I am – Hercules!!

It’s a “Men In Black” meets “Northern Exposure” sci-fi hour, from two writers named Andrew Cosby and Jaime Paglia, about a “secret” town Harry Truman and Albert Einstein started so America’s most brilliant scientists could live next to each other and create defense miracles.

Sounds like the best show ever, yes? As it happens, not so much. The characters all feel like shadows of better characters, the comedy isn’t strong (and needs to be when the series resembles “Black” and “Exposure” this much), the plot crushes credulity, there’s a Wesleyesque genius kid to save the day, and the pilot’s central crisis is one of the dullest doomsdays ever. (On the plus side, lead G-girl Salli Richardson-Whitfield could not be hotter.)

But what matters Herc’s opinion?

Variety says:

… The idea itself - a secluded hamlet occupied by scientific geniuses, which the government keeps sequestered from the world - is pretty damn good, even if the execution doesn't quite live up to it. All told, Sci Fi's experiment with a "Northern Exposure"-like drama can't yet be labeled an unqualified success, though further testing might be required. …

The Hollywood Reporter says:

… owes more to Disney than to Serling. It has a calculated family appeal, two-dimensional characters, reliably happy endings and an aversion to taking anything too seriously. It can be pleasant - even charming at times - but not much more than that. … Writers Andrew Cosby and Jaime Paglia have tapped into an interesting concept but stopped short of making Eureka the fullblooded capital of weird science it could become. Without a harder edge, the weekly crises in Eureka will seem like little more than the wacky work of a nutty professor. It's fine to be mildly entertaining, but "Eureka" could have been more.

TV Guide says:

… a divertingly original but awfully precious comic fantasy … Part of the fun of Eureka comes in watching Carter settle in to a place where the fantastic is taken for granted … So far, the show is more likable than memorable, but there are worse places to spend a midsummer's night. …

Entertainment Weekly gives it a “B-plus” and says:

… Somewhere in the Northwest (Oregon? Washington? let them fight it out) lies this Geniusville, where Truman, Einstein, and a host of other big giant heads founded this center of U.S. innovation among tall trees and nice weather.

USA Today gives it three (out of four) stars and says:

… There's a mystery to be solved and a few shocks to deliver, but mostly the show aims for clever, knowing and mildly funny. Generally it hits the mark, thanks in large part to Ferguson and an attractive, diverse cast including Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Debrah Farentino and Joe Morton. As often happens with sci-fi shows, tonight's extended pilot asks you to overlook some blatant logical lapses and an oddly rushed resolution. Still, if you've been searching for some hot-weather diversion, Eureka may be the place.…

The Washington Post says:

… "Ah, there's this machine and a missing formula and science stuff I can't explain," Carter replies. The same might go for viewers when it comes to the plotline. But an episode involving a "Men in Black"-like memory-wiping machine is a bit easier to follow for those who are less than science-savvy. In the end, it's Eureka's townsfolk who keep the common viewer intrigued.…

The New York Sun says:

… The minor issues that plague "Eureka" could easily overshadow the larger problem, which is its very existence. … Nothing in the two-hour movie that launches "Eureka" tonight at 9 p.m. suggests anything new or fresh or provocative. It's amusing without being fun, oddball without being weird, strange without being different. If it finds an audience, it will only be among those who want to repeat old thrills instead of seeking new ones.

The Boston Herald says:

… How many geniuses does it take to make a good show? “Eureka” has a town full of them and it’s not enough. … Sci Fi should be commended for upgrading its production look over its typical “Stargate” Wal-Mart mash. In comparison to that franchise, “Eureka” might well as be a Peter Jackson epic. But there’s not a lot of dramatic tension and not nearly enough weirdness to bring you back. If “Eureka” intends on sticking around, it better smarten up.

9 p.m. Tuesday. SciFi.

Streeting Today!!
* The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.: The Complete Series * Amazing Stories: The Complete First Season * Avatar: The Last Airbender Book One Volume 4 * Carnivale: The Complete Second Season * The Incredible Hulk: The Complete First Season * Jack of All Trades: The Complete Series * The New Adventures of Flash Gordon: The Complete Series * The Pee-Wee Herman Show * Ren & Stimpy: The Lost Episodes * Ultraman Vol. 1