Alright, I know I’m the only one who hated Tesla the vampire. But, there it is. I am. Because Warehouse 13 and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen graphic novel focused on Tesla’s engineering prowess, I’ve started looking towards “SyFy”-type shows/comics to reveal more about Edison’s technological rival. So, I hated that Sanctuary’s season one gave us Tesla, but highlighted his personality over his electrical knowledge. And, although I like Jonathon Young, he does better when portraying Tesla’s intellectual side over his performative bravado. After all, he calls his co-founded theatre company The Electric Company. When they de-vamped Tesla to focus on his mechanical capabilities, I exhaled and enjoyed the cerebral ride. But, all good things must come to an end.
In “Awakening,” Tesla and Helen research a Praxian cavern only to discover a slightly newer inhabitant vampire, while Kate re-visited her past.
I know I complained about the post-Hollow Earth episodes, including the two back-to-back date night shows, but I loved this Queen of the Damned style episode. In fact, I loved Aliyah O’Brien as Afina (but, did no one see the irony in casting another Aaliyah?) and hope they bring her back. Side note: what is up with most sci-fi shows/cartoons where the villain/protagonist “kills” his/her target, but never actually sees the body or verifies its death? I mean, really? Don’t just “assume” the person’s dead, return with a huge-ass team, canons, and thermonuclear weapons. Did anyone else wonder if Tesla would have rescued Magnus, if Afina hadn’t betrayed him? The same question appeared in the last vampire episode. Either way, I loved the rescue, the not-knowing, and Tesla’s continuing Helen flirtation. However, I’m up in the air about Tesla’s vampire quest. He reminds me of most college students who study abroad in Ireland/Nigeria to uncover their European/African history only to discover that no one really cares. Every time Nicola participates in a vampire takeover, I expect him to realize his ideal vampire fairytale doesn’t match reality. However, no matter how many vampires backstab him, he continues to idealize vampire unity.
On the Kate plot line, I totally, totally dig Biggie and Kate’s relationship. Biggie is so awesome now. I loved when he called bull on Kate. Although I’m up in the air about the Kate/Will relationship, I enjoyed watching Will support/interrogate her. Does anyone feel Kindler keeps throwing them together to authenticate the apocalyptic future? Regardless, the chemistry didn’t feel forced this time around. While I still don’t buy Kate as the tough girl around the way, the writers improved how they delve into her past.
On a side note, thanks to IMDb I just discovered there’s a Sanctuary anime. Has anyone checked it out?
Clacked by An Nicholson 
on May 25, 2011 @ 12:46 EST5EDT
Pretty awesome episode. I love vampire Tesla, but you make a great point about his obsession with the vampire race. A lot of people, myself included, get a kick out of digging into their ancestry, but Tesla comes off as a bit silly in so thoroughly idealizing his ancestors. He acts surprised that Afina is a domineering bitch – but this is a guy who has lived through history, through WWII. He’s seen what happens when a “superior race” tries to conquer everybody else. With what he knows about Nazis, his romantic notions about the superior vampire race and their glorious age of world domination seem particularly foolish. Oh well. Tesla’s hot, he’s funny, he’s smart, and he’s naughty. He doesn’t need to be logical for me to love him.
Side note: I imagine there’s going to be a lot of Helen/Afina fanfiction written after this episode.
Ooh. Nice tie in to Normandy. It’s odd, both Tesla and Magnus seem so hardcore yet Magnus has daddy issues and Tesla, vampire daddy issues.
I remember Tapping talking about an episode where her interaction with a female character could be taken sexually in season 3, but they kept this pretty innocent.
The theatre group has been around since 1996 so not connected to his Tesla role at all.
https://www.electriccompanytheatre.com/company/mission-history.html
*POST AUTHOR*
Hey Sek,
I know that the theatre group isn’t connected with Sanctuary and didn’t mean to imply any connection, other than the irony he named his co-founded theatre company Electric Company, and now plays an ‘electrifying character.’