Continuum Review: 4×03 “Power Hour”

Who can you trust? Everyone is left asking that question as deception, selfish agendas and bloodshed tear at the fragile connections between characters.

CAUTION: SPOILERS AHEAD IN OUR DETAILED REVIEW

Continuum — When Carlos (Victor Webster) and Kiera (Rachel Nichols) find themselves at odds over how best to deal with the future soldiers, a troubled Carlos admits reservations about Keira’s blind faith in Brad (Ryan Robbins). Despite no resolution, the two set their sites on Kellog (Stephen Lobo) who quickly reminds them he holds all the purse-strings behind the police and every high-ranking official in town. With no choice but to let Kellog go, Carlos does, but gets an unexpected offer from Alec (Erik Knudsen) to help bring Kellog down. When a solid lead on Marcellus’s (Ty Olsson) team emerges, the impasse between Kiera and Carlos quickly puts Alec in the middle as each asks him to keep things from the other.

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Elsewhere, a shaken Julian (Richard Harmon) finds the manifesto of Theseus is already published online. He must decide how best to take control of his own future when Curtis (Terry Chen) introduces him to a young Edward Kagame (Nova Ryzen Smith). Meanwhile, behind Carlos’s back, Alec, Kiera, Garza (Luvia Petersen) and Lucas (Omari Newton) investigate and find Marcellus and friends busy building a mysterious device. Despite an opportunity to destroy it, Kiera is unwilling to let Garza kill everyone and eliminate the only technology that could get her home. As the two come to blows, they are discovered and have no choice but to fight their way out. Every route is cut off in the ensuing escape and before it’s over everyone ends up with blood on their hands. Trust amongst everyone may be eroded forever after this episode of Continuum!

The Anti-Kellog alliance took a blow. He got stronger as trust issues drove wedges through the group against him.

If there was a central theme to this episode it certainly revolved around trust. Nearly every character dealt with trust issues either with others or even with themselves. Kiera and Carlos set the tone for all the trust troubles right off the bat as they sparred over how to deal with the new threat from 2039. Kiera may not fully trust Brad after their last conversation, but she’s spent quite a bit of time trying to convince others (and even herself) that she does. We don’t blame Carlos one bit for it not feeling right. We don’t even have to be an Inspector to know something about Brad isn’t on the up and up.

“You trust him more than you trust me. Instead of believing in me you’re putting faith in a man you hardly know who’s a little too cozy with the enemy if you ask me.” ~ Carlos

“I hate to say it, but the man has a point.” ~ Travis

It has to sting a little when Travis (Roger Cross) hits you with truth from behind bars. Especially when there’s a corner of your brain that knows he’s right. Brad is clearly conflicted and so is Kiera. Their feelings for each other have them both clouded and even if they don’t see it themselves, everyone around them seems to have caught wind of something fishy.

While the Anti-Kellog establishment was busy squabbling and keeping secrets from each other, Kellog strolled in wielding his wallet and attitude as his weapons of choice. We have to hand it to Writers Jeremy Smith and Todd Ireland for sizzling dialogue that put Stephen Lobo clearly in his element opposing Carlos and company in the VPD. Lobo has been stellar this season and he’s at his best when Kellog’s ego has trouble fitting indoors. After idle threats from Carlos began to warm Kellog’s seat, his ego inflated and dominated the room.

“I’m sure the mayor, City Hall, and some other entities I have in my back pocket will perform the role of jack boot to your oversized neck and you’ll find yourself running parking tickets on skid row. Now either arrest me or get the hell out of my way.” ~ Kellog

Can we take a moment to appreciate just how much Kellog is the villain that you simply love to hate? His sticky charm is something to behold when Lobo is in the groove. He’s simply owned this character and that’s only gotten better as he’s become the central figure working against everyone else as he works to change the future for his own benefit. The larger Kellog’s ego gets, the more fun Lobo is to watch become the catalyst for everyone else to react to and knock heads against trying to stop.

