Rachel Nichols and the magic orange wedges.
Continuum is a
current show on Syfy that will enter its third season in April. I don’t aim to spoil that much about a show
that is still running, and to be completely honest I think I missed a few episodes
of the second season. In the interest of this nerdy blog, I feel I have to at least include something about a time travel show that is pretty interesting. The time travel is
interesting and the premise of a sci-fi drama where the protagonist just wants
to get home is very old school.
Keira
is a cop from 2077 that is projected back to 2012 against her will. Along with her came a bunch of
terrorist/freedom fighter types called Liber8 (blech) that planned the time
travel event at their execution for terrorist activity. Keira not only wants to get back home to her
son, she tries to round up Liber8 in 2012 with the Vancouver PD and keep them
from altering the future.
The
tech is cool. There are a few shows out
there with some cool ideas for future tech (Almost
Human) and this one is among the slickest.
Keira’s cop gear includes a type of switchblade/transformer laser
blaster and a slick cop cat-suit that does practically everything, including
invisibility. The thrust of the show is
the time travel itself, which, for the most part, all happened in the first episode. Episodes switch back and forth between the
future and modern day, and the nature of the time jump is a mystery. Was it an accident? Who is behind it? That type of crap. There are some nice action scenes and it is
refreshing to see one of the many show that are filmed in Vancouver actually take place in Vancouver.
It
is a deep cable show, so some concessions have to be made. There are some stale melodramatic moments for
sure, and the dialogue I a little laborious at times. But the weekly crime-solving and Kiera’s
quest to keep her secret are enough to keep you coming back. There is one wrinkle I find quite compelling,
and I hope they explore it more in the future.
(The show’s future, dude.) Kiera represented the technological police
state of the future and the escapees represent a type of domestic terrorist
freedom fighter group. It is not entirely clear to route for. She’s the obvious hero and a good cop, but
the people she fights for are shady. The
terrorists are guilty and the established baddies, but they seem to be fighting
on the side of justice even though they are murderous assholes. Two or more savvy writers added to the staff
and it would be golden.
Time
travel is the center of the show, but what type is in use remains a mystery to
the characters in play. Liber8
(still…blech) attempts to alter the rise of the technocratic regime that owns
the world in 2077 (single-string), but there are signs they were the ones who
were the catalyst in the first place (loop).
Kiera tries to stop the bad guys from changing her future and possibly
herself and her son’s existence (single-string), but some episodes suggest her
trip to 2012 helped the future Bill Gates of 2077 create the tech that ruined
the world (loop). The writers insist
there is a bible and a set of established rules, but the characters are still unaware. A little frustrating for a time travel nerd
but cool for the story.
I’ll
keep an eye on this one. If you like a
little low-budget sci-fi you could do a lot worse. If you like time travel TV, it’s your best
bet.
*I
just watched the season premiere last night.
It does not suck.
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