Connor Mason joins the Time Team as they journey back to the 1930s to save Rock n’Roll and the Counterculture Movement. The mission brings Lucy and Flynn closer together and drives a bigger wedge between Lyatt. We share our thoughts (and flails) in this week’s Timeless roundtable with our friends Fangirlish!
Clockblockers, Timeless continues to elevate my whole life by giving us something I didn’t even realize I needed–a Connor-centric episode! Paterson Joseph shines, as the Time Team (sans Wyatt) makes their first safe four-person trip to 1930s San Antonio in order to make sure Robert Johnson (fore-father of Blues and Rock n’Roll) records his history-changing albums. Connor’s deep knowledge of the time and music allow them to stop the Rittenhouse sleeper agents, and in the process, boosts Connor’s own self-esteem.
Meanwhile, the Lucy/Wyatt drama continues, made more complicated by Lucy’s growing friendship with Flynn. YIKES.
Take a look at our roundtable full of feels and speculation. Team Fangirlish came up with the awesome questions, which I’ve included below along with my responses and Alyssa’s (Fangirlish) and Lizzie’s (Fangirlish) contributions. The full roundtable post includes SEVEN contributors, so definitely go HERE for more thoughts on “The King of the Delta Blues”.
1. Describe your feelings about “The King of the Delta Blues” in one gif:
Funmbi:
Alyssa:
Lizzie:
2. “Fanboys don’t save the world” Mason said – and yet, not only did he save this mission, but can be also interpreted as a nod to Timeless fans saving the show from cancellation. What do you have to say about this sentiment?
Funmbi: This scene was GLORIOUS for so many reasons! First, as we’ve said several times in these roundtables, every week as Lucy, Rufus, and Wyatt go on these missions, we regularly get to see them fangirl/fanboy over a historical figure. In fact, it’s their intense love (bordering on obsession) that provides the needed information in order to save the day. This is certainly the case this week. From the beginning of their time at the Gunter Hotel, *repeatedly*, it’s Connor’s knowledge of the time period and music that allow the Time Team to get Robert Johnson to record these albums that literally change the world. Second, this scene highlights the depth of feeling between Connor and Rufus, because when Connor is feeling the most defeated, believing his contributions don’t matter, Rufus reminds him the truth. Fanboys do save the world, because Rufus was Connor’s fanboy. It’s a beautiful moment of solidarity, as Rufus is able to lift Connor up and remind him how Connor has made a huge difference in Rufus’ own life, which Rufus has paid forward as the #HeroInAHoodie. And as Lizzie says in the question, fangirls/fanboys came to Timeless’ rescue last year, and if we have it our way, we’ll do it again now! The power of fandom is real, y’all!
Alyssa: I absolutely loved that line and how Mason disproved it. But I love how Timeless throws subtle nods at the fandom about the power of this fandom and what it’s been able to accomplish. It makes us feel even more a part of the show. There can be this sense that unless you’re someone that’s prominent that you cannot have an effect on something on a large scale. For fans, it was fighting for our favorite show to get a second season. And, together, we did the impossible. We brought it back from the dead. Now we’re once again fighting for our show and trying to prove that, once again, fangirls/fanboys can in fact save the world. And deliver it quality television.
Lizzie: It’s a beautiful moment because we know it’s a lie. Fanboys/Fangirls do “save” the world. We saved Timeless last year. And the message that loving something, that being invested, that caring, is, indeed important, is something I really, really appreciate. Let’s do it all again this year!
3. This episode saw Flynn and Lucy getting closer as they bonded over their shared desires to get their families back. What do you think about this friendship? Can it/will it turn romantic? Do you trust Flynn?
