‘Timeless’ episode 2 preview: ‘The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln’

As if the premiere of “Timeless” didn’t feature an iconic-enough moment in history, next week the show is figuring out a way to go even bigger and bolder in episode 2. After all, we’re going to be looking at none other than “The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln,” one of the most infamous events in history. (The quotes describe both the actual event, and also the title for the next episode.)

So why are they going to this era? Well, it has to do with Flynn’s decision to coerce the team into visiting this era, and then from there from there also collaborating with the man responsible for the great tragedy of the time. The synopsis below offers a little insight:

“Lucy (Abigail Spencer), Wyatt (Matt Lanter), and Rufus (Malcolm Barrett) chase terrorist Garcia Flynn (Goran Visnjic) to the night of Lincoln’s assassination, where they’re horrified to learn that Flynn’s linked up with history’s most notorious assassin, John Wilkes Booth (guest star Kelly Blatz). Putting aside a tragedy of her own, Lucy speculates that Flynn intends to send the fragile nation into chaos by making a bad thing worse, and a debate rages among the team: should they alter history if it means changing it for the better?”

This sort of debate should be in part what makes this show interesting; every person is intelligent, and in particular with someone like Lucy you have someone who knows and more than likely deeply admires the work of Lincoln as one of our country’s greatest leaders. Yet, with the knowledge should also come a sense of responsibility and understanding. In the event of changing history in the premiere, which in turn led to the loss of her sister, shouldn’t she realize in turn that any moment in history, no matter how significant, should be significantly altered with? Strangely, there could be worse things that come out of Lincoln living than him dying, if that is the source of said debate.