TV Review: EUReKA

The premise: Crazy, secret small town where science is king and abnormal is the norm.

The result: Comedic SciFi.

Eureka, a SciFi original show, takes a humorous look at a town that "Area 51 wishes they could be".

The cast:

Jack Carter: U.S. Marshal, now Eureka sheriff. His life was the law, now that he's in Eureka, his life is normalizing a town full of geniuses. Seems personable (people seem to like him easily- except for his teen-age daughter) and disarming - as people seem ready to put their trust in him.

Allison Blake: Government liaison between Eureka and the DOD (Department of Defense). Single mom of a son with Asperger's syndrome. Tough enough to play with the men, soft enough to clearly be a woman.

Jo Lupo: Josefina Lupo - the deputy sheriff. She's all GI Jane - all weapon crazy - and all anally retentive about rules. If you want a door or an ass kicked in, call Jo first. She'll shoot first and ask questions later.

Henry Deacon: Local retired rocket scientist turned auto-mechanic, regularly developing new technology.

There are tons of wacky characters - all geniuses at what they do - but mostly too weird to be accepted anywhere outside of Eureka.

There's also lots of continuing stories, both in character development and plot mysteries. We tag along with Sheriff Carter as he learns the ropes. Meanwhile, we peek into various intrigues, but never get a full grasp of them.

The show, in its freshman season, is charming. Sure, there are a lot of nuances to work out, but there always are in the first season. The show has potential, but somewhere between funny and cheesy is the sweet spot of cheesy in a funny way - and this show is just about there, but it could slip easily into cheesy.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Science Fiction fans, parody fans, gadget fans.

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR: People who are really serious about their science.

AV Rating: Based on the newness of the show and the fine line it is walking, I give it a 3.5/5