Showcase has decided to do a web-exclusive pre-release of the first episode of Continuum’s final season. The TV premiere will come September 4th, but I always watch online anyway, so this suits me.

I’m trying not to be too melancholy over the end of one of the best and smartest shows on TV right now. Three and a half seasons is better than most sci-fi shows do these days, and at least they’re getting to wrap up the story. I’ll call that a win.

It’s still a tad bittersweet, though.

As for the episode itself, “Lost Hours” gets the fourth and final season off to a strong start.

You can definitely tell that the story has been compacted to account for the shorter season, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It just means there’s no wasted space, no dull moments.

This very busy episode picks up right where the third season left off, with Brad and Kiera fleeing the future soldiers — who turn out to be from Brad’s future, which I probably should have seen coming.

This puts Brad in a rather awkward position, as you might imagine.

Meanwhile, Kiera manages to escape, but a near-death experience brings her longing for home back stronger than ever. With Liber8 foiled and Alec redeemed, she views her mission as complete and turns her eyes to getting home, if that’s even possible.

But the technology she needs lies within the depths of Piron, and is thus under the thumb of Mathew Kellogg.

And she’s not only the only one gunning for Kellogg. Alec is determined to win back his company, and he forms an unlikely alliance with Julian and the remnants of Liber8 to bring Kellogg to his knees.

Everything seems to be coming together to paint Kellogg as the major threat, but I’m more worried about Curtis and the Traveler. They seem to be trying to play Kellogg and Liber8 against each other, but to what end?

Plus, with all apologies to Jesus, I generally don’t trust people who come back from the dead.

It’s a complicated story, but a gripping one. “Lost Hours” features all the tension, mystery, action, and adventure I’ve come to expect from Continuum. We’re once again treated to Kiera using her super suit for all kinds of entertaining super hero feats, and Emily stars in what is easily one of the best fight sequences I have ever seen.

Between the character on Continuum and the singer for my favourite band, I’m developing quite the positive association with the name Emily.

And Garza is still all crazy and badass, and Hell, even Julian was entertaining this time around.

Kiera essentially deciding to drop everything and go home seems a bit irresponsible to me, but that’s in keeping with her character to date. She’s never been a squeaky-clean, flawless hero. Just a flawed person in an impossible situation.

Also, while he had a relatively small role in this episode, I do want to say Carlos put on an excellent performance, as well. The snark is real.

Overall rating: 8.1/10 They’re goin’ out swingin’.