Case in point would be both Kiera and Carlos separately coming to Alec and asking to withhold information. Their trust issues spilled out of the precinct and the repercussions would send shockwaves through the entire cast of characters, starting with Alec, as Kiera pleaded for her own agenda ahead of others. Her focus has shifted squarely toward getting home and she’s begun to ignore the greater good to get there. Asking Alec to protect information about Brad and Marcellus was just the start.

“Great. I’m on the job for five seconds and you’re already asking me to lie to Carlos?” ~ Alec

Carlos’s intuition was right on the money. As he watched Kiera, via security cams, tell Travis how Lucas died, his mistrust came full circle. Kellog is toxic enough, but Kiera’s secretive agenda to get home may have damaged her relationship with Carlos beyond repair. We completely expected Kiera and Garza to have issues on how to deal with Kellog, but seeing the cracks form between Carlos and Kiera was difficult to stomach. Credit great writing plus Nichols and Webster for making us feel it. The fragile trust that held together the Anti-Kellog coalition began to crumble as quickly as it formed. The question is, can these characters get it back in time to stop Kellog from creating a future that suits him and no one else?

Can Julian change this future? Can anyone alter the course of things to come?

With an episode full of memorable dialogue, Lucas delivered some of the most sound advice to both Julian and Alec as the two lamented their cloudy and potentially devastating futures.

“You both sound like a couple of babies. Here’s a tip. Take action. Man up. You’re the author of your own destiny. Act like it.” ~ Lucas

Both Richard Harmon and Erik Knudsen looked exactly as you’d expect. They’d been scolded by a man who’s seen the future and understands they both have the potential to influence the entire world if they choose to do so—once they both grow up a bit. But could that advice actually send both men toward a future they’ve sought to prevent? By tossing his notes and writings into the fire, Julian sought to eliminate the possibility those words could influence the world and result in countless deaths decades down the road, but just as Curtis predicted, destiny has a way of catching up to you no matter what.

Once Julian realized his manifesto was already published online things seemed destined to head in a direction he was desperate to avoid. The genie can’t always be put back into the bottle Julian. Theseus’s message is loose and as Kagame said in Season One, knowledge is power. We found it interesting that Curtis told Mrs. Kagame to publish the manifesto and start a revolution that Julian may be destined to lead whether he wants to or not. But even more curious was Curtis’s advice implying that nothing is set in stone. Is that true or is that simply what Julian needs to hear in order to move forward?

“Your influence on the future has already begun whether you like it or not. Would you rather bury your head in the sand or take action now to ensure that your teachings are never bastardized by fanatics?” ~ Curtis

Julian’s path seems far from set. His entrance into the Kagame home as the episode ended could mean any number of things. If he stays there, Kagame will most likely learn a different truth of the world from Julian. Does that mean Kagame is destined to see the world in a different light than we saw from him originally? Or was this the first step toward events that push Kagame toward a destiny we’ve already seen play out with the return to 2012 and the destruction of the tower? Deep thoughts to ponder for sure.

These and numerous other questions all rise to the surface and make Continuum one of the most thought-provoking shows on television. The distinct possibility exists that Liber8 has already succeeded and failed at the same time. They may have set in motion a chain of events that ultimately give rise to the legend Theseus becomes. By exposing Kagame to Theseus, young Kagame may grow to be the same open-minded and dedicated individual he was always destined to be. Instead of changing the future, could Liber8 have simply started a chain of events that lead to the very future they left behind? Is Brad’s 2039 simply a step toward Kiera’s 2077? All these questions and much more rattled through our heads as Julian stepped into the Kagame home.

Kiera has been a tad self-centered. Will a heartbreaking loss snap her back to selfless?

Fans have been itching for more Kierza, but it wouldn’t be complete without some sparks from the inevitable friction right? We think that’s the only way the incredible chemistry between Rachel Nichols and Luvia Petersen really works. One minute they are saving each other’s asses and the next they are at each other’s throats. The duo entering the factory—both in super suits—was highlight reel fun for the hour. As they came upon the weapons stash and the time marine battle suits, Garza said what was on all our minds.

