40 replies to this topic

[TWoP Barnes]

Mmmmm. Jack.

[workworkwork]

Colin is one of those rare leading-man type actors who are not afraid to look goofy. This is why Jack is so much fun to watch.

Favorite recurring line: "Yeah, that can't be good."

[Sumik]

Absolutely! He does such a good job of being the regular guy in a town full of eccentrics.

[workworkwork]

Thanks to this new forum, I decided to re-watch the show, starting with season 1.

From "Many Happy Returns":

When Jack apologizes to S.A.R.A.H. for missing dinner without calling, he's so contrite-sounding and then just to emphasize the point he gently strokes the door! He is so adorable in this scene!

[RedEndora]

I think that what I like is the way Colin as Jack deals with the daughter - like a real dad. Mess up? Get a punisment - an appropriate punishment, just like in real life. I believe that is a good part of what I really like about the show in general - take real people, really really smart people, and a place with unlimited possibilites. What do you get? Eureka!

And I like hearing "That can't be good" from Jack Carter as much as I liked hearing "Oh boy" from Sam Beckett. It is just delivered... very well.

[Fabrisse]

This was the only role I'd seen him in, and I agree that he does the regular guy in the middle of irregular people beautifully, but if you ever want to be scared look him up in an Osmonds biography movie.

The seventies hair was not his look, and he seemed wooden. I think it may have been the script though. And for weird crossing points, the kid who played Donny is now playing John Connor in the Terminator series.

Points for Jack as a good dad, though. And points to Colin Ferguson for singing "Please won't you be my neighbor" so sweetly while production numbers keep happening around him.

[moemac]

After watching season 2 marathon, I've come to the realization that Jack may be smarter than some of the GD scientists. He has consistently come up with ways to stop everything from a personal force field to the space junk falling out of the sky. I think he gets overlooked because he doesn't have a PhD from MIT (like Stark) or because his I.Q is 111. Maybe it's because he is precisely those things that he can step away and come up with out of the box solutions.

[ThatPoshGirl]

CF has some really remarkable comedic timing.  He was really "on" in the science fair episode.  I liked that he had a chance to do some physical comedy, too.

[moemac]

CF has some really remarkable comedic timing. He was really "on" in the science fair episode. I liked that he had a chance to do some physical comedy, too.

He was very bendy.

[IntoTheMystic]

This is probably a stupid question, but can someone explain the title of this thread to me? I'm sure it's a reference to CF's past work but...yeah way over my head.

[jediknight]

Maybe it's because he is precisely those things that he can step away and come up with out of the box solutions.

Carter may not be smart in the Global Dynamics sense, but he was a US Marshall and by all accounts good at his job. Carter's a genius at investigating and solving problems.

This is probably a stupid question, but can someone explain the title of this thread to me? I'm sure it's a reference to CF's past work but...yeah way over my head.

There was a Colin Ferguson who murdered 6 people, and injured 19 others on the Long Island Rail Road.

Edited by jediknight, Jul 27, 2008 @ 10:52 PM.

[Fabrisse]

I think part of the point of Carter is that the geniuses (geniusi?) often overlook the obvious.

In the pilot, he found the little boy by looking in all the hiding places, for instance.

[SVNBob]

The best way to describe it comes paraphrased from "E=MC...?". Carter's smart, but not "science smart" like Henry, Allison, Stark, etc. Carter's more "street smart", which allows him to think of a practical application of the science to solve the Problem Of The Week.

[kinicke]

Colin is one of those rare leading-man type actors who are not afraid to look goofy. This is why Jack is so much fun to watch.

Favorite recurring line: "Yeah, that can't be good."

I think this sums up Colin to a T. I have to say there are few leading man types that come on screen and make me instantly drool. He is one. And it's not just that he's drop dead gorgeous. It's his personality that wins me over too. He was perfectly cast as Jack. I do have reservations about some of the other cast members....

[TWoP Barnes]

This is probably a stupid question, but can someone explain the title of this thread to me? I'm sure it's a reference to CF's past work but...yeah way over my head.

There was a Colin Ferguson who murdered 6 people, and injured 19 others on the Long Island Rail Road.

Right, where as Eureka's Colin Ferguson once worked as a department store mannequin (which I believe was the basis for the sight gag in one episode, with Jack and a mannequin's head). Sorry for the confusion.

