Lost TRAVELERS

Article first published as TRAVELERS Review on Seat42F.

Netflix launched a new series today called TRAVELERS. Set in the present day, it involves a group of people from the future who travel (of course) back in time to inhabit the recently deceased’s bodies. They say they have come back to save humanity, and since they are the protagonists and aren’t just killing people, it makes sense to believe them. But they are very mysterious about their mission, so it’s hard to know exactly what is true in this world.

The central cast is made up of six players. Three of them aren’t great. Carly (Nesta Cooper, Heroes Reborn) is a mother whose baby daddy is an abusive drunk. Trevor (Jared Abrahamson, Awkward.) is a high school student who prefers fighting to school work. Philip (Reilly Dolman, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”) is a drug addict living in a crack house. None of these characters prove all that interesting, and none of the performances are very memorable. The future people chose poorly with these three, any of whom could be taken out at any time and it wouldn’t hurt the show.

However, the first woman we see, Marcy (MacKenzie Porter, Hell on Wheels), is far more interesting. Mentally disabled, Marcy is ‘cured’ over night when her body is taken, which not only shows us some of the rules of TRAVELERS, but also the limits of the heroes. While Marcy is not someone who makes a huge impact on the world prior to this event, her caring social worker, David (Patrick Gilmore, SGU Stargate Universe), helps flesh her out, and she is given an interesting plot line. Whenever the focus shifted to the others, I kept wishing for Marcy to return.

Finishing off the sextet is the investigator who starts looking into the strange things surrounding these people, Grant MacLaren (Eric McCormack, Will & Grace, Perception). I admit, I thought I had Grant figured out just a couple of minutes into TRAVELERS, and I found the character relatively boring. However, a twist late in the premiere ratchets up his importance and role, which immediately improves both the show and his part in it.

Screeners were not made available for this one, so I’ve only seen the pilot, but the impression that I get is that it will be pretty standard, mid-level sci-fi fare. There is a larger story that seems interesting, but it also looks like a lot of the twelve episodes will probably be mainly self-contained stories, at least going by Wikipedia synopsis. The mystery feels forced, and the way the characters present it, I’m not even sure the writers knew where it was going at the start. For instance, Marcy says she can’t explain what she’s doing to David, but then seems to understand exactly what she’s doing later, which makes her seem less trustworthy than the rest of the episode paints her to be. This unevenness weakens the overall production.

There is hope, though. This is a joint production with a Canadian studio, and it seems to be somewhat in the vein of fellow Northern series Continuum. Continuum was never the best show on the air, but it was intriguing science fiction, better than a lot of shows, even if it wasn’t must-see. If TRAVELERS only reaches the level of Continuum, I’d be pretty satisfied, as I enjoyed that one quite a bit.

The problem it faces is that we are nearing peak television, with more than four hundred scripted series premiering in the United States this year. Being middle of the pack used to be good enough, but it’s not any more. TRAVELERS will likely have some very adoring fans, the people that this hits the sweet spot for, but it lacks the type of appeal that would pull it out of the typical genre fare, so it’s not likely to get beyond that, or make any lasting impression. Which could likely lead to a short run.

TRAVELERS’ entire first season is available now on Netflix.

CONTINUUM Makes You Think For a "Minute"

Article first written for Seat42F.

CONTINUUM, a Canadian import airing on SyFy, seems science fiction-light in the first two seasons. It centers on Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols), who is a cop from 2077 trapped back in our present day. The series follows larger plot arcs, rather than just case-of-the-week stories, most of the time, but it still limits itself by keeping the setting and story something familiar and not too far off the beaten path.

However, in the third season premiere, “Minute by Minute,” things only get more high-concept and twisty as the hour goes on. We’re now firmly into the genre, and this benefits the show, making it both harder to follow and more rewarding to do so.

As season two closes, Alec (Erik Knudsen) steals Kiera’s chance to return home because he wants to save Emily’s (Magda Apanowicz) life. This creates a separate time line in which there are two Alecs running around. Alec from the future wastes no time reaching out to Emily, and because he’s not shy about the truth when he encounters Kellog (Stephen Lobo), things begin to change rapidly.

How fragile is the time line? Well, that’s been debated in many different projects, but in the world of CONTINUUM, it seems quite fragile indeed. Alternate lines are created by certain actions, so infinite numbers of scenarios might be playing out all at once. What’s important to viewers is that the one the show sticks with play out as it should, so the future happens and Keira is born and sent back. Alec’s actions, and the actions of those he encounters, start to threaten that.

Meanwhile, Kiera is still in the original timeline, locked up by the Freelancers. This group has a number of secrets, some of which Kiera learns. Kiera is a resourceful woman, so don’t think she spends the whole episode locked in a cell. However, where her plot goes is a bit surprising, and she makes an unexpected ally in the midst of the crisis. Possibly several allies.

I really, really like “Minute by Minute.” It takes what CONTINUUM, already a good show, has built and expounds upon it in new, interesting, dramatic directions. There is nothing in this episode that doesn’t fit with what’s come before, but adding alternate time lines into the proceedings crank things up a notch and start to spin off numerous possibilities. If the show wants to jump over to another line, it can. If a character is killed and the writers regret it, they can bring them back.

Will this make the series harder to follow? Of course, because now you don’t just have to keep track of one set of players and their situation, but also different versions of them, and how what happens in the past might affect what we’ve already seen in the future. Yet, I’m not complaining because it takes a series that follows a relatively predictable course and spins it off into uncharted, high-tension territory, injecting a sense that anything could happen. Anything.

Another new element in CONTINUUM is the development of the Freelancers. Previously, they are shown as villains whose motivations are unclear. In “Minute by Minute,” we learn about the origin and mission of the group. Who they are makes for a potential game changer, and also adds another bunch of people whose purpose may or may not be contrary to what Kiera wants, and where they stand in relation to one another will almost certainly change as the story develops.

“Minute by Minute” is all about adding possibilities. It does nothing to limit CONTINUUM, and everything to expand it. From here, there’s no telling where exactly things will go. It also seems to indicate that this is the new normal for the show, and it won’t be going back to the steady, measured arcs it previously played out. Excellent.

It’s hard to really delve into the bones of this episode because I really don’t want to spoil all the great things it has in store. Just trust me, it’s well worth tuning in for.

CONTINUUM returns Friday at 10 p.m. ET on SyFy.

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.

Continuum - "A Stitch in Time"

Grade: 84%

The first episode of the Canadian series CONTINUUM, titled “A Stitch in Time,” airs this Monday at 8 p.m. ET on the SyFy series. Beginning in the year 2077, CONTINUUM presents a bleak view of the future. Everything might seem glossy and technologically advanced, but democracy has given way to corporate control. A terrorist group known as Liber8 decide that they must do something about the lack of individual freedom, and so blow up government buildings, killing tens of thousands of civilians in the process.

As “A Stitch in Time” begins from a terrorist’s perspective, in the form of Edouard Kagame (Tony Amendola, Once Upon a Time, The Mask of Zorro), it immediately sets us wondering if we should be sympathizing with the cause. After all, in the modern world we celebrate democracy, and many hate big business, especially after the economic recession of the past few years. Maybe Liber8 has a point.

But then again, after seeing the destruction Liber8 causes, it’s hard to feel anything for them. Anyone who would callously murder so many innocents cannot be a hero; it goes against the grain of what a hero stands for. Unless they think these deaths don’t matter, since they are working to prevent this time from ever happening, but thinking that way will just give one a headache. So, instead, we root for the cop who represents the government, Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols, Star Trek, Alias).

The beginning of CONTINUUM is amazing. Besides the situation itself, which is not only intriguing, but also something we can relate to, exaggerating a battle that has already begun in our time, the visuals are outstanding. Everything about 2077 is cool, from the buildings, to Kiera’s built-in technology. It’s an impressive look at a futuristic world.

Then, on the day the Liber8 terrorists are to be executed, they manage to set off a bomb that takes the eight of them, plus Kiera, to the year 2012. Why does the show do this? Sure, it’s probably much cheaper to set a television program in the current era, and yet, after such a stupendous opening, the rest of the hour feels like a let down, wishing fervently we could go back to the future.

Kiera also has that wish, because she has a young son. She is not well adjusted to 2012, her mannerisms stiff, and her behavior awkward. Her instincts remain intact, as does the equipment in her body and clothing, so she is still able to do some of her duties. Thus, the protagonists mission becomes two fold: stop the bad guys from destroying her world, and to get home to her family.

Quickly, “A Stitch in Time” moves into police drama territory. Kiera takes up with the local cops, in particular, a man named Carlos (Victor Webset, Castle, Mutant X). It seems a bit reckless, knowing that these police officers aren’t prepared to take on the criminals of the future, but Kiera has to turn for help somewhere. And so, the set up seems to be that Kiera and Carlos will try to track down the terrorists from 2077 and stop them, a pedestrian premise, not nearly as interesting as what is happening in the beginning.

The wild card in CONTINUUM is Alec Sadler (Erik Knudsen, Jericho, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World). Played by William B. Davis (The X Files) in the future, Sadler is a young kid in 2012 who is just developing the technology that Kiera uses in her everyday work. The frequency in her suit connects the two of them, and he provides a thru line, with “A Stitch in Time” showing viewers how he ends up in the future.

What role will Sadler play? He provides Kiera with some time travel theory, which explains his lack of surprise when Kiera and the others leave 2077. But that doesn’t tell us whether they ever get home or not. It merely sets up that he remembers meeting her in the past, and knows something about what is going on. Is that why Kiera isn’t all that happy to talk to him, or act odd in discussing how he ends up? She is upset that Alec didn’t warn her, or save her from this fate?

How much does the future Sadler know, and because he does seem to have knowledge is these past events, does that mean the terrorists will fail in their plots, leading to the same world introduced in the opening? As viewers, we know that Sadler becomes a corporate giant, another clue that the series writers may be pro-capitalism and anti-democracy. We also know Sadler won’t be killed, but other than that, his role remains a mystery.

Overall, I am intrigued by the mystery and the set up, but really, really wish that at least some of the show’s action would be set in 2077. With that brilliant tease, nothing in 2012 will seem nearly as enticing by comparison. If the show will return to that time, or maybe even jump to a mid-point, giving us some of the setup, but also moving towards that better tech, it could be much better than what it appears to be on its face.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first posted on Seat42F