Continuum S2Ep5 ‘Second Opinion’ Review!

Continuum is back from a two-week hiatus. The episode before the break (Second Skin) was probably the low point in the series so far. Alas this weeks episode entitled ‘Second Opinion’ is better but not very exciting. It feels a bit like a bottle show in that there few special effects or action scenes. However, this is made up by the drama which at least allows the character Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols) express repressed sentiments that gave her a bit of color. All this is accomplished by a plot that focuses on a mole being present in the Vancouver police department that supposedly allowed Liber8 front man Travis Verta escape. The plot is rather thin as shown when inspector Dillon is fired and his replacement immediately starts to uproot the entire department. For Kiera it all quickly becomes too much and after an aggressive outburst her CRM chip starts a built-in AI shrink to see what is wrong.

This offers Alessandro Juliani to have  guest role as well. The last time anyone saw him was when he was put in front of a firing squad on Battlestar Galactica. Eventually Kiera manages to convince her AI shrink that she really is in the year 2013 and that she needs her implant reactivated to stop Liber8. Kiera manages to uncover evidence that the mole hunt was fueled by a virus planted by Liber8. Dillon’s replacement and agent Gardiner (Nicholas Lea) back down from any further investigation but both seem to have even more suspicions about Kiera than ever before. Victor Webster also seems to have been given a bit more screen time this episode after his virtual absence from the last episode. You might say he is being forced to have fewer lines at the cost of Nicholas Lea. The last scene of the episode shows detective Betty Robertson (Jennifer Spence) getting into a car with Lucas Ingram, revealing she was a mole regardless.

The second plotline follows Alec Sadler (Erik Knudsen) as he forms a partnership with Kellog. Kellog has managed to find some accommodation for Alec to work from but Alec is forced to put his foot down when it comes to the ownership of the technology. Alec is also visited by Jason but no mention is made of him being Alec’s father. Together they plan on reverse engineering the time machine in order to sent Kiera back. This plot line is reasonably effective, it certainly lays the groundwork for a future showdown between Kellog Alec. Otherwise the only notably thing is the new bat cave Alec got to work from.

The episode makes frequent references to Mr. Escher and Section 6. But so far nothing serious has happened in that plot area. I guess that will have to wait until the second half of the season.

Score; 7.5 / 10.

Next week’s episode of Continuum is entitled ‘Second Truths’ and deals with a serial killer from the future.