New Show Alert!

The artist formerly known as The SciFi Channel has gotten a major makeover. It seems that network execs have done a slick, replete do-over on the station that has brought us Stargate series like NBC pumps out Law and Orders. The new cabeler (now titled SyFy) is replacing Space Operas with modern science/mystery fare (think Lost, Heroes or Fringe) and cheesy giant bug movies with epic fantasy stories (Harry Potter or Twilight). The first big attempt out of the gate premiered last night in the form of Warehouse 13.

The show is part X-Files, part Indiana Jones, part Fringe, but with income of these undertakings' Kraft Services.Therein lies the issue with Warehouse 13. The concept is there. The storylines are there. The actors are there and you can sense that the creators have hit upon something genuine. This isn't a straight Science Fiction. There are homages to the building blocks that the show is standing upon, there's a sense of humor in the writing that excuses some of the ridiculous premises or the manner in which the mysteries must be wrapped up in one episode. There is even a bit of mystery that keeps the viewer intrigued about the personal lives of the agents apart from their crazy adventures.

It just seems that the show falls a bit short. Producers had to hire the second best directors and the third best writers. Their set people are amazing but they have toothpicks and Jolly Rancher wrappers to construct things from. And the heads of the show seem to be working within a framework that only allows for creativity within the scope of previously successful ventures. The female agent, Myka Bearing, resents being placed in the gloryless sect of top secret American govenment while the male agent, Petter Lattimer, works off of gut feelings and charms the ladies (Paging Mulder and Scully). Myka is being visited by the ghost of her fellow agent/ex-boyfriend whose death she blames herself for (Fringe anyone?). Mysterious other-worldly figures with unplacable accents head organizations which seem to pull the strings (Lost all the way). And even the camera work recalls audience winners (the pan across the warehouse itself was a direct ripoff of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull).

But despite these detractions, Warehouse 13 is something that's worth watching. The storylines are fun and the seeds for bigger, overarching mysteries have been planted with zest. The actors who play the leads, as well as Saul Rubinek's Artie--in charge of the warehouse--are charming and likeable. Poorly funded cablers are some of the most interesting parts of television because without the budgets of HBO or ABC, these stations have to rely on pure creativity. I, for one, will keep watching and wait to see what the show makes of its potential. Sci-F----excuse me, SyFy's gamble just might pay off.