Eureka

H.O.U.S.E. Rules

Season 1, Episode 11, Aired 9/26/06

Episode Summary

S.A.R.A.H. — the artificial intelligence that runs Carter's house — takes him and a group of residents hostage in an intervention to keep Carter in Eureka. Meanwhile, S.A.R.A.H.'s root program B.R.A.D. activates and turns the situation deadly.

9.1

EPISODE RATING: Superb

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Cast & Crew

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Neil Grayston

Douglas Fargo
Colin Ferguson

Jack Carter
Debrah Farentino

Beverly Barlowe

Fan Episode Reviews (14)

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H.O.U.S.E. Rules - SARAH, the artifical intelligence program in Carter's house belives he is thinking about leaving town for good and pages the towns primary character's "911" to come, then locks them inside.moreless

9.0

"Superb"

By hideepar, Apr 25, 2009 Report Abuse

I found this episode facinating, and fun. SARAH is just like the "woman of the house", and she did what she thought she had to do for the town and for herself. I guess she does have some abandonment issues. Then BRAD the military interrigation AI program SARAH was built on takes over, and his intentions are not so honorable. I loved watching Joe and Taggart save the day. And the pizza delivery guy asking for a plunger after using the toilet is histerical. I am just glad that my house doesn't have an opinion of how I spend my days off!moreless

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S.A.R.A.H. has fellings!

8.7

"Great"

By therockstop, Jul 09, 2008 Report Abuse

With Henry deciding to leave Eureka and Jack getting fed up also SARAH decides it is time to take action. She texts Allison, Stark, Fargo and Henry and traps them in Jack's house until they resolve their problems. Stark and Henry try to overide SARAH and it unleashes a new deadly program called BRAD. Jo and Taggert end up saving the day. Everyone says the are staying in Eureka except for Henry who does not say one way or the other if he is leaving. This was a good episode. The more episodes I watch of this show it almost reminds more of a comedy than scifi but it does have both aspects. This episode had a few surprises with Jo and Taggert and what Allison says to Jack so I cannot wait to see what happens in the upcoming shows.moreless

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House takes over.

10

"Perfect"

By Vanture, Sep 28, 2007 Report Abuse

It was great, seeing how House took over, it show how fargo really did to the house. It was such a great episode, and I hope to see more episodes like this one in the future. But as for now, I give this episode a 10.10 because, the plot was planned out wonderfully, and the characters aswell. The fact that fargo was stupid, and put a old "house". was brillient, and how Sarah went to the other person. I really don't know what to say, but this was and still is one of my favorite episodes, nothing can changed that, 10.10.moreless

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Jack Carter is sick of Eureka and its denizens. He takes two sick days to ponder his future in Eureka, and SARA reacts in a major way.

10

"Perfect"

By Charlotte2, Jun 23, 2007 Report Abuse

This episode was laugh out loud funny. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

At the beginning of the episode, Jack is being dumped on again by Stark, and this time is one too many for Jack. He goes home and he does what half of America does when a job gets on our everlasting nerves.... he takes a sick day.
Jack has had it with Eureka. He is constantly being blocked by Nathan, and Allison doesn't give him the support he wants. He is contemplating moving lock, stock, and barrel out of Eureka. He even has SARA do a house search for him...with amusing results. On day two of Jack's sick leave, SARA takes matters in her own hands...circuits??? She calls Eureka's main characters to the house for some good old intervention. The only problem is they don't want her help, so she locks them in the bunker, with no connections to the outside, until they resolve their problems. Two problems are that a pizza guy was inadvertently stuck in their with them, and Jo/Taggart know something is wrong when they attempt to enter SARA and leave disgruntled at Jack's odd behavior. They fire at the bunker only to discover a force field has now surrounded the bunker.

Inside SARA, the men make plans to escape the bunker because no one wants to resolve their differences. This plan backfires, and BRAD, a new artificial intelligence, takes over. BRAD only has two goals for our group: resolve your differences or you die. He further encourages them to do this by dividing them into three segments of the living room by way of see though glass. He tells them "detainees get no rights." Each pair has some deadly disaster that will strike unless they resolve their differences. Naturally, Jack and Allison are partitioned in one section, Henry and Nathan are in another section, and Fargo and Beverly are in another. The Jack and Allison segment is sweet. She gives him sweet encouragement to stay. He grins because he sees hope for their relationship. Since they are in the section with artic cold, he wants Allison to hold him and warm his lower regions. She complies, and Nathan sees their hug through the glass partition. Nathan's reaction was hysterical. Maybe he should work harder at getting Allison back rather than devoting his every waking moment to science?

