Watch to Rewatch Online: Eureka

The science-fiction TV series Eureka debuted back on July 18, 2006 on the then Sci-Fi Channel, which was later renamed Syfy in July of 2009. The show was set in the fictional town of Eureka in Southern Oregon. Although sharp-eyed fans of the series might remember that the pilot episode was located in Eureka in Washington State. The series was created by Andrew Cosby and Jaime Paglia.

Most residents of Eureka were scientific geniuses, working for Global Dynamics, which was an advanced research facility responsible for the development of nearly all major technological breakthroughs since its inception. As viewers of the show will (hopefully) remember, each episode found the town of Eureka and its inhabitants dealing with a mysterious accident or intentional misuse of that crazy advanced technology, requiring the town sheriff to deal with the ramifications along with the help of the town’s scientists. Luckily (or not), the town of Eureka was protected by an electromagnetic shield, overseen by the U.S. Department of Defense, keeping its existence and location a closely guarded secret.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) inadvertently stumbled upon the town of Eureka while transporting his own rebellious teenage daughter Zoe (Jordan Danger, nee Jordan Hinson) back to her mom’s home in Los Angeles. When a faulty experiment cripples the current sheriff of Eureka, Jack found himself quickly chosen to fill the vacancy. Despite not being a genius like most members of the town, Jack demonstrated a remarkable ability to connect to others, keen and practical insights and a dedication to preserving the safety of Eureka.

The rest of the main characters included:

Dr. Allison Blake (Salli Richardson-Whitfield) was a Department of Defense agent who acted as the liaison between Global Dynamics and the federal government, who later became the head of Global Dynamics. She was the mother of Kevin, who had autism and later became Jack’s wife.

NOTE: Richardson-Whitfield directed two episodes of Eureka and has since gone on to be a successful director, most recently on The Gilded Age and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.

Dr. Henry Deacon (Joe Morton) was a brilliant scientist and the town’s “Jack of All Trades,” who had ethical objections to the kind of research conducted at Global Dynamics, so he preferred to be employed as the town’s mechanic.

Dr. Nathan Stark (Ed Quinn) was one of the town’s top scientists and ex-husband of Allison. He and Jack were frequently at odds despite respecting each other.

Josephina “Jo” Lupo, (Erica Cerra) was Eureka’s deputy sheriff, and a former U.S. Army Ranger. She later became the head of Global Dynamics security.

Dr. Douglas Fargo (Neil Grayston) was a junior scientist, treated somewhat dismissively by his peers because he was accident-prone, often ending up a victim of the disasters befalling the town. He also created and voice SARAH (the self-actuated residential automated habitat), the smart home where Jack and Zoe lived.

Zane Donovan (Niall Matter) was a rebellious genius who was recruited to Global Dynamics. He allegedly caused a stock market crash and agreed to work for GD as an alternative to imprisonment. He and Jo finally got engaged in the series finale.

Vincent (the late Chris Gauthier) was the owner and chef of Cafe Diem, a small eatery on main street. While Vincent was a gourmet cook, he also held a Ph.D in Molecular gastronomy.

The recurring cast included:

Debrah Farentino as Dr. Beverly Barlowe, the town psychiatrist
Tembi Locke as Dr. Grace Monroe, a scientist, mechanic and wife of Henry Deacon
Christopher Jacob as Larry Haberman, a rival of Douglas Fargo
Kavan Smith as Deputy Andy, a hand-picked robotic replacement in the Sheriff’s office
Felicia Day as Holly Marten, a rocket scientist and love interest for Douglas Fargo
Matt Frewer as Jim Taggart, the town’s veterinarian and biological containment specialist
Jaime Ray Newman as Tess Fontana, a world-renowned engineer and astrophysicist and old friend of Allison Blake
James Callis as Dr. Trevor Grant, a time traveller who worked as Albert Einstein’s assistant
Frances Fisher as Eva Thorne, a corporate fixer and later revealed as a founder of Eureka
Ever Carradine as Lexi Carter, Jack’s baby sister
Barclay Hope as General Mansfield, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and military advisor to the President
Ming-Na Wen as U.S. Senator Michaela Wen, who was sent to oversee and run Eureka and in charge of funding at Global Dynamics

Some of the guest stars included:

Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Tamlyn Tomita (The Man in the High Castle and Cobra Kai)
Martin Cummins (When Calls the Heart)
Roger Cross (Coroner and Sight Unseen)
Wallace Shawn (The Princess Bride)
Greg Germann (Ally McBeal)
Billy Campbell (Cardinal and Helix)
Allison Scagliottti (Warehouse 13)
The late great Stan Lee
Teryl Rothery (Stargate: SG-1 and Virgin River)
Saul Rubinek (Warehouse 13 and Hunters)
Michael Shanks (Stargate: SG-1)
Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica and Murder In a Small Town)
Jim Parsons (Big Bang Theory)
Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica and Sons of Anarchy)
John Reardon (Hudson & Rex)
Marie Avgeropoulos (The 100)

While the show didn’t get critical acclaim in the beginning, it was a ratings success for the cable network, becoming the highest rated series launch in the network’s history. Eureka earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Visual Effects for a Series and won the Leo Award for Best Visual Effects in a Dramatic Series. The show also spawned a series of comic books in 2009 and three related novels that were released in 2010 and 2011.

Eureka ran for five seasons, running for 77 episodes and came to an end on April 16, 2012. You can watch all five seasons on Amazon Prime.

Here is a trailer of Eureka for your enjoyment.