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Sci Fi's 'Eureka' Is Mother Lode Of Comedy And Drama, Absurdity And Science

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By WALT BELCHER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 29, 2008

The best thing about "Eureka" is that on every episode, the smartest people in town are saved by a blue-collar guy who probably couldn't pass a high school chemistry exam.

Sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) is an everyman kind of character who uses his street savvy, intuition and old-fashioned police skills to avert cataclysmic disasters caused by science run amok.

This clever, amusing and engaging little drama returns to the Sci Fi Channel at 9 tonight to kick off a third season. For those who haven't discovered this gem, it's not your typical sci-fi series.

Carter is a U.S. marshal, who, in season one, stumbled onto Eureka, a quaint little mountain town filled with genius-level folks engaged in top-secret research for an outfit called Global Dynamics. He gets "reassigned" to keep order in a town where experiments on such things as time travel, weather control, invisibility, spontaneous combustion and mutant viruses can and do go terribly wrong.

Divorced, Carter arrived in Eureka with his rebellious teenager daughter, Zoe (Jordan Hinson), who later discovered that she has a genius IQ, too. She just wasn't using it. She has since settled down.

Carter is attracted to Global Dynamics boss Allison Blake (Salli Richardson-Whitfield), a single mom with a gifted son. Also vying for her affection is her ex-husband, math genius Dr. Nathan Stark (Ed Quinn).

Matt Frewer ("Max Headroom") portrays nutty old Jim Taggart, the town veterinarian and "biological containment specialist," meaning he traps whatever creature needs trapping.

Erica Cerra plays Carter's tough but sexy deputy Jo Lupo, a woman who loves firearms. Joe Morton portrays Henry Deacon, the town mechanic and former NASA space shuttle engineer who creates odd inventions.

The third season begins with Carter tracking down a rampaging miniature fighter drone named Martha, who has escaped from Global. The temperamental little aircraft appears ready to lead a fleet of drones in an attack on the town.

Frances Fisher joins the cast as Eva Thorne, a corporate "fixer" sent to make Global and Eureka more efficient and profitable. She wants to bring Martha down, which apparently would result in Eureka being destroyed.

Can Sheriff Carter save the day?

Of course, but not before we're treated to a blend of comedy and drama, mystery and humor, absurdity and science, special effects and well, I could keep this up all day.

Also during the 13-episode season, the sheriff's free-spirit sister, Lexi (Ever Carradine), will move to Eureka. And there's a dark plot afoot to destroy Global Dynamics. And it appears that Carter is going to give up Allison without a fight.

DINOSAUR FIGHTS: In the never-ending effort to keep history from being perceived as boring, History is debuting a new series, "Jurassic Fight Club," at 9 tonight.

Imagine Ultimate Fighting Championships with 2-ton dinosaurs.

Using CGI technology, the series re-creates battles that could have taken place, according to paleontologists who offer up facts about the ancient creatures featured in the main bout. Supposedly the matchups are based on fossil evidence and a lot of speculation.

First up: A male Majungatholus battles a female Majungatholus to the death. Normally, these 9-foot-tall beasts would have mated. However, during times of famine, lunch became more important than sex.

This new series saves each "fight" for the final few minutes, so if you're looking for action, you have to sit through the science lesson.

TUNE IN TONIGHT

How Not to Become Shark Bait, 10 p.m., Discovery

It's Shark Week and this new documentary explores all the ways you can fend off shark attacks. Staying out of the water should be No. 1.

Celebrity Family Feud,

8 p.m., NBC

The final episode of this summer series has Corbin Bernsen's family taking on Margaret Cho's family.

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