I think we all know how this works. As usual, there are spoilers ahead.

“Revolutions Per Minute”:

This episode felt a little odd. It’s not really filler, but it sort of felt like it at times. It’s another episode where a lot is happening, but not all of it is particularly compelling.

The main plot deals with Liber8 taking an interest in a pharmaceutical company which is currently small, but will be a major player in the future. They’re testing a new drug to treat Alzheimer’s, which immediately reminds Kiera of Flash.

Further complicating matters is that Dillon’s daughter has succeeded in infiltrating Liber8, and they’re using her to infiltrate the pharmaceutical company.

Flash may also hold the answer to John Doe’s identity, if Kiera can get him some.

Meanwhile, Alec 1.0 makes a breakthrough with the aid of Kiera 1.0’s stolen CMR, but when he tests his new device on Jason, it has unexpected results. As Jason experiences a welcome jolt of lucidity, Alec is already moving on to other plans, hiring Julian of all people to help improve Piron’s image.

The most interesting part of this episode in my view was the continued effort to learn John Doe’s identity. I’m now thinking perhaps he comes from a future that has been changed by Kiera’s actions in the past (where Kellogg became emperor of everything instead of Alec?), and is even worse than Kiera’s soulless dystopia. Unfortunately, this also got the least attention of all the episode’s story arcs.

On the other hand, the plot surrounding Dillon’s daughter wasn’t interesting at all, and I’m left wondering what the point of it was. I guess just an attempt to humanize Dillon? Didn’t work very well, regardless.

Something else I feel strange about is how the attitudes toward altering history have changed so much. Kiera has spent most of the series trying desperately to preserve her future, but she went out of her way to shut down Flash before it started, which will undoubtedly have consequences. It’s somewhat understandable considering what happened to her sister, but still…

Also, in the season premiere, we saw all of time and space collapse because of Alec’s meddling. Now things have changed even more despite Kiera’s best efforts, but the continuum remains un-kerploded. Maybe there’s an explanation for this, but if so, I missed it.

“Revolutions Per Minute” was still a decent episode overall. I enjoyed how the plans of Alec, Liber8, Kellogg, and Kiera all converged in such an odd yet effective way, and pretty much everyone on the cast gave strong performances.

Overall rating: 7.4/10

“3 Minutes to Midnight”:

Where do I even begin? Phrases like “mind-blowing,” “earth-shattering,” and “game-changing” come to mind.

“3 Minutes to Midnight” is an episode full of answers and revelations, with the potential to turn everything about Continuum on its head.

Having regained his memories, John Doe — or Brad Tonkin — flees, unable to face Kiera due to his guilt over killing her other self.

Meanwhile, Jason experiences a violent psychotic break. The evidence points to Halo’s involvement, and he might not be the only one having problems, though Alec is quick to downplay the issue.

Carlos seeks the aid of Julian in getting to the truth surrounding Halo, and for perhaps the first time, Julian really is on the right side of things.

But it’s an ambush by Liber8 halfway through the episode that takes “3 Minutes to Minute” from interesting to incredible.

When Kiera and Brad are captured, what starts as an interrogation becomes a tense stand-off, and that leads in to possibly the biggest burst of revelation in Continuum’s history, and I don’t think the show will ever be the same.

All through Continuum’s run, there has been one question hanging over everything: Can the future be changed?

Now, we have our answer.

Yes.

Kiera’s future is gone. Brad hails from an equally but differently ruinous future, where Liber8’s actions have led to blood-soaked anarchy.

But that’s just the start, as everyone laid their cards on the table.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Liber8 learn the truth behind their mission, that they are and always have been pawns of Alec Sadler. Lucas may have hammed it up a bit, but overall, seeing everything they ever believed in shattered was very satisfying.

Everything is changed now, and no one knows what they’re fighting for anymore, or if it’s even worth fighting. The future Kiera fought to protect is gone. Liber8’s mission is a lie, and they now know their cause leads only to death and ruin.

