Tell-Tale TV Panel: Timeless Season 1

Timeless follows Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus as they travel through history trying to stop Flynn, and along the way, they discover that the true enemy is a group called Rittenhouse. Right off the bat, Timeless captured the hearts of viewers.

What did you think of this season overall? Join the discussion by leaving your thoughts in a comment below.

Our panelists are:

• Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, associate editor for Tell-Tale TV
• Brittany Rae, staff writer for Tell-Tale TV
• Lyra Hale, senior writer for Tell-Tale TV
• Katie Houlis, staff writer for Tell-Tale TV
• Allie Perkins, staff writer for Tell-Tale TV

On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rank the season overall?

Lyra: 9

Lizzie: 9

Allie: 8.5

Katie: 8

Brittany: 8

What was this season’s biggest mistake?

Lyra: This season’s biggest mistake was letting Wyatt go to the past to try to rescue his wife. I knew it wasn’t going to go well from the start. They certainly didn’t disappoint there. But I felt like it wasn’t the right time and surprisingly enough, too soon.

I’ve never experienced the grief of losing a loved one, so maybe that’s why I don’t understand why Wyatt would sacrifice everything he’s built for a minuscule chance of getting back his wife, especially when the source is so unreliable.

Lizzie: I disagree with Lyra 100% — I think what Wyatt did upped the stakes, and I’m glad they went for it because all things considered, it was unrealistic that the impulsive and hot-headed guy with access to a time-machine wouldn’t go for it.

I think, if anything, the season’s biggest mistake was sometimes spending too much time enjoying the time-periods they went to without advancing the plot, though I can’t even say they did that too much. I believe this was a very balanced and well-written first season, and a lot of other shows should take notice of how Timeless did things.

Allie: The season’s biggest mistake was Lucy’s diary. It’s just one of those time travel things that no matter how many people explain it to me, I don’t get it. All time travel shows or movies have their logic flaws, and Timeless did a great job of having rules and following them. But the diary doesn’t make sense to me.

I’m sure plenty of people disagree with this, but it’s one of the only mistakes I can think of. Another minor thing, I often thought Wyatt and Rufus should’ve known more history (especially H.H. Holmes). The season was done so well that these mistakes are definitely not big.

Katie: I thought the subplots with the time-travel-related alterations to Lucy’s personal life were a little weak. It felt like every two or three episodes they’d just throw in one line or one scene like, “That whole thing with my sister being erased from reality? Still upset about that, by the way,” or “Oh yeah, I’m still engaged to this guy I’ve never met.”

I liked that their time travel shenanigans had some personal implications for Lucy, but it seemed like the writers didn’t quite know what to do with those storylines.

Brittany: I think everyone else covered my issues, so I’ll also throw in that I firmly believe Jiya was underutilized. There were many times that I wished for her character to be in the thick of it with the others.

She has an energy that I think the show didn’t know what to do with in the beginning, and then by the time they figured it out, all the spaces where she would have fit were filled with other plotlines. I’m hoping she has a bigger role if the show gets picked up for another season.

What worked really well this season?

Lyra: The team dynamics were brilliant. No one was pushed to the side or forgotten because they had to focus on a specific character. They all have a role to play in this adventure, and the writers want to make sure we know that. Just because Lucy and Wyatt have a potential romance blossoming between them doesn’t mean that Rufus gets pushed to the side and forgotten.

They ALL care for each other and would do anything to keep the other safe. Rufus, who would stereotypically be the sidekick, even has his own romance going on with a character who also doesn’t feel like an afterthought. Timeless is using every character and story to their advantage like a well oiled machine and I love it!

Lizzie: Characters — they did characters well. They made us feel for Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus in particular, as individuals, but they also gave background characters their moment to shine. With the main three, in particular, they created a dynamic that felt equal and real and that made me interested no matter which combination was on screen.

Like Lyra said, Rufus wasn’t a sidekick, not just there to add token diversity, he was truly a main character. I also think they exploited the chemistry between Abigail Spencer and Matt Lanter, and they did that without shoving a premature romance down our throats, more restraint than a lot of shows have.

Allie:  I have to agree with both characters and the dynamics. I care about Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus and that is something that seems easy but many shows struggle with. I think they let every character shine without overpowering the others. In the beginning of the season, I didn’t expect much out of Rufus, but he is so vital to the story.

Not only does the audience care for the team, but they grew to care for each other, which is evident by how much they trust each other. I agree with Lizzie that they give us just enough Lucy and Wyatt without it being pushed on the audience.

Another thing I think the season did well is the one off characters in the past. I think they did an amazing job casting many of the famous faces of the past, maybe not for looks, but for the presence and attitude of these people.

