Reckoning with Jason Herbert Episode 190: Timecop with John Wyatt Greenlee and Robert Greene II
What if time travel wasn’t about discovery—but control?
In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, we dive into the 1994 sci-fi action film Timecop—a quintessential 90s blockbuster starring Jean-Claude Van Damme that blends time travel, political corruption, and high-octane action into something far more revealing than it first appears.
Joining me are Reckoning stalwarts and my great friends, historians Robert Greene II and John Wyatt Greenlee. Together, we explore what Timecop tells us about the 1990s—an era shaped by anxieties over government power, deregulation, and the growing sense that the past itself could be weaponized.
We talk about:
- How Timecop reflects 90s fears of political corruption and unchecked authority
- The idea of “policing time” and who gets to control history
- Where Van Damme fits in the action hero pantheon
- Why a film built on spectacle still raises meaningful historical questions
This episode is part of our ongoing Historians At The Movies series, where we use film as a lens to think more deeply about history, culture, and the stories we tell ourselves about both.
🎧 If you enjoy conversations that bring together history, film, and sharp cultural insight, make sure to follow, rate, and review the show on Apple Podcasts—it helps more people find the conversation.