S02.E06: The King of the Delta Blues

[CooperTV]

Quote

When Rufus and Jiya add a fourth seat to the Lifeboat, for the first time ever, Connor Mason joins the team as they travel back to the dusty backroads and smoky juke joints of the Depression-era South to rescue the life and legacy of Robert Johnson – King of the Delta Blues, Godfather of Rock n’ Roll and a man who, legend has it, bought his musical genius from the Devil for the price of his soul. Meanwhile, Agent Christopher keeps Wyatt in the present to execute a dangerous raid on Rittenhouse headquarters.

Promo pictures

[Glambert123]

Spoiler

Spoilers for tonight

   Spoilers

 

 

 

 

     Another amazing guest star as Robert Johnson - truly sold it. Rufus and Mason rocked this episode. Loved Rufus's pep talk to him - and how he delivered in the end. I actually laughed quite a bit in this one. Great one liners. Frightened for Rufus for the next episode. Hope it's a premonition gone awry - and nothing bad happens.

   I don't like Wyatt and Lucy not being together. Hate Rufus and Wyatt joking around about Jessica. It feels wrong - after we had that awesome Lyatt night together just a couple weeks ago. I totally called this rectangle though. Flynn and Lucy getting closer - Wyatt and Jessica together - but still pining for Lucy. Jessica needs to go so we can at least get this back down to a triangle. Although I can't see Flynn giving up Lucy as easily as she gave up Wyatt.

4 more episodes to go. How on earth do they wrap this up if there is no season 3? Wish we knew for sure if it's renewed.

Edited April 23, 2018 by Glambert123

[shapeshifter]

Not reading^^  @Glambert123's spoilers (please put them in spoiler tags!)

—just posting to say that I'm going to watch Madam Secretary later and watch this show this show live because I'm jazzed about the A plot.

Now don't disappoint me, Show, and spend too much time on the Wyatt B plot.

[Glambert123]

Sorry - I tried to put a spoiler tag on - but don't think I did it right

[Cthulhudrew]

Ha! So apparently Agent Christopher was being held somewhere on Pier T in the Port of Long Beach:

I'm pretty sure the team is supposed to be stationed in San Francisco; you'd think they could have used a map of SF Bay instead. 

(Sorry; I live in LB and work for the Port so I couldn't help but immediately pinpoint the nitpick. lol) 

[wanderingstar]

At first I thought how are they going to wring drama out of trying to get Robert Johnson to record a song. But they did it. And it was character-driven drama too. Paterson Joseph was such a delight in this episode. From Mason's fanboying at meeting his blues heroes to his heartfelt conversation with Rufus, I could not take my eyes off Conor in this ep.

As always, Rufus was an MVP ("Don't think we're gonna get groundbreaking music out of blunt force trauma.")

The guest stars have been excellent this season, and the actor playing Robert Johnson was no different. Wonderful, earnest performance from him.

I like what the show is doing with Jiya's visions, creating an intriguing subplot, while also building excitement for future episodes.

Flynn and Lucy bonding? I dig it, but Wyatt sure doesn't.

[saber5055]

1 hour ago, Cthulhudrew said:

Ha! So apparently Agent Christopher was being held somewhere on Pier T in the Port of Long Beach:

What a bunch of dumb asses. I could see writers/PAs screwing this up if the team were supposed to be based in New York or Florida or something, but writers/PAs in Los Angeles use Long Beach for San Francisco? Please. That's just being lazy stupid. Or thinking viewers are.

The map aside, I enjoyed this episode. Wyatt continues to be useless. WTH, he's "needed" for his "special skills" so he doesn't go on the Eyeball, then he tanks his job, almost gets killed and lets the bad guys get away?

Alrighty then.

Meanwhile, Flynn rocked it and saved the day back in 1936. If Wyatt had been there, probably everyone would have died. Yeay to Lucy telling Wyatt to go to Jessica, "she must be worried." I hope she's over Wyatt, I've turned into a Flynn fan.

I loved the music and seeing the nightclub. This is one of my favorite episodes, lots of fun. And Lando was the producer of that album! Too much fun.

This show better get renewed.

[shapeshifter]

My favorite episode. Not only felt like I was in 1936 with some of the first blues artists, but I felt like I was reliving some of my own youth through the characters of Connor Mason and Lucy (and her vodka bottle). I totally geeked out when Connor said, "And Muddy Waters!" because I unexpectedly happened upon him performing outdoors around 1970.

I do wish Rufus's engineering skills had been used to facilitate the recording.

OMG, the makeup person must hate Claudia Doumit/Jiya. I've seen clowns with less makeup.

Anyway, yeah, Goran Višnjić would have chemistry with a broom if he danced with one, and definitely Lucy. Wyatt and Jessica should get off the boat and just work for the home team—if that.

