Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Continuum, Season Two, Episode One

Kiera dreams that she is on a stretcher.  She manages to roll off the stretcher and escape briefly but is quickly recaptured.  This time she is drugged and placed in a glass cage.  She screams to be let out and awakens in the future with her husband  and complained that it feels like something went wrong with her CMR.

Sonya still has her gun pointed at Travis, who is trying to buy time now that she has announced that Kagame wanted her to be his successor. Travis tells her that she has proved her loyalty but has clearly not thought about what that loyalty means. Travis says that he knows her better than Kagame but Sonya shoots him several times and even reloads to shoot again when he is interrupted by orderly and is forced to flea.  Travis is taken to emergency where doctors attempt to save him.  After not getting a heart beat, they call it quits but Travis' own body shocks him into alertness and he regains consciousness, escapes the operating room, only to be taken down by the cops and a doctor with a tranquilizer, as he calls out for Sonya.

A group tries to break into a factory but they are attacked by an invisible force.  After they are defeated, Kiera makes an appearance and tells the security guard that he saw nothing and to run.  Alex is in the process of moving and Kiera calls but he does not answer the phone.

Kiera is in a bar and Kellog meets here there. Kellog lets Kiera know that though he took her in after the explosion, she simply disappeared. Kellog asks why he is there and Kiera asks what's next now that Kagame accomplished his mission, Travis is captured and Sonya is in control.  Kellog says that its going to take time to infiltrate the criminal world, the business, world and the political world. He then asks Kiera why else he is there and she tells him that she needs money. Kiera points out that she could have had Kellog arrested but he is alive and free. Kiera admits that she wants to go back to her family and for the future to unfold as it should and Kellog asks how she knows that the future has not changed.

The mayor heads to a small press conference to talk about what the police are doing with Liber8.  She only has enough time to begin her statement before she is shot by a sniper through the head. Inspector Dillon is in his office on the phone when Carlos enters and hands him a folder.  Dillon says that the chief of Police was just asked for his resignation and that the city manager is going to be running thing until they can arrange for a quick election, now that the mayor is dead.  Dillon tells Carlos to get the person who assassinated the mayor quickly, before they're both looking for new jobs.  When Carlos goes to leave the room, Dillon asks about Kiera and says that the whole business smacks of Liber8. Carlos leaves saying that he will see what he can do.

Kiera approaches Carlos, who is waiting for her by a car. He tells her that she needs to drop the superhero act and get back in the game, but Kiera replies that she better operating outside the confines of the police department. Carlos asks if better she means what she did the other night. Kiera argues back that if she hadn't done what she did that the entire electrical grid would have been brought down.  This does not convince Carlos and tells her that Dillon is calling however pulled that stunt a vigilante.  Carlos adds that Dillon is under a lot of pressure and that he will do whatever he has to, to keep his job. Kiera says that she is going to need access to the mayor's assassination files, photos, videos, and to the crime scene.  Carlos agrees and Kiera asks if the mayor was in the pocket of the corporations and Carlos asks what politician isn't.  Kiera agrees to help.

Jasmine searches the internet and tells Sonya that Travis is alive and is in recovery at a prison infirmary with gunshot wounds and broken ribs.  Sonya is clearly surprised and Jasmine adds that they need to organize a rescue. Sonya recovers quickly and reminds Jasmine that the mayor was just assassinated, therefore the last thing they need is to open up more wounds.  Sonya then asks about the cells they have left and Lucas says that they have half a dozen left.  Sonya orders them shut down until the dust settles but Jasmine suggests that this should wait until after they rescue Travis.  Sonya turns and says, "I don't think you heard me."  Jasmine does not given in and says that they don't leave soldiers behind and asks who Sonya is to be giving orders.  Sonya reminds Jasmine that Travis got himself shot and captured, thus making her ranking officer. Sonya orders Lucas to get her all the intel he can on Tavis' security, when Jasmin leaves the room.

Carlos has taken Kiera to the area where the mayor was shot.  She uses her tech to analyze the scene and then tells him to to get her access to the case files and she will deliver the shooter.  Carlos tells her that she seems optimistic and Kiera replies, "any excuse to see an old friend," then she walks away.

Alec is looking for a job at an electrical store.

