(S01E05) Stark is obviously obsessed with the Artifact in Section 5. After his little dream, he wakes up and gets to work on his literally - desktop computer. Allison's chasing Jack in order to get him to get his physical so he'll be insured. He says that they're entirely too busy. (Jo's busy, painting a pretty decent looking landscape.) Allison pans "So strip, we'll do the physical here." Lucky for Jack, someone's calling in going nuts on the phone.
The caller is Carl Carlson. This guy is like Monk with technology. Beverly shows up and cons Carter into giving him a ride to GD. As they arrive, Carter goes along with Carl to the lab in order to avoid Allison. While Carter is visiting, Carl knocks some fluid into his centrifuge and the resulting explosion gets him fired. Carter gets to take care of him during the firing process.
Feeling that he's lost everything, Carl decides to commit suicide but reaches out by calling Carter while he's cleaning the bridge railing. Carter talks him down, but Carl slips and they both fall from the bridge.
Carl wakes up before Carter and walks away from the accident. Carter wakes up to Allison calling him - since her personal Carter health lojack went off. Carl wonders into Henry's garage. He starts washing up and sees his head heal itself in the mirror. Carter follows his footsteps a few minutes later.
Carl shows up at Vincent's cafe. He orders a beer and proceeds to plant one on Beverly. The spectators comments are great. (They've all wanted to do that) Back outside, Carl sees Stark and his bimmer. He grabs a knife, walks up to Stark... and stabs himself in his own hand. After it heals itself in front of Stark and Carter, he's got his job back (sorta).
As Fargo reports more and more to Stark about the accident, It's clear that some of the radiation from the Artifact in Section 5 escaped into Carl's lab. When Allison visits carter to get her health lojack back she takes the time to wraps Carter's broken ribs. When Carter lays down, Allison tries out the super mattress. It's been a long day, and they both pass out.
When Zoe wakes up, she notices Allison's purse sitting downstairs; noting to herself that she's won the bet with Vincent. Back in the lab, Carl can't reproduce his results. Stark notices that Allison's wearing the same thing as yesterday and Henry's checking out Carl's blood-work. (What doesn't Henry do?)
When a lab tech brings the wrong cells, Carl snaps at him... and the lab tray flies across the room. Henry reveals that Carl is healing himself with his brain, not regenerating his cells. When Carter and Stark go to visit him in the lab he's drawing a picture of the Artifact. Stark of course claims to have no idea what it is. Since Carl can read thoughts now, he calls Stark on his lie and stalks out. He visits Beverly, but sees right through her. He knows that she's really after section 5 and wants to use him to get there.
Carter catches up with Carl in town just before Stark does. When one of Starks goons shoots at Carl, he deflects it Vader style and it turns Carter into a pizza. Carl orders them to get him back to GD because he knows what to do.
They take Jack to section 5 where Carl apparently uses energy from the Artifact to heal Carter. When they take Carter out, Carl goes into the Artifact room. Stark asks what it is, and Carl answers that someday he will know, but will he be ready? I'm wondering if Carl went into the Artifact in order to escape the overwhelming world of reading thoughts or if he really knew what he was doing.
I really enjoyed this episode. I wish they'd left the kiss out of the previews - the impact was reduced since I knew it was going to happen. (But I still loved it) But seriously, How many times will they out Beverly?
I didn't seem much in this episode I didn't like. (Well, Henry seems a bit out of place going over blood-work in his mechanics outfit) The Allison-Jack relationship is a great sideline. (I'm a sucker for a good romance) but it was great to get so much about Stark. [Update: Oops, left out my last two paragraphs - Thanks Tim]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-16-2006 @ 1:10PM
Karen said...
I liked this episode. I love Saul Rubinek, and there was just a lot of interesting character development here. But calling that thing in Section 5 an "artifact" is starting to grind my gears. An artifact is something "made by art," (implication: man-made), and I'm having a difficult time believing that something that not even the geniuses at Global Dynamics can figure out is a man-made thing. They need to come up with a new word.
