Eureka: God is in the Details

... in which the town begins experiencing events that could be interpreted as biblical signs of the apocalypse.

I really enjoyed this one. It tackled an interesting subject, delivered an engaging disaster-of-the-week, and provided some forward momentum on several continuing fronts, including Carter’s wiped memories, Henry’s grief, the Stark-Allison-Kevin situation, and the budding relationship between Zane and Jo.

I’m really glad they broached the subject of how religion fits into Eureka (or doesn’t). “Is there still a place for faith in a world of science?” is a really fascinating question for a town built on scientific discovery. I’m not convinced the writers did a great job exploring the topic in any depth, but I give them credit for at least trying. I also give them credit for striking a good balance with the believers and non-believers. Reverend Harper’s congregation wasn’t just full of non-scientists, and those resistant to church weren’t solely the brainiacs.

That said, I’m marking them down a letter grade for exploring the topic solely through a Judeo-Christian lens. I’d think the faithful in a town like Eureka would favor a more Unitarian Universalist or holistic approach that doesn’t focus so much on one world tradition. I actually found the frequent Bible-pushing a bit off-putting. Perhaps the writers went this route because they knew they wanted the disaster to manifest as potential signs of the Judeo-Christian apocalypse, but I prefer when story elements like this are character-based and not plot-based.

I’d mark them down another letter grade for the whole “now everyone’s a believer, let’s all sing Amazing Grace together!” ending, if they hadn’t made it clear that wasn’t really what was going on. It was more the community temporarily coming together after the town’s latest catastrophe and finding comfort in song and each other. Folks like Stark, Carter, Zane, and even Larry weren’t suddenly religious converts. I imagine the reverend will get some permanent new congregants, but suspect that most residents will return to their secular ways before too long.

As for the disaster-of-the-week, I decided before the opening credits that either the reverend or the organist would be the culprit--- you can’t put a recognizable face like Teryl Rothery in the mix and expect me to believe she’s a minor player in the story --- but I still I enjoyed watching the disaster unfold and Carter’s search for the cause. Plus, I was really glad it didn’t turn out that Diane was trying to simulate the apocalypse to fill up the reverend’s pews (which I started to suspect after her conversation with Carter about the reverend saving her). The events being an unintended consequence of her attempts to reunite with her deceased husband was much more resonant and satisfying.

Even better, Diane’s “gateway to the multiverse “ tied into both Carter’s and Henry’s ongoing stories. The temporal rift clearly presented some serious temptation for Henry, and, unfortunately, it probably fanned the flames of his anger at Carter over Kim’s death. Here he was again, with his love possibly within reach, and Carter prevented him from going to her. In this case, Henry reluctantly agreed that it was the right thing to do, but the whole situation has to serve as an all-too-painful reminder of what Jack has cost him. Ironically, it might also serve as a possible reminder for Jack of what Henry has cost him by wiping his mind. Obviously he didn’t remember using a similar temporal rift to stop Henry’s attempt to save Kim, but he did tell Diane, “You just have to have a little faith,” which is exactly what he said to Alt-Allison before they parted. After the sonnets book triggered some additional memories of his confrontation with Henry in the garage, I can’t help thinking this choice of words was no coincidence and that even more of his memories may start coming back. Exciting stuff!

Other Thoughts

Dire circumstances prompted Stark to confess to Allison that he loves her (yea! and duh!), but they also forced him to use Kevin’s growing abilities to save her. He later tells Allison that Kevin is evolving and expanding his connection to the Akashic Field, but I have to wonder if his actions in this episode accelerated that process.

I really loved the insight into Jo’s problem trying to make a relationship work in Eureka. “Bottom line: he’s brilliant, I’m not. Story of my life trying to get a date in this town. […] How long before he realizes I can’t keep up with him?” I can understand why she’d develop this particular self-esteem issue --- she practically gets a daily dose of brainy science types dumping on Carter for a perceived lack of smarts --- but I think she’s being overly sensitive and selling herself short. Besides not all guys want a partner who’s as book smart as they are; some want partners who challenge them in other ways. She should give Zane a chance before undermining her own happiness because of an intellectual inferiority complex.

Especially since I really don’t think Zane meant to imply that she was stupid or that he thought less of her in any way. I think he was just trying to make a distinction between the rush he associates with theoretical research (“that’s the real mind candy”) and the excitement of physically building something. He’s sees a different appeal in coming up with the ideas, rather than putting them into practical use, but I don’t think he was trying to say the “engineers” of the world are dumb and worthless. He certainly seemed baffled by her reaction.

I absolutely loved Jack’s responses to Zoe asking for the tattoo. First the laughing “no,” then the deep-voiced, straight-faced “no” when she said “This is serious.”

S.A.R.A.H.: “I don’t understand the appeal of painting oneself permanently.”
Zoe: “Maybe because in your case it would be considered graffiti.”

Jo: “Try anything and I’ll deviate your septum.”
Zane (smiling): “That is so hot.”

I love that Seth returned in Episode 10 --- exactly the same point at which we met him last season. I also enjoyed his sniping at Carter for the Apocalypse Now assault on his plants!

The bioluminescence made the already gorgeous Allison look positively transcendent.

I really enjoy the sisterhood that has developed between Jo and Zoe. It lets Jo indulge her girly side, and gives Zoe a mediator of sorts with her dad, when needed.

Larry: “What if GD was built over a hellmouth?” This show has such great Buffy shout outs!

So, is Diane’s temporal rift different than the ones created by Walter Perkins and Alt/Future-Henry? This one was described as “the place where different points in dimensional space-time converge.” Henry said she may have “discovered” a gateway to the multiverse. This sounds more significant than the relatively generic tear in the fabric of space-time presented previously. Interesting.

Jo’s second church outfit seemed wildly inappropriate. Who flaunts that kind of cleavage in a house of worship? Jo, apparently.

Final Analysis: Very enjoyable episode with a central disaster that intrigued me as much as the ongoing story elements.