Funmbi: Here’s the thing… I honestly don’t know how I feel about the relationship between Lucy and Flynn. I don’t expect Lucy to sit around and mope over Wyatt (though she would be entitled to do so because this situation is painful!). She has a plan to stop Rittenhouse and if Lucy is able to find comradery with Flynn in order to do so, this is a good thing. Plus, right now, for better or worse, Flynn *seems* to be the only person who’s fully on Lucy’s side. Apparently, we’re still in the timeline where Lucy writes the journal for Flynn, so he knows a lot about the pain she’s experiencing and the ways she is (isn’t) coping. Lucy could use a friend who’s outside of all this Wyatt/Jessica drama, someone to commiserate with. However, this is still super suspect! Flynn wants to get to know Lucy… but why? We all know Flynn would throw each and every one of these people under the bus (INCLUDING LUCY) to bring back his family/take out Rittenhouse. I don’t think the Lucy/Flynn relationship will turn romantic, but if it does, then I cannot be mad at Lucy. My Lyatt-shipping heart will hurt, but she’s a full grown woman. Besides, Wyatt has no qualms moving on with his physical relationship with Jessica, so why should I put that kind of expectation on Lucy?
Alyssa: This is a friendship that I didn’t know that I wanted or needed, but here we are. I love how Timeless is delivering on a pilot tease — Lucy and Flynn teaming up — in such a unique way. This whole fate vs. choice thing is interesting because it makes you wonder if certain things are just meant to be. Flynn has been telling Lucy for awhile now that they’ve been meant to work together. Even when it felt impossible and ridiculous, look where we’re at. It’s crazy to think about what happened with that journal and how Flynn came to have it in his possession. But back to the friendship. I believe that Flynn has found a kindred spirit in Lucy. He’s found someone that’s experienced similar pain and heartbreak — having read that journal — and he’s found someone he can talk to, relate to, and possibly even help. Flynn has this desire to want to help Lucy, and I can’t help but wonder if that has to do with who Flynn knows she becomes. Is she someone that, like him, finds herself walking the line of morality because of what happens in her present and future? Perhaps Flynn thinks he can help her not become like he did? Even antagonists need friends. You need that connection. That sense of belonging.
This isn’t about romance. This is about friendship and wanting to develop a sense of belonging. I’m sorry, I just don’t see any romantic spark between these two. If something were to happen romantically, it would’ve happened at the end of this episode. And if something romantic had happened, we would’ve gotten to see something of it, right? That’s just not how one fades to black on romance. There’s nothing wrong with a man and a woman being just friends. Yes, Lucy and Flynn are beginning to develop a nice connection, but it’s not a connection that’s had a romantic feel to it. As for if I trust Flynn? I’m starting to. I feel like, at this point, he needs to do more to prove his loyalty to the Time Team and develop a sense of trust. But it’s definitely something that’s possible, which isn’t something I would’ve said in the season premiere. But never forget why Flynn is here in the first place: His family. If Rittenhouse were to give him the opportunity to get his family back, I have no doubt he’d betray them all in order to do so.
Lizzie: I’ve enjoyed this dynamic a lot – way more than I ever expected it to, to be quite honest. It’s taken me a while to truly warm up to Flynn, but I’m a fan now. I, however, don’t think this is romantic at all. I think it’s almost like siblings, and there’s a shared something there, I wouldn’t say trust, not yet, but at least understanding. They both know what it’s like to lose people.
As for whether I trust Flynn, the answer is no. We’d be silly to. Getting his family back is his #1 priority. Nothing more, nothing less.
4. Wyatt’s character arc seems to be progressing in the expected ways – as he’s not faced with the realization that, in so many ways, he’s lost Lucy. What’s the next step for Wyatt? How does he “figure this out”? And how would you like to see that unfold?
Funmbi: It was interesting that this week, Wyatt was separated from the rest of the team to go on his own mission. With that said, Lucy is very much on his mind the whole time, from demanding that Flynn protect the team while in the 1930s, to coming face to face with Lucy’s mother. By the end of the episode, Wyatt does come to the realization that Lucy won’t wait for him, whatever that means. At the same time, it’s so obvious that Wyatt wants Lucy to fight for him. He wants them to be able to joke and talk like they used to; he wants her to want to spend time with him. But that’s not how Lucy rolls. I don’t know what’s next for Wyatt. I see him getting increasingly frustrated with Lucy, especially if her relationship with Flynn deepens. But that might be the catalyst for Wyatt to realize that he can’t be without Lucy. Yeah, it’s going to hurt.
