Episodes: “Founders Day,” “A New World”
Stars: Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Joe Morton, Erica Cerra, Neil Grayston, James Callis
Air Date: Friday, July 9 & 16 at 9 p.m. EST
Network: SyFy
The Fourth Season Infuses the Series With New Energy
For three seasons, SyFy’s Eureka has developed a nice little formula for delivering a solidly entertaining summer time series. And while the formula for each episode still works, the fourth season looks to be shaking things up a bit–and that shake-up has infused the new series with some new energy and excitement in its first two episodes.
The first episode, “Founders Day” finds Carter, Allison, Fargo, Jo and Henry all zapped back in time to 1947 to the founding of the little town. There they meet with one of the town’s founders, Dr Grant played by new cast addition James Callis (Battlestar Galactica)
As the characters try to elude various authorities on the military base and find a way to get back home, the storyline gives us some quiet character moments with each of the five time travelers as well as doing a great job of introducing Dr. Grant. Some fans may groan that the on-again, off-again romance of Carter and Allison does its usual one step forward, two steps back in the episodes but using Grant as a potential rival for Carter makes sense and works well. A lot of this success rests with Callis, who is one of the strongest elements of these first two episodes.
And while the dilemma of the week can often fall into a formula, the strength of Eureka comes from its characters. And in these first two episodes, the characters shine again. Morton’s Henry is still the glue that holds the show together and Fargo still some of the best jokes and one-liners on the show. And, as always, some of the best scenes come in watching the various characters play off each other. Ferguson’s Carter and Callis’ Grant have potential and hopefully we’ll see more of these two together as season four progresses.
Based on these first two episodes, Eureka is off to a solid start in its fourth season. The ending for each one left me wanting more and wishing that I could see how the rest of the season unfolds as quickly as possible. If the rest of the season delivers on the potential of these first two installments, the fourth season could be “must see” summer time viewing.
Ratings:
“Founder’s Day” — 4.5 out of 5.0
“A New World” — 4.5 out of 5.0
Eureka has been a great show so far. I’m looking forward to season 4 — I hope they take it to even greater heights.
…Are they going to address Tess at all, or is she just erased from history….
@Gazerbeam. Yes, Tess is addressed in the first two episodes….
You know, the whole love triangle thing with Allison and Carter is really starting to get old. I wish they’d just resolve it and move on. Maybe move to some of the other characters and focus on their love lives. Maybe have someone there for Fargo. That could be interesting. Either that or a possible love interest for Henry, but he’s still heartbroken over losing Kim, again. Examine that dynamic, perhaps. Just leave Allison and Carter alone for awhile.
Carter and Allison becoming a wanna-be-item again is a step back in the development of the characters. Hopefully it won’t go there, as I think it will it might irritate me enough to stop watching . . . as it almost did when they quite never got there in the first go-around.
Also, it’s been so long, I’m not sure I can muster up interest . . . we’ll see what the weather is doing that week.
@Lee
They already found someone for Fargo in the episode “Your Face or Mine”.
Being that Carter and Allison dance is what hooked me in the first place I am so ready for them to continue it anything done right is a joy to watch and these two have so much chemistry but I do want to see Henry have someone in his life especially after Kim.
I loved it how they had a scene with Dr. Grant, Gaius Baltar from Battlestar Galactica, talking to the Cylon robot thing, which is also from Battlestar Galactica.
Well played.
They finally got Carter and Allison on as a couple. .. FINALLY!
Henry has finally moved on from Kim…FINALLY!
Now leave them be and move on to Fargo!
Resolve Jo and Zane, they mesh well as a couple.
Inasmuch as I love Zoe, her butting in between Zane and Jo is creepy and annoying. Find something else for her to do in the show or ship her back to Harvard.