Timeless
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Timeless is a sci-fi drama that stars a team of time-traveling experts who visit pivotal moments in history. Some of these moments are violent: People are shot, burned, and stabbed. However, most of these events are offered in historical context, and there's not a lot of blood and gore. Mild sexual innuendo includes occasional references to genitals, words like “hell” and “ass” are heard, and there's some drinking (beer, hard liquor). Social issues like racism, sexism, and others are highlighted throughout the series. There are lots of opportunities for families to start discussions about history and current events.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
A bit of insight into history for junior high students on up.
Makes History Exciting - Indiana Jones/Back to Future-ish
Really educational show!
What's the story?
TIMELESS is a science fiction series that mixes mystery with the physics of time travel and American history. When fugitive Garcia Flynn (Goran Visnjic) steals a top-secret time machine, history professor Lucy Preston (Abigail Spencer) is recruited along with former Delta Force operative Wyatt Logan (Matt Lanter) to travel back in time in another version of the machine to stop him from changing America's future by interfering with historically critical events. Scientist Rufus Carlin (Malcom Barrett), who helped program the machine, joins them on the top-secret mission. Their adventures are as secret and exciting as they are dangerous, but the trio knows that they must keep from tampering with the past too much, while doing everything they can to keep the reality they know intact.
Is it any good?
This fun story uses imagination, intrigue, and mystery to explore American history and the possibilities of science. Timeless successfully weaves together the suspense of a cat-and-mouse chase with details about (and recreations of) past events that have had had a major impact on how the United States has grown and changed. Lots of fictional characters and unsolved questions also drive the narrative forward.
Keeping track of the changes in the timelines, and how they each affect each cast member’s experience, is part of the fun. But it sometimes gets a little complicated, especially when the consequences of these changes aren't immediately evident. Nonetheless, it's a show that offers lots of entertainment for viewers who like a good journey through time and space, and fun for families who like a little bit of learning with their entertainment.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about how Timeless shows the past and how it affects the future. Do you think it will be possible to travel in time someday? If you had the chance to go back and change something in history, would you do it? What would the potential consequences be?
Families can talk about why it's important to learn and understand the events of the past. How do people move forward after terrible events? What can people learn from their past actions?
TV details
- Premiere date: October 3, 2016
- Cast: Abigail Spencer, Goran Visnjic, Matt Lanter
- Network: NBC
- Genre: Science Fiction
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Available on: DVD, Streaming
- Last updated: December 13, 2020
Our editors recommend
For kids who love history
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
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