On this episode of Continuum, subterfuge reigned and chaos followed in the wake of Sonmanto's latest schemes. While Kiera and Dillon investigated an attack that seemed to have Liber8's fingerprints all over it, Carlos got close to a Sonmanto whistleblower named Adele whose secrets led right back to the question of just how evil the corporation is and how far they are willing to go in order to "change the narrative," as Kiera dubbed their machinations. Worst of all, with a new assassin in play, a tragic death capped the episode, one that was heartbreaking.
It's been a brilliant season so far, and "So Do Our Minutes Hasten" just continued that trend. Fascinatingly, from originating as the imposing threat that represented so much menace in the show's world, Liber8 are seeming increasingly less villainous compared not only with Sonmanto but with the future Corporate Congress. This dynamic even led Betty to ask Kiera if she was "changing horses" and favoring Liber8, while Dillion held so fast to his insistence of Liber8 being responsible for the attack that Carlos and Kiera had to question whether Dillon had nefarious motivations of his own. It's somewhat unclear whether Dillon is actually corrupt or just myopically incapable of seeing past his agenda of nailing Liber8 no matter what other criminals slip through his grip in the meantime (and no matter what happens to his daughter).
Kellog gave Jason an adorable businessman makeover and sent him to Piron, where Past Alec was all too pleased to have his dear son's assistance in developing a medical detection technology. I'm wondering what Kellog's plan is, since he watched Jason and Past Alec chatting on camera with such a self-satisfied smirk. Either way, it's probably going to be fun to watch this unfold, as Kellog always brings a welcome burst of mischief to the proceedings. It must have something to do either with getting back at Past Alec for not hiring him at Piron, or setting a plan in motion that will benefit Kellog due to his knowledge of future events....or most likely, both.
Carlos fell a little too easily into the embrace of Adele, who went on t.v. to confess Sonmanto secrets only so that this very information could be ostensibly disproven, leaving the corporation looking cleaner than ever in the public eye. Not only was Adele a liar, but she was also downright condescending: writing "You're sweet" on the bathroom mirror? Don't play Carlos like that! I know he makes it easy, but still.
However, as Garza quickly understood, Kiera is simply not sure about anything anymore. At her core, Kiera is a character accustomed to seeing the world as black and white, who has now been thrust into the absolute grayest of all possible scenarios. I felt this was very well reinforced in two other places in the episode. First, by the flash to Kiera's future life as a CPS Protector, where she busted her own mother at an unauthorized gathering, and her mother reminded Kiera that someday she was going to have to expand her mind and stop kneejerk-conforming to the Corporate Congress' rules. Clearly, that time is coming now, in the past timeline Kiera currently occupies. Secondly, Adele asked Carlos what secrets he is harboring, and Carlos replied tellingly, "What am I hiding? Everything." Just as Kiera has been forced to abandon her previously held ideals to confront the reality of how in flux everything truly is, Carlos has had to swallow past his hatred of secrecy to be a player in this all-important game to prevent all of the trouble that Liber8, Sonmanto, the Freelancers, et al are bringing.
I knew something awful was about to happen when Kiera, Carlos, and Betty actually got to go out and enjoy a drink together after work. How long could a simple moment of friendship and contentment go unrewarded by disaster? Sure enough, as Betty stepped outside alone to meet with a Liber8 contact and gather more information for the VPD, she was shot down by the Sonmanto assassin and left lying in the street for a horrified Kiera and Carlos to find. A harrowing conclusion to a thought-provoking episode. Dammit, I really didn't want to see Betty go. I hope there's a chance she'll come back or survive somehow, though it seems unlikely.
What did you think of this episode? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Regarding your last line in the above review:
ReplyDeleteThis is science-fiction. They've already proven the existence of time travel on this show. It's possible that a future episode involves yet another time jump, resulting in a very much alive Betty. One needs to remember, that before this season began, Escher was still alive, Carlos was on a path to joining Betty and Liber8, and "Kiera" was still alive. Given that the Freelancers claim to "protect" the timeline, I'm curious why there's been no attempt at fixing things to bring back Escher. Unless his presence wasn't meant to be.
Yes, it's totally possible for any character to come back. I was probably being too pessimistic in my original reaction to Betty's death. The Freelancers don't seem to be all that organized or efficient lately so not surprised at their lack of action regarding Escher. But maybe he was, as you surmised, not a crucial player in the intended timeline.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I completely agree with your points on the show. It is so true that the earlier seasons of Continuum had a bit more filler "case of the week" material that I am glad to see go in favor of a serialized approach and stronger mythology focus. Interestingly, seeing X-Men: Days of Future Past yesterday had me thinking a lot about the themes of Continuum, mostly because when it comes to time travel sci-fi, this show poses some of the most intriguing questions and fascinating potential answers.
ReplyDelete