Timeless (TV Series)

The Murder of Jesse James (2017)

Malcolm Barrett: Rufus Carlin

Photos 

Quotes 

• Rufus Carlin : So this U.S. Marshal's the guy that the Lone Ranger's based off of?

  Lucy Preston : That's what they say. Bass Reeves was responsible for over 3,000 arrests in his career. Arguably the best lawman in the Old West.

  Rufus Carlin : If he's that good, why doesn't the town come to him for help?

  [Seeing Bass Reeves for the first time] 

  Rufus Carlin : The Lone Ranger is black? That's... awesome!

• Grant Johnson : I'm Grant Johnson. Who the hell are you? Hey, Bass?

  Bass Reeves : Yeah?

  Grant Johnson : Who in the hell are they?

  Bass Reeves : Righteous townfolk who aim to bring down a criminal element.

  Grant Johnson : Townfolk?

  Wyatt Logan : [Whispering to Rufus]  Hey, I think he's Tonto.

  Grant Johnson : The hell'd you just say? Hey, Bass.

  Bass Reeves : Yeah?

  Grant Johnson : This one just called me a fool. Trying to hide it in Spanish.

  Bass Reeves : Maybe he's onto something.

  Rufus Carlin : [to Wyatt]  Tonto means fool in Spanish.

  Wyatt Logan : [to Rufus]  I know what it means.

  Rufus Carlin : Whoever wrote "The Lone Ranger" sucks.

  Wyatt Logan : I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... I'm Wyatt.

  Rufus Carlin : Rufus.

  Bass Reeves : Grant, you want to come in here so I can tell you what for?

  Grant Johnson : Yeah, yeah.

  Rufus Carlin : [to Wyatt]  Dude, we're in a posse with the Lone Ranger.

• Rufus Carlin : The West is a lot different than I thought it would be. A lot more cold sores. Why is everybody lookin' at us like they want to kill us?

  Bass Reeves : Because the two of us are black and one's Indian.

  Rufus Carlin : So it's like the scary version of "Blazing Saddles".

• Rufus Carlin : So we're gonna track James, right? Follow his horse's hoof prints, stuff like that?

  Grant Johnson : Yes, and the broken twigs and the scent of the wind. The spirits will guide us.

  Rufus Carlin : Really?

  Grant Johnson : No, not really. We're gonna interview witnesses and find out where they went because that's what we do. We're lawmen.

  [to both Rufus and Wyatt] 

  Grant Johnson : Tontos.

• Rufus Carlin : Can I ask you a question? It bother you that not long ago you were in bondage, and now here you are, fighting so hard for your old masters' law?

  Bass Reeves : Law ain't perfect, but it's all we got. If we ain't got that, we ain't got nothing.

• Rufus Carlin : Dude, we're in a posse with the Lone Ranger.

  Wyatt Logan : Yeah, well, don't get too excited. They're not gonna be happy with us when this is all over.

  Rufus Carlin : What does that mean?

  Wyatt Logan : We're not gonna let 'em arrest Jesse James. I'm gonna shoot him myself.

  [seeing his expression] 

  Wyatt Logan : What?

  Rufus Carlin : Well, one, you gave Bass your word, and two, does the casualness with which we talk about murder ever bother you?

  Wyatt Logan : It's not murder.

  Rufus Carlin : What is it?

  Wyatt Logan : It's stopping a bad guy from hurting good people. And no, it doesn't bother me.

• Town Reporter : Uh, Marshall Reeves? I'm with the "Missouri Star". We got word that a posse led by you just brought Jesse James to justice. Is that true?

  Bass Reeves : No, it ain't.

  Rufus Carlin : Hey Bass, Bass, you should talk to him. Wait, you should talk to a lot of reporters.

  Bass Reeves : Why?

  Rufus Carlin : Because if you don't tell your story, someone else might... some white dick in a mask might end up the legend instead of you. People are gonna want to know your story. Today, tomorrow, maybe even a hundred years from now.

  Bass Reeves : I'm not doing this for them.

• Connor Mason : What did you think would happen? That you'd get on your proud little soap box, make a speech and they'd just slink away into the darkness?

  Rufus Carlin : Please don't do this.

  Connor Mason : You asked me to pick a side. Well, I did. Now I suggest you reconsider your allegiances, because once she's trained, you become expendable.

• Denise Christopher : April 3, 1882.

  Lucy Preston : It's the day that Jesse James died.

  Wyatt Logan : Check it out, Rufus.

  Lucy Preston : He was planning a robbery with Robert and Charles Ford. They're members of his gang. What he didn't know was that they had already made a deal with the governor to double-cross him for the reward money. And when they got the drop on him, they shot him in back while he was dusting a painting. I always remembered that detail.

  Rufus Carlin : So, why's Flynn want Jesse James? Great psychos think alike?

  Denise Christopher : Well, there's only one way to find out. Off you go, cowboys.