Discussion Post: 2x09 "The General" | 2x10 "Chinatown"

[wendelah1]

I'm putting up the post early because I'll still be at my mother's house when the episode begins airing. (Happy Mother's Day if you're celebrating.)

This is the discussion post for episode 2x09, "The General" and 2x10, "Chinatown." It is meant for folks who are watching the show on the U.S. schedule, but you should feel free to join in any time after you've seen the episode. On Global, the episodes are airing on separate days, but since no one objected, I'm combining both episodes into one post.

Air Date: May 6, 2018 in the U.S.
"The General"
Written by: Matt Whitney
Directed by: John Showalter
"Chinatown"
Written by: Tom Smuts and Nancy Baird
Directed by: Greg Beeman

I've already posted the NBC promo so how about something different? This is the Wondercon appearance of Goran Visnjic. It was a nice surprise to see him alone because when he's in a panel with the rest of the cast, he never gets a word in edgewise.

Watch on YouTube

Pilot, Thinker, Soldier, Spy: The Epic “Timeless” Season Finale Twofer | The heroes help Harriet Tubman raid the Confederacy before leaving their heart in San Francisco (Smithsonian Magazine)
Timeless ends its season with a finale so good, it can't be cancelled… right? (AV Club)
Timeless Needs to Be Renewed After Breaking Our Hearts and Brains (TV Guide)
'Timeless' Star Abigail Spencer Explains the Shocking Finale Reveal (Exclusive) (ET online)

Timeless recap: Bloodshed and betrayal in an explosive two-part season finale (EW)
Timeless Season-Finale Recap: ’Til Death Do Us Part (Vulture)
Timeless EP on Finale Twist, [Spoiler]'s Fate, Flynn's 'Deep Feelings' for Lucy (TVLine)
Timeless Finale Recap: Should Shows On The Cancellation Bubble Do Season-Ending Cliffhangers? (Uproxx)
‘Timeless’ Season Finale: Death Of Major Character Teases New Timeline As NBC Drama Awaits Its Fate (Deadline Hollywood)
'Timeless,' Awaiting Renewal, Ends Season 2 With Massive Cliffhanger Tell us something we don't already know! (Hollywood Reporter)
Timeless co-creator explains finale shockers — and plans for season 3 (EW)

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 and it won't help our cause. In that case, watch On Demand, or on Hulu, or at the NBC website as soon as you can. Those are the numbers that matter to the network because those are the numbers that matter to their advertisers. NBC has already announced their Fall 2018 schedule and needless to say, we are not on it! This is our last chance to show the network that we want a third season. Let's get those numbers up!

What you need to do to help Timeless reach season 3

Comments

[tinny]

Not gonna say much because it's late... but the first part was boring and formulaic and representative of the whole season. I was wishing for it to be over.

The second part was hilariously nonsensical - I laughed so hard at Emma just shooting Carol and Keynes. Why don't villains shoot people like that all the time? After that, I was just going "what?" the rest of the time. Lucy vs. Emma was terrible and I am not going to think about it any longer. I am angry at them killing Rufus, permanent or not. Kill the black man, why don't you. It's tradition.

Oh yeah, and Jessica being Rittenhouse was still the worst way to go.

wendelah, you were so right about them trying to write the worst possible outcome for all the characters. I'm sorry you were right.

(Also, sorry not sorry, the only way to deal with this season is not to take it seriously, so in the end I started focusing on the stupid love triangle again. I admit I am so very much into Flynn and Wyatt nagging each other, and Flynn hopelessly trying to come on to Lucy. I hope the garbage fire ot3 authors will keep writing for a long time. :) That's pretty much the hope with which I am walking away from this season. Staying inside canon is not an option.)

[wendelah1]

I'm sorry I was right, too.

I didn't think "The General" was boring, exactly, but it was formulaic, for sure. It was disappointing because from the promo I'd expected something entirely different. I had thought we'd find out that Rittenhouse had somehow already changed the course of the war, by say interfering with the election and having General McClellan win instead of Lincoln getting a second term. McClellan ran on an antiwar platform and there was a lot of antiwar sentiment in the North. The election was close. If McClellan had become President, the North would have conceded and the South would have declared victory. Lucy's line from "Chinatown," "No matter how bad it gets, we still have each other," would have been a great start to a Civil War AU dystopia--which is what I was hoping we'd see in "Chinatown." Instead, we got everything I didn't want: Jiya's vision came true, Jessica turned out to be hard-core Rittenhouse, and pregnant with Wyatt's baby. Then I had to listen to Wyatt declare that he was in love with Lucy--this after everything he'd done, including preventing Flynn from taking Jessica out. Thanks a heap, guy.

I couldn't object to Lucy wanting to kill Emma. Emma despises Lucy. Emma wanted to kill her and she did kill Lucy's mother. Not only that, Emma did everything in her power to make sure that Lucy would never get her sister back (I'm not sure it's all that easy but her intent was clear) and if there is anything that Lucy truly wants at the end of this mess, it's not Wyatt, and it's not Flynn--it's her sister. Lucy deserves to get her sister back. Period.

Frankly, at this point I don't give a damn which dude she ends up with because I don't think either of them deserve her. Over and over again, Wyatt keeps choosing his wife--and I get why he does--he's got a long history with Jessica, and is still carrying around a boatload of guilt about her death seven years ago. I believe he loves Lucy--he just doesn't love her enough to choose her over his wife. Garcia Flynn has his own family tragedy to weigh him down and isn't what I would call a safe bet.

I just want Lucy to be happy.

As for Rufus dying, thematically, there is no rhyme or reason for it. Jiya saved him, which proved to me that her visions don't always come true. Rufus was shot by Emma who figured nowhere in the vision. Honestly, if they hadn't stood around fighting about it, they all might have gotten away safely. "He who hesitates is lost"!

Rufus hasn't done anything wrong--if anyone deserved to die at the end of the season, I'd nominate Wyatt. He dragged Jessica back to the bunker without so much as a by-your-leave, he behaved like an ass toward Lucy, he picked stupid fights with Flynn, and he betrayed the team, twice, for Jessica's sake. He got Jessica pregnant with a Rittenhouse baby! WTF! These people are adults, they should have acted like adults and used birth control or avoided PIV sex acts, for God's sake. Wyatt could use a redemption arc. Instead, he gets to waltz in with Future!Lucy, looking like a refugee from the Firefly universe. UGH. I hate these writers.

"Let's go save Rufus!" Okay, fine. If you think it's that easy, what do you need us for? Go save him already. And while you're at it, save Flynn's family, save Amy, and prevent Jessica from turning into a Rittenhouse stooge. Keep Emma from being recruited by Rittenhouse. Or convince Flynn to leave her in her cabin in the woods.

There were things I liked but I'm having a hard time recalling what they are. I'm gonna get to work on my crack!fic crossover.