Timeless - The Lost Generation - Review

Timeless “The Lost Generation” was written by the team of Kent Rotherham and David Hoffman and was directed by Craig Zisk. Hoffman may be better known as an actor (Modern Family, I Live With Models, Quickdraw) and his only other writing credit is Mike Tyson Mysteries. I was really looking forward to this episode as it covers one of my all time favorite times and places in history – Paris in 1927. This episode also introduces long-time fan favorite on Supernatural, Jim Beaver as Jake Neville. Beaver delivers his usual solid performance, but I’m still holding out hope that he’s going to turn out not to be a bad guy! I can’t hate Bobby!

My one quibble with the episode is that there was so much going on in the present day storyline that 1927 Paris seemed to get less attention than some other visits to the past. The episode begins where we left off with Lucy (Abigail Spencer) confronting her father Benjamin Cahill (John Getz) about Rittenhouse. A quick aside here to say that I just realized where I’d seen Getz before because I attended a “flashback filmfest” this past weekend and saw the Coen brothers’ Blood Simple and he’s the male lead! Cahill tells her that Rittenhouse isn’t a choice: it’s in her blood.

Lucy then goes to her mother (Susanna Thompson) for information on her father. She doesn’t know much and only met his parents once. Lucy then tells Rufus (Malcolm Barrett) and Denise (Sakina Jaffrey) about her father. Rufus initially freaks out, but eventually calms down enough to ask Lucy if she’s ok – and of course, she’s not. It turns out that Cahill is a pediatric surgeon.

Flynn (Goran Visnjic) jumps to May 21, 1927, but Lucy doesn’t think she can do it. She’s too upset. Rufus digs his heels in. He’s not going without Wyatt (Matt Lanter). Wyatt is currently being held at a black site, but Denise has been to visit him. She tells him that she’s getting a JAG lawyer to defend him, but Wyatt doesn’t seem to have any fight left in him, and tells her that he deserves what he gets.

Lucy suggest that maybe they should just let Flynn torch history if it means stopping Rittenhouse. Rufus, however, gives in and says he’s going. Flynn is going to kill people and if they just let him do it, that’s on them. Rufus says he’ll go alone if he has to, so Lucy relents. Not surprisingly Dave Baumgardner – BamBam (Victor Zinck Jr) is back to take Wyatt’s place. Lucy sternly tells him no cowboy stuff and BamBam tells her of course not, she’s in charge. And of course, that doesn’t work out so well…

Flynn is after Charles Lindbergh (Jesse Luken). He doesn’t want to kill him, just make him land early. Anybody else think that making him crash land like that was pretty risky in the whole not-killing plan? It was a nice special effect. As it turns out Lindbergh is Rittenhouse (say it isn’t so!). It doesn’t make sense that Flynn only crashes the plane if he’s going to kill Lindbergh anyway, but of course his ulterior motive is to get to Charvet (Joseph Gallaccio) – and we never find out what happens in that meeting!

BamBam is completely unaffected by time travel. He is helpful at the crash scene in helping determine that it isn’t actually a crash. They are accosted by none other than Ernest Hemingway (Brandon Barash), looking for a scoop for his paper, The Toronto Star! And yes, Hemingway did work as a correspondent for the Star! As someone born and raised in Toronto, I can vouch for it. As it turns out, I’m also a huge Hemingway fan. Unfortunately, the stories of his drinking and womanizing are quite true as well… But I was still right with Lucy in flirting with him!

The Dingo Bar really was the place to be in 1920s Paris and was where Hemingway met F Scott Fitzgerald. The building is still there but is now the home of an Italian restaurant. I loved both Rufus and Lucy being utterly awestruck by seeing Josephine Baker (Tiffany Daniels) on stage. Lucy explains that Baker went on to become an undercover spy for the allies. She also explains to BamBam that Baker at that time was as popular as Beyonce today in the US. I loved her flirting with Rufus and him eating it up – before telling Lucy not to tell Jiya (Claudia Doumit) any of it!

Lucy is dazzled by Piccaso – who is sitting chatting with the Fitzgeralds! Oh to be a fly on that wall! – but Josephine tells her that Piccaso is all hands (also true and of course, hilarious given his painting style). Lucy confides in Josephine that she used to be a teacher and loved the facts because facts are solid – and isn’t that a timely remark given all the focus on “alternative” facts in the news! Josephine clarifies the meaning of “lost generation” for Lucy. It doesn’t mean that they were aimless. It means that they are battered and broken but ready to stand up again. And it’s true as so many of them did come back from the horrors of WWI to fight in WWII – and it’s also a nice reflection of where our team are at in this episode. Clever writing gets me every time.

BamBam spots Emma (Annie Wersching) at the bar – she couldn’t resist a peek at the Dingo Bar either! They race after her and Lucy is shocked to find out that BamBam has only brought a vintage 1917 gun! He was supposed to break that rule! He’s out-powered by Emma and ironically BamBam is killed by one of her shots.

