Timeless
Timeless – Space Race (1×08)
Sometimes, Timeless really nails an episode, capturing the audience and really developing the storyline. This was not one of those times.
Character development propels the show forward but this week, none of the characters were really present – they were just going through the motions. Wyatt trailed shady Flynn all day, Rufus was wowed by his idols and tried to preserve history and Lucy proved that she had a backbone by standing up to a misogynistic NSA employee.
What’s worse, we have no idea what the Flynn’s motive for traveling back to the 1969’s for the moon landing really was, aside from his need to save his brother, who died that day because of a bee sting. I mean, if we’re to believe Flynn is this really bad dude, this isn’t convincing me. He’s saving a kid from a BEE STING? Come on. And if Flynn is on the right side of all of this, why is he killing people left and right with no remorse and literally trying to destroy America? If we don’t start getting more answers about his motives and what he knows, the show will quickly lose an audience. We like to know things, even when the characters don’t.
Timeless follows a very calculated formula – when it strays from it, it succeeds. This week, it followed it step by step, kind of like Rufus doing math equations: they followed Flynn and Anthony to a period in time, realized they were too late, did everything to reverse their wrong doings and save history as we know it, succeeded and went home. You could have predicted what was going to happen… the anticipation wasn’t there like that time they went back to Lincoln’s assasination.
Heck, even the episode where they were all stranded in the 1700s and spent most of their time fixing the time capsule was more interesting because at least we got to know the characters – what motivated them, what inspired them, and what made them who they are.
All we really found out this week was that Anthony claims to be innocent in this whole thing but knows he has to do whatever is in his power to stop Rittenhouse. Did he HAVE to allow Flynn to shoot that mathematician in the past after getting all the scoop about breaking into NASA in the present? Nope…. and I’m sure he screwed up a lot of lives by altering history like that – I’d actually like to see how many things have messed up since these missions have began, other than Lucy losing her sister.
He also refereed to Rittenhouse as “she” which is kind of making me think that maybe, the person they are trying to eliminate is in fact Lucy. Think about it – we know she’s the daughter of the male Rittenhouse who has been blackmailing Rufus and calling the shots with Conor Mason. Flynn has been drawn to her and has a journal she wrote. Despite that journal saying she’ll be on his side, maybe their mission is to convince her to change her destiny? I’m pulling at strings here really. One things for sure – Lucy and Flynn are not brother and sister as initially predicted… bummer right?
And while we know the show is able to write strong characters – just look at the three main ones – they didn’t do Katherine Johnson justice. It also felt a little contrived considering there’s a new movie coming out about her and while I’m sure the show didn’t mean to, it does feel like they copied it a bit. Johnson was used to help Rufus and Lucy get into the computer’s mainframe and delete the virus that Anthony planted, but that was all. I mean don’t get me wrong it was big – the virus cut off all communication with Armstrong and Aldrin and left them stranded on the moon. Without a connection to them, they would die up there and the Russian’s would have used it to their advantage and America would be very different.
It’s also important to know that reports say Johnson was never in Houston the day of the moon landings, which makes this historical inaccurate. And if accuracy is key the show is giving up integrity for the sake of the story, which isn’t good.
When the trio returned from the space race, they found that not much had changed except that Flynn now had a new family member – a half brother. Is he important to the story somehow? An ally? Knowing that Flynn just pulled the trigger and brought back a loved one from the dead, will it motivate Wyatt and Lucy to bring back the people they care about? If the FBI won’t help them, they can just do it on their own right? If they go rogue, who will stop them?
When Rufus first started these missions, he hadn’t gotten away from his desk much and was scared of pretty much everything. As time went on, he’d been exposed to so many different eras and realized, he wasn’t scared of guns or killing – he didn’t even feel bad about killing Anthony’s hitman. Maybe it’s because it needed to be done? To save the world, to save Lucy and Wyatt and to prove to Anthony that they’re willing to play dirty too. Truthfully, he should have shot Anthony and stranded Flynn without a pilot the way they tried to strand them in the 1700s? But who knows, maybe Anthony will have information we’ll need later on. Let’s hope!
Feeling a little restless and bored at home during your self-quarantine? It’s understandable. You didn’t expect to be living and working from home a month or so.
While you’re doing your part to flatten the curve and help prevent the spread of coronavirus, if you don’t have something to keep you occupied, your mind begins to wander just a little bit.
That’s honestly the only explanation I can think of for all the conspiracy theories I’ve been reading. While there’s absolutely no basis to them, it made me think that maybe there’s something there entertainment wise– people are craving a specific genre of television to help them through this tough time.
So, I’ve put together a list of shows surrounding government conspiracies that you might enjoy while you are cooped up inside.
