On the Fringe no more

Article first published as On the Fringe no more on TheTVKing.

I have been a fan of FOX's Fringe since day one. I liked the first season, and then grew to love the show as it deepened, building a rich, complex world, and making bold moves, constantly resetting themselves.

And then came season five. Yes, the concept of jumping into a future where the Observers have taken over the world, virtually enslaving the entire human race, is supremely cool. But, somehow, our team found a way to get around in this world. Observers can jump to any place in seconds, but they couldn't find those deemed most dangerous to them, even though the rebels just hung out in their old lab. Episodes became boring, as our central gang searched for piece after piece of Walter's (John Noble) forgotten plan, and barely made any progress. And many beloved recurring characters were entirely absent.

I'm not saying the whole year was terrible; there were some great moments. But overall, it lacked something that had worked very well these past few years, and I began to watch with my eye on the end, just waiting for things to pick up as the finale approached, making it all worth it.

Sadly, I can't say that the two hour "Liberty; An Enemy of Fate" redeemed the series. Again, there were great moments. Emotionally, the episode really worked because it served a few characters, and touched on elements of the past, using nostalgia to make it seem better than it was. Old cases the team investigated are used to attack the Observers. We get to see Olivia (Anna Torv) with powers again. We see Faxulivia (also Torv) and Lincoln Lee (Seth Gabel), and that they have a happy family. September / Donald (Michael Cerveris) calls upon his old friend, December (Eugene Lipinski), to assist. Broyles (Lance Reddick) gets his shining moment to face down Captain Windmark (Michael Kopsa), just as Nina (Blair Brown) previously did. Michael bests Windmark with seemingly no effort. Walter says goodbye to his cow, and calls Astrid (Jasika Nicole) by her real name. Peter and Olivia get their daughter back. And, best of all, Peter (Joshua Jackson) has his best father/son moment to date with Walter, and even says "I love you, Dad."

Sadly, though, that is the surface stuff. There are so, so, so many plot holes and bits that don't make sense, that as much as I loved all of the things I just listed, the finale rings a bit hollow. If the Observers could jump to the alternate universe any time, why haven't they taken over that place, too? Where are the alternate universe Observers? Why do the Observers not try to capture and question Fauxlivia and Lincoln? Why not interrogate Broyles immediately about the whereabouts of the team, instead of wasting time by trying to follow him first? Why do the main characters take so long to abandon the lab, having discussions and watching videos, when they know that Windmark will soon be closing in? Why don't any of the many, many soldiers they pass while trying to catch a train recognize them? Why don't they park the van at the shipping lane sideways to provide cover from gun fire? Why don't they worry about bullets being fired under the trucks? Why don't September and Michael go through the shipping lane more quickly? How come the Observers don't appear and sabotage the equipment, rather than fighting man to man, thus defeating the good guys?

And the biggest question, if Michael prevents the Observers from becoming who they are in the first place, they never send scouts back, and September never grows protective of Michael, so the Observers don't have any reason to be stopped from becoming evil, so they still invade, which creates Michael again... It's all destined to happen in a loop. Telling us the universe allows such a paradox, with the only penalty to be to delete Walter from the timeline in 2015, is pretty ridiculous, and feels like a total cop out.

In short, I don't want to forget everything about the finale or the final season, but for reason, it just does not live up to the brilliance of seasons two through four. I don't know why more notice wasn't taken with the details of the story, as it has been in the past. Maybe the delicious concept they chose for the last adventure just painted the writers into a corner. Whatever the reason, Fringe will forever remain a solid and memorable show over all, with a disappointing ending.

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On the Fringe of the series

Grade: 87%

FOX’s FRINGE has tackled several universes and timelines, with characters existing, then not existing, being killed off, and then being alive again. For the fifth and final season, the series faces yet another reboot, this time moving events more than twenty years into the future.

The season premiere, “Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11,” continues the plot begun in last season’s episode “Letters of Transit.” Peter (Joshua Jackson), Walter (John Noble), and Astrid (Jasika Nicole) have been freed from their self-imposed amber prison by Peter’s daughter, Etta (Georgina Haig). Walter tells them that they must find Olivia (Anna Torv), as she has an important device that would allow Wallter to defeat the Observers, who have taken over the world.

Believe it or not, it isn’t that hard to find Olivia, and Etta is soon reunited with her mother. But in the process, Walter is taken prisoner by the Observers, and his brain is damaged severely. Will he still be able to save everyone? And why has the music died? Are songs what Walter needs to figure things out?

The futuristic world of FRINGE owes allegiance to many sci-fi stories. While it is a new, original creation, there are lots of illusions its geeky fans will recognize. The Observers say “Resistance is futile” like Star Trek’s Borg. Videos are played back on flickering blue projects, a la Star Wars. Banners and posters of an Observer hang from buildings just as they did for Big Brother in 1984. Why so many borrowed ideas? Is this purposeful, a clue meant to provide insight into events? Or have the Easter eggs included for the nerds just grown too obvious?

There are so many unanswered questions in “Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11.”  Even before the team was put in the amber, several years had passed since the previous episode. How did the Observers conquer mankind? Why was William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) in the amber with the Fringe team? When did September (Michael Cerveris) implant Walter’s brain with the key to stopping his people? Why have the Observers taken over in the first place, when previously they had only watched?

The episode itself is kind of tantalizing because it does fill in a couple of the gaps, such how Olivia and Peter came to break, and why Olivia isn’t with the rest of the team. But not a lot else happens. A plan is revealed, only to be yanked away again. Olivia is found way too easy, and the Observer’s base is infiltrated just as smoothly. Overall, it is not a strong return.

