Eureka (2006)/Invincible

Invincible
Season 1, Episode 5
Airdate	August 15, 2006
Production Number	108
Written by	Dan E. Fesman
Directed by	Michael Grossman
Stream
← 1x04 Alienated	1x06 → Dr. Nobel
Eureka (2006) — Season One

Invincible is the fifth episode of the first season of Eureka.

Though a series of experiments involving cell regeneration, scientist Carl Carlson becomes impervious to harm. However, Carlson starts to realize that something is wrong when he can't duplicate the experiment results and begins to exhibit telekinetic powers.

Starring: Colin Ferguson (Sheriff Jack Carter), Salli Richardson-Whitfield (Allison Blake), Joe Morton (Henry Deacon), Jordan Hinson (Zoe Carter), Ed Quinn (Nathan Stark)

Also Starring: Erica Cerra (Deputy Jo Lupo), Neil Grayston (Douglas Fargo, S.A.R.A.H.)

With: Matt Frewer (Jim Taggart)

And: Debrah Farentino (Beverly Barlowe)

Guest Starring: Saul Rubinek (Dr. Carl Carlson), Chris Gauthier (Vincent), Shayn Solberg (Spencer Martin)

Co-Starring: Yvonne Myers (), Randal Edwards ()

Plot Overview

Jack has put off his physical three times and Allison has decided to take matters into her own hands to make him get examined so that he can be insured and they don't have to find another sheriff. He manages to elude dropping his pants in his office when a paranoid germophobe named Carl Carlson calls the station. He tells Jack that Sheriff Cobb used to drive him to work on "very important days," and that he won't get out of the house until Cobb comes to pick him up. Beverly appears, suddenly and convinces her patient that Jack is just as qualified as Cobb because he used to be a US Marshall. Jack agrees to taxi Dr. Carlson to Global Dynamics and later agrees to sit in on his research in order to avoid Allison. In the lab, Carlson begins his experiment and accidentally drops all of his solution into the centrifuge, causing an explosion that throws Jack through a window.

The explosion causes Stark to revoke government funding from Carlson and have Jack kick him out of town. While Carlson is getting back on his feet, Jack offers to let him stay at his place because it's hermetically sealed. Outside of Carlson's house, Allison slaps a "portable physical" that monitors vital signs on Jack's neck and gives him three boxes of forms for Carlson to sign. In the meantime, Carlson continues to try to contact Beverly, who refuses to pick up because he's no longer a viable candidate for her plans.

At his home, Jack gets a phone call from Carl from the DiVinci Bridge. Jack races to Carl in order to talk him down from the ledge, but right when Jack manages the two manages to become borderline friends, they fall off the bridge. Carl is mysteriously unhurt and breaks Jack's fall, although Jack is still hurt and may have broken something according to Allison's readings. Carl makes his way to Henry's gas station and discovers that his wound from the bridge has healed instantly. Carlson runs away and Jack makes chase after him.

Carlson finds his way to Cafe Diem, where he orders a beer and announces that he no longer is constrained by the fears that he was once plagued by. He spots Beverly at the bar and explains that she was right about him taking risks. He kisses her to demonstrate that now that he doesn't have the fear anymore, he can do all the things he wanted to. When he leaves the diner and sees Nathan at his car, he picks up a knife and stabs himself in the hand to show off his spontaneous cellular regeneration to Stark and Jack.

Stark gives him his job back and, at the lab, finds that it wasn't just Carlson adding too much of his solution to the centrifuge, but a breach in Section 5 which may have caused Carlson's spontaneous regeneration. Carlson comments to Jack in his lab that, in a way, he feels pregnant. Later, Carlson finds himself having trouble recreating the results of the experiment that made him invincible. The next morning, Henry discovers from Carlson's blood work that he was exposed to some radiation that he thinks may have come from another lab. Meanwhile, in Carlson's lab, Carlson knocks a tray out of his lab assistant's hands telekinetically. Henry theorizes that Carlson's mutation is causing his brain to work at 100% of the possible capacity and he's continuing to evolve.

Jack and Nathan confront Carlson in his lab and find him sketching the thing that is behind locked doors in section 5. He tells them that he's starting to be able to sense feelings and thoughts, but he refuses to let Nathan study him like he attempts to study the thing in the vault. Carlson goes to Beverly's house and discovers her plans for section 5 with his newfound telekinesis. Nathan calls in a strike team to take Carlson back in by force. When one of the commandos attacks Carlson, he deflects the laser and accidentally hits Jack. In order to save Jack's life, Carlson is forced to make contact with the artifact and tap into Jack's brain. Jack's body heals on its own and Carl locks himself in the vault with the artifact, where he will certainly be killed.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Section 5: The artifact in Section 5 is shown clearly for the first time, although it's still nondescript because of all of the light. What is known is that the radiation it lets off has the ability to mutate humans. Carlson was able to access 100% of his brain's capacity and could siphon the energy to temporarily do the same for Jack, but whether or not this was the normal reaction or if it was a one-off occurrence is unknown.
• Espionage: Beverly's plan hinges on gaining access to Section 5 and planned to use Carlson to do so. She apparently plans to use Fargo as her agent instead. In the episode, she is also shown talking to someone with a great deal of power, but is obscured in the holographic image.

Trivia

The Show

• Urban Myth: The episode references a mutation in Carl Carlson that allows him to use a greater portion of his brain. In the episode, Henry says that because humans only use 10% of their brains, there's room to grow. This is based on a common myth, but has not been confirmed in the scientific community. The writers of the episode deviate from the typical myth in that they say that humans only use 10% at any one time, as opposed to 10% total, but this is still not verified.

Behind the Scenes

• Original Name: Originally the character of Carl Carlson was meant to be named Neil Nielsen, but this was denied by Sci-Fi, possibly for legal reasons connected to Nielsen Media Research.