Warehouse 13 returned with renewed vigor and a lightning-fast pace; the show felt faster, funnier, and geekier than ever before. It's good to have this screwy, nerdy, and endlessly entertaining series back on the air – it finally feels like the summer TV season is a go!
Last season ended on a downbeat with Myka ditching her Warehouse pals after H.G. Wells played her like Nero's lyre, but Myka's exit was really a blessing in disguise. With Myka out, new recruit Jinks jumped in, adding a whole new dynamic to the show and a new foil for the wild-eyed and wisecracking Pete.
I was sold on Jinks -- the newest resident of "Americas Attic" played by Smallville vet Aaron Ashmore – minutes after he appeared onscreen. He's smart, curious, and he has a lie detector built into his brain -- now there's a born Warehouse agent if I ever saw one! The sunny-faced Ashmore is a welcome addition to the cast. I like how Jinks' lie detector ability sorta mirrors Pete's vibe-ology. Makes you wonder if these characters could be even more supernatural than the freaky artifacts they're paid to snag, bag, and tag.
The show handled Jinks' entrance into the "Library or Crazy" expertly, with clever scenes that paid homage to the pilot episode, and a loony tunes first act that gave us a view of the ol' Warehouse crew through a pair of fresh, new safety goggles. I had a blast watching Pete, Artie, and Claudia run around like mad scientists trying to quell Jimi Hendrix's crazy electric guitar through Jinks' eyes.
The episode's frantic pace never let up, and there was rarely a dull moment. Silly running jokes, throwaway gags, and one-liners seemed to fill every second. And surprisingly, the writers resisted the urge to pull out geeky pop culture references at almost every turn like in seasons past – a sign that the show is maturing, becoming more confident with its own comedic voice and relying on the chemistry between the actors/characters to keep things fast, funny, and furious. There was one little Star Trek joke, but it was there for two reasons: to make the nerds chuckle (and I did), and to show us that Pete and Jinks were finally learning to work together despite their differences, just like Kirk and Spock.
I was so caught up in the show's breakneck pace and the infectious screwball comedy vibe that I didn't even mind that Claudia and Artie's story kinda went nowhere. Statue Zeus unleashed a destructive electrical storm inside the Warehouse – enough to cause anyone to panic – and then poof! The plot about the mysterious mystical murders kicked in and took over the bulk of the hour. But Saul Rubinek and Allison Scagliotti still managed to make their scenes together fun and memorable, even though the whole chaotic lightning storm thing didn't really amount to much.
It seemed like the murder mystery took a backseat to character and comedy more than in episodes past here, which was a welcome change. I've never been a big fan of the show's stock procedural elements. I'd rather see these great actors and characters bouncing off each other and working together in a long form arc, like the one that took over the end of last season. We're not quite there yet, but it looks like a new season-long arc is already starting to build with the reveal of a shadowy new big bad and the introduction of Evil Twangy FBI Agent.
And speaking of arcs, I was surprised that Myka returned to the Warehouse so quickly. She clearly belongs there, but I figured that her proper return wouldn't happen for a few more episodes. I was hoping we'd get to see Jinks and Pete pal around out in the field as a pair a few more times before Myka jumped back in the fold. Still, her reunion was emotional and sweet; my favorite part of that scene was Artie staring at her from across the room and simply saying, "Good."
I liked seeing H.G. Wells again. I know a lot of you were on the fence about Jaime Murray's time-traveling baddie from last season, but I enjoyed watching her tag along with Pete and Myka. I'm not sold on the idea that she should return to the show full-time, but a few solid appearances here and there, in holographic form, couldn't hurt. As for that rumored H.G. Wells spinoff show … well, I have no idea how that would work. I'd be curious to check it out if it ever got made, but I'm not holding my breath until my face turns red.
We have Tesla grenades (awesome!), a cool new agent (who I'd love to see stick around for the long haul), and random new artifacts that are sure to make that vein in Artie's head finally burst! Season three is off to a solid start.
So do I think this could turn out to be the best season of Warehouse 13 ever? Abso-mostly!
