The concept behind Continuum may sound a little familiar: people coming back from the future to stop a major disaster, except this time there are no killer cyborgs, although there are a fair share of killer terrorists/activists that narrowly escaped the death penalty, and a super cop (the show's hero/protagonist), who has a very smart (as in smart phone and not sartorially elegant) suit and a chip in her brain that allows her to communicate with colleagues and superiors.

What it does offer is a more realistic (and topical) concept of megacorporations running the world, in much the same way as Max Headroom had a world run by giant media conglomerates that showed nothing but mindless TV programmes and rolling news.

This ten-part Canadian-made series may bear similarities to Terminator/Sarah Connor Chronicles (in fact, in one episode, when women with the same name are being hunted down and killed, one of the potential victims says, "Isn't this all a bit Terminator?"), it still manages to have enough originality to make it engaging. Despite plenty of action, the first season is a little bit slow to take off, but it is worth sticking with as we try to discover why Kiera (our heroine) ended up in the past and if she will be able to get back to her son and husband in the uncertain future, or fulfil an unknown mission.

The season has a gripping, if somewhat obvious, reveal at the finale. Thankfully the show has been given a second 13-part season, so we are not going to be left hanging, as happens too often with US shows.

Continuum is out on DVD on January 28.

To win one of three copies on DVD, click on the link below.