WAREHOUSE 13: ‘Trials’ Recap

Over the years, WAREHOUSE 13 has gotten a lot of praise for being the kind of show a family can watch together, and season three is shaping up in the same way. A large portion of that is a result of the writers and actors and showrunners PURPOSEFULLY relying on family elements and experiences for their characters. Sure, not everything in the warehouse is “happy” this season, but isn’t that what a family is like too? When someone leaves — for whatever reason — the dynamic changes. Myka is learning that as she reintegrates herself back with the other warehouse agents. When someone new joins a family — for whatever reason — the dynamic changes again, and Steve Jinks is finding himself a catalyst for change. And I like it. I like the new and slightly edgy push-pull between Pete and Myka, and even if it doesn’t end with romance (like we sort of talked about last week), it will end with some good character development and that is never bad. Eddie McClintock (Pete) and Joanne Kelly (Myka) were pitch perfect with their subtlety in this episode, proving they still have what it takes to keep a show on the air.

The title of the episode, “Trial,” was reflected in the way Myka’s monologue served as bookends for the episode. Through the use of voice-over, we saw as she considered the trial period for her reinstatement back to the warehouse. And it was reflected in the case, where a man was on trial for a murder he insisted he did not commit.

It’s not a WH13 ep without some sort of supernatural element, and when the episode began, we saw a pilot experience some strange lightning flashes near his eyes. Soon he was hospitalized and showing signs of growing younger in his mental age. A doctor in the same area experiences the same thing, and it’s up to Pete and Myka to travel to Seattle to investigate. Throughout their work, Myka is convinced Pete has something he wants to say to her, but nothing she says makes him divulge. They split up their work, and Pete comes back with information — both victims were present at a restaurant on the night of a murder. Pete investigates the restaurant while Myka talks with the victim’s mother, and they both go talk to Jeff, the accused. He says the people who are after him are after Eric, his best friend.

Pete and Myka discover Eric also is losing his adult memories and functions, and when they discuss it, Pete’s eyes do the lightning flash, and soon he’s reverting back to his childhood.

As Myka is forced to work the case on her own, she grows stronger in her determination and more terrified that Pete won’t recover. He (as if he’s barely 10) confesses that he knows not everything will be okay because of the death of his dad — a nice nod to earlier seasons. Myka tries to cheer him up, but Pete sadly insists that everyone leaves him. Myka realizes she now fits that category.

She chases after Jeff’s lawyer (rhymetastically named “Sawyer”) and a news reporter intent on breaking open the story and making it big. But it’s Leena who helps her most when she identifies the tie clip the lawyer wore — when it was matched with Walter Winchell’s cufflinks, memories were extracted and returned. Myka learns that Eric Bell’s mother was Winchell’s granddaughter, and she confronts her. She knew Eric was guilty of Amy’s death and wanted to protect him. Myka does what is necessary to stop her from destroying the cufflinks, and when she returns to Pete’s hospital room, he is able to flash back to normal. Yet…something still lingers in his eyes. Perhaps he wants to say that he’s mad that she left him, perhaps that he thinks she’s pretty. Perhaps both.

In the end, he wants to leave, and finally Myka calls him out, and she talks. She admits she should have never left the warehouse without talking to him. She apologizes for leaving. He thanks her. I liked that it wasn’t anything more or less than that. Thoughts from you? Is there more Myka needs to do to make up for leaving? What are Pete’s thoughts do you think?

On the other side of the country, Claudia and Steve were tracking down Typhoid Mary’s knife. It was said to allow its holder the ability to exchange pain for health. When it was scheduled for auction, Artie sent them both on the mission, immediately bolstering Claudia’s “I’m awesome” attitude for being on her first mission as a lead and Steve’s “I thought the warehouse was going to be a lot more dangerous” attitude, seeing as how he almost died from some Shakespeare in his first case. He wants action like the ATF or FBI, but he’s getting auction instead. At least Claudia wins her auction bid, but when they go to get their “prize,” it’s been stolen, putting them on the chase. They examine the auction house’s employee records and notice a man named Larsen quit that morning after having only worked for one week. He’s the immediate suspect, and so they pull a stakeout, in which they both reveal personal information about themselves.

When they spot Larsen, they make a run for him, but they are interrupted by Artie. Larsen uses the knife on him to exchange his knee pain, making it easy for him to escape. Claudia feels betrayed that Artie was spying on her, but he insists he really only wanted to watch her in action. Steve uses his truthy spidey sense to vouch for Artie. They trace Larsen to a hospital room where he’s using the knife’s powers on a younger man. Fearing the worst, Claudia and Jinks burst inside, but Larsen tells them they are too late — he’s used the knife to exchange his health for his son’s leukemia. Claudia and Jinks understand his motive and take only the knife. My favorite part of their B-story: When Claudia called Jinksy “Angela Lansbury.” HA!

In the end, they learn what Pete and Myka have known but might be re-learning…that family is important, no matter what it looks like from the outside. They are kind of a misfit bunch — all designed to do some sort of good, and they’ve found one another in their attempts to help save the world. As Claudia put it, they don’t go after bad guys — they go after artifacts.

And I’m still tuning in!

What say you?! Did you like the dual cases? Are you liking the Claudia/Jinks partnership? Are Pete and Myka truly back as real partners? Let’s discuss!