CONTINUUM Leaves Us Hanging "Second Time"

Article first published as CONTINUUM Leaves Us Hanging "Second Time" on TheTVKing.

The Canadian import Continuum, which U.S. viewers get to watch on SyFy, recently brought its second season to a close with "Second Time." It's an episode of big reveals, major developments, heartbreak, and cliffhangers. Thankfully, the show has been picked up for a third year, or it would be a really bad place to stop.

Right off the bat, we learn something new in the future scene at the beginning: Kiera's husband Greg (John Reardon) is involved in old Alec's (William B. Davis) plot to send Liber8 back in time. This is huge! It means Kiera's family isn't just wondering what happened to her. Why did Greg go along with this, and what has he done since to get Kiera back? This is now a plot I want to see.

I understand why Kiera (Rachel Nichols) doesn't suspect Greg is involved in sending her back, though, even though the panic in his face is what tips her off about the time travel device. She turns and sees Kagame (Tony Amendola) pull something from his pocket, and may think Greg has only witnessed the same thing. As such, this new reveal adds to the story, but does still fit in the continuity.

In the past, we recently see Kiera go selfish, abandoning Emily (Magda Apanowicz), who dies, while chasing her chance to get home. Up til now, Kiera is the hero of Continuum, and she makes sacrifices to save others. In a moment of weakness, and it really is just a moment, Kiera puts herself first and tragedy strikes. It's depressing because one cannot really blame Kiera for her actions, and yet we are shown there is a cost of not acting the hero.

Actually, one person may blame Kiera, and that's Alec (Erik Knudsen). It's hard to pinpoint Alec's shifting loyalties in "Second Time," as he seems to be manipulating multiple players in the game. In the end, though, he gets what he ultimately wants, which is the chance to go back in time and save his love, Emily, even though that leaves Kiera abandoned in the present. Alec is not an unselfish hero.

Many stories take their protagonists to a dark place during the journey, a time when they will make the wrong choice and do the wrong thing. Kiera and Alec both go through this at the end of season two, which is OK, because there will be a third season in which they can redeem themselves. Ultimately, they must live up to the unrealistically high standards fans of this type of drama expect them to be, but they can stumble along the way. Which is why "Second Time" doesn't feel like an ending.

That being said, I do hope Alec saves Emily. I absolutely adore Apanowicz in everything I've seen her in, and her passing is predictable and sad. If Alec can reverse this, Continuum will have a chance to bring her back and do something special with the actress, using her as she deserves to be used, rather than wasted in a small arc.

The thing that may end up saving Alec and put him back on the right path, besides Emily, is his family. We now know that Jason (Ian Tracey) is Alec's son, sent back by old Alec, though present-day Alec doesn't know this, believing Jason to be his father. Jason kind of hangs back, observing, but should step in when the time arises to fix things.

I am undecided about Escher (Hugh Dillon), who claims to be Alec's father. We have seen no proof of this, and it's not clear whether Alec believes Escher or just uses Escher to get back in time. As such, Escher remains a wild card, one that cannot be figured out yet.

Kiera's family may be in the future, but she has somebody in this time that cares about her, too, and that's Carlos (Victor Webster). Carlos gives up his life and his career to help Kiera, and then has to go on the run. This exposes a depth to Carlos's feelings about Kiera that was not obvious before. Might Carlos be a real love interest if Kiera decides she is never getting home? Or if she learns of Greg's hand in what befell her?

Carlos is on the run now, and instead of going to Kiera, whom he thinks is going home, he hides out at Julian's (Richard Harmon) house. This is brilliant, with no one ever suspecting Carlos would reach out to the person who has caused him so much trouble professionally. And Julian gets the chance to prove he isn't evil and stands by his peaceful posture by turning the other cheek. This is a really interesting twist, one that should have cool ramifications for both roles.

When season three begins, the most immediate issue will be for Kiera, Jason, and the other time travelers to escape. They are captured and locked up by the freelancers, taken to a secret prison. No one knows where they are, and unless Alec returns, no one may even know they are missing.

