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Warehouse 13 Season 2 Episode 11

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AIRED: 9/14/10

When Mrs. Frederic is stricken ill, the agents must search for a cure before it's too late. Their quest takes them to Egypt and the long-lost Warehouse 2.

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Fan Episode Reviews (4)

A disappointing first half to the summer finale

6.0

By entil2001, Nov 07, 2011

From what I've seen so far, "Warehouse 13" struggles a bit when it tries to go epic. This reminded me a bit of the "Stargate SG-1" episode "The Quest", in which the lead characters were essentially run through a classic series of trials that could have come out of any Indiana Jones clone. This time, of course, it was closer to "Tomb Raider", for obvious reasons, but it still felt a bit contrived.

It also had a similar problem to the season premiere: too many digital effects that stretched the capabilities of the production crew, thus making the cheap nature of the effects all too obvious. The effects are never completely solid, but in this case, they were distracting enough to pull me out of the story now and then. And I'm sure that's not what anyone intended.

I was also disappointed with the "twist" at the end. I had been hoping that H.G. would turn out to be sincere in her dealings with Pete and Myka, but her apparent betrayal makes it very clear that she was involved in setting up the whole Warehouse 2 plot, not simply a pawn. And after introducing the notion that H.G. might be more than the stereotypical villain that was originally presented, it seemed weak to take the predictable route. (She did make a nice Lara Croft, though!)

Another item of annoyance was the death of Benedict Valda. Frankly, the character had a lot more potential, and if H.G. is acting in concert with some faction within the Regents, as hinted, Valda would have been a natural viewpoint character for the other side. Who will take his place to serve that function?

One possibility, I suppose, might be Ms. Fredericks. The whole bit with the transference of stewardship of Warehouse 13 to Claudia felt like some serious foreshadowing. Could Frederick be "promoted" to take Valda's place among the Regents? Or is there some rulebook about this whole business I've missed from the first season? Whatever the case, as much as I like Claudia, I would have thought Artie would be the more natural fit to be the steward.

I did like the fact that Pete, rather than Myka, worked out most of the puzzles related to the Warehouse 2 traps. Pete is often depicted as the least intelligent member of the team, and this was a nice way to demonstrate that intelligence is relative and contextual. Also, it was good to see some movement on the Artie/Vanessa and Pete/Kelly relationships, even if it seemed like Pete's decision about Kelly was rushed.

It may be that some of these elements may be addressed in the second part of the summer finale, but for now, this isn't as strong a lead-out for the first part of the second season as I might have hoped.moreless
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there's just one thing I don't get...well there are two but who's counting

9.5

By protonefrid, Dec 09, 2010

1. If Mrs. Federic had two Warehouses in her head and the doctor had the possibility for transfer why not transfer warehouse 13 to Claudia and leave Mrs. F with warehouse 2. after all I bet that warehouse is also valuable and should be guarded at least if not put on line to avoid future unnecessary deaths. they can't just leave a place like that alone..or are they going to bury it again till someone else finds it and dies? 2. I don't get valda's death... at all. nothing further to add to this subject. taking into account how much HG loved her daughter i was expecting her to go rogue on the first occasion, if that might help get her daughter back. Well, i didn't think she would plan it... I guess she must be looking for the Book of the Dead to revive the girl... I feel a "Mummy" vibe coming on:D

the thing that bothers me the most, and been bothering me for a while is mika's personality. i feel like it is slowly washing away and becoming more like Pete's. She used to be almost like Helen but now she looks like a goof ball sometimes. i have nothing against her enjoying her life more but some core traits shouldn't be erased... just so that we can set the two main characters apart. All in all this was one of the better episodes of this season...at least for me. and it didn't get boring not even for a minute. i like it when things progress, even if the progress is some new information or Pete moving in with the vet... oh, and MRs. F is really strongmoreless
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A good episode which had all the right story elements to open up and set up some things for both the finale and season 3.

9.5

By MaximusPrimal, Sep 21, 2010

After initially struggling with Warehouse 13, season 2 brought me in and no episode more than this. While (as others have rightly stated) the effects where ropey at times - such as the obvious studio work when they where supposed to be in a desert, the storyline was solid with some well designed side breaks to add extra information and tension.