Even more regrettable is what is missing. Lincoln Lee (Seth Gabel) has been dropped from the cast, and there is no mention or glimpse of the other universe. This is an important element to FRINGE, having spent years developing that place and Lincoln’s character. To have them just disappear is disconcerting, and hopefully both will be revisited before the series makes its final bow. In fact, given the unsettling time and space jump, maybe some of these final episodes will be set back in the present day?

Broyles (Lance Reddick) and Nina (Blair Brown) are also missing. Does this allude to a shrunken universe in season five? Will the show now just concentrate on Peter, Olivia, Walter, Astrid, and Etta? These are all wonderful characters with fantastic stories, and the Bishop family (including Astrid, who is practically a member) is the heart of FRINGE. But that doesn’t mean that fans are ready to give up the rest of what is familiar about the show.

Which means that “Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11″ is disappointing. A large part of me trusts the people who make FRINGE to do right. After all, for four seasons they have not let us down, crafting this brilliant, original series. But the first installment of season five is less than promising, taking away many of the trappings fans have grown comfortable with, and revealing a whole different kind of adventure. Should the series be continuing a couple more years, this would be cool. Since there are a scant dozen episode left, it’s worrying to be taken so far off the trail FRINGE was previously on, with no signs pointing the way back.

FRINGE airs Fridays 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

"The End of All Things" doesn't stop Fringe

FOX's Fringe this week, "The End of All Things," finds Peter (Joshua Jackson) and the others frantically searching for Olivia (Anna Torv). With few leads, it seems fortunate that the primary Observer involved in events, known as September (Michael Cerveris), shows up in Walter's (John Noble) lab. Sadly, this Observer has been shot and is near death. Peter goes into September's mind to see if he knows where Olivia is being held, and instead, Peter discovers that he has a soon with Fauxlivia (also Torv) in his timeline. The Observer advises Peter to go home, then ejects Peter before dying and disappearing.

The Observers are a mysterious race, and Fringe fans may never learn everything that they do. But what is known is that other Observers are not happy with September, and want him to suffer the consequences. Do those consequences involve death? Or did someone else attack September. Why would anyone else wish him harm?

In "The End of All Things," September reveals to Peter that the Observers are human beings from one possible future that travel through time and observe events. September feels guilty for interrupting Walter's work in this timeline, causing Walter not to save Peter's life. As such, this alternate timeline, as shown all season, is a mistake. This particular reality shouldn't exist. Why, then, is Peter in it? And why do the Observers want to erase Peter completely? If Peter is supposed to survive, without September's interference, shouldn't the others want Peter there?

Then again, in the 'normal' timeline, September intervenes and saves Peter from drowning because he is "important." Important how? To solve the paradox? And now that it is solved, why is Peter still around? Does this mean that Peter shouldn't exist, and that September interrupting Walter means nothing? The possibilities are many, and confusing.

The bottom line gleaned, though, in "The End of All Things" is that Peter must return home. Sure, September could have been referring to Peter's house, which he does go to, and it leads to him finding Olivia. But obviously the Observer also meant something more. Where is home and how does Peter get there?

An interesting concept explored in "The End of All Things" is how video cassettes can write over a recording, but images and flashes from the original video may come through. This opens up a theory about what has happened to the universe. Perhaps this Peter-less timeline is recorded over reality, and Peter's appearance, as well as Olivia suddenly developing Peter's Olivia's memories, could be the other timeline bleeding through. In this case, Peter must negate this whole existence to restore what was. Is that what has to happen? Or can the two timelines co-exist in alternate realities? Is what is happening to Olivia a symptom of a gradual shift, or does everything need to be replaced all at once? And if it is the former, how hurt will Olivia be, once everything else is back to normal, that Peter is rejecting her now?

Blair Brown must be praised for her multiple Ninas in "The End of All Things." The Nina being held by Fringe Division is likely still Olivia's caring mother figure, and is telling the truth about her non-participation in drugging and kidnapping Olivia. There is another Nina working with David Robert Jones (Mad Men's Jared Harris) who is not on the up and up. Both versions of Nina are played very well, keeping the character murky, and viewers must continually reassess what is the truth about the women. It is a truly fantastic performance!

Lastly, what is David Robert Jones's game? In the real timeline, he is killed before he can carry out whatever dastardly plan he is cooking up, which somehow involves Olivia's abilities. In this alternate world, he lives on, testing Olivia again. At the end of this week's installment, the other Nina and DRJ escape to the other universe, so the threat that they pose continues. DRJ is a wonderful villain, and it's great that Fringe is using this opportunity in season four to bring him back and explore him further. What is really exciting is what potential powers in Olivia his activities may unlock!

Fringe will return in four weeks to FOX, Friday nights at 9 p.m. ET.

MORE: If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! To catch up on the Fringe you missed, buy DVDs or watch episodes instantly on Amazon.com 

Fringe hunts the "Wallflower"

     FOX's Fringe ends its fall run with "Wallflower." A body turns up, nearly all pigmentation gone, and apparently, it's just one of several like this. The Fringe team tracks the bad guy, who is slowly, and unintentionally, killing himself, trying to become visible by stealing pigment. He was the subject of lab experiments, and is now too badly damaged to trust anyone. In the midst of this case, Lincoln (Seth Gabel) struggles to sleep after seeing Fringe events, Olivia (Anna Torv) has strange migraines, and Peter (Joshua Jackson) looks for a way back to his timeline.

     While perhaps not as action-packed as other Fringe episodes, especially mid-season finales, there are many important things going on in "Wallflower." At the top of that list is Peter's realization that he is an alternate timeline. Reality hasn't just been altered by his disappearance, but he is now in a whole different world. This supports the changes that Peter did not cause, as well as the new orange theme song. If Peter gets home, Peter's vision of being in the park with Olivia last week could possibly be a time jump, rather than a dream.

