Welcome back Eureka fans!
Loved, loved, loved, this episode of Eureka. Anyone who has been bullied as a child, or treated badly will identify with the visual representation of the potential Astreaus crew’s memories, especially those of Fargo (Neil Grayston).
The episode opens with Senator Wen (Ming Na) giving directions to potential candidates about their search for the ‘best of the best’ in Eureka. They are using a Biotext recorder, that takes a visual representation of memories.
Up first, Zane Donovan (Niall Matter). While that is happening, Jack Carter(Colin Ferguson) and Allison Blake (Salli Richardson Whitfield) discuss that they have filed an appeal with the D.O.D regarding the denial of their permission to have a relationship. They are off to see the system tests on the Astreaus ship itself.
They catch up to Henry Deacon (Joe Morton) who shows them the awesomeness that is the Astreaus ship. As he does so, and Carter is suitably impressed, up pops Dr. Warren Hughes (Wallace Shawn). Seems he has been promoted to be his own supervisor and has arrived to rule on the ruling he just made against them. It sounds like typical government thinking to me. Carter is still having some problem with the situation asking, “Doesn’t anyone see a conflict of interest here?” Of course not, says Wallace, he’s trained to be unbiased. Yeah, sure.
Back in Allison’s office, Warren introduces Allison and Carter to a unit similar to the one that is being used by Senator Wen on Zane. He captures the data and is about to leave when a spilled drink interferes with the machine’s function and gives him an electrical shock. But he’s okay, he says. Warren completes the very short interview by stating that he will be in touch, but they shouldn’t expect too much since the original case manager is an excellent judge of character. Well, there goes the unbiased belief.
Meanwhile, Zane shares with Dr. Wen that there were not a lot of people he looked up to so he had to create his own role models…literally. He hacked into NASA’s mainframe and photoshopped his dad’s image onto the astronauts. As he explains this to Senator Wen, she is not impressed. Zane’s comment to her is, “then, cut me. If I haven’t proven myself to you by now, I never will.” Wen’s expression, as the scene moves to Carter and Allison makes it pretty obvious that he won’t be cut.
As Carter and Allison chat, an emergency horn sounds. They rush to the ship to find out from Henry that an engine test has gone wrong. The engines are firing and Henry can’t shut them down. The mooring clamps are failing. If they can’t shut the engines down, the ship will rip a hole into G.D. Henry has the answer. He floods the compartment with Xenon gas, which neutralizes the system they are using and shuts everything down.
Fargo and Holly (Felicia Day) are continuing to train hard by jogging down a country road somewhere near Eureka. Along comes Dr. Parrish (Wil Wheaton) riding a high tech bicycle. He stops long enough to tell Fargo that its best not to dwell on the many, many ways he could screw up, then cycles away. Now Fargo is worried. Holly recommends some methods to relax including…playing a board game that looks like Dungeons and Dragons. When Fargos phone rings and he’s up for his interview with Senator Wen, Holly offers him a dice for good luck.
Carter, Allison, Henry and Jo Lupo (Erica Cerra) are checking the Astraeus for damage. Jo discovers that some sort of rod, or pole has been jammed into a critical system area, causing the problem. Carter decides the best course of action is to return it to its owner and gauge his reaction.
But, Dr. Curtis Ward (Jonathan Potts) is not reacting the way that Carter expects. He is downright excited to have his rod back. But, with a nick in it, it’s useless and Carter now has a souvenir. Jo, however, has a theory of her own, that someone fired it with some kind of weapon.
She heads off to determine what it was. Carter, the ever curious Sheriff discovers a trail of maize kernels on the floor that lead to a compartment not much bigger than an average home’s bathroom. It has been set up to chemically decontaminate whatever is inside, including Carter. Once Carter is out of the compartment and being treated by Allison, he begins to wonder about the connection between the sabotaged ship and the maize kernels.
Senator Wen interviews Fargo. She accuses him of having a history of making questionable choices, “including worm holing Dr. Martin.” Fargo protests his innocence, “no, no, no, no, I swear, we’ve only just kissed.” Immediately, Wen clarifies that she meant the FTL drive. Fargo’s face is priceless. He really isn’t starting off very well.
Fargo’s visual representation introduces Dr. Darlton (Aaron Douglas) as he encourages Fargos group of children and another group known as the Awesome Possums as they attempt to build rockets with engines meant to provide a powerful burn. The leader of the possums, an irritating kid who likes to verbally bully little Fargo inspires him to alter the engine of his groups rocket. When they fire it up, it not only works, but sets tables of trophies on fire.
Their group, of course, doesn’t win. As young Fargo sits on a bench alone and dejected, Dr. Darlton pats him on the back and tells him his design was awesome. “I see big things for you”, Darlton tells him. Fargo goes on to tell Wen, as the image returns to adult Fargo, that he’s learned over the years that, “being bold and innovative go hand in hand, so would I make the same questionable choices during the Astreaus Mission? I’d have to say yes, Senator.”