The idea of the three trails - mind, body and soul where sensible and fitting for Egyptian mythology - although the second one seemed to be there more for a lacking action sequence as I hardly imagine Egyptians carrying grappling hook guns to fire zip lines down a corridor. But that said it worked, with only the unnecessary death of Valdar being a questionable act.

Pete got to show he is not a dumb character who is immature and pathetic against Myka and Helena. His working out of the first puzzle was good and well thought out. While Valdar had given him the clue to where the key went again, Pete locating the spot helped cement his character as not just the comical/weak fall guy. It was also interesting to hear about the Warehouses and how they are linked to a caretaker. One thing I hope they do explain is what happens when a Warehouse is shut, do they move the items to a new warehouse and caretaker? So when Claudia eventually takes over as caretaker will she be in charge of Warehouse 14? And did Mrs F take over when Warehouse 12 shut - we know she has been alive for more years than her age suggests after all...

This whole interchange with Mrs F, Vanessa and Claudia has opened up some interesting story line options for the next season, with Mrs F seeing that Claudia has great potential in other ways thanks to her little datamining project and the results it showed up. Overall one of the better episodes, it bobbed along at a good pace, with a solid plot and subplot to keep the viewer entertained and pondering what was going to come next or how much detail on something they would give.

This will put pressure of the finale to live up to the same standard and not be lost in tying up loose ends or trying to be a "spectacular" in it's own right and loosing sight of the plot along the way...moreless
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Warehouse 13 tries to do Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider. It had its good moments, and moments that left room for improvement. Yet, definitely worth watching!

8.5

By Ultimate_Lex, Sep 21, 2010

* * * * * S P O I L E R S A H E A D * * * * * I have always believed that one does not need expensive special effects to tell an amazing story.

That said, I feel that many science-fiction/fantasy themed shows nowadays seems too have caught the "bigger effects" = "awesome story" bug. Which is a real shame because many times their best episodes have been the ones that focus on the story first and the SFX second.

Such is the case with this episode. The weakest elements of the episode were the scenes that required a lot of special effects. This is sad because they could have pulled it off without being FX heavy.

Nevertheless, the episode's finest moments were really in the character development. There was a fair bit of foreshadowing such as Helena seeing a little girl who reminded her of dead daughter, and the vision she saw in the final test.

There was also Pete's relationship with Kelly. The seriousness with which he approached the question and implications of moving in with her reveal a surprising maturity to his character. It only makes the audience become further invested in the character.

The performances of Allison Scagliotti and CCH Pounder were also brilliant. I have always felt that Pounder's Mrs. Frederick is really how she would've approached playing a live-action Amanda Waller. There have been many times within the series when Mrs. Frederick has shown shades of Waller, and it was brilliant seeing her in need of the agents help while also getting more insight into the nature of the Warehouse.

That said, I really wish they had done more with Myka's character. Her soul test really felt like it could've had more gravitas. I submit for comparison the Justice League episode "For the Man Who Has Everything" which is an animated adaptation of a brilliantly written comic. In that episode, Superman was trapped in his ideal world because of a parasitic plant that releases chemicals that cause its host to see believable illusions of their "happy place". Which is similar to the "soul test" in this episode.

In order for Superman to escape, he needed to let his happy place "die". He had to witness the death of his son, and his home world. Realizing it was all an illusion, yet feeling the emotional pain at the same time.

That is what was lacking with Myka's test. In fact, all the tests should have made all three of them experience great emotional pain in order to pass it. The gravitas of such a requirement would have been enough to carry the episode through to the cliffhanger without the need for a lot of special effects.

Which brings me to my final point of contention. While I love that they revealed a bit more of Helena's agenda, I still think the real twist could've been that she was sincerely trying to "atone" for her past. She makes for a far more complex and interesting character than Myka. In fact, I wouldn't mind seeing more development from Helena in season 3 (barring her dying in the season 2 finale).

So I am not sure what to make of her "betrayal", though it was not entirely unexpected.

What I am hoping for is that there is more to it than a simple, "sorry but now I have to kill you since I was really the villain you thought I was all along." kinda thing.

Nevertheless, when all is said and done, the episode is well-worth watching! Despite its shortcomings, it really is an entertaining jaunt through the world of Warehouse 13.

Definitely sets up the finale nicely too!

