Warehouse 13

When the American Sci Fi Channel changed  its spelling to Syfy -and triggered a wave of criticism- it explained that part of the reasoning was it felt boxed in by a misconception that science fiction was alien-based. It overlooked a wide range of story ideas one of which, no doubt, is the odd world of its new Warehouse 13.

In deepest South Dakota is a giant storage facility of scientific, mythological and metaphysical artifacts that have ever been gathered -just a US border away from Nevada’s Area 51.

Eddie McClintock (Bones, The Sweetest Thing) plays Secret Service Agent Pete Lattimer who is assigned to the mysterious Warehouse 13 along with Secret Service Agent Myka Bering , played by Joanne Kelly (Vanished, The Dresden Files). As veritable strangers, both are lumped together after saving the life of the US President in an opening sequence at a Museum gathering.

When they arrive at the storage facility, the two assured Agents are out of their depth. The ominous shed looms large in the middle of a desert. Neither understands where they have been sent, let alone why. Into the mix lands the boffin-like Dr. Arthur “Artie” Nielsen (Saul Rubinek), who is also a Secret Service Agent but is more effectively a caretaker of what he describes as “America’s attic.”

The storage facility is jam-packed with crates of artifacts, historical items and even planes retrieved from the Bermuda Triangle. Indiana Jones would be delerious by its treasure trove. Impressive in ambitions, the wide shots here are too CGI-phony to be convincing. More importantly, it no doubt houses a slew of story ideas that Lattimer and Bering can pursue. As Artie tells them, they will follow each spooky tale and “snag it, bag it and tag it.”

The first hour of the two hour premiere sets up the series, as our heroes come to terms with their bizarre assignment. Borrowing more than a leaf from the book of Mulder and Scully, Lattimer and Bering create sparks as a love / hate crime team. They are well-suited to the tone of this series which is light and disposable and never too serious.

The second hour demonstrates more typically the way the series will unfold, when they investigate a report of domestic abuse in smalltown Iowa and discover a lawyer who is channelling Lucrezia Borgia. Here it becomes a bit mechanical, but hopefully there are more entertaining adventures in store.

Warehouse 13 draws upon mythology, both historical and modern, more than aliens and as an Earth-bound series will nicely complement other tales on the Sci Fi platform.

Warehouse 13 premieres 7:30pm Friday March 5 on Sci Fi.