This gives all of the people from the future a commonality, which could be beneficial. Kiera has battled with Travis (Roger Cross), who has no love for Kellog (Stephen Lobo). Now, all three (if Travis is alive), along with the other members of Liber8 and Jason, may have to work together, or may just find time to bond in captivity. This could absolutely change the dynamics of the show.

And what of Dillon (Brian Markinson)? He appears to be one of the good guys for so long, but "Second Time" shows him using a new play book. Is he connected to some sinister people? Is he being manipulated? I don't know, but he's on the wrong side of the conflict for now, and looks to be in a position to cause some serious trouble.

Continuum is exactly the type of science fiction show I love. It has an intriguing premise, wonderful characters, fantastic actors, and plot developments that are hard to see coming. It isn't afraid to switch up the rules, or completely change a character's trajectory. There are also multiple time lines and time periods, which makes the story more complex, and thus more rich. Plus, it takes time for awesome fight scenes, such as the one between Kiera and Travis. It has become a must-watch program.

"Second Time" is a pivotal, exciting installment. I look forward to Continuum's return in 2014.

CONTINUUM Doesn't Need "Second Chances"

Article first published as CONTINUUM Season 2 Premiere Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 92%

SyFy’s Candian import CONTINUUM returns tonight for a second season. The premiere, “Second Chances,” picks up a little bit after the first season ended, with several of the primary characters still dealing with what the finale revealed. But a new assassination quickly forces the good guys to pull together, and a new mission is found.

The character development in CONTINUUM is top notch. Each of these people have their own defined motivations, and sometimes that means they work together, and others times they are at odds. Even when one of them cares about someone else, such as Kiera (Rachel Nichols) feeling a kinship with Carlos (Victor Webster), Kiera may still do something Carlos wouldn’t want when the situation arises.

Now that might seem like a “duh!” move for a story to go in, but it’s found far less than one might expect on television today. The best shows know who their personalities are, and construct situations that test these people in interesting ways, putting them in context where they have to choose between realistic, imperfect options. CONTINUUM does this, raising it above many of its peers, leaving a seed of doubt that a person, in the correct situation, might not do right by another at the end of the day.

In “Second Chances,” Kiera is wrapped up in her grief about not going home, and thinking that being a vigilante is the right way to help the world, unfettered by regulation. Alec (Erik Knudsen) also splits off, isolating himself as he tries to deal with the message his future self (William B. Davis) sends him in Kiera’s programming. But both are pushed back into the team when Carlos and Dillon (Brian Markinson) need them, although their actions are not completely altruistic.

I really like the dynamic between Kiera and Kellog (Stephen Lobo). While Kellog certainly has less-than-noble tendencies, he does work more for Kiera than against her. Her falling into bed with him is as much about her loneliness and the connection she feels to him, since they’re both trapped in the past, as it is about Kellog himself. Their relationship is complicated, and while they might eventually make a go at serious romance, once Kiera accepts that she won’t see her husband, Greg (John Reardon), again, that won’t be happening anytime soon.

Of course, you just know that the episode Kiera actually commits to Kellog will be the same installment in which she is reunited with Greg.

At first, I thought CONTINUUM would be a typical crime procedural, with a few science fiction trappings. But season one proved that the series can do much better, weaving a complex tale of terrorists and police, fantastical science, and complicated story, with plots stretching from 2077 back to today. What appears to be a run-of-the-mill law breaker could actually be something much more, and he or she usually is, since this show doesn’t waste its time with stories that don’t have larger implications.

“Second Chances” picks up this sort of thread and runs with it when the Mayor is killed during a press conference. Who is behind it? Liber8? Mobsters? Jim Martin (Tahmoh Penikett), the mayor’s political rival? By the end of the hour, we know, but there is also very clearly more to it than just learning the shooter’s identity.

Liber8 is reeling after the loss of its leader. Sonya (Lexa Doig) thinks she should be in charge, but that’s not readily accepted by the others, as one might predict. If Kagame (Tony Amendola) really did name her his successor, why didn’t he tell the others and smooth the transition? Is Sonya lying? What are her plans for the group?

And there’s still Travis (Roger Cross), who cannot be counted out. I will not reveal exactly what happens with him because it would be too spoilery, but Travis has some major twists in this first hour back.

