn to September 15, 1754, in the middle of the French and Indian War. Upon their arrival, they are captured by the French Army. They promptly escape and head back to the Lifeboat, where Flynn's henchmen sabotage the time machine with C-4 before retreating to the Mothership and disappearing from the timeline. With no technological means to repair the Lifeboat, Rufus uses the "protocol" of burying a message in a bottle for Mason to dig in present day Pittsburgh. On their way to Fort Duquesne, the trio are captured by a Shawnee tribe and they meet chieftess Nonhelema, who trusts neither the British nor the French. Nonhelema orders Lucy and Wyatt to be executed, but chooses to spare Rufus' life, as she senses that he did not choose to be in the situation. After Rufus convinces the chieftess to let his teammates go, the trio proceed to Fort Duquesne, where Rufus forges foil and grabs other items to repair the Lifeboat. Meanwhile, Mason's team recovers the protocol container, but it is damaged and the message is completely faded. Using the only clues in the message that reference a scene from Star Wars, Jiya deduces that the Lifeboat's navigation system is damaged, so the recovery team must guide them back through mid-jump. Just as they are surrounded by French troops, the trio fire up the Lifeboat and Jiya manages to pull the machine back into the present day. Afterward, Jiya reveals her true feelings for Rufus while Agent Christopher requests for Mason to be placed on surveillance. The trio's adventure in 1754 results in a historical UFO sighting known as the "Pennsylvania Orb Incident".
8"Space Race"[10]John TerleskyAnslem RichardsonNovember 28, 2016 (2016-11-28)108N/A
9"Last Ride of Bonnie & Clyde"[11]John F. ShowalterUnknownDecember 5, 2016 (2016-12-05)109N/A
10"The Capture of Benedict Arnold"[12]UnknownUnknownDecember 12, 2016 (2016-12-12)110N/A

Release

The series airs on NBC in the U.S. and on Global in Canada on Monday nights at 10:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific (9:00 p.m. Central).[13]

Reception

Critical response

The first episode of Timeless received generally positive reviews from television critics. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gave the first episode an approval rating of 84% based on reviews from 37 critics. The site's critic consensus states, "Timeless is a fun throwback action series with a kooky premise worth watching, even if it is delivered clumsily at times."[14] Metacritic, which uses a normalized rating, gave the first episode a score of 65 out of 100, based on reviews from 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[15]

Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of Timeless
No. Title Air date Rating/share
(18–49)		 Viewers
(millions)		 DVR
(18–49)		 DVR viewers
(millions)		 Total
(18–49)		 Total viewers
(millions)
1 "Pilot" October 3, 2016 1.8/7[4] 7.60[4] 1.2 4.43 3.0 12.03[16]
2 "The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln" October 10, 2016 1.4/5[5] 6.20[5] 1.1 4.07 2.5 10.27[17]
3 "Atomic City" October 17, 2016 1.5/5[6] 5.86[6] 1.1 3.84 2.6 9.70[18]
4 "Party at Castle Varlar" October 24, 2016 1.3/5[7] 5.47[7] 1.1 3.64 2.4 9.11[19]
5 "The Alamo" October 31, 2016 1.1/4[8] 5.24[8] 1.1 3.58 2.2 8.81[20]
6 "The Watergate Tape" November 14, 2016 1.2/4[9] 4.53[9] — — — —
7 "Stranded" November 21, 2016 — — — — — —
8 "Space Race" November 28, 2016 — — — — — —
9 "Last Ride of Bonnie & Clyde" December 5, 2016 — — — — — —

References

  1. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 12, 2016). "In-Season Stacking Rights — The New Upfront Battleground: Pilot Season 2016". Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  2. ^ "'Timeless' Gets Order For 3 More Episodes, NBC Sets Midseason Premiere Date For 'Taken' & 'The Voice'". Deadline Hollywood. November 1, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  3. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (September 27, 2016). "BC's Timeless Sued by Creators of Spain's El Ministerio del Tiempo". TVLine.com. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Porter, Rick (October 4, 2016). "'Conviction', 'Timeless', 'Kevin' and 'Scorpion' all adjust down, 'Big Bang' and 'Voice' adjust up: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c Porter, Rick (October 11, 2016). "'Timeless', 'Conviction', 'DWTS', 'Lucifer' adjust down, 'Big Bang' adjusts up: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Porter, Rick (October 18, 2016). "'Gotham,' 'The Voice,' 'Big Bang,' 'DWTS' adjust up, 'Conviction' and '2 Broke Girls' adjust down: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  7. ^ a b c Porter, Rick (October 25, 2016). "'Kevin Can Wait' adjusts up, 'Timeless', 'Supergirl', and 'Jane the Virgin' adjust down: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  8. ^ a b c Porter, Rick (November 1, 2016). "'Gotham' adjusts up, CBS shows all adjust down: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  9. ^ a b c Porter, Rick (November 15, 2016). "'2 Broke Girls' adjusts up, 'Supergirl' and 'Jane the Virgin' adjust down: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  10. ^ "(#108) "Space Race"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  11. ^ "(#109) "Last Ride of Bonnie & Clyde"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  12. ^ "(#110) "The Capture of Benedict Arnold"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  13. ^ "Timeless". Global Television Network. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  14. ^ "Timeless: Season 1 (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  15. ^ "Timeless (2016) : Season 1". Metacritic. CBS. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  16. ^ Porter, Rick (October 19, 2016). "Rich get richer as 'Empire', 'Big Bang', 'Designated Survivor' lead broadcast Live +7 ratings for Oct. 3-9". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  17. ^ Porter, Rick (October 27, 2016). "'This Is Us', 'Big Bang', 'Designated Survivor' lead broadcast Live +7 ratings for Oct. 10-16". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  18. ^ Porter, Rick (November 4, 2016). "'This Is Us' and 'Agents of SHIELD' score in broadcast Live +7 ratings for Oct. 17-23". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  19. ^ Porter, Rick (November 10, 2016). "'This Is Us,' 'Designated Survivor' stay on top in broadcast Live +7 ratings for Oct. 24-30". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  20. ^ Porter, Rick (November 17, 2016). "13 shows double, 'This Is Us' & 'Big Bang' lead broadcast Live +7 ratings for Oct. 31-Nov. 6". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 18, 2016.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Timeless_(TV_series)&oldid=750970630"