Tag Archives: Continuum

Link: ‘Continuum’ Creator Simon Barry Developing Mob Boss Miniseries

From Etan Vlessing of The Hollywood Reporter:

‘Continuum’ Creator Simon Barry Developing Mob Boss Miniseries
Simon Barry, the creator of Syfy’s Continuum drama, is developing and show running a mini-series based on a book about true-life Sicilian mob boss Vito Rizzuto.

Barry and Michael Konyves will turn the non-fiction book Business or Blood: Mafia Boss Vito Rizzuto’s Last War into Bad Blood, into a six-part original miniseries for Canada’s City network. Rizzuto, imprisoned in 2006 for his role in a decades-old Brooklyn triple murder, controlled a piece of the U.S. drug market from his base in Montreal before his death in December 2013. Continue reading.

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Continuum’s end … and new beginnings

Well, that’s it then. Continuum‘s series finale on Friday night was a mixture of emotion, action and … hope. Creator Simon Barry and cast members Rachel Nichols, Victor Webster and Stephen Lobo did tell me the show’s final stanza would incite discussion, and they were certainly right.

Since Season 1, future cop Kiera Cameron has been trying to get back to 2077 Vancouver to be with her son. And she got that, though not exactly the way she wanted it to be. The Kiera Cameron we’ve followed for the past four seasons did step from 2015 Vancouver back to her home time, but had to settle for seeing a version of herself happily playing with Sam next to a idyllic fountain. Turns out the sacrifice she made to make Sam’s world a better place meant our Kiera couldn’t be with him, a bitter pill to swallow but at least she got back home, right? And what a home. Thanks to the actions of everyone in 2015, Vancouver 2077 is now a place devoid of violence, war and corrupt companies, a city where the police wear form-fitting t-shirts rather than armour. A place of light rather than dark. Reunited 60 years after she left Vancouver, the aging Alec hugged The Protector and explained how he, Julian and Edouard had worked together to make the world better for all.

“Final Hour” was full of memorable moments, cameos and Easter eggs that made the Continuum fan in me giddy. Kiera and Carlos’ goodbye was heartfelt and tearstained (Thank goodness Barry never got those two together romantically; it would have ruined their relationship.), producer Jonathan Walker played the lead cop that got his head blown off by a rampaging Weaver, and Carlos’ dedication to the Vancouver Police Force was recognized by a sweet memorial.

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Not so sweet? Kellog’s fate. Well, at least not for him. The man who always made sure he covered his butt first did exactly that on Friday night, pitting his own Piron security force against the VPD so that he could escape 2015 and back to his future. Trouble was, Alec had futzed with Kellogg’s time ball and he didn’t go back to 2077. Who else cackled out loud when Kellog said, “Oh, that little shit,” when he spotted B.C.’s First Nations people peeking out from behind trees at the weirdly-dressed stranger? Kellog won’t be making any adjustments to the time ball from there, will he?

With only six episodes in the season, not every storyline was tied up neatly. The revelation Vasquez was Kellogg’s daughter was too easy to spot, the Time Traveller angle felt rushed (I’m sure it was) and I’d loved to have found out how Garza’s life turned out. Still, those are minor quibbles for a series that was given six episodes to finish up rather than ending abruptly with Season 3’s cliffhanger. I’ll take what I can get and be thankful for it.

What did you think of “Final Hour”? Let me know below or via Twitter at @tv_eh.

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Interview: Continuum’s Roger Cross is enjoying his career ride

There’s something you should know about Roger Cross. The man exudes positive energy and loves to laugh. Far from his Continuum character of Travis, the Vancouver-raised actor is a staple of Canadian programming. If you film a TV show in this country, odds are Cross will be in it.

With Continuum‘s penultimate episode, “The Desperate Hours,” set to roll this Friday, we grabbed five minutes with Cross to talk Liber8, auditioning and filming in his favourite city.

Can you talk about the tentative relationship between Liber8 and Kiera this season? It’s foreign to die-hard fans.
Roger Cross: What I love about it is that it shows growth. I grew up very religious, Christian. That’s my belief system and my doctrine, but later on you discover there’s a lot of beauty in the Muslim religion and in Buddhism. If you expand you mind and your views … you know. With Kiera, she came in with this one mind that we’re so bad, but in the end we’re trying to help people. It’s a great growth for her and for us as well. Travis has a very militant way of doing things and he learns that maybe that’s not always the best way. It’s a coming together and learning from each other.

