'Fringe' - 'Do Shapeshifters Dream of Electric Sheep?': The monster at the end of this episode
A strong, moving, funny episode that makes you feel bad for the bad guy
Nina (Blair Brown) introduces Peter (Joshua Jackson) to the new arrangement at Massive Dynamic.
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A quick review of last night's "Fringe" coming up just as soon as you get me a framed photo of George W. Bush...
I didn't get to last week's episode in any kind of reasonable time in which to review it, but I liked our expanded, largely sympathetic view of life Over There, and how Olivia's Over Here-ness inadvertently foiled the genius's plan.
As for last night's show, I thought it was one of the strongest Over Here episodes in a long time, one that I think would have been just as good even with Olivia rather than Fauxlivia in the middle of it. While there was tension from seeing Fauxlivia try to work counter to the agenda of Peter, Broyles and the rest, much of what made the episode so strong had little to do with her.
On the lighter side, we had Walter being trippier, and funnier, than usual while enjoying his newfound power at Massive Dynamic(*) and whatever shiny new chemicals it gives him access to. And on the darker side, this was the rare "Fringe" episode where I felt as involved in the story of the Monster of the Week (played by Paul Giamatti's brother Marcus, a solid character actor in his own right) as I did what was happening with the regular characters.
(*) Fienberg is hoping to find time today to do a write-up of his experience as a note-taking extra in the early sequence where Walter is tripping balls before the amused Peter and Nina, but in the meantime, here's the only screencap I could make of Dan and John Noble in the same frame. I'd have to say Dan was more convincing in his extra work than I was last week on "Community," but that may just be because I don't want to believe I could come across as an aging campus pervert.
The idea of the shape-shifters developing emotional attachments so strong that the cop couldn't possibly kill his family (or even change form and leave them behind forever), or that the senator would briefly rise from the dead to talk to his wife about their anniversary plans, worked, thanks to the complicated situation and the performances by Giamatti and (as the senator's widow) Shannon Cochran. Usually, I consider the scenes of the Monster at work to be something to kill time until we get back to the things that interest me(**), but here I was most caught up in seeing the cop try to explain to his son that "sometimes, monsters aren't all bad."
(**) In this case, that role fell to the car chase, which seemed there mainly for that shot of the car logo right before Peter took off after Newton.
The one part I didn't like was Peter and Fauxlivia's conversation in the Massive Dynamic cafeteria. I don't need Peter to figure things out just yet, but then I also don't need a scene where a genius-level character who knows about the parallel worlds and dopplegangers and the rest points out how different Olivia has been since they returned from Earth-2 where he's not remotely considering what that means. Maybe there will be a revelation in a few episodes that Peter did, in fact, figure it out and has been playing Fauxlivia, but if not, that scene just existed to create false tension at the expense of Peter's smarts.
Still, damn good episode. "Fringe" definitely on a roll so far this season.
What did everybody else think?
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October 15, 2010 at 12:08PM EST Reply to CommentDisclaimer: I actually didn't watch the second season. I watched the first on DVD, haven't seen the second, and now I'm free on Thursday nights again, so a good friend gave an excellent run-down (and we watched the S3 premiere on DVR so we could pause and ask questions frequently), and I think I've got a good grasp on what's going on, but if it looks like I'm missing something obvious that I should know, I probably am.
I really liked the episode, but one thing bugged me, right at the end, with an asterisk: if Fauxlivia isn't revealed in the early scenes of the next episode Over Here, I'll be very disappointed. Newton is clearly an important person, whether they know he's a shapeshifter or not, so wouldn't his cell be constantly monitored? At the very least, keep a record of who goes in and out (someone opened and closed the door for Fauxlivia to give him the suicide chip). If they try to pull a, "Wow, he's dead, and there's nothing useful we can extract from him, I wonder how that happened...", I'll be disappointed.
MMS
October 15, 2010 at 12:22PM EST Reply to CommentDefinitely on a roll. I tried this show in season 1 & could not stand Olivia so stopped watching. The critical raves for the end of s2 made me watch the last 5 epis. Now, I'm hooked.
Plus - extra added Fienberg fun.
Beards of Glory
October 15, 2010 at 12:45PM EST Reply to CommentNice beard, Fienberg. Alan "Babyface" Sepinwall's got nothing on you.
belinda Hehehe.
October 15, 2010 at 8:34PM ESTI agree with Dave. Walt found out that there's a data storage in the ass - so why wouldn't they try and take that out of Newton (or from the police whose body is in the trunk? Granted he has much less info than Newton, but given Walt and co. are trying to muster up any kind of info relevant to the other world, it seems odd that they're not already busting those asses for chips)?