Katie: There really wasn’t a single weak link among the entire cast. The Time Team had excellent chemistry with each other, and all of the supporting characters — Agent Christopher, Connor Mason, Jiya, Flynn — were excellent.

Plus, having a mysterious, shadowy organization as a Big Bad can sometimes be frustrating, but Season 1 did a good job of slowly building up Rittenhouse to be a strong antagonistic force for the main characters.

Brittany: Agreed on all counts! I often worried that having the three mains would be that someone would inevitably end up underdeveloped, but everyone got equal time to shine. I also felt that a lot of love went into accurately representing each year the team visited, because the authenticity of those periods sold the eventual twist the show would throw in to alter them.

And the texture the guest characters got in such a short space of time was incredible — everyone from The Lone Ranger to Bonnie and Clyde came to life in rich and believable ways.

What was the biggest surprise of the season?

Lyra: Biggest surprise this season was how much care they put into every period they go to. The show makes it believable and not cheesy at all. Even their hair is on point and doesn’t look like it was bought at a costume shop and plopped on their head.

It’s little things like this that make a show stand out among the rest. Timeless cares how we see this show and how we remember it long after.

Lizzie: How they sold the bad guy — Flynn — to me as more than just a stereotypical bad guy, how they gave him depth and reasons and even, at times, despite the fact that I know for a fact that he was doing the wrong thing for the right reasons, made me cheer for him to get what he wanted.

Allie: A few episodes in, I was so worried that it was too procedural: Flynn goes back, they chase him, can’t completely stop him, repeat, but I was so wrong. They were able to develop the characters so well that I cared how every decision affected them, even Flynn!

There were enough twists to entertain and you never seem to know who is the “bad guy.” The ambiguity of what is the good or right thing to do is so interesting to watch.

Katie: I agree with Allie. They used a sort of episodic, procedural format — the Time Period of the Week — but it never felt too predictable.

And also touching on what Lyra mentioned, I was worried at the beginning that the show was going to be really cheesy, with all of the “oh my god, we’re meeting [insert famous historical figure]!” and the constant use of modern-day pop culture references as pseudonyms, but I was pleasantly surprised that those moments really worked well with the show’s sense of humor, and the cast never went too over-the-top in those scenes.

Brittany: I had two big surprises. The first was the continual development of Rufus, who I initially worried would be overshadowed by Lucy and Wyatt’s storylines. The show never let the audience forget that Rufus is an integral part of the team, and gave him equal weight in the narrative as everyone else.

Secondly, of course, was the big twist in the finale with the revelation that Lucy’s mom is in with Rittenhouse. My jaw dropped when that happened!

Why does Timeless deserve a second season?

Lyra: Timeless deserves a second season because it’s serving up a fun, action filled, drama that doesn’t pander or treat it’s viewers like idiots. There’s love in their writing, an appreciation for their craft, and a desire to bring viewers a show they will enjoy and feel connected to long after the credits start rolling. Plus the added bonus of spiraling on bits of history after each episode and learning, is much appreciated.

Lizzie: When a show is this well-written and balanced, it deserves support just because it’s giving us smart, thought-provoking TV. But Timeless is also teaching us history in a way that’s easy to digest. It’s giving us representation in a way that TV doesn’t really do, even in this day and age, and it’s just plain old fun, with OTPs to root for and characters we relate to.

If I had to choose I’d sacrifice a lot of shows on TV to keep this one. A lot.

Allie: Timeless deserves a second season because I enjoyed the whole season, and I think it got better throughout. But for not as selfish reasons, sci-fi tv is tricky especially time travel, but Timeless is doing it well. It does not overload you or dumb down the science about time travel or the too many minute details about history.

There is a nice balance of characters, mystery, history, romance, and science. I’m always looking for a show that is smart and takes some thought to comprehend this show gives me that. There are so few shows that are smart, fun, and well written that it would be a shame if Timeless does not get a second season.

Katie: Timeless manages to be simple enough to follow without being predictable or boring. The cast is wonderful, and there’s time to actually develop the characters because they don’t have to spend half their time spouting exposition, so the audience understands what’s going on.

Plus, so many sci-fi shows seem to take themselves very seriously, and like everyone else said, Timeless is just fun! Sci-fi fans need some more fun shows.

Brittany: Everyone here is right — it’s just so fun! I hesitate to call it American Doctor Who, but in a few ways, it sort of is. It’s fun, it’s beautifully shot, it’s stocked with incredibly lovely characters, and it remains interesting all the time.

I think television needs the kind of fun that Timeless provides right now. With everything in the world so dark and dreary, Timeless is an adventure that the audience can go on without being bogged down by grim, dark storytelling.

What did you think of Timeless Season 1? Are you hoping for a renewal? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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