You know, Daniel, the coffee cups bothered me too, but I figured I was just being too petty for words and didn't say anything. Thanks for speaking up.

No problem. I enjoyed the episode, but empty things that should be heavier always niggles at my brain.

Of course, maybe they were special Eureka!cups. Antigravity in a cup.

Eureka!cups. Antigravity in a cup.

As long as what's in the cup smells nice, I don't mind wearing it in my hair because that is what would happen the first time I tried to use one.

There was liquid in the cups. It's funny that they looked empty. We always use liquid because empty cups don't behave properly. That's funny.

Maybe in sorting out the scene we got too familiar with the props. I'll re-watch it.

Fake it. Put a lead weight in the bottom of the cup.

Weird. They just looked...huh.

Still? Fun episode, and I don't remember any episode of The Andy Griffith Show like it.

Well, Jo does get to actually put bullets in her gun. Still, she is pretty skinny, she could fill in for Barney in a pinch.

Yup. It's part science, part fiction. But there does need to be a nice balance.

A bit of handwaving for the purpose of enjoying an otherwise good story is quite acceptibie. If the purpose of the story is to show an ordinary person coping with extraordinary (and seriously, that word looks so wrong I had to look it up in two places) circumstances (that one doesn't look right either), and the extraordinary circumstances chosen are "sci-fi"ish, you tend to get more handwaving than if you start with a really neat concept for a possible development in technology and/or science and build a story around it. On the other hand, writers who are really good at the latter type of story tend - and yes, I know this is not universal - not to have a really brilliant command of making the characters, and other facets of story, as compelling as the stories that may require more handwaving. Guess which type I watch more of?

There was liquid in the cups. It's funny that they looked empty. We always use liquid because empty cups don't behave properly. That's funny.

I'll bet that whatever the liquid was, it wasn't 19.5 ounces in 20 oz. cups with dubious-quality lids of near-boiling liquid which will probably stain your clothes. That can get treated very differently than 15 oz of tepid water.

Well, Jo does get to actually put bullets in her gun. Still, she is pretty skinny, she could fill in for Barney in a pinch.

The mental image of Jack trying to stop Jo from having all the bullets she wants? Priceless. And not at all similar to the mental image of Andy explaining it to Barney. Also, it's a good thing for Colin's back that it's just a mental image.

I'll bet that whatever the liquid was, it wasn't 19.5 ounces in 20 oz. cups with dubious-quality lids of near-boiling liquid which will probably stain your clothes.

See, people are crazy. I get the cup one size up from the serving I'm buying. With room, as they say at the Bean. It does help that I'm not addicted or nothing. Not at all.

and we will do better... should we get to come back.

I'm crossing all my fingers and toes, which makes it hard to do anything else, but hey, anything for a good cause.

I've been thinking about the magnetic fence. If it were as strong as the magnet in an MRI, the whole thing works a little better.

The wireless transmitter became wonky because Stark replaced some chip or other before he sent Callister away, for a reason I need to rewatch to find out what it was.

Because things were going wonky before he left, as I recall.

And I think Callister was the virus, sort of. He was breaking down, dying like the others had; he just lasted longer.

empty things that should be heavier always niggles at my brain.

You know, I think I've seen too many empty cups on television. I noticed that, but it didn't actually ping me.

What was the last scene? SciFi lied and the ep was a few minutes off.

Zoe: Dad!
Jack: Zoe! You okay?
Zoe leading Stark and Jack around the busses to where Callister is sitting on the ground leaning back against a bus: I think he's sick.
Stark: Callister! Callister, hey.

Stark kneels beside Callister; Jack and Zoe stop a little way back

Jack: Hey, Nathan. Let's get him back to the car.
Callister gives a faint jerk of his head that could be taken as a no. Stark freezes.

Stark: Give us a second will you?

Jack and Zoe step away and look at one another

Jack: You didn't leave.
Zoe: I knew he needed help.
Jack: Where were you going?
Zoe: pained look, slight shake of the head Anywhere but here.
Jack: Nods. Pauses. You were right. Before. If you'd called and asked to come to Eureka, I would have said no.

Zoe, looking resigned, nods

Jack: And I would have regretted it for the Rest. Of my. Life.
Zoe: You said you were done with me.
Jack: Zoe. You're my daughter and I will Never. Ever. be done with you.

camera switches back to Callister

Callister: I messed everything up again didn't I?
Stark: No. It's my fault. I should have never sent you away in the first place.
Callister: I'm scared. I'm not ready.
Stark: I know.
Callister: What's going to happen to me?
Stark: Remember what Alan Turing said?
Callister: He figured God could give a computer a soul, if he wanted to.
Stark nods
Callister: Do you think that's true?
Stark teary: I know it is.

Callister's eyes flip front with a little whirring sound, and they go black. Stark bends over the body, Zoe grabs Jack and cries.

Next scene, street of Eureka outside the police station, then inside. Zoe enters with two cups of coffee

Jack looks up: Hey.
Zoe: Hey.
Jack: What're you doin' here?
Zoe putting cup of coffee down in front of Jack: I was just on my way to school. She smiles at him, more her usual self, and he is bribed, taking the cup of coffee. Jack speaking slowly: So. I spoke with the credit card company. And pulled some strings with my old boss. pauseYou know you're going to have to pay back every penny, right?
Zoe: I know. I will.
Jack: Okay.
Zoe: Okay.

Long pause. Zoe looks sad. She gets up and turns to go. The camera stays on her

Jack: Zoe. Jack gets up and walks around his desk. Then we see him
Jack: Um. Uh. I was wrong.
Zoe: quizzical look
Jack: About your hair. I like it.
Zoe: Really? Because I think I'm going back to blonde! Zoe grins, leaves.
Jack: After the door shuts Oh! Thank God. Makes a whooo-whew sort of sound.