The Gun Counter

Syfy has taken at least one step away from its death march to suckdom, and has imported this neat little show called Continuum.

Basic synopsis: 8 criminals of an anti-corporate terrorist organization called Liber8 have been sentenced to die by the corporate government in a future (dystopian?) world. Instead of being killed, they're sent back in time to the present day. Also caught in the time traveling effect is Kiera Cameron, a future cop. Now she's trying to stop Liber8, as well as trying to find a way home. Her allies, Alec Sandler, a young tech prodigy who will in the future be one of the tech giants ruling the world, and her partner in the Vancouver PD, Carlos Fenegra (sp?).

Season 1 is available streaming on Netflix, season 2 is currently showing on Syfy, Fridays.

I'm enjoying this for a number of reasons:
- The current state of affairs involving corporate influence and control upon government is providing them with plenty of fodder. The writers are definitely using Sci-Fi's ability to comment on the now by extrapolating and postulating current trends out to future occurrences. Issues also touched on are the use of torture, the suspension of rights in the name of security, basically Ben's debate of liberty versus security. And the socio-political commentary doesn't seem too heavy-handed (YMMV).
- There is no strict black & white. While there's definitely good guys and bad guys, they have their ethics and morals questioned and tested.
- the portrayal of time travel. They're tight-lipped about whether the universe's mechanics operate under a closed-loop system where time is immutable, or if it's susceptible to butterfly effects and grandfather paradoxes. My money's on closed-loop.
- I recommended this to my brother-in-law, a computer guy. He's enjoying seeing how postulations of new tech in 60-or-so years, how computers will be integrated with our bodies and the societal changes such will bring.

What do y'all think?

I've watched a few episodes with my dad and have enjoyed them, but haven't been making any deep comparisons or thinking about it. I am aware that they exist but lately on the rare occasion I watch tv, it's specificly NOT to think.

I have doubts about any comm system ever being connected to the body - it's just too likely a source of personal attack via hacking.

I hope the "google glass" gets rejected as well - life is better than electrons.

I've been burning through the first episode on Netflix and so far I am enjoying it. The writing and the story line are smart and tight (unlike Fringe which it sort if resembles). The technology and future are neat yet very plausible. And the primary actress is easy on the eyes

Aglifter wrote:I have doubts about any comm system ever being connected to the body - it's just too likely a source of personal attack via hacking.

I hope the "google glass" gets rejected as well - life is better than electrons.

I think you are right, and it may be that this is yet another element of what sounds like another dystopian future.

Update: season 2 finished on Syfy. The show has been renewed for a third season, starting in 2014.

Anyone have a spare time travel device and an anti-matter power generator so I can go forward in time and continue watching this? I'm hooked.