Future justice in the present The series “Time Thresholds” (also “Time Traces”) was a representative of a galaxy of fantastic projects with action elements, which was successfully broadcast by the CTC channel. Against the background of the resounding popularity of “Sliding” and “Quantum Leap”, Time Trax was somewhat lost, although it exploited the popular theme of time travel at all times. In total, only 2 seasons of this show saw life, which clearly indicated its lack of popularity. Nevertheless, even from the position of today, "Time Threshold" remains albeit a simplified, but quite watchable series with a dynamic plot.
Plot
In 2193, the Washington police department faced an unprecedented situation: successfully caught criminals mysteriously began to disappear from prison. Investigating the case of another such “invisibility” captain Darien Lambert learns that the escape of criminals involved a brilliant scientist Mordechai Sambi. Having systemetized the experimental drug THR, he learned to send hardened killers, robbers and gangsters 200 years into the past, of course not for free. The operation to detain Sambi ends tragically: the villain-scientist successfully teleports himself, simultaneously killing his student and beloved Darian. Driven by a sense of duty and personal revenge, Lambert is called upon to travel back in time to bring Sambie and all the other criminals back to their time. He is armed with a special pistol RRT, as well as an experimental computer Selma, with a holographic projection. The trek in our time, in 1993, promises to be a long one.
Characters
Derien Lambert (Dale Midkiff) is the main character of the series, well prepared, brave, grasping and very smart. Midkiff once noisily failed on the film adaptation of King’s work, but in Time Trax he succeeded. The incarnate policeman is sympathetic, he is not a stupid servant, he is not alien to humor, he seeks to understand people, for him every fugitive remains a fugitive, but not all of them are complete scum. Darien has enough worldly wisdom to delve into the fate of each individual, before the shot of a granule of red RRT.
Selma (Elizabeth Alexander) is a permanent companion of the captain, disguised as a credit card. Being a computer with an endless archive of materials, it is invaluable to Darian in his difficult service. Selma remains a machine incapable of perceiving human logic, but it is often her mathematical essence that saves Lambert from certain death. It is able to control any electronics, has access to any information, and is sometimes even used as a weapon.
Adversaries
This group of characters is very diverse and diverse. Who only does not have to catch Lambert - high-ranking corrupt security forces, mad scientists, mafia leaders, ordinary murderers, as well as scammers and gangsters of all stripes and varieties. But the sworn enemy of the captain is the culprit of these events Mordechai Sambi (Peter Donat). Crazy, but no less brilliant scientist nicknamed Mo successfully implements his developments in the conditions of our time. The sphere of his interests is huge, even on the Holy Grail of Sambi and then managed to encroach. Peter Donat, who became famous for playing the father of Agent Mulder, in my opinion eclipsed Midkiff himself. There is a breed in him, and his arrogant look with devilish eyes became the same refrain of the series as Derien’s phrase “transmission, Selma!”
Technology of the XXII century
Every fugitive, fleeing from righteous judgment, did not forget to take with him something from the developments of the future. The scoundrels are armed with laser weapons, projection tubes, telepathic devices, and equipment for a variety of but usually criminal purposes. Darien himself is armed with a laser gun disguised as a car alarm. The creators of the series did not forget about humanity - in pursuit of dangerous criminals, a police officer can only stun them at different times or send them to the future.
Series
To be honest, from a modern point of view, the plot of most series is quite primitive. However, there are some that still look exciting. For example, I really liked the story of a murderer who destroys the ancestors of the perpetrator of the death of his girlfriend in the future. The magnificent episode about the London werewolf killer, the thick fog of the English capital created an unforgettable backdrop for the search for a new Jack the Ripper. Not always in the foreground action, many series are a psychological drama. We learn the details of the difficult biography of Lambert himself, and Sambi is not at all an ordinary madman, but a man whose real tragedy is that his intelligence has not been used for humane purposes. The geography of the captain's wanderings is very diverse, fate will bring him to the caves of Peru, Australia, exotic New Guinea, to the bottom of the ocean, even with aliens, the brave cop will have time to communicate!
Summary
Time Trax is a series of its time. Not stunning, but quite interesting and not at all monotonous. The feeling of understatement in the end was present, but in general the story turned out to be whole and sometimes even instructive. A good nostalgic show with a beautiful picture and non-irritating characters, good and dubbing turned out to be extremely successful.
8 out of 10