[phalange]

Mason finally got to take a trip on the machine he invented! I laughed when he was waxing poetic about time travel after they landed...and then immediately puked. As a fellow sufferer of motion sickness, I feel you, Mason. I like that he was the one to know about the historical ramifications of Robert Johnson's music, and that he was the one to ultimately convince him to record the album. His excitement when he heard the album was adorable. "That's my 'yeah!'" And Rufus telling him, "I was your fanboy" was a great moment.

I still hate Flynn, and this episode has done nothing to change that. I don't care how "nice" he's being to Lucy right now. That doesn't change the numerous times he tried to kill her (and Rufus and Wyatt), or all the other despicable things he did. Like Rufus, I'm not at all here for the Flynn Redemption Tour. I sincerely hope the writers were not implying Lucy did anything other than get drunk with him, because otherwise I may hurl. 

I felt bad for Wyatt being faced with the choice of whether or not to kill Carol. Yeah, she's Rittenhouse and she's evil, but she's also Lucy's mother. It would be difficult to kill Lucy's mother even if he weren't in love with Lucy, but he is, so that makes it even worse. What kind of relationship could they ever hope to have in the future if he had to come back to the bunker and tell Lucy he shot her mother? 

Jiya's visions but Rufus' death are...concerning, to say the least. I don't think Rufus will actually be killed off or anything, but since Jiya's visions have been shown to come true, I wonder how this is going to be avoided. 

[legaleagle53]

4 minutes ago, phalange said:

I felt bad for Wyatt being faced with the choice of whether or not to kill Carol. Yeah, she's Rittenhouse and she's evil, but she's also Lucy's mother. It would be difficult to kill Lucy's mother even if he weren't in love with Lucy, but he is, so that makes it even worse. What kind of relationship could they ever hope to have in the future if he had to come back to the bunker and tell Lucy he shot her mother? 

I'm not so sure that Lucy would be all that upset with him.  Carol's been pretty much dead to her anyway since Salem.

[possibilities]

I thought the mothership was in 1936, so how was it at home base when Wyatt went in there? And if it wasn't in 1936, how did Our Heroes know they needed to take lifeboat know there?

I looooooove that music, so this was a good episode for me. I actually think the show has been getting better. I'm dreading the end of the season because I don't want to hear about it being cancelled.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

8 minutes ago, phalange said:

Mason finally got to take a trip on the machine he invented! I laughed when he was waxing poetic about time travel after they landed...and then immediately puked. As a fellow sufferer of motion sickness, I feel you, Mason. I like that he was the one to know about the historical ramifications of Robert Johnson's music, and that he was the one to ultimately convince him to record the album. His excitement when he heard the album was adorable. "That's my 'yeah!'" And Rufus telling him, "I was your fanboy" was a great moment.

I still hate Flynn, and this episode has done nothing to change that. I don't care how "nice" he's being to Lucy right now. That doesn't change the numerous times he tried to kill her (and Rufus and Wyatt), or all the other despicable things he did. Like Rufus, I'm not at all here for the Flynn Redemption Tour. I sincerely hope the writers were not implying Lucy did anything other than get drunk with him, because otherwise I may hurl. 

I felt bad for Wyatt being faced with the choice of whether or not to kill Carol. Yeah, she's Rittenhouse and she's evil, but she's also Lucy's mother. It would be difficult to kill Lucy's mother even if he weren't in love with Lucy, but he is, so that makes it even worse. What kind of relationship could they ever hope to have in the future if he had to come back to the bunker and tell Lucy he shot her mother? 

Jiya's visions but Rufus' death are...concerning, to say the least. I don't think Rufus will actually be killed off or anything, but since Jiya's visions have been shown to come true, I wonder how this is going to be avoided. 

Better get your puke bucket ready, because I don't see how entering someone's 'private' quarters and the door being shut implies less than hanky panky, especially with booze involved.  I'm not surprised by this development, just really disappointed.  Genuinely disappointed.  I'd hoped they would avoid the soap opera tropes, but sadly, I was hoping for too much.  And love the "someday I'm getting my wife and kid back" talk in the truck, but invites Lucy in for a bang session at the end.  Keeping Lucy consistent, I guess.  Fell for a guy whose wife was killed & tries long and hard to bring her back, then wife does come back (unexpectedly), so she jumps into bed with another man who's wife was killed (while said man wants & will do anything for his wife to come back).

I called, to myself, that the lady with Law was the sleeper agent (or at least one of them) the moment RJ came in the apartment and 100% sold on it when she kissed Law implying being with him for some time.  Just one of those moments that jumps out randomly.

I wish I could say that I cared about Connor's story in this one the way I was meant to, but his history kinda shades everything he does or says negatively.  Points for "Lando Calrissian", though.

Good thing that Rittenhouse's "muscle" is very stormtrooper-ish, or Wyatt's infiltration would have lasted all of a couple minutes. 

I'm guessing the initial explosion that Keynes set off was his mural? 

Why does Jiya only have premonitions of Rufus?  He's not the only time traveler.