With so many revelations and such a powerful ending, “3 Minutes to Midnight” easily could have been an excellent season finale. But there’s still two more episodes!

Overall rating: 9/10

“The Dying Minutes”:

Here we have another episode spectacular and climactic enough to easily serve as a season finale, but again, it’s still not over.

As with the last episode, the theme here is everyone losing faith in what they once believed in. Due to Brad’s revelations, it has become clear that the future cannot be predicted, or controlled.

As a result, Liber8 has disbanded, but Sonya still believes in the cause. She forms a last ditch plan to sabotage Piron on the eve of Halo’s launch, but forced to go it alone, things don’t work out well for her.

Kiera, also, has had to abandon that which she once believed in. With her own future now out of reach, she can only hope to create the best possible future, and it’s clear she picked the wrong Alec for that. With Brad’s aid, she sets out to rescue Alec 2.0, who is being tortured by the Freelancers.

As all this is unfolding, Curtis is hatching his own scheme. He believes the other Freelancers have lost their way, and he seeks to free the heart of their power: the Traveler, an ancient being who founded their order more than a thousand years ago.

The end result is an explosive, cinematic, action-packed episode that is a glowing example of Continuum at its finest.

With a major cast member dead, another clinging to life, and the Freelancers all but eradicated, this is another episode that will likely shape the face of the series for a long time to come. Continuum has pulled off some crazy twists in the past, but this might just take the cake. This is some Battlestar Galactica grade crazy.

I am going to miss Sonya. As an idealist driven too far by a corrupt world, I think she may ultimately have been the most interesting member of Liber8. Travis was more frightening, and Garza more entertaining, but Sonya had the most depth as a character.

My one very minor complaint is that they seem to be setting up Brad and Kiera as a couple, which I don’t much care for. True, expecting her to hold to her marriage vows at this point is unrealistic at best — and Greg was a cheating bastard anyway — but it feels a little forced, a little predictable, and I just don’t care for it.

On the plus side, if it means more of Ryan Robbins going forward, it’s probably a good thing.

Overall rating: 9/10

“Last Minute” (season finale):

The final episode of Continuum’s third season begins with everything in a fairly peaceful state. Kiera and Brad have retired to a peaceful life in the country, and Alec 2.0 and Emily are in the process of riding into the sunset.

That doesn’t last.

It soon becomes clear that there can never be peace as long as Alec 1.0 is around. He has gone too far, and the future he envisions will bring nothing but doom. Everyone is in agreement: Alec Sadler must fall.

And I do mean everyone. Including Liber8.

The lines are drawn, and the fight to define the future has begun.

Everything about this episode was brilliant. Absolutely stellar. Action, emotion, suspense, intensity. This is everything you could possibly want in a sci-fi season finale.

I think my favourite part was how Kiera’s character arc has evolved. She went to some very dark places, did some terrible things, to preserve her future, but now, she has let go of it. She has been awakened to the terrible truth of her future, and she now knows she cannot allow it to come to pass. Though it pains her terribly, she has decided to change the future for the better, even if it costs her everything she once held dear.

It’s a fantastically powerful evolution, and it gives me a totally new appreciation for her character.

I’m sorry if this review is a bit vague, but it would feel redundant to go through and talk about how I loved every single thing. “Last Minute” was just an excellent episode all around.

The one thing I have somewhat mixed feelings on is the ending.

I say this mainly because — minus the last five minutes — this could have done beautifully as the series finale. Pretty much every story arc was wrapped in a satisfying way, and it was all excellently done.

I don’t want to be in the position of wishing death on one of my favourite shows, but the future of sci-fi television shows is always shaky. I’m tempted to say they maybe should have just quit while they were ahead. Even if they do get the opportunity to end things on their own terms, I doubt they could do much better than this.

On the other hand, if there is a fourth season, and if this latest new direction turns out well, I suppose it will all be for the best.

