Eureka 3x04, I Do Over
I don't really think I have to tell anyone how much I hate Sci-Fi right now. Atlantis is ending and they've "deleted" my favorite character on Eureka. So yeah, I kind of want to scream, but for now I'm refraining.
Eureka: 3x04, I Do Over
Written by Thania St. John
First, I have to say that this is one of my favorite sci-fi tropes, the day that just keeps repeating itself. This is not the best that I've ever seen it done, but it is nicely done. Despite my displeasure at the ending, I did really love a lot of things about this episode.
I love that Zoe is determined to talk to her dad about Allison and his feelings for her. It's sweet. I'm kind of amused by Jack's sister, Lexi. At least I think it was Lexi. I love that she has a cat that's the reincarnation of her grandmother. She's a little flaky to be a favorite character for too long, but I did enjoy her.
It actually made me laugh to see Thorne being so vindictive over not getting an invite to the wedding, even if we do later learn that she's using the wedding as a convenient way to have everyone out of her way for awhile.
In this very first version of the timeline Nathan is distracted and nervous and trying to hide it. I think it's a very real reaction. I adore that Jack tells Allison that he'll always be there for her in every version.
Day two is kind of fun, primarily because Jack isn't really sure that it is a repeat for awhile. His encounter with Nathan is even more awkward, but already you can see that he knows that Jack really does care about Allison at least enough for him to appeal to Jack not to screw things up for her sake. He just wants everything to be perfect. This is a situation in which it becomes kind of important that Jack no longer remembers the alternate timeline from the last season. If he did, he would be going to Henry immediately who wouldn't bother trying to tell him that time flows only one way. It might not be the same, but he knows that someone can go back and remember.
While it's clear that they aren't really close, it's nice that Lexi is the only one to believe Jack about the whole timeloop thing, and even nicer that he takes her advice.
Day three is one of my favorites on a lot of levels. I have to laugh every time Jack tells Zoe, "You'd be surprised what happens to me in there," referring to the bathroom. I now expect an avalanche of fic about strange things happening to Jack in the bathroom. I know that the writers kind of try to play it off as Jack being dense, but I like that it takes several tries before Jack gives up on asking Nathan about this, and I don't think it's just because he thinks it's the clock. I also think that Nathan enjoys explaining things. He probably doesn't get the chance to do it a lot, given that he works in a building filled with geniuses. It was cute when he breaks off the explanation about the unstable plutonium.
The thing with Fargo was great. I love that he lied to get Fargo to take him to the clock. I adore that when he pulls the gun, Fargo stays sarcastic even if he does do what Jack asks. It's just a great scene. The wedding was as expected.
Day four starts interesting and just gets better. I love his first encounter with Nathan. The episode is almost worth it just for the, "Does your Ego even fit in this building?" comemnt.
It actually kind of surprises me that Jack doesn't realize right away that Leo has information that he shouldn't have. I guess I'll just have to call it stress.
I like Lexi a little better after her talk with Zoe at the diner. The right reasons and the responsible ones aren't always the same, and I'm glad that she isn't going to use her pregnancy to tie this guy to her (even though I do think that at some point she ought to tell him, he is going to be a father). There's some serious sibling angst here, but at least Jack wants to fix it (and Lexi still believed in family enough to come to him for help).
Jack's confrontation of Thorne was perfect. He doesn't have a clue what he's getting into, but he's pretty decent at faking it.
Day five starts with a lot less interest. Jack finally goes to Henry, where we learn that Thorne has been looking at some kind of huge man made cavities in solid rock. We still don't know what they're for.
The science in this episode (as Weinbrenner explains it) is a little wonkier than I'm used to from this show, but for now I'll just ignore that.
Day six opens with Jack finding Leo's charred body. I think that it's fairly adorable that Jack had to learn the formula as a song. Nathan's concern that Allison be protected from how bad things could get is sweet, but also symptomatic of why I don't think their relationship would have ever made it in the long run. There aren't many women who are less in need of protecting than Allison, and as sweet as Nathan's desire to keep her safe and carefree is, she'd see it as condescending.
