11 months. For 11 months I have been awaiting the return of this great show. Season 3 ended very suddenly particularly in regards to the relationship to Jack Carter and Tess Fontana but the new season is here now...so what do I think of it.

**Big fat spoiler alert here - Don't read on if you haven't seen the ep yet**

The episode starts off a bit weirdly with the "Previously on Eureka message" with the highlights showing that Tess Fontana broke up with Carter which never happened in the last episode. Maybe there was some secret episode or webisode that I am not aware of but I am almost certain that never happened. Either way it leads on into the episode with Zane proposing to Jo, the introduction of Grace Monroe, a character that Henry can't remember the name of and Allison and Jack discussing his recent break-up.

During the town's founding celebrations Jack, Allison, Jo, Henry and Fargo all get transported to 1947 to the founding of the Eureka town and all of them must somehow get themselves home with the help of Dr Thomas Grant, played by James Callis of Battlestar Galatica fame. Eventually everyone is sent back home but not before a very touching moment in which Carter kisses Blake for good luck after he mistakenly leaves the device to get him home in another jacket and they have to rely on holding hands to get both of them home.

After all the time travellers meet up in the town square, they realise the butterfly effect has occurred and a number of things have changed and this is where things get interesting. Zane Donovan never dated Jo Lupo and is in jail because Carter put him in there. Henry Deacon is now married to Grace Monroe and they operate the garage together, Allison's son Kevin no longer has autism and Tess Fontana never broke up with Carter or moved to Australia and is currently living with him. Finally we discover that Thomas Grant, due to having Carter's device to get him home has accidentally been sent to the future and is looking for Allison Blake.

So what do I think about all this. I'm not sure about many of the changes. I do like the introduction of the Thomas Grant character to play off, I assume, Allison Blake and I do like the change to Kevin, possibly giving the character a chance to play a much greater role. I also really enjoy the return of Tess Fontana as I always enjoyed the character and her interactions with Carter. However I was quite disappointed with the Zane Donovan/Jo Lupo change as the characters worked really well together and the character of Zane Donovan was very likeable and pleasant to watch and well the new version..not so much.

However I can't get past the fact that all these changes have been made in a very cheap and nasty way and I feel it's too early in the shows development to make such a massive change to so many of the core characters. But the season has just started and I'm sure the writers have a plan. Hopefully it's one I will still be able to enjoy.