Alyssa: Honestly, I feel like the way Wyatt’s behaving is on point with the person that he is when he’s with Jessica versus the person he is when he’s with Lucy. This entire situation is messed up: Wyatt tortured himself in his own guilt for years before discovering that not only could he move forward without tarnishing Jessica’s memory, but he could fall in love again. Just when he’s beginning to start anew with Lucy, former dead wife is not so dead anymore. Wyatt going back to Jessica — and Lucy encouraging him to do so — is on point with his character. If he hadn’t tried to make things work with Jessica, we’d be all over him because we know the honorable and caring man that Wyatt is. But, as we’ve seen, there are two different Wyatt Logans. The first Wyatt Logan is the Wyatt when he’s with Lucy, where he’s centered, at ease, and sensible. The second Wyatt is the Wyatt that’s impulsive, unbalanced, and lacks sense. So Wyatt’s behavior at present, given he’s with Jessica yet still pulled towards Lucy, makes sense. Doesn’t mean that it’s right or that Wyatt isn’t an idiot. But it makes sense.
I feel like this last episode was the first time that Wyatt actually realized that he’s lost Lucy. There was a part of him that’s wanted it all: He wanted to honor Jessica and make it work with her while also hoping that things between him and Lucy could go back to the way it used to be. But it can’t. And Wyatt would know that if he wasn’t that second Wyatt that lacks sense. As for what Wyatt’s next steps should be to do something about losing Lucy? I think it’s pretty obvious: He needs to make a choice. This dawning realization was what needed to happen in order for Wyatt to understand that no, he can’t have it all. He needs to decide where he sees his future. Is it with Lucy? Or Jessica? But there also needs to be a conversation — not only does he need to make a choice, but he needs to verbalize his feelings because honestly Lucy has no idea.
Lizzie: I don’t like to repeat myself and I already talked about this in my review, but Wyatt’s gotta go from oh I want to still be close to Lucy to I want to be more than her friend and before that, he’s gotta figure out his feelings for Jessica. I think they need just an honest conversation to start him on that path, one where she can express her frustrations and her feelings and he can take them in. And then, I think he’s gotta take a hard look at what he had with Lucy and the “possibilities” there and what he has with Jessica and the “possibilities” there.
What I would like is for Wyatt to do all of this before external factors force him to. I want him to decide because he loves Lucy more, not just because it turns out Jessica is evil or something. That’s the most important part.
5. Lucy’s finally asking for what she wants – which in this case is space from Wyatt and a drink or two with a friend. What are your feelings about her journey and where do you think she goes next?
Funmbi: I adore Lucy, so much. Despite her personal pain (her mom, losing Amy, Wyatt…), Lucy is dedicated to this mission of stopping Rittenhouse and dedicates her whole self to it. Similarly, Lucy genuinely wants Wyatt to be happy. She repeatedly puts his relationship with Jessica first, despite what she wants for herself. But it’s true that Lucy knows she needs to be someone’s choice. This is part of why I think she opens up to Flynn. Flynn is seemingly upfront about his desire to get to know her. He acknowledges Lucy’s pain, shares his own experiences with her, and offers Lucy some emotional support. If she wants to reminisce, fine. If Lucy would rather drink and watch old movies, Flynn is here for that, too. I just want Lucy to be happy. I want her to be confident in her own self-worth. Yes, I want her with Wyatt, but I will never begrudge her finding friendship, etc. elsewhere.