I kind of love the look of disbelieve that Fargo gives Jack when he explains why the clock was tied in with the accelerator.
Jack with Zoe and Lexi was great. If only he got a few tries at every big interpersonal event. He needs them. I have to say that the Dr. Who/World Health Organization confusion got really old. That was one repetitive aspect I could have lived without.
I love Nathan in this last scene with the accelerator. First there's his whole comment about trusting Jack which was cute, especially given Fargo's nervous babbling. Then there's him saying that they'll do it manually. Of course Jack volunteers. That's what he does, takes the crazy impossible risks. Nathan's smile is great and perfect and shows more honest emotion than I think we've ever seen when he wasn't under the influence of something (or possibly during his proposal to Allison). There's not a song he can teach Carter, adorable.
I love that Fargo volunteers next, and that Nathan says he always knew that he had it in him. I like Fargo. He's a better guy than he usually gets credit for, and when it's important he gets the job done. It's also no real surprise that Nathan doesn't let him do it either. He's got almost as much of a hero complex as Jack, though he's a little less impulsive about it.
As much as I love Nathan coming back with, "My ego's as big as the building," it was in the previous day that Jack said it. He shouldn't remember, unless Jack said it again during this day, off-camera (or on and I just missed it in 4 viewings).
I started crying about the same time that Nathan was blinking back tears as he told Jack to take care of Allison. "I'll see you around, Jack," just about killed me, and Fargo's shocked confusion when he realizes that there's something not right about Nathan tried to finish the job. Jack telling Allison was almost easy in comparison.
The last ten minutes of this were gorgeous and heart-wrenching and they damned-well better fix it. I frankly don't care how, or how badly they have to screw up the science to do it. Nathan needs to come back. If they don't, well, I suppose that's what fanfic is for.
Two final notes. First, Allison really did look lovely. The dress was beautiful and her hair was perfect and elegant. Second, I feel like I should recognize the actress who played Lexi, but I can't quite place her and I'm too lazy to look it up. Can anyone help me out with that?
Eureka: 3x04, I Do Over
Written by Thania St. John
First, I have to say that this is one of my favorite sci-fi tropes, the day that just keeps repeating itself. This is not the best that I've ever seen it done, but it is nicely done. Despite my displeasure at the ending, I did really love a lot of things about this episode.
I love that Zoe is determined to talk to her dad about Allison and his feelings for her. It's sweet. I'm kind of amused by Jack's sister, Lexi. At least I think it was Lexi. I love that she has a cat that's the reincarnation of her grandmother. She's a little flaky to be a favorite character for too long, but I did enjoy her.
It actually made me laugh to see Thorne being so vindictive over not getting an invite to the wedding, even if we do later learn that she's using the wedding as a convenient way to have everyone out of her way for awhile.
In this very first version of the timeline Nathan is distracted and nervous and trying to hide it. I think it's a very real reaction. I adore that Jack tells Allison that he'll always be there for her in every version.
Day two is kind of fun, primarily because Jack isn't really sure that it is a repeat for awhile. His encounter with Nathan is even more awkward, but already you can see that he knows that Jack really does care about Allison at least enough for him to appeal to Jack not to screw things up for her sake. He just wants everything to be perfect. This is a situation in which it becomes kind of important that Jack no longer remembers the alternate timeline from the last season. If he did, he would be going to Henry immediately who wouldn't bother trying to tell him that time flows only one way. It might not be the same, but he knows that someone can go back and remember.
While it's clear that they aren't really close, it's nice that Lexi is the only one to believe Jack about the whole timeloop thing, and even nicer that he takes her advice.