The biggest unknown factor currently in CONTINUUM remains Agent Gardner (Nicholas Lea). When last we see him, he gets a little of Kiera’s secret, though does not have the ability to understand what he is seeing yet. In this episode, he brilliantly maneuvers a couple of characters together, then just sits back and watches. Someone this cunning and intelligent could prove a real thorn in Kiera’s side, and there’s no telling what he will do when he eventually realizes what he dealing with, which he surely will.

What is most interesting in “Second Chances,” though, is Alec’s message to himself. We know he orchestrates the terrorists and Kiera’s trip to 2012, and we know he is involved in Liber8′s activities. What we don’t know is why, or how to reconcile this man who is Kiera’s friend in both time periods doing something to her that seems so cruel. This premiere doesn’t clear up those things exactly, but it does start down a path of explanation, one that will eventually lay out the entire premise of CONTINUUM.

In all, “Second Chances” is a fantastic return for CONTINUUM, deepening the mythology, and letting the actors really dig into some emotional heft in their characters. It should be a very satisfying sophomore season.

CONTINUUM airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on SyFy.

Mad Men Goes Through "The Doorway"

Article first published as Mad Men Goes Through "The Doorway" on TheTVKing.

As we go through "The Doorway" into Mad Men's sixth season on AMC, we can immediately see that a lot has changed. Some of it is surface, such as the hair styles, an excess of marijuana smoking, and the bustling, busy, successful, two-story Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce agency. But some of it goes deeper, as the unhappiness that has long-festered in several of the leads comes to the surface even more now, making "The Doorway" a pretty depressing and dark installment.

Don (Jon Hamm) is our main character. As "The Doorway" opens, after a cut scene of an unknown man having a heart attack, he lounges on the beaches of Hawaii, reading Dante's Inferno. There is a stark contrast between the white sands and blue water and Don's choice of reading material. Plus, Don himself is silent, letting life happen around him, but not really participating in it.

We've seen Don like this before. While, last year, he is an active participant in his marriage with Megan (Jessica Paré) and the firm's work, guiding the ship, prior to that he is shown as a sort of numb robot. The season premiere returns Don to that unhappy state, not connecting with the others around him.

We don't know why Don is this way. Obviously, the advertising agency he helped found is doing well, so there aren't professional woes. And Megan is still in love with him, despite her successful career as a TV star, presumably working on a soap opera, so he's not neglected at home. Could it be that Don only functions well when there is a crisis that he must solve, and once that goes away, he returns to his old self? Could he be spurred to go introspective after witnessing his doorman's heart attack, and didn't like what he found inside himself?

I think there is a clue when Don participates in a wedding ceremony on the beach, one he doesn't tell Megan about, but which we see affects him deeply, even after they return from vacation. Something about that young soldier bothers him. Does he represent lost promise? Remind Don of his somewhat shady past? Who knows?

Don brings this attitude back to the office with him, and it's here where we realize that he may not himself understand how unhappy he is. The Hawaii trip is a working one, and he pitches an ad idea for the hotel he stays in. But his vision is one interpreted by many as invoking suicide. Don sees escape as a pleasant thing, but there's a gray area when considering how big of an escape he might actually want to make. A permanent one, perhaps?

The sign of hope we see for Don is his friendship with his new neighbor, a Jewish doctor (Brian Markinson, The Killing, Caprica). We've never seen Don have a friend like this, an equal who is not connected with him professionally. They seem to understand one another and have mutual respect for the work that they do. This looks to be the makings of a wonderful outlet for Don to be Don, and help him cope with disappointments in other areas of his life.

Unfortunately, as we find out at the end of the hour, Don is sleeping with the good doctor's wife. I can't decide if I feel the betrayal more deeply on behalf of Megan or the doctor. After all, Megan knows the kind of man Don is before marrying him, and Don has a history of cheating when he gets restless, as he is now. The doctor, on the other hand, has no reason to suspect Don's activities, which makes it doubly bad. It also means that their friendship will never last.

All of this points to a very dark ending for Don. With only two seasons left, it is doubtful he will be content to stay where he is. Will he end up running away, taking on a new identity again, as he did when he became Don Draper? Or might he decide it's better not to live at all?

