‘Warehouse 13’ 4.16 Episode Recap and Review: Runaway

It’s Claudia’s birthday on this week’s episode of Warehouse 13!

Team A, this week consisting of Pete, Myka, and Jinks, heads to the scene of a recent prison break. The outer wall was melted clean through by what appears to be molten lava, while the two prisoners escaped through a similar set of holes out back. Doesn’t it always suck when the bad guys have an Artifact?

The Agents aren’t the only ones on the case. Since a major prison break was involved, there’s a US Marshal on the premises, as well. The rather dashing man in uniform is Liam Napier, who just happens to be Jinksie’s ex. Steve tells Pete and Myka that Liam dumped him, but that he’s gotten over it. More or less. The boys who broke out were members of the Turks, a local gang. Davis and his girlfriend on the outside masterminded the escape, but their fellow escapee Barton looks a little sketchier than most. Barton had deserted the gang at one point, and now appears to be attempting to buy his way back in with some stolen cash.

By the time our heroes catch up to Davis, it’s too late for him. He’s been buried in lava and his lady love is sealed into her truck by the same means. Davis isn’t the only one, either. Barton is going around taking out members of the Turks. So much for buying his way back in. He finds his way back to the home of his own girlfriend and his son, who we discover is planning to join the Turks himself. Pete, Myka, Jinks, and Liam arrive on the scene in time to stop an armored car robbery and a murder, but not early enough to avoid the most epic game of “The Floor Is Lava” ever! Barton saves his son by taking a bullet to the shoulder, and Jinks saves his ex-boyfriend by driving his beloved Prius across a lake of burning rock. Well done, sirs. Barton and his son reconnect before saying goodbye, and evidently so to Jinksie and Liam (in a somewhat less familial, if more off-screen, way).

Back in Univille, Artie’s trying to plan the best 21st birthday party ever known to mankind. He’s pulling out Artifacts left and right, but things to a little awry when the Original Bouncing Ball has a bad reaction to the combination of Artie’s head and Beethoven’s clock. Artie starts hearing the works of Beethoven in his head, the music becoming louder and louder. Gooing the clock does no good, as it’s been split. The statuette on top of the clock is somewhere in Boston, so off go Artie and Claud on a birthday adventure.

They find the statuette in the home of an older woman with a grumpy, jock-ish nephew. The nephew helps them look for it, only to grab the Artifact and run in hopes of making a quick buck. Claudia manages to take him out, but only after Artie has lost the last of his hearing. Fortunately, a quick drop in a handy Warehouse-issue anti-static bag neutralizes the Artifact and restores Artie’s hearing.

Just in time, too. Claudia’s party is that night at the local watering hole, and Artie’s surprise guest takes the stage. It’s Cherie Currie of The Runaways! Claudia joins her rock idol on stage to help sing “Cherry Bomb” and all is well in the sleepy town of Univille.

Okay, so this wasn’t an earth-shattering episode. It was adorable, though, and sometimes you just need that. I do like that we got to see a more personal side of Steve. I have to admit, I’d wondered how the lie detector thing worked in a relationship. Evidently the answer is “not well.” Poor Jinksie.

Also Warehouse 13, love of my Syfy-watching life, please please PLEASE go ye not down the dark stunt-casting road of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. I’ll give you one rock star, just because it was Claudia’s birthday, but let’s keep the instances of famous people playing themselves to a minimum, shall we?

Best Quotes:
Pete: “You, sir, are an onion of mystery.”

Myka: “Do you need us to hate him? Because we can hate him.” (Admit it, ladies. How many times have you said this?)

Things to Ponder:

• This was actually a pretty open-and-shut episode. My only question is will we ever see Liam again? ‘Cause… wow.
• Artifact Rundown: Jerry Garcia’s Black Light, Beethoven’s Clock (bifurcated Artifact), Original Bouncing Ball, Pompeii Amphora