When you think of the library, images come up with old ladies stamping books at the checkout desk, and wall to wall books filled with the history of the world. Back in 2004, TNT came up with the idea that the library can be so much more. It can be filled not with just books, but every historical and mystical artifacts known to man, and just like a library, one person has the immense responsibility to protect it. The first made for tv movie in 2004, The Librarian and the Quest for the Spear introduces us to our new 
Librarian in training, Flynn Carsen, played by Noah Wyle. His vast knowledge of history makes him the perfect candidate to protect the mysterious Library. Bob Newhart plays Judson, the caretaker of the Library and Jane Curtain plays Charlene, the bookkeeper, who plays this stuffy, by the book character that gives Flynn a hard time, but is loveable at the same time. Two other sequels followed after the Spear: Return to King Solomines Mines, and The Curse of the Judas Chalice; Flynn’s adventure continues around the world trying to stop evildoers from obtaining mysterious and powerful artifacts and securing them in the Library. After ten years of being the Librarian, Flynn must face the facts that the world has changed and new challenges await him, including fresh faces to mold to become the future Librarians.
In this episode we focus on four newcomers that are introduced to Flynn Carsen’s crazy, but wondrous world of the Library. These three potential future Librarians, plus one Guardian will be the main characters in this series every week, with Flynn popping his head in from time to time. Rebecca Romijn plays Eve Baird, a military officer in counter terrorism. She will be assigned to be the Guardian, a protector for the new recruits and give some sort of love interest for Flynn down the road. Christian Kane plays Jake Stone, a rugged mechanical whiz and a historian of the world. Lindy Booth, plays Cassandra Cillian, a autistic mathematical genius that sees the world in colors and numbered equations, unfortunately her life span is limited because her gifted abilities is deteriorating her mind and brain. Last but certainly not least, John Kim, who plays Ezekiel Jones, a brilliant thief that has the ability to create wondrous trinkets to help him steal even the most difficult of treasures. Another great addition to the ensemble is John Larroquette, who plays another caretaker of the Library, Jenkins. He will be replacing Judson, played by the brilliant Bob Newhart who was in the made for tv movies when it began in 2004.
To start off with my normal format of what is good and what is bad is something I want to use in the second episode of the show. The premier gives us two hours of fun and excitement, and I think that just giving you a quick synopsis of what where the story begins and where it is heading is a much more logical approach for now.
The future Librarians are being hunted down simply because they answered a letter of employment a decade ago and someone wants those dead to sever the any continuity with the Library and its future. Flynn races the clock to track the last remaining potentials to keep them safe, with the help of the newly recruited Guardian, Eve Baird. While 
tracking down the potentials, Flynn discovers that an old enemy has arisen, the Serpent Brotherhood, an organization determined to bring magic back into the world, which is very bad. Flynn finally is able to find his recruits and use their gifted talent to stop the Brotherhood from getting the means of restoring magic. The Arthurian Legend is mentioned in this episode where King Arthur’s crown is a very special headwear that gives the bearer the power to control Excalibur. Created by Merlin, the crown can make the sword unlock the magic that is being suppressed throughout the world just by putting the sword back into the stone where it was pulled out by King Arthur. Little does Flynn know that one of the potentials is traitor, the Library is breached by the Brotherhood and the sword is taken from them, with the help of Cassandra. The Brotherhood promised her that they can cure her of her brain disease if she were to help retrieve Excalibur and King Arthur’s Crown. She does and by doing so she triggers a failsafe alarm in the Library locking down the facility. Flynn and the others are able to escape to an alternate site where all the knowledge of the Library is there, but not the artifacts. Jenkins greets them coldly, but allows them to use this facility as their base of operations. The quest for King Arthur’s crown continues, and they head for England to find that Excalibur has been re-entered into the stone releasing the magic. Flynn gets mortally wounded by Excalibur when fighting the Brotherhood, he is dying. He still has some fight left in him; he struggles but finally defeats the Brotherhood and retrieves the sword and the crown. Cassandra understands that the Brotherhood was using her and helps Flynn regain his full strength, but at the cost of her chance to cure herself.
Even though the main Library is still in lockdown mode, which means it is lost in limbo for its protection, Flynn and the Librarians still have a vast knowledge of the Library resources at their finger tips and can still fight the evil in the world.
This series definitely has its cheesy, campy, melodramatic themes with an over kill of over the top background music, but I think this is a refreshing quirky, crazy show that we all need. It has heart, humor, great cast, and an Indiana Jones meets Doctor Who feel to it. If you want to watch an hour of great family action fun, then this is the show for you, I know I will.
Here’s a preview for ‘And the Horns of a Dilemma’
