DVD Reviews

Eureka: Season 3.5 – DVD Review

By June L. Jul 6, 2010, 16:48 GMT

Take a trip to the far side of reality in Eureka Season 3.5, the fantastic TV series set in a seemingly quiet small town where innovation and chaos go hand-in-hand. Carter (Colin Ferguson) is still reeling from his dismissal as sheriff and looking at the possibilities of a new job when catastrophic occurrences pull him back to the eccentric hamlet. Now, he and his neighbors will be faced with strange ...more

The weirdest small town in the Universe is back for another round of adventures in Eureka 3.5, the second half of the 2009-2010 season.  Part science fiction, part technological mystery and part quirky comedy of manners, Eureka never fails to entertain with humor and “what ifs.”

Sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) loses his job to a robot “Sheriff Andy” a Department of Defense prototype in this first episode of the second half of season three.  And that is just the beginning trouble in this installment of Eureka.  Andy has the personality for the job, but he seems to be prone to disaster, especially from gravitational anomalies.

In an episode directed by series star Colin Ferguson, Deputy Jo Lupo (Erica Cerra) is acting sheriff while Carter has to pass some bizarre proficiency tests and identity theft takes on a whole new meaning.  Dr. Tess Fontana (Jaime Ray newman) comes to town at Dr. Allison Blake’s (Salli Richardson-Whitfield) request and gets pulled into a ghost hunt. 

Are there spirits, or is it a manifestation of another dimension, or are they the same thing?  Whether it is a bowling match with scientists from Area 51 with passions and technologies running rampant, or an all-out effort to avert another Ice Age, a visit to Eureka is always worthwhile.

Good writing, and a fine cast of actors give the show a solid foundation.  It is great fun to see characters evolve and grow in complexity, as the weirdness abounds in their town.

Scientists and special effects fans enjoy Eureka for the wide variety of anomalies and how the creative directors of the show choose to portray them.  The Resident Scientist shouts with happiness sometimes as quantum physics or his favorite unintelligible precepts make it into the story.  I’ve heard discussion among friends about which effect they were least able to deconstruct (how scientists watch television and movies, I’m afraid.) 

They love the series, cheer for Dr Henry Deacon (Joe Morton) as the top brain and collectively shake their heads over young Dr. Douglas Fargo’s (Neil Grayston) scientific growing pains. 

The rest of us enjoy the show for its stories and characters and for the “human” side of the technological wonders, the smart house and a garment that makes you look thin even though you are eight months pregnant.  Now there is some technology that should be applied to our fashion industry!

Eureka 3.5 DVD is presented on 2 discs in the notably recycled package, plastic sleeve and cardboard folder.  The discs contain episodes 9 – 18 the second half of Season 3.  It has been confirmed that a Season 4 will begin airing on July 9, 2010 on ScyFy and there will be 22 episodes. 

This is good news for the fans of this series, of which there appear to be considerable number according to figures stated as 3.2 million who watched the season finale (Wikipedia, quoting TV by the Numbers statistics.) 

Specials included are deleted scenes, audio commentaries with cast and crew, podcast commentaries, and a featurette “Finishing Touch:  The Visual Effects of Eureka.

Visit the DVD database for more information.