Overall rating: 9.3/10

* * *

And that’s it. I am now caught up on Continuum. I am very glad I took a chance on this show; it’s far-exceeded my expectations.

There was never a time when Continuum wasn’t worth watching, but it’s only gotten better, with each season improving significantly on the previous. What started as a fairly basic action-adventure has evolved into a surprisingly smart, intense, and powerful sci-fi epic, and some of the best speculative fiction I’ve seen on TV in quite a while.

It carries a pretty powerful message, as well. I can’t help but worry its vision of a future in the thrall of corporations will prove prophetic, and we’ll all be slaves to corporate interests, toiling endlessly to pay off a Life Debt that serves as an eternal shackle.

Hell. Is that any different from now?

Whether there will be a fourth season or not is still up in the air. There seems to be strong arguments for either possibility. Apparently the show-runner has plans for at least seven seasons — which seems a bit over ambitious — but the continued silence on the matter is worrying.

I hope there will be another season. Continuum deserves it. But it’s best to prepare for the worst where sci-fi TV is concerned.

Well, damn. Now what am I going to watch?

It’s time again. Be warned: Spoilers ahead.

“Wasted Minute”:

This episode deals with two largely unrelated plotlines.

Most of the attention goes to the latest Liber8 plot. This time, they’ve stolen dangerous chemicals from the unsubtly named “Sonmanto” corporation. But as is always the case where Liber8 is concerned, their plan is not what it appears to be at first glance — which is something I appreciate. While the constant Liber8 plots could get tiresome, the fact that there’s always some twist keeps it interesting.

The other, more compelling plot deals with the two Alecs. The rift between them becomes wider as Alec 2.0 vows never to become like his future self, while Alec 1.0 continues to be a prick. But Kiera and the Freelancers see nothing but threat from Alec 2.0. The more he diverges from his future self, the more they believe he must be eliminated. That he is becoming a better person is irrelevant to them.

Mostly, this was a good episode, but the two plots didn’t mesh as well together as they might have. It felt a little like watching two episodes at once, and the Liber8 story didn’t seem to accomplish much. Yeah, they won some more PR points. That’s hardly news at this point.

This isn’t a criticism, but I am finding it harder and harder to like Kiera as a character. I grant that things are not black and white, and I can sympathize with her desire to protect her family, but her ruthless streak is becoming ever more pronounced, and she’s been consistently making the wrong decisions for quite a while now. Her betrayal of the non-evil Alec is very hard to forgive.

The ending of the episode was the highlight: a cliffhanger featuring an armed standoff between Kiera and the Freelancers following her discovery that Curtis killed her other self.

Overall rating: 7.2/10

“Waning Minutes”:

This is something new. Instead of an episode set in the present bookended by scenes in the future, this is an episode set in the future bookended by scenes in the present.

An offhand comment by Curtis sends Kiera’s mind back to the future (hurr hurr). While she was escorting a Liber8 terrorist to prison, her flyer malfunctioned and crashed in the wilderness. She and her prisoner were abducted by a band of renegades eking out an existence outside the influence of the Corporate Congress.

But they are not the only visitors to the settlement. Kagame has taken refuge there to recover from an injury, treated by a pre-Liber8 Sonya.

It’s only a matter of time before the eyes of the Corporate Congress turn towards the renegades, and that can only spell doom.

I’m not quite sure how to rate this episode. It’s too early to see how, if at all, “Waning Minutes” fits into the greater arc of Continuum. At face value, it seems a bit like filler — it’s an entire episode of flashback, after all — but if Kiera’s revelation about being “asleep” makes her change her ways, maybe it will mean something after all.

On the plus side, even if “Waning Minutes” is filler, it’s pretty good filler. There aren’t necessarily any major revelations in this episode — we already knew the Corporate Congress was brutal and ruthless — but all of it is well done.