Agent Gardiner is in Dillon's office and says that he is looking for Kiera. Agent Gardiner asks Dillon to let him know when he makes contact with Kiera. Dillon says that Gardiner should tell him why he is looking for Kiera and then maybe he will tell him if he finds her. Gardiner tells Dillon that he does not want to mess with him but Dillon counters that it is his boss and his agency that he doesn't want to mess with but if Gardiner makes it personal that he will mess with him all day long.  Gardiner tells him that he is going to have to do better than this before walking out of the office.

Carlos goes to see Betty and tells her that he is going to need all of the footage from the mayor's assassination.  Betty tells him that she doesn't understand what he is up but promises to dump it on a device for him after he says he cannot explain what he is doing.


Kiera calls Alec again and he is still not answering.  Alec returns to his new apartment and tosses application for a job in the garbage. His new roommate knocks on the door and tells him that there is a lady there to see him.  Alec says, "tell her I'm busy," but the roommate replies that he is not the butler and Alec will have to take care of it himself.  When Alec heads downstairs, he discovers the woman waiting to see him is his mother.  Alec and his mother head outside to talk and she wants to know why he moved so suddenly, gave up his work and put his father's stuff in storage. Alec says that he cannot explain it and she says that he is all she has left and that she wants her boy back.  Alec says that he is not a boy anymore and that he has to make his own way. To soften the blow, he suggests that they have coffee sometime and she agrees. Alec returns to his room and discovers that while he was outside speaking to his mother, Kiera had snuck into his room and dropped off the drive she got from Carlos.

Alec calls her and Kiera says that she has work to do and that if he doesn't want to help her that she will work around him.  Kiera adds that she uploaded surveillance videos to his computer and that she needs them uploaded to her CMR.  Kiera asks for Alec's his help and when he does not respond, Kiera suggests that he is over thinking it. Alec says that when she gets a message from her future self telling her what her future self did, then they can have this conversation.  Kiera says point taken and asks how his job hunt is going.  Alec asks if she wants his help or not and when Kiera says yes please, he begins to upload the information. Kiera brings up a 3d image of the assassination and Alec asks if this is how they solve murders in 2077.  Kiera tells him that there are very few murders in her time. Kiera quickly finds where the shot came from and then tells Alec that it's nice to have him back. He replies that he is not back, just bored.

Kiera heads to the site where the gun was fired from and Agent Gardiner sneaks up behind her and brandishes his weapon.  He asks what Kiera is doing there and she replies that she is trying to find the Mayor's killer.  Kiera asks what he is doing there and he tells her that she is going to answer some questions about the city plaza bombing and what happened afterwards.  Gardiner adds that he saw her survive the explosion and the fireball and then vanish.  Kiera tells him that she is a stranded time traveler from the year 2077 and is using technology that hasn't even been invented yet. Gardiner says that it's bullshit and then asks about the mayor, Liber8 and Alec. Kiera tells him that this place is a distraction because Liber8 didn't kill the mayor but someone wants Gardiner to think they did. Carlos shows up at the door and Gardiner is forced to lower his weapon and leave, telling Kiera that they're not done.

Kiera asks who stands to gain if Liber8 takes the hit for the mayor's death and Carlos replies political rivals, organized crime, or even an unhappy exhusband.  Kiera then says that the other night one of the Liber8 had a skull tattoo on his hand and  Carlos says that it's a gang tat for the Coalition Kings - a group which has been working with Liber8. Kiera asks who the rival gang is and Carlos bring up Raol Warford, who they have picked up before but has always managed to walk away. Kiera asks for Carlos to give her a jump on Warford before he executes the warrant.  Carlos tells her that there are drawbacks legally and that the scumbags are dangerous, but Kiera says that she can take care of herself and to wait for her signal.

Alex is playing video games when he gets a call saying that he got the job he applied for. The roommate congratulates him and says now he can pay the rent he owes.

Kiera heads to the club that Carlos gave her the address to and has no problem getting in.  She finds a cabinet filled with guns when Carlos calls her.  Kiera tells him about the guns and when she hears a sound, says that Carlos is going to get to play hero after all. Kiera tells Warford that she needs to search the club, his vehicle and residence and then take him in for the mayor's assassination. Warford asks what he has to do with the mayor and Kiera replies that the shooter used his apartment.  One of Warfords cohorts pipes up that this is impossible because there is nothing in the city with Warford's name on it. Warford asks what else he has and Kiera uses her tech to discover that he is telling the truth.  Warford orders Kiera to be taken out back and she killed and suddenly Kiera's confidence disappears and she tells him that there had to be someone on the inside who knew the truth and brings up the rival gang.  Kiera says that someone went to a lot of trouble to implicate him in the assassination of the mayor.  Carlos and the rest of the cops burst in.