     Of course, this world and Peter's are much more similar than the alternate universe and ours. Both still exist in this both timelines. But there are also notable differences, and this may be best observed by the absence of strong attraction between Peter and Olivia.

     In the regular Fringe timeline, there is something between Peter and Olivia almost immediately after they meet. Even if it takes three years to come to fruition, the flirt and interest is there. Not so in this version of Fringe, where Olivia prefers the geeky Lincoln Lee instead. And he likes her. Peter isn't jealous, knowing that as similar as the two are, this is not his Olivia. Perhaps he finally learns his lesson after being fooled by Fauxlivia last year, and can now tell the subtle differences, since he is intimate with the "real" Olivia.

     Olivia's migraines are a very important clue to something going on in this world. Could they possibly be connected to the experiments Walter (John Noble) ran on her when she was a girl? Certainly Nina (Blair Brown) is involved. As to how long this has been going on, that's anyone's guess, but it could easily be Olivia's whole life. With Nina raising Olivia, she has always had access to her. And viewers know that Nina currently leads a team to drug Olivia in her sleep. This is a really interesting, dark story, and I have no idea where it will go from here.

     Olivia realizes in "Wallflower" that she is not as affected by the Fringe events as her teammates, especially Lincoln, and even Astrid (Jasika Nicole). This could also be linked back to childhood, given that Olivia grew up around strange events and people with unusual abilities. Olivia wonders if there is something wrong with her, but the real issue may just be that exposure breeds complacency. No one has more exposure to the weird than Olivia. Thus, not only this Olivia, but likely the "real" one, too, have a different outlook than most people. This makes her unique, and serves her well in her job.

     At one point in "Wallflower," Olivia expresses sympathy for what the killer goes through. She understands the adverse side effects of being a lab rat, and can understand his reticence to return to a lab, even if it is to help him this time. As such, she offers him assistance, rather than just trying to arrest him. Hopefully, this is just a ploy, since he has her gun. She may understand some of the emotions involved, but as someone who overcomes much, she cannot possibly justify murder, no matter what reason this guy gives for it.

     All told, "Wallflower" is a finale that gets much better upon reflection. Fringe will return to FOX in January.

     To catch up on the Fringe you missed, buy DVDs or watch episodes instantly on Amazon.com

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first published as TV Review: Fringe - "Wallflower" on Blogcritics.

A Double "Novation" for Fringe

     After being delayed due to baseball playoffs (completely unacceptable, but that's a whole other article), FOX finally returns Fringe this week with "Novation." Peter (Joshua Jackson) is locked up, and no one is quite sure what to do with him, as they don't remember anything about him. Especially not Walter (John Noble), who feels too guilty for destroying the two universes to allow himself any joy about seeing his deceased son grown. But then Peter proves valuable when the team investigates a shape shifter who has kidnapped a scientist. Peter shows Fringe Division how to track the shifter. They find the kidnap victim, but the shifter gets away, with a new formula that will solidify its DNA, making it virtually indistinguishable from humans.

     The threat posed in "Novation" is an extremely scary one. With no way of knowing who might be a shape shifter, short of cutting them open, things become very risky for everyone in the world. Anyone could be replaced, and no one would know it. World events may be influenced, nuclear weapons could be fired, or worse. If anyone in the Fringe Division is taken out, this opens up the potential for an undetected invasion from the other side, as is clearly the goal. At the end of "Novation," the shifter prepares for "others" to come join it.

     How can Fringe protect against such an invasion? Perhaps an x-ray could be done to identify the disc, but what's to stop the shifters from finding a way to move the disc within the body? Not to mention the harmful effects of radiation from multiple x-rays. This is where Peter might really come in handy. As he understands the shifter disc technology, he could possibly build some kind of detector that might pick up the chip from outside the body. This is the only possibility that jumps to mind, and that doesn't stop the shifters from coming over. Instead, it only prevents further incursion when the shifters get near the device.

     Given the new shifters' ability to replicate DNA, how soon before the Fringe team starts thinking that Peter might be a shifter, built from the DNA of Walter's dead son? It's a logical conclusion, given Peter's appearance now, and his knowledge of shape shifters. He could be just trying to trick them. However, that doesn't explain Peter's wealth of classified knowledge about Fringe Division, and thus, he should be wiped of suspicion.

     So will Peter's name soon be cleared so that he can join the team? They've seen their share of strange things over the years. Surely Peter's truth is something that they can eventually accept, when his story isn't able to be proven wrong. There are signs that even Broyles (Lance Reddick) is grudgingly beginning to tolerate him, like the funny moment when Broyles notices Peter's escape attempt, but can't say anything about it, because he needs Peter's help. Lincoln (Seth Gabel), the person least connected to Peter-related events, seems least concerned, and most willing to work with Peter. Prediction: Peter will be permanently out of a cell by next week, two weeks at the latest. As it should be.

     Walter is punishing himself for connecting the universes when he kidnaps alt-Peter as a boy, twenty-five years ago. Despite Nina's (Blair Brown) insistence in "Novation" that this might be a second chance for Walter, he sees it only as temptation, or a reward that he doesn't deserve and cannot accept. The Walter of the first three seasons isn't so mired in self-loathing because part of him is glad that he succeeded in saving Peter, no matter the cost. But this Walter never has that taste of partial victory, and thus, allows himself to be mired down in the negative feelings. While Peter is good at handling Walter, without Walter's part of the connection, it may prove nearly impossible. While makes for a more erratic, unpredictable Walter, an enjoyable circumstance for Fringe fans.

     Olivia (Anna Torv) has an even bigger conundrum than Walter. She understands why son would appear to father, but not why Peter haunts her dreams. Viewers know that the pair love each other, and certainly so does Peter, though there is no good way to broach this to a woman who thinks of him as a stranger. But sooner or later, Olivia will have to put together the pieces that he means something serious to her. There is no other way to explain their connection when Peter didn't fully exist in the universe.

