Review: Warehouse 13 Season 1

Here we go everyone. I am going to fully admit that I made a mistake.

When Warehouse 13 came out for the first time, I watched the first five episodes. I thought that it was a quaint show that ultimately was just going to be “Artifact of the Week” and call it a day. I let it slip off my radar for months, until one day, I caught another episode. I was at my girlfriend-at-the-time's house, watched the first episode of season 2, and was blown away by how serialized the show had become. I assumed, at the time, that they were well into season 3.

This review is going to be as spoiler-free as I can make it, because it is, wholeheartedly, a recommendation. There's only 24 episodes out right now (two seasons of 12) with a third season rumored but not confirmed at the moment. It's not a huge commitment, as far as shows go, and I honestly think that this one is worth the time.

As a show that goes for the more serialized angle, comparisons are going to be drawn to Lost – possibly the most intricately plotted show in ages. Ultimately, what I think made Lost into the show that it was was simply the characters. It's the most common question I hear when people first start talking about Lost - “Who's your favorite?” In the same way, Warehouse 13 isn't really about the Warehouse any more than Lost is really about the island. It's about the people who are involved with it, both past and present, and that's what the majority of this review is about.

Alright, two main characters. Pete and Myka. These two were actually one of the primary reasons that I left the show to begin with. The chemestry was a little rough at the outset. While Pete was a great character, charismatic and hysterical, I couldn't really get the feel for Myka. I hate to pick on physical traits, but her actor has this exceptionally wide-eyed look that just unnerved me a bit. As the series progressed though, I found myself minding less and less, and coming to enjoy the dynamic that was being built there.

Artie was clearly designed as the soul of the series. He's the wizened old mentor who knows more than he lets on, but at his core, he's supposed to be a welcoming presence. As the show evolves, he becomes a core character in the same way that Pete and Myka are. He's a character in the show, not “the guy they work for.”

Leena is the caretaker of the Bed and Breakfast that all the characters live at. Furthermore, she can read auras. Honestly, they haven't done a whole lot with this character except occasionally ask her for advice. She's sorta boring after the first two episodes.

The show really takes off when Claudia shows up about halfway through season 1 (Episode 5). She provides a foil for Artie, not to mention a genuinely interesting character. She knows her way around computers, and she's got a sense of wonder about her that makes her extremely prone to discovering new things – and screwing stuff up. Her addition to the series really rounded out the cast, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with her in Season 2.

The actual plot of the series starts off fairly blandly, but takes off after Claudia's arrival. We quickly get a persistent antagonist who makes the show seem a lot more focused and aimed at something more than a procedural. Season two is almost ready to watch, and I am looking forward to marathon-watching those as soon as I can. (Possibly today, actually)

Warehouse 13 is a short investment of time, and I really thing that, as it continues, we're going to find out a whole bunch of cool stuff about this world, and these characters. I personally plan to be along for the ride.