Yeah, I think the show had some fun ideas, but Walter ruined it for me. His absent minded scientist routine was really stale and forced.
Besides that they made no attempt to make the science somewhat believable. The man might as well just be a wizard.
I coincidentally saw the only stuffed specimen of this species last weekend and I didn’t even realise it was special, because it was just standing between the other animals without a sign saying it was thought extinct or anything.