What are you taking from the set?
I’m going to take some gear. Or maybe a piece of a time ball. Where’s the prop department? I need to cozy up to them. [Laughs.]

The CBC did a piece on the burgeoning TV and film industry in Vancouver. What’s it like for a guy like you to be working here so much?
People think they know about it, but they really don’t know about it. I think the segment said there are 42 projects filming in Vancouver. That’s a busy city and I think that’s why Hollywood is upset too. There are a lot of major productions here.

You’ve made your career out here. Every show filming in Vancouver seems to feature you in some way.
They keep me busy. It’s a great thing.

Do you have a favourite Canadian city for filming?
They’re all so different. I do have a special place for Vancouver because where else do you get this view? You have the water, the lush greenery, the mountains, the fresh air … it’s a special place. It’s home for me. I moved here when I was 11. Yes, I live in L.A. and I love it there too, but as you know, you don’t get the lush green in L.A. Toronto has its own energy and its own way of doing things. I’ve been there for the last two years filming The Strain and now Dark Matter, and I’ve gotten to know Toronto a lot better.

How do you get gigs for The Strain and Dark Matter? Are you auditioning, or are folks writing parts with you in mind?
It happens both ways. There are times when I get a call where someone is thinking of me for a part, but yes, I still do audition by going in and earning my pay. Guillermo del Toro isn’t handing anything to anyone on The Strain. I did the auction for that and got it, which was great. For Dark Matter, I was in the Dominican Republic and recorded the audition tape down there and sent it back and got the role.

How great is technology? You’re on vacation and can film an audition on your laptop and send it off.
[Laughs.] It really is. You just use your iPhone to record it, upload it and boom!

Continuum airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showcase.

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Interview: Continuum’s Victor Webster rocks in Rio

“Holy shit.” We will pardon Alec Sadler’s expletive in Friday night’s newest episode, “Zero Hour,” because, well, he’s right. Those two words are spoken in a scene so mind-blowing it not only changes everything we’ve known about Continuum but the course it may take in the show’s final storylines.

It’s a big episode for many characters aside from Alec. The Traveller is given airtime and Carlos waxes poetic on his early relationship with Kiera. The same is true for the man who has played Carlos for the last four seasons; Victor Webster is leaving behind a character he loves, but gives us a peek into his next project: Rio Heat.

Carlos and Kiera have been through some stuff, including he dealing with two of her. Will their fractured relationship ever return to what it was?
Victor Webster: I don’t know if you ever come back 100 per cent from that. There are aftershocks, but I think they’ve found a place where they can work together again. Carlos has also had a chance to wrap his head around everything that has been happening and that has been very confusing to him.

I hear the scripts have been pretty explosive.
We’re blowing shit up. There’s a helicopter and explosions, but it’s all done for the sake of the story. It’s a great wrap-up to the show and an unexpected ending.

Is there anything that you’re going to take from the set as a souvenir?
Yes. I stole me a time ball. Hopefully, I can find a power source and go back in time and change a few life decisions. [Laughs.]

What will fans think of the ending?
It’s not a feel-good ending. It depends on who you are whether you like the ending or not.

Where does Continuum rank for you, personally, in your acting career? Near the top?
Absolutely. As far as the overall talent that we’ve accumulated on this show—actors, writers, directors, crew—it’s some of the most talented and nicest, funniest, most down-to-earth people I’ve ever worked with. This show has been put together so well from top to bottom.

You’re a creative guy. Is the next step creating your own stuff?
I’d love to collaborate with someone because I can’t write. I want to direct. That’s my next step. Having control over your own projects is key and if I can come in and be a director and producer … I don’t want to be a showrunner. Hell, no. But to team up with somebody that is much smarter and eloquent than me with words would be cool.

