The plot scored the bull's eye with me with the first episode.
In South Dakota there's a government warehouse. So secret that it actually re-defines the term: no one knows about it including the government itself. It employs only a small group of agents, who's job it is to keep the warehouse from exploding (a threat much more common than you'd expect) and to find and secure almost-magical objects known as "artefacts".
What are those, you ask? Anything and everything that acts strange, or which makes people who touch them act weird or develop any kind of almost-magical powers. Usually these objects used to belong to some famous people from the history like Edgar Allan Poe, Leonardo da Vinci, Marilyn Monroe or Lewis Carrol, and after the death of their respective owners, they gained a life of their own. No two artefacts are alike, and how they work is completely dependant on the person who used to own them - so if a therapist who used to practice hypnosis had a specific chair, it might now make people act on their subconscious thoughts. If Lewis Carroll based his stories on real events, who knows what Alice's Mirror might do and so on.
Welcome to the Warehouse, the world in which myths and urban legends usually prove to be true, crazy inventions might've actually worked and famous figures might not exactly be whom the history led us to believe.
Artefacts are a lot of fun, and it's always amazing to see what the new one is going to be, but it's the cast who makes the show so outstanding. The dream team of Warehouse's protectors and artefact hunters includes:
Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) - when we meet her, she's as an uptight FBI agent. She doesn't eat sugar, is focused solely on her career, which she treats way too seriously, and is haunted by the events from the past. But during the five seasons she changes a lot, making friends, opening up, and becoming a more relaxed person that's fun to be around. But she never stops to be the brains of the operation, and with her extensive knowledge of all things she usually is the one who can figure out how to save the day. Also, she's the only who actually reads the Warehouse manual and the Regents’ addendum.
Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) is Myka's complete opposite, which makes him her perfect partner. He's goofy, he has an attention span of a five-year old and will never pass on either the free food or an inappropriate joke, but he cares for his friends and is actually a pretty damn good agent. When it comes to the work, he can be as devoted as Myka is. He also has "vibes" that warn him about the coming danger.
Claudia Donovan (Allison Scagliotti) joins the team in the 5th episode of the first season, and is everything the show needed. She comes back from Artie's past and kidnaps him, so when we meet her for the first time, it's hard to suspect what a fun, adorable, geeky character she is! She's a volcano of energy, she always has a joke or obscure nerdy reference to make, but she's also a computer genius and has a special, growing bond with the Warehouse itself. It's hard not to love her and her character development is one of the more interesting aspects of the story.
Artur "Artie" Nielsen (Saul Rubinek), the grumpy, sarcastic, snappy boss of the team. He keeps to himself and doesn't like to share unless we're talking about his delicious cookies. As it quickly turns out he has a rather dark past (but seriously, who doesn't). More often than not he works from the Warehouse dealing with the problems closer to home, while sending rest of his agents for the outside missions.
Leena (Genelle Williams) is lovely, warm, calm and patient. She's the owner of "Leena's bed and breakfast" where the agents live. She sees auras and understands the artefacts better then anybody else, though it is not explained how or why. While playing as a hen mother and a housewife, she also helps with research and seems to be best at solving the conflicts and problems that raise among the team members. Sadly, we know nothing about her personal story or the life before the Warehouse.
In the third season we are introduced to Steve "Jinxy" Jinks (Aaron Ashmore). He gets partnered with Claudia and they hit it off immediately, becoming best friends. He's more serious than Pete and more goofy than Myka so he fits in perfectly. He also has an "annoying" talent - he can always tell when others lie. Oh, and he's gay and no one makes a big deal out of it, but we had to wait until the 4th season to meet Steve's ex and until the 5th season to have the writers make fun out of gay stereotypes.
There's also H.G. Wells (Jaime Murray) whom I've already mentioned in the previous text. H.G. is a writer from 19th/20th century, an inventor of time machine and… a woman. A dangerous woman, a former agent of Warehouse 12, who got bronzed (imprisoned in a statue-like form) until she was freed in the modern times. She's both the villain and an ally, and since nothing with her can be easy, she also apparently has a crush on Myka… a mutual one, it would seem, even though it's never been confirmed by the writers.
