User Reviews

While watching pilots of new series, I tend to notice that writers try and cram everything into a single episode, which is why pilots are slated for an hour. Because there is a lot of exposition to discover every time a series is introduced, sometimes the story and the back story suffer in order to get everything out that you want to. Eureka has solved this, with a 2-hour pilot episode. While focusing in on the main characters and developing them for our benefit so we, as an audience can actually care about them, they also give us new snippets of information each week, or each time we see the supporting cast (Henry, Jo, Fargo), giving us something fun to watch. The writers also are keeping dark secrets about "Section 5", revealing more and more about the dark underbelly of the government research projects that the taxpayers are forking out for.

Also, the dialog is uniquely crisp. You have the tech-savvy world residents of this fictitious town and the real-world law enforcement officer forced to reside among them. What could have become your usual one-trick pony, has actually become a very well written show, with likable characters that you actually care about. It's too early to tell, but I would have to say Eureka is a hit in the making.

With the incoming fourth season I thought it was the right time to watch Eureka's pilot again. I remember the first time I did it because it was one of the most surprising and joyful TV experience I ever had. But the best part is that I'm convinced it should have the same positive impact on most viewers. Indeed there's just something irresistible about it.

One of its strongest asset is probably its characters. Colin Ferguson is excellent as Marshal Jack Carter and his cop next door look makes him even more likable. From his authentic behavior to the acting I can't imagine someone wouldn't appreciate him. Let's also not forget his rebellious daughter that could be annoying if her attitude wasn't perfectly balanced by her cool father's one. I even found their relationship quite inspiring. As for the other characters we have scientists, genius kids, gorgeous babes… The panel is large and made the show universe even more twisted. Salli Richardson is Allison Blake, a Doctor and Agent. I found her first appearance quite charming because I had never seen her before. Moreover her character is smart and has a lot of charisma. The chemistry with Ferguson was also great so the romantic tension between them was very exciting. A new fictional duo was born ! There's also Deputy Jo, divinely played by Erica Cerra. She's definitely not your usual babe because beneath the beautiful veil she probably sees herself as the bride of Rambo, something like that. Both funny and bold you should instantly fall in love with her. Like if it wasn't enough Debrah Farentino portrays Beverly Barlowe, a mysterious and stunning psychotherapist. Full of secrets she's the character I found the most intriguing. As attractive as a black widow she's the spider you would follow in her lair without blinking. But she's not the only one who has secrets so I'll let you pick your favorite. Last but not least a crazy dog hunter reminded me of Christopher Lloyd as Doc in Back to the Future !

Living freaks would be lost without a proper environment to evolve. It's exactly the purpose of our little town Eureka. And they all lived happily ever after, or not. The show is science-fiction with a twist. Don't expect its story to change the world but it should definitely entertain and make you laugh out loud. Indeed it's really funny and I couldn't resist most of the jokes. Carter smoothed the immersion process considering he's as lost as us. It really felt like if we were part of his surreal adventure in some sort of alternative world where tradition peacefully lives with futuristic science. Such a contrast made the gadgets and other theories even more appealing. Add that it's tuned by one of the most catchy music theme and you get a show that is hard to resist. The visuals are also colorful and the sets well designed. As for the effects they're just awesome and should definitely appeal the geek in all of us. Quantic reactor ? Wicked machines ? Cowflake ? Eureka is so creative and refreshing that it's impossible to list all its ideas unless you have seen its pilot a hundred times. In fact it was like a standalone film and I think all pilots should be as long.

To sum things up if you haven't seen Eureka yet then you should definitely add its pilot to your watch list. Do we have a must see ? Yes we do !

Just an amazing pilot - a fabulous mix of science fiction, character-driven comedy, and quirky characters that make you want to come back for more and more. We see the town of Eureka through the eyes of US Marshall Jack Carter and the prisoner he is transporting across country, and layers are peeled back on the the happenings there slowly and deliberately. What is Section 5? Why is the DoD there? Just what kind of people populate Eureka? The pilot ensures that we can't wait to find out. The multitude of colorful characters are quirky and fun and have amazing chemistry with one another, and the script never talks down to the viewer but rather invites us all up to shout Eureka ourselves. Excellent first episode!