Roger (John Slattery) is just as unhappy as Don. He has never found peace in the arms of a woman for long, and professionally he does have a purpose, but it is not an obvious or constant one. In "The Doorway" we see him hamming it up around the office, but not doing anything of note.

Until he gets the news that his mother has died. Those around him are upset by this, Roger's secretary bawling, and Don getting wasted and puking at the funeral. Roger is more frustrated, as he tells his psychiatrist, that he feels nothing. He is fully numb, unable to work up the sadness he thinks he should feel, and regretful of the way he has lived his life, as his mother's passing forces him to face his own mortality.

Roger isn't actually emotionless, of course. Once he gets over the shock, a near-stranger's death sends the tears flowing. But it's one of those defining moments in life, where one takes stock of oneself, and like Don, Roger doesn't like what he sees. Roger doesn't have anyone close to him to share himself with, or to mourn his passing. Not even his daughter, Margaret (Elizabeth Rice), cares, only wanting his money. This starts to affect him negatively, more so than we've ever seen before.

While many show up for Roger's mother's funeral, including ex-wives Jane (Peyton List) and Mona (Talia Balsam), the latter of whom actually offers sound advice, there is a glaring absence: Joan (Christina Hendricks). They may no longer be lovers, but Joan knows Roger better than anyone, and likely has cared about him more than anyone. Why does she not come to him in his hour of need? Have things deteriorated that much between them? How incredibly sad!

The third character that gets much focus in "The Doorway" is Betty Francis (January Jones). Betty identifies with one of her daughter, Sally's, friends (Kerris Dorsey, Brothers & Sisters), who has lied about getting accepted to Julliard, but still wants to run away to New York City at the ripe age of fifteen. Betty, who lived the poor life as a model in the big city when she was young, tries to talk the child out of it, then goes in search of her when the kid disappears.

This plot may show Betty being a good mother figure to a child who is not her own, but it's also about Betty's past and missteps. She is in a good place now, with a loving husband and a nice house, but she definitely has her rocky times. She has a lousy first marriage, has trouble connecting with her own daughter, Sally (Kiernan Shipka), which is still an issue, and has a hard time finding the right path for her life. Betty wants to not only spare the young teen from making the same mistakes, but also seems to hope it will make up for her own spotty past. And she's willing to go into a truly scary area of town to do it.

Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) has less to do in the season premiere, but we do get to see how she has adjusted to her life away from SCDP and Don's shadow. She is flourishing, her genius shining through, though she is still struggling with managing others, as she doesn't see herself in a position of power, and doesn't have full confidence in herself. She looks and acts like a grown up, and it's pretty clear that, while she does still have a few professional skills to hone, she is well on her way to being a strong, independent woman, the breadwinner for her household, the kind of woman that little girls look up to. It's nice to see someone doing well!

In the office of SCDP, many changes have happened. The layout is totally different, and while "The Doorway" doesn't show us much of the upstairs, it does seem that all the young guys are up there, leaving Don and Roger down in the old section, which makes obvious a distinction. Has the firm somewhat split into two pieces? Are the new guys becoming more relevant than the old, or at least staking their claim as an equally important element? The separation is tangible.

We are also introduced to a new employee (James Wolk, Political Animals), who kisses the butts of the partners enthusiastically, earning him the resentment of Ken (Aaron Staton). Is the newbie earnest, or manipulative? Are his motives pure, or selfish? Should we admire his drive, or does he only have his charm, lacking the talent to back it up? I admit, I am immediately intrigued by him, much more so than the smattering of other fresh faces we see around the building.

Overall, it's hard to say that I truly enjoyed "The Doorway," since it is quite depressing, but I did very much appreciate it. I am interested in the direction the characters are going, and intrigued by the slow and steady departure away from who they were.

Mad Men airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

Blu-ray Review: Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome on Blogcritics.

Now on Blu-ray and DVD, and downloadable, is Universal's Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome. Set 10 years into the First Cylon War, after the events of Caprica, and several decades before the reimagined Battlestar Galactica, Blood & Chrome follows young William Adama (Luke Pasqualino, The Borgias, Skins) on his very first mission, which goes horribly wrong.