Cheers!moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Eddie McClintock	Pete Lattimer
Joanne Kelly	Myka Bering
Saul Rubinek	Artie Nielsen
Allison Scagliotti	Claudia Donovan

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Mark Sheppard	Benedict Valda	Guest Star
Lindsay Wagner	Dr. Vanessa Calder	Guest Star
Ben Watson	Rod	Guest Star
CCH Pounder	Mrs. Frederic	Recurring Role
Jaime Murray	Helena G. Wells	Recurring Role
Paula Garcés	Dr. Kelly Hernandez	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (1)
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- Valda says that the poison that killed the three students is a combination of hematite and natron. Hematite is merely a form of iron oxide. While long-term exposure can cause siderosis (iron poisoning), it would not do anything to "mummify" a living being as shown here whether combined with natron or not.
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QUOTES (5)
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- Pete: So, what do you think?
  Myka: About you moving in with Kelly?
  Pete: Well, yeah. I mean, is it even kosher?. You know, warehouse-wise. Right. I forgot who I was asking
  Myka: What is that supposed to mean?
  Pete: She's a tech nerd, she's 150, and you're... Myka. Not exactly relationship success stories.
  Claudia: Hey, I just got out of a serious relationship.
  Pete: You didn't "get out." He had to change his identity and move to a different state.
  Claudia: By order of the Justice Department! Point taken.
  Helena: I know a thing or two about the opposite sex. Many of my lovers were men.
  Pete: We're gonna follow up on that at a later date, but, for now, can we bring the focus back round to moi?
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- Mrs. Frederic: Agent Latimer. This is unlike anything you've ever faced.
  Pete: So... like always then.
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- Pete: That's right, dig it. Who solved the test of the mind? Pete did.
  Myka: Only because you order off the children's menu.
  Pete: Someone's buying me pancakes for a year!
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- Dr. Calder: How do you feel?
  Mrs. Frederic: Well, I won't be running a marathon anytime soon.
  Dr. Calder: No, certainly not in those heels.
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- Pete: That's two I got, you know.
  Myka: I know.
  Pete: You solved one, and I solved two.
  Myka: I know.
  Pete: It's not a contest.
  Myka: You're right. You're right. It's not a contest.
  Pete: But if it were... I'd be winning.
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NOTES (3)
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- Genelle Williams is credited but doesn't appear.
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- Injoke: The ill-fated John Tilson and his family are named after associate producer Gregg Tilson.
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- International Airdates:
  UK: December 2, 2010 on Syfy
  Australia: March 18, 2011 on SCI FI
  Czech Republic: July 1, 2012 on Prima COOL
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ALLUSIONS (6)
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- Pete: Oh, mi amor.
  Referencing the TV series The Addams Family. Wife Morticia saying anything in French inevitably drives her husband into a romantic frenzy where he exclaims mi amor! and kisses up and down her arm, just as Pete does here when Kelly speaks Spanish.
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- Pete: Um, "singular sensation"?
  Referencing the 1975 musical A Chorus Line by James Kirkwood Jr., Nicholas Dante, Edward Kleban, and Marvin Hamlisch. The musical is set on a stage during the tryouts for a musical, and each of the dancers ("gypsies") is forced to tell the director something about themselves. The reference here is to the musical number One, and the lyrics "One... singular sensation."
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- Pete: "Is the loneliest number"?
  Referencing the song One, by Harry Nilsson. The full line is "One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do."
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- Claudia: I don't buy our three young Indiana Joneses just stumbled into it as a school project.
  
  Referencing the famous fictional archaeologist portrayed by Harrison Ford in four feature movies. When not teaching college archaeology courses, the whip-wielding Indy travels the world seeking out relics and fighting bad guys in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s.
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- Helena: I checked. This is what fashionable British archaeologists are wearing these days.
  Referencing Lara Croft, although the name is unmentioned but the clothing style is unmistakable. The (originally) animated character appeared in the 1996 video game Tomb Raider and has gone on to appear in comic books, novels, advertisements, and two feature movies.
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- Helena: Then once more into the breach, dear friends.
  Referencing Shakespeare's Henry V, Act III, 1598. Henry V gives an inspirational speech to his English soldiers to launch their attack on a gap in the wall at the city of Harfleur.
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