Mary McNamara: ‘Warehouse 13’ is ‘simply entertaining’

Syfy may not quite understand the concept of re-branding (So you actually went with the y’s. Really.) but they definitely understand the concept of summer, offering us for our viewing pleasure “Warehouse 13,” a fantasy-action serial as lightly thrilling as the sound of the Good Humor man’s bell on a drowsy afternoon. ‘The X-Files’ meets ‘Fringe’ by way of ‘The Librarian’ with a little ‘Indiana Jones’ and maybe even ‘Bones’ thrown in for good measure, ‘Warehouse 13’ is unapologetically and delightfully derivative, happily plucking the best stuff from our favorite shows and leaving all the heaviness behind. In this loud and angry world of post-mythology and damaged heroes, how nice to see a television show satisfied with being simply entertaining. Here’s the pitch: Pete (Eddie McClintock) and Myka (Joanne Kelly) are a pair of good-lookin’ ‘He Said, She Said’ FBI agents -- he’s intuitive, she’s a stickler -- heading up security during a presidential visit to the Museum of Natural History. After they manage to save the president’s life from a mysterious blood-leaking idol that causes a lab technician to become a murderous zombie (don’t you love it already?), they are approached by the mysterious Mrs. Frederic (‘The Shield’s’ CCH Pounder, always a pleasure). She sends them on a mission to the Badlands of South Dakota where they find the adorable but equally mysterious Artie (Saul Rubinek providing teddy-bear crush-fodder for geek girls everywhere), who introduces them to Warehouse 13. Here is where that bloodthirsty idol head is being stored, along with acres and acres of every haunted, magical, mystical, inexplicable artifact you’ve ever heard of -- Pandora’s box, for instance -- and many you have not... READ THE REST -- Mary McNamara