If you’re keeping up with the ratings, Craig Engler of Syfy’s Twitter feed, or just keeping up with TV news in general, you might have heard that Warehouse 13 is Syfy’s most watched show ever, dethroning former champion Stargate: Atlantis. It seems the folks at Syfy were right when they told me this show was going to be their next bread & butter following Battlestar Galactica, as it’s certainly drawing in the viewer numbers they’d like to see.
What’s strange is that I can’t really figure out the attraction to the show. Wait … let me clarify: I can’t figure out what THE thing is that’s bringing people back week after week. What’s stranger is that I am one of those people, and I still can’t answer that question definitively!
What seems to have been drilled into my brain is the notion that a sci-fi show needs to have a MacGuffin. I believe it’s this semi-subconscious philosophy that’s causing me to miss out on some key enjoyable factors in shows like Warehouse 13; hell, it’s what caused me grief in BSG. In tonight’s episode we got a closer look at a group of people who are more or less tied to what I’d call the show’s MacGuffin, at least for this season, including the revealed-to-be-feared James MacPherson and yet ANOTHER appearance by Mark Sheppard as one of the “Regents” that Artie works for. Even with that larger plot element’s development, it’s not really enough “ooh and aah” to drag people back every week, is it?
So what is it that draws people in to watch this show every week? It’s not as though it’s a deep series, or a show that brings on guffaws of laughter or lots of quotable dialogue. Maybe it’s because it’s just light-hearted science fiction? Because how much of that do you really see these days anyway? Tell me what you’re really digging about the show, if you watch it. And if you don’t watch it, why not?
Clacked by Keith McDuffee 
on Sep 09, 2009 @ 00:04 EST5EDT
I think i was pulled in by the interaction between Pete and Myka and later those two and Claudia, the three of them work well together IMO. I’ve liked Saul Rubinek since that ST:TNG episode from waaay back. Also, cause its light-hearted (like Eureka) and (so far anyways) hasn’t required the heavy investment of an overarching series or season story arc.(Like a BSG) Though i’m curious to see where the whole MacPherson plot goes. Also I look forward to seeing what crazy artifacts the writers come up with each week, like this weeks silly string and dodgeballs. Oh and cause Allison Scagliotti totally rocks Pwns those goggles Claudia is always sporting.
i think a lot of it is the dynamic between the crew.
I have no idea what it is about W13 because I”ve been watching it since it began, and I don’t see WHY everybody thinks it’s so fantastic. The two lead characters just don’t seem to click (at least not for me) and it’s only Saul Rubinek who owns the show when he’s on screen. It’s just a very fluffy version of the tv series FRIDAY THE 13th the series in which cursed objects were tracked down and locked away. This is the happy happy version of it ;) And as a consequence, it’s a show that I now watch only if there’s a guest star on it I want to see. Otherwise, record and watch somewhere down the road… maybe.
The interaction of the cast and the quirkiness of the show make it fun to watch. Not to mention the shout outs to other sci-fi things and the way they write in the objects at the warehouse and what mysterious things they do. It’s just fun tv that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Ya gotta like that nowadays unless you don’t have a pulse….or don’t like sci-fi….
The regular cast members gel together amazingly well for a first season show, their characters are fun to root for, and I especially like the way they talk over and under one another and speak in sentence fragments like real friends. It breathes life into the usual dreary sci-fi show exposition scenes that go something like: Statement. Response. Statement. Statement. Obvious question. Rote answer.
The comedic timing is excellent, but each character also has some darkness within that can support the occasional heavy drama without drowning us in it. And yes, we’ve seen everything in this show before elsewhere, but the same can be said for Fringe, and that seems to maintain strong numbers as well. The steampunk aspect of the artifacts, as well as tying them to historical personages, seems less common and is quite appealing.
Some sci-fi is arc-based, and some isn’t. If a long-term storyline develops, that’s fine, but I think viewers would be perfectly happy with a character-based artifact-hunting procedural.
Somehow Warehouse 13 quickly became the show I enjoy the most each week, and I’m glad we’ll get to see a lot more of it. Oh, and the Regents’ meeting and Claudia’s cola cooler were awesome.
It’s a fun show. It’s not perfect though; it has a lot of problems. For one, Claudia is a horrible character and should be dropped. I think she depreciates the character of Arty. I was more interested in Arty when he first shows up and seems to be an slightly eccentric guy, but now he’s turned into more of a babysitter. The real solid part is Pete and Myka’s chemistry. It’s just fun to watch them bicker and tease each-other.
This is one of two sci-fi shows I watch, the other being Eureka (I gave up on Heroes). Both have good character interactions and they are light and fun. There are some aspects I do not like on both shows; whether it is Myka’s screeching or Fargo being such an idiot having to push every button he ever sees. I am afraid that Claudia is the W13 version of Fargo and I really hope they drop it before too long.
I don’t know either, I can not stand the two FBI agents, I feel if those were real FBI agents than the country is screwed! You just know they will date and then have sex.. and blah blah! They have no chemistry at all between them.
It’s a stupid fun show to watch once in a blue moon, but that’s it. The only reason I gave it a try is because I love Saul Rubinek so much.
I tried to watch a couple times, it did nothing for me. I do not like any of the characters, I find the stories uninteresting and the settings are just blah. Of all the shows, I cannot believe this one is the hit. But, then it must mean that I am not the one the new channel is supposed to appeal to, and they are right.
I tried too. I stopped watching after the Ferris Bueller music played to Helfer entering the room. I’m glad others are enjoying it, but I need something more serious.
I just wonder what kind of ratings the middleman would have gotten if Syfy had aired it instead of ABC Family.
*POST AUTHOR*
Really good point!
And…. now I’m sobbing. Thanks for re-opening that old wound. ;)
At least Natalie Morales has been bumped up to a regular on White Collar, so hopefully that will stick around. Still waiting for Matt Keeslar to find a steady gig.
I’d recommend anyone who dropped W13 before Claudia was added to the mix watch some newer episodes and see if they like it any better. But it’s not going to get more serious and depressing, so perhaps not.
The pilot nearly put me to sleep, but the next episode got a little better. Not much, but enough that the rest of the family wanted to keep watching. It’s light, fun and I like the quirkiness of their tech, the steampunk style as Ryan said, and every week I enjoy it a little more. It’s far from must-see TV, but it’s fun and I need a little fun every now and then.
I’m not in love with Warehouse 13 but it has potential. I think it’s doing well because it has absolutely no competition besides reruns and reality shows. As far as I can tell, it’s the only original show with a plot that airs Tuesday nights.
I’m a couple eps behind (been watching too much tennis) but I plan to catch up soon.
The cast really makes the show. Honestly, I was hooked as soon as I realized the male lead was Sully from Bones. I loved that guy! He was in too few episodes, imo. I’ve grown to love Myka. She’s got a tough-but-vulnerable girl thing going on that really works for me – sort of Starbuck-esque (but without all the irreparable damage). I find Artie kind of painful but Claudia is totally engaging. I’ve found the AoTW (artifact of the week) lines a little weak but I don’t care. I just like the way the cast clicks and I’m willing to watch them in anything.
It’s light and fun and engaging, and I didn’t even know I was interested in that sort of TV until they showed it to me.
i love Claudia. I think it’s just a “fun” show much like Monk, Eureka and Psych. It requires very little investment and doesn’t try to rack your brain!!!