Myka Monday: Sorry Myka

Sorry Myka, SyFy has cancelled Warehouse 13.

From Episode 4.20 "The Truth Hurts"

Warehouse 13 Wednseday: Pilot

EPISODE 1.1 "Pilot"

Original Air Date: 07 July 2009

ARTIE: "Miss Bering, Mr. Lattimer Welcome to Warehouse 13...

I'm thrilled you're on the team. "

MYKA: "What Team? What is this place?"

ARTIE: "Officially K39tripleZ on the North American Grid,
but I like to think of it as America's Attic."

Warning: This review may contain spoilers
(and may be a bit lengthy since it was a two-hour episode)

This is where it all began your "invitation to endless wonder". When the concept/basic plot premise for Warehouse 13 was first announced many (including myself) noticed it was similar to the late 1980s television series "Friday The 13th" (AKA: "Friday's Curse"), not to be confused with nor is it affiliated with the movie series of the same name with that Jason freak. Some call it a rip off I do not. The basic concept of retrieving artifacts that are cursed or have magic or psychic properties is the same, and you have a middle aged man taking the lead with a young male and female partner team that do the searching. That is basically where things end, the details on who they are and why they do it is slightly different. For WH13 all the magic/psychic artifacts once found are "neutralized" and then stored in a warehouse which is technically run by the government under a super top secret black ops department. As opposed to just being tossed into a vault under an antique shop without any neutralization. It has been ages since I've seen FT13 so my details on that show might be slightly off.

Things open at a museum in Washington DC, the Capital Museum of Natural History (It is supposed to be the Smithsonian Natural History Museum) we meet Secret Service Agent Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) as she waits to meet up with Chet Greenfield (William Colgate) the museum curator for the umpteenth time to make the final security arrangements for the President's arrival at a reception of some sort at the Museum. Myka is very organized and has an eye for detail, later it is mentioned that she has eidetic memory (Photographic memory). During their final sweep tour Mr. Greenfield takes Myka to a lab were Gordon Letanik (Rauol Bhaneja) is cleaning an Aztec Blood Stone (which is the first of several "artifacts" for the episode). Myka informs them that some of the displays need to be moved because they are blocking access to an exit. After Greenfield and Myka leave the room Gordon drops a tool in the mouth of the stone and while trying to retrieve it cuts his finger on one of the glass teeth of the face on the stone.

Our introduction to Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) is an intimate one as he is with his girlfriend (or girlfriend of the moment) Kacey (Kristina Pesic). She sees his father's fireman badge hanging by his bed and she thinks he is a fireman. He is actually another Secret Service Agent assigned to the Museum detail that Myka is in charge of security for.

At the Museum reception several things happen, of course. Gordon gets possessed by the blood stone his eyes turn bloodshot and his finger wound continues to bleed. Pete senses something is "off" he explains to Myka he gets "vibes". A mysterious man with a bag, who turns out to be Arthur "Artie" Nielsen (Saul Rubenik) enters the museum and in an isolated hallway knocks out one of the Secret Service Men with a ray gun (which is later explained to be a Tesla Stun Gun, an artifact which will be a useful tool for the Warehouse Team). Pete notices blood coming from the stone but nobody listens to him, he takes it just as Kacey who is one of the caterers/party servers sees him and asks what he is doing there, he says working and then Mr. Greenfield starts to approach him and he slips out saying secret service business. Myka notices the blood trail from Gordon as he takes out a stone knife and makes an attack at an ambassador with a stone knife. After a bit of a struggle Myka stops him. Pete meanwhile has gone up to another floor where he trips and the blood stone rolls to the feet of Artie who neutralizes the stone with some sort of top piece, the blinding flash stuns Pete long enough for Artie to get away.

Pete's boss Daniel Dickenson (Simon Reynolds) not believing his story of the theft of the blood stone, suspends him with pay. Dejected Pete returns home to find a mysterious woman Mrs. Irene Frederic (CCH Pounder), along with her driver/body guard (Jung-Yul Kim). Mrs. Frederic informs him that he has been re-assigned to a position in South Dakota. Pete arrives at the designated location a huge wasteland with a strange looking warehouse set into the hillside. He is joined by Myka, who had a visit from Mrs. Frederic as well, and after seeing Pete is convinced there is some kind of screw-up. Soon Artie shows up with a strange rod contraption, he explains he was fixing the F.I.S.H. (a device that is mentioned a few times later during the series and will actually be shown and explained in Season 4) and formally introduces himself and tells them he will explain everything inside. Tentatively they follow and they are given a nickel tour of the warehouse. Pete is shown an old photograph of some warehouse agents with Mrs. Frederic who still looks the same age, meanwhile in a huff Myka has gone out to call Dickenson to try to get things straightened out so she can return to DC. Later they are told they will be staying at Leena's Bread and Breakfast while on their new assignment. There they meet Leena (Genelle Williams) and settle in before their first assignment as Warehouse Agents.

