'Fringe' Recap - 'Five-Twenty-Ten'
The show makes things personal, even while Peter's personality starts to disappear.
Credit: FOX
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One thing I’ve never gotten about the spoiler culture surrounding television is why it’s so important to know what’s going to happen before episodes air. “Spoiler culture” is a vague term, one that incorporates different things for different people. Short of simply unplugging from all forms of media, it’s extremely difficult to stay truly unaware. For instance, “Fringe” and FOX hyped up the return of Nina Sharpe tonight, removing any and all surprise that would have ensued for people just turning on tonight’s episode “Five-Twenty-Ten” without any knowledge of such casting news. The “why” was kept under wraps, and there’s the not-small matter of journeys being more important than destinations when it comes to television. But still: why strain to look ahead when there’s a great view right outside your window?
Casting news is probably unavoidable, even for a spoiler-phobe like me. But there are plenty of ways to learn specific plot details about future episodes of “Fringe”, should one want to find them. I could probably learn the shape of things to come, to coin a phrase from a past episode of “Lost”, if I really wanted to do so. But doing so would diminish for me both the highs and lows of this final season of “Fringe”, and Lord knows we’ve seen plenty of both categories already this season. But not having the epic highs or epic lows seems like a disservice, not an added value. I’d be left simply waiting for things I already know will happen to unfold onscreen. In other words, I might end up looking at the world of “Fringe” not unlike poor, misguided Peter Bishop.
Not knowing how this future dystopian world of 2036 would fit into the ultimate endgame of the show posed both excitement and trepidation for me heading into this season. And I’m sure many of you shared those feelings to varying degrees as well. While episodes such as last week’s misfire seemed content to emphasize this season’s scavenger hunt over character development, “Five Twenty Ten” absolutely nailed that balance. In many ways, the search for the next component in Walter’s plan to defeat The Observers was a second thought. I’m guessing the re-emergence of the beacons within the show will help provide a way to get September back into the mix. But forget all that for now. Tonight’s episode wasn’t about getting one step closer to sending The Observers away. Tonight’s episode was about how the Bishops’ attempts to push the limits of their own humanity push everyone they love away. In doing so, “Fringe” deployed perhaps its strongest episode of the past two seasons.
It didn’t take a stunning final montage that interwove Walter and Peter alone with their thoughts to underline this point. (Though that David Bowie-scored bad boy certainly didn’t hurt.) Rather, it’s been coming ever since Etta’s death, which served to unmoor Walter and Peter something fierce. Peter turned to Observer tech to dull the pain, while Walter entertained his inner demons and gave them voice once again. Contrast that with Olivia and Nina, two women who have suffered (both literally and figuratively) at the hand of male geniuses and their insatiable egos. It would be one thing for these women to settle for loving men who couldn’t love them back. But Walter, Peter, and even William Bell simultaneously have the capacity to love while simultaneously engineering their own isolation in search of Science, Truth, and other capitalized abstract concepts. “Fringe” has long been a show about how family has been able to be a stabilizing force in an unknowable world. Well, tonight’s episode tested that theory and found it suspect at this point in the narrative.
Joshua Jackson’s portrayal of Peter sinking into Observer-levels of existence was a stand-out aspect of this installment. It’s easy to just play “robotic”. It’s another to strip out Peter’s existing personality and recalibrate his relation to his environment for every scene. Over the course of the hour, the balance between personal will and Observer tech subtly shifted. Long before clumps of hair starting coming out, Peter view on the world started to change. Not only could he see in code, but he could also see complex patterns and use them to his advantage. What felt like prognostication in the vein of “Lost”’s Desmond Hume instead was the power of observation coupled with The Observers’ rigid daily schedule. This allowed Peter to take three top lieutenants normally kept separate from one another and place them in the same room in order to take them all out at once.