And I agree that the conversation Peter has with Olivia was a bit too pointed and discounting of Peter's intelligence given what he's seen. I like the idea that Peter is experiencing the same thing the senator's wife (or any number of unseen people with unknown shapeshifter spouses), but the fact is that Peter isn't the senator's wife - she has no idea about parallel worlds, Peter has first hand experience in it - especially having MET Fauxlivia as Fauxlivia.
Kayla
October 15, 2010 at 12:48PM EST Reply to CommentI agree with your thinking on Peter's speech about how different "Olivia" has been since their return from Earth-2. If he's not playing along, it was way too on-the-nose for my liking. I hope he's on to her -- and it will come off as a great reveal if he is, or at least has his suspicions -- but something tells me that was just a wink at the audience, and a clumsy one at that. ("Gee, you're sure acting strange in small but noticeable ways since we came back from that place populated by our doppelgangers who want to infiltrate and destroy us. Want some pudding?")
dougs
October 15, 2010 at 1:14PM EST Reply to CommentI have loved and defended this show from the start, but am now dfed up with how contrived it is that none of these stellar minds has yet figured out this isn't the real Olivia, despite all the evidence to the contrary. I especially hate all of Fauxlivia's illicit phone calls, in the midst of crime scenes. Come on. Then we get Peter's speech, and now we're supposed to wonder whether he's figured it out, finally, or is just justifying how he sees that Olivia has changed. Jesus people, she went to the other side and came back different, and you know you each m(other than Peter) have a doppelganger over there - how friggin hard is it to put 2 and 2 together here?
I see the ratings are falling - perhaps my frustration is not an exception.
r1pvanw1nkl3
October 15, 2010 at 2:04PM EST Reply to CommentThe monsters speech is what really put this episode over the top for me. I interpreted it in two ways... first the obvious: the dad is a monster because he's strange and from another universe, but he still loves his "son" and his "wife". But, if you turn it around, the shapeshifter could be interpreting the people from the other side as the "monsters" who destroyed the universe that made him, and he found that they weren't so bad after all.
Was not a fan of Peter's speech with Olivia... how is he not suspicious? Even after he pretty much said he should be? His storyline this week made him appear to be extremely insensitive.
justjoan123
October 15, 2010 at 2:52PM EST Reply to CommentSome of us over on TWOP's Fringe forum have become quite conscious of Fauxlivia's use, or even over-use, of makeup in the past few episodes. So much so that we have now taken to calling her Sephoralivia...
Kujo
October 15, 2010 at 2:56PM EST Reply to CommentLove the fact the MoW storylines are much more than just MoW eps of past seasons, and are even tying into the larger mythology of the show.
The secret cat and mouse game Fauxlivia is playing with the Over Here Fringe team is great. Really good tension.
Fringe has never been better.
Hollywoodaholic
October 15, 2010 at 3:52PM EST Reply to CommentThis is a pretty damn interesting show and well-deserving of a recap that it doesn't seem to have anywhere else. But I agree they shouldn't play out the Fauxlivia angle too long.
And a tripping scientist is not so far out. I once attended a lecture by famed scientist John Lilly (Center of the Cyclone, Dolphin communication research, etc.) who was tripping on a drug called Vitamin K the entire lecture and who abruptly stopped at one point and said he would be communicating the rest of the lecture through psi (telekinetically). Priceless. Maybe Walter is based on him, I don't know.
Misterpuff
October 15, 2010 at 4:55PM EST Reply to CommentSo did the "Chip of Death" (What any recap called the littel jagged pill) not only kill the shapeshifter but also erase its memory because Walter knows it has sh*t for brains. BTW Male shapeshifters probably have three brains then.
Loved the dinosaur riff because as soon as they said stegosaurus, I knew Walter's brainstorm. Go Belly!
Charles
October 15, 2010 at 11:41PM EST Reply to CommentWhy was the chip 'safe' and not simply destroyed? Ah... right - cue somewhat obvious prediction: Peter will find the chip and use it as the proof he needs to unmask Fauxlivia.
I really hope you're right about Peter just playing along with her, though after the events at the end of the episode that suggests a certain cold-blooded element to his character. I'm crossing my fingers that Wyman and Pinkner know what they're doing with this.
Lee
October 16, 2010 at 1:56AM EST Reply to CommentNo mention of the title's obvious nod to Philip K. Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", the source material for the greatest science-fiction film ever made, BLADE RUNNER?
Zed75
October 16, 2010 at 7:37AM EST Reply to CommentI don't think Peter's convo with Olivia was a fakeout, but I think it was intentionally obtuse. Don't forget Peter used to be a con-man — I suspect that deep down he knows it's not Olivia, but on another level he's sharing (and enjoying) her lie.
Felixdacat I think that Peter as well as most of the Fringe team know its not their Olivia and probably have known for awhile. Their motivations for playing along are to 1) Somehow rescue Olivia and 2) Find the communications link to the alt universe (why would they send Fauxlivia if they could not communicate).
