TVSquad

(S03E03) We're still too early in the season to get too deep into the bigger picture mystery. In fact, the clues that were given this week where Eva's plans are concerned made the whole thing even more confusing. That's ok though, we've got lots of time for that story to grow. In the meantime, "Best In Faux" was another quirky stand-alone that got a lot of things right. The yearly dog show managed to dovetail with some crazy science, Zoey's homework, and some fantastic guest casting to deliver a very fun hour of television.

Let's kick it off with the puppies. It's easy to see what Eva sees in that project. Aside from the scientific gains to be had, who wouldn't want one of those robotic dogs? I'd never really put it together, but that's the thing that's kept me from getting a dog. None of the real ones can be shut off and tossed in the closet when I just don't have time to deal with them. The one drawback to the pups was that they did create a bit of a continuity error. How is it possible that this is such a hotly contested yearly contest and Carter has no idea about it?

That's easily forgiven though, as the dogs lended themselves well to the story. The logic diamond was a bit of the crazy science, but I really liked the way it all came together. The dogs with homegrown logic diamonds, Zoey's acoustic physics homework being used to create the homegrown diamonds, and the diamonds causing the magma pocket. If that wasn't enough, it also provided the opportunity for the show to invite Lexa Doig (SG-1, Andromeda) back. We first saw her last season in "Maneater." And if they want to bring Dr. Young back again next week, I'm all for it. Much like pie, you can never have too much Lexa Doig.

As great as it was to see Doig return, she wasn't even the best guest star in the episode. How do you not like Alan Ruck as Dr. Wood? He was just nutty enough to make you wonder. Add to that the idea of a disgraced scientist trying to regain some notoriety, something we've seen before, and he was quickly on the short list of suspects. He also had more than a little in common with Carter. Everyone was so eager to dismiss his warnings, because they all know better. Something we've seen time and again where Carter is concerned. The tunneler was also very good as a gadget and an idea. The effects were a little iffy, but apparently MARTHA was very expensive.

The tunneler also set the stage for more of the Carter/Stark relationship. There's still some contention, but the two do seem to be warming up to each other. Something we see with Carter asking, "What do you want to do tomorrow?" And moreso with Stark pausing to actually offer Carter praise for a job well done. As the two becomes closer, it makes the Carter/Allison/Stark triangle all that much more interesting.

Regarding that, I'm still firmly in the camp that the wedding isn't going to happen. I felt like we got a little peek at that in the scene between Carter and Allison when she was stuck in the wedding dress. We heard once again how pressure makes you do crazy things, and it was followed by a look from Carter that said, "Like marrying the wrong guy."

As far as Eva, I'm as confused as ever. We all knew that Henry's pardon was coming so she could use him as she moved her plan forward, but I still don't have a bead on just what that plan is. The age, the vial, the film, and now the heretofore theoretical radiation all add up to... not sure. Going off of that evidence, perhaps the vile is the elixir of life and Eureka, with the rare radiation, is the one place where conditions exist to create it.

Overall, still waiting to get to the meat of the bigger story, but this was a fun episode.

Other fun bits:
-- Favorite crazy science of the night. Logic diamond processors connected with tantolin tantalum beams.

-- Fargo entering a real dog to win the contest was funny.

-- Carter's reaction to Stark asking for a favor. "That's how you ask? Who raised you!?"

-- "You're wearing my whole batch of misty green."