For their first assignment Pete and Myka are sent to Seever City, Iowa to investigate a strange case about a college boy named Cody Thomas (Dillon Casey) who attacked his girlfriend Emily Krueger (Sarah Allen). Part of their arsenal of tools they are given a high-tech steampunk video communications device called a Farnsworth, and a neutralizing kit. While they interview Cody he gets very violent and says something in an old form of Italian. With the help of a professor at the college Professor Ed Marzotto (Michael Boatman) Pete and Myka get a translation of what Cody said, they suspect, however, that the professor isn't telling the complete truth. Artie researches and discovers the artifact they need to find, at around the same time that Pete and Myka learn who has the artifact, Cody's lawyer Lorna Soliday (Sherry Miller). The artifact they need to find is a comb Lucrezia Borgia's comb which has hypnotic powers that basically gives the user control over others. The energy/power is activated by a specific phrase spoken in old Italian, the phrase that Cody had been saying just before he went berserk. At some sort of party for a play Soliday uses the combs power to hypnotize the crowd, Pete and Myka arrive and eventually get the artifact comb neutralized to save the day and Emily's life.

At the end of the day Dickenson who has been in contact with Mrs. Frederic, calls Myka and informs her that Pete's transfer to the Warehouse is permanent, but that she can return to DC he gives her only about five seconds to think about it, as she is considering it Mrs. Frederic who is still with Dickenson is counting down.

All in all I loved the pilot episode for WH13, however, I agree with others who have reviewed the pilot that a full two-hour (technically only one hour and a half) debut was a bit lengthy choppy in parts and dragged some. True there is a lot of exposition and the usual minutia that goes with exposition, but those aren't really the parts that drag, it's the going back and forth between the actions of the supporting characters and Pete and Myka's investigation that seems to drag it seemed they wanted to set up all the relationships before actually getting around to the action with the artifact.

I give this episode 4 Warehouse artifacts ****

Myka Monday: Blast In The Past

Myka blasting in the past.

Myka in 1961 as/in Warehouse 13 agent Rebecca St. Claire in Episode 2.10 "Where and When".

Fryday Fourtoon: Numba 47

"You have a friendly heart and are well admired."

Daily Numbers 5 3 8
Lotto Six # 's 18 16 39 2 62 10

*Fortunes and Lottery Numbers just posted for entertainment purposes only.

Warehouse 13 Wednesday: Back To The Beginning

WAREHOUSE 13 WEDNESDAY:

BACK TO THE BEGINNING

Episode Reviews

NOTE: There is no episode review in this post, it is an introduction to the episode reviews series of  posts.

In May of this year (2013) the Sci-Fi Channel, excuse me "SyFy", announced that they were pulling the plug on this, one of my favorite shows, and one of the few current shows I watch. They announced they were renewing the show for a fifth season, but it would be a very short six episode season (their usual seasons are 13 episodes, we got a bonus of a 20 episode 4th season). This right around the time they were starting to show the second half of Season 4.

In an effort to show support for the show and in a little protest for it's cancellation I started up two features here at Kirk's Knook: Warehouse 13 Wednesday (what you are reading right now) and Myka Monday. So far I've been pretty diligent in keeping up with them each week. On Mondays at 5:00 PM EST when new Episodes are being aired or earlier at 12:00 PM if no new episode is being shown I post a picture of Joanne as Myka. I will try to continue that feature even after the show is long gone. Then on Wednesdays at 12:00 PM I have posted my review of the episode that had aired that Monday complete with a few screenshots from the episode.

In order to keep that up for this feature (Warehouse 13 Wednesday) I will re-watch the episodes from the previous seasons via the DVDs*. I should be able to watch several episodes per week, review them and have a nice posting queue so that I don't miss a week or get stressed out with my self appointed deadline. It also allows for me to do reviews for other shows/DVDs in my to watch list/pile. By the time the show returns for its all too short six episode Season 5 I should be almost caught up with all the previous reviews. Any remaining episode reviews will have to wait to be posted till after the conclusion of Season 5.

