What’s Worth Watching: Catching Criminals in Space

Killjoys, “Bangarang” (Friday, June 19, 9/8c, Syfy)

With the rambunctiously unpretentious Killjoys and the more intense Dark Matter, which premiered last Friday, Syfy is making a welcome return to the oft-neglected region of outer space. (Even last winter’s miniseries Ascension was about a faked long-term space mission.) As long as you’re not expecting something with the sophistication and wit of Firefly—I know, why even bring it up to pour salt in a Browncoat’s wound?—Killjoys goes about its intergalactic bounty hunting with a fair amount of brio, if not panache.

Set in a gritty galaxy called The Quad where revolution against the omnipotent The Company is brewing—yes, it’s as generic as it sounds—the show focuses on three kick-ass Killjoys chasing fugitives on a talking ship named Lucy: “I nag because I care,” the vessel gently chides. Can’t say that there’s much about Killjoys that made me truly care, but there’s much worse company to be had than the scrappy team led by Hannah John-Kamen as fearless leader Dutch, and two literal brothers in arms played by Warehouse 13‘s Aaron Ashmore and Luke Macfarlane of Brothers and Sisters. I won’t be a killjoy and force comparisons with other more distinguished space operas, but after so much grim tidings in recent fantasy fare on TV, maybe it’s time for a lark.