Are there no "Eureka" and "Warehouse 13" threads? *SPOILERS?*

[propita]

Well, possible spoilers.

Both shows have had a few episodes now in the new season--I don't remember seeing any threads for them lately.

I'm enjoying both seasons so far. I don't want to say too much yet, in case some haven't seen them.

I don't mind the direction so far with Eureka--the time shift and AU. It's kinda nice to see how the characters are responding to the change in situation.

As for Warehouse 13, I like how the characters are getting filled in a bit. And I love Saul Rubinek as an actor.

Yeah, sparse commenting. Not sure if anyone here cares about these shows anymore.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Thye're both made by wrote and cookie cutters. Any single episode can be quite interesting, but they don't seem to be able to tell a larger story or tell a different story every week, niot that there's anything wrong with that.

I liked it in the recap when jack said "I FINALLY kissed Allison."

Gotta wonder if recap-Jack is regular-Jack because he's been dicking around with her for a VERY long time?

Was "Hank" so bad that they fired the Jordan?

I had this off vibe after last week that Mirror Jo and Mirror Fargo were doing it. Not that reflects on the Jo and Fargo much in the here and now, but they are going to wade into inescapable evidence sooner or later that is going to make them blush.

 

[Tom]

Well I made a grading thread for the Eureka S4 premiere, have not had time to make them for the last 2 episodes, I guess no one else wants to. As for Warehouse 13, who knows.

 

[stj]

Currently Eureka is getting into a continuing storyline, which tends to get draggy and dull. The high point in last Friday's episode when everyone at GD goes mad and tries to lynch Fargo. Fate dumping on Fargo is always fun.

Warehouse 13 characters are too quarrelsome. I know conflict is comedy but give it a rest! It's like someone who keeps on tickling you.

 

[jgdst]

For want of a better outlet, I thought I'd chip in with my two penneth on Eureka.

I think All the Rage is probably one of the best episodes they've done to date. I still don't know how I feel about the changed timeline story arc with regards to should they ultimately reset it or carry on as is... It's not affecting my enjoyment of the show though, and it was nice to see the android deputy back last week. It's definitely a whole new and refreshing direction for the show, and infinitely better than season 2's Artifact arc.

What was the actual reasoning behind those five characters getting the phonecall that pulled them back in time in the first place? I don't remember...

Quote of the episode is easily Fargo's "GO FRAK YOURSELF MANSFIELD!" followed by rageful throwing of tiny phones against walls

 

[notwendium]

Quote of the episode is easily Fargo's "GO FRAK YOURSELF MANSFIELD!" followed by rageful throwing of tiny phones against walls

Punctuated by Bear McCreary's soundtrack for the episode that evoked the Mutiny arc from BSG.

Between this week's Eureka and last week's Firefly reunion on Warehouse 13, I can't wait to see what they have in store next.

 

[Trilliam]

Well I watched Eureka season 1 this weekend. A lot of fun except for Matt Frewer's accent!!!!!

 

[jgdst]

Well I watched Eureka season 1 this weekend. A lot of fun except for Matt Frewer's accent!!!!!

QFT! Who on Earth thought it was a good idea? And especially after they heard it way before doing the final edit?

 

[Trilliam]

It can't make up it's mind whether it's Sth African or NZ. Maybe 1 sentence in 3 or 4 will sound vaguely, kind of "Aussie", if you're lucky. The rest of the time it's making my ears want to bleed.

ETA: it's worse that the accent that Trevor Goddard used in JAG and almost in the same class as the one Meryl Streep used when she played Lindy Chamberlain.

 

[Non Sync]

What was the actual reasoning behind those five characters getting the phonecall that pulled them back in time in the first place? I don't remember...

I'm going to guess that it was Kevin who figured out how to get the thing to work.

Maybe he is working on his own St. Elsewhere ending...

 

[DarthPipes]

I just got into Warehouse 13 right before the season premeire. I enjoy it very much...it's a lot of fun like Human Target.

 

[ncc74302]

I just got into Warehouse 13 right before the season premeire. I enjoy it very much...it's a lot of fun like Human Target.

Havent seen Warehouse 13 yet but at least Eureka didn't dump Bear like Human Target dropped him like a bad date. Ugh.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I love both of these shows. I'm curious to see where the alternate timeline arc goes on Eureka. The altered situation is pretty benign so far, and even an improvement in some ways-- Allison's kid, Henry's hot Tembi Locke wife-- so I'm guessing disaster lurks around the corner. Probably in the form of Stark not being dead now.

Warehouse 13 is a terrific adventure show, fun and well cast. I like the idea that, while they have villains lurking in the background, the typical episode is just about regular people caught up in an artifact situation. The death of Star Trek can be traced back to people starting to think in terms of "villains" rather than "stories," so this show is definitely refreshing in that respect.