     And why is Peter appearing now? The Observer (Michael Cerveris) is ordered to destroy any trace of Peter left. Instead, Peter is allowed to take solid form again. How does this come about? Why aren't the other Observers swooping in and getting rid of him? It makes sense that Fringe doesn't know about the Observers, since their connection was through Peter. But surely these bald watchers have a way of getting to Peter! It's curious that they don't do it prior to Peter being found by the government.

     The Peter issue is only part of what is going on. When Peter appears as a ball of blue energy to Olivia, she experiences small time jumps, repeating a minute or so. It is assumed that this is some kind of side-effect from what is happening with Peter, until it occurs again this week, with some paperwork. So that time jumping is its own problem, one that will need to be addressed before it becomes more serious. Given the preview for next week's episode, it appears that the poop is about to hit the fan in a huge way.

     There is one more major mystery pertaining to things that change in a Peter-less world, and that is Nina taking in Olivia and her sister as children. Could it be because she sees the pain Walter experiences from losing Peter, and wants to help a child? Whatever Nina's reason, this gives Nina and Olivia a different relationship than they have previously, and makes Olivia much more trusting of the woman. The implication here is that if Nina is hiding something, and she is surely hiding many things, Olivia is less likely to distrust her and look for those secrets. How much this will hamper future investigations is anyone's guess, but the Fringe writers wouldn't act randomly. There is some real danger in this revelation, and it will manifest itself at some point, likely sooner rather than later.

     The changed dynamic between Walter and Nina, on the other hand, explained in "Novation," is nothing to worry about. The reasons were predictable before the discussion happens, and they shouldn't matter towards anything important. Other than that Walter no longer owns Massive Dynamic. Nor is he in any position to capably own any corporation.

     One small complaint is that, so far in season four, Fringe is sticking to a more procedural format than last year. However, "Novation" isn't too procedural, and indications are that it is leaving the formula behind again soon. The reason the show may have reverted back to cases of the week could be to allow the differences in the world to creepy up slowly, and see a new normal. But several episodes just didn't love up to the usual high standard. The series is always much better as a heavy serial, which is what it should be.


     Watch Fringe, easily one of the best shows currently on television, Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX. Fringe also stars Jasika Nicole.

     To catch up on the Fringe you missed, buy DVDs or watch episodes instantly on Amazon.com

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first published as TV Review: Fringe - "Novation" on Blogcritics.

Fringe shows us "The Day We Died"

     Last night, FOX's Fringe delivered a truly game changing finale. "The Day We Died" is set in 2026, with the alternate universe long destroyed, and "ours" rapidly deteriorating. Fringe Division is led by Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), and her agents include husband Peter (Joshua Jackson), niece Ella (Emily Meade), and Astrid (Jasika Nicole) with a new hair do. A terrorist by the name of Moreau (Brad Dourif, Deadwood) is setting off explosives in New York City, and the team soon discovers that the villain behind him is old foe Walternate (John Noble), who is trapped in "our" universe, having come to ask for help shortly before the destruction of his. To stop Walternate, Peter must ask Senator Broyles (Lance Reddick) to let Walter (also Noble) out of jail. But it may already be too late.
    

     This episode is not what is expected at all, and the preview aired last week is certainly misleading. While many thought Peter has traveled in time 15 years into the future, Peter soon becomes less confused, and has all the memories of the past fifteen years. So it's not a standard time travel story. Instead, it's a look at what happens because of a choice Peter makes fifteen years ago. The choice to step into the machine, which leads to the annihilation of the alternate universe from whence he came.

     There are a couple of notable absences in the future scenes. Nina (Blair Brown), who never gets enough screen time, appears only at the funeral. Lincoln Lee (Seth Gabel) is missing entirely. While the Lincoln in "our" world has only been seen once, he has become quite enjoyable as part of the alternate universe Fringe Division. It is disappointing that circumstances are not set to draw him deeper into the group. Since he isn't seen, we don't know where he is. Perhaps he does work for Fringe Division, and just is somewhere else during the episode. However, with much more important stories to tell, Nina and Lincoln are just not vital enough to be included in "The Day We Died."

     This is the story of how Peter destroys the world. Following in his father's footsteps, as Walter is the one who creates the first tear between the two worlds in the first place, Peter is the one that ends their war. But his ending is flawed, as once he destroys the alternate universe, "ours" is doomed, too. They are not separate entities, but rely on each other for survival.

     What a fascinating concept! While months have been spent worrying that whichever side won, billions of innocents would die, in the end, that is not the issue at all! The main characters all think the universes can not both co-exist, but instead, they now discover that they must co-exist. What a turn!

 
     The First People are finally explained. The whole episode is part of a paradox. A machine destroys the world. In the future. Walter learns that, and so he and others, the First People, build and take the machine back through time. Presumably, they use the wormhole in Central Park, which explains that particular disaster's necessity in this story. It is not explained how the second machine gets into the alternate universe's past. Yet, once Walter takes the machine back, and somehow gets Peter's 2011 consciousness to live through the 2026 events, then use that knowledge to save the world, both doomsday and Peter are wiped from time and history.

     What does this mean for Fringe? Obviously, this is a good storytelling device to get the characters from the two universes on the same page. "The Day We Died" ends with Walter, Walternate, Olivia, and Fauxlivia in the same room, reluctantly ready to cooperate. Apparently, season four of Fringe will focus on both sides working together to save their worlds. They are now in a position to do so, with Liberty Island allowing free passage as a bridge back and forth. This also exposes Fringe Division to the public, and makes known the events going on, leading to many more possible stories. A rich trove ready to mine!