Agent Christopher has a hard-on for a dead Carol Preston.  Vengeance, much?  Guess that'll happen when someone threatens your family.

[possibilities]

It will be funny if Lucy and Flynn sleep together and then in the next episode his family is back. It can be Lucy's magical power, to bring back the dead wives of her lovers.

[nilyank]

Why couldn't Wyatt shoot Lucy's mom to disable her. He didn't have to kill her, just injure her. Then he could have taken her prisoner.

I wonder if George Lucas was Robert Johnson's fan and had his album.

[Dowel Jones]

Rittenhouse wanted Robert Johnson dead?  They're on my all time shit list now.  Kill Kennedy, Lincoln, Marie Curie if you will, but don't even mess with Robert Johnson.  Although I have to say, the premise that all rock & roll derived from that one personage is rather far fetched.  Muddy Waters did just as much to popularize electric Chicago blues as a forerunner of the R&R rhythm, but, what the heck. 

Was there a possibility that Agent Christopher was trying to send Wyatt off to his death so they might actually get something done for a change?  Dufus Wyatt, after invading the HQ and shooting one guy already, opts for a physical takedown of random Rittenhouse employee on the mezzanine, instead of just shooting him outright, which, of course, gives the other employee time for a last second alarm.  I got a kick out of the home team calling Wyatt on the radio even though the head cam clearly shows him in a knife fight.

The team kept speaking of albums.  Did they actually make albums in 1936, because recordings were done at 78 rpm, instead of 33 1/3.  Each single was self contained.  Side note:  Since the recording in the hotel continued after the shootout, it's probably fortunate that the records were broken up because the discussion/argument would have been caught on record, too.

I loved Connor getting his moment while listening to the Stop Breakin' Down recording on his return, and hearing himself.

Rittenhouse did succeed in changing history, though.  Don Law, killed in the hotel, would have gone on to become Columbia Records chief producer, recording artists such as Bob Wills, Carl Smith (June Carter's first husband), Lefty Frizzell, Ray Price, Flatt and Scruggs (no Beverly Hillbillys theme song? Oh, no!),, Marty Robbins, and the big one, Johnny Cash.  That's one helluva dent in American musical culture.

One nitpick.  It's Cavalry, not Calvary.  Oh, and where did Lucy get those Mom Jeans?

[The Wild Sow]

3 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

Rittenhouse did succeed in changing history, though.  Don Law, killed in the hotel, would have gone on to become Columbia Records chief producer, recording artists such as Bob Wills, Carl Smith (June Carter's first husband), Lefty Frizzell, Ray Price, Flatt and Scruggs (no Beverly Hillbillys theme song? Oh, no!),, Marty Robbins, and the big one, Johnny Cash.  That's one helluva dent in American musical culture.

Oh, you beat me to it!  Yes, Don Law was a real person, who lived to be 80 years old and was a very  prolific producer!  Maybe there were hippies and Led Zep in the new timeline, but was there a Johnny Cash?

Lando Calrissian -- heh!

[JackONeill]

I know I shouldn’t bring this up, but I find it hard to believe that Rittenhouse hasn’t found our team in the bunker yet. I mean, we found them. How tough can it be?

And when Christopher was talking about the raid and said (something like) they had no army because she couldn’t trust anyone does that mean they are totally unprotected in the bunker? So at a point last night, it was ONLY Christopher, Jessica (unseen), and Jiya in the bunker?!?

[shapeshifter]

7 hours ago, possibilities said:

I thought the mothership was in 1936, so how was it at home base when Wyatt went in there? And if it wasn't in 1936, how did Our Heroes know they needed to take lifeboat know there

Oops? Or maybe they just dropped off the two agents who got shot by Flynn.

 

If this show was more successful, I would expect the DVD for the season to include an extra scene in which someone looks up Star Wars in Wikipedia to see if there is a character like Lando Calrissian and what name the character has.

[misstwpherecool]

Wyatt's annoying me and he does need to make up his mind.

Also a recon mission frequently requires much less gear and is about stealth/being undetected because it's exactly that-recon, not contact/combat. After the first body is dropped or killed they know someone is there with purpose.  They could try to keep them on the run not letting them get comfortable but they also could I don't know travel back in time to stop the intrusion.

Not killing Lucy's mom is a soap opera wrinkle. Was hoping for more kick butt Emma. Rittenhouse catching up on modern tech. I knew as soon as Mason gave the 'yeh' they would use to test or verify their success. I still wonder if killing some of the less central characters like the record producer could have ripple effects for the team or Rittenhouse. Who's father would he have been, what other artists did sign/record. Back then he was fully utilizing technology, maybe he discovered a technique or enhancement that led to something else. But another time travel conundrum.