Peter didn’t simply change the way he perceived the the world. He also changed the cadence and vocabulary in his speech. In doing so, adjectives started to fall off, since they were no longer necessary. The fewest amount of words started to suffice, since Peter’s point-of-view pushed past speech and into the realm of ones and zeroes. Peter saying, “It’s logical that we split up,” is both a sly nod to Leonard Nimoy’s “Star Trek” days but also a way to draw a through line between men like Bell and entities such as The Observers. After all, what links them together isn’t the tech but the impetus to augment the human body with said tech in the first place.
As for Walter, his fear of turning into the old version of himself has been ramped up a little too quickly over these past two episodes. But it has underlined how devastating Peter’s transformation might be for him once he learns about it. Ever since his brain was made whole again in “Letters Of Transit”, Walter has been able to hold onto Peter as his own type of beacon. Now, all of that could be thrown into flux. What does “defeating The Observers” means if it entails the defeat of his son? Now, trying to connect events from the show’s past into this show’s present day can be dodgy when it involves anyone but Peter and Olivia.* But Walter’s arc from viewing Peter as his original sin to the person who can ultimately save him from true damnation is affecting all the same.
* He remembers the very first fringe event they worked on, which he employed to kill The Observers. She also remembers it, even if her physical body experienced another time line. I think. Oh look, my ears are bleeding.
This season has left Olivia oddly on the sidelines while the Bishops have worked through their respective descents into hell. But I thought tonight’s episode finally started her final arc on the show as the only individual who can save both Bishop boys, and in doing so save the world. Even if the show is about a small group and not just one individual, there’s no one but Olivia who can be the true hero. Whether or not that means she’s front and center when the time comes, or simply acts as the Samwise to the Bishops’ collective Frodo, we’ll see.
But regardless, she’s the moral core of this show right now, the true beacon that can hold everything together. Her wordless exit at the end of the hour was haunting, but what could she say? There could not appeal to a man who didn’t sell the world, but may have sold his soul, in order to avenge Etta. Olivia didn’t get the chance of break down after her daughter died. For the second time, she had to be strong while Peter crumbled. And now she has to be even stronger upon seeing just how far Peter has fallen.
Hell, “Peter” might not even be there anymore. The man who brought back Olivia’s memories has lost his own in a sea of blue code and yellow timelines. He couldn’t even be bothered to keep up the subterfuge by the end of the hour, content to spill out facts about his timeline because he was no longer concerned with protecting her feelings. “Feelings” are as foreign to him at this point as they are to Windmark. Etta is no longer the emotional reason for defeating The Observers as much as an operating system that defines and deploys his specific actions. In trying to be “ten times the man” when yielding that tech, Peter Bishop is now a shell of the man he once was. He can’t help himself anymore. But Olivia can. And will.
“Fringe” still hasn’t been able to string together successively strong episodes yet this season, but they’ve done enough good work to suggest that the end might yield a good payoff to the series as a whole. There’s no way to no that for sure. But that’s just the way I like it. The stakes are refreshingly personal in ways that have been absent from the show for far too long. So long as they stay along this course, we may be in for a good final stretch of the show.
What did you think about tonight’s episode? Am I overhyping it, or did you find it equally satisfying? How did Peter’s transformation work for you? With only six hours left, what do you hope to see before the curtain finally closes? Sound off below!
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November 17, 2012 at 12:35AM EST Reply to CommentMore proof that we're from different planets, because I pretty much like every episode you've hated, and I hated this one. The Peter as Observer story is fine, but OY! The dialogue clanked harder than... something that clanks hard.
Best episode in 2 seasons? You must be joking.
ryanmcgee The dialogue is almost ALWAYS clanky, even when the show is humming along on all cylinders. So I just roll with it at this point.
November 17, 2012 at 12:41AM ESTAnd obviously mileage will vary on what's good and not. For me, the personal stuff clicked better than at any point this season, even during the one involving Etta's death. And since that's what I care about most, and what I feel has been most missing since Season 3, this worked like gangbusters for me.
No joke.
LxUn1c0 OUR FIRST FRINGE EXPERIENCE WAS THEIR LAST.
