Eureka - Season Two Reviews

• Today's forecast calls for heat, frost, rain, hail, gale force winds and severe lightning...

  
  By A1D2C0WDCSHUWZ on 2008-04-10
  Apparently the little genius town of Eureka hasn't quite run out of disasters yet, even with the destruction of the Artifact.
  
  In fact, Eureka's problems get worse as the show's writing becomes better, starting with the citizens bursting into flame. The second season of "Eureka" is more confident and well-balanced than the previous one, and it takes the characters, quirky humor and tight writing into brand-new territory. Including Carter walking around naked.
  
  The timeline has been restored, and Carter (Colin Ferguson) and Henry (Joe Morton) are trying to adjust to their past lives. Carter also is convinced that the future will unfold just as it did in the other timeline.
  
  But during a solar flare viewing, a guy violently combusts -- and soon other people start combusting. Carter searches for a link between the victims, and finds that someone near him may be next. Meanwhile, the Pentagon decides to remove Nathan Stark (Ed Quinn) from Global Dynamics' big chair, and replace him with his estranged wife Allison (Salli Richardson-Whitfield). My, that's awkward.
  
  Other problems pop up over the season -- shared dreams, personal forcefields, "ice funnels of death," falling debris clouds attracted to the GD headquarters, invisibility projects, Fargo's frozen grandpa, Biblical plagues, Carter becoming unnaturally attractive to all women, and an attempt to recreate the Big Bang that apparently turns everyone (except Carter) into driveling idiots.
  
  But while the Artifact has been effectively destroyed, its presence is still felt -- Allison's autistic son Kevin has formed a strange connection to it. And when a brilliant scientist creates a deadly alchemical bacterium -- which turns all iron into gold, then rust -- it may lead to a showdown over Kevin's future....
  
  There's a darker current running through the second season of "Eureka" -- Henry is more subdued and haunted, and a little boy's life is in danger. But don't worry, because thankfully the writers don't switch too far into the dark zone -- the focus is always first and foremost on our Everyman Sheriff, and how he tries to deal with the Horrific Crisis of the day.
  
  In fact, the second season flows very easily, with a more relaxed pace and a colourful, diverse array of science-based problems -- including robot geese. There's lots of great dialogue ("Jo made it seem like the sky is falling." "That hasn't happened since 2004, and that was more of an igniting of the ionosphere") and hilarious comedic moments, such as Carter's naked public shower and the shared Zorro fantasy. But there are some sweet moments too, such as Fargo's grandfather coming to terms with the life he missed out on.
  
  I wasn't too impressed by Ferguson in "Eureka's" debut season, but he really gets to blossom in this one -- he's quirkier, cuter and has a knack for physical comedy. He fits in better with the Eurekans. And he brings a lot of life to Jack's problems, whether it's the weird stuff, or the more realistic threat of his ex-wife taking his daughter out of Eureka.
  
  Quinn and Richardson Whitfield also do well, as Allison and Nathan try to adjust to their new positions, as well as some renewed sparks. And the other characters get rounding out -- Jo gets in touch with her inner girly-girl, Zoe clashes with some genius "mean girls," Taggart has a maternal experience, and Fargo gets in touch with some family members. Also has to deal with the possibility of dying.
  
  Of particular note: Morton brings a feeling of dark pathos into many of Henry's appearances, reminding us what he's lost and leaving us wondering what he's planning. And it's worth noting that a trio of "Stargate SG-1" actors make some very solid guest appearances -- particularly Michael Shanks as an embittered, myth-obsessed scientist.
  
  The second season of "Eureka" sticks to the humorous sci-fi angle, but expands the characters -- as well as some of the darker subplots. Definitely a great little series, and promises to stay fun and suspenseful.
  
