Even with the disappointing news that next year’s season 5 will be the last one for Eureka, there are still plenty of episodes and excitement left for the show (currently airing season 4.5).
Eric Wallace, writer of the recent episode, “Omega Girls” — and several other Eureka episodes — spoke with BuddyTV about Eureka, what we can expect from upcoming episodes and going out with a bang.
This is part 1 of the Eric Wallace interview.
BuddyTV: I guess I’ll start with the big news that you don’t know anything about. Was last night’s news about Eureka as unexpected for you as it was for the rest of us?
Eric Wallace: The news about the cancellation, we had a little bit of warning. We did hear it a little sooner than you guys. And, to be honest with you, it’s disappointing for everyone.
But, on the other hand, we do have a whole season that folks haven’t seen yet that we’re really, really proud of and really, really excited about. So while there’s, you know, a little sadness on everybody’s part — I’ve been looking at tweets online, Facebook and Internet posts and whatnot. You guys are really telling us how much you love the show and how much you’re going to miss us. Well, we’re going to miss you too! We have such a great relationship with our fans, on our “Eureka Unscripted” blog, on our Eureka writers’ tweet feed. And all of us have a large online presence.
We’re going to miss everybody too, so I say let’s just have a yearlong party! And let’s celebrate the last season, because it’s really good, and I think we’re going to go out with some of our best work ever.
BuddyTV: I think celebrating works. So how much of season 5 has been completed? I know you’re already working on season 5. Is the season completed already, or is there still work to be done?
Eric Wallace: We’re pretty close… Yeah, I think we start shooting the last episode Thursday, in a couple of days — it’s Tuesday now. But yeah, we’re on the second-to-last episode, the last couple of days.
Then we go into the last episode, which now is kind of tinged a little bit, obviously, with a little bit of melancholy. It’s a little bit extra-special now, because this is the last time that Sheriff Carter’s going to put on that uniform. It’s the last time that he’s going to kiss Allison. The last time that Trevor Jackson as Kevin is going to complain, “Mom! You don’t make eggs properly for me anymore!” And the last time we’re going to hear Neil Grayston be Sarah the House — things of that nature. So there’s a little bit of poignancy involved. I’m sure there will be lots of tears and hugging and “Oh God! I love you so much, man!” and that kind of stuff. So yeah, it should be interesting.
BuddyTV: Are there any plans to adjust anything in the season finale since it’s now the series finale, or do you think it stands alone as it is?
Eric Wallace: That’s a really good question. When we were writing the season 5 finale, we tried to keep in mind that it could be both, that it could be a series finale or just a season ender. And I think we came up with an ending that kind of works both ways.
But I do know that Jaime Paglia — he’s our co-creator of the show, executive producer and co-showrunner with Bruce Miller, who’s our other executive producer and co-showrunner — I know they have discussed how they might want to tweak that ending just a little to give the fans in the audience — and ourselves — a little more closure. Whether or not we will get a chance to do that, we don’t know. It’s just too soon, and we don’t… We just found out this news a couple of days ago.
BuddyTV: To move you away from the show ending, I wanted to ask you about last night’s episode [August 8’s “Omega Girls”] — since you wrote it and all.
Eric Wallace: It’s a family-affair episode, written by myself and co-creator Jaime Paglia, directed by Salli [Richardson-Whitfield]. Jordan Hinson returns! And it’s just, it’s a love-fest of family, old friends. It’s one of the most fun episodes I’ve ever been associated with on the show.
BuddyTV: So, like you said, Jordan Hinson came back, are we going to see the characters of Zoe and Beverly anymore? It was kind of cool to see them again, but are we likely to see any more of them?
Eric Wallace: I can’t answer that! Because there are no spoilers here! Let’s just say, you may find out the answer to your own question sooner rather than later.
BuddyTV: So is it safe to assume that the story of Beverly taking over Allison’s brain is not over yet?
Eric Wallace: Well again, no spoilers, but I will point you toward a few specific lines in last night’s episode.
Beverly’s not alone when she breaks into Global Dynamics, in Allison’s body. She’s with her henchmen there. And there are a couple of lines there that they talk about. I would point you back to: What was the other guy doing? Just ask yourself that, because — I can’t remember the exact line and I wrote the episode, so I can’t expect anyone else to. But there’s a reason for everything that Beverly Barlowe does.
And if she’s breaking into Global Dynamics to get information, the question becomes: What is she going to use that information for? And I say, hang onto your hats, ’cause you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Click here to continue to Part 2 of the Eric Wallace interview.
(Image courtesy of Syfy)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
Laurel grew up in Mamaroneck, NY, Grosse Pointe, MI and Bellevue WA. She then went on to live in places like Boston, Tucson, Houston, Wales, Tanzania, Prince Edward Island and New York City before heading back to Seattle. Ever since early childhood, when she became addicted to The Muppet Show, Laurel has watched far too much TV. Current favorites include Chuck, Modern Family, Supernatural, Mad Men and Community. Laurel received a BA in Astrophysics (yes, that is possible) from Colgate University and a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies and History of Science from Columbia University before she realized that television is much better than studying.