[Shanna Marie]

I know there aren't a lot of relationship options for Lucy right now, but if I were her, I would avoid getting involved with yet another guy with a dead wife he hopes to bring back via time travel. At least with Wyatt, he had said he was giving up, that he was accepting that maybe it was fate, God, or whatever, and he was moving on with his life. Flynn just said he's still trying. I guess maybe she's going into this knowing he'll dump her in a heartbeat if his wife comes back, so she's not getting emotionally involved with any hope of a future, but still, you'd think that after just being burned by this she'd avoid that situation. Don't they have some guards or soldiers in there occasionally (they were reporting when Wyatt tried to escape at the beginning of the season, I thought)? One of them might be a better option for a "get Wyatt out of her system" fling.

[threebluestars]

I keep wondering how they're going to correct all the crap they've messed up. There has to be some kind of lynch pin "key" event that can reset everything to where it's supposed to be. I suspect once Rittenhouse is taken care of, that's what the issue will be. Which means they all have to accept they need things to be back to our present - so Flynn's family needs to be dead, Jessica needs to be dead, and Lucy is the only one that gets something half decent - her sister alive. And at this point I'm not sure about who'd want things back to the correct place.

Also ... where the hell is Rufus's family? They dropped them like a hot potato.

[vibeology]

36 minutes ago, Shanna Marie said:

I know there aren't a lot of relationship options for Lucy right now, but if I were her, I would avoid getting involved with yet another guy with a dead wife he hopes to bring back via time travel. At least with Wyatt, he had said he was giving up, that he was accepting that maybe it was fate, God, or whatever, and he was moving on with his life. Flynn just said he's still trying. I guess maybe she's going into this knowing he'll dump her in a heartbeat if his wife comes back, so she's not getting emotionally involved with any hope of a future, but still, you'd think that after just being burned by this she'd avoid that situation. Don't they have some guards or soldiers in there occasionally (they were reporting when Wyatt tried to escape at the beginning of the season, I thought)? One of them might be a better option for a "get Wyatt out of her system" fling.

I'm someone who saw the chemistry and potential between Lucy and Flynn way back in the first couple of episodes but I don't think this is a good idea. Lucy going off for a drunken hookup with Flynn because she feels awful knowing he wants his family back isn't the start of a healthy relationship. Her situation sucks but drinking and mindless sex aren't going to make it any better.

I do feel cheated out of my Flynn/Lucy hookup. I think their chemistry is insane even though I always suspected they'd be a trainwreck together. I didn't think we'd get here this quickly but I guess short seasons mean things have to move fast.

The real highlight though was Mason. He did very well going back in time considering and I loved re-exploring his bond with Rufus who I feel has been sidelined quite a bit this season. I really enjoyed seeing them work together and Mason save the day.

[Dowel Jones]

Regarding Mason's skyward gesture and pursed lips at Rufus's question about Robert Johnson's fate, I will offer this snippet of lyric from Bill Morrisey's "Letter From Heaven".  The whole song is available on youtube, if you wish.

"And me, I couldn't be happier, the service here is fine; They got dinner ready at half past nine and I'm going steady with Patsy Cline

And just last night in the barroom, I bought Robert Johnson a beer; Yeah, I know, everyone's always surprised to see him here."

[Lieutenant]

I don't get where this impression is coming from that Flynn would leave Lucy in a heartbeat if he got Lorena and Iris back.? That's literally one of THE biggest differences between his and Wyatt's family situations.  Flynn states point blank to Lucy in 1.10 that he would do anything to get his girls back but he would immediately walk away once he knows they are safe.  He knows what he's become in chasing Rittenhouse, the levels he's sunk to, the horrible things he's done.  He doesn't want to bring that into their lives.  Flynn NEVER planned on going back to his family.  The same cannot be said of Wyatt (obviously).

That said, I loved everything about the Flynn/Lucy development this episode.  There's just something deeper between them, and I find Flynn's fierce certainty in Lucy (what she, and they will become) compelling. 

I really dug the setting, vibe, and music in this ep as well.  It was really nice to see Connor get a chance to spread his wings and get some development.  And I cannot say enough about his bond with Rufus.  That was some emotionally satisfying drama between those two.  It's amazing how wonderful an episode can be when everyone gets quality character advancement. 

Wyatt 'Delta Force' Logan continues to confuse and frustrate with his inability to do his damn job and take the shot.  You sure as hell didn't see Nicholas hesitate to pump HIM full of lead.  Ugh.  It's really rich to see him taking pot shots at Flynn when the latter admits he has no idea why Rittenhouse made this 1936 jump ('why do we even keep you around if you don't know anything?'), but then Wyatt directly FUBARs his own mission.  He is now 0/2 for critical shots against high ranking targets.  

[iMonrey]

This had to be the most poorly written episode yet. 

Did my ears deceive me, or did both Denise and Jiya use the word "calvary" when they should have been saying "cavalry?" Good grief. Those are two completely different words.