As this pilot episode opens a scientist in the town of Eureka is conducting an experiment in his basement; something goes wrong. Outside town US Marshal Jack Carter is transferring Zoe, a teenaged prisoner to Los Angeles when something strange happens... they pass a car that Zoe is certain contains them! Moments later he swerves to avoid a dog and crashes. They walk into town to seek help. It is soon clear that Eureka isn't like other towns. The children study advanced physics and the garage owner is a former shuttle engineer. The scientist we saw in the opening is leaving town with his family but suddenly the back of his RV vanishes; a search party looks for his son but the boy is found by Jack. As it will be a couple of days before his car is fixed he settles in at the local B&B. Following further events, one which incapacitates the sheriff, Jack helps uncover what happened before the danger spreads beyond the town.

This feature length pilot immediately got me intrigued. While at this point it isn't clear which characters, apart from Jack and a few others, will become important in the ongoing series, it does serve to introduce many potentially important characters. As well as Jack there is the sheriff; his deputy Jo Lupo, who is tougher than she looks; garage owner, Henry Deacon; Dr Allison Blake, who works for the Department of Defence; and Beverly Barlowe, the B&B owner who also acts as the towns psychiatrist.

The story provided a really good introduction to the setting without feeling that it was all just set-up for the series that follows. That isn't to say there are no hints at things to come; there is mention of the highly classified 'Section 5' and near the end we learn a character is rather more sinister than one might initially suspect. It has some good twists and at times a macabre sense of humour... in one scene we see a dead cow standing in a field with a large chunk missing. I rather like the idea of a town were geniuses carry out cutting edge research that provides various sci-fi dangers! We do get one or two clichés, the most obvious being the military officer who wants to shut Eureka down but that didn't spoil my enjoyment. I can't say how the series will continue as I've only seen one, much later, episode before but on the strength of this I will continue watching.

Matt Frewer provides possibly the worst impression of an "Australian" accent I have ever heard. Great show but if my rating was based on his accent I would need some negative stars.

Of all of the pilot episodes of all of the TV shows in the world, this is definitely one of them. It introduces us to most of the characters that we'll know at least for season 1, and it does a mostly good job of it.

The first main issue I have with the episode is that one of the first scenes involves the US Marshall and his passenger seeing themselves in a similar car driving the other way. That scene is never paid off.

Additionally, it is later revealed that the Marshall and his passenger have a history that goes beyond bounty hunter and fugitive. It is a plot twist that both could be spotted a mile away, and one that really doesn't make the episode better by hiding their history together.

Overall, a decent episode to start a fun show.

The pilot for Eureka was watchable, had some good performances, a bit of interesting dialog, and maybe one or two interesting ideas. But considering the promising premise of a whole town full of super-scientists, I thought they squandered the concept terribly. So much more could have been done with the idea. Most sci-fi can be divided into stories that are science-friendly, and stories that are skeptical of science. The best sci-fi is invariably the former, but unfortunately the majority of commercial sci-fi tends to be the latter, and so is this show. The main science guy is an unlikeable jerk, and in a questionable effort to be realistic, it's all tied in with the military. The protagonist is a U.S. Marshall who's apparently supposed to be the voice of reason in this world of crazy science. The sympathy is clearly with him, whereas none of the scientists can really be trusted (except possibly Joe Morton's character, which is one of the few touches of real class this show has - another is cool soldier girl Jo Lupo).

Like I said, this show could have been a hell of a lot better. There's not much actual or interesting science in it, and nothing else is original either. I'll give it a few more episodes to improve, but if it doesn't, I'm gone.

6 out of 10.

The pilot of A Town Called Eureka almost comes across like a quirky version of Twin Peaks.

US Marshal Jack Carter is transporting a teenage fugitive who turns out to be his own daughter when he is involved in an accident late at night.

They stumble upon Eureka and have to hang around for a few days while his car is being repaired.

The town has clever people and strange things going on. A science experiment gone wrong causes havoc and the local sheriff is injured.

Carter finds himself filling in for the Sheriff and discovers the big secret. Eureka houses the best scientists responsible for most of the great inventions. Sometimes these experiments or inventions go wrong.

This is fast moving and likeable episode. Carter works too hard which caused a rift in his marriage and causes issue with his daughter Zoe.

He can sometimes see solutions first in a town full of genius. In the opening episode Carter knows exactly who to find to fill an incomplete equation.

There is also an arc with some scientists acting shifty and one possible villain being revealed.

The special effects were decent enough for television. There is a lot of humour and one terrible Australian accent from Matt Frewer.