Well Clockblockers, the news isn't good. Optimism for the #SaveTimeless campaign were high after seeing The Expanse and then Lucifer both get saved by streaming services. Unfortunately, the news doesn't look as good for Timeless according to one of the Showrunners Shawn Ryan. Here's what he had to say on Twitter:
1. @SPTV has notified @TheRealKripke and me that efforts to land #Timeless at another network have sadly failed. While Sony will continue to look at any and all options, actor deals have expired and it appears there will be no Season 3 or beyond.
— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyanTV) July 2, 2018
Ryan would go on to say that negotiations are still ongoing for a 2 hour movie to wrap up the cliffhanger from Season 2, but hope seems to be getting more and more dim as the days go on. So, does that mean that we should just let go and start the healing process? I'm not sure that we have reached that point quite yet. What if there was still a way for the show to live on, in a much more cost effective manner, and still get the conclusion that we want? This has happened before, and it involved some of the same creators.
You may remember the other Timeless Showrunner, Eric Kripke, was also part of a show called Revolution that was ALSO on NBC. The show was on the bubble after Season 1, but was able to get a Season 2, only to end on a cliffhanger and not receive a 3rd season. To give fans what they deserved, the creative team and some of the writers created a Revolution digital comic book series back in 2015. The series was published by DC Comics, but only ran for four issues.
Before you say "that's not good enough", hear me out for a moment. It's possible that there are quite a few Timeless fans that aren't familiar with what is going on in comic books right now. The depth of story telling and incredible art would suit Timeless VERY well. I know you might be concerned about being able to capture the chemistry of the time team, but here is another bit of good news. The Revolution comic book was written by two members of the writers room from the show. It's possible that, given their passion for the show and respect for the fans, that Ryan and Kripke could take on the writing duties themselves. Here's another thought: some of the cast members of the Syfy series Wynonna Earp have actually helped to write some comic books related to their characters as well. Even Malcolm Barrett, Rufus himself, has a poetry background and is no stranger to the written word.
So, let me ask...why NOT do this? Not just because it may be the only option, but this could be a way for the story of Timeless to go on far past just a conclusion for a cliffhanger. Without major budgetary restrictions and having to worry about costuming costs, just think of all of the possibilities for where the Lifeboat could go. This could go far beyond (SPOILER ALERT) saving Rufus or stopping Rittenhouse. We want those things, but how about further exploring Jiya's story? What happens after Rittenhouse goes away? What about Garcia Flynn and getting his family back? A comic book series could explore all of these stories and even possibly "what if?" spinoff stories based on making different choices.
While DC Comics may not jump in to save the day again, there are plenty of publishers who could be a great fit. IDW Publishing has a number of licensed properties, and are even continuing the Orphan Black story in comics. They are also no strangers to handling time travel stories, and boast a stable of great talented writers and artists. Another option is Boom! Studios, while not handling as many licensed properties, does very well at bringing like Timeless to life and have a history of being able to capture a fun group dynamic similar to the one that exists in Timeless.
As a huge fan of the show myself, I KNOW that we deserve more. It's hard to understand why the show couldn't be given a limited run, and a 2 hour movie should be a no-brainer. Problem is, even after a movie, that still wouldn't be enough. Bringing Timeless to comic books not only makes sense, but could give us stories that would reach far beyond the shelf life of most television series. If given the choice between adapt or die, it may be time for Timeless fans to adapt and shift focus. We can still #SaveTimeless but it appears to be time to push in a different direction. Who's with me, Clockblockers?