My process for the reviews is pretty simple but time consuming. While watching the episode I have a pad and pen handy so I can write down any lines of dialogue that are funny or strike my fancy as being fun to quote. I also jot down any terms, names or things I think might be useful to talk about. After the episode is over, (and if I am not too tired on Monday night) I start writing the draft for my review here at Blogger. Usually I use the assistance of a few websites for references I need of either the show, the actors or some of the artifacts and their names. There is a wonderful reference site called: Warehouse 13 Wiki. It has a lot of useful information about the show. I also use IMDb.com for background on guest actors and a few early Tuesday Morning (or Monday evening) reviews along with a stream of the episode (for these past episodes I'll just use my DVD) to rewatch bits to help with descriptions, titles, names whatever might help me. I have also used the video streams for screen captures in case episode photos already posted are not interesting enough for me, which they usually are not. Plus I don't want to use the same 2 or 3 images everyone else has been using.

My reviews often contain spoilers, I try not to reveal too much but in the case of the last few I needed to reveal spoilers from previous episodes I wanted to keep as spoilers, but couldn't because the episode I was reviewing used the spoiler as a main plot story arc. At the end of the review I try to give a least a final thought either about something that is being foreshadowed or my general take on that episode. Finally I rate the episode on a scale of 1 to 5 "Warehouse Artifacts" (instead of stars). Unfortunately I don't have a neat little artifact graphic that would work well (maybe a wooden crate? A Tesla Gun? A Farnsworth?) so I use the standard asterisk/star * Sometimes I use half artifacts (.5) and once used a .4 since the episode was just a little bit lower than a complete half an artifact.

Once the review is "finished" for my purposes I schedule it for posting. After it has been posted I add the link to the review on my Warehouse 13 Episodes list page along with the artifact rating. So far the average rating is about 3.5 (3.49 well really 3.4875 or there about)

Don't forget to check out my "Myka Monday" posts, where each Monday (usually) I show a picture of the beautiful Joanne Kelly as Myka Bering. The challenge is to use ONLY images of her as Myka from the show, or possibly on set not candid photos or from other roles she has performed.

*The last episode of Season 3 (its Christmas episode) "The Greatest Gift" is NOT available on R1 DVDs so I will probably have to review that one from an online source, or if I ever get a R2 DVD (and a multi-region player. I had one but it died and I'm not sure if my laptop can handle other regions.) Maybe they will include that on the final Season 5 DVDs?

Myka Monday: Have Tesla Will Knock Out

MYKA Have Tesla Will Fire

Myka firing Tesla Gun at Security Guard in Episode 1.3 "Magnetism"

Fryday Fourtoon: Numba 46

"Depart not from the path which fate has you assigned."

Daily Numbers 7 6 5
Lotto Six # 's 11 34 86 9 3 76

*Fortunes and Lottery Numbers just posted for entertainment purposes only.

Warehouse 13 Wednesday: The Truth Hurts

EPISODE 4.20 "The Truth Hurts"

Original Air Date: 08 July 2013

CLAUDIA:"He's a smart boy when he's not thinking of cookies or Boobies."

Warning: This review certainly contains spoilers

OK so this episode is the Season 4 Finale. The title might have a bit of a bite when you think that the "truth" in our world is Season 5 will only have six episodes and then that will be it for the Show, and that HURTS. Thank you oh so much SyFy Channel for cancelling this brilliant show in it's prime. I am sure as we get closer to the end of next years mini-season the truth will be hurting even more. Anyway on to the review which for some reason has been a difficult one for me to think what to write.

As I said in my review for the previous episode ("All The Time In The World") there were a few spoiler facts I was keeping under my hat. One of them was revealed a few episodes ago when the team was having their annual medical reviews. Myka was told that she has ovarian cancer and was trying to keep from telling anybody especially Pete her work partner because she was in denial. Pete has been suspecting something is up from the way she has been acting recently. He has been showing more concern for her than he previously had. Reluctantly she told him about the cancer, and agreed to get the treatment for it. Another big spoiler reveal happened at the end of the last episode involving Paracelsus. SURPRISE he is an Ex-Warehouse Caretaker. He was the caretaker for Warehouse 9. He has been gaining power and trying to gain immortality. It is his increased power and the fact that he was debronzed that has been killing Mrs. Frederic. It seems that as far as the Warehouse is concerned, the past (Paracelsus) has precedence over the present (Mrs. Frederic) or even the future (Claudia). Since Claudia is not yet a caretaker and not connected directly to the Warehouse she has not been effected by this literal power struggle.