I am completely lost on what, exactly, is happening that dictates where in time they go. It used to be Jiya tracking the Mothership. But now we know Rittenhouse has already planted 10 or so "sleeper agents" throughout history. Are they just learning randomly where they are? We know for a fact the Mothership was not in 1936 because Carol and Keynes escaped on it from Wyatt. So how did they figure out they needed to go back to 1936? 

And, I'm sorry, but they are really reaching now for reasons to involve the cast with various historical characters. The idea that one recording from one artist snowballed into the entire counterculture of the 1960s, and that it would never have occurred without him, is a stretch at best. Even if it were true it doesn't seem like something Rittenhouse would bother with when there are so many bigger fish to fry.

Meanwhile Wyatt continues to be laughably incompetent at his job. I honestly don't think the writers understand just how fragile this character's credibility is at this point. Not to mention Denise should have known Rittenhouse would either be waiting for them or would have abandoned the place - they knew she was chipped when they captured her.  

Finally, why does Flynn continue to be so cagey about the circumstances under which Lucy gave him her diary? There may be a valid reason he simply doesn't tell her but why isn't she even asking? 

I simply don't understand how this whole mess isn't easily solved by going back in time and preventing Mason from inventing the time machine. Since he has lost everything at this point, I'd think even Mason himself would approve of that plan. It's a win for everyone except for maybe Wyatt. 

For that matter, if they're willing to kill Carol, why not simply go back in time and prevent Rittenhouse from ever being born? Done and done.

[shafted]

27 minutes ago, Lieutenant said:

I don't get where this impression is coming from that Flynn would leave Lucy in a heartbeat if he got Lorena and Iris back.? That's literally one of THE biggest differences between his and Wyatt's family situations.  Flynn states point blank to Lucy in 1.10 that he would do anything to get his girls back but he would immediately walk away once he knows they are safe.  He knows what he's become in chasing Rittenhouse, the levels he's sunk to, the horrible things he's done.  He doesn't want to bring that into their lives.  Flynn NEVER planned on going back to his family.  The same cannot be said of Wyatt (obviously).

That's what Flynn says but will he really stick to that when he's faced with Lorena and Iris nestled safely back in their home? And it still doesn't solve the problem that, as of last night's episode, Flynn is still very much in love with his wife. That's where his heart is. Lucy still ranks behind the (dead) wife with both Flynn and Wyatt. Which she doesn't deserve at all. 

On another note, I feel like romantic complications and romantic geometric configurations have slowly taken over the show this season. It's become the dominant focus this season rather than taking down the psycho cult that wants to control the world through time travel. The romantic stuff coming to the forefront is just not a development I've enjoyed at all especially because the writers have handled the romantic subplots so very poorly this season. 

[meep.meep]

12 hours ago, possibilities said:

It will be funny if Lucy and Flynn sleep together and then in the next episode his family is back. It can be Lucy's magical power, to bring back the dead wives of her lovers.

Just what I was thinking!  See if it was just coincidence or cause and effect.  She could have the opposite of Lady Mary Crawley's death vagina.

[tennisgurl]

I loved this episode, at least partially because I've loved Robert Johnson for years, and have found his life and story so fascinating, and seeing the prime years of the Delta Blues (Muddy Waters!), complete with awesome, bluesy soundtrack, was awesome. As always, this show lives and dies by its guest characters, and the guy playing Robert Johnson was awesome. Very earnest, but still with the edge I imagine the real man had. I also liked the references to the real life Robert Johnson, like how he always played to walls, tended to disappear a lot (there are only two or maybe three pictures of him in existence!), and, of course, the deal with the devil at the crossroads. I like that they kept the whole thing a bit ambiguous, as much as they could on a show like this. Yeah, in real life, Robert Johnson probably just went off somewhere, practiced 24/7, and got his natural talent in line with guitar skills, but...why get rid of the mystery? Really, as long as the show keeps showing us glimpses of awesome historical figures and time periods that are often not explored in pop culture, with great actors playing them, I can put up with most plot holes that time travel will usually create, and even a hard to understand evil conspiracy.

Great episode for Connor. I enjoyed everyone's reactions to him admitting that he was afraid of time travel, his fanboying about Robert Johnson, and his pep talk from Rufus. With all the focus on the romance stuff this season, Rufus has kind of been on the back burner this season, so it was nice to see him get the spotlight, and to explore his relationship with Connor more. However, as others have said, Rittenhouse did probably get a win with the death of Don Law, who would go on to become a very prolific producer and major figure in the music industry. I guess this show has often done the "well, its close enough" thing when history doesn't totality go back to normal, but this seems like a pretty big deal, even beyond it just sucking that the poor guy died. 

Flynn is just so likable, its hard to stay pissed at him. That being said, I haven't forgotten that the guy has killed several innocent people, tried to kill many more, created time drama that could have hurt many more people, and tried to kill Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus a million times last year. I dont like the idea of him and Lucy hooking up, especially so soon after she and Wyatt split up. It just seems like she`ll fall for any guy with a dead wife and a time machine. 