     But what of Peter? No one remembers him, so no one is even poised to search for him. The Observers know Peter is gone, but as he served his purpose already, they have no reason to bring him back. Did they, or one in particular, create Peter to save the world? Or is Peter an anomaly that threatens destruction, until he changes course and fixes things, thus negating his own existence? What would the return of Peter mean? Would things reset again? Can Peter survive in a fixed world? Does Peter's son, Henry, still exist? Is Fauxlivia still will the previous boyfriend? The questions are endless and far from answered.

     However, Joshua Jackson is part of the central trio the series is about, and Peter is a very popular character. The producers have already confirmed he is still under contract for next year. The last has not been seen of Peter. Will the one Observer most often shown (Michael Cerveris) experience sadness at losing the man he spent so much time watching and seek to return him to life? He has shown a willingness to break the rules before. Will the others try to stop him? The Observers seem the most obvious element to use to bring Peter back, but that is not at all confirmed by the creative team behind the show, which have repeatedly proven how good they are at delivering the unexpected.

     In the future, Peter and Olivia are married. This backs up the hope of many fans that they will end up together. On screen, we have now been shown a stable, long-term marriage existing between the two. Once Peter finally is restored, which is inevitable, will the show pursue it wholeheartedly? Even when Peter comes back, will she remember him? They have just begun their relationship as season three ends. Is this a sign from the writers that they plan on keeping that romance alive? If so, it is a welcome one.

     Ella, Olivia's niece, is also introduced as an important character, working with her aunt. It is surely disappointing for the actress playing her that the series jumps back to its present at the end of the episode, thus negating any need to continue to use her. But, in a jam packed episode, this is not just a feel-good insertion. It is a sign that Ella will be more involved somehow moving forward. Considering how deliberate Fringe is with what they choose to include versus what they leave out, it is a remote chance that Ella's story is over. This has to be a major clue to the future.

     Will we ever get to see the future again? Or the First People in the past (Imagine that theme song!)? Fringe shows a willingness to go where the story is, often in way that viewers cannot predict. The writers will only take the story to the future or past if it is necessary for the continuation of the series's plots. Considering that the distant past has now been fully explained, they will probably not go there. Yet, by mentioning it, a door has been opened. A lot of fans will want to see those events. How can they become relevant again, so there is a necessity to see them?

     The same can be said for the future. The 2026 in this episode will no longer occur, so all the future versions introduced are now gone. Peter changed the course of history majorly. The positive aspect is that Olivia didn't die at Walternate's hand. But that also means a carefully constructed world will only appear in one episode. That is a crying shame. Hopefully, there will be reason to get around the quandry. Could next season go back and forth in time, as this season did between the universes?

     Olivia's death at the hands of Walternate says much more about his character than hers. In fact, despite one of the central trio getting hit dead square in the forehead by a bullet, the moment holds no tension. There are no tears evoked. No strong emotional reaction. Even the funeral scene is more ripe for curiosity than grief.

     Is this simply because events are already on course to be corrected? Olivia is killed fifteen years into a future that will not happen. Sure, the characters are sad, but as a viewer, the moment seems insignificant in this episode, which is highly surprising. For Olivia's death to be a minor thing in "The Day We Died," it really demonstrates just what an earth-shattering episode it is.

     Walternate, on the other hand, is shown as pure evil. Yes, he has his reasons. His son chooses the version of Walter that kidnapped him as his beloved father, turning his back on Walternate and destroying his world. That would be enough to make anyone angry and long for revenge. But Walternate has kept up this attitude for fifteen years. He has truly crossed beyond any ability to redeem himself. He is chock full of malice, and must be stopped.

     Watching Walter and Walternate has been very interesting because they are the same man shaped by very different circumstances. To see Walternate take such a drastic turn to the dark side means that Walter is capable of it, too, under the right conditions. How much will Fringe explore this? How much can they, without ruining a character who has shown so much growth? Now that they are together, will they begin to rub off on one another? The convenience of Walternate allows a consideration of the options without reflecting poorly on Walter. Truly brilliant. Which makes Walter's jail sentence in the future, as well as all of humanity's hatred for him, most regrettable, though under the circumstances, understandable.


     Fringe has been renewed for a fourth season and will return to FOX next fall.

     To catch up on the Fringe you missed, buy DVDs or watch episodes instantly on Amazon.com

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

Article first published as TV Review: Fringe - "The Day We Died" on Blogcritics.

Fringe: Countdown to the Season Three Finale: "6:02 AM EST"

     This third season of FOX's Fringe has been a wild ride from start to (almost) finish. It started with Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) kidnapped on the other side and replaced by Fauxlivia (also Torv). Olivia's memory is altered to believe she is Fauxlivia, while Fauxlivia makes love to Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) and, without him knowing, gives birth to his child. Meanwhile, Walter (John Noble) and Walternate (Noble) both work to save their universes, knowing that one or the other must perish. Peter is in the middle, raised by Walter, but son of Walternate. With the season finale, "The Day We Died," airing this Friday, I'd like to take a look back at the three most recent episodes and try to figure out what to expect.

"Lysergic Acid Diethylamide" / "6:02 AM EST" / "The Last Sam Weiss" / "The Day We Died"

     Olivia and Peter are finally together! After everything that separates them, from Olivia being replaced by Fauxlivia, to William Bell inhabiting Olivia's body, they finally get to just be a couple, happily. This, of course, does not last long. The happy part, not the together part. Hopefully that will continue for seasons to come.

     Devastating events begin occurring in the Eastern United States, and the mysterious doomsday device that has only responded to Peter before suddenly comes on at 6:02 AM EST, even though Peter is hundreds of miles away. As Walter is soon able to surmise, it is responding to the fact that its counterpart in the alternate universe is now running. What he doesn't know is that Walternate has used the DNA of Peter and Fauxlivia's child, with Fauxlivia's elements stripped out, to activate the device. The machine thinks Peter is inside it.

