I watch only a handful of television shows, but one of my can’t miss programs is Eureka . I came to it a bit late, but since I discovered it via Netflix some years ago, I have tuned in for every new episode. I nearly always watch it live and I stay away from Twitter every week until I’ve seen it. I adore it.
However, I tuned in to the US season five premiere two weeks ago with mixed feelings. I was excited because Eureka had left us hanging in a big way last season and I wanted to see how the latest problem facing our town full of geniuses would play out, but I was also sad because I knew that five was the magic number for Eureka . Yes, just as that wonderful little town gave us a television spaceship to play with in the form of the Astraeus, it was axed. (Go figure.) This will be the last season of Eureka . I understand these things happen, but I’m still not happy about it. But regardless of the death sentence the powers that be have handed down, I’m with Eureka to the end. And so I watched another season premiere live, and I loved nearly every minute of it.
I say nearly because there was one (and only one) small matter I thought might have been handled differently in order to add suspense to the story, but now that I’ve seen three episodes and can evaluate things in the bigger picture, it was indeed very minor, and I can honestly say that Eureka is showing us some of its best work right now. The story and the actors are really pulling out all the stops so far this season. If I were giving out stars, the three episodes I’ve seen so far this year would garner a total of fourteen (four and a half each for the first two and five for the third), and that’s not too shabby at all. This one is worth it, guys.
Now, I’m not a fan of spoilers, so I’m going to try my best not to give specific anything away here, but some things you can look forward to this series when it airs on 16 May in the UK are: a very believable alternate reality with real changes that don’t get better overnight and that the characters therefore have to face realistically, a sinister shadow organization running things behind the scenes, a fantastic villain who gives us quite a treat at the end of the third episode, moral dilemmas, Wil Wheaton and Felicia Day in addition to all the regular cast, and more tugs at the heartstrings than should be legal. I didn’t tear up at the first or second episodes this year, though many I know did, but when I watched the third, I think I got something in my eye for sure.
Yes, there is a death. I won’t say who or what is involved, but I will say that it’s sad and poignant and it hits home. I’ll also admit that while I wish the character involved was still with us, I must admire the writers of Eureka for doing it, because from a story standpoint, it increased drama and it made the peril facing the residents of Eureka real. It made the conclusion of that story arc truly suspenseful, and sometimes, as painful as that is to watch as fans, it is necessary. Without actual peril, shows grow stale. Eureka is anything but stale right now, and I think this is just one more reason why.
I wish I could convince the powers that be to see that point, but alas, that blade is not in my meager arsenal.
Instead, I’ll just keep watching Eureka and sharing the love when I can. I’ve got eleven more episodes coming my way and you fine folks in the UK have fourteen left to air, so I say we sit back and enjoy the ride.
Where will Eureka go from here?
Might we see more of it online or in some other form someday?
I don’t know.
All I know is that, for now, like one of my favorite characters just did, I’ll raise a glass to “We’ll see.”
Laura McConnell