 

[Mistral]

I'm watching both-liking Eureka but thinking 13 is starting this season a little weak. Waiting to see where they go with it...

 

[Electric Coleslaw]

I like both shows a lot. I gotta wonder if the situation in Eureka will change or not with the people not being the same as they used to be.
In 13, I like the way they all kind of "spar" with each other. It's very much like real people do at work when you've been around each other for too long.
I guess I'm happy with one off episodes and don't require that every TV show be part of some long grand arc.

 

[startrekwatcher]

I guess I'm happy with one off episodes and don't require that every TV show be part of some long grand arc.

I used to feel this way but honestly after being spoiled by rich serialized storytelling, episodic stuff just doesn't do it for me. Episodic tv just has become so formulaic with very little in the way of varying dynamics.

I just can't get invested in very familiar stories I've seen a thousand times recycled yet again that possess no uncertainty--you know the main characters are going to make it, they hold very little in the way of interesting twists, there is no willingness to shake up the status quo which means character jeopardy lacks no suspense.

Really episodic tv is for lazy writers. Serialized storytelling requires some imagination since you have to carve out your own unique universe. Several recent examples just cement that position--ENT was bland until the Xindi arc, Fringe is really only compelling when it focuses on its mythology leading to its best episodes, Supernatural's episodic stuff really is just warmed over horror staples with an occasional sprinkle of The X-Files thrown in.

I'm not saying that episodic stuff can't work--I love TNG/The X-Files but they had more of a mixture of different story types--I just think their day has come and gone--I know I want more epic ambitious storytelling these days than I once did.

 

[jgdst]

^ I'd agree with that. We've just had a whole host of shows that rely on the serialised format in recent years that allows for grander stories, slow burners that keep your intrigue over a longer period and, as shows like Lost, BSG and Heroes have shown, your main characters can very well be in jeopardy and possibly die.

I do still miss the odd standalone episode here and there, which is why I liked the format of Enterprise season 4 so much. The sad part was, all that proved to me was that I tend to skip the standalones when I watch them again, as they're largely forgettable and don't hook me in the same way. I'm just hard to please, I guess

Shows like Chuck and the previous seasons of Eureka have got a fairly good balance between the two formats though. Some episodes can stand out on their own merits, whereas others are good for a decent arc plot advancement.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Really episodic tv is for lazy writers. Serialized storytelling requires some imagination since you have to carve out your own unique universe.

Or... serialized storytelling is for lazy writers because they just rely on gimmicks, like the "shocking" (i.e. mandatory) killing of major characters. Personally, I couldn't care less about shaking up the status quo-- especially if I like the status quo. Serialized storytelling can certainly be good, but it can't replace episodic storytelling any more than novels replaced short stories.

 

[stj]

In publishing, writers tend to write novels, especially trilogies or even bigger series, because they make more money that way. It's exactly the same in television. Serialization is not an artistic solution, it's a commercial advantage in keeping an audience.

Series are in between movies and serials. You have the same characters so that the audiences can tune in to characters they like. Unless you specifically want sensational changes in the characters (which usually get undone in serials too, just slower, then the fun story gets repeated!) episodic series often are more original than serials.

 

[startrekwatcher]

Really episodic tv is for lazy writers. Serialized storytelling requires some imagination since you have to carve out your own unique universe.

Or... serialized storytelling is for lazy writers because they just rely on gimmicks, like the "shocking" (i.e. mandatory) killing of major characters.

I agree that some shows in the last few years has turned character deaths into predictable staples--BSG was really bad about that to the point that you knew if someone was in jeopardy they were goners. In my opinion, that is just as bad as playing it safe on episodic shows. I think the key is to not kill off characters just for shock or as a plot point but to make it impact both emotionally for the viewer and make sense within the story. Sure it is bold to kill off characters but if you do it all the time or if it feels like an afterthought because it isn't given the screentime to see the fallout then it is a bad idea.

When you are killing off characters right and left that's not that compelling in my opinion.

Personally, I couldn't care less about shaking up the status quo-- especially if I like the status quo. Serialized storytelling can certainly be good, but it can't replace episodic storytelling any more than novels replaced short stories.

Fair enough. It is just that I've seen so much episodic stuff that you sorta know what to expect out of it. Long well developed serialized stories can be a lot of fun and a thrill ride because you don't have to hurry up and wrap things up in an hour. There were a lot of ideas on Trek for instances that could have been great if allowed to develop over several episodes rather than limited to at most two part episodes.

Personally I just love seeing a big story take on a life of its own especially when writers meticulously develop it and take their time in introducing the characters, setting up the threads, throwing in complications, twists, turns, cliffhangers, revelations and seeing it build to a fever pitch. There is nothing quite as rewarding for a viewer.