Edited April 23, 2018 by tennisgurl

[saber5055]

13 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I totally geeked out when Connor said, "And Muddy Waters!"

I was not aware of Robert Johnson so was waiting for HIM to be renamed Muddy Waters. So I learned something. I LOVED the singing/guitar playing.

11 hours ago, nilyank said:

Why couldn't Wyatt shoot Lucy's mom to disable her. He didn't have to kill her, just injure her. Then he could have taken her prisoner.

So much this. Not everyone who gets shot gets killed. Wyatt should know that for pete's sake. This was so irritating and a DUH moment that he just lets her run away and escape.

11 hours ago, nilyank said:

I wonder if George Lucas was Robert Johnson's fan and had his album.

Of course, that's how he came up with the Lando Calrissian name!

11 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

Was there a possibility that Agent Christopher was trying to send Wyatt off to his death so they might actually get something done for a change?

I'd be all for Wyatt dying, so I like this idea. Since it didn't work this episode, I hope it does the next.

11 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

Oh, and where did Lucy get those Mom Jeans?

In 1936!

[vibeology]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

Meanwhile Wyatt continues to be laughably incompetent at his job. I honestly don't think the writers understand just how fragile this character's credibility is at this point. Not to mention Denise should have known Rittenhouse would either be waiting for them or would have abandoned the place - they knew she was chipped when they captured her.  

The actual annoyance of this for me wasn't Wyatt being incompetent, because I've come to expect that but rather Agent Christopher and Jiya screaming "Are you okay? What's going on?" at him over the comm lines when they can hear and see that he's rather busy trying not to die in a fight. He doesn't have time to answer and they could see exactly what was happening anyhow. I know that silence isn't great on TV but the show would have been better just cutting back to them less often if they didn't have anything useful to add.

[Dowel Jones]

59 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

ah, in real life, Robert Johnson probably just went off somewhere, practiced 24/7, and got his natural talent on line with guitar skills,

What??? He had an internet connection?  I want that app!

[wanderingstar]

Quote

It just seems like she`ll fall for any guy with a dead wife and a time machine. 

Ok, this made me laugh.

[Shanna Marie]

3 hours ago, Lieutenant said:

Flynn states point blank to Lucy in 1.10 that he would do anything to get his girls back but he would immediately walk away once he knows they are safe.  He knows what he's become in chasing Rittenhouse, the levels he's sunk to, the horrible things he's done.  He doesn't want to bring that into their lives. 

That's not exactly an encouraging thing for a relationship -- he's too horrible to be in the lives of his wife and children, should he manage to save them, but he's okay with being with Lucy? And even if he didn't go back to his family if they managed to save them, then that makes her the other woman while a woman he's still madly in love with is out there and alive.

I do like that they're showing somewhat realistic reactions to killing someone for the first time. Even a worldly man like Mason can be really freaked out. It's not like it usually seems to be on TV/in movies where it's no big deal.

[saber5055]

It's curious that most seem to be concerned about Lucy's relationships and not the men's. Maybe Lucy is the user and will break Flynn's heart when she dumps him for some cool historic guy, like Robert Todd Lincoln. She does get flirted with a lot on her travels. That would be fun to see Flynn and Wyatt drowning their sorrows after Lucy runs off with ... anyone else.

[Quilt Fairy]

14 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

The team kept speaking of albums.  Did they actually make albums in 1936, because recordings were done at 78 rpm, instead of 33 1/3.  Each single was self contained.

The term "record album" dates back to the early 20th century.  It's like a photo album for records.  Longer orchestral works that ran over several physical records were packaged together in an "album" or you could buy empty albums to store your individual collection of records.  The 33 1/3 LP record was called an album because it contained an album's worth of songs.  However, in the context you asked the question, I think you're right and it's a historical error on the part of the writers.  Artists of that day would be recording a "record" or a "song", not an "album".

I love how quickly the team got used to the terrorist, low-budget style of time-travel.  Mason, on arrival in 1936: What do we do now? Team: Find some clothes; steal a car.

Edited April 23, 2018 by Quilt Fairy

[possibilities]

I don't think Lucy is in love with Flynn or looking to start a serious relationship. At best, it looked to me like a hook up situation, kind of along the lines of "everything sucks, I'm lonely, let's get it on for fun and comfort and distraction."

Lucy is not emo like Wyatt and Flynn are, so I'm not too worried about her having a broken heart and moping a lot.

[Commando Cody]

1 hour ago, Gillian Rosh said:

Quote

It just seems like she`ll fall for any guy with a dead wife and a time machine. 

Ok, this made me laugh.

I guess she has a type. 

[dargosmydaddy]

17 hours ago, iRarelyWatchTV36 said:

Why does Jiya only have premonitions of Rufus? 

