Who’s watching Warehouse 13?

I’ll admit, I had my doubts. When I began watching the pilot episode, well, to say that I was less than enthusiastic is an understatement. Thirty minutes in I turned it off. It felt bored and cliched and I thought that, once again, the Sci-Fi Channel, er… I mean, the SyFy Channel (Really? What numskull thought that rebranding was a good idea?) had dropped the ball. And no, I’m not talking about the magical football that was tossed about in the episode.

So why am I even bothering with a blog about a show that I bailed on after a mere half hour?

Because the next day, I watched the final hour, that’s why. And I’ll be damned, it actually was alright. The story really picked up once the actual mystery got under way. The characters finally spoke to me, the plot settled in and became palpable, and, to be honest, those nifty steampunk gadgets tickled my inner nerdometer.

Sure, it’s been done before… the series Friday the 13th comes to mind, but there are other elements as well, ranging from the X-Files to Wild Wild West, that make this show feel comfortable, like an old pair of house slippers or a favored smoking jacket.

Now with two episodes under its belt, Warehouse 13 feels right. Perfect? Oh no, but enjoyable, especially as we’re locked into the doldrums known as Summer TV. Let’s face it, what’s on worth watching right now? True Blood, Burn Notice, the much maligned and doomed to cancellation Kings… Warehouse 13 is what it is, a quirky and fun little series that is growing on me.

The actors really sell the show, of course having the always wonderful Saul Rubinek on board doesn’t hurt a thing. I’ve been a fan of Joanna Kelly’s past work (late of two shows I was hooked on that got killed before their time, Vanished and The Dresden Files) and Eddie McClintock steals every scene he’s in.

But the real stars of the series? Those cool ass gadgets and artifacts. From the Tesla Gun to the Farnsworth Communicator to the Steampunk computer… The ghost of Jules Verne is alive and well, and living in America’s attic.

Anyway, I’m invested in the show now and I’m in for as long as hulu continues to feed it to me. After all, Agents Lattimer, Bering, and Neilson are occult detectives… You just knew I’d give ‘em a chance.

So, how about you? Are you buying or selling?