fundamental forces in the universe and Charlie's and Amita's love for each other. Larry will help renovate the Eppes garage for Alan while living there as Charlie and Amita take their visiting professorships at Cambridge University, and will further continue Charlie's FBI consulting with the aid of fellow physicist Otto Bahnoff. Creation The script called for Charlie to have a mentor at MIT. Peter MacNicol was cast as Larry Fleinhardt. In episode 4x12, "Power" (air date 1-18-2008), Fleinhardt accepts an invitation to join Fermilab's Dzero collaboration, working to solve the mysteries of the universe and find the Theory of Everything. Co-writer Nick Falacci offered the following explanation for this plot development: "Like real-life physicists, Fleinhardt hit a roadblock trying to create an 11-dimensional supergravity theory. The search for an answer takes Fleinhardt to his particle physics roots and a cutting-edge study of extra-dimensional gravitons and the Higgs boson -- DZero and its sister detector collaboration, CDF, are leaders of that search at the energy frontier." Accommodation of MacNicol's appearance on 24 Peter MacNicol appeared in the first 11 episodes of season three before taking on his role on 24. According to creator and executive producer Cheryl Heuton, producers were uncertain as to the date of MacNicol's return, but, as of an interview with TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello, they already developed a few story ideas to write Fleinhardt back into the script. Fleinhardt became a regular again shortly after MacNicol's return to the show. The arc began with "Brutus" (air date 11-24-2006), with Fleinhardt leaving for the ISS at the end of episode 3x11, "Killer Chat" (air date 12-15-2006), and returning in "The Art of Reckoning" (air date 4-27-2007). Reception Early reception for Larry was positive. Larry was a favorite character for CBS executive Nina Tassler. Tim Goodman, of the San Francisco Chronicle, liked MacNicol's performance as Larry, calling him "nutty" and "wonderful". Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life Magazine stated that MacNicol, as Larry, "brings a welcome eccentric flavor to "Numb3rs" that's missing from "CSI" and its ilk". Robert Bianco of USA Today called Larry "the show's most original character". Creator and executive producer Cheryl Heuton acknowledged in an interview with TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello that Larry is a fan favorite. At Larry's mention of DZero's research effort, real-life researchers with the project were pleasantly surprised. DZero members have taken a fondness to the show's reference to their research and have created an