Last but not least is Mrs. Irene Frederic (CCH Pounder), an enigmatic, mysterious woman with a nasty habit of appearing without a sound right behind your back, who can make you shit your pants just with the power of the glares. She's Warehouse's caretaker, and thanks to the strong bond with it, she can always sense the danger. It means she usually shows up only where there's a crisis, so small wonder her appearances always make the rest of characters uneasy, to say the least.
Ok, since we are done with the introductions and formalities, let's do what we've come here for. Let's talk about why "Warehouse 13" is one of my favourite shows and why, in my humble opinion at least, it's one of the most innovative shows on television.
True fact: I started to watch "Warehouse 13" solely because I've discovered that it had Mark Sheppard.
After stumbling across Mark p on "Firefly", "Battlestar Gallactica" (such a good show), "Doctor Who" and "Supernatural", I finally decided to seek him out and watch literally everything he's been on. So while he was a reason why I picked this series up, he wasn't why I stayed.
The series doesn't take itself seriously, the characters mock each other all the time and continue to criticise and question the laws of the Warehouse.. The character development during all the five seasons is heart-warming and realistic and the viewer enjoys watching all the different dynamics between the characters. What's also extremely important is how feminist this series is. It is all about female power; every woman represents a different type, but they are equally independent and they don't need guys to save the world.
Artie and Claudia have a very obvious father-daughter relationship, but at the same time Claudia constantly irritates him by pointing out his weight and age so at times they seem more like colleagues than anything else, but it's always obvious how deeply they care for each other. Myka and Pete are the best of friends, because the opposites attract each other, but when Jinxy appeared, he and Claudia bonded so smoothly that they naturally formed an equally awesome team. Leena is everybody's friend even if they are not sure about them themselves, and she seems to have more human and intimate friendship with Mrs Frederic, while for all the rest she's as mysterious as one of the artefacts they put on the shelves. Not to mention the beautiful friendship between Myka and H.G. which was definitely more than just that.
While H.G. is always portrayed in a shirt and trousers, she's probably the most feminine out of the bunch, since she is both aware of her looks and is not afraid to use them. But it's actually refreshing to see so many powerful and strong female characters who don't need to drop their bras to be so. Myka kicks ass, Claudia is all brains and witt, and even Leena, who seems like the softest and most caring can protect herself when needed. It is also interesting how different styles all women present. From the teenager Claudia to mature (and possibly kinda immortal) Mrs. Frederick, from English-pale H.G. to dark-skinned Leena. From openly bisexual H.G. to Claudia, who can't handle male attention to save her life.
One more thing before I go: "Warehouse 13" is a non-ending parade of wonderful cameos of the actors you know mostly from other geek shows. So… Sean Maher and Jewel Staite who on "Firefly" were intensely flirting as Simon Tam and Kaylee Frye, here get to be together. Myka's family seems to be especially interesting since her sister is portrayed by a lovely Amy Acker ("Angel's" Fred) and her father is played by Michael Hogan ("Battlestar Gallactica's" Colonel Saul Tigh). Though he's not the only " "Battlestar Gallactica" star to be seen on "Warehouse 13": in the second episode Pete and Myka meet Chicago's FBI agent - Tricia Helfer (Number Six on "BSG"). I've already mentioned Mark Sheppard (most recently Crowley in "Supernatural"), but at the end all "Buffy: the vampire slayer" fans got a treat like no other with an on-screen reunion of James Marsters (Spike) and Anthony Head (Rupert Giles).
Guys. It doesn't get any better than this.
- Aga's out! Go get yourself some "Warehouse 13" awesomnes!
PS: Yes, that was a lot of gifs. No, I regret nothing. No, they are not made by me. Thank you.
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