October 16, 2010 at 9:35AM ESTThings should move along rather quickly now because of the chain of evidence with the Senator's disk. Walter knows the cop took it, the cop had a very small window to get rid of it or destroy it, plus he was likely motivated to not destroy it because it contained valuable data...so he likly gave it to Newton, who had no window to get rid of it or destroy it and the first person to reach him was Olivia.
The problem with this theory?? Last year it was just as logical that everyone should have supected that Charlie was a shape shifter and never did. Therefore, the writers could blow this one as well.
Xeddicus If Peter is playing her it's just stupid. He hasn't learned anything. Hasn't gained anything. Hasn't gotten anything out of playing her other than sex. Meanwhile, people have died, Olivia could be dying, etc. If they even suspect it they
October 17, 2010 at 7:09AM ESTXeddicus should be interrogating her.
October 17, 2010 at 7:16AM ESTScrewed up above because Chrome is giving me the "Please choose an option" error when I try and post and messed up the copy/paste...and there's no edit...old Blog didn't have this problem. :P
anotherquestion Reply to comment...
October 21, 2010 at 7:38PM ESTElena
October 16, 2010 at 6:58PM EST Reply to CommentLiked the episode, but agree with the criticisms mentioned here, too many loose ends, how would they not have Sebastian Roche's cell under constant video surveillance, wouldn't Peter have noticed that Fauxlivia was a bit too anxious about utilizing the sentor's wife and didn't chase after the shapeshifting cop? But overall I liked it, and you're right Alan, the MoW was a good one. Thanks for the tip that he is related to Paul Giamatti--I know him as Amy's brother on Judging Amy, and its fun to know that he and Paul are brothers.
Xeddicus
October 17, 2010 at 7:05AM EST Reply to CommentIf Peter is playing her it's just stupid. He hasn't learned anything. Hasn't gained anything. Hasn't gotten anything out of playing her other than sex. Meanwhile, people have died, Olivia could be dying, etc. If they even suspect it they need to start interrogating her NOW.
Andre
October 18, 2010 at 3:45AM EST Reply to CommentHey Alan, i want to make a suggestion. I know you have come to enjoy the use of Fauxlivia but i really think this other site has it much better when they refer to the characters as Altlivia or Walternate... those names seem to roll off the tongue alot better. Keep up the good work.
Really? Hey Andre, please explain how 'Altlivia' (which has a 'T' sound in the middle of it) rolls off the tongue better than 'Fauxlivia'? Inquiring minds want to know.
October 18, 2010 at 9:47PM ESTanotherquestion
October 21, 2010 at 7:51PM EST Reply to CommentDon't the repeated admonishments of Newton count for anything? Obviously, Fauxlivia responded with a deeper level of "commitment" to her mission at the end of this episode. It's hard to tell which was the "tipping point": Peter's suspicions or Newton's dying declarations. Peter has, by his own admission, been dazzled by the "positive" changes he'd experienced with Fauxlivia's return from alternearth, now he should be more flummoxed than ever.
The big break in character for (the real) Olivia was in last season's finale, when she finally spilled the beans about her more than collegial feelings toward Peter. Unless that moment was a cynical ploy to lure him back (very unlikely given the visions (of Peter) Olivia is currently experiencing), that initial declaration upset Peter's "something's fishy" detector to the point where it is plausible that he's not yet ready to jump to conclusions, no matter how logical they are.
7s Tim
October 23, 2010 at 2:41AM EST Reply to CommentMy question is, why haven't I already bought a Ford Taurus? Damn great for chasing mercury peoples. Won't flip over in a tunnel, either!
Do you think the fact that the show gets ratings secure enough to keep it going, but not a lot of scrutiny or outlandish buzz it needs to live up to or criticism it needs to disprove (ahem, lost/heroes seasons 2-3), that it has a better chance of pulling off a crazy stunt like these first few episodes, or worse? Maybe it won't stick the landing, but if a tree falls in the woods, can anyone hear it scream, y'know? (I think/hope they can do it)
Personally, I would be fine if they kept the conceit going all season (provided the stories and execution were good, granted). But I also would enjoy for this to build to a midseason mini climax (BtVS did this a lot, their christmas/new years offering before an extended hiatus being usually pretty awesome).
Liked the humor this episode. In the past, it's usually been regulated just to the wacky antics of Walter, but now they've started to include the other characters without them just mugging in reaction to him (although the "I have an Astro Farnsworth...?" "Yeah, uh-huh," might count as that).
Just finally caught up on the first four episodes in three days. Great to watch it that way, now I gotta wait. It's like Peter will feel when he learns he "romanced" a Pseudolivia.