Eureka: Shark Jumper

[ThatNickGuy]

I used to love Eureka and I've been kind of enjoying the last half of the latest season. I can't put my finger on why it's not quite as good as it used to be.

But the most recent episode? A frigging clip show. AND a baby birth.

Double shark jumping.

Ugh, I'm hoping they redeem themselves by the end of the season.

 

[Shawn]

Bah. A clip episode is not a good sign.
Means the writers are getting desperate for ideas in my opinion.

 

[AshburnerX]

No, it's a matter of budget actually. They had to cut costs this year.

 

[ThatNickGuy]

Ah, that's right, I had forgotten about that. It also explains the product placement that people mentioned with the first, new post-strike episode. I didn't notice anything myself, to be honest.

Still, it's clear that SyFy doesn't care about sci-fi. Which doesn't make any sense, when their biggest cash cow (Battlestar Gallactica) was about as sci-fi as one could get.

 

[ZenMonkey]

No, it's a matter of budget actually. They had to cut costs this year.

Which doesn't in any way excuse the highly annoying soap opera. I want to punch that skinny Arquette-alike every time she's on screen. Such bad, bad manufactured "chemistry" with her and Jack. Then there was the sister and that guy...seriously, get back to the funny science and lose the painful lovey-dovey crap.

 

[AshburnerX]

Still, it's clear that SyFy doesn't care about sci-fi. Which doesn't make any sense, when their biggest cash cow (Battlestar Gallactica) was about as sci-fi as one could get.

Actually, the biggest cash cow for SyFy right now is still wrestling, if your going by ratings and the money the show brings in via commercials. If your going by merchandising, then it's Stargate and it's spin off.

Which doesn't in any way excuse the highly annoying soap opera. I want to punch that skinny Arquette-alike every time she's on screen. Such bad, bad manufactured "chemistry" with her and Jack. Then there was the sister and that guy...seriously, get back to the funny science and lose the painful lovey-dovey crap.

The writers are trying to broaden the appeal of the show to get women to watch. It's not going to work, but I can understand why they are trying.

 

[figmentPez]

It's not the clip show that worries me. It's that they've been floundering to find a replacement character for Stark, and Tess is the worst yet. I'm also worried that the pseudo-science is getting sloppier and sloppier in it's portrayal (I'm not so much worried that it's implausible in the real world, but that the fiction is being conveyed poorly). There are some highlights, though. The characters, with the exception of Tess, remain solid, especially Henry, Zoey, Vincent, Henry, Carter (when not interacting with Tess), Sarah, Fargo and Henry. Have I mentioned that I think Henry is the best character on the show? I actually liked the storyline with Henry and the Kim-puter.

 

[phil]

Still, it's clear that SyFy doesn't care about sci-fi. Which doesn't make any sense, when their biggest cash cow (Battlestar Gallactica) was about as sci-fi as one could get.

I always felt that BSG kind of played down some of the more sci-fi aspects of the show. Sure, there was still a strong presence, but not nearly as much as say, Star Trek would have had. They decided to not get into technical aspects like how exactly the FTL drives worked or how humanoid toasters worked and instead forcused on things like HOLY SHIT WE'RE OUT OF WATER! which I feel made the show more accessable to the general audience.

 

[ZenMonkey]

The writers are trying to broaden the appeal of the show to get women to watch.

Yes, that's blatantly clear as well as pretty much the only reason any show devolves into this crap.

I actually liked the storyline with Henry and the Kim-puter.

I liked it the first two times we saw it. I couldn't even muster up a "poor Henry" by this point. I totally agree that their fictional "science" is getting sloppy. I get the impression the writers started off thinking about the science and what plots they could write around it, and now it's the other way around.

 

[Gadzooks]

Eureka latest episode (on hulu anyway)

A frakking clip show? I feel like it's gonna be cancelled or jump the shark soon (in before somone claims it already has)

 

[AshburnerX]

Eureka latest episode (on hulu anyway)

http://www.halforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9002

There is already a post about this in the TV and Movies forum. Also, the TITLE of that thread is Eureka: Shark Jumper. Suffice to say, I'm doubtful this is the shark jumping moment because this season was plagued with money problems to start with, not to mention having it be cut in two. If the show jumped the shark (and I don't think it has) it was back when they killed off Nathan Stark.

It should also be noted the Eureka is pretty much ALWAYS in danger of cancellation by virtue of being on SyFy, the network who's executives are infamous for sabotaging their own shows in order to work on something they like better or simply because they don't understand why the show is popular. This was the main reason Tremors the series got canceled: The executive in charge had it doing the time slot samba and started showing it's episodes out of order because he didn't understand it... the funny part is that it was still getting the highest ratings of any show on the network (aside from WWE stuff), no matter what night it was on, despite getting changed around every week.

 

[Gadzooks]

Eureka latest episode (on hulu anyway)

I liked it when I had only one forum to read :/

 

[Dusty668]

Eureka latest episode (on hulu anyway)

I have to admit this episode had a lot less placement than what I was used to.

 

[ZenMonkey]

Eureka latest episode (on hulu anyway)

I have to admit this episode had a lot less placement than what I was used to.

Oh man, it's still pretty bad though. I don't remember what episode it was that had like three BLATANT placements in a row; we even stopped the episode to laugh about it. No Degree, though, guess that sponsorship is over.

 

[AshburnerX]

Eureka latest episode (on hulu anyway)

I have to admit this episode had a lot less placement than what I was used to.

Oh man, it's still pretty bad though. I don't remember what episode it was that had like three BLATANT placements in a row; we even stopped the episode to laugh about it. No Degree, though, guess that sponsorship is over.[/QUOTE]

As asinine as the Degree product placements were, they simply aren't getting the money from the network to do the shows otherwise. SyFy isn't really interested in doing sci-fi anymore unless it's a break away hit like Stargate or Battlestar Galactica. Way to corrupt and homoginize your network there, SyFy... who'd you get your tips from? G4?

 

[ThatNickGuy]

Just watched the latest episode and...you know what? I thought it was great! Best episode since they came back. It felt like they did the clip show, watched it themselves and reemember what made some of the show great.

Maybe I was just happy to see Taggart back. I missed the crazy Aussie and I like Matt Frewer.

Plus, the Cold War pun cracked me up.

And...I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I like the Tess character, particularly where she let loose on Taggart at one point because that's really different from Allison.

Just...overall, a damn good episode. Formulaic as always, but meh, Star Trek: TNG had a lot of formulaic episodes, too. So did X-Files. And a lot of sci-fi shows. That doesn't make it a bad show, in my mind.

 

[figmentPez]

I liked "Have an Ice Day" as well, though I think that Sheriff Andy in "Welcome Back, Carter" was better. That episode had me so excited for the new episodes, I'm glad to have my excitement back.

 

[ThatNickGuy]

Ah, yeah, I did like "Welcom Back, Carter", too. Sheriff Andy was quite good.

 

[figmentPez]

Sheriff Andy was quite good.

I've heard he's coming back. I'm looking forward to it.