Timeless Information

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 Vinji?), a time-traveling criminal, from changing the course of American history. The series, largely based on the popular Spanish TV Series El ministerio del tiempo, 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. The original episode order of season one has been increased from 13 to 16 on November 1, 2016.

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

• 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 Vinji? 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.
• Bailey Noble as Amy Preston, Lucy's younger sister who is erased from the timeline after the Hindenburg mission.
• Daniel Di Tomasso as Noah, Lucy's fiance in her altered present.

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.

Episodes

|ProdCode = 101
|Viewers = 7.60
|ShortSummary = The 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.
|LineColor = 004256

}}

|ProdCode = 102
|Viewers = 6.20
|ShortSummary = 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 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 fianc, a stranger.
|LineColor = 004256

}}

|ProdCode = 103
|Viewers = 5.86
|ShortSummary = 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 time machine, 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' interference. Wyatt learns that his wife is still dead. Lucy tells her fianc, 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. |LineColor = 004256

}}

|ProdCode = 104
|Viewers = 5.47
|ShortSummary = Jiya locates Flynn by tracking his usage of the power grid to power the mother ship, 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 time machine, rather than a weapon.  Rufus refuses to continue spying on his teammates, but a man from Rittenhouse threatens Rufus' family if he does not cooperate.
|LineColor = 004256

}}

|ProdCode = 105
|Viewers = 5.24
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 004256

}} </ref>

|DirectedBy =
|WrittenBy =
|OriginalAirDate = 
|ProdCode = 106
|Viewers =
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 004256

}} </ref>

|DirectedBy =
|WrittenBy =
|OriginalAirDate = 
|ProdCode = 107
|Viewers =
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 004256

}} }}

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." 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".

Ratings

</ref> | title2 = The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln | date2 = October 10, 2016 | rs2 = 1.4/5 | viewers2 = 6.20 | dvr2 = 1.1 | dvrv2 = 4.07 | total2 = 2.5 | totalv2 = 10.27 | title3 = Atomic City | date3 = October 17, 2016 | rs3 = 1.5/5 | viewers3 = 5.86 | dvr3 = n/a | dvrv3 = n/a | total3 = n/a | totalv3 = n/a | title4 = Party at Castle Varlar | date4 = October 24, 2016 | rs4 = 1.3/5 | viewers4 = 5.47 | dvr4 = n/a | dvrv4 = n/a | total4 = n/a | totalv4 = n/a | title5 = The Alamo | date5 = October 31, 2016 | rs5 = 1.1/4 | viewers5 = 5.24 | dvr5 = n/a | dvrv5 = n/a | total5 = n/a | totalv5 = n/a | title6 = The Watergate Tape | date6 = November 14, 2016 | rs6 = n/a | viewers6 = n/a | dvr6 = n/a | dvrv6 = n/a | total6 = n/a | totalv6 = n/a | title7 = Stranded | date7 = November 21, 2016 | rs7 = n/a | viewers7 = n/a | dvr7 = n/a | dvrv7 = n/a | total7 = n/a | totalv7 = n/a }}