Discussion Post: 2x06 The "King of the Delta Blues"

[wendelah1]

This is the discussion post for episode 2x06, "The King of the Delta Blues." It is meant for folks who are watching the show on the U.S./Canadian schedule, but you should feel free to join in any time after you've seen the episode. Please try to keep comments spoiler-free of anything that comes after season two, episode six. Thank you!

Air Date: April 22, 2018 in the U.S. and Canada
Written by: Anselm Richardson
Directed by: Greg Beeman

Memorable quote
Robert Johnson: If you ever struck a deal with the devil, then you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Connor Mason: Maybe not quite as literally, but I made my own deal with the devil, and it cost me everything I had.
Robert Johnson: Then you understand the tune I'm playing.

Watch on YouTube

I'll post reviews, recaps, and other items of interest as soon as I spot 'em.

Recaps and Reviews
Timeless Recap: Undercover Blues (Vulture) This is the best recap I've read. If you're only going to read one, make it this one.
Timeless Season 2 Episode 6 Review: The King of the Delta Blues (Den of Geek)
Timeless Season 2 Episode 6 Review: The King of the Delta Blues (TV Fanatic) Eh.
Somebody’s Got a Case of the Blues: Timeless Season 2, Episode 6, Recapped (The Smithsonian) Excellent recap, as always.
TIMELESS REVIEW: “KING OF THE DELTA BLUES” (ScreenSpy)
‘Timeless’ Review: It’s Bloody Dangerous (TV Source Magazine)
Timeless recap: 'The King of the Delta Blues' (EW) So short and uninspired that it's not worth your time but included for completeness.

Meta, Music, Misc.
TIMELESS - SEASON 2 - EPISODE 6 - "KING OF THE DELTA BLUES" This is the director's blog post on directing the episode.
Timeless Is One of the Most Subtly Subversive Shows on TV We talked to Timeless star Abigail Spencer and the EPs about how the show is pushes against the cultural status quo. (Den of Geek)
10 Contemporary Blues Artists Who Are Keeping the Blues Alive
Long live the Blues!
Timeless: Why Rufus Is the Soul of the Show (Den of Geek)
Malcolm Barrett opens up about Rufus’ new motivations in Timeless season 2 and why his character’s viewpoint is important.

If you see one I've missed, leave the link and I'll edit it in.

Remember, if you can, watch in real time, tweet in real time, etc. If you're recording the episode to watch later, it doesn't count in the ratings. Watch On Demand, or on Hulu or at the NBC website. Those are the numbers that matter to the network because those are the numbers that matter to their advertisers.

Comments

[wendelah1]

"I'm gonna make us both famous."
- Robert Johnson to Don Law.

"Fanboys don't save the world" – except when they do. Connor Mason got to do exactly that, by stepping into the breach left by the untimely death of Don Law. The blues recordings he made with Robert Johnson led to modern blues, soul music, rhythm and blues, and rock 'n roll, and if you believe the theory Timeless is pushing, culminated in the entire counterculture movement of the sixties. For the second time in his life, Connor Mason made history happen and this time, he's got the record albums to prove it.

The theology of this is fascinating. Robert Johnson goes down to the crossroads, and trades his soul with the Devil to become the best blues guitar player that ever lived. This deal eventually, if indirectly, helps lead to the end of segregation, the second wave of American feminism, and the end of the military draft and the Vietnam War.

It was great to see Patterson Joseph's character finally get something interesting to do. He's a great actor and has been underutilized in Timeless.

Without a doubt, the most enjoyable aspect of this episode was the musical history. It was uncanny how much the actor they cast to play Robert Johnson resembles the only surviving photograph of him. Is there any historical evidence that Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Son House, and Bessie Smith were ever in a room together at the same time in 1936? Or that Johnson's sister owned a roadhouse? Not that I'm aware of, but if you're writing about the music you love, why not set it up that way?

The sleeper agent plot fell well short of credibility, even for Timeless. There's not a single reason apart from the drama to wait until Robert Johnson is in the hotel room to shoot him. Or to kill Don Law, for that matter. Rittenhouse has a time machine. They can take Law out at his point of entry into the USA, back in 1924, or any time thereafter.

I wasn't buying Agent Christopher's excuse for sending Wyatt solo into the warehouse where she'd been held by Carol Preston, or to what she presumed to be the secret headquarters of Rittenhouse. If she can't find anyone in her own organization that she can trust, maybe she should get Wyatt or even Flynn do some recruiting. Otherwise, this mission is doomed.

Christopher knew that Wyatt couldn't kill Carol Preston. She knew he lied to her about it, too. Shouldn't she have relieved him of duty right then and there and sent him packing back to Camp Pendleton? I don't think Christopher knew that this was the second time Wyatt failed to take a shot because his feelings for Lucy are interfering with his ability to do his job. But Wyatt knows.

I thought the editing of the fight scenes, cutting between what the camera Wyatt was wearing was supposedly recording and what was being filmed was effective. The camera work and lighting for the entire episode was gorgeous.

The second best thing about this episode was the way Flynn and Lucy are finally beginning to bond, fulfilling Flynn's prophecy that they would eventually team up to defeat Rittenhouse. His unwavering belief that somehow they'll be able to save his wife and daughter from being brutally murdered, and retrieve Amy Preston from the void was touching. Lucy knocking on his door, half-empty vodka bottle in hand, was heartrending, as was Jiya's latest vision, of Rufus's death. (Don't worry, Jiya, the writers are not going to kill off Rufus.)