November 17, 2012 at 6:03AM ESTYou can't tell me this week's episode wasn't uniquely poorly written. That's saying something, considering this season's campy, campy feel. At the end of this season, the show will have ended three times, and that's two times too many.
Sandy Ended 3 times?
November 17, 2012 at 11:16AM ESTI think one of the unique things about Fringe is how every season is like a different show and for me it works everytime.
I think this season has been pretty strong.
Sandy
November 17, 2012 at 1:00AM EST Reply to CommentBest in 2 seasons? Not for me. Pretty strong ep but I still enjoyed An Origin Story and In Absentia from this season alone more.
I am glad Olivia knows about Peter now. Her last scene with Peter was so very creepy. I never thought I'd see Olivia walk away from him but like you said what could she do. Even she would be freaked out.
I'm loving this season but I am missing Olivia. She's always been the center of the show for me and I do hope the writers can bring things back around to her in these finale eps.
mesa
November 17, 2012 at 1:00AM EST Reply to CommentMan, I really wish I could be there with you on this episode. I found Peter's acting off-putting, and that crazy Olivia fan might have a point because she is getting annoying and not at all her normal ass-kicking self since S3. I didn't know Nina would be back, but I wasn't sad she was gone, her acting is so wooden. And as #iPredicted (and many others surely) Peter's hair started falling out. This episode might have brought out the personal struggles along with a good plot - but it just didn't click for me, and that's because what led us up to this wasn't strong enough. I can see the end of Fringe already, everyone teary-eyed with Walter doing a procedure on Peter that Olivia decides on, and everything to be happy. It's too neat but it is Wyman's way.
Anna Since you probably mean me as the crazy Olivia fan, sorry for pointing out that a female character is being destroyed,but at least I woke up others as well, there are not many great female characters on tv.
November 17, 2012 at 1:21AM ESTI will predict another ending:
Olivia will have to get both crazyboys on track, they will save the world and get the cerdit and Olivia will be pregnant.
A great female character ruined, and I feel sorry for Anna Torv, who deserves so much better, she is awesome.
And this was my final post on Fringe.
BB joel is a sexist writer, A Short Story About Love is a sexist epsódio equaling to Concentrate and Ask Again He changed Olivia of hero badass in a girl soap
November 17, 2012 at 4:45AM ESTBB joel is a sexist writer, A Short Story About Love is a sexist epsódio equaling to Concentrate and Ask Again He changed Olivia of hero badass in a girl soap
November 17, 2012 at 4:45AM ESTR Robertson YAY!!! Nutbar Crazy AnnaTorv Stalker is DONE posting about Fringe!!! For that alone, the episode is BRILLIANT and a milestone...now hopefully we don't have to put up with her psychosis anymore and she'll go stalk "The Good Wife" or some other crap show...:)
November 18, 2012 at 6:08PM ESTLauren
November 17, 2012 at 1:08AM EST Reply to CommentI loved it. I wouldn't say it was the best in 2 seasons, but it was pretty great. I am really loving the Peter transformation, and I'm hoping it forces Olivia to be a more active character. I've sort of missed her this season so far.
Anna
November 17, 2012 at 1:11AM EST Reply to CommentOlivia lost a child, but who cares, it is all about the big emotions and big loss for Peter Bishop, and Olivia has to worry for and about him.
Walter losing a child was the biggest los possible.
Only Olivia, childhood from hell thanks to Walter, has no right to deal with the loss of her child.
Olivia being lied to by Peter over and over again, season 3 as well, but still she has to be the one to run after him and forgive him,
Walter who abused her as a child, she has to care for him.
Olivia will have no storyline this season other than the mother part, and I predict that she will be pregnant in the finale.
So Walter and Peter have been told inside out, Olivia will never have a storyarc about her childhood,
(shock would be if her father is Donald, since we do not even know his name)
Walter has to be the poor selfpity guy Noble wants to play, so Bell is now the bad guy.