Manifest (two seasons – currently airing)
Manifest is a mystery inside of a riddle that focuses on the return of Flight 828 five years after its initial disappearance. The plane’s re-emergence shocks everyone because they assumed their loved ones were dead. As the passengers begin looking for the truth, they stumble upon a government conspiracy that’s dangerous and frightening.
Emergence (one season so far)
Manifest made way for Emergence, a drama about a small-town cop who takes in a young girl at the site of a mysterious plane crash. The young girl begins exhibiting certain supernatural powers, and as high-ranking officials develop an interest in the girl, Jo realizes she’s entangled in a mystery larger than she ever imagined.
Stranger Things (preparing for season 4)
When Will Byers goes missing, three best friends in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana begin their search for him along with his mother and police chief Hopper. The investigation leads them to unraveling a series of supernatural mysteries that lead to secret government experiments with an alternate universe.
God Friended Me (two seasons – currently airing)
Not all government conspiracy’s have to be dark and dangerous, sometimes, they’re feel-good shows! Miles is friended by the “God Account,” a mysterious account on Facebook that allows him to help people in need. Miles and his friends try to figure out who is behind the all-knowing account, and the possibility of a government entity is high up on that list.
The Bodyguard (one season)
The British police thriller follows Police Sergeant David Budd, who is a war veteran suffering from PTSD. He currently works for the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch of London’s Metropolitan Police Service and is assigned as security for Homeland Secretary, Julia Montague, who is rather controversial in the political landscape. It keeps you guessing until the very end over who did what and who knew what.
The Passage (one season)
The series, based on a trilogy of the same name, focuses on Project Noah, a secret medical facility where scientists test dangerous viruses that could potentially be a cure-all. However, there’s a chance they could potentially wipe out the whole human race if they get into the wrong hands (this might be a little too on the nose). A federal agent grows to love a young girl who becomes a test subject and attempts to protect her at all costs… even human destruction.
Quantico
Alex Parrish is the one of the top recruits at Quantico, a training facility for only the best and brightest, but she’s being set up of masterminding the deadliest attack on U.S soil since 9/11 — a bombing at Grand Central. Can she solve the conspiracy and clear her name before its too late?
Timeless
What’s better than a show that combines time traveling to relevant, pivotal, and iconic moments in history with a government conspiracy? Timeless is an adventure series that places you in the middle fo all the actions as Lucy, a historian, Wyatt, a soldier, and Rufus, a scientist, get recruited to thwart a nefarious government institution that wants to change the world as we know it.
Prison Break (5 seasons)
Michael Scofield’s brother, Lincoln Burrows, is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and put on Death row. Michael holds up a bank to get arrested and begins his elaborate plan of breaking them both out, which eventually leads into the reason he was framed and yeah, you guessed it, it’s an intricate political conspiracy that’s really messy.
24 (9 seasons)
Jack Bauer, Director of Field Ops for the Counter-Terrorist Unit of Los Angeles, thwarts assassination attempts, torture, traitors, and nuclear attacks, while hoping to save his nation from ultimate disaster.
Designated Survivor (3 seasons)
In a similar vein and also starring Kiefer Sutherland, low-level cabinet member Tom Kirkman ascends to the role of President of the United States after a devastating attack on the night of the State of the Union blows up the Capitol and kills the President and most of the top-reigning officials. Soon, it’s revealed that Kirkman wasn’t the designated survivor on accident as a government conspiracy unfolds.
The Event (one season)
Extant (2 seasons)
After a year in space, Molly Watts (our girl Halle Berry) returns to Earth and reconnects with her husband, a gifted scientist, and her son, Ethan, who has skills and powers that make him incredibly special. However, she begins to realize something isn’t just right and the conspiracy that unfolds threatens her career and family. The thrilling drama hails from Steven Spielberg, so even if it’s slightly overcomplicated, you know it’s bound to be an adventure.
There’s likely plenty of other shows… which ones would you add to the list? Share them with us in the comments or on Twitter @CraveYouTV!
In case you haven’t been keeping up with global news, coronavirus, COVID-19, is forcing everyone to practice the 2020 version of”conscious uncoupling” known as “social distancing.”
Many cities/states are on lockdown with bars, restaurants, and other establishments closing their doors to keep the outbreak from spreading even more than it has.
If you’ve found yourself self-quarantined at home on the couch to prevent the spread of germs, you’ll likely be looking for things to keep yourself occupied.
Many shows have shuttered production with daytime and late-night talk shows going sans audiences or completely dark for the remainder of the month.
And this means it’s the perfect time to binge-watch those shows you’ve been putting off.