I wish it was clearer if that was the case or not, and what exactly is going on with her premonitions. The first one she was shown having (last season) was something with the Golden Gate Bridge, no? Did anything ever come of that one?

This season we've seen Rufus's burn, Rufus killing the Puritan dude, and now the weird sea cowboys. Am I missing anything? And haven't we seen Jiya spacing out/ fainting without her actually revealing the visions she's having? (The earlier episodes come to mind, leading up to her being checked out by the doctor.) Does she have "rerun" visions? Visions that she doesn't see as important so she doesn't mention? Maybe she hates Wyatt as much as some of the people here seem to, and keeps mum if the vision is about him? (She did seem far more concerned about him than Agent Christopher did, so probably not...)

I was also unclear when exactly she had the newest vision. Seemed like it was at the beginning of the episode and she only decided to tell Rufus at the end, after he kind of asked, but if so it felt weird that she sent him on the mission without warning him or even acting concerned. Admittedly the vision she had didn't seem to match the time/ place he was going, but how could she know for sure? And previously, all the visions she had occurred during the next mission, so...

[sempervivum]

This show is starting to remind me of 'Wayward Pines', with a great starting premise but illogical/non-existent world building. The placement of sleepers, as well as the ultimate goal in each timeline, makes zero sense.  In this episode, eliminating Johnson = no rock and roll, which= no civil rights movement and no Vietnam War withdrawal. Both of these outcomes are extremely debatable. Plus how do you find a young black woman-like the one in this episode, who tries to shoot Johnson, but is killed herself- who is willing to time travel to the 1920's, live there for who knows how long, and DIE so that the civil rights movement either never happens or is slowed down. How would she think this is worth such sacrifice?

The last one with the Salem witch hunters: the plan was to keep Ben Franklin from ever being born so that France wouldn't help the revolutionaries, so that England would win, so that-what?? I want to know exactly what it is that Rittenhouse is trying to create.

[KaveDweller]

6 hours ago, iMonrey said:

This had to be the most poorly written episode yet. 

Did my ears deceive me, or did both Denise and Jiya use the word "calvary" when they should have been saying "cavalry?" Good grief. Those are two completely different words.

I am completely lost on what, exactly, is happening that dictates where in time they go. It used to be Jiya tracking the Mothership. But now we know Rittenhouse has already planted 10 or so "sleeper agents" throughout history. Are they just learning randomly where they are? We know for a fact the Mothership was not in 1936 because Carol and Keynes escaped on it from Wyatt. So how did they figure out they needed to go back to 1936? 

And, I'm sorry, but they are really reaching now for reasons to involve the cast with various historical characters. The idea that one recording from one artist snowballed into the entire counterculture of the 1960s, and that it would never have occurred without him, is a stretch at best. Even if it were true it doesn't seem like something Rittenhouse would bother with when there are so many bigger fish to fry.

Meanwhile Wyatt continues to be laughably incompetent at his job. I honestly don't think the writers understand just how fragile this character's credibility is at this point. Not to mention Denise should have known Rittenhouse would either be waiting for them or would have abandoned the place - they knew she was chipped when they captured her.  

Finally, why does Flynn continue to be so cagey about the circumstances under which Lucy gave him her diary? There may be a valid reason he simply doesn't tell her but why isn't she even asking? 

I simply don't understand how this whole mess isn't easily solved by going back in time and preventing Mason from inventing the time machine. Since he has lost everything at this point, I'd think even Mason himself would approve of that plan. It's a win for everyone except for maybe Wyatt. 

For that matter, if they're willing to kill Carol, why not simply go back in time and prevent Rittenhouse from ever being born? Done and done.

It seems like the sleepers are planted in the past, and then activated when someone from the present goes back and tells them what to do. Which kind of defeats the point, but maybe they also bring them home after? The mothership did go back in time, they said this at the beginning. I guess they just didn't bother to stay and make sure they succeeded and bring the woman home? It really made no sense to show the mothership in the present when they had previously said it was in 1936.  I don't know why this person even needed to be a sleeper cause couldn't Emma have just gone back in time and shot him herself? It's not like the agent needed to worm her way into a high-level position like the Hollywood guy.

2 hours ago, dargosmydaddy said:

I wish it was clearer if that was the case or not, and what exactly is going on with her premonitions. The first one she was shown having (last season) was something with the Golden Gate Bridge, no? Did anything ever come of that one?

The Golden Gate Bridge one was a vision of the past, it showed the bridge being built. Her visions of Rufus are for when he is in the past, but in a future past that hasn't happened yet. The bridge happened in the original past. So, I think the bridge was just a cool visual to show that something weird was going on with Jiya and not necessarily something that's supposed to turn into a plot point.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

3 hours ago, possibilities said:

I don't think Lucy is in love with Flynn or looking to start a serious relationship. At best, it looked to me like a hook up situation, kind of along the lines of "everything sucks, I'm lonely, let's get it on for fun and comfort and distraction."