     Which means that when Peter tries to approach the machine on our side, it zaps him badly and sends him to the hospital. As such, nothing seems readily available to stop the destruction. While no one exactly knows how the thing works, Walternate believes it will save his universe by tearing apart ours.

     Walternate has mostly been portrayed as a villain on the show. With this serious disaster in front of him, he is humanized a bit as he mourns the loss of billions of souls on the other side. He is disgusted by Brandon's (Ryan McDonald) celebration that their world will be saved. How can one rejoice while taking so many innocent lives? What would you do to save the world? It's fantastic that the show demonstrates those stakes through Walternate, and makes the issue even more murky than before. While fans of Fringe surely want the "regular" universe to survive, do they realize they are rooting for massive amounts of unjust death as well? It's a real eye opening moment, to characters and viewers alike.

     As this happens, Olivia and Nina search for Sam Weiss (Kevin Corrigan), who Nina says knows more about the machine than anyone. Sam has disappeared. Time is running out, as there is little amber available to stop the events, and that fix would only be temporary anyway.

     Why is Olivia so willingly working with, and trusting, Nina? As we saw in the previous episode, in Olivia's brain, Nina is a bad guy. This is confusing, as the two of them seem at ease with each other on screen. Is Nina bad or good? Brown plays her mysteriously, helping the heroes, but always having motivations she never articulates to them. Going forward, hopefully Nina will take more of a front seat on Fringe, and the show will plunge into who she really is.

"Lysergic Acid Diethylamide" / "6:02 AM EST" / "The Last Sam Weiss" / "The Day We Died"

     However things play out, it is fairly certain Fringe will be delivering a heck of an exciting finale! Catch the episode "The Day We Died" tomorrow night (Friday) at 9 p.m. EST on FOX.

     To catch up on the Fringe you missed, buy DVDs or watch episodes instantly on Amazon.com

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

Article first published as TV Review: Fringe: Countdown to the Season Three Finale on Blogcritics.

Fringe: Countdown to the Season Three Finale: "Lysergic Acid Diethylamide"

     This third season of FOX's Fringe has been a wild ride from start to (almost) finish. It started with Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) kidnapped on the other side and replaced by Fauxlivia (also Torv). Olivia's memory is altered to believe she is Fauxlivia, while Fauxlivia makes love to Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) and, without him knowing, gives birth to his child. Meanwhile, Walter (John Noble) and Walternate (Noble) both work to save their universes, knowing that one or the other must perish. Peter is in the middle, raised by Walter, but son of Walternate. With the season finale, "The Day We Died," airing this Friday, I'd like to take a look back at the three most recent episodes and try to figure out what to expect.

"Lysergic Acid Diethylamide" / "6:02 AM EST" / "The Last Sam Weiss" / "The Day We Died"

     The name of this episode is the scientific title for LSD, the hallucinogenic drug used occasionally on Fringe, as well as in the real world, mostly circa 1960's. With William Bell still trapped in Olivia's body, and seeing no way to get out, Bell takes LSD. Peter and Walter do, too, traveling inside Olivia's brain to try to find her before she is lost forever. A cross between Inception and The Matrix, the trio battle the dark parts of Olivia's psyche that try to kill them, all the while searching for their hiding comrade.

     What Bell is forgetting when he thinks Olivia will be fine inside her head while he borrows her body is that Olivia has more reasons to be scared than practically anyone. Experimented on as a child by Bell and Walter, then raised by a mean step-father (Chris Bradford), Olivia's mind is anything but a safe haven. Instead, her subconscious has created a terrible world, out to kill her, and her friends that dare to venture inside. I get why her step-dad leads the mob, but why is Nina (Blair Brown) also evil? What does Olivia see in Nina that the rest of us are missing?

     What results is that Olivia must defeat these dark feelings and take control again, which she does. This episode is one of the best because Olivia overcomes one more obstacle on her way to becoming a true hero. She is more powerful than she can imagine, which I'll touch on again later in this article, but she has a number of stumbling blocks before she finds her potential. Dealing with the demons within her own body is a major triumph on that road, and a turning point for Fringe as a series.

     The biggest mystery of the episode is the mysterious man with an X on his t-shirt that 'kills' Walter in the dreamscape. Peter brings him up to Olivia, who calmly replies that, while she has never met the man, she knows who Peter is talking about, and he will murder her. This is something Olivia has apparently thought a lot about, but remains unworried. What is up with that?

     As Bell, Peter, and Walter flee, they become cartoons, a really neat element to add to this episode. While the animated versions are not exact replicas, they are recognizable enough. Perhaps it is done because Leonard Nimoy did not wish to guest star, though he did lend his voice to the animated Bell. No matter what inspired the cartoon, it is very cool.

     Extremely welcome is a small subplot where Agent Broyles (Lance Reddick) accidentally ingests LSD, too, and must be taken care of by Astrid (Jasika Nicole). While the two rarely get meaty stories, it is exceedingly nice to have them in a few fun scenes together. Reddick masters the comedy to be had from the scenario, examining liquorice. He also unleashes some serious dark demons in his rant about death. Is it inspired by seeing the hacked up body of the alternate Broyles, sent over from the other side months ago? Either way, these moments beg for more Broyles and Astrid Fringe stories in the future.

"Lysergic Acid Diethylamide" / "6:02 AM EST" / "The Last Sam Weiss" / "The Day We Died"

     However things play out, it is fairly certain Fringe will be delivering a heck of an exciting finale! Catch the episode "The Day We Died" tomorrow night (Friday) at 9 p.m. EST on FOX.

