Time Loops Around on Eureka

Have you ever seen Groundhog Day? No? Well, how about Eureka last night, because it was, essentially, the same plot device… not that there's anything wrong with that. Last night's episode featured Sheriff Carter reliving the same day over and over again. Now, unlike Groundhog Day, there were freaky science-based reasons for Carter's repeating himself.

I half think that they did the whole repeating day in order for Carter to keep putting on Degree deodorant (remember, Degree sponsors the show). Eventually they eschewed the deodorant scene, but not until the fourth go-round.

Actually, I was moderately disappointed that Carter didn't pick up on when the first blue flash of light appeared (the blue light that hearkened the time loop Carter found himself stuck in). I guess weird science occurrences are an everyday sort of thing for him, but I still think he should have recalled the first blinding flash of light. You knew that was a big clue, didn't you? Of course you did.

I should take a step back and be fair though, the episode wasn't quite like Groundhog Day. Here, Carter was able to take stuff back with him on his repeated trips and even ended up with a few broken bones due to the time loop.

Last night was actually one of the best episodes of Eureka this season. It had gobbledygook science, tugged a few emotional heartstrings, and slyly advanced the season-long plot (remember that bit with Carter following Eva during one of his repeated days, I'm thinking that comes back around in a few weeks). Stark even showed that he had a heart and was almost a good guy last night, and him I've always disliked so that's saying something.

Have we never talked about that? Stark rubs me the wrong way. I know, he's supposed to, it's the point of his character – tool with an itty-bitty heart. And now, it's time for a spoiler, so if you don't want to know how it ended, stop reading. Stark allegedly died last night. He was able to fix the time loop, but he sacrificed himself in the process. We saw him turn into itty-bitty bits of light and float off somewhere. So, allegedly he's dead. But, there's no actual body, is there? He could just be trapped in some ray of light somewhere off in the universe and come back in a few episodes or in time for the season finale or really at any point in the future.

It should also be noted though that with the addition of Eva Thorne, the woman who has been brought in to clean up Global Dynamics, the show already has almost replaced Stark. She is hugely focused on her work, runs the show at Global (as Stark once did), and doesn't get along so well with Carter. She represents only a slightly changed dynamic from what Stark brought. She doesn't have the science skills Stark had, but the show can do without that, there are enough science geeks around, there will always be someone who can know the things Stark was supposed to know.

But, let me step back (again) from the replacement for a minute, I'm still not convinced that Stark is gone. Until I see a body, I'm just not buying it… at least not 100 percent.