“TEMPUS” Airs Friday, October 7 at 10:00 PM on Syfy
At the end of season 3 of Sanctuary we were left with two pretty big cliffhangers. Thousands of Abnormals were pouring out onto the surface from a destroyed Hollow Earth, while Helen Magnus was pulled back in time with Adam Worth, who is determined to change time by saving his daughter. What happens next? Well, the fourth season premiere tackles one of those as we pick up with Magnus’ arrival back in the past in pursuit of Worth. Not only must Helen prevent Worth from altering the timeline, she must take great care not to do so herself, especially once she’s arrested and bailed out by John Watson. Along the way, we get more details regarding one Mr. John Druitt and his role as Jack the Ripper. There’s a little revelation that came as a great surprise to me. Oh, and get ready for an ending that will leave your jaw lying on the floor long after the end credits roll. Let’s just say the way back to the present is not an easy road to travel for Helen.
The acting is superb in this episode. Amanda Tapping does a tremendous job as Helen Magnus, this time playing two different versions of her character. Peter Wingfield is always a joy to see and he plays Watson very elegantly here, especially considering the magnitude of the information he discovers. Chris Heyerdahl gets a few choice scenes that showcase Druitt exceptionally and there is a revelation that I really don’t know what to do with, but look forward to seeing what it means for him. Lastly, there is the energetic performance by Ian Tracey, who gets to play two Adam Worths, one distraught and at the end of his rope and one with renewed optimism. The sharp script by series creator Damian Kindler along with Martin Wood’s wonderfully atmospheric direction and the aforementioned acting make this the best episode of the series so far. At least until next week…
FIVE TEASES:
* If he’s Jack, then who’s this other Jack?
* How many candles will Helen have on her next birthday cake?
* Is time fixed, dear Watson?
* Time seems to be self-correcting…
* What will be the repercussions?