Ghosts from the past offer some interesting questions
Just like the aptly named returning space ship, “The Columbus,” this episode explored hereto unknown territory: can a clone ever take the place of someone who was once loved?
Picking up right where last week’s episode left off, we discover that the space ship is not even alien. It is made in the good ole USA. Apparently, it is an unmanned prototype that was launched over 20 years ago which has finally returned home. To murky the waters even further, out steps Kim, or what looks like Kim, Henry’s deceased girlfriend. The one that fractured his mind and inspired him to manipulate time when she died.
In order to explain how this is even possible, we find out that the ship’s onboard computer acted out of self-preservation and turned to the one available resource it had when it became corrupted by a virus. It used a single viable cell to clone one of its creators, Kim. Thus, we meet “Kim 2.0” — the computer-replicated version of Kim. The ship’s computer created her as a living, breathing computer to store data while it completed its mission exploring the universe.
However, the crux of the problem is quickly identified by Henry who sadly said, “It’s not my Kim. It seems like Kim, but it’s not Kim.” For no one really knows what Kim 2.0 is. Is she merely a computer in a human body? Or is she a human being? Henry’s gut reaction was to get away from her as quickly as possible. He knew this was not the Kim that he had loved. It was but a shallow copy of Kim, and even Kim 2.0 herself admitted, “I’m what’s left.”
While Henry struggled with the idea of whether the love of his life could ever live again, the mystery of the week involved a macabre electrocution death of a scientist who specialized in electromagnetic physics. It is after Zane’s near-brush with death as he tried to examine Kim 2.0 that suspicion falls on Kim 2.0 as the culprit behind the lethal electrocutions and they begin to fear that Kim 2.0 is using people’s organic computers to cause an internal voltage spike in their own central nervous systems, which overloads and causes their brains to fry. So everyone is quickly put on drugs to suppress their brain’s neuro-electrical activity to prevent any further crispy-critter incidents.
Astoundingly, Carter saves the day when he surmises that it is not Kim 2.0 that is the problem, but instead it is the ship’s virus-infected computer. The one that originally created Kim 2.0. Because the ship’s computer is “organic,” it is interacting with the human brain, which acts like an organic computer and is spreading from person to person. Surprisingly, the only one who was not infected was Kim 2.0. Thus, it is surmised that Kim 2.0 has the anti-bodies needed to fight the virus. But then, when stumped by the fact that they will need a high volume fuel source to combat the virus, it is Carter who proposes using a plasma blast, like the one used to cushion the ship’s return landing. In response to everyone’s reactions of amazement to his unexpectedly scientific proposal, Carter exclaimed, “What?! I pay attention.” Apparently, after three years in Eureka, he has been paying attention!
Finally, after Kim 2.0 has been cleared and the virus eradicated, Henry took a deep breath and began to face the realization that, while Kim 2.0 was not “his Kim,” it is a living person that clearly has a lot to offer. Where that relationship goes in the future remains to be seen. But it certainly does tickle the brain with the possibilities of whether love can be reborn.
What Worked
It was a delightful dish of light comedy when Carter said, “so I DO have to worry about the zombie problem . . .” after hearing that the ship could potentially still control the people of Eureka if it felt like it needed to in order to protect itself.
Also very endearing was the scene where Allison broke the news to Carter that she was going to be having a baby girl and his reverent touching of her belly, quickly followed by Jack’s offer to help in anyway he could. Little did he ever envision that Allison did not want help with a baby project, but instead wanted him to sort, categorize, inventory and then return each and every item taken to make the ship’s impromptu landing pad. But despite this bubble-bursting assignment, he still did it with gung-ho enthusiasm.
Just as heart-warming was Jo bringing Zane his favorite foods while he was laid-up in the medical unit, demonstrating the depth of her feelings for him. That combined with their cute exchange at the end, was adorable. Jo asking Zane: “How are you feeling?” and Zane cautiously responding, “You tell me — any sparks?” followed up with Jo’s knowing smile: “No, just the good kind” and sealed it with a kiss.
What Didn’t Work
Kim 2.0’s willingness to sacrifice herself to save everyone else, while noble, was not logical. Her computer-rationale, “I might be a serious threat. Terminate me,” was a bit of a stretch. For after emphasizing that Kim 2.0 was created out of the ship’s onboard computer’s need for self-preservation, it is hard to believe that she would not be similarly programmed and would voluntarily act to be terminated to protect others.
Also, not following logically was Carter agreeing to go on a star-gazing date with Tess Fontana right after declaring to Allison, “I’m your guy!” Maybe Carter meant that he was Allison’s guy for any work she needed done, but Tess had clearly seen the look on his face when he was talking about Allison in last week’s episode and knew that he had feelings for her. Thus, it felt very wrong for Carter to tell Tess, “everyone needs a hand to hold,” and then taking her hand when Tess offered hers.
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
“Ship Happens” was written by Charlie Craig and directed by Chris Fisher. “Eureka” stars Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Joe Morton, Jordan Hinson, Erica Cerra, Neil Grayston, Chris Gauthier and Niall Matter. “Eureka” airs Fridays on Syfy.
