One of these is timeless, the other is a show called "Timeless"

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I love the idea of time travel.

I spend tons of time thinking about how it could work, what the paradoxes are, how it would affect the world we live in. It fascinates me. I mean, who wouldn’t want to know the future or change the past?

Time is the one thing we all fall victim to. Learning how to master it would mean we are truly masters of our own destiny, and not just some charged up stardust drinking lattes and pumping out progeny that will one day disdain us.

So my first thought when getting into a time travel show is always “how bad are they going to screw this up.” The whole notion of time travel has so many logical pitfalls that writing a plot based around the idea is often disastrous.

In Back to the Future, why didn’t Marty McFly disappear immediately when screwing up his parent’s relationship? In Terminator, wouldn’t their future be completely altered as soon as the first terminator went back, not giving the humans the chance to send back their own champion?

Alternate times-lines aside, this stuff keeps me up at night. So by way of review, and as an homage to my love of the concept, I’ve decided to pit two new-ish time travel shows against each other.

Both shows are based on the exact same premise: organizations are sending people through time in order to stop terrorist attacks. One of them is a gritty, gripping mind-fuck of a movie that leaves your head twisted in ways you didn’t think possible. The other is a meandering episodic that doesn’t take itself, or its viewers, too seriously.

Timeless? Not so much…

Created by veteran sci-fi writer Eric Kripke (Supernatural) and veteran cop-drama writer Shawn Ryan (The Shield), Timeless will wrap up its first season on February 13.

The show stars Abigail Spencer (Mad Men, Rectify) as the bumbling history professor Lucy Preston. She’s backed up by Matt Lanter (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) as military-fighter-guy trope Wyatt Logan, and Malcom Barrett (Better off Ted) as science-guy trope Rufus Carlin.

One should expect a lot from a pair of powerhouse writers like these. The Shield was an excellent show with fantastic writing, and the years that Kripke wrote Supernatural were some of its best. I figure if you’re trying to make a sci-fi show based on fighting crime, these two would be great choices.

That isn’t the case.

The writing is the worst thing about the show. The plot barely makes sense. They seem to be ignoring all of the logical consequences of time travel. And the characters motivations rarely add up.

In the first episode, Lanter’s character, an “elite” soldier (the kind of man the government would send back in time to protect the future of the planet) shoots an unarmed henchman four times in the chest because he was running at him. Now trigger-happiness could be a valid character flaw in Lanter’s character, but that doesn’t turn out to be the case. It was simply a product of lazy writing. Never mind this henchman could have provided valuable information, and that he wasn’t a threat, we’ll just kill him. Because if we took him in then we might have to actually craft a meaningful plot around this turd.

However “Timeless” isn’t without its merits. Spencer does a good job with her character, endearing herself to audiences with her bumbling demeanor. Physical comedy can be incredibly hard to pull off convincingly, buy she does it with aplomb. Aside from that the characters are all one dimensional. You’ve seen them before in one capacity or another. The soldier with the rough and tumble exterior, tormented by his past. The socially awkward scientist. The timid female lead who learns how to stand up for herself. Blahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. **These half-baked tropes are just another example of lazy, unoriginal writing.**

I mean they technically don’t even have to think up scenarios for the characters. They just plop them into significant moments in (American) history, and then ride those moments for the sense of wonder and importance they already hold.

Although there is something cool about “experiencing” those significant times in history. The weight of their significance goes a long way to making the show (barely) watchable. It’s heartbreaking to see Lincoln shot. It triumphant when we beat the Nazis. But this isn’t because the writers made it so. It’s because those moments already feel that way, and they take advantage of that.

They do get points in the humour department. Timeless has its tongue pressed firmly into its cheek most of the time, and when it comes to "campyness" few people have done it better than Kripke. Supernatural is rife with camp. And Like the running gag where the time travellers always identify themselves as famous people from modern history. For example, in the first episode they introduce themselves as Dr. Dre and Nurse Jackie from General Hospital, to a 1930’s military commander. It gave me a good chuckle.

Overall, if you don’t need your time travel shows to have a coherent plot (what butterfly effect?), if you don’t mind mediocre acting and lazy writing, and if you just love campiness, than this show might be worth a watch for you. For me, I’d rather reserve my unidirectional time for things like the following.

You are predetermined to love this movie.

What’s that old saying about people always telling you when you’re wrong but not when you’re right?

It fits here. I’ve just spent almost a thousands words bitching about a show that you probably shouldn’t watch. Now I’m going to spend far less telling you about a movie you really, really should.

Part of the reason for not going on and on is because this movie is so intricate, its twisted plot so sound, giving away too much would spoil your experience.

Instead I will try to express how worthwhile this movie is in broader terms.

Released in 2014, Predestination flew under the radar for a lot of people. It was written and directed by Micheal and Peter Spierig, twin brothers born in Germany and living in Australia. While the duo have won accolades for the work they’ve done down under, they haven’t made much of a splash on this side of the pond.

Which is unfortunate. Because Predestination is one of the most well-thought out time-travel plots I’ve ever experienced. It’s easily on par with movies like 12 Monkeys and Looper, both works that are purely original in premise while honouring the complex concept of time travel.

And like both of those movies, Predestination boasts some exemplary acting. Veteran actor Ethan Hawk (Boyhood, Training Day) stars alongside rising star Sarah Snook (Steve Jobs). In both cases the acting leaves little to be desired. Their actions and reactions are compelling, well fleshed out, and cathartic. Which isn’t an easy feat considering how damn complex their characters are. But take my word for it, by the end of the film you’ll be having a lot of “ahhhh ha” moments, as you realize what’s really been driving the performances.

The only caveat I offer is that you cannot, cannot stop watching this movie. Do not turn your head away for a second. If you’re going to get the most out of this flick, it’ll have to be with every ounce of attention you can give it. The plot is so beautifully intricate that anything less might leave you coming away and scratching your head. I mean, you’re going to be doing that anyway. But trust me on this, your attention will be rewarded. This time in the form of a million synapse firing all at once, trying to figure out what the hell just happened, and why it made sense.

Conclusion

Putting these two side by side might be a bit unfair. They really don’t have anything in common, outside the fact they use time travel as a premise. But if you read my last review, you know I hate when producers make half-ass attempts at sci-fi because they know that certain people will eat it up. And I hope you’re with me in demanding more from those who do. By placing the masterwork Predestination beside the busywork Timeless, I hope to have opened your eyes to the fact that there is objectively better science fiction out there. Even though Timeless is meant to be lighthearted and funny, it doesn’t mean it has to be lazy. I’d love to see a show like it that actually gives its audiences a little credit. Until then, this comparison will have to do.

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