Here are some shows to watch during your self-quarantine.
Scandal
What the world needs now is a fixer who could tell us all how to get out of this mess. Since that’s not possible, we have the next best thing in Olivia Pope, DC’s fixer and right-hand to the President, who is also in a torrid love affair with him. It’s political, dramatic, and sexy as hell to this day.
Timeless
Don’t you wish we could all travel back to a time before the coronavirus? Same. Maybe if we had a time machine like Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus, we totally could. But alas, we’ll have to settle for watching their journey through key historical moments as they attempt to stop Rittenhouse from destroying the world.
Locke & Key
Think Harry Potter meets Narnia. Netflix’s new fantasy thriller finds a family moving into a mansion following their father’s death where they learn that it’s filled with secret keys that open up portals to other dimensions. You never know where you’ll end up, but it’ll make you forget you’re curled up on your couch amidst a toilet-paper shortage.
Mr. Robot
Elliot works as a cybersecurity engineer by day and doubles as a vigilante hacker by night. When he’s recruited by a mysterious underground organization, he’s forced to do things that make him question his personal beliefs, his morals, and most importantly, what’s real and what isn’t.
Financial burdens (like the fact that you spent all your money stocking up on canned goods and paper towels) plague three suburban moms who are tired of always playing “catch up.” They decide to take matters into their own hands and rob a grocery store. Soon, they find themselves trying to navigate a world of crime that has absolutely no rules. As they try to survive, their actions will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Stranger Things
You’ve already heard of Stranger Things, and if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s high time you do. The series takes place in 1980s Indiana and follows a group of young friends who become privy to supernatural happening within the government.
Grey’s Anatomy
There’s no better time than during a quarantine to watch all 16 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. Honestly, when else are you going to have the time? All you need to know is that it’s a medical drama, there’s a doctor named McDreamy, and Shonda Rhimes is the boss babe behind it.
The Good Place
The Good Place is a stroke of comedic genius mixed with some of the most insightful and wholesome storytelling of our generation. It’s also the only series that had the perfect series finale (fight me, but after coronavirus cause there’s a no-touching ban). Eleanor Shellstrop is shocked to find herself in the Good Place following her death and immediately realizes she’s there by mistake. No one is prepared for her hilarious afterlife antics as she hides from architect Michael and her new friends while trying to become a better version of herself.
Don’t be deterred by the plot — a young Latina woman learns she’s pregnant after she’s accidentally artificially inseminated. The series weaves together the best parts of a telenovela while adding heart, feshed-out characters, strong female leads, irresistible love interests, and family at the forefront of every storyline.
Love is Blind
In the reality TV vein, Netflix delivered the world’s newest obsession. It’s a social experiment that many claim prepared our generation for dating throughout “social distancing.” Love is Blind forces a handful of contestants to meet people while isolated in pods. Once they find their “soulmate,” they propose to them without meeting face-to-face and a few weeks later, walk down the aisle.
YOU
If you’re not familiar with Joe Goldberg, you’re missing out. YOU is a suspenseful thriller that digs into the mind of an obsessed serial killer and follows his romantic relationships.
Game of Thrones
Similarly to Greys Anatomy, when else are you going to find the time to watch all of Game of Thrones? This is the perfect time to dig into a pop culture phenomenon so you know what “winter is coming” means the next time someone mentions it.
The Marvelous Ms. Maisel
If there’s anyone that can cheer you up and put a smile on your face, it’s Ms. Maisel. Set in the late 1950s, Miriam aka “Midge” breaks the rules and pursues a career in stand-up comedy. While it’s unheard of for women of her class to pursue a career, it’s even more unheard of a woman succeeding in such an industry. But leave it to Midge to prove everyone wrong and do it with flair and style!
The Time Team went on their final mission on Timeless Season 3 Episode 1 and despite things looking a little bleak at first, there were happy endings all around.
How apt was that final montage featuring “Time After Time?”
Featured2 weeks agoPat Sajak Kicks Off Final Run on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Season 41
Netflix2 weeks agoWho Is Mel’s Father in ‘Virgin River’?
Virgin River2 weeks agoWhat Happens to Mel and Jack’s Baby on ‘Virgin River’ Season 5?
Featured2 weeks agoWhen Will the Holiday Episodes of ‘Virgin River’ Premiere? See the Trailer Now
Virgin River2 weeks agoWill There Be a Season 6 of ‘Virgin River’? And If So, When?
Virgin River2 weeks agoVirgin River Season Finale Review – Labor Day Carnival (510)
Virgin River2 weeks agoVirgin River Review – Angel’s Peak (509)
Virgin River2 weeks agoVirgin River Review – Trial By Fire (505)