This time, the look on Senator Wen’s face says it all. She is impressed. So, who was that irritating kid who made young Fargo’s life miserable?
Segue to Dr. Parrish crowing about how amazing he was leading the Possums to their fifth victory. As his interview ends and he steps out into the hallway to chat and irritate Fargo further, a guard (Kevin Mundy) stands innocuously behind them. Holly gets called. It’s her turn. Fargo wishes her luck and heads off to his duties, so does Parrish. The camera focuses on the guard. As we watch, someone off screen attacks the guard with some sort of electrical device that renders him unconscious.
Jo has found the weapon that fired the rod. It’s a bow. Carter jokes that she has a rod and arrow. They head to the elevator where they discover the guard in his skivvies. Meanwhile, Holly is just finishing her interview with Senator Wen. She is her usual bubbly self stating, “Oh, and there was this one time in space camp…” Senator Wen emphatically tells her, “we really don’t need to hear any more”.
Yes, Holly, sometimes you do talk too much. As Allison finally has a chance to get back to work, she believes that her assistant is hovering over her. It turns out to be Warren, wearing the missing military guard uniform. It’s a little big for him. Correction, a lot big for him. He begins dancing with Allison telling her it’s almost time. Segue back to Carter as he discusses the happenings with Henry. He’s beginning to understand what is happening, the maize kernels and the invisible cat at his daughter’s dorm, shooting an arrow into a positronic lightning array, the uniform he stole in 1947. Henry is joking when he says, “Maybe someone is reading your mind”. Carter has his ‘Aha/eureka’ moment. He tells Henry, “We’ve got to get to Warren”.
Warren is confused as flashes of images continue to plague him. He first sees Allison as the nurse she was in 1947, then as Beverly Barlowe. He uses his electrical device that knocked out the guard on Allison, believing her to be a villain. As soon as he does so, his mind goes into another image of Allison’s death when Carter went back in time again. It’s obvious now, by means of the images we see as viewers, that Warren is re-experiencing Carters experiences. Warren hurries off vowing revenge on who ever harmed Allison.
We find Warren continuing to live through Carter’s experiences as he pulls the wires out of the back of the juke box at Cafe Diem. Warren has changed into Carter duds and looks like a short balding Carter clone. As Carter attempts to convince Warren to go to the Sheriffs Office with him, Warren believes he is experiencing the methane snow from a recent episode and begins to cough and gag. Vincent (Chris Gauthier) rushes forward claiming that Warren is freaking out the customers.
Carter gets Warren over to the Sheriff’s office and locks him up. Henry shows up. He has come up with a solution for Carter. Meanwhile, Warren has discovered Carter’s key behind the fake brick trick, and escapes. Henry and Carter go after him and we have an old fashioned police chase.
Warren races down the road in the jeep with Carter driving Deputy Andy’s car, following as quickly as he can. Two things came to mind at this point, where is Deputy Andy, and are the writers going to wreck the car instead of the jeep this time. No such luck; there is no car or jeep wreck. Instead, as Carter continues to talk to Warren over the radio, he pulls in front of the jeep and stops Warren just in time before the pint sized Carter copy drives over the cliff at the end of the road.
Meanwhile, we experience Jo Lupo’s childhood as she explains why she wants to go into space. She’s a very competitive person. With three brothers, it’s not surprising. Her father (Nico Cortez) tells her he is proud of her. It’s a great look into what made Jo who she is. She admits to Senator Wen that she has never backed down from a challenge.
Grace Monroe (Tembi Locke) makes her first appearance in this episode as she treats Warren. Carter asks how long it will take for the treatment to be completed. Grace tells him 2 hours. He asks Allison if she wants to go out to eat. Allison replies, “The man holds the key to our future, you just fried a bunch of neurons in his brain and you want to go for pizza?” Carter always has the best answer, “No, I want to go for Chinese.”
The candidates sweat it out at Cafe Diem waiting to find out who made it onto the Astreaus misson. Vincent is there to ensure they have all the milkshakes and other various drinks they can handle. Zane makes it into the Astraeus program, but Jo has dropped out of competition.
Jo explains that it’s because space isn’t her dream. Not like it is for everyone else. To her, it was just another challenge. Fargo and Holly make it, but Parrish doesn’t. Parrish congratulates Holly, but is his old nasty self with Fargo, “I weep for Titan”, he says, as he sneers at Fargo’s ‘mediocrity’.
Finally, the best news of all, as a result of Warren’s experience with Carter’s images, he has grown much closer to Carter and Allison and has completely reversed his previous decision.
As a result Allison and Carter can continue to see each other. The show ends with a passionate kiss between Allison and Carter.
What I loved:
Eureka returns next Monday September 12, 2011 with another great episode, “One Small Step”. We include the extended trailer below courtesy of Syfy. Enjoy.
Thanks to Kenn for staging the images in this review post for me. And thanks to you for stopping by WormholeRiders News Agency
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Regards.
ArcticGoddess1 (Patricia)
