Warehouse 13: Season One

Somewhere in the middle of the South Dakota Badlands sits Warehouse 13, the super-secret government storage facility where, in the words of its curator Artie (Saul Rubinek), “We take the unexplained and we just safely tuck it away in the supersized Pandora's box.” That's the premise of this lightweight Syfy Channel summer series, which could have been spun off from the last scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark (one wonders if the Ark of the Covenant itself is hidden somewhere in the stacks). Eddie McClintock and Joanne Kelly star as oil-and-water secret service agents Pete and Myka, who are drafted to track down items of magic (such as Edgar Allan Poe's pen) and metaphysics (like Tesla inventions). CCH Pounder brings a sardonic authority to the role of their boss, Mrs. Frederic; Roger Rees has a recurring role as James MacPherson, a former operative turned nemesis with a thriving business in black market artifacts; and teenage hacker Claudia (Allison Scagliotti) joins the mix in episode four. The combination of science and the supernatural, delivered with a steam-punk aesthetic, makes this a natural companion piece to Syfy's other lighthearted science adventure series, Eureka (fans will even spot a few Eureka stars in guest roles here). While hardly must-see-TV, this sci-fi pulp series is often colorful and clever. Compiling all 12 episodes from the 2009 first season, DVD extras include episode commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, and a gag reel. A strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)