Alyssa: If I was Lucy I’d do the same thing. Lucy has endured so much personal turmoil this season that the girl deserves space and comfort from a friend. She’s a grown woman that can whatever the hell she wants. Lucy has handled this situation with so much selflessness and humility that she deserves space from a painful situation like this. You can tell that Lucy has wanted to verbalize her desire for space from Wyatt, but I was proud as hell when she was able to tell him. When Wyatt came to her and expected her to open up to him like old times, like nothing had happened, like everything was the same, Lucy shut that down immediately. Likewise, Lucy going to Flynn with a bottle of vodka was something that Lucy needed. She needs a friend right now. Wyatt is off limits, obviously. Rufus and Jiya are distracted. So having spent more time with Flynn and feeling a kind of kindred spirit, Lucy decides to lean on Flynn for support. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Lizzie: Girl, I’m with you, Lucy. I would probably act the exact same way. And I’m glad you’re getting to a place where you can ask for what you want, because this is the important part of your journey. It’s not about Wyatt or the relationship but about how you can grow from this, and then maybe, in the future, you can work on repairing that relationship. But now you need to work on you.
6. Describe your reaction to that cringe-worthy Rufus/Wyatt joke with one gif:
Funmbi:
Alyssa:
Lizzie:
7. Jiya’s vision of the future spells trouble for Rufus. How do you think this plays out – not just for Rufus and Jiya, but for their relationship. Speculate a little about where this storyline is going.
Funmbi: So, in the roundtable for “The Salem Witch Hunt” I was super critical of Rufus’ request that Jiya keep her visions to herself. How could he be so unsupportive?! But now that Jiya has seen Rufus’ death and told him… well, maybe I jumped the gun in my criticism. OK, I realize my hypocrisy here, but OMG, no one should know the details of their own death like that! At the same time, it would be a lot of pressure for Jiya to have this knowledge and keep it to herself. You see her struggling with it during the entire episode. Well, you know how they say knowledge is power. Hopefully, this can be an opportunity for Rufus and Jiya to come together and brainstorm about how to save him, especially if we can get more details about the cause of these visions. I also hope this brings them closer together, rather than pushing them apart. It’s so clear that Rufus and Jiya love each other. Listen here Timeless Writers’ Room: Rufus *cannot* die!
Alyssa: I feel like when — when not if — Timeless heads into its third season that there needs to a progression in the time travel aspect of this show. While right now you can only travel to the past — to a timeline where you don’t exist — I feel like there’s got to be some kind of progression where our Time Team breaks those time travel rules. And what better way to break those time travel rules than to save a family member? I could see Rufus dying and the Time Team saying, “F**k it,” and deciding to go back and save Rufus. It’s almost expected when it comes to time travel shows that the people doing the time traveling are going to f**k up at some point and mess something up. Season 3 — or the end of season 2 — feels like a natural fit for that. As for how it affects Rufus and Jiya, I feel like at present unless they have a conversation with each other about what’s happening that things are going to get worse, where we could stay seeing more verbal outbursts. They need to talk this through. Jiya wants to, but Rufus is avoiding it at all costs. Rufus needs a wake-up call. Now.
Lizzie: I obviously don’t think Rufus dies, and I don’t think Jiya dies. I think they figure out a way – the way they do everything in this show, as a team. What is that way? I don’t know, but what’s even the point of having visions if you can’t change anything? That’s not how visions work!
As for the relationship, I think they come out stronger for it, I really do. It’s just going to take a while. And Rufus getting his head out of his ass.
8. Connor Mason finally got a chance to shine, and boy, did he. How are your Mason feelings? Has he grown on you? What do you think he adds to the dynamics in the bunker?
Funmbi: Connor Mason deserved this time to shine, and shine he did! This has not been a good time for him. Remember how, in “The Darlington 500” Agent Christopher had Connor escorted out of an international conference like a damn criminal?! So embarrassing. And he started the episode in a similarly low place, on the brink of losing his company. Connor was feeling despondent, rudderless… and then the chance to go to 1930s San Antonio changed the game. As Lando Calrissian (*giggles*), Connor was able to meet his heroes and have his sense of inspiration and awe rejuvenated. But even better, Connor was able to play a significant role in literally saving American history. This had to restore his confidence, especially when he returned to 2018 and saw that his contribution was enshrined in time–Connor is that “YEAH!” on the track, plus, Lando got an album credit. Connor has grown on me, although, I’m still suspicious of him. Remember how he has known this whole time why Jiya is having visions, but didn’t tell anybody? I believe that Connor loves Rufus and if growing to care for the other members of the Time Team. But what other secrets is he keeping?