At the station, Carlos puts a gun and a shell casing with Warford's prints on a table in front of Warford. Warford quickly says that he has never seen the gun but Carlos points out that it was in his gun safe in his club.  Warford asks for his lawyer but Carlos tells him that the lawyer has been picked up on obstruction of justice charges. Dillon says to put Warford in holding and that they will find him a public defender in the morning.

Alec calls Kiera and says that he needs to see her to talk about his future.  Kiera agrees to come meet him as soon as she takes care of something.  Dillon and Carlos come out to see her and Kiera says that she is more effective if she can avoid department restrictions and oversight and yet maintain police support and access to police resources.  Carlos says that he is not sure about this and that if Warford's defence gets wind of Kiera's tactics that the charges won't stick.  Dillon says that perception is more important than the letter of the law and adds that Warford will get charged and paraded in front of the press, so that the city can see that they are in control of the situation.  Carlos asks what happens if Warford walks and Dillon replies the bastards out there will have to think twice before they make another move and that it will buy them some time. Kiera says that they have to face the possibility that Warford had nothing to do with the mayor's murder.

Liber8  is meeting with candidate Martin. Sonya tells him that Jasmine pulled the trigger on the mayor and that they used gang members to plant the evidence.  Martin says that he doesn't want to know but Sonya tells him that he wanted this and that are no half measures because he is either all in, or he is no help to them or the movement.  Martin tells Sonya that she is right and that putting it on a scum bag like Worford raises it to a whole new level. Sonya says that they will be counting on his support and calls him Mr. Mayor.  Lucas brings in a bag of money and Martin tells Sonya that she will have it.

Travis is in jail and heads to the table where Alec's brother Julian is sitting. Travis says that he is recovering from Sonya.  The warden complains to Agent Gardiner that Julian and Travis should not be in the same facility, let alone be allowed to mingle but Gardiner replies that his office needs intel.

Kiera has met Alec in the park and she tells him that he does not know if the message was manipulation or genuine. Alec asks based on what she knows of future him, what Kiera would guess and she says that it's a 50/50 proposition. Kiera adds that future Alec didn't get where he did by playing nice and being clear about his intentions and that he is a powerful man who he protects that power. Alec says that he wants to help but is not sure whether or not he is working against the message.  Kiera asks why she is there and why future Alec sent her back. When Alec replies that he doesn't know, Kiera says, "you think you're the only one with questions." Kiera then pulls a piece of the time device out of her pocket and hands it back to him asking him to send her back to where she belongs.  Alec says it will take time.  Kiera asks if the future Alec said anything about not helping her and Alec shakes his head no.  Alec tells her that he has her back and leaves.  When he walks away Kiera asks, "what are you up to old man."

In the future old Alec sits at the computer and he tells his younger self about a gift from his father.  He says that he has gone down a dangerous path and has taken the world with him.  Only you can prevent this future from happening Alec says.  Alec then looks at an image of Kiera and uploads something to her brain, which is what made her scream in pain in the beginning of the episode.

Alright that was the season opener and it was truly underwhelming.  I realised just how little of a connection I had to Continuum when I had to turn to IMBD to look up who the characters are. To be clear, this is not Game of Thrones with a massive cast, this is simple disinterest and the first episode gave me no reason to change my opinion.

One of the problems from the very beginning of Continuum is that I found impossible to root for Kiera.  Yes, I understand that she is stranded in the past away from her history but let's be honest 2077, is not a good time for humanity.  People are born into debt to corporations and the privations are horrible.  Technology has turned the world into a police state.  Seeing this, it's impossible not to be on the side of Liber8.  In this first episode the writers have further dehumanized Kiera. She is demanding, condescending and arrogant, despite everything she has seen last season like - peaceful protests for instance. 

As a police procedural, Continuum continues to fail.  The idea that Kiera can just announce that she wants to be a vigilante and work outside of the law and have the police agree is ridiculous.  They know nothing about her and there has been no real investigation into what department she supposedly works for and what her mission parameters are. It's ridiculous.  Police have procedures for a reason.  Operating outside of the law got her threatened and almost murdered but yeah, that's the way to go. Let's face it, Kiera is not a super human, she simply has advanced tech which has failed before. I am sick of her condescension towards our time.

Finally, can we please stop the horrible flirtation between Kiera and Kellog? They have absolutely zero chemistry and rather than drawing me in, it works as a repellant.