Syfy's newest scripted series Continuum begins in the year 2077 as a group of convicted terrorists are about to be executed en masse before an audience of the world. From a front row seat two government types debate whether the execution should be quite as public as it will be.
At the moment of execution, one of the terrorists tosses something into the execution and a flash of light appears before anyone can react. Except, that is, one of the security guards, Kiera (Rachel Nichols, Star Trek), who jumps into the midst of it. All of them, the terrorists and Kiera disappear into the glowing void. In the meantime, the older man from the gallery (William B. Davis, The X-Files' Cigarette Smoking Man) smiles ever-so-slightly.
The series, which debuted in Canada last year before going across the pond to the U.K., will make its U.S. debut Monday night on Syfy. Creator/Executive Producer Simon Barry along with stars Nichols and Victor Webster chatted with television journalists this week to discuss their new series, which has been renewed for a second season.
It turns out, the glowing light that consumed the terrorists, a group known as Liber8, and Kiera is a wormhole. The device had been intended to transport the group to a much more recent time, to the trigger point for their revolution, explained Barry. However, an error transports them instead much further back in time, all the way to 2012. Although it wasn't Liber8's original plan, they still believe they can change the course history even from their much more distant vantage.
Now trapped in our present day, Kiera dedicates herself to both getting back to her husband and son in 2077 and to bringing down this group of terrorists before they can destroy the future. But are the terrorists really terrorists, or are they much nobler freedom fighters? What is the nature of the society from which they emerged?
The future painted by Barry in Continuum certainly looks bleak to us, but the creator rejects calling it a "dystopia." He explained, "I think dystopia is a relative term. I didn't want to create something abjectly oppressive in an obvious way." From the characters' perspectives it's a matter of perspective; it always depends on point of view. "If you asked Rachel's character [Kiera], she would say no. But the Liber8 terrorists/freedom fighters would have a different opinion."
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