Continuum Review: “Revolutions Per Minute”

The post-series diagrams of plots, timelines, and character alliances in this show will resemble the notepad of someone afflicted with both an obsessive-doodling disorder and hand tremors.

I mean that in the best possible sense.

Title: “Revolutions Per Minute”

Cast and Crew

Directed by David Frazee
Written by Dennis McGrath

Rachel Nichols as Kiera Cameron
Victor Webster as Carlos Fonnegra
Erik Kundson as Alec Sadler
Lexa Doig as Sonya Valentine
Rachel Crawford as Christine Dillon
Brian Markinson as Inspector Dillon
Stephen Lobo as Matthew Kellog
Richard Harmon as Julian Randol / Theseus
Ian Tracey as Jason
Ryan Robbins as John Doe / Brad Duncan
Omari Newton as Lucas Ingram
Jennifer Copping as Robin Gautuma
Danielle Kremeniuk as Adele Mason
Curtis Caravaggio as Neelon
Jennifer Spence as Betty Robertson

Full cast and crew information may be found at the imdb.

Premise

Alec makes some startling advances with the tech he stole from Kiera’s other, dead body (and, technically, from his future self), Kiera makes some problematic decisions about a medical development, Julian gets approached by both Alec and Sonya, Jason becomes lucid, and Dillon wants his daughter removed from danger.

Meanwhile, we learn more about John Doe. His name is probably Brad Duncan (Tonkin?), and he may be from a timeline we’ve not yet seen.

High Point

This episode, more than any, demonstrates the complexity of alliances at work in the story, and the difficulty in ever knowing a person’s true motivations.

Alec withholds critical information from Kiera after she breaks with him over the theft of technology from her other body. Brad does not know his own past, and I’m still not certain where Christine’s sympathies truly lie.

The conflict may be best illustrated by Julian Randol / Theseus. He may think he knows what he’s doing with his choices. We are often, however, what we pretend to be—and Continuum‘s future is malleable, so we do not know what he will become.

Low Point

The show sometimes suffers from stilted and / or cheesy dialogue. Alec’s encounter with the Wine Cellar Boys gets a pass for its clever self-awareness, but the dialogue between Christine and Sonya verges on awful (the actors manage as best as can be expected).

The Scores:

Originality: 5/6

Effects: 5/6 Kiera’s funeral included an oddly Star Trekesque effect.

Story: 5/6 Kudos to the show’s writers for creating something that remains engaging despite its internal complexity.

Acting: 5/6 The acting varies; Ian Tracey does an admirable job, especially with his breakdown.

Emotional Response: 5/6 While we get only a little action this week, the storyline becomes gripping. I have no idea how the plot threads will resolve.

Production: 6/6

Overall: 5/6

In total, “Revolutions Per Minute” receives 36/42

Lingering Question

Within the infant rind of this small flower
Poison hath residence and medicine power (Romeo and Juliet 2.3)

Does the online information merely relate to the new drug’s origins in Flash? It strikes me that wouldn’t necessarily be an insurmountable problem for the Gautuma Corporation. Drugs have always been a two-edged sword.

2 replies on “Continuum Review: “Revolutions Per Minute””

  1. Pretty sure it was “Brad Tonkin” and not “Brad Duncan”. Maybe you’re just getting hung up on shared surnames between Continuum and Orphan Black? :p

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