Sanctuary returned on Friday for its fourth season, and delivered an installment both good and unusual. It was unusual in that it was a period piece (19[SUP]th[/SUP] Century England to be exact), which is not only unusual in its own right but especially unusual for season openers, which tend on most Science Fiction shows to be much more oriented towards shoot em up action. The episode also threw us a couple of curves on matters we thought we knew about, and had a twist ending that neatly sets up the rest of the season.
The period piece aspect of this episode was very well done, conveying a mood and feeling that made the episode reminiscent of those Sherlock Holmes old movies that were so well done. The sets (even though they were computer generated) conveyed the Victorian feel well, as indeed did the performance by the cast (especially Peter Wingfield as Watson). The effectiveness of this mood setting enhanced the primary plotline of “future Helen” trying to prevent “future Adam” from changing history - indeed she was trying to change it a bit herself so that Adam would not destroy Praxis in our current day.
As to the story itself, it played out in some ways similar to the way time travel stories tend to –the future still happens pretty much as observed but the causes have changed a little. However, we do get a show changing twist at the end that in retrospect is intelligent – it deals with a common issue in time travel stories without resorting to Deus Ex Machina.
The acting was very good all around in the story. Amanda Tapping did a good job portraying two Helen Magnuses, and she and Peter Wingfield had a nice sort of tender chemistry together. We got a little time also with Chris Heyerdahl as the Druitt of the 19[SUP]th[/SUP] Century, and he did well.
All in all, strong installment to start things off with. It resolved the main cliffhanger from last season and sets things up nicely to handle the other new plot element introduced from last season – the massive influx of Hollow Earth abnormals into the surface world. Well done to Amanda Tapping and Damien Kindler.
The period piece aspect of this episode was very well done, conveying a mood and feeling that made the episode reminiscent of those Sherlock Holmes old movies that were so well done. The sets (even though they were computer generated) conveyed the Victorian feel well, as indeed did the performance by the cast (especially Peter Wingfield as Watson). The effectiveness of this mood setting enhanced the primary plotline of “future Helen” trying to prevent “future Adam” from changing history - indeed she was trying to change it a bit herself so that Adam would not destroy Praxis in our current day.
As to the story itself, it played out in some ways similar to the way time travel stories tend to –the future still happens pretty much as observed but the causes have changed a little. However, we do get a show changing twist at the end that in retrospect is intelligent – it deals with a common issue in time travel stories without resorting to Deus Ex Machina.
The acting was very good all around in the story. Amanda Tapping did a good job portraying two Helen Magnuses, and she and Peter Wingfield had a nice sort of tender chemistry together. We got a little time also with Chris Heyerdahl as the Druitt of the 19[SUP]th[/SUP] Century, and he did well.
All in all, strong installment to start things off with. It resolved the main cliffhanger from last season and sets things up nicely to handle the other new plot element introduced from last season – the massive influx of Hollow Earth abnormals into the surface world. Well done to Amanda Tapping and Damien Kindler.
Im looking forward to it!