I hate the entire Observer Peter part, good excuse for Jacksons wooden acting, , he just badly copies mannerism that Cerveris created for an Observer, and I see all the Observer extras doing a better job.
Anna Torv is amazing how she manages to show so many different expressions dealing with her lousy storyline, Anna is doing all the work in the OLivia and Peter part,
no idea why people think that is a great written relationship, it has OLivia constantly being lied to having to offer herself to Peter.
(Olivia with her childhood would have left him after Marionette)
The storylines for Jackson and Noble keep piling up both the faves of Wyman, especially Noble,
Wyman saying that writing for Noble to give him the great material for his needed Emmy, is Wyman saying that Anna Torv is crap, since she does not get any decent material.
S1 and S2 that is what Jackson and Noble wanted, at the expense of Anna Torv, brilliant actress, sadly underused in finally getting decent writing in the Over There part,
but again sacrificed for Walter and Peter Bishop.
BTW One of the best Fringe episodes of S4 is One Night in October, that was Fringe and original , two worlds together great characters.
This season is Wyman living in the 19th century regarding Olivia treatment,
and Wyman having read to many extentialism literature, we are going one dark dark dark road, and love will save the day.
Olivia will have her Elisabeth Bishop speech, Be a better man than your father (yuk),
and she will forgive and forgive and forgive, and she will say she is the one to blame.
misterchief If we ignore the Jackson/Noble hate, crazy kind of has a point.
November 17, 2012 at 1:27AM ESTRyan, best episode of in 2 seasons is high praise and this episode doesn't really deserve it. It was ok. I hope being the true hero does require Olivia to be front and centre. I'm missing her!
maryedith So much for that being the last post ever. But I love crazyannatorvlover anyway.
November 23, 2012 at 2:38AM ESTDudeetta
November 17, 2012 at 1:59AM EST Reply to CommentI am utterly sick and tired of Olivia fans badmouthing the other characters and act like they don't freaking matter. Olivia fans are the rudest fanbase ever.
Anna
November 17, 2012 at 2:40AM EST Reply to CommentMy PS:
The reason that I am angry about how Anna Torv is treated again, is that she never gets the credit for her contribution on Fringe, not from the media , not from the production, WB and not from Wyman (and Pinkner)
All the credit always goes to Noble and Jackson.
And the way Anna has been treated in S1 and part S2 was a disgrace, and not even being helped by a decent storyline to give her a backstory, let alone Pinkner defending her,
After Marionette Pinkner defended himself, when he was asked why they underused her for so long.
(Anna said recently that she wanted to quit tv acting after S1 and 2, at the time I admired her for the way she dealt with everything)
Season 3 Anna had her decent material, but Jackson was sabotaging it, all his scenes with Anna , and by his conduct in the media. ( He went in Ew.com saying that he hated what Anna did with Bell, imagine Anna doing the same with him)
Wyman is now all over the place praising his boy Josh, Noble is his God,
Anna Torv never got that praise.
Luckily for Anna she got her Saturns 3 in a row ( Noble only 1)
I am one of those who loved the pilot because of Olivia Dunham and Anna Torv, and kept loving Fringe for that character and Anna's acting,
she has managed with very little material to create multiple versions of that Olivia (and Altlivia), and to end that character like this,
so-called emotional growth by having Olivia saying over and over again that she loves Peter, ect, what she has been doing to a lying Peter or offputting Peter since midseason 3, in season 4 she had to give up her life for Peter, it
is humiliating for the character and insulting to the actress.
Olivia could be given emotional growth in many ways, and the best way in her case is:
-deal with her childhood, she was beaten, how did she grow up, parents , give her family with storylines
-deal with her being abused by Walter, that should have been at least 12 episodes a storyline, but John Noble does not want that,
he wants the poor selfpity Walter, who is losing his mind, oh poor Walter.
See the preview epi 8, and it is clear that her only storyline will be saying in each episode I love you Peter I forgive you Peter, and , after that Walter.
Anna Torv did not want to talk about Olivia S4 and not about Olivia