In the present, Neville arrives and takes over control of the lifeboat. Denise is off the mission and even has to turn in her badge to the facility. Neville tells her that he’s with the NSA and after Wyatt’s “joyride” they’ve decided the project needs “fresh eyes.” Cahill even openly visits the facility with Connor (Paterson Joseph) and tells him that his fascination with Lucy is because she’s his daughter!

Denise goes directly to Wyatt. She tells him what’s happened and muses that you can’t get clearance for that many people overnight. Wyatt agrees and says that it feels organized, like a coup! It’s clear that Rittenhouse is now in charge of Morgan Industries and the lifeboat. Denise also tells Wyatt about Lucy’s father.

Wyatt is now ready to fight. After all, this puts Lucy and Rufus in potential danger. Wyatt is now ready to accept that maybe fate wanted Jessica dead. But Denise also suggests that maybe Wyatt just needs to do something else. Denise tells him that she will tell his captures that he’s not signing the confession – and she leaves him with a paperclip! This is a favorite Kripke-gimmick and one that Dean uses in the Supernatural Pilot to escape from custody.

Back in 1927, Lucy and Rufus regroup at Josephine’s. Lucy blames herself and feels badly that they had to just leave BamBam in the alley. What do they do now, without a soldier? Naturally, Hemingway offers to be their soldier! He smells adventure and won’t take no for an answer! And then Rufus has to take him outside to be sick…

Karl (Chad Rook) manages to grab Lucy and takes her to Flynn. Naturally, Flynn knows all about her father – and it’s actually rather genius for him to pair her up with Lindberg. It appears that she’s convinced Flynn to spare Lindbergh if she can convince Lindberg to turn his back on Rittenhouse. Clearly, Flynn just wanted the Chavret intel all along.

Lucy and Lindberg bond over their shared – and hated – Rittenhouse legacy. Lindberg even knows the Cahills as a well-respected family. Lindberg doesn’t want to do what his family wants him to. He’d rather settle down on a small farm with a wife and kids. Lucy tells him about Amy always encouraging her to stand up to their mother because no one gets to decide their future except them. Lucy tells Lindberg this is his perfect chance – everyone thinks he’s dead!

Meanwhile, Rufus is freaking out because he’s all alone and has no idea what to do. I loved this scene between Rufus and Hemingway. Hemingway asks if Rufus has ever been in a war – and this is where it’s even more perfect that this conversation didn’t happen with Wyatt, between two soldiers. Hemingway tells Rufus that he has been in a war and that he lost more friends than Rufus will ever know. Death is everywhere – and the war almost broke him. But he decided, do I just curl up and give up or do I live for all those who died? Rufus tells him he’s a world-class jerk and that he has fought – but he keeps thinking about it. Hemingway’s final words to Rufus are that he’s not dead – so drink, and fight, and screw for all those who can’t.

Hemingway mentions the catacombs – yes, they are a real thing! And Rufus realizes that has to be where Flynn is. Rufus lures Karl into the tunnels and Hemingway takes him. They find Lucy, but Emma is also there. Emma does let them pass, but Rufus tells her to be careful. Flynn is not very good at taking care of his pilots.

Josephine is going to help Lindberg set up in Bordeaux, but when Lucy gets back to the present, she finds that he only stayed hidden for a short time and then history played out in the same way with him as an agent for Rittenhouse.

When the lifeboat returns to the present, Rufus’ first thought is that they changed history too much and that’s why the landing port is filled with strangers. The soon find out that’s not the case. Neville de-briefs them – and clearly has no sense of humor! When he’s done, he releases them, telling them that they’ll call when there are more developments.

Lucy researches when she gets home and is distraught over not having really changed anything. Her mother points out that all that money and power made it too hard for Lindberg to walk away from his family. She doesn’t really understand why Lucy is so upset, but she presents her with a journal – THE journal, reminding her that in this family, they write their thoughts down when they’re disturbed by them.

Lucy, Rufus, and Denise meet up with Wyatt in a warehouse in Oakland. Lucy wants to know how Wyatt can be so calm – and now he’s the one who believes in fate and Lucy is desperate to believe in free will. Wyatt believes that he is meant to protect both Lucy and Rufus. I really liked how they’ve swapped their positions on this! Rufus wants to know what they’re supposed to do about Rittenhouse, and Wyatt sounds the rallying call – they fight! Lucy asks how – and that’s where we left off. How indeed.

This episode nicely moved the plot along – and visited one of my favorite times/places, with the added bonus of Jim Beaver! My delight is tempered by the fact that Neville appears to be a bad guy and the team can never revisit the same time. It would be a lot of fun to see them encounter either Baker or Hemingway at a later time though. Of course, in order for that to happen, we need to make sure this wonderful show gets renewed! You may not be a Nielsen family (with a ratings box) but you can still tweet about the show and share your love of it on all your social media platforms! This week Supernatural veteran (and regular, so this is really special!) Misha Collins guest stars as Eliot Ness. Let me know your thoughts on this week’s episode in the comments below!