Team Destiny (Eric Kripke has pointed out that the shows main theme is the struggle between Free Will and Destiny, seeing as Team Free Will is already taken…) ventures to Washington DC in 1865, the night of President Lincoln’s assassination. They run into John Wilkes Booth and quickly realize the greater threat isn’t the infamous assassin but that pesky Garcia Flynn who is continuing on his quest to change the present even more than he did last week!

It’s not just TV it’s a history lesson too, Mom!

Four score and 71 years ago, Lucy, Wyatt and Rufus met Honest Abe. Unfortunately, their timing was awful. Abraham Lincoln (in our timeline, that is) was assassinated on April 15, 1865 by 26 year old Confederate Sympathizer, John Wilkes Booth. The Confederate surrender by Robert E Lee five days prior prompted Booth to carry out his radical act against the President.  Lincoln was sat in a private box at the theater alongside his wife , Mary, and an officer named Harry Rathbone with his wife. Booth shot the President than stabbed Rathbone, who attempted to capture him, before leaping on the stage and escaping out the back.  Though most assume he died immediately, Lincoln actually passed nearly 9 hours later.

On the show, unlike history, Lincoln’s son Robert was present at the theater.  The assassination was carried out by Flynn instead of Booth (whom he had knocked out for being an incompetent assassin).  In the new timeline, an actress by the name of Juliet Shakesman (aka Lucy) was cited as assisting in ensuring more were not injured.  The best part? A high school was named in Ms. Shakesman’s honor.  Oh, Timeless.

The Timeline: Right or Wrecked?

It seems the Timeless’ 2016 will continue to change with each episode.  The repercussions of the events of the Pilot have not been resolved, leaving Lucy’s sister Amy nonexistent.  Episode 2 helped to explain the connection between the Hindenburg exploding and Lucy’s family tree being wrecked.  Wiz kid, Jiya, does a little research and find not only the connection but also why Lucy’s mother is no longer ill: Lucy’s father married a descendant of a Hindenburg survivor who should have died instead of her mother.  But why didn’t Lucy start to disappear like the McFlys? The man she always knew as her father, Henry, was not her biological father.  Who is? My theory is…bear with me here…her father is (or is related to) Garcia Flynn.  Thoughts?

The loss of Amy isn’t the only major change to Lucy’s life; she’s engaged to a man she’s never met.  It was a such a soap opera reveal, but Lucy’s “Hello” after he kisses her was priceless.

Final Call: an absolute Honest Abe™ approved WRECK

A Touch of Kripke

After the Pilot’s ever-so-Supernatural line “He’s Dr. Dre, I’m Nurse Jackie…We’re from General Hospital” I realized quickly that Kripke’s talent for memorable one liners is still going strong.  One thing that makes Supernatural so special is it’s pop culture (particularly Rock-related) references; they make you feel more in tuned with the show’s reality.  Episode 2 of Timeless gave us another alias (à la Usual Suspects) as Lucy comes up with the name “Juliet Shakesman” after peering at a poster for a production of Romeo & Juliet.

Historical Quotes – Best Line From The Episode

Lucy: His brother Edwin was literally the most famous actor in America. John never quite measured up.

Rufus: So this is like if Donnie Wahlberg assassinated the president…

Lucy: Pretty much actually.

The Takeaway: I’ll be back for more next week, no doubt. The chemistry between Spencer, Lanter and Barrett alone is enough to reel me in but the perfect balance of history, humor and conspiracy just seals the deal. We watched the Hindenburg explode a bit differently than we remember and Abe, well Abe still bit the dust in the theater unfortunately.  Next week the gang takes their talents to Vegas circa 1961 to hang with JFK and The Rat Pack. I cannot and will not resist the next episode. And neither should you. Viva Las Timeless!