NBC’s ‘Timeless’ is worth the time

NBC's 'Timeless' is worth the time

Photo credit: Wikipedia

By Amber Braker, Staff Reporter

NBC’s series, “Timeless”, combines science fiction and history to create an original take on the conventional time travel trope. It took a break from it’s first season for the holidays but will be returning to its usual time slot at 10 p.m. on Monday, January 16.

The show chronicles the adventures of Lucy Preston (Abigail Spencer), a history professor, Wyatt Logan (Matt Lanter), a former soldier, and Rufus Carlin (Malcolm Barrett), a scientist, as they travel back in time to important events chasing the seemingly evil Garcia Flynn (Goran Visnjic) after he stole a time machine. Their goal is to stop him from changing the major events of the past and therefore altering the present.

Meanwhile Flynn is on his own quest to save the lives of his family. Along the way secrets are revealed about a mysterious organization called Rittenhouse that cause the team to rethink what they know about both the past and present.

Timeless’ blend of science fiction and history leaves almost endless possibilities for intriguing episodes. Each is set in a different time period based around a historically significant event.

So far the team has met Abraham Lincoln, acted as American spies in Nazi Germany, and saved the moon landing. In the latest installment, they travel back to the Revolutionary war and cross paths with one of the most infamous traitors of all time, Benedict Arnold.

Though the show’s premise and episode setup shows promise for creating enjoyable adventures, it becomes a little slow towards the middle. However, if viewers stick with it, it eventually picks up and regains its fast-paced, thrilling and mysterious tone.

The series also presents lots of twists that keep the audience interested. But at  times it seems as though it has bitten off more than it can chew in terms of storylines. Its many subplots, though intriguing, can be messy and sometimes difficult for a viewer to follow.

Each episode seems to end in a small piece of the puzzle being revealed, but the next one doesn’t always pick up where the other left off. While this keeps viewers in suspense and therefore more invested in the story, it also leaves behind plot holes that, though eventually explained, tend to be irksome in the meantime.

Despite it’s occasional plot discrepancies, “Timeless” is a great choice for the viewer who enjoys action-packed  sci-fi adventures and historical settings.