Warehouse 13: The Complete Series Blu-ray Review
“Warehouse 13” has its charms, but it borrows too heavily from other series.
Created by Jane Esponson and D. Brent Mote, 2009’s SyFy Channel series “Warehouse 13” revolves around 2 Secret Service agents (Pete and Myka) who become recruited to Warehouse 13- a secret facility housing supernatural artifacts that is run by the eccentric Artie and the mysterious Irene Frederic (the caretaker). The agents are assigned to recover artifacts and investigate cases in which the artifacts may be affecting people (or many people). Throughout the 65 episode 5 season run, viewers can expect to see stories about artifacts galore (bloodstone, music, camera, the list goes on), Leena (a bed and breakfast owner who can read auras), Warehouse 13 complications, a computer hacker (Claudia) joining the team, artifact possessions, “Eureka” crossovers, The Dark Vault, the Regents (Warehouse protectors), big bads (James MacPherson, Paracelsus), a body swap, H.G. Wells, time travel, other Warehouses, an ATF agent (Steven) joining thee squad, Pete’s family, globe-trotting adventures, the Brotherhood of the Black Diamond, the astrolabe being used to reverse time but causing complications, a character death, Claudia’s sister Claire, and more.
The sci-fi series “Warehouse 13” managed to develop a loyal fanbase through its 5 season run and it’s easy to see why the show appealed to fans of the genre. It’s a sometimes weird and quirky show that had mystery, drama, supernatural elements, and likable core characters. As the show enters its 15th anniversary though, “Warehouse 13” has become rather lost to time. Not only do they really not make series like this anymore, but the show didn’t lacked staying power in the history of sci-fi TV.
The main issue with “Warehouse 13” is that it lacks its own identity. Sure, the show may have come into its own with each subsequent season and added some steampunk flavor, but the entire premise is ripped from other films and shows like “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “The X-Files,” “Torchwood,” “Ghostbusters,” and Friday The 13th: The Series.” When it boils down to it, all of those films and shows are preferable to “Warehouse 13.” “Warehouse 13” is at its best when it embraces the weirder elements (like video game episode and the clever series finale). When the series leans into its artifact of the week (which is essentially a re-done monster of the week procedural), it feels stiff and bland like we’ve seen it all before. Sure, the writers attempt to mix it up by incorporating artifacts from real life figures likeLewis Carroll, Edgar Allan Poe, Jack Kirby, William Shakespeare, Ulysses S. Grant, H.P. Lovecraft, etc., but even that grows stale.
Eddie McClintock (Pete) and Joanne Kelly (Myka) may be the stars, but let’s be real, it’s the supporting cast that elevates the show. McClintock and Kelly are serviceable leads to be sure, but Saul Rubinek (Artie), Irene (CCH Pounder) and Claudia (Allison Scagliotti) are the characters you invest in. They’re more complex and exciting. The guest star line-up is also top-notch here as notable genre actors from everything to “Firefly” and “Star Trek” appear such as Jeri Ryan, Brent Spiner, Mark A. Sheppard, Anthony Michael Hall, Kate Mulgrew, Rene Auberjonois, Sean Maher and Jewel Staite, etc. You never know who will pop up and that’s part of the fun of the show.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.78:1 1080p. How do the episodes look? The episodes feature crisp hi-def transfer with each season looking better than the last.
Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? The 5.1 tracks certainly do the job here.
Extras:
* Season 1- Deleted scenes from 7 episodes, commentary on the pilot episode by Saul Rubinek, a 3 minute gag reel, “Saul Searching” (Saul Rubinek answers questions), “Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe” (a featurette on the series plot and conception, casting, and more), season 2 preview, “Artie-Facts” (about the artifacts in the series), “What’s In The Shadows?” (covers The Dark Vault), commentary on “Claudia” by exec producer Jack Kenny, cast members Joanne Kelly, CCH Pounder and Allison Scagliotti and producer Drew Z. Greenberg, commentary on “Implosion” by writer Bob Goodman, stars CCH Pounder, Joanne Kelly, and and exec producer Jack Kenny, and commentary on “Macpherson” by Jack Kenny and stars CCH Pounder and Allison Scagliotti.