     To catch up on the Fringe you missed, buy DVDs or watch episodes instantly on Amazon.com

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

Article first published as TV Review: Fringe: Countdown to the Season Three Finale on Blogcritics.

Fringe Keeps Getting Better

     A fan of FOX's Fringe from the onset, I did get a little bored with the case of the week mentality the first season, and to a lesser extent, the second, brought us often. However, after beefing up Olivia's (Anna Torv) story little by little over time, it soon became apparent that The Olivia Dunham Show, as my wife likes to call it, was something pretty darn interesting. Not only that, but Walter (John Noble) also got better and better arcs. Late last season, and even more so this season, the third member of the central trio, Peter (Joshua Jackson), has finally been given his due, too.

     Somehow, Olivia and Walter's parts are no less central, even after Peter stepped front and center, ending his long reign as the third wheel. I think making each week's individual mystery less and less important allowed room for the growth, and now the series often jettisons the weekly stand alone stuff altogether. This season's arc of Olivia being trapped in the alternate universe, as Peter fell in love with her counterpart, Fauxlivia (also Torv), has been amazing! Torv and Jackson have been able to show such raw emotions, and allow such deep feelings to be ripped to the surface, that both are having banner years.

     In past reviews, I have discussed the debate over what name the alternate Olivia should go by. Bolivia was a popular suggestion, and seemed to be first on the scene, although I preferred Fauxlivia, as I used in the preceding paragraph. This week's episode was the first to refer to her by a special name on screen, and they chose Fauxlivia, making the debate essentially over. Fauxlivia seems to have won.

     But names are semantics. Torv has brought both characters alive in ways both obvious and subtle, showcasing her immense talent. These are two very different women, who are at their core, nearly the same. It's a strange paradox that Olivia and Fauxlivia can be alike and different at the same time, but Torv has excelled in demonstrating that in ways that it's hard to express in words. A++ for her performance.

     Peter seems poised to suffer even more as the rest of the season plays out. Friday night, he went on a killing spree, taking down shape shifters sent by the other side. He justified this to himself and Walter by calling them soldiers, making them casualties of war, and helping Peter sleep at night in a way he wouldn't after committing murder. But it is murder, and Walter's concern that the ancient machine has negatively affected Peter seems a valid concern, since the serial killing thing is kind of out of character for Peter. How this will play out is a burning question, as well as what will happen to Peter concerning the ancient machines, one of which exists in each universe.

     Walter, who has always set himself apart as an amazing actor and essential piece of the show, is even more exciting now. He is a parent terrified for his son, but also thinking rationally most of the time for the first time in awhile, and willing to make sacrifices. He faced Peter's death only last week, and worried even more about Peter this week as test after test was performed on him. It's a change from the distracted scientist who doesn't care for others, and a welcome one. Walter and Peter's bond is the strongest on the show.

     The Observer (Michael Cerveris) last week seemed to reference Peter's death being among the upcoming events, but I am suspicious of this. Surely, Fringe would not kill off one of the central trio before a series finale? I could see Peter's death being one of the last things that happens on the show, although a happy ending with Peter and Olivia would be nice, so maybe Walter, being older, could somehow sacrifice himself and take Peter's place? But however it plays out, I don't see Peter dying in one of those machines this year. Unless it's a dying fake out of some sort. It would be kind of cool to see Olivia and Walter mourn Peter, though he couldn't possibly be permanently dead.

     The Observer saved Peter for a reason, unknown to us viewers, years ago, angering fellow Observers. That means Peter is vital to something in the two universe war. This plot arc seems finite, and closer to an end than a beginning. I really think things have to come to a head by the end of this season, with Olivia and co. facing down Walternate (also Noble), Fauxlivia, and the others. I don't see this going on for years longer, and the show is doing well enough that it is in no danger of immediate cancellation. Even the move to Fridays has only bolstered the ratings, not hurt them. Other shows that J.J. Abrams has been involved in have completely rebooted the plot after a couple of seasons, and always came out stronger than ever, so I'm not afraid of a reset. I'm excitedly anticipating one.

     I think the alternate universe story line has been fantastic. Normally when fiction tackles an alternate reality (I'm looking at you Star Trek and Star Trek: Deep Space 9), they face a reality drastically different than their own, often with evil versions of themselves. Yet, the Fringe alternate universe is quite similar. Sure, society and government have been drastically altered due to the rip factors on the other side. But our Walter clearly had the capacity for evil if his life had played out differently, and I can see how Walternate ended up the way he is. Other characters, like Charlie (Kirk Acevedo) and Broyles (Lance Reddick), are nearly the same man on both sides. Or were, as one of each has now been killed off. Which begs the question, were they killed (in the series or in the universe) because they were too alike, and it was repetitive to have both?
 

     Which brings me to the other main characters, who have too frequently been shut out of any real development. Seeing the alternate Broyles (who got no cool, trendy nickname and now probably won't) help Olivia escape was some of the best work Reddick has gotten on the show. Nina (Blair Brown) has had more to do with Massive Dynamic now under Walter's ownership, and the company working on the ancient machine, than she ever had before. Astrid (Jasika Nicole) has been more involved in what the rest of the team is doing, not just cleaning beakers in Walter's lab.

     It's a welcome change. All three of those actors are very talented, and were picked to star in Fringe for a reason. While the series is essentially a three person story, these other three can carry their own weight. In fact, letting Peter be believed dead for a little while might give them a chance to be fleshed out even more, and in that regard, I welcome the idea. However, seeing as how the writers made Olivia hallucinate Peter in the alternate universe episodes so that Jackson could keep starring every week makes me think that even if the characters think Peter is dead, he will probably still get ample screen time. I'm not asking for less Jackson, I think this is the best role of his career to date, but I would like a bit more fairness to Brown, Nicole, and Reddick.

