Killjoys Season 1 Overview: Kick Ass Space Bounty Hunters

"Killjoys" starts it's third season on SyFy on June 30th. With that in mind, I thought we should get up to speed on our favorite space bounty hunters. "Killjoys" is a Canadian import from creator Michelle Lovretta. She does a great job with female lead shows included the quirky and addictive "Lost Girl".

At the beginning of the series we meet bounty hunters Dutch and Johnny. They work in the J star system and in the Quad to be more specific. It includes a planet Qresh (inhabited by the elite classes) and three moons-- Westerley (where the lower classes live), Leith (middle and upper classes, citizenship has been promised here to seventh generation Westerleys), and Arkyn (a dead planet due to failed terraformming by The Company).

Killjoys work for the Reclamation Appreciation Commission (simply known as the RAC). Killjoys have no political allegiance and spend most of their time bringing in bad guys. A few killjoys have a grade 5 clearance. That means they can execute "kill warrants". If they do not properly perform their duties the kill is instead transferred to them. Dutch is a Level 5 while Johnny is a Level 3. John steals Dutch's identity to work a kill warrant. The bounty turns out to be Johnny's estranged brother D'avin.

There are many mysterious surrounding our group. D'avin has been transformed into a sleeper agent. He previously wiped out his army squadron. D'avin again loses control and almost kills both Dutch and John. Dutch is very guarded and has some mad fighting skills. We learn over time that she was originally named Yalena (Yala for short), grew up in a harem and was trained to be a child assassin by a man named Khlyen. He keeps popping up from time during the season. Do NOT trust him!

At the end of the season, Oldtown is being bombed into oblivion. The Nine blame the monks for a bazaar massacre and wiping out one of the families. But it's all the work of Kendry (and whoever is behind her). John and Dutch escape through underground tunnels. D'avin is kidnapped by Khlyen and taken to a secrete base (Red 17) on Arkyn. Is the plan to turn him into a Level 6 (superhuman killjoys who, up till this point, were an urban myth)? Remember Khlyen said he was Level 6 during his last encounter with Dutch. We'll have to tune into season 2 to find out.

Grade: 5 Monsters (out of 5). Perfection! Fun dialogue, sizzling hot actors, kick ass fight scenes, cool special effects and killer music combine to make "Killjoys" Must-Watch-TV. The show has been compared to "Firefly". If it keeps up the action in later seasons, it may be destined for sci fi royalty.

Hannah John-Kamen as Dutch is quite compelling on screen. I love her accent. Luke Macfarlane (D'avin) and Aaron Ashmore (Johnny) are also easy on the eyes. The supporting characters of bar owner Pree, killjoy Fancy Lee, doctor Pawter Simms, scarback monk Alvis, Nine frenemy Delle Kendry and Lucy (the ship's AI) help round out the group. I cant wait to learn more about their secrets and the bigger mystery surrounding Dutch's past.

I was worried initially that "Killjoys" might devolve into a "warrant of a week" format but the overall mythology is compelling. The sci fi aspects are also thought provoking. The idea of a "genetic bomb" is quite horrifying. Let's hope that never becomes a reality. And where can I get that spider bomb necklace Dutch was wearing? It definitely reminds me of "The Minority Report".