A montage of news reports reveals more divergences in the timeline: Ronald Reagan succeeds Ted Kennedy as president in 1976, the Soviets launch a new class of rockets (the N-3), NASA launches a Mars Rover in the late 1970s, the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt never happen, Roman Polanski is arrested fleeing the United States, the Soviets decide to not invade Afghanistan, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident is averted, the American hostages in Iran are rescued after 92 days, the US government declines to bail out the nearly bankrupt Chrysler Corporation, the "Miracle on Ice" never happens and the Soviet hockey team defeats the US at the 1980 Winter Olympics, John Lennon survives the shooting by a crazed fan, Egyptian president Anwar Sadat survives his assassination attempt and Pope John Paul II does not survive his, and Prince Charles marries Camilla Parker Bowles instead of Diana Spencer.
In the alternate history, Ronald Reagan became the 39th President in 1976, the Soviet Union does not invade Afghanistan in 1979, John Lennon avoids being shot in 1980 and Pope John Paul II is assassinated in 1981.
This episode takes place from May 20 to May 21, 1983.
This picks up 10 years after the events of the first season.