[J T]

What struck me when I watched the 1st season, besides Colin is a very nice looking guy, is his face and how perfect it is for a Deputy Dawg character. Very expressive and kind of "hang dog".

Also very yummy....

[Nikki125]

Right, where as Eureka's Colin Ferguson once worked as a department store mannequin (which I believe was the basis for the sight gag in one episode, with Jack and a mannequin's head). Sorry for the confusion.

Oh, I had no idea he worked as a mannequin. I thought that part of the title was a jab at his acting, which made me kinda sad because I think he's a fine actor.

I think this sums up Colin to a T. I have to say there are few leading man types that come on screen and make me instantly drool. He is one. And it's not just that he's drop dead gorgeous. It's his personality that wins me over too. He was perfectly cast as Jack.

I agree. He has such an easygoing, "Ah, shucks" type of screen presence. CF seems like a bit of a throwback to me. I guess that's why every time I see him, he reminds me of old Hollywood actors, like Jimmy Stewart, who made a career out of playing "Everyman" roles.

[petunia19]

CF has some really remarkable comedic timing. He was really "on" in the science fair episode. I liked that he had a chance to do some physical comedy, too.

He was very bendy.

Dangit, I can't remember that part (you people are going to make me go buy the DVDs, aren't you? Aren't you??), but I do love how he physically reacts to all the dancing & whatnot springing up around him in the promo. (Whoa! Where'd you come from? Oh, sorry, 'scuse me. Gah! They're everywhere!) He looks so uncomfortable, compared to the beginning where he's nonchalantly strolling along singing... I love it. (And a hearty word on the comedic timing thing, btw).

Oh, I had no idea he worked as a mannequin. I thought that part of the title was a jab at his acting, which made me kinda sad because I think he's a fine actor.

Definitely not mannequin-like as far as acting goes. Osmonds bioflicks I haven't seen notwithstanding.

[ThatPoshGirl]

Dangit, I can't remember that part (you people are going to make me go buy the DVDs, aren't you? Aren't you??), 

It's the one where he steps off the elevator at GD and the biometric security thingamajigger pulls him to the floor.  It's really quite brilliant.  Usually when actors are about to do something physical like that you can see the setup in their face.  The brilliance of the scene is that CF goes from completely casual to bending over backward, writhing in agony and slamming to the floor in a split second and you can't see it coming.

[TWoP Barnes]

Oh, I had no idea he worked as a mannequin. I thought that part of the title was a jab at his acting, which made me kinda sad because I think he's a fine actor.

Oh, no! I lurve him. I think you're right on target, here:

He has such an easygoing, "Ah, shucks" type of screen presence. CF seems like a bit of a throwback to me. I guess that's why every time I see him, he reminds me of old Hollywood actors, like Jimmy Stewart, who made a career out of playing "Everyman" roles.

I'd watch him in anything, now. His timing is impeccable as is his delivery, in general, and then there's the fact that he's ridiculously easy on the eyes.

[petunia19]

It's the one where he steps off the elevator at GD and the biometric security thingamajigger pulls him to the floor. It's really quite brilliant. Usually when actors are about to do something physical like that you can see the setup in their face. The brilliance of the scene is that CF goes from completely casual to bending over backward, writhing in agony and slamming to the floor in a split second and you can't see it coming.

O.M.G. I remember now. YES. I replayed that scene many, many times. And in slomo. There was absolutely no "tell", no sign on his face that he was about to go splat. It was beautiful. It was a sad, sad day when I finally deleted that ep from the DVR to make room for something else.

[jediknight]

It's his personality that wins me over too. He was perfectly cast as Jack.

Yes he was, and they made Carter perfect. They could have fallen into the trap of making him some supreme badass US Marshall, but they didn't do that. They've actually made Carter like a normal guy. We've seen his love of baseball, him read comic books (HOUSE Rules), get excited about moon rocks and call them kryptonite and get mad about his wife throwing out baseball cards (which is a sin). Carter is just like a regular guy.

[workworkwork]

I loved the look on his face when he first met S.A.R.A.H. and found out she had beer on tap.

It was like, "Oh, I'm home."

The guy has chemistry with a HOUSE!

[Fabrisse]

He does wonderful "husband" with SARAH. Stroking the door frame when he's late one night is the one that gets me every time.

[workworkwork]

Stroking the door frame when he's late one night is the one that gets me every time.

Me, too. Plus you just know she kept a plate of that pot roast warming for him in the oven.

[lovelyivy]

CF is fantastic, and Jack Carter is one of my favorite characters on tv right now. And not just because he's ridiculously hot.

Only flaw? I can't for the life of me understand what he sees in Allison. That character just doesn't work for me- too rigid and humorless for our awesome Carter!

Edited by lovelyivy, Aug 6, 2008 @ 10:05 PM.

[M N Drew]

Seeing Stark now in "anything to make Allison happy" mode, e.g. not snarking on Carter & lowering the level of smarter-than-thou-ness in general; I would love to see Carter start taking advantage. Drag Nathan around with him everywhere, make him "get to know" all the little folk who implement the grand designs that spew forth from his mighty head and such. Just always suggest it casually in front of Alison and he can't say no.
But then again, Carter may not be as evil as I am. It would be cool though.

[Guinny]

Drag Nathan around with him everywhere, make him "get to know" all the little folk who implement the grand designs that spew forth from his mighty head and such. Just always suggest it casually in front of Alison and he can't say no.

Dude. I just snorted my tea through my nose onto my screen at the thought of the snark that would ensue.

Somebody needs to pitch this to the writers!

[tigerlily0]

After watching the first few episodes of season 3, I have to say I'm getting kind of fed up with how Jack Carter is being portrayed, and how he's being treated by the other characters. He's been the Sheriff in Eureka for what 2-3 years now, repeatedly coming up with the key idea to solve all these weird problems, and repeatedly putting his own life on the line (for example, driving a machine through the rock to find a magma chamber). And yet, the people in the town still treat him like the village idiot, including Jo, Allison, and Fargo (I won't mention Stark since he'll be a jerk to Carter forever). I'm really getting annoyed that after everything he's done and after all this time, he still isn't getting any respect. And about how he's portrayed: he's still being written as the newbie, like he just got into town. For example, with the robot dogs. Please, if he's been in town for 2-3 years and they have this robot dog show every year, plus these robot-dogs are running around town all year long anyway, he should certainly be very familiar with them by now.

It was cute when he was a newbie and hadn't earned any respect from anybody yet. But after 2-3 years, this shtick is really getting old.

Edited by tigerlily0, Aug 18, 2008 @ 4:36 PM.

[ProfCrash]

I think Jack has been in town for coming on two years. Last year we saw the one year anniversary of his arrival but it was at least a little ways into the season. I don't think one season = one year. While the way some of the folks in town treat him can be annoying, I get why they behave the way that they do.

My family moved into a small town when I was 6. We moved at out when I was 16. We were still seen as relative newbies to the town because we had not had kids who grew up in the town. I had classmates whose family founded the town some three hundred years ago. So I have no problem seeing folks in Eureka treat Jack like he is a newbie. We know that there are people who are raising kids there who end up living and working in Eureka. Look at Fargo. The kids attending the school have the advantage of amazing teachers who give them a head start in their scientific learning. They have parents and firends with parents who have PhD's which increases the likelihood that they go on for PhD's. Which increases the likelihood that they end up with jobs in Eureka. So there is a very really feeling that people who live and work in Eureka have kids who live and work in Eureka. Which leads to that small town, we have been here longer then you mentality. It might be annoying but it is pretty realistic.

On top of that, Jack is a non-scientist who is just starting to learn the lingo and the environment. He is adjusting well but still has a lot to learn. Everyone is pretty well aware of that. Zoe even lectured Jack on fussion versus fission.

It is clear that the town loves him, they showed that by waiting in GD's lobby when he was trapped in Beverly's therapy machine. There have been plenty of other ways that folks have showed that they appreciate him. Allison is worried about his job. It is even possible that Stark is worried about Jack's job. Zane includes Jack as an important part of the dream team of Henry, Stark, and Carter.

There are people with PhD's in Eureka who feel like dunces (like the Vet) because the overall intelligence level is so high. So it is not a surprise that they look at Jack, Mr. 111, and roll their eyes a fair amount. He takes it in stride. He seems to be comfortable with the job he is doing and how he is seen. It has not stopped him from providing possible soultions, which work more often then not. Most of those solutions have been accepted by Stark and company or improved upon by Stark and company. I think that is what Jack focuses on, that his solutions work and that the town appreciates him.