Time-traveling ‘Continuum’ breaks some sci-fi rules

Our summer of Canadian cop shows (“Motive,” “Rookie Blue”) continues. “Continuum” (9 p.m., Syfy) is a police drama only in the most technical sense. Now in its second season, it involves rebels from the year 2077 who evade execution for treason against corporate dictatorship by traveling back in time to Vancouver, British Columbia, circa 2012.

Their clever escape is complicated by the presence of fetching policewoman Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols), who was dragged back half a century, along with her prey. The series follows her pursuit of the rebels as well as the discovery of the forces and events that lead to the tyranny that (will) spark their rebellion.

Like most fantasies of this sort, “Continuum” works best when it remains within the logic and “rules” of time-travel sci- ence fiction. Things in the second season get a little too fantastical and superhero-ish for this viewer.

Speaking of fantastic super heroes, “Da Vinci’s Demons” (8 p.m., Starz) wraps up its first season. For the uninitiated, this series re-imagines Leonardo da Vinci (Tom Riley) as a wisecracking man of action, a sword wielding, swashbuckling renaissance MacGyver who is catnip to the ladies, to boot. There is also a Dan Brown-like conspiracy of secret knowledge-sharers pulling the strings behind the scenes. Preposterous? Yes. But fun.

Turner Classic Movies serves up three adaptations of Dashiell Hammett’s crime classic “The Maltese Falcon.” The first “Maltese Falcon” (7 p.m.) was released in 1931 and starred Bebe Daniels and Ricardo Cortez. The story was remade in 1936 and released as “Satan Met a Lady” (3:30 a.m.), starring Bette Davis and Warren William. The third time was the charm. Directed by John Huston and released in 1941, “The Maltese Falcon” (1: 30 a.m.) would all but establish Humphrey Bogart’s screen persona and launch the “film noir” genre of crime movies.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Remains wash up on a beach on “Bones” (7 p.m., WHBQ-TVB Channel 13).

Carroll’s ex-wife (and Hardy’s former lover) sheds light on the FBI’s prey on “The Following” (8 p.m., WHBQ-TV Channel 13).

Given the choice, I would not watch “What Would You Do?” (8 p.m., WPTY-TV Channel 24).

Gang violence claims a bride on her special day on “Blue Bloods” (9 p.m., WREG-TV Channel 3).

Kieren f lees to an old haunt on part two of the thoughtful three-part zombie miniseries “In the Flesh” (9 p.m., BBC America). Well worth watching.