  

• Eureka is Fantastic

  
  By A18EI5CF6PI8AL on 2008-04-27
  Eureka seasons one and two are both fantastic with a cast of great characters and great scripts. There are fun episodes and serious episodes. Drama to Comedy this was a great series! And worth purchasing! :D
  
  

• Eureka, I'm home Sarah

  
  By A1GHUN5HXMHZ89 on 2008-05-07
  If you enjoy a good deal of comedy with your SciFi you will probably enjoy Eureka. There certainly are plenty of serious events, but with a regular mix of comedy to keep things from getting to dark. Kind of like the X-Files which had plenty of serious episodes but then were visited by unusual people including "The Lone Gunmen" to keep things in perspective. The second season is a must have for anyone that bought the first. This season continues the investigation of the alien artifact along with the further emersion of Sheriff Jack Carter and Zoe into Eureka's community.
  
  Many of the budding relationships have now fizzled and new ones have began that may seem less odd or more depending on your perspective. This is not high brow SciFi for the most part although some of the ideas are based on conceivable research. Eureka is a town of Mensa types that have their own projects and inventions that they develop. It seems they aren't under the same rules as the rest the country so anything can happen when their experiaments go wrong. Good quality DVDs and excellent replayability, but I'm still not crazy about cardboard fold up cover.
  
  

• Love the show, LOATHE the packaging

  
  By A1LQ6BNN94K3U2 on 2008-09-17
  First off, I love this show. It's brilliant in just about every way imaginable. So I apologize for the low rating, but I have to make my point.
  
  The distributors of this DVD must be just absurdly lacking in IQ (irony shouldn't be lost). For the first season, they chose a nasty styrofoam wanna-be that not only shed on the discs, forcing you to clean each disc thoroughly each time you wanted to watch it, but it didn't even hold the discs. They just rolled around, free to get damaged.
  
  NOW, they've chosen some cheap plastic that SCRATCHES the discs.
  
  I repeat:
  
  THE CASE SCRATCHES THE DISCS.
  
  Now, call me old fashioned, but I think a case should protect the disc from damage, not damage the disc.
  
  If the company is making an attempt to force consumers into downloading the show electronically, they succeed. With iTunes and other ways of downloading this show, I see little point in owning these round pieces of plastic that are now good for little more than flinging at ninjas who may attack my house (yes, a 3 Ninjas reference) besides the fact that I already own them.
  
  This packaging is supposed to be "environmentally conscious," as if the case is meant to be disposal. Again, I think the case is kind of important for protecting a disc, and I don't plan on throwing the disc out right after I buy it. It's not a coffee cup.
  
  This company needs to stop worrying about making "green" products and start worrying about making "good" products.
  
  

• Content 5 Stars, Delivery 2 Stars

  
  By A122M8DGVLY6MA on 2008-08-01
  I am thoroughly captivated by this show, having missed the first two seasons and catching up with them on these two DVD sets. Even before I saw season 3 Episode one in HD on cable the other night, I was struck by the softness of the picture, which could not be improved by my upconverting Playstation 3. Displaying the details during playback confirmed that the average bitrate to be about 4Mbit per second, which indicates a very aggressive compression rate. This was likely necessary to squeeze 4 epsidoes onto one DVD.
  
  At 10Mbs, a single layer DVD will hold 60 minutes of video. At 5Mbs, it holds about 120 minutes. That only 4-42 minute episodes at a total of about 4Mbs will fit on one DVD tells you that they are not even using dual layer DVD's!
  
  Considering you are paying about $30 for a relatively short season show, there is simply no excuse for cheaping out and being so stingy with DVD's, which are very inexpensive. There should be no more than two episodes per disc, with an average bitrate of 8-9Mb, not 4.
  
  This quality is even more unnacceptible considering the look of the show is simply amazing, with impressive artistic design and first-rate special effects. Even the scenery is breathtaking. If they cannot offer this show in BLu-Ray, they need to make the only available format looks as pristine as possible. High bitrate DVD can looks simply amazing. If I want the show to look as soft and fuzzy as this, I'll record it onto VHS.
  
  This show is inventive, funny, poignant, and simply entertaining. It deserves better delivery.
  
  
• Eureka - Season Two
  By A170DUI1VKRPCQ on 2008-06-04
  Eureka - Season Two. Excellent sci-fi TV series. A very in engaging, relaxing, and enjoyable tv viewing. I enjoy watching it very week.
  
