Paglia told Discover Magazine that Eureka very intentionally doesn't buy into the stereotype of the nerdy, socially awkward scientist. In fact, the show's out to offer up examples of the very opposite:

It's an attractive quality to be smart, and inventive... It's not about biceps and perfect teeth. We wanted to turn things upside down in this town.

Not that that'll stop them going to another stereotype to help with storytelling, mind you:

[Lead character, Sheriff] Carter is very smart in a street-smart way; he has the ability to see the forest for the trees... While the scientists are so caught up in what they're doing, they can't see that, which was definitely a quality of some of the guys I was interviewing for Cambridge Forum. You could see [yourself saying], ‘I'll bet you never know where your car keys are, you can't be bothered by that, because you're too busy creating new math.'

But at least they'll be hot absent-minded professors.

Talkin' Science and Science Fiction With Eureka's Jaime Paglia [Discover]

One of the show's creators, Jaime Paglia, explained that evil boss Nathan Stark's death last week was just the start of a shake-up for the show's cast:

There will be some changes in the roles of the people in our town again. Some big endings and some new beginnings. There will definitely be a cliffhanger aspect to the end of episode eight. And then we'll dive into episode nine in the back 13 of this season with some big, big questions to resolve.

Between now and episode eight, however, expect things to be a little bit... quieter than they've been. The reason? Money, of course:

We're going to have a little bit of makeups to do for the overages, the excess of the first eight [episodes.] Ask the audience to be kind and let us do a few character episodes with not as much whiz-bang as the first eight. So when you see Carter and Allison trapped in an elevator, just understand it's a necessary evil, and we'll make it as compelling and dramatic as possible.

Although, considering the next few episodes feature rogue Egyptian mummies, confused superheroes and multiple suns, you have to wonder how much whiz-bang they think would be a lot.

Eureka: More Shocks Coming [SciFi Wire]