Talk a little bit about your next project, Rio Heat.
There is no secret to that show. It’s not like Continuum, there are no plot spoilers. It’s a fun show. It’s an action comedy. My character is former Special Forces, who became a cop, then a detective who retired and moved to Brazil. He’s recruited by Harvey Keitel’s character, who is kind of like Charlie in Charlie’s Angels. He’s a philanthropist and billionaire who owns all kinds of properties and he has an investigation agency in Rio for the elite of the elite. You can’t look him up in the yellow pages. He recruits me and tells me he’ll try and find my family if I work for him. He teams me with a super-spicy, bad-ass, hot, sexy, former Brazilian cop played by Thaila Ayala. She’s a huge star in Brazil. Our characters are very attracted to each other but we don’t want to be partners.

Continuum airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showcase.


Look for more interviews with Continuum stars Erik Knudsen and Roger Cross, and creator Simon Barry, in the coming weeks.

 

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Interview: Continuum’s Stephen Lobo looks to the future

Friday’s newest episode of Continuum, “Power Hour,” explores who we become, whether it’s Dillon’s gig working for Kellog, Julian’s road to becoming Theseus or even Edouard Kagame, who returns in a surprising way. Kellog is front and centre in the episode, throwing his power in the faces of Kiera and Carlos, and pulling the strings behind the scenes with regard to the Future Soldiers’ little project. A warning: not everyone survives “Power Hour.”

We spoke to Stephen Lobo this past May about playing Continuum‘s big bad for the past four seasons, and what he’s got lined up next.

Are you going to miss this character?
Stephen Lobo: I’m going to miss the heck out of this character. Guys like he and Jason are less precious. Kellog isn’t talking about the quantum physics of it all and the time travel. He’s rooted in a relatable reality. It’s been fun.

What was your reaction to the Season 4 renewal/last season news?
I’ve never been involved in a series where we’ve had the opportunity to finish on our terms. That in and of itself was really something to be grateful for. There was no news about the pickup for so long that at first I was thinking, ‘We’ve got to come back,’ to ‘Maybe we’re not coming back.’ And then there was a letting go process. So when the six episodes came I was like, ‘Wooooo!’ I was really, really grateful. They left me in such a great spot in Season 3, it was great to be able to play it out. In Season 1 and Season 2 he was kind of working in the shadows and now he’s going for it.

Everybody is going to be gunning for him and it’s all about survival. Live or die.

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Kellog immediately distanced himself from the rest of Liber8 back in Season 1. What’s the analysis you’ve put into that move?
On the one hand there’s an instinct. He’d seen so much pain and suffering in his time that when he was given a chance it was a natural thing to do. On the other hand, here’s a guy who has been let down by every other thing that he’s lived for. Family, friends, society. Everything in his life has told him he’s worthless, so this is his way of responding to that. There is kind of a god complex going on. It’s the ultimate challenge for him and it’s what’s meant to be in his deluded, corrupt, completely unhealthy mind.

What was your reaction to reading the series finale script?
I couldn’t stop talking Simon Barry’s ear off. I just kept texting him, ‘Thank you so much, what a wonderful way to do it.’ What he accomplishes in that 45 minutes of television is beautiful and poetic. There were so many surprises and twists … the fans will be blown away.

Are you going to be taking anything from the set?
I’m going to be taking some suits! [Laughs.] Some fine threads. I’m going to go through my wardrobe!

Looking forward, being on a genre show like Continuum means not only the possibility of a crowd-funded feature but also the chance to attend conventions for as long as the fan support is there. Are you into that?
I’ve never experienced this kind of connection with fans before. It’s really amazing. You get this in theatre, this immediate reaction from he fans. If this show can receive some other life and there is a calling for that, I would be there 100 per cent. I love this guy and playing Kellog has never been boring.

What about developing your own projects?
I’ve got the rights to a play and I’ve asked Brian Markinson [Inspector Dillon] to direct and Kyra Zagorsky to be in it. I had never met Kyra, and I asked her to be in the play and then she was cast in this [as Future Soldier Vasquez], which is crazy. John Cassini is involved as well. That’s a play called The Motherfucker with the Hat, a wonderful play out of New York and that will be a blast. Coming off this show and Arctic Air, this is a nice spot to be in. I can breathe a little bit and be a little more choosy with my projects. I’d love to not have to do everything that comes across the table.

Continuum airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showcase.

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