Eureka - 'Up In The Air'- Episode Review

Things finally float in Eureka!

Season 4, or 4.5 as it is known, of fun Syfy drama Eureka has recently (/finally!) resumed showing on the channel, a show I have watched since the very beginning. I loved the Season 4 ‘reboot’ but with such a long wait for 4.5 to be shown I think I forgot just how much I enjoyed watching the show and the adventures, or more appropriately misadventures of its genius inhabitants.  Read more after the jump...


The most recent episode, ‘Up In The Air’, reaffirmed that for me with a genuinely funny episode that had me laughing and grinning from the start. I understand the science element of the show at about the same rate as Sheriff Carter (Colin Ferguson) - dare I say it, often at a slower rate than Sheriff Carter - but it is the characters and the performances that draw me back week in week out. Having teased us with the possibility in the opening titles for four seasons, ‘Up In The Air’ centred around objects and buildings mysteriously floating (and yes, that is about my entire understanding…anti-matter.. some sort of field thing…combine…one powers the other…things float… that’s all I need to know right?!)

The episode was stolen by Colin Ferguson as the frequently baffled, permanently likeable Sheriff, who got to show off his considerable talents at physical comedy once more coupled with some fantastic reactions (his joy at the report of a bank robbery) and one-liners (‘Someone put her in front of a cartoon!).

Felicia Day has seamlessly fitted into the show as Dr Holly Marten, I should confess I have been a fan of hers for a while anyway, but it has actually surprised me a little that in three episodes it already seems like she has been there forever. Her love triangle with Fargo (Neil Grayston) and Dr Parrish (Wil Wheaton) is fun, but it is her ability to interact with any of the Eureka residents that I am particularly enjoying, having slotted into scenes with all of the main characters perfectly.

The story arc for Season 4.5, a mission into space, provides a nice anchor for each episode and it was entertaining to see Jo (Erica Cerra) running the fitness tests in ‘Up In The Air’. Jo Lupo has always been my favourite character, she probably suffered the harshest changes in the new timeline, so it is always good to see her in her element and taking charge. I like the direction they are taking her relationship with Zane (Niall Matter) and hopefully it will lead to them working as a partnership even better than they did before.

In a primarily comedic episode, virtually unseen by the other characters the drama was hotting up around Dr Allison Blake (Salli Richardson-Whitfield). I liked the way they showed her gaps in memory, shooting from one scene to another so we as an audience were as equally in the dark as Allison herself. The revelation that Beverley Barlowe is actually controlling Allison during these moments was unexpected and I’m looking forward to where the storyline leads in the rest of the season. As long as it doesn’t split Allison and Carter up of course, it’s taken so long to get to this point I’d hate to see it over already!

So does anyone else out there watch Eureka? Let me know your thoughts on this episode and the Season so far. If people are interested, I may make a Eureka episode reviews a regular feature…

P.S. I do hope Henry bought that kid a new baseball bat….