* Season 2- Deleted scenes from 10 episodes, 3 minute gag reel, photo gallery, “A Thrilleromedy” (about the thriller, drama, and comedy elements of the show), “A Stitch In Time” (about H.G. Wells character), 5 video blogs about season 2, the warehouse, Pete and Myka’s characters, the supernatural aspects and the artifacts, “Designing The Warehouse” (production design featurette), “Crossing Over: Eureka Crossover Episode,” and commentary on “For Time Will Tell” (Jack Kenny, Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek and Allison Scagliotti), “Merge With Caution” (Jack Kenny, Saul Rubinek, Eddie McClintock, Allison Scagliotti and Joanne Kelly), and “Reset” (Jack Kenny, Saul Rubinek, eddie McClintock, Allison Scagliotti, and Joanne Kelly).
* Season 3- Deleted scenes from 4 episodes, 3 ½ minute gag reel, Saul Rubinek on “The Lovesick Podcast,” “Guest Starring…” (about the show’s guest stars), 10 webisodes “Of Monsters And Men,” commentary on “The New Guy” (Jack Kenny, Eddie McClintock, and producers Bob Goodman, Benjamin Raab and Deric A. Hughes), “3…2…1…” (Jack Kenny, Bob Goodman, Allison Scagliotti, and Eddie McClintock), “The 40th Floor” (Jack Kenny, Benjamin Raab, Deric A. Hughes, Allison Scagliotti and and Eddie McClintock),
* Season 4- Deleted and extended scenes from 10 episodes, 10 part “Grand Designs” web series, nearly 4 minute gag reel, and podcast commentaries for “A New Hope” (Jack Kenny and Allison Scagliotti), “An Evil Within” (Jack Kenny and Allison Scagliotti), “Personal Effects” (Jack Kenny, Allison Scagliotti and Ian Stokes), “There’s Always A Downside” (Jack Kenny, Allison Scagliotti and Ian Stokes), “No Pain, No Gain” (Kristen Nelson, Jack Kenny, Joanne Kelly and Tim Omundson), “Fractures” (Jack Kenny, Joanne Kelly, Benjamin Raab and Deric A. Hughes), “Endless Wonder” (Jack Kenny, Allison Scagliotti, Danielle Nicolet, Chris Fisher and Bob Goodman), “Second Chance” (Jack Kenny, Allison Scagliotti, Chris Fisher, Bob Goodman, Diego Gutierrez), “The Ones You Love” (Allison Scagliotti, Jack Kenny, Holly Harold and Joanne Kelly), “We All Fall Down” (Jack Kenny, Joanne Kelly, and Holly Harold), “The Sky’s The Limit” (Jack Kenny, Michael Jones-Morales, Allison Scagliotti and Eddie McClintock), and “The Truth Hurts” (Jack kenny, Allison Scagliotti and Eddie McClintock).
* Season 5- Deleted and extended scenes from 4 episodes, a nearly 4 minute gag reel, “Warehouse 13: Behind The Shelves” (a vast and emotional 50 minute retrospective on the series with fund tidbits for fans), and podcast commentaries on “Endless Terror” (Jack Kenny, Eddie McClintock, Tom Lieber), “Secret Services” (Jack Kenny, Eddie McClintock, Robert Duncan McNeil, and Tom Lieber), “A Faire To Remember” (Jack Kenny, Tom Lieber, Eddie McClintock and Ryan Cartwright), “Savage Seduction” (Allison Scagliotti, Jack Kenny, and Eddie McClintock), “Cangku Shisi” (Jack Kenny, Allison Scagliotti, Eddie McClintock, Benjamin Raab and Deric A. Hughes) and “Endless” (Jack Kenny, Eddie McClintock, Allison Scagliotti and John-Paul Nickel).
No comments yet.
Share This Blog
Robert Ham
dmanderson
Andrea
nicklyons1
DVD Corner 
Leave a comment