Day three is one of my favorites on a lot of levels. I have to laugh every time Jack tells Zoe, "You'd be surprised what happens to me in there," referring to the bathroom. I now expect an avalanche of fic about strange things happening to Jack in the bathroom. I know that the writers kind of try to play it off as Jack being dense, but I like that it takes several tries before Jack gives up on asking Nathan about this, and I don't think it's just because he thinks it's the clock. I also think that Nathan enjoys explaining things. He probably doesn't get the chance to do it a lot, given that he works in a building filled with geniuses. It was cute when he breaks off the explanation about the unstable plutonium.
The thing with Fargo was great. I love that he lied to get Fargo to take him to the clock. I adore that when he pulls the gun, Fargo stays sarcastic even if he does do what Jack asks. It's just a great scene. The wedding was as expected.
Day four starts interesting and just gets better. I love his first encounter with Nathan. The episode is almost worth it just for the, "Does your Ego even fit in this building?" comemnt.
It actually kind of surprises me that Jack doesn't realize right away that Leo has information that he shouldn't have. I guess I'll just have to call it stress.
I like Lexi a little better after her talk with Zoe at the diner. The right reasons and the responsible ones aren't always the same, and I'm glad that she isn't going to use her pregnancy to tie this guy to her (even though I do think that at some point she ought to tell him, he is going to be a father). There's some serious sibling angst here, but at least Jack wants to fix it (and Lexi still believed in family enough to come to him for help).
Jack's confrontation of Thorne was perfect. He doesn't have a clue what he's getting into, but he's pretty decent at faking it.
Day five starts with a lot less interest. Jack finally goes to Henry, where we learn that Thorne has been looking at some kind of huge man made cavities in solid rock. We still don't know what they're for.
The science in this episode (as Weinbrenner explains it) is a little wonkier than I'm used to from this show, but for now I'll just ignore that.
Day six opens with Jack finding Leo's charred body. I think that it's fairly adorable that Jack had to learn the formula as a song. Nathan's concern that Allison be protected from how bad things could get is sweet, but also symptomatic of why I don't think their relationship would have ever made it in the long run. There aren't many women who are less in need of protecting than Allison, and as sweet as Nathan's desire to keep her safe and carefree is, she'd see it as condescending.
I kind of love the look of disbelieve that Fargo gives Jack when he explains why the clock was tied in with the accelerator.
Jack with Zoe and Lexi was great. If only he got a few tries at every big interpersonal event. He needs them. I have to say that the Dr. Who/World Health Organization confusion got really old. That was one repetitive aspect I could have lived without.
I love Nathan in this last scene with the accelerator. First there's his whole comment about trusting Jack which was cute, especially given Fargo's nervous babbling. Then there's him saying that they'll do it manually. Of course Jack volunteers. That's what he does, takes the crazy impossible risks. Nathan's smile is great and perfect and shows more honest emotion than I think we've ever seen when he wasn't under the influence of something (or possibly during his proposal to Allison). There's not a song he can teach Carter, adorable.
I love that Fargo volunteers next, and that Nathan says he always knew that he had it in him. I like Fargo. He's a better guy than he usually gets credit for, and when it's important he gets the job done. It's also no real surprise that Nathan doesn't let him do it either. He's got almost as much of a hero complex as Jack, though he's a little less impulsive about it.
As much as I love Nathan coming back with, "My ego's as big as the building," it was in the previous day that Jack said it. He shouldn't remember, unless Jack said it again during this day, off-camera (or on and I just missed it in 4 viewings).
I started crying about the same time that Nathan was blinking back tears as he told Jack to take care of Allison. "I'll see you around, Jack," just about killed me, and Fargo's shocked confusion when he realizes that there's something not right about Nathan tried to finish the job. Jack telling Allison was almost easy in comparison.
The last ten minutes of this were gorgeous and heart-wrenching and they damned-well better fix it. I frankly don't care how, or how badly they have to screw up the science to do it. Nathan needs to come back. If they don't, well, I suppose that's what fanfic is for.
Two final notes. First, Allison really did look lovely. The dress was beautiful and her hair was perfect and elegant. Second, I feel like I should recognize the actress who played Lexi, but I can't quite place her and I'm too lazy to look it up. Can anyone help me out with that?