Saul Rubinek is the Man

A few weeks ago, I noticed that the Playstation Network’s video store was giving away a two-hour long video. It was a promotional giveaway of the first episode of the new SyFy original series Warehouse 13, a sort of comedy-detective show about a couple of top secret government agents (who, of course, do not get along), tasked to search the world for disruptive, supernaturally-charged objects and store them in a giant warehouse in North Dakota, informally dubbed “America’s attic.” They utilize an array of steampunk gadgets and magical goo to accomplish their goals, which have to date included a song that causes memory loss, the hair brooch of Lucrezia Borgia (which made people’s love turn vicious), and a chair used by the inventor of hypotherapy, which made repressed urges manifest themselves.

And amidst this all is Artie, who runs the warehouse, played by the absolutely incomparable Saul Rubinek.

I love Saul Rubinek.

I first saw him in an episode of The Next Generation, playing Kivas Fajo in “The Most Toys.” I don’t recall too much about the episode, and didn’t even recognize him when I saw him the performance that made him a legend in my mind, the two-parter from Stargate SG-1, “Heroes,” in which Rubinek played a documentarian allowed to film and interview members of Stargate Command. The episode is a masterpiece, one of the finest of the series. He gets the opportunity to do one of those dramatic monologues about civil rights and a free press that I love so very much — his performance is simply stirring, even when he’s not that passionate. Rubinek has a very understated ability to look absolutely natural, in a way I very rarely see actors able to pull off.

I frankly think Warehouse 13 is beneath his abilities, at least so far. It’s a good show, but as Artie he hasn’t had much chance to shine the way he’s capable of shining. It’s only three episodes in, so I have faith for the future, but he needs the opportunity. He’s really outstanding. I hope he manages to google his way here at some point; if he does, he should shoot me a line. I’d love to meet him for coffee.

Update on the whole “Stress” Issue

Well, Supermanistas, your prayers and mine have paid off, and it looks like things aren’t going to be as horrifying as they were looking a couple short days ago. My financial situation has gotten orders of magnitude less precarious, what with my rental agency refunding my new deposit back to me and my old roommate contributing to the penalty cost for breaking the lease. Which means I’m not completely in the hole, so I can stop freaking out.

I am my father’s son, no doubt; we both tend to get really panicky when things hit us all at once, only to later try and mellow out. And thankfully, I’ve learned enough and my faith is grounded enough that I haven’t gotten angry at God or blamed one whit of this on him. So that’s good, too.

Basically, it now looks like it’s going to be cheaper in the long run for me to just break the lease come the end of August, vacate Richmond and sever all ties to this accursed city, once burned by its own retreating army, and briefly retire to Hampton Roads before commencing the Great Northern Trek to the land of Brooklyn, home of the Amorites, Canaanites, Perrizites, and Jebusites, and drive them from their homes, for they are now mine. (I’ve been reading the Torah lately.)

So I will do so, and soon, so soon, I will take my place among the towers and delis and Mexican restaurants.