Lower Decks

It took four episodes but I think Warehouse 13 has finally found its footing. “Claudia” was a strong episode that brought Artie’s minor story line — someone hacking into the Warehouse’s computer system — to an interesting conclusion of sorts. The episode introduced a new character played by Allison Scagliotti that could either add a new dynamic to the series or bog it down with a know-it-all teenager a la Wesley Crusher. We’ll just have to see.

Artie is kidnapped by a young woman named Claudia who, we learn, is trying to save her brother by recreating the dangerous experiment that ended with him stuck in another dimension. Once Artie realizes that Joshua, the brother, is actually alive he also throws himself into trying to make the experiment work. Myka and Pete return from a mission to find Artie missing but after getting in touch with him they too wind up helping. Throughout the episode Artie has flashbacks to the original experiment and also hallucinates, apparently.

Eventually, thanks to Pete and Myka uncovering a hidden set of instructions, Artie is able to save Joshua and in doing so saves Claudia as well. But the episode doesn’t end on an entirely happen note. Mrs. Frederic makes an appearance and warns Artie that Claudia knows too much. Oh no! Will Artie have to do something terrible to keep Claudia silent? Although I’ve seen the following episode so I know the answer I won’t spoil it in this review. I will say that it was obvious what Artie was going to do.

I’m not sure why I liked this episode so much. Maybe it was pushing Artie to the forefront. Or maybe it was the hilarious scene near the beginning of the episode in which Myka and Pete recount their experience at a zoo while trying to track down an artifact.