For those BG fans who complain that Caprica isn't action-packed enough (I am definitely not one of them), Blood & Chrome swings to the opposite extreme, a high-octane thrill ride with simulated battles filling in the gaps where "not enough" is happening in the real world. It's a dark, at times scary, war story, taken to the front line and behind enemy lines.

Unfortunately, that means there isn't a lot of time for character development. BG works because of the actors, and the nuance with which they play their dealings with one another. It is as much about politics and religion as interpersonal relationships, and the fights with the Cylons come as secondary. Blood & Chrome moves the latter to center stage, making it fun when you're watching, but a bit hollow in retrospect. This works well for a web series, which one can tell Blood & Chrome is, edited together now into a not-quite-seamless television movie.

I'll be honest, I'm torn on Pasqualino as Adama. He is the fourth actor to tackle the role in the official franchise, and I see a bit of the Caprica take in some of his dialogue and mannerisms, when he isn't being way too cocky. I don't, however, see the grown up Adama at all. Perhaps that is intended to come later, in the unlikely event this project is pushed forward as a series, but it's missing here.

Blood & Chrome is sold to us as a potential pilot, but it's not clear what the series would feel like from this first episode. Rather than setting up the full cast or what the characters will be doing, it follows only three people for a large part of the movie: Adama, his co-pilot Coker (Ben Cotton, Hellcats), who is near the end of his tour of duty, and just wants a calm last few weeks, having lost the fighting spirit, and Dr. Becca Kelly (Lili Bordan, Cherry.), who has a secret mission for them, and claims she can turn the tide of the war. One of those three, I won't reveal which, wouldn't even get to continue if the story went on.

For the most part, I enjoy the hour and a half, even if it doesn't make me miss Battlestar Galactica less. But there are enough hokey missteps, like Adama hooking up with Becca, the creepy half-machine cave worms, and yet another new Cylon soldier, as well as a glimpse at an early attempt of a human-model Cylon (interestingly voiced by Six herself, Tricia Helfer), that prevent this from being quality entertainment. Adama is close enough to events in Caprica to understand what the Cylons actually are. Why doesn't that play a role here?

What really kills Blood & Chrome for me is the reuse of BG and Caprica alum as new characters. Cotton only has a bit part in BG: Razor, so that's not too bad, but most of the rest of the cast, including Adrian Holes, Leo Li Chiang, Mike Dopud, Carmen Moore, Allison Warnyca, Sebastian Spence, Zak Santiago, Colin Corrigan, Jill Teed, Ty Olsson, Brian Markinson, and John Pyper-Ferguson are already present in other stories as different characters, and still recognizable from their previous roles. This really destroys any believability, and is definitely the absolute worst thing about Blood & Chrome.

On the positive side of the chart, for those keeping score, are the special effects. One would swear previous BG sets have just been upgraded, but pretty much this entire movie is green screen, so they've actually been digitally re-created. It's OK that the hanger bay and control room are busier and fuller than in the previous series, because this is Galactica at the height of her service, fully manned and equipped. It all looks so real, if they hadn't included an intriguing twenty-two minute featurette as an extra, showing how they created the sets, I wouldn't believe it. I can't think of another series that has done effects this good.

Which means that Blood & Chrome looks and sounds spectacular in high definition. Much care goes into every detail of the design, and with all the computer work, they are able to make everything super sharp. The colors are mostly of a dark palate, but there is such a broad spectrum represented that one could easily forget that, seeing how rich it looks. The soundtrack is not as sweeping as its predecessors, but again, is flawless.

Blood & Chrome is made by design and programming nerds, and it shows. Story takes a back seat to effects, and the visuals are mind-blowing. It's an example of what a new BG could look like, and is definitely an argument to bring some incarnation of the show back. Just not this one, because we need the story part of it, too.

Besides the aforementioned featurette, there are about ten or so deleted scenes. That's it on the extras, sadly.

Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome is available as a Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Copy / Ultraviolet combo pack now.

