Most people who watched the episode were probably awaiting the return of Simon and Kaylee of Firefly, and would be pleased by anything as long as the two showed up. If the episode had a good plot, it would be a bonus. Unfortunately, it wasn't.
There's a fine line between playfulness and immaturity that Warehouse 13 straddles to obtain humor. We can always expect light teasing between the characters, but "Mild Mannered" went a little too far. Encapsulating the episode was Pete's line, "Can I feel your boobies?" in reference to Myka's middle name, Ophelia.
The main plot seemed pulled from a kids' cartoon, ludicrous music cuing Myka's entrance in a skintight superhero outfit to combat an outlandish looking superhero named the Iron Shadow. Then there was Claudia's exceedingly childish reaction to Leena. Obviously, Leena had nothing to do with the placement of the pearl, but Claudia standoffish attitude was too immature for me to swallow.
Myka's transformation since the pilot has been stark and I'm wondering if it's been too much .In an almost uncharacteristic scene at the start, Myka dances around her room after receiving some personal items. Sure she's happy, but wasn't she originally the uptight character, contrasting with Peter's outgoing personality? By design, Myka and Peter have pretty much become identical twins, with gender as the biggest difference. No longer is there any genuine tension between the two. Whatever barbs they trade is purely for their own entertainment and it's hard to see them as anything other than the main sources of comedy.
On the positive side, "Mild Mannered" worked well as a bridge between the season premiere from the rest of the season. Still reeling from the events of the last episode, Artie, Claudia, and Leena must deal with their feelings. (Pete and Myka stand out as they were largely unaffected by MacPherson.) Artie is trailed by a "ghost" of MacPherson, eventually finding some closure through a watch and a note. Claudia, too, finds some sense after seeing Sheldon let go since the artifact took control of him. She finally realizes that Leena wasn't at fault. However, there is something going on with Leena, possibly a residual effect of the pearl, and she calls Mrs. Frederick.
For my tastes, "Mild Mannered" was far too hokey to fully enjoy, but I'm sure plenty of people liked all the wackiness. I liked the Firefly reunion, though, and the sweet moments between Loretta and Sheldon were heartwarming.
Score: 7.8/10