“Mommy like.” ~ Garza

But staying on task was paramount, that is until they differed on exactly how to destroy the mysterious device they’d discovered. We wondered why Kiera didn’t just tell Garza right off the bat that the machine itself was her reason for hesitation, but it’s likely Garza wouldn’t have cared if Kiera were protecting the technology or Brad. Neither would have set well with Garza and Kiera couldn’t have convinced her trigger happy partner that either was worth saving. But after things went completely haywire, this entire episode took a dark turn with the death of Lucas at Brad’s hands. There is guilt enough for everyone to share regarding Lucas, but when the chips were down he abandoned his superpower and followed his own advice. He acted and saved the lives of Kiera and Garza in the process. It cost him his life, but Lucas knew the stakes. The question will be if Kiera finally does as well.

“Don’t you see? We could all go home.” ~ Kiera

“Newsflash, you’re the only one who wants to go back. Lucas died trying to prevent that shitty future. You’re spitting in his face wanting to preserve it.” ~ Garza

Kiera has been locked on a singularly selfish path this season and has taken risks and chances she might not have in the past to put her own hopes and dreams ahead of the greater good. Those are interesting choices by the writing team, but if nothing else, they serve to make Kiera more human. If anything might shake her loose and bring her back to reality, Lucas’s death may be it. Given where these characters started it would have been impossible to imagine that from the start, but both Kiera and Lucas have evolved considerably since then and they definitely connected this season.

As Kiera consoled Alec and insisted Lucas’s fate wasn’t Alec’s fault, we couldn’t help but wonder if she were trying to convince herself or Alec. Garza’s heated and incensed reaction in the van was one of truth. Kiera has been selfish and her inaction had as much to do with Lucas’s fate as anything else. Both Rachel Nichols and Luvia Petersen were spectacular as they each dealt with the harsh emotions of losing Lucas in a different way. Could Kiera trust herself? She’d put others in danger for her own gain and things had gone horribly wrong. Oddly enough, things came full circle and it was Travis once again that dug to the heart of the matter.

“Look at me. There’s no surrender in this fight. You’ve come a long way. Open your eyes to the truth. This truth. Kellogg is more dangerous than any of us. Greed is his drug and his weakness. You have to stop him at all costs. Are you willing to do that?” ~ Travis

“Yes. Kellogg will not succeed.” ~ Kiera

That’s the sound of a woman on a mission, but this time one that protects everyone and not just herself. The moment was beautifully played by both Nichols and Cross, but once again the simplicity and directness of the dialogue cut to the heart of things immediately. Kiera’s mission has been to go home, but did Lucas’s death change that path? Time will tell, but her final confrontation with Kellog certainly seemed to suggest she’d finally altered her course. After stewing and asking herself if she could trust herself, she threw that question brilliantly right back at Kellog—with a completely different context.

“May I ask you a personal question, Matthew?” ~ Kiera

“Anything.” ~ Kellog

“If nobody can trust you, then tell me: how can you trust you?” ~ Kiera

That’s an incredibly thought-provoking way to end the hour. We don’t trust either Kellog, but can they trust each other? We don’t know, but the roller coaster of this season is sure to only get more intense as things head into the second half and Continuum comes to it’s series conclusion.

FINAL VERDICT: Trust. It’s a fragile thing and at every turn in this episode characters lost it, found it and even questioned if they could trust themselves. Continuum just threw an emotional curve ball that may force everyone to re-evaluate where they stand.

Veteran Continuum writer Jeremy Smith teamed with first-time writer Todd Ireland to pen a script that shook things up in the Continuum world. With a quality debut, we can only imagine this won’t be Ireland’s last gig and we’ll be rooting for this duo to team up again any time they get the chance. Sparkling, vibrant dialogue flowed throughout a dynamic episode that ratcheted the tension across the board and then punched us in the emotional gut with a heartbreaking loss.

Popular characters are killed off in television shows with alarming regularity these days. It’s quite the rage. We still haven’t forgiven J.J. Abrams for Charlie. Maybe a little. But it still stings because we loved the character and it meant something. Lucas didn’t quite have the same dramatic last message scribbled on his palm, but for Continuum and the characters it may impact, his death could ultimately be more meaningful to the story than Charlie’s ever was. If Kiera shifts her focus to a selfless pursuit of Kellog at all costs, as she insisted to Travis, Lucas’s death represents a pivotal moment in the season where things violently changed direction.

