Courtesy of Syfy / Showcase
Kiera (Rachel Nichols) sets out to solve her own murder as Liber8 reunites and the new Mayor finds himself in a spot of trouble.
Let’s bitch it out…
It’s still early in the season, so it’s understandable that the Continuum writers are laying the groundwork for the rest of the season, but I’m not sure Mayor Jim Martin (Thmoh Penikett) needed to be reintroduced at this particular moment. After sitting out the majority of the season premiere, this feels like a way to make Liber8 a significant part of this alternative timeline. Given the other concerns ‘Minute Man’ is dealing with, however, this storyline simply doesn’t have the same sense of urgency. I’m sure there will be repercussions from Martin’s suicide, as well as Pyron’s naming in the government corruption scandal and Inspector Dillon’s (Brian Markinson) connection to the company, but for now the pay-off doesn’t justify the timing. I’ll readily concede that one reason I didn’t really enjoy this aspect of the episode is that I was more than happy to forget about Dillon since the character’s motivation and flip-flop allegiances in season two never really worked for me. Out of all of the characters this show has in its roster, I find Dillon to be spectacularly dull (no offense to actor Markinson, who simply doesn’t have much to work with).
More significant is the suggestion that Betty (Jennifer Spence) may soon be outed as the Liber8 mole. When Martin is abducted by Travis (Roger Cross), Garza (Luvia Peterson) and Sonya (Lexa Doig), “new” Alec (Erik Knudsen) is called in to help discover where Martin’s video confession is coming from, but Betty beats him to it. That’s a surprise to “our” Alec who’s listening in while trying to ID Kiera’s killer in the lab. Normally Alec is the tech genius who saves the day, so Betty’s big save puts her on Alec’s radar (he’s a bit of a narcissist so he’s probably threatened by the competition). Betty’s secret has been one of the show’s longest running subplots, but it hasn’t really amounted to much. This scene suggests that that may change and the secret may come out this season.
The rest of ‘Minute Man’ is dedicated to Kiera, Alec and Carlos’ (Victor Webster) attempts to grapple with their reconfigured relationships. Kiera’s decision to involve Carlos in the cover-up of her murder upsets the balance of their relationship, but she’s too fixated on punishing our Alec for the trouble he’s caused to take notice. I like the tension between Kiera and Alec because it introduces a new dynamic to their relationship. Although I think it would get old in time, I do think that her softening towards him by the end of the hour occurs too quickly. After spending much of the first two seasons mothering him, Alec betrayed her trust and while he’s repented, he’s still caused irreparable damage to the alternative timeline in just a few days. I’m curious to see whether Kiera and Alec will be forced to move forward no matter what; now that Liber8 has reconciled their differences and Kellog (Stephen Lobo) has recruited Emily (Magda Apanowicz) in the wake of Escher’s death, Kiera and Alec may have no other choice but to continue working together as allies.
Other Observations:
- In the future (2067 to be exact), we see how Kiera joined CPS when a debt collector discovers contraband “old media” (aka printed materials) in her family home. Apparently joining the war effort carries a certain commodity value, but the decision doesn’t sit well with Kiera’s mother or sister. What’s interesting about this flash forward is that it’s unclear whether this is Kiera’s “old” timeline or if the future timeline remains intact.
- Side Note: Apparently 2067 is a hard time for hair, because the wig Rachel Nichols is trying to rock is atrocious. Like Lizzie from The Blacklist bad.
- The final shot of the episode is Carlos drinking heavily intercut with flashbacks of Kiera’s dead body in the trunk. Is this a suggestion that he’s actually in love (or was in love) with Kiera?
Best Lines:
- Kiera (ripping into Alec): “In the timeline without two Alec Sadlers, I don’t get shot.”
- Solomon (looking to seal a pact with Mayor Martin over cocaine): “Let’s do a bump. Let’s be friends.”
- Kiera (when Alec asks if she’ll ever let him live his mistake down): “Not in this timeline.”
- Kellog (letting Kiera know he knows there are 2 Alecs): “Some things are obvious when you’re paying attention. And time travel’s involved.”
- Carlos (when they arrive at Martin’s kidnap location): “Abandoned warehouse. It’s always an abandoned warehouse.”
What are your thoughts on this second episode of season three? Are you sad to see Jim Martin go? Who is more dangerous: Liber8 or Kellog & Emily? Is Kiera already forgiving Alec (and, if so, is that happening too quickly)? And what’s your take on the final scene with Carlos? Sound off below
Continuum airs Fridays at 10pm EST on Syfy