Alyssa: One of my favorite things about Timeless is this wonderful ensemble cast of characters and how each of them gets a chance to shine. I loved this episode so much because it opened me up to the person that Connor Mason is. Mason was the character I felt least connected to on this show — the one that I wouldn’t mind if something happened to him — because I didn’t know him. We didn’t know much about Mason other than he was hyper focused on being a successful millionaire. This episode allowed us to see a beautiful evolution with Mason, one that made him a compelling character that I actually began to care about. We saw Mason hit rock bottom and we saw how, with some encouragement from Rufus, decided to keep fighting for his life and rise to the occasion. It was beautiful. For the first time, I saw a little bit of myself in him and it was endearing. While a lot of the focus is on what happens during these missions, it’s easy to forget people like Mason and Jiya that are making things work on the other end. If not for them, these missions wouldn’t be possible. It’s another thing I love about this show: That each character adds something unique and important to this show and this team.
Lizzie: Before this episode, if you’d asked me if I needed a Connor Mason episode, I would have said no. But now? Now I’m so glad we got it. This show has done an amazing job of making us care for all the people at the bunker, and I’m afraid that is because they’re planning to take one of them away, but for now, I’m happy they’ve done it. Good writing makes me happy.
9. Wyatt could not pull the trigger when faced with Carol Preston, to the shock of no one. Do you think this comes back to bite him in the ass or do you think Carol has a role to play in the taking down Rittenhouse storyline? Does she get a redemption?
Funmbi: You are absolutely right… there is NO way Wyatt would have been able to shoot Carol, despite Agent Christopher’s order. I don’t know how much Carol knows about Lucy’s relationship with Wyatt, but she definitely notices his extreme ambivalence in that moment. This is NOT information that Carol should have because she can and will use this to manipulate the situation. I wouldn’t put it past her to kidnap Wyatt, just like she did with Agent Christopher, and try to convince him to keep Lucy locked away. Carol might use her knowledge of Wyatt’s feelings and Lucy’s pain in order to lure her back to Team Rittenhouse. Or, there might be an opportunity for redemption. Carol really doesn’t want Nicholas/Emma to kill Lucy, so I could see her slowly sabotaging Rittenhouse from the inside. Perhaps, Wyatt could be a potential ally in that endeavor?
Alyssa: The thing I keep coming back to with this scene is the beauty in the man that Wyatt has become because of Lucy. When faced with shooting Carol Preston, a prominent figure in Rittenhouse, Wyatt the Soldier takes the shot. But Wyatt the man that loves Lucy does not. Because despite the mess of the situation with Jessica, Wyatt would never want to purposely hurt Lucy. And that had to be in the back of his mind — hurting Lucy again — as he was faced with shooting Carol. Based on everything Timeless is showing us, they’re setting Carol Preston up for some kind of redemption arc. The kind of redemption arc that will most likely end with her sacrificing her life for Lucy. Though this could most assuredly come back to bite Wyatt in the ass because of him not telling Lucy or the implications of Carol or Rittenhouse doing something that affects the team in a profound way.
Lizzie: I never thought Wyatt was going to pull the trigger. Come on, Wyatt I think with my heart Logan? No way he pulls the trigger. And I think, on the long run, that’s going to turn out to be the right decision. Not because I think Carol can redeem herself completely, but because I think she loves Lucy enough to, maybe, make one final sacrifice that’ll help our team finally defeat Rittenhouse. Morally complex till the end.
10. Music was central to this episode – so how can we not ask a music question. Choose one song to describe your feelings about “The King of the Delta Blues.”
Funmbi: “Give Me One Reason” by Tracy Chapman
(For my Lyatt feels, as well as my Blues/Rock/Robert Johnson feels.)
Alyssa: “Cross Road Blues” by Robert Johnson
(Seems appropriate for all characters involved.)
Lizzie: “Love in Vain” by Robert Johnson
(I had to.)