Dropped plot threads:

Don Law didn't just make a few records with Robert Johnson. In the original timeline, Law went on to become the head of Columbia Records' country music division, working with artists like  Bob Wills, Carl Smith, Flatt and Scruggs, Lefty Frizzell, Ray Price, Johnny Horton, Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash.

When Carol Preston and Nicolas Keynes escape in the mothership, where did they go? I thought the team had the ability to track the mothership, even in the present day? Shouldn't Agent Christopher have ordered another mission, like immediately? This is an example of where having a few more good people on your team would come in handy.

Which reminds me, we still haven't found out when, why, or how Lucy was able to give Flynn her diary in the first place. Where the hell is it now? Flynn knew what happened between Wyatt and Lucy from the diary. What else does Flynn know about the future that he's not telling the rest of the team? All of this has happened before and all of it will happen again...

[tinny]

Man I LOVE the Blues slide guitar! I guess I'd rather have listened to an hour of music than watch this episode about it. *sigh*

The a plot was the best and even it didn't make sense. I loved seeing Connor Mason in the thick of it for once, but the whole timing of the mission was pure chance. Starting from the date (shouldn't Rittenhouse try and be a little more circumspect? And they didn't even meet the mothership there in the first place. Sleeper agents could simply be instructed when and where to strike, no visit of the mothership necessary at all.) and continuing with Mason shooting the sleeper, when he's not a soldier nor even had a gun on him as far as we knew.

Wyatt's storyline was even worse - Denise is usually more sensible than that. Apparently Mom really got to her last week, she's starting to make weird decisions. That he'd get out of there alive was very unlikely. Their headquarters only had half a dozen people in it? Including Keynes and Mom?

The thing I believed the least was the last scene with Lucy and Flynn. Are we supposed to believe she hooked up with him? I thought she'd go and do the exact opposite and try and prove Flynn wrong. Guess I misjudged her. I would very much have liked Flynn and Lucy to get together in season one, before they made it a point to show he's a ruthless killer. Now, not so much. The rest of their bonding was okay, I guess.

[wendelah1]

I love blues music, too. There was nothing about this episode that made any sense. If Rittenhouse wanted to take out Robert Johnson, they had plenty of time to do it--they have a time machine! They didn't have to wait until the day he was due to make the record! They could have killed Don Law, too, well before that day in history.The theory that this one record by this one artist was responsible for creating rock and roll, let alone the counterculture, is highly suspect.

Wyatt's storyline was even worse - Denise is usually more sensible than that. Apparently Mom really got to her last week, she's starting to make weird decisions. That he'd get out of there alive was very unlikely. Their headquarters only had half a dozen people in it? Including Keynes and Mom?

Terrible writing from start to finish.

The thing I believed the least was the last scene with Lucy and Flynn. Are we supposed to believe she hooked up with him? I thought she'd go and do the exact opposite and try and prove Flynn wrong. Guess I misjudged her.

No, I think we're supposed to believe she's lonely and that she decided she was tired of drinking alone. All along Flynn has been saying that they're on the same side and that they're supposed to work together. Since the pilot, when Flynn confronted her for the first time, she's been wondering about him. Flynn is still alive because Lucy kept defending him. She kept Wyatt from killing him.

I would very much have liked Flynn and Lucy to get together in season one, before they made it a point to show he's a ruthless killer. Now, not so much.

When exactly would that have been? He was murdering people in the pilot episode. He shot President Lincoln in episode two! She might have had sex with Flynn. I sure would if I were in her position-- Wyatt is back with Jessica, Garcia Flynn is undeniably hot and available, and life is short--but she'd be a fool to trust him. Lucy isn't a fool.

The rest of their bonding was okay, I guess.

Lucy and Flynn have both lost loved ones to Rittenhouse. The enemy of my enemy is my friend?

I don't care who is hooking up with whom. I WANT MY TIME TEAM BACK. Maybe next season? If we get a third season. It may take another miracle.

[earthspirits]

I loved this episode - it was wonderful that Mason finally went along on a mission, and to save his musical idol (all of the classic blues personalities were expertly depicted, and I really enjoyed all of their scenes) - and Mason was quite adorable in his fan enthusiasm. The team of Lucy, Flynn, Rufus, and Mason were perfect in this ep.

And as always, loved the chemistry between Lucy and Flynn.

The subplot ,however, didn't really work for me - but It was understandable that Wyatt would be reluctant to take Carol out, considering his feelings for Lucy. That said, I think next time Christopher will be re-thinking sending him in on his own.

[wendelah1]

They did an amazing job of casting Robert Johnson. He looks like the guy's double. Sounds like him, could play like him. Fantastic. The scenes in the juke joint were the best, for sure. It was wonderful to see Patterson Joseph get an episode devoted to his character--he's an excellent actor and has been underutilized in this series.

I've always thought Lucy and Flynn had chemistry, too. The actors' scenes together have always been intense and emotional.

The B plot was awful. "It was understandable that Wyatt would be reluctant to take Carol out, considering his feelings for Lucy. That said, I think next time Christopher will be re-thinking sending him in on his own." Let's hope so. I don't think Flynn would hesitate for one second to take her down.

[earthspirits]

I agree - Flynn would definitely do what needs to be done - he'd have zero hesitation. Carol may be Lucy's mother, but she's a high up Rittenhouse viper - a danger to her daughter, and to the rest of humanity too.