Continuum: “Second Time”

This week’s Continuum takes us back to the the start of the series, the second season, and even Keira Cameron’s future force. The season ends with a jarring finale.

Title: “Second Time”

Cast and Crew

Directed by Pat Williams
Written by Simon Barry

Rachel Nichols as Kiera Cameron
Victor Webster as Carlos Fonnegra
Erik Kundson as Alec Sadler
Richard Harmon as Julian Randol / Theseus
Roger Cross as Travis Verta
Hugh Dillon as Escher
Jennifer Spence as Betty Robertson
Stephen Lobo as Matthew Kellog
Ian Tracey as Jason
Willam B. Davis as future Alec Sadler
Lexa Doig as Sonya Valentine
Brian Markinson as Inspector Dillon
Darcy Laurie as Martinez
Magda Apanowicz as Emily
Luvia Petersen as Jasmine Garza
Terry Chen as Curtis Chen
Bruce Ramsay as Rosicki
Zak Santiago as Miller

Full cast and crew information may be found at the imdb

Premise

Alec plays games as he learns more about his family, and the possibility of using the time-travel device to change his own history. Kiera Cameron tries to convince him to send both she and Kellog back to the future to prevent the event that set Continuum in motion.

We see the circumstance surrounding that instigating event, and learn more about the connections among Alec Sadler, Jason, and Escher.

Fonnegra joins Cameron on the most-wanted list; we finally see some developments with Betty’s secret.

Power-suited Cameron and Verta duke it out in an elevator shaft.

The enigmatic Freelancers finally reveal something of their purpose. They remain undifferentiated as characters and mysterious, but they will clearly be central next season.

Characters will remain under wraps until then.

High Point

Although difficult to follow at times (this show could use a Primer), this episode followed up on numerous development. Alec faces some difficult decisions and, ultimately, we don’t know which choice he made for himself at the end. Carlos Fonnegra and Betty Robertson have abandoned their careers.

Cameron faces something else entirely, and we have the prospect that next season may see her allied, at least temporarily, with her enemies.

Low Point

We have some very irregular police procedures here—typical of television, I suppose, but they stand out here.

I recognize that Fonnegra’s division follows special rules now, and that Dillon is using Fonnegra to get to Cameron. After recent events, it seems unlikely that he would be allowed to operate as usual—or, at least, that he wouldn’t be suspicious he was being allowed to operate as usual.

Lingering Questions

Characters behave as though only one time-travel device exists. Technology usually doesn’t work that way and, clearly, multiple people have traveled, suggesting multiple devices exist. What do we not know about the time-travel device?

Where do the Freelancers come from, really? Yes, we know where Escher originates, but their technology seems both better and worse than Keira’s. They can interfere with the suits, but they don’t use suits themselves. Why?

Is Travis dead? And does that mean anything, given the role time-travel can play in this story?

Each first-season episode contained “time” in its title. Each second-season episode contained “second.” The season two finale bears the title “Second Time.” What will season three’s secret word be?

Alec….

The Scores:

Originality: 4/6 Last year they ended by suggesting a new direction, but then returned to something resembling status quo. I don’t see how that will be possible next season.

Effects: 6/6

Story: 5/6 The story takes some fascinating twists, but it remains somewhat chaotic (perhaps necessarily, given the subject matter).

Acting: 5/6

Emotional Response: 5/6

Production: 5/6

Overall: 5/6

In total, “Second Time” receives 35/42

Personal note: I did stay awake and take my usual notes this time around (I wrote last week’s review after a day-long social event and then a drive of several hours). Rewatching last week’s ep, I realize I missed a key scene. Yes, that’s embarrassing. Once again, I apologize.

2 replies on “Continuum: “Second Time””

    • At least it explain the ‘captured Kiera’ scenes from earlier. I hope they run with the idea that next season she and Liber8 will be up against this other group. Completely lost track of who the good guys are in this show.

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