Eureka Review: "Momstrosity"
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Tonight’s episode, "Momstrosity," asked the question: Ever loved someone and they treated you like they didn’t even know you were in the room?
SARAH, Carter’s automated house certainly knows this feeling given she is the room. She had a crush on the android Deputy Andy and decided to give him an emotional program so he could feel what she felt and hopefully notice her.
However, because she gave to all the AIs as well, we all got to see a glimpse into what would happen if Androids Dreamed of Electric Sheep.
I love how the writers mirrored the AI emotional responses with what was going on with the organic emotional responses. Carter loves Allison but didn’t want to tell her was very similar to SARAH loving Andy and her not knowing how to tell him. Then, you had Tiny who was doing anything to save Emo who she perceived as her child and Allison doing everything she could to save Kevin. This was subtle and mixed in well enough that it was not until the very end that I picked it up.
To me, these are two of our strongest emotions, the protective nature of a mother and not wanting to be alone. Given that humans are not alone in these emotions, most animals are very protective of their young and nearly all animals choose mates of one form of another, it makes good sense that this would be what came through the strongest in the AIs. Okay, the fact that program SARAH copied from a robot called “Emo” that was suppose to help teach about parenting didn’t hurt, either.
Of course, it was all worth it, seeing Deputy Andy walk out of “SARAH’s room” in the morning made me laugh so hard I had to actually rewind to hear what Carter and Jo was saying. Good for you Andy and SARAH, maybe if you guys conceive it will be a police van or motor home.
On the organic side we saw a lot of emotions, too. I was very sad that Grace took the news about Henry and the others so badly. I understand it, but I was still sad. Henry really could have done a better job of telling her the he was falling in love with her. He did finally tell her at the end that he was working to be “her Henry,' so there is some hope there.
I am crossing my fingers that they are back together very soon. This does raise a couple of questions for me given that Henry was the one that insisted they never could tell anyone:
- Why did he list off all the people that went? Why would he jeopardize everyone if she decided to tell someone?
- How does he know she is not going to activate the “protocols” that he discussed given how upset she was?
I guess we will just have to see what Grace does. Don’t let me down, Grace. Henry will love you again soon, I just know it.
This brings us to the more primal chest-beating portion of our program. As mentioned last week, with our love triangle under way, Carter and Grant are up to the clashing horns portion. While they did put their differences aside to help save Kevin, the episode ended with Carter warning Grant that it was on and “may the best man win”. Seriously, Grant, buddy, there are other women in Eureka, why are you beating yourself up for this one?
Clearly Carter and Allison have a history, why don’t you chase one of the other hot, brilliant, science chicks that Eureka is apparently overflowing with.
Sarcasm aside, this really is the weakest portion of the overall story lately. Not only because love triangles have been done to death, but because Carter and Allison have a history and after Carter kissed her in 1947 and then broke up with Tess, I could not imagine Allison really wanting to be with another guy. I really hope that they do not drag this out forever; there are enough really creative story elements they can do without needing to have this worn, tired, old element stuck in there.
Easter Egg Note: James Cameron’s birthday is Monday, August 16 and the writers slipped in two famous quotes from his movies into the episode to celebrate. Check out this week’s quotes to see which.
Jim G. is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow him on Twitter.