Timeless Character Review: Wyatt Logan

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the television series Timeless. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the first two seasons.

There is something to be said about a well written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

In this series of weekly blog posts, I will examine character using the characters from Timeless to explore how writers can create fully dimensional, human characters that audiences and readers can relate to.

When one meets a member of the military, there is a certain expectation of who this person is. Especially if this person is male. On the battlefield, they are on the front lines, ready to fight. But when they return to civilian life, things are not as simple.

Wyatt Logan (Matt Lanter) is the brawn of the time team. Before traveling through time to save American history, he was part of the Delta Force. When it comes to battle, Wyatt is in his element. He has no problem stepping in and using force to keep the Lucy (Abigail Spencer) and Rufus (Malcolm Barrett) safe. But underneath that warrior shell is a deep personal loss that motivates Wyatt to fight.

Prior to joining the time team, Wyatt’s wife was murdered. He blamed himself and got lost in a haze of grief. Though he continued to put his marriage and his late wife on a pedestal, Wyatt revealed that their marriage was on shaky ground.

As Wyatt spent more time with Lucy and Rufus, he began to heal. He also fell in love with Lucy and she with him. But then, his wife was brought back to life and Wyatt was forced to make a choice. If that was not enough, his wife revealed that she worked for the enemy and everything in Wyatt’s world turned upside down once again.

To sum it up: Creating a character is about balance. Wyatt works as a character because he is both a bad ass soldier and a man dealing with complicated emotions. Both intertwine to create a character who is complicated, human and speaks to the audience.

Advertisement

Throwback Thursday-Pawn Stars (2009-Present)

Pawn shops don’t always have the best reputation. But sometimes, it’s the only option when one needs money fast.

The History Channel show, Pawn Stars, premiered in 2009 and has yet to leave the air. Set in the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas, the show follows Rick Harrison, his father Richard “Old Man” Harrison, his son Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison and employee Austin “Chumlee” Russell as they go about their job working at the pawn shop. Every episode, a customer will bring in something to sell or pawn. There is usually some haggling and if needed, bringing in an expert to confirm the price of the object. At this point, a deal is made or the customer walks out still carrying what they came in with.

Yes, Pawn Stars is a reality show. But, Pawn Stars is different. Not only does the viewer learn something about the object in question, but they also don’t feel brain dead by the end of the episode.

I recommend it.

 

House of Gold Book Review

There is an old Chinese proverb:

“May you live in interesting times”

Natasha Solomons’s new book, House of Gold starts a few years before World War I. The Goldbaum family is one of the wealthiest and most powerful Jewish families in Europe. Everyone within the family knows their place and their responsibilities. The men go into the family business. The women marry their cousins and produce the next generation of Goldbaums. The main character in House of Gold is Greta Goldbaum. A member of the Austrian branch of the family, Greta is independent and intelligent. She would love to live by her own rules, but she also knows that she is going to do her duty, one way or another.

She marries Albert, a distant cousin from English branch of the family. Like many arranged marriages, their relationship is slow to take off. When Greta is made mistress of the family garden, she begins to see that things are not so bad. She may even start to get to know her husband in the process.

Then war breaks out. World War I consumes all of the Europe. There is no amount of influence or money that can shield the Goldbaums from the horrors of war. As the war rages on, the family is torn apart and Greta must make a decision. She must choose the family she left in Austria or the new family she has come to love in England.

This book is amazing. While the beginning of the narrative is a little slow, it takes off about a third of the way in and does not let go until the very end. What hooked me most is the main character. While Greta is certainly a woman of her time, she is not one to automatically submit to her husband. She is intelligent, a little defiant when she needs to be, and has a backbone.

Another reviewer compared House of Gold to Downton Abbey. The comparison is spot on and this book is amazing.

I absolutely recommend it.