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8-16-2006 @ 1:14PM
Tim said...
Does a post count as a "OpEd" if there are no opinions in it, and it's only just a recap?
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8-16-2006 @ 1:21PM
Will O'Brien said...
Dang - You're right Tim. My opinon bit was eaten when I pasted the post.
Fixing...
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8-16-2006 @ 1:41PM
Mack Swift said...
Another fun episode of a well written, quirky show.
I was trying to figure out why Beverly and her holographic friend were 'using' Carl Carlson. It hit me at the end of the episode. With his regenerative gel, humans can walk unfettered into the artifact room to study it. And what is up with Henry? He's a grease monkey and a super-duper smart scientist?
It was driving me nuts last nite, but where have I seen Allison before (she's a hottie). She played Dreyauc (Teal'c's wife) on SG-1. And Deputy Jo? She's Maya on Battlestar Galactica (the chick who adopted the cylon-human baby).
And where have I seen Colin Ferguson before? IMDb didn't list anything remotely familar in regards to a recurring role anywhere.
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8-16-2006 @ 2:26PM
ginny said...
We're loving this show at my house - not only does the story go in unexpected directions, but it's always fun spotting people who've appeared on other shows. We holler "Stargate alum! Star Trek alum! Highlander alum!" and enjoy seeing everyone in new roles. Of course, Debra Farantino was a principal on Earth 2, so I keep hoping they cast Clancy Brown for a guest spot.
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8-16-2006 @ 4:09PM
erroneous_nick said...
Mack,
Thanks for listing where I'd seen those two actors before, it's been driving me up a wall. Since I'm a huge SG-1/A and BSG fan, it's kind of fun to see some of the old guests on this show.
Now to get off my bum and figure out where I've seen Henry before... (I *swear* I'll do the work myself on that one!)
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8-16-2006 @ 4:50PM
y_barb_y said...
I liked this ep. But i have a small nitpick. At his house, Carl borrows Carter's phone (& makes a big deal about his being taken away), so where does he get a phone to call Carter when he's on the bridge?
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8-16-2006 @ 4:54PM
T-Raveling said...
I love the hint towards the simpsons with "carl carlson"
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8-16-2006 @ 4:57PM
Mack Swift said...
erroneous_nick,
Henry is non other then Dr. Miles Dyson from Terminator 2
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8-16-2006 @ 7:20PM
Big Dave said...
Hey Mack Swift :::
You might remember Colin Ferguson because of his "twin", Mark Valley from Keen Eddie & Boston Legal...lol
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8-16-2006 @ 8:47PM
DeadParrot24 said...
I've taken Henry as the town's great generalist. Most of the geniuses are specialists that narrowly focus on their fields. Henry likes to move from subject to subject with no limits. Which explains why he isn't explicitly employed by Global Dynamics, but is frequently consulted. Henry likes his intellectual freedom, and working with his hands.
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8-17-2006 @ 10:40PM
Blurb said...
The actor who plays Henry was also in Blues Brothers 2000.
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8-18-2006 @ 4:39PM
Gloria said...
You might remember Joe Morton, who plays Henry, from Smallville. In 2002, he played a scientist who worked for Lex Luthor. Also, Colin Ferguson was in that failed NBC remake of Britain's "Coupling." Hope that helps!
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8-22-2006 @ 3:28PM
chris said...
I don't want to upset anyone here, but I think EUREKA has fallen off in quality from its premiere episode. I liked the two hour pilot, but the stories been bad since then. The chemistry between the actors is great...Colin Ferguson is very good. But I just don't think EUREKA is living up to the potential that the pilot showcased. This show may wind up an "also-ran", or it could become a "hanger-on" like THE 4400(which should have ended two seasons ago). I like the prospect of this series, but I just don't like the SHOW(yet).
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