Pages

Jul 6, 2012

Continuum: My Impression of E. One


In the year 2077, 8 terrorists from the group Liberate manage to avoid execution by transporting themselves to 2012. In doing so however, they also transport Kiera Cameron, a law enforcement officer. Soon after her arrival, she gets into contact with Alec Sadler, the inventor of technology that will control future society. One of the terrorists, Lucas Ingram, is arrested soon after their arrival, but the remainder arm themselves and hope to blend into society while carrying out their agenda: to start a war. They begin stealing arms and robbing banks and Kiera works with local police Carlos Fonnegra to track then down. An attack on the local police station frees Ingram.

The premise behind this show seems like it could be really interesting. In the not to distant future the governments are in so much debt the corporations bail out the government. The world is run by the corporation from then on, but under the corporate ruling citizens have lost many of their rights. A group of terrorists plot to bring down the corporation and make the world more like it was before. After an attack against the corporate heads, eight members of the terrorist leadership are arrested and sentenced to execution. Before the execution, an explosion caused by a time bubble sends the prisoners back in time to 2012, present day Vancouver along with a detective (Protector) overseeing the execution is sent back as well.

What stories shall Continuum have to look forward to? I have enjoyed a few science fiction television shows in the past, but Show Case and similar broadcasters have an unwavering history of producing short running series'. Toppled with what I would consider to be a strategy of targeting non science fiction affiliated viewers, by implementing such ploys as dividing the protagonist's (Kiera) goals between saving the day and family affairs. Unfortunately Kiera's priorities thus far have been dominated by family matters and thus is a hero of domestic origins and not an actual science fiction genre.

Kiera Cameron (Protagonist - Detective from the future) is a neat character, she is from the future and has handy futuristic technology that give her the upper hand, such as cybernetic retinal enhancements, mechanical uniform that offers a taser, camouflage, hacking device, etc. She has proven to be more interested in returning to the future than in stopping the terrorists. Another character flaw is her submissive behavior toward every lead character she interacts with even though she is the main character, from the future and needs to be a strong role model and not a supporting actor.

Carlos Fonnegra (Kiera's possible partner) Carlos has taken it upon himself to aid Kiera thinking she was from another precinct because he needed her help with a case regarding the terrorists but to him they are just a gang expanding their drug turf. This is a typical case of bad acting and I hope he develops a better role or gets shot because like an infected limb, if it cant be repaired it needs to be removed as soon as possible.


Alec Sadler (Kiera's sidekick) this typical techie wizard is a big help to Kiera, hacking into the FBI database, security cameras and looking up useful information and acts as a general intermediary for Kiera and the modern world. Arrogant, narcissistic and nosey, he is one of the better characters so far. A nice little timbit so far, when Alec went into the house, his mother, step-father, step-brother and a douzen or so people were having a discussion about the corporations and injustices, and said Alec wasnt ready to join, which could lead to a potential plot story about Alec's family being involved with the terrorist group Liberate.


I look forward to the upcoming installments of Continuum and will most likely become a fan as long as it doesn't delve more into the genre of house wife programming.