Arrow not quite a bullseye

Grade: 85%

My first impression of the CW’s new superhero saga, ARROW, are mixed. On one hand, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Justin Hartley playing the hooded vigilante, especially because his long run on Smallville only recently ended. For another, the “Pilot” is far from perfect, with a number of plot holes and things that should be handled differently. But overall, it’s an exciting hour with an enticing backstory, and the bugs can mostly be worked out over time.

Many are already familiar with the history of the DC comic book character. Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell, Hung, Private Practice) is shipwrecked on an island alone for several years. Finally rescued, he returns home in peak physical condition, a handiness with a bow and arrow, and driven by a determination to clean up the city that has become a mess, thanks in part to Oliver’s father (Jamey Sheridan, Homeland). Donning a hood, Oliver goes by the moniker Green Arrow, acting as a modern day Robin Hood.

Missing Hartley aside, Amell makes a great Green Arrow, and plays him in a different way, avoiding too many comparisons. Whereas the Smallville version of the character could be a bit goofy, ARROW takes a more serious tone. There is greater anger and pain in Amell’s eyes, and it’s easy to believe that he can accomplish the physical feats he engages in.

But there are some things that don’t add up. Why doesn’t Oliver return from the island malnourished? Why doesn’t anyone recognize his famous face with just a hood and some green eye makeup? There isn’t even the voice changer that Smallville employed. Why is Oliver the first to tell the police about the Green Arrow, when the timing is already suspicious enough to make the cops suspect that Oliver is the one behind this new “hero” on the scene? He just doesn’t go about things very smartly.

There is also a disconnect as to who the previous Oliver was. He had a good enough heart to befriend the help (Kathleen Gati, Alphas), inspire loyalty and affection from friends and family, and win the heart of the beautiful, intelligent, compassionate Dinah Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy, Gossip Girl, Melrose Place), who would not have been swayed by his money. Yet, he is also said to be a womanizer and a drunkard, cheating on Dinah with her sister, Sarah (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, The Bold and the Beautiful). It doesn’t quite make sense.

The “Pilot” sets up the story pretty well. Oliver builds a lair in one of his father’s abandoned factories and begins his mission by making Adam Hunt (Brian Markinson, The Killing, Caprica) pay, literally, for his misdeeds. After giving Adam the chance to do the right thing, and Adam declines, Oliver sweeps in for big action sequences that totally deliver to the superhero fans in the audience.

My complaint is, why does Oliver cross Adam off his list after robbing him of millions? This is just money, and while it helps the victims, it doesn’t truly lead to justice. Why not bring Adam back for an arc, as it appeared might be the case earlier in the episode, after taking the time to introduce several cohorts of Adam’s? Oliver is going to run out of names to cross off soon, and some will have the means to exact revenge, so these should not be one-shot stories, played out in a rote, procedural manner. Give them more to do!

Also, how come the rewarded victims get to keep the money? Surely the police can figure out what Oliver did, even if Laurel tells them to keep quiet about it. As right as it may be for them to receive the cash, Oliver gets it by illegal means, which should mean that it will be taken back, and may even hurt their court case.

That being said, every single one of the characters is enjoyable. Besides the ones listed so far, there’s: Detective Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne, The River, Lipstick Jungle), who, considering his daughters, has plenty of reason to dislike the young Mr. Queen; Oliver’s little sister, Thea (Willa Holland, The O.C.), who is repeating Oliver’s mistakes; body guard John Diggle (David Ramsey, Blue Bloods, Dexter), who is just screaming for sidekick status; Oliver’s best friend, Tommy (Colin Donnell, Pan Am), who is happy to be cavorting with his buddy again; Queen business partner Walter Steele (Colin Salmon, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret), who is now married to Oliver’s widowed mother, Moira (Susanna Thompson, King); and Moria herself, who has Oliver secretly kidnapped to try to figure out what his father told him. All of these set up plenty of plot to be explored.

And that’s why I like ARROW, in spite of its flaws. There are so many ways it can go, and even with uneven writing, the production looks fantastic, and gets the adrenaline pumping. Yes, some elements may need cleaned up a little, and better attention to detail should be paid. But there are already all of the ingredients here for something special, maybe even better than Smallville. I’m more than willing to give it a chance to improve.

ARROW premieres this Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.