Omari Newton will be missed on this show in its final episodes, but credit goes to him and to the writing team for molding Lucas into a character we could both empathize with and care about despite any questionable decisions he may have made. That he will be missed by fans, and his death may have narrative meaning with Kiera’s awakening, is all any actor can hope for if they are asked to die on screen and leave a character behind. In Kiera’s final moments with Travis and Kellog it would seem that she’s finally zeroing in on the greater good again and Lucas’s passing may be the event that jump starts her in that direction until the series ends.

Director David Frazee temporarily took over for Pat Williams and delivered a solid entry that moved things along in the fourth season. We’re half way to the end of this shortened season and things are starting to get heated and emotional. Trust issues swirled around every character and by the end, even Kiera, Julian and Kellog had to be wondering if they could trust themselves. Exceptional dialogue and amazing performances moved us from end to end, but the emotional struggles of Kiera and Julian were particularly well done by all involved. Well-deserved praise should be heaped on many, but especially Richard Harmon, Rachel Nichols and David Frazee for keeping the emotional core of this episode grounded so well.

Where does everyone go from here? We have almost no idea. This group of writers has created an explosive brew that feels like it’s just on the verge of erupting. Who trusts anyone else at this point? Carlos certainly feels betrayed by Kiera and Garza and Kiera won’t be sitting down to another laughing dinner any time soon. It was painful to watch the last shreds of trust between Brad and Kiera bleed away with Lucas. We completely understand the bang, bang nature of the moment and how it took place, but can they recover from this? We are leaning toward no, but things are far from over. With just three episodes left and a swirl of questions floating about we don’t plan to miss a minute of Continuum as it enters the home stretch of its final season!

Questions, Comments, Concerns and My Reaction on Twitter…

• I’m enjoying this. SHUT UP! Ha!!! I love the subtle humor of this show!
• You trust him more than you trust me. The man has a point. Ooo. That kinda stings.
• You coulda just introduced yourself. Didn’t I? That’s a badass woman folks!
• Think Kellog gets his rocks off on just how quickly a woman could completely kick his ass?
• Take action. Man up. You’re the author of your own destiny. Act like it. Mic drop!
• Move. I think you should make me. Yes please!!! #WantToSeeThat
• I don’t think Travis will need the full hour. #LaywersBetterWorkFast
• I have the distinct feeling that @MrL080 LOVED that attitude wielding scene. 🙂 #Bravo
• I was thinking about my future .. This only took 4 seasons?? lol
• Awe .. Betty’s old office. 🙁 We miss you @SpenceJen!
• When you sit in the VPD big chair, you seem to have a lot of time to start to get paranoid. :/
• Boy, everyone wants Alec to keep secrets. He got in the middle of office politics fast!
• How am I supposed to get inside if our targets are home? Ask nicely? Use your “charm”?? lol
• Your influence on the future has already begun whether you like it or not. Beautiful scene.
• If I had a super suit, I’d spend the first few minutes just that giddy. 🙂
• We destroy it. I love it when she talks blowing stuff up.
• Mommy like. Daddy like too! #BOOM!
• There can be no Kierza without some sparks!
• They are like gnats @alekspaun! You can’t see em, they are annoying as hell & they don’t give up!
• Try harder! That dude looks like he’s scared shitless…
• Give her a super suit and Garza IS a weapon!
• NO! NO! NO! NO! @OmariAkilNewton
• That hurt as much as Betty. Props to @OmariAkilNewton for building a character we loved.
• Alec. It’s not your fault. Who is she trying to convince? Alec .. or herself?
• This is all about you then? Someone is a little too focused on themselves. 🙁
• You have to stop him at all costs. Are you willing to do that? Yes. Did someone’s mission just change?
• Everyone’s trust in each other bled away with Lucas…
• Don’t fear these words. People need to see them. Alec, that sounded like Curtis…
• If nobody can trust you, then tell me, how can you trust you? That made him think…