Saturday, January 7, 2017

Genealogy and TV: NBC's Timeless: Episode 10 - Arnold & Rittenhouse

OK, I know the NBC's Timeless is about altering history, but there is a limit. I have watched a few episodes of the series. The Alamo was of special interest. Travis was killed by the bad guy to prevent the "liberty or death" letter from being written. Bowie was perfectly healthy for a man who was probably suffering from typhus or cholera. Crockett was pretty good.

The show has gone overboard with the angst of the trio of time travelers as they try to prevent the bad guy from altering history. There's a super villain [human or organization] called Rittenhouse, as well. One of the time travelers is supposed to be under R's control. The backstories are over riding the time travel adventures.

In episode 10, we have Benedict Arnold committing treason in 1780, as he did really do. BUT, Arnold takes our good and bad guys to meet Rittenhouse, who kills Arnold. Rittenhouse is the mastermind behind whatever Rittenhouse has become in 2016.

Rittenhouse is David Rittenhouse. DR was a patriot, mathematician, astronomer, clockmaker, friend of Ben Franklin and others. Read his bio, the guy was really something!

Here he is relegated to a demonic madman preparing to do something evil until the bad guy kills him.
DR's son John escapes and bad guy takes female time traveler hostage.

Now, the Arnold story line is a bit fanciful, but Rittenhouse?

I am descended from Wilhelm Rittenhouse, America's 1st papermaker and Mennonite bishop. He was David's great-grandfather. My line went to NJ. They were millers, farmers and inn keepers.

Rittenhouses all over the US should be ticked off at NBC for the "Evil Rittenhouse" story line. Maybe they needed a three syllable name that could sound ominous. Who knows? Turning a scientific genius and patriot into an evil mastermind? What goes?

Now the last time I regularly watched NBC was when Cosby, Family Ties, Cheers and Night Court dominated Thursday nights. Since then, Who Do You Think You Are? was NBC, right? NBC comedies and dramas have left me cold. NBC news is a whole other story.

I suggest the evil Rittenhouse organization be renamed Roddenhut, or some such made-up name and go from there. Maybe the "writers" failed US History?

Yes, I know it's fiction and history is supposed to be tweaked each episode, but cut those of us who like history a chance!

Maybe all three time travelers will wake up and find out they have been sharing the same dream!

 Back to genealogy and off the soapbox.....

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