Eureka Season 4.5 Premiere Review

Episode: 4x11 Liftoff
Overall Season Rating: A-
Episode Rating: A-

Since I didn't do reviews for the first half of the season, the Overall Rating will refer only to the 2nd half.

Eureka has been a favorite of mine since it started several years ago. I think it perfectly blends real science, and pure fun better than any show of its kind. Tonight's episode dealt mainly with space travel, and since I'm a space nerd I friggin loved it. It's hard to deny that they timed this episode to coincide with the final launch of the Space Shuttle program, but it might just be a huge coincidence. This episode also shows why I love the characters, and relationships on the show. Both always have been portrayed very realistically, even if their surroundings are anything but.

If I had to choose, I would say that Fargo is my favorite character, and I'm sure I'm not alone on that. He's brilliant, hilarious, and clearly is as much of a geek as all the fans. I originally didn't like that he became Head of G.D. last season because I thought it would take away from his antics. I was sooo wrong. The position has not only improved the character, but he gets much more important roles in the show. Plus, since he's their boss they don't yell at him for the silly things he does. The relationships were on full display in this episode, and included a brilliant fake out.

There were things I didn't like, but since it's a TV show I will only mention them in passing a little later. Read more in the spoiler section.






As I stated above, the relationships were on full display in this episode. Who was the main focus? Jack and Allison? No. Jo and Zane? No.  It was Sarah and Andy! This, I loved. Episode starts out at a wedding, and we have no idea whose it is. Then it looks like it's for Jack and Allison, which would have made sense plot wise, but with no build up would have been offputting. Turns out Jack's house AI Sarah, and robot deputy Andy are the ones getting married. The wedding is called off though because Sarah gets cold feet. I felt bad for Andy, but in the end of the episode things are looking better for him. I was so happy when he was brought back at the beginning of season 4.0. He always makes me smile. The voice for Sarah seemed a little different, I wonder if they've changed voice actors.

All the while Jo is still troubled by her situation with Zane. She loves him, but he doesn't know that the other him loved her(yes, confusing). He does suspect something since a)he's a genius, and b)she was wearing his ring last time we saw them. She won't tell him anything though as the group agreed to tell no one of their journey through time. Jack and Allison seem happy and are all flirty and love birdy. You know it's done well if I like this stuff.

The main plot of the episode though is about Fargo and Zane getting launched into orbit. This is caused by Zane installing a new Ion Pulse Dampener in the ship, causing it to launch. I'm not sure why it didn't launch right after he installed it. Maybe it waited until the door was shut. Since no one commented on it I'll assume that was the cause. Most of the ships systems are non-functional including communication. But the necessary
plot systems like retro-gravity are functioning perfectly. This bothered me a little bit, but like I said above it's a TV show.

Allison plans to shoot the rocket down not knowing the two are on board but Jack destroys the missiles at the last moment saving both Fargo and Zane. In doing so though he puts the lives of the crew of the ISS in danger. Allison is quite upset, and Jack is definitely worried. Fargo however vents what little oxygen they have and moves the ship out of the way. Fargo then says one of my favorite lines from the episode "I scraped the ISS, now they'll never let me be an astronaut." Probably true Dr. Fargo. 

While figuring out how to get back, both Fargo and Henry realize they can use the ships Faster Than Light(FTL) drive to get home, and then use the Boson Cloud Exciter to catch the ship. I think that's what it was, but just know it's a blue glowy thing that will catch the ship, preventing it was crashing into the Earth at the speed of light. About that, if the ship had hit Earth at the speed of light I imagine that would have been really bad. Not only for Fargo and Zane, but for everyone on Earth. I'm surprised no one even brought that up. Wouldn't an impact like that potentially destroy all life on Earth? Anyway, we find out that Zane stole the Ion Pulse thingy from the Boson thingy and now it won't work. It instead sends out a huge EMP shutting down all electronics in Eureka.

Jo arrives with horses, and they ride out to save the day. Allison and Jack go to an old G.D. site and call NASA on an old rotary phone. She never got to go to Space Camp, but I did. Maybe there's a different kind of Space Camp? You don't have to be accepted, you just pay money and go. NASA connects them and allows Jack to call Fargo on his cell phone(which has Hail to the Chief as a ringtone). He tells him the Boson thingy is not ready yet, and then gets cut off. I like that we were told how this connection was made because cell phone service does not work in space. Jo travels to Henry's lab and finds Andy there. She realizes that his power cell is what they need to get the boson thingy working again. Huzzah!

On the ship, they keep losing oxygen, and Zane tells Fargo he wants to know about Jo. "If you loved someone, wouldn't you want to know?". A very nice scene. I'm glad they are opening Zane's character up. I'm liking him more and more. Fargo does appear to tell Zane the truth, and I wonder what the real repercussions of that will be. Henry was pretty clear that they can't tell anyone. Zane manages to fix to the power, and they light the FTL drive. "ENGAGE!" I wonder how much the astronauts on the Space Shuttle want to say that on liftoff. I would definitely do it. Everything works out of course, and they return home safe.

Fargo is taken to Washington, and meets with a committee chaired by a Senator Webb. She's sinister, and clearly has plans. They might even include getting rid of Eureka forever.

A great episode to start the second half of the season. Eureka is far less serialized than the other shows I cover on this blog, so the reviews will be a little more fun I hope. What did you all think?