My one issue with this episode — and even calling it a complaint seems a bit too harsh — is Sonya’s arc feels like an odd retcon. True, this doesn’t contradict her previous backstory, and they even bother to connect the two events, but it feels a little redundant to give her two life-changing moments that sway her to Liber8’s cause.

On the plus side, her new backstory is better than the original. I do like Sonya. It’s interesting that — more than anyone else in Liber8 — she seems to be a truly kind and decent person. She was simply pushed too far by a corrupt world. It’d be nice if we could see more of this side of her in the modern world.

And seeing Kagame again is always cool.

Overall rating: 7.7/10

“So Do Our Minutes Hasten”:

This episode made my brain hurt. In a good way.

“So Do Our Minutes Hasten” is an almost overwhelmingly complex ball of intrigue. It all begins with a deadly chemical attack on the heads of a major corporation. Of course, all eyes turn to Liber8.

But Kiera realizes something isn’t adding up. Liber8 have been painting themselves as Robin Hood. Murdering a dozen innocent people would be bad for their image, and lately they’ve spent more time on PR than actual terrorism.

At this time, Dillon chooses to separate Kiera and Carlos. Kiera is assigned to work on the chemical attack, while Carlos pursues a possible whistleblower from Sonmanto, who claims she has evidence of countless illegal acts by that corporation. She also happens to have ties to one Julian Randol.

Betty is eager to help with all those myriad tangled webs, desperate to regain the trust of her former friends.

Kellogg begins weaving one of his patented schemes by encouraging Jason to reconnect with Alec 1.0, and as if all that isn’t enough, Curtis shows up to extort Kellogg into aiding him, seemingly promising to share the secret of immortality in exchange.

Immortal Kellogg. Those are two words to send a chill down your spine.

All that is barely scratching the surface of the complexity of this episode. It didn’t feel like an episode of a TV show; it felt like a movie. A really good movie.

The intrigue is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and while I try to avoid cliches like this, it does keep you guessing until the very end.

There’s really nothing about “So Do Our Minutes Hasten” that wasn’t excellent, but I think Betty was the real standout from it — and that’s not something I ever expected to say. I appreciate finally understanding why she betrayed the police to Liber8, and it puts her in a surprisingly sympathetic light. Perhaps she was the only truly pure-hearted one in this whole tangled mess.

Of course, making Betty suddenly so much more likable sets up the brutal ending quite brilliantly.

Overall rating: 9/10

“Minute of Silence”:

This episode isn’t quite as tangled as the last one, but it’s still a complex and fascinating bundle of mysteries in its own right.

A coma victim (played by Ryan Robbins of Sanctuary and Stargate: Atlantis, among other things) wakes up with amnesia. He only remembers one thing: the name “Kiera Cameron”. But she has never met him before.

It soon becomes clear that this John Doe is not just a random unfortunate. It appears he, too, is not of this time, another refugee from Kiera’s future. But who is he, and how and why did he come to the past?

My tinfoil hat theory: He’s Kiera’s son, all grown up.

Elsewhere, tech companies all across Vancouver, including Piron, are the victims of several robberies assisted by an early form of Kiera’s cloaking technology.

Alec 1.0 is having a bad day. As if being stolen from wasn’t enough, Carlos reveals to him the true fate of Kiera 1.0, his new technology isn’t working, and Kellogg is suing him.

I’m a big fan of Ryan Robbins, so naturally I liked this episode a lot. Even aside from him being awesome as per usual, “Minute of Silence” has a lot of good mystery and a decent emotional punch.

It’s interesting to me that, for the last two episodes, Sonmanto has served as the “big bad,” and Liber8 has almost fallen into being the good guys in the equation. I wonder if this an anomaly, or another sign of the show’s direction changing?

Also, yeesh, Alec 1.0 just keeps getting nastier. We can now add defiling the corpse of a former friend to his list of “questionable decisions.”

Overall rating: 8.1/10