Lucy is not emo like Wyatt and Flynn are, so I'm not too worried about her having a broken heart and moping a lot.

I am not disagreeing with your assessment, but if they go that route, its just something else to throw in the Lyatt angst pile, from Wyatt's side.  "Oh, so just slept with me because I was convenient?" blah-blah.

I haven't watched the promo for the next episode, but I would be more surprised if the traveling team isn't Rufus, Lucy, Wyatt & Flynn and either Lucy & Flynn act very friendly or Rufus blurts out that he saw Lucy leaving Flynn's room in the morning, etc.  Something that will bring up the romantic mess so we can never forget the soapy elements.

[dargosmydaddy]

1 hour ago, KaveDweller said:

The Golden Gate Bridge one was a vision of the past, it showed the bridge being built. Her visions of Rufus are for when he is in the past, but in a future past that hasn't happened yet. The bridge happened in the original past. So, I think the bridge was just a cool visual to show that something weird was going on with Jiya and not necessarily something that's supposed to turn into a plot point.

I'm willing to accept that, especially considering that it was last season and maybe TPTB didn't quite know yet what they wanted to do with it this season, but I'd still like a better handle on these visions this season. Do they always happen in order? (I.e. should we expect the sea cowboys soon, and will she not have other visions until after this one occurs in reality? Or might she continue to have visions, but ones that will happen after the sea cowboys? Or might she have more visions that might occur chronologically before?) Are they actually always concerning Rufus? Does she still also get visions of random stuff, like the Golden Gate Bridge vision was, and those are the ones she doesn't mention?

[anniebird]

18 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

One nitpick.  It's Cavalry, not Calvary.  

I was yelling at the TV at that point. I'm always surprised that there's not one person on the set to correct these egregious errors.

[shapeshifter]

9 hours ago, misstwpherecool said:

[Rittenhouse] could I don't know travel back in time to stop the intrusion

Yeah, but I guess on this show that would be equivalent to sending another group to the moon just to straighten the flag.

 

9 hours ago, misstwpherecool said:

knew as soon as Mason gave the 'yeh' they would use to test or verify their success.

Me too, but then I also flashed back to all the times when I was listening to my old blues albums and heard a background "yeah" and imagined it was a time traveler.

 

9 hours ago, Shanna Marie said:

I know there aren't a lot of relationship options for Lucy right now, but if I were her, I would avoid getting involved with yet another guy with a dead wife he hopes to bring back via time travel.

 

4 hours ago, Commando Cody said:

5 hours ago, Gillian Rosh said:

Quote

It just seems like she`ll fall for any guy with a dead wife and a time machine. 

Ok, this made me laugh.

I guess she has a type. 

Hah! That's what I was going to say, @Commando Cody!

[mythoughtis]

I’m older than Lucy or Flynn.trust me, my Mother didn’t sing me the song they were singing in the car.  My mother wasn’t born In 1936 either.   

[legaleagle53]

10 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I simply don't understand how this whole mess isn't easily solved by going back in time and preventing Mason from inventing the time machine. Since he has lost everything at this point, I'd think even Mason himself would approve of that plan. It's a win for everyone except for maybe Wyatt. 

It depends on how recently Mason invented the time machine.  If it was at any point after 1983, it's impossible because everyone would be too old to go back to when it was invented to prevent its invention (no going back to an era in which you've already existed, remember?).  And there's also the Grandfather Paradox to consider (which nobody apparently ever does):  If they succeed in preventing the invention of the time machine, there's no way for them to go back to prevent its invention, so it gets invented, so they go back to prevent its invention, so it's never invented, so there's no way to go back to prevent its invention, so it gets invented, etc. x infinity.

Edited April 24, 2018 by legaleagle53

[shapeshifter]

53 minutes ago, mythoughtis said:

I’m older than Lucy or Flynn.trust me, my Mother didn’t sing me the song they were singing in the car.  My mother wasn’t born In 1936 either.   

I was not familiar with the song either (what song was it?) and my mom was born in 1928, but she did used to sing "Mairzy Doats," which is from 1943 (10 years before I was born), and then I used to sing it to my kids in the 80s, who are Lucy's age.

[tennisgurl]

6 hours ago, Commando Cody said:

I guess she has a type. 

An incredibly specific type. She must not get a whole bunch of matches on Tinder :) 

[Dowel Jones]

2 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Yeah, but I guess on this show that would be equivalent to sending another group to the moon just to straighten the flag.

Oh my God, a secret Rittenhouse mission.  They went to the Kennedy Space Center, hacked the television cameras on the LEM, and forced NASA to fake the whole thing later in the Nevada desert.

[Barlowe]

Rufus and Wyatt were so obnoxious and hypocritical in the beginning.  Wyatt the nascar fanboy and Rufus who's usually so up on black history icons being so dismissive of a cultural music icon. Thank god for Lucy giving Mason the time of day

Edited April 24, 2018 by Lilacly