So this episode step one is to find Paracelsus, capture him and bring him back to the Warehouse to rebronze him. Yeah like that is going to work right. After hearing about some cancer patients that were miraculously cured by some nutjob with a golden bowl and a glowing rock, Pete and Myka talk to the patients and the doctors about the miracle healing the team realizes that Paracelsus is trying to become immortal and their research shows tells them what he is going to need and where it is to achieve that since his original lab is too far away to get to in the time he has, and it was destroyed in their last encounter. Turns out there is some rare petrified wood used in the construction of a tower. They also figure out some cool way to remotely use a Farnsworth with an artifact to short out his growing connection to the warehouse. Plan is good on paper, but doesn't work when executed. Finally with some clever trap work Pete corners Paracelsus and brings him back to the warehouse. Paracelsus is all set for bronzing but it doesn't work, he was the one who created the bronzing process and knew which chemicals to ingest to protect his system. They put him in some kind of warehouse suspension holding chamber, until the regents can come and take him away.

Meanwhile Myka is at the hospital getting prepped for surgery.

While in the holding chamber Paracelsus talks with Pete about Myka's cancer telling him he could see it in her eyes, and he knows how to save her. Pete will have none of it, he won't fall for any tricks, sadly he eventually does without realizing it and thinking he was just freeing Paracelsus from the chamber Pete has actually made him stronger and strengthened his connection with the warehouse.

In order for the team to save Mrs. Frederic they need to disconnect her from the warehouse and  in a take action emergency situation Claudia transfers the connection of the warehouse from Mrs. Frederic to her. Paracelsus orders the team to get out, while he is in a rage that is tearing the warehouse apart. The team gets Mrs. Frederic out of the warehouse but Claudia must stay behind to battle Paracelsus on the inside of the warehouse and hope the rest of the team can find a way to fight him outside the warehouse.

That is now where we stand. There are some details I left out and explanations of artifacts that I felt were too difficult to explain and it all spoils too much to want to watch it.

I have said before, here I think and on many forum chat boards that I hope they don't kill off Myka (my favorite character) with this cancer thing. I really hope they find a way to save things without killing everyone. Some fans are shouting for them to introduce Warehouse 14 with Claudia as caretaker, but I think there is still time for number 13. Also where would warehouse 14 be located? Of course there are also the fans that want the romance between Pete and Myka to b created, I am against that and think it would ruin the ending and the fact that Season 5 is the final season is disappointing enough.

I give this episode 3 Warehouse artifacts ***

Books Update: February 2013

FEBRUARY 2013

This is a bit outdated, it was in my posting queue and I wanted to clean out the queue. I still need to review this book by the way.

Well my first book of the month (and as it turns out only book o' the month) I got from a giveaway at Goodreads.com it is the second time I've won a giveaway there out of the 80some I have entered. Jesus Was A Time Traveler by D.J. Gelner. An interesting concept that I've been toying with writing a story about a time traveler going back to the time of Jesus and trying to prove he existed.

This book tells of a time traveler who makes his own time machine and goes back to first century Judea and meeting "Jesus" and learns he is really a grad student turned time traveler that claims that history is fixed and immutable.

This book is a fun read. It has many references to Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation almost to the point as being overdone. An interesting concept in it is that time travelers have adopted the "Vulcan Live Long And Prosper" hand salute as a code for time travelers to recognize each other as a fellow time traveler.

I will do a proper review of this book later on this blog as well as at Goodreads.

Website Woes

Death of Personal Domain?



Well I don't know how much longer I will/can maintain my personal website Nesredna's Knook since the domain expired near the end of May. I thought that renewing it would be easy but the company that I got the notice about the domain expiring apparently isn't the company that holds the registration info. The company that does hold it was supposedly bought by the company I got the expiration notice from. Then the "who is" website that supposedly tells you who owns a domain indicates a third company that has nothing to do with my site at all, thus has none of the information. So I was totally confused as to who I COULD send the money to and tried contacting all of them. It is odd when companies DON'T TAKE your money. Unfortunately I let the registration expire before acting on trying to transfer the dang thing. Most registration companies don't transfer expired domains. I'm trying to get it transferred to the hosting service that I used for the content of my site. Even though they normally take my Paypal money to pay for the hosting service, they don't seem to have Paypal available for ordering a registration transfer.

It is now in "redemption period" which apparently means the site has expired and can be sold to the highest bidder or something. Looks like things are screwed.

Fortunately most of my site stuff I have on floppy discs and some stuff on a thumb/flash drive. That is except for some of the graphics I think. I'm fairly sure I have most of those saved somewhere but I think most of them are on ancient floppy discs not the flash drive. I might not have all of my graphics/images saved though that would really suck.

Anyway I know some of the images I have used on this blog were hosted at my site so those are now those broken images, the white squares with a red "X" or just aplain blank space depending on which browser you are using and how they handle broken image links.