  
• Purchased it, watched it, happy with it
  By A2J8ROLCIEKK1L on 2008-07-24
  Short and sweet:
  
  I was entertained by every episode. I like the fact that it has some continuing story-lines rather than being purely episodic. Good humor, some surprising moments, and a touch of darkness.
  
  I give it 5 stars because I can't picture it being any better (other than improving or replacing a couple of weaker actors/characters). The show is what it is and it does it well.
  
  Oh, and I think it's actually improving as it goes along.
  
  
• The best show on SciFi
  By A3Z75D1DD2VGW on 2008-08-06
  This wacky show is completely out there. It's a lot of fun for the whole family. Season 1 was great, Season 2 was a little awkward, but we still loved every episode.
  
  
• Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
  By A1SW80RQNB3DMK on 2008-08-08
  As reflected by author Arthur C. Clarke in the third of Clarke's Three Laws of Prediction, Eureka is a town of "magic" for the scientifically minded. With the same sociopathic aplomb of Harry Potter, it's a place where things and people explode - in fact, they're almost encouraged to. Characters frequently refer to the towns founding principle of "pushing the boundaries" of science, and the by product of collateral damage that results. This doesn't make the job of its new Sherriff, Jack Carter, any easier. Carter, one of the "normals" (with a normal IQ), finds the town's blasé reactions to the various explosions, disintegrations and mad-science downright unsettling.
  
  Don't look for real science here - it's all Buck Rogers and Star Trek variety. There's alot of talk about tachyons and theoretical equations, but it's all lighthearted so you don't need a PhD to appreciate.
  
  Ferguson, who plays Carter, is a long overlooked actor, and his goofy, uncomfortable demeanor fits well with the character of a "normal" sheriff out of his depth. Originally having low expectations of the series, I'm now a fan, due in no small part to Ferguson's awkward yet convincing characterization.
  
  In Season 2, the show finally latches onto plot cohesion, centered around a mysterious "artifact" that predates the existence of our universe. There's a nod to alchemy late in the series, (the magic that started science), as well as one to the dichotomy of the pursuit of all knowing science in contrast to a belief in the unknowable divinity. Unlike other shows, Eureka's season finale doesn't involve much of a cliffhanger - the issue presented is more or less resolved during the last two episodes of the series. Jo, (Carter's likeable, psychopathic deputy), develops a love life with a rogue PC hacker, Zoey (Carter's daughter) finds herself dating the ultimate nerd (and liking it), while the Machiavelli-with-a-heart-of-gold Nathan Stark resumes his on-again-off-again relationship with Ally, the latter having replaced Stark as head of GD. Beverly, the town's psychologist (who is also engaged in industrial espionage), get's some comeuppance in Guantanamo, then returns later to wreak some minor havoc in the last two episodes. While the storyline plays out in the series (with no cliffhanger ending), you're still left eager to see what comes in Season 3.
  
  
  
• awesome
  By A1R2XFUY4F4ZMM on 2008-08-11
  A definite must see for any sci-fi fan. Not a series I can easily access in Canada so anxiously awaited the release of season 2. A collection of characters you quickly grow to love - especially Sheriff Carter and Fargo.
  
  
• Hilarious show !
  By A2B80BONCYTZNG on 2008-08-12
  I love this show ! I love it so much that I am terrified that scifi will cancel it because they cancel all the shows I like :(
  It is funny , interesting, the characters are fun and likeable-even the "bad guys" * cough cough * Alison's "ex" ,lol
  I love waiting to see what crazy thing is gonna happen next and how they are gonna fix it , and it isn't like all those other shows where you have to tell your children to leave the room cause your watching a grown up show , they can watch it as well :), all in all , I will say it over and over I LOVE THIS SHOW and wish I had cable right now ,lol
  
  
• SciFi's Best!
  By A1RUZPX1FJNSI2 on 2008-08-13
  For a show that has blends sci-fi, tonge in cheek humor and just good old over the top action, this is one to check out. And season three is off to a great start!
  