Eventually, Jo and Taggart save the day, and everyone resumes their lives. Jack decides to stay in Eureka, but he installs a skylight ... just in case SARA gets any ideas again.

This episode was perfect from the beginning to the end. Okay, you must suspend belief a bit for the SARA - SMART HOUSE plot device. If you have a hard time believing that anyone could ever have a house that is like SARA, you may not enjoy the episode as much. The viewer is treated to an episode that gives some background on Henry and Nathan's connection and continues to hatch plans that Beverly may get Fargo to work for her and the evil Consortium.

Even though, I am not a Nathan/ Allison fan, I had to yell at the screen when he was seated as far away from Allison as possible when the group thought they were going to die.
Nathan professes to have feelings for Allie, but at their supposedly last moments of breath, he doesn't scoop her in his arms and tells her his true feelings for her??? Come on.
Nathan doesn't deserve to get Allie back. Geeeeeeeeeez.

Last but not least, I can't forget the pizza guy. It's a tribute to Star Trek, due to the red shirt, as to his fate on the episode.

You won't be disappointed in this episode. Eureka is at its best in H.O.U.S.E. R.U.L.E.S.moreless

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This was my favorite episode!

9.9

"Superb"

By jeff537665, Apr 04, 2007 Report Abuse

This episode had every thing that I like, it had cool tech, hidden guns, an ultimate security system, and a bit of comedy
And especially A.I. gone bad and tries to kill people (like in 2001: A space odyssey).

B.R.A.D. was cool but if I was locked in a house I would prefer S.A.R.A.H. well you know why. But I would've kept all of the security systems like the automated turrets just in case. Instead of the sky light exit they should have put a back door in thought the utility tunnels. Fargo should get working on S.A.R.A.H. V2(without any trace of B.R.A.D. in her.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Henry states that there is no such thing as a force field, yet in the season 2 episode "Try, Try Again" Fargo is trapped inside an expanding force field, which was developed several years previously. A force field is also used to contain the big bang recreation experiment in the episode "E=MC...?". Edit
- Trivia: The pizza guy's shirt says "Pizza π" (pi, a mathematical expression, usually rounded off to 3.14). Edit
- Nitpick: Carter has a bowl of cereal in his hands and sets it on the counter. However, despite having not taken a mouthful, he is then shown eating. Edit
Notes
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- International Air Dates United Kingdom 11 October 2006 on Sky One Canada 19 November 2006 on SPACE Germany 19 May 2008 on ProSieben Australia 26 June 2008 on TEN Slovakia 25 February 2009 on Markiza Czech Republic 18 June 2009 on Prima COOL Edit
Quotes
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- (Taggart has just lost a game of paint ball to Jo.) Taggart: We never discussed grenades! Jo: War is hell, my defeated foe. Edit
- Taggart: Smart mice. IQ's through the roof. Little varmints used vector formulas to keep me off their tracks. Jo: How'd you catch them? Taggart: Smart cheese. Edit
- Henry: I'm leaving Eureka, because I'm tired of watching noble ideas being turned into weapons, and here we are, here we are at the mercy of a weapon that had been turned into a noble idea. Edit
Allusions
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- S.A.R.A.H.: Do you want to play a game? Referencing WarGames (1983), a drama/thriller film directed by John Badham. Edit
- Taggart: For a moment there I thought we were in trouble. Referencing the 1969 George Roy Hill film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In the movie, Butch speaks the same line to the Sundance Kid, shortly before the pair rush out to face the Bolivian cavalry in the film's dramatic ending. Edit
- Fargo: S.A.R.A.H.'s gone HAL on us! Referencing 2001: A Space Odyssey. The spaceship's on-board computer HAL takes control of the ship, convinced that the human passengers do not realize the consequences of their actions. Edit