Frequency (2000) & See You Yesterday (2019): Messages Through Time | EP12

Changing the Past.

In this episode of Journey Through Sci-Fi, we continue our journey through the time travel subgenre by exploring one of its most emotionally powerful ideas: the chance to change the past.

Both Frequency (2000) and See You Yesterday (2019) revolve around characters who discover a way to communicate with — or travel to — another moment in time in the hope of saving someone they love.

First we discuss Frequency, the sci-fi thriller about a police detective who discovers he can communicate with his father through a ham radio that somehow connects 1999 with 1969 during a rare atmospheric event. Together they attempt to prevent the tragedy that originally separated them.

Then we explore See You Yesterday, the Netflix sci-fi film about two teenage science prodigies who invent time-travel backpacks. When one of their family members is killed by a police officer, they repeatedly travel back in time in an attempt to prevent the tragedy.

Together these films explore how time travel stories often centre on one simple human wish:

If we could go back in time, could we save the people we lost?

Because here on Journey Through Sci-Fi, we explore the history of science-fiction cinema one subgenre at a time.

Listen to the full episode below:

What We Discuss In This Episode

In this episode we talk about:

• Time travel as a way of correcting past tragedies

• The father-son relationship at the heart of Frequency

• The social and political themes in See You Yesterday

• The butterfly effect and unintended timeline changes

• Why time travel stories often revolve around grief and regret

Frequency (2000) – Talking Across Time

Directed by Gregory Hoblit, Frequency tells the story of John Sullivan, a New York police detective who discovers his late father’s old ham radio.

During a rare aurora borealis event, the radio allows John to communicate with his father Frank, who is speaking from the year 1969.

By warning Frank about the fire that originally killed him, John manages to save his father’s life — but altering the past creates unexpected changes in the present.

The film blends science fiction with crime thriller elements as father and son work together across time to fix the consequences of their actions.

See You Yesterday (2019) – Time Travel and Social Reality

Released nearly twenty years later, See You Yesterday takes a very different approach to time travel.

The film follows teenage science prodigy C.J. Walker, who builds a homemade time machine with her best friend. When her brother is killed by a police officer, she repeatedly travels back in time to try to prevent the tragedy.

However, each attempt to change events leads to new complications, demonstrating the unpredictable consequences of altering the timeline.

Produced by Spike Lee, the film blends science-fiction ideas with contemporary social themes, showing how time travel can be used to explore real-world issues.

The Desire to Change the Past

Both Frequency and See You Yesterday highlight a powerful emotional core within time-travel stories.

At their heart, these films aren’t just about technology or paradox.

They’re about the universal desire to undo tragedy and rewrite history.

But as science fiction often reminds us, changing the past rarely comes without consequences.

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 Explore more Journey Through Sci-fi series

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 About Journey Through Sci-Fi

Journey Through Sci-Fi is a podcast exploring the strange, visionary and world-changing history of science-fiction cinema.

Each series focuses on a different sci-fi subgenre, examining the films and ideas that shaped the genre - from classic cinema to modern science-fiction storytelling