  
• We love this show.
  By AFKAT0HHBI5JQ on 2008-08-14
  Eureka is a great show. Quirky and geek friendly. Ma and my wife finished the season quickly in order to catch up and watch season 3.
  
  
• Best Season Yet
  By A2Z4XF6L87257A on 2008-08-17
  Season Two of Eureka shows the characters coming of age. The scripts were challenging, interesting and full of little twists that keep you wanting more. The DVD set is well organized and easy to use for the extras or subtitles. This is a must buy for true Eureka fans.
  
  
• Eureka Season I and 2
  By AUSSRX64GG0BS on 2008-08-18
  This is an awesome series. We originally missed several episodes and thoroughly enjoyed watching the entire season. Funny, witty, very well written. Actors chosen fit the characters to a T. Exceptional story lines. Well worth the money and time to watch.
  
  
• Eureka- fun
  By A2UUQ8HG9UX5MM on 2008-08-19
  What a great show - it is so funny and creative. Love everyone on the show. I hope it never ends.
  
  
• Best new sci-fi in many years
  By A39SJ6V6QCGC37 on 2008-08-22
  You can't go wrong on this series. It is truly excellent. It has been a long time since a new Sci-fi as fantastic as this one and one which has not been dumbed down for a change. This is a technology buffs dream come true. Plus it is a clean, wholesome program for the entire family. It never fails to engage your attention and teach you something new using technologies so advanced, it is new to all of us. Every episode has been wonderful. The interaction between the cast members has been magic. Congrats to the person who selected the cast.
  
  It was a stroke of genius to start their new series in July each year. Eureka was the only game in town as far as new TV programs at that time of year. Seems none of the other Cable channels have caught onto the fact that we also watch TV in the summer.
  
  We are happy to see Henry back to normal. The writers had almost ruined his character between the dark moody scripts and changing hairdo's. Henry is one of their main characters whether they like it or not. His many talents make him a multifaceted character which never fails to surprise us.
  
  Oddly, I thought I never liked the character of Stark until they killed him off last Tuesday in a real tear-jerker ending. Now the show seems empty without his egocentric abilities. A key necessity in such a lab of high tech covert projects. I liked it better with him in it. They need to bring him back... perhaps by finding out that he was thrown into the future rather than deleted.
  
  I know shows will get rid of expensive actors and trade them for a couple lesser actors.... but the trade-off of Stark for Thorne and the new sister of the Sheriff are not even close to the same caliper as Stark and neither adds anything to the series. The new additions are just excess baggage. It would be no loss if they both disappeared.
  
  As far as Thorne's trimming of the employees role... The gov't has never cared about how much tax money they waste..and they don't usually lay off their black project scientists... so her coming in and acting like it is a private corporation needing to be slimmed down makes no sense.
  
  Not to mention why the Sheriff's sister would be allowed to be in a closed town filled with black project employees and scientists who use classified products out in the open.
  
  This looks like an early attempt to cut costs. In the corporate world, you're allowed to show a loss on your taxes for 3 years. After that, they lose the tax breaks so most new companies will start trimming employees between year 2&3 and will usually pick their highest salaried employees to cut and try to replace them with someone cheaper... unfortunately, they usually end up with someone who can't do the job... which is why they are cheaper to hire.
  
  They need to let the viewers decide on major cast and plot changes... not some pitbull exec in the network sales dept... like the ones who canceled Star Trek and Outer Limits.
  
  Let's hope some idiot in charge doesn't cancel or ruin the spirit of Eureka like they have managed to do in the past to every decent show. Especially those programs which are over the heads of those cable network goons. They need to remember that most viewers are not on Nielson and they are not getting accurate ratings from them. They should also be careful about allowing a sponsor to ruin the program with too much interference... and Degree is coming close to that point in just a few episodes this year
  
  But so far, Eureka is still a one-of-a-kind program which never fails to entertain and bring delight to the viewers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A Must Have
  By AX312A558N5YL on 2008-08-22
  Eureka is one of the most intelligent and entertaining T.V. series of all time. Thankfully, it's on the SciFi channel and not a network channel where intelligence and creativity is undermined by too many "reality shows". This is a series I will continue to collect. Set in a town you will wish you could find, the characters are witty, smart, and loveable. There is so much going on, that it's like a carnival ride for the visual senses!
  
  
• Awesome show
  By A3W09WKXA6A059 on 2008-08-22
  I love this show. It's funny, quirky, and intelligent. It doesn't insult your intelligence, but also doesn't depend on technobabble to solve the problems.
  
  
• Awesome inventive show
  By A2TDWQQODF1S2N on 2008-08-25
  This show is the most inventive show I have ever seen. Very funny and clever. Always something new to look foward to.
  
  
• Eureka Season Two
  By A17VD74NIR37I2 on 2008-08-28
  Unfortunately, the second DVD in this package was defective and would not play. The other two DVDs worked and they were terrific. The characters in Eureka are really developing into people we like and want to know more about.
  
  
• Good, if hokey.
  By A2DYW9Y2D8E43L on 2008-08-29
  This series is a good little time waster. I've definately seen worse shows. The premise is kind of cool, a town where pretty much everyone is one kind of genius or other. In comes the new sheriff (by no means a genius) who basically fixes all the trouble these 'geniuses' get themselves in to. The show is not exactly a comedy, although the sheriff provides plenty of comedic relief, in his bumbling way. He is a mixture of Andy Griffith and Barney Fife, if you can imagine that combination. It's definately a show worth watching.
  
  
• Eureka! another season
  By ARRLWDU7XZMQW on 2008-08-31
  Eureka is still one of the best shows out there. It's original, educational and very humorous! This is a great show to get hooked on.
  
  
• Awesome customer service
  By A2FQBV9W85D8GT on 2008-09-01
  Awesome customer service. 1 dvd came scratched. Amazon sent us a new copy of the dvd and we sent the old one back. Took a week for the return transaction.
  
  
• Great DVD
  By A1C13EA9C2CBVP on 2008-09-01
  i was truly impressed by this TV show. i can't wait for season three to come out
  
  
• Awesome show
  By AZZKBO5AIM9WE on 2008-09-02
  I love this show and the season is a must-have at our house. My dad has recently become a fan and I can now share prior seasons with him.
  Super!
  
  
• Eureka - Great Fun
  By A2R9UNA3RCRPQC on 2008-09-05
  Eureka's writter continue to serve up new and imaginative scripts where the unexpected is still unexpected. Great show with a great cast. The show mixes humor and drama very well. Great Sci-Fi!
  
  
• Great show
  By A3U8L3AUQC6H72 on 2008-09-06
  I've become a big fan of Eureka. It has a great balance of humor and sci-fi drama that I enjoy. It's not overly dark and there's always an opportunity to chuckle. And, with it being set in the current timeline, it makes it easy to relate to. Wouldn't it be great if some of these inventions and creations really did exist? But, they also point out some of the drawbacks. After all, M.A.D (Mutually Assured Destruction), may not really be the way to end the last great war and being able to time travel could have some serious consequences. It's a great show. That's all that really needs to be said.
  
  
• Good stuff on TV but you have to hunt
  By AZOZA78DBW0PN on 2008-09-09
  Eureka is a great TV show and it's even better on DVD without the commercials. A wonderful show that's entertaining, funny, good-looking actors and they treat the women as equals not sluts. Great show for the whole family.
  
  
• Kinda of a remake, but WELL Done
  By A2ZP3YCNP5CVPU on 2008-09-23
  I really enjoyed the first seaseon for its uniqueness and characters and the second and third are carring along with the same quality. But (dramatic pause,) this show (for those who do not know) is actually a remake of a Twilight Zone story. The special effects are (naturally) MUCH better and there is time for character development. All in all a GREAT show. I have both Seasons on DVD
  
  

• Eureka - Season One
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• Stargate Atlantis - The Complete Fourth Season
• Heroes: Season 2
• Burn Notice - Season One