Eureka Episode 4x14 Review

Episode Title: Up in the Air
Overall Season Rating: B+
Episode Rating B+

This week's episode gives us some more information about what's going on with Allison, and Astreaus Misson. We also get more Wil Wheaton, and more Felicia Day!  It's so great that the show took these guest roles and really made them more important, and long lasting. I'm loving Felicia Day's Holly. I like to think of her as a brilliant Phoebe Buffet. As for Wil Wheaton's Dr. Parish, well he's just the right kind of nemesis for Fargo. This also was a hilarious Jack episode. He's always great, but I think I love him the most when he sort of snaps. I'm actually surprised it doesn't happen much more often.

The tech in this episode just makes me smile. We get Anti-Matter, and the Higgs Field! Their explanation of the Higgs Field was wonderful, and I think most quantum physicists would be pleased. Check it all out in the episode recap

The episode starts with yet another promotional video for the Astreaus mission. I LOVE that they are using these as a way of telling us what happened last week, but also what the progress is. It's very clever, and a reminder of how cool the show really is. This week the candidates will be participating in physical training. Naturally, Jo is running this aspect.  We find out a couple quick things. First, Henry has upgraded Jack's jeep to be able to withstand things like being hit with a bat, and second Allison is very busy and will be giving physicals to all the candidates.

The latter is important because Fargo wants Allison to speak to NASA, and take some over some of his responsibilities as he trains for the mission himself.  She agrees, but as Fargo leaves she notices that all the boxes of inoculations have mysteriously unpacked themselves. At the end of the episode we find out what's happening here, and why, but it's certainly very creepy at this point.

Jack gets a call that there has been a bank robbery in town, and he's super excited to finally have a normal crime. This is not the case however. The bank itself is missing. Henry wonders why someone would do this since there is no money in the bank. It's only safety deposit boxes. They beginning to ask everyone to write down what was in those boxes. During the training, Jo is pushing the candidates pretty hard, but within reason. She find out that Zane is ineligible for the mission due to his criminal record, but he's there anyway.

At the training session, Holly reveals that she had dinner with Dr. Parish, and he showed her "his equipment". Fargo does not like this. Parish then throws a medicine ball at Fargo, causing him to get stuck in a tree. Since every commercial break has the Haven "Cats in Trees" ad I was pleased they threw that line in the episode.  While finding out what's in the boxes they are told one doctor has placed Anti-Matter in there. This is really bad because even a very small amount would cause a massive explosion. They believe that this is why the bank was "stolen".   We know this is not the case, but the Anti-Matter is very important, so I like that they set this up here. It seems much less convenient later.

Using one of Henry's toys Jack tracks down the Bank. It's floating high above the lake! Turns out also that the  medicine ball that stranded Fargo in a tree also are being affected by the same thing. Things that are heavy, are floating away.  As things continue to join the bank they realize that this might be caused by a higgs field disruptor. The higgs field is what gives everything in the universe mass. If something came in and disrupted that, things would start to weigh less and float away. This gives us a GREAT scene of cars, and things floating up just as they do in the opening credits every week. It even has the opening theme. Great work! During this time, Allison has another time black out, and has been made temporary head of GD so that Fargo can focus on the mission.

Jo approaches Zane to tell him his criminal record prevents him from going on the mission, but he already knows. He says he's there so they can see what they'll be missing. Jo seems really moved by this. Back with Allison, she has yet another black out and was missing for hours. She tells Jack about this, and that Grace found nothing wrong with her. Since we know there are those things on her brain, it's less powerful when she finds out with the scan. It turns out though that they are nano-particles.

We learn that Dr. Parish is the owner of the Higgs Field Disruptor, and it wasn't working before. Well, the Anti-Matter is powering it so someone(Jack) will have to go up to the Bank and separate them. We gets up there using a medicine ball, and gives out a little scream that was one of the funniest sounds I've every heard. After some struggling Jack does manage to separate the items, and also save the bank from falling way to fast to ground with some help from Jo. This scene in the Bank was great. Lots of slapstick, and terrified Jack. That's how you make a great Eureka episode. Good science, and Jack being crazy. Jack's jeep did not come back to Earth as we learn it's now floating in space. NASA must be like "Hey Eureka, stop throwing stuff at our Space Station".

The closing moments of the episode have a few nice moments, and one scary one. Henry tells Grace that Allison found something wrong with his heart, and he won't be able to go on the mission. She tries to make him feel better, but he looks concerned. Zane tells Jo that he thinks SHE should go on the mission. At first she's against the idea, but I think he talks her into seriously considering it. Holly wants to play basketball for physical fitness, but also because she likes to dribble. Parish is about to join her, but Fargo orders him to do inventory. LOVED that, Fargo can be quite BAMF when he wants to be. It's good to be the head of GD. All this nice stuff though palled in comparison to the creepiness of what was next. Allison is chilling on the couch as Jack talks to her. BUT, we then get a shot of Allison strapped to a table, watching these events. It seems like she's been kidnapped, and replaced with a replicant. I would say that up until this episode, the replicant thought it was her, but now it's being controlled by someone else.

I very much look forward to next week. We should get some great evil Allison.