Continuum: Preview 10 Minutes Of The Third Season
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One of the best and most underrated science fiction TV shows out there today is the Canadian import Continuum. While sci-fi on TV such as Almost Human and Intelligence are having trouble finding an audience in the United States, Continuum continues to be consistent with its level of storytelling and characters. The return of Continuum for a third season is one of our most anticipated TV shows of the year. If you haven’t watched a single episode of the time travel cop drama, a new 10-minute preview may be just what you need for Continuum to draw you in.
Warning: some minor spoilers below!
Continuum starts in the year 2077 in Vancouver, after the North American Union installed a Corporate Congress as the country’s new government (over both the United States and Canada). The series follows Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols), a City Protective Services cop who accidentally gets sent back in time when a group of corporate terrorists called “Libr8” are sentenced to be executed, but manage to use a time travel device to escape. The group gets sent back to the year 2012, before the Corporate Congress was installed, so Libr8 can change the future, and only Kiera Cameron can stop them. She gets help from Alec Sadler, a young computer genius who will eventually become the inventor of time travel.
One of my favorite things about Continuum is its explorations of morality. Libr8 are ostensibly the bad guys, but from a 2012 point of view, they are a sympathetic group that wants to make the world right again. Kiera Cameron is the hero, but she’s operating with the mindset of the North American Union. It’s strange to watch the show when you ultimately know that Libr8 is in the right, although their methods of murder and terrorism are not.
At the end of season two, things shift and everything you thought you knew about how time travel mechanics work is thrown for a tailspin. Ultimately though, Kiera just wants to get back to her family, while Alec wants to save his girlfriend’s life. It is revealed that Kiera and Alec are part of a bigger battle for the future, and each season reveals multiple layers of the show’s story and characters. Continuum actually uses time travel as a pretty good plot device. The writers understand it enough to not make it into a gimmick, but rather use it as an integral part of Continuum‘s overall story.
There are still a lot of unanswered questions that will hopefully be addressed in season three. The role of The Freelancers, Section Six, and Mr. Escher are still unknown, while Libr8’s role with the North American Union and Corporate Congress remain to be seen. While Kiera’s journey seems to be an accident, it appears there’s a bigger hand in play within the battle for the future.
If you need to catch up with Continuum, the first two seasons are both available on Netflix Instant. The time travel cop drama’s season three premiere airs on Syfy on April 4, and it’s already premiered in Canada on Showcase.