      That aside, I have no complaints about this season of Fringe. It's tightly written, wonderfully exciting, super suspenseful, and beyond creative. Check out Fringe, now airing Friday nights at 9 p.m. on FOX.

Article first published as TV Review: Fringe Keeps Getting Better on Blogcritics.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

Fringe "Amber 31422"

    Five episodes into the third season of FOX's Fringe, and it's already been spectacular. The major game changing play this year, alternating each week which universe the episode takes place in, has been wonderfully successful. While Fringe toyed with the alternate world in the first two seasons, seeing those other versions of our favorite characters in major arcs is incredibly rewarding. I love the red theme song for alternate weeks, and the cast of characters that appear over there, but not (yet) back here. Plus, seeing John Noble as Walternate is very satisfying.
     Last Thursday was an alternate week, however, aspects of it were a call back to previous episodes on our side of the universe. Olivia (Anna Torv) was once again drugged up and put in the sensory-deprivation tank, although this time it was Walternate's much more sophisticated version. Her powers have been dealt with on and off for years, and this episode confirmed that whatever Walter did to Olivia as a child plays a huge role in what she can do. It's sort of been a question of mine if Olivia is special because Walter did experiments on her, or if Walter's experiments were so interesting because she was special. This episode seemed to confirm that Walter was responsible for many of her gifts. Plus, now Olivia is not only realizing that she's in the wrong universe, but also that she can travel back and forth under the right circumstances. As Olivia continues to grow as a person, and gains knowledge and confidence of her abilities, this particular talent is sure to play a substantial role in the story.

     If you'll indulge, a quick side trip here. Unlike Walternate, whose alternate name has been widely accepted very quickly, there is much argument over what to call the alternate version of Olivia, currently carrying out some secret mission in our world. I firmly fall into the camp of Fauxlivia (sometimes seen with a dash, as Faux-livia), as it makes the most sense to me, and I will refer to her as such in my tweets and reviews. Other popular suggestions have been Alter-Olivia or Altlivia, which seem clumsy. Bolivia is how she is referred to in the script, because she was called B-Olivia (as opposed to A-Olivia, our Olivia). However, while I guess I understand how that would work on paper (though shouldn't it be Olivia-B, instead of B-Olivia?), Fauxlivia just sounds better.

     Whatever you call her, Torv is doing a bang up job capturing the subtle differences between the two characters, making Fauxlivia a bit dumber (she doesn't have the photographic memory or chemically-enhanced abilities). Fauxlivia is tough, but seems to value muscle more than science. Clearly both versions have potential, but without the same experiences shaping them, they became two different people.

     I have found it sort of odd that Peter (Joshua Jackson) keeps appearing to Olivia. Yeah, I get the explanation that he represents her true self, and that he is the part of her figuring our what's really happening after Walternate brainwashed her into believing she belong in the alternate universe. But honestly, to me it seems like a ploy to keep the third leading character, the one who doesn't have a living counterpart, in each episode week after week. I'm not exactly complaining, as I'm quite fond of Peter, and Olivia has to externalize the conflict somehow. However, let's just admit that it's been done to benefit the actor more than the story.

     This week's guest stars were also fantastic, as they played out a fascinating self-contained story. Aaron Ashmore (Smallville) and his real-life twin Shawn (the X-Men movies) played twins, one of whom was a bank robber and one was an accountant. The accountant was frozen in amber (that's how the alternate universe tries to contain disturbances in the fabric of their existence), but the authorities believed that the victim was his brother. Four years later, the criminal brother rescues his innocent brother, and the Fringe team try to contain the implications. If society at large found out their loved ones could be revived from the amber, they would want to rescue everyone. Ultimately, Olivia's true nature asserts itself, and after the bad brother is re-ambered, she allowed the good brother to live his life in peace.

     Walternate claims that rescuing people from amber threatens the stabilization of the effort. As the Secretary of Defense he is more concerned with security that innocent lives. He has been shaped by a tough existence, though, losing his son, and dealing with a series of disasters caused by Walter's original cross over. I don't excuse his callous nature, but he is more than a two-dimensional villain. What's unclear is if there is any science to support his hesitation to un-amber people, or if he just doesn't want to take any risk at all that might come back to bite him and the people he is trying to protect. It's obvious that he doesn't care about lives in our universe, but at least some of his motivation is to help the people in his world.

     I'm also loving the alternate universe Fringe team. It's so good to have Charlie (Kirk Acevedo) back on a regular basis. I don't think he will be promoted back to main character, as his part has been handled in a reduced role. But the third member of the team, Lee (Seth Gabel, Dirty Sexy Money, United States of Tara), has also been enjoyable. It would be great if our-universe Lee popped up, or if Olivia found him when she returned, and he could be added to the cast. My only hesitance in supporting this move is that Astrid (Jasika Nicole), who is one of my favorite characters, and already gets too little screen time in both universes, would likely lose her precious moments by the addition of other cast members. The screen time surely won't be cut for Jackson, Torv, or Noble.

     I'm content to wait for most of the plot to pay out this season, because although it's been a tad slow unfolding, the writing and acting has been incredibly strong, as is consistent with this great series. However, there are two burning questions that I don't know if the writers ever plan to address, and I'd really like to know the answers: Where is the alternate universe Nina Sharp (Blair Brown), the only main character we haven't seen a second version of? And what happened to F.B.I. Agent Jessup (Meghan Markle), who was sort of put up as Charlie's replacement in season two, but only appeared in two episodes last fall? I'm sure most fans don't care about my second question, if they even remember Jessup, but I liked her, and I'm curious. Even if I'd rather have Lee.

     Fringe airs Thursday nights at 9pm on FOX.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional tv news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

Article first published as TV Review: Fringe - "Amber 31422" on Blogcritics.