Entertainment

Drama mama

The Olympics arrive next weekend, which means it’s the last gasp for nerds everywhere before the jocks invade the airwaves. Here’s a few sci-fi-inspired offerings to keep your glasses fogged through the week:

“Warehouse 13” (Monday, 9 p.m., Syfy) So here’s my issue with this series: Last season’s finale saw the demise of three major characters: Steve Jinks (Aaron Ashmore); H.G. Wells (Jamie Murray) and the beloved Mrs. Frederic (CCH Pounder), plus the destruction of Warehouse itself. In any other genre — and certain well-crafted science-fiction like “Battlestar Galactica” — that would be heartbreaking and the fallout would last for years, as Jinks and Claudia (Allison Scagliotti) had grown close; Wells managed to redeem herself; and Mrs. Frederic made Mama miss “The Shield” a little less. And the Warehouse is basis for the whole show. But in this Syfy series, a random alternate-universe/time-travel/body-swap explanation can erase any progress or tragedy. It’s difficult to develop an affection for any of these characters, as they never seem to learn anything about each other or the world they live in despite spending the past three seasons together.

“Perception” (Monday, 10 p.m., TNT) Sometimes all it takes for a show to dip into the pocket-protector pond is to bring on a guest star who’s a nerd icon. So “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” fans can line up now to see their favorite principal/Ferengi, Armin Shimerman. He plays the combative psychologist treating Lacy (Sheryl Lee, a k a Laura from “Twin Peaks”), the only survivor of an attack by a serial killer who recommences the spree he began in 1986. Naturally, Eric McCormack’s wacky professor and Rachael Leigh Cook’s cop Moretti are her only hope.

“The Philadelphia Experiment” (Saturday, 9 p.m., Syfy) The Saturday Syfy movies have tended toward the shark/alligator/dinosaur attacks as of late — often with parts of each animal combined into one hysterical abomination. So let’s call it “refreshing” to see one of the flicks sticking to the classic “science project gone awry.” A full stable of familiar sci-fi faces show up: Nicholas Lea, who’ll always be Alex Krycek from “The X-Files”, Ryan Robbins (“Sanctuary”), Gina Holden (from the “Saw” and “Final Destination” movies), and the always hammy Malcolm McDowell. The plot has something to do with a secret government project to create a cloaking device, but why bother trying to follow the story when you can simply bask in the cheesy goodness of a mindless movie.

“CSI” (Wednesday, 10 p.m., CBS) Fantasy girl alert: Kelly Hu, who’s voiced about a million video games and animated superhero series, in addition to her past work on “Martial Law” and “The Vampire Diaries,” guest stars as Angie Salinger in this repeat.

“Alphas” (Monday, 10 p.m., Syfy) After a schizophrenic first season, season two launches with Professor X . . . sorry, Rosen being locked up for ruining the government’s plan to use the super humans for their own purposes and making an enemy of the terrorist freaks of the Red Flag crew. For Mama, the most shocking thing to come out of the first season was that David Strathairn agreed to a second season. She was sure the leader of the super friends had all the earmarks of a goner — mostly because Strathairn is an Emmy winner and Oscar nominee who shouldn’t need this show. But his apparent desire for a steady paycheck is our gain; his quiet desperation as the patriarch is so compelling, there are moments when Mama forgets that these X-Men wannabes don’t really exist. And unlike in this series’ predecessor, “Heroes,” the ragtag team actually united before we could lose interest, so we can invest in relationships that have developed — the best being between tough-guy Bill (Malik Yoba) and the autistic Gary (Ryan Cartwright). And don’t worry, they promise that fantasy geek girl Summer Glau will return again this season.

Phil Mushnick’s column will return next week.