Timeless thread...

[Banjo]

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/timeless/timeless-review-how-does-the-n-61434.aspx

In the episode where they go to Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7th, I saw a very brief scene in the trailer that might be inaccurate, involving airplanes of course. If the scene is the same in the episode I will alert you !

[Berry]

I liked the first episode very much.

[BoardMomma]

I enjoyed it too. Craig was hoping more for Stargate revisited but I do think he will warm up to it. I think it will be a big hit.

[Berry]

Yes, but I don't know it I love or want to kill soldier boy who is obviously not down with the "we mustn't change history" part of the journey's . The end of the first eppie was a big surprise to me...and bodes well for more of the same going forward.

[Banjo]

Pretty good so far. Of course there were several anomalies, some noticeable to normal people and some noticeable mostly to geeks.    


So.....when they first arrive in 1937, in the unspecified town in NJ, Abigail first notices a '30s vintage Rolls Royce, which I suppose was meant to represent that era. While we can't categorically deny that a Rolls Royce wouldn't be seen in that time and place at least we can assume that in the depths of the Depression someone is doing okay.

Then in the brief scene of all the cars parked along the curb, nose in, as was common then in most towns, nice attention to detail, we are struck by the anomaly of a 1915-1920 vintage Model T Ford in the row of cars. Again, we can't deny that it was possible for someone to be driving that vintage and model in NJ in 1937, but it was so unlikely that it just leaped off the screen. You have to wonder what the props manager was thinking....? Of course the many Model A Fords in the  scene were quite correct for that time and place, as well as the one '36 convertible. Although a convertible would have been unusual in NJ in '37 and anyone who bought a convertible back then always had an air of irresponsibility or 'playboy' image following them.

The scenes of the Hindenburg blowing up were well done. The cause as depicted by the static spark when the crewman touched the framework was bogus in that extensive research over the years has concluded that the most likely cause was that the "dope" (acetate based liquid used to seal and protect fabric covering on aircraft for many years and still used by model aircraft builders, I have several jars) on top of the bag just in front of the top vertical fin, caught fire from static and burned through the envelope and ignited the Hydrogen. The flames in the newsreel can be seen starting in the upper rear.

Although they did have Herbert Morrison utter the famous ,"Oh the humanity",  they couldn't reproduce his whole report for time reasons, and probably 1% of the viewers even knew where the phrase came from.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Morrison_(announcer)

All the structures in the Hydrogen filled airships that the Germans built in that era (they couldn't use non-inflammable Helium because the U.S. had a monopoly on it and wouldn't sell it to anyone else. ) were made of non-ferrous materials to minimize the chances of static electricity. The silverware was aluminum, all carpets, upholstery, bedding,   made from non-static materials, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LZ_129_Hindenburg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium



Yes, it did seem odd that after being warned to not do anything that might change history the Delta Force guy shoots the crewman without hesitation.

If the bomb was made in the present and carried back to '37 then it looked awfully 'clunky', like it was designed and built in '37, which seems unlikely especially since the digital readouts used technology not invented until the 60's, pre-LEDS, but the name escapes me at the moment. It could have been made with one stick of C-4, all in a small tube with an integrated timer, no external wires, etc. , of course the 'hero' always has to have a wire to cut in those types of bomb disabling scenes.

We are told that Rockefeller, Bradly, and Sikorsky, were all on the outbound flight back to Europe, so presumably they all survived the crash....?    A minor point: Sikorsky didn't 'invent' the helicopter as stated, but he was the first to design and build one that had actual flight controls that enabled it to be controlled in all three flight axis predictably although the Germans did build the Focke-Wulf Fw61 earlier that could be controlled in all three flight axis but it was tricky and unpredictable in less than calm conditions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focke-Wulf_Fw_61

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igor_Sikorsky

The time machine itself was interesting. Since Goran took the new one and the crew had to use the old prototype, and they both 'took off' from the same launch cradle in the lab, what happens if he comes back to the present with the new machine while the cradle is occupied by the old machine ? Of course he's not likely to come back since the premise seems to be that he roams through the past with the new machine while the crew chases him. The air displacement that occurred when the machine left or arrived was a nice touch and often overlooked as an 'effect', and there are conservation of energy considerations to be realized although they couldn't get into a physics lesson about it understandably.

Then the ending was a surprise, Abigail's  mother is still alive, her daughter doesn't exist, etc.  What was changed in '37 that could have resulted in such big effects ?

A good casting choice. I liked her best in "Burning Love".

http://www.nbc.com/timeless/credits/character/lucy-preston



So the series will provide plenty of opportunity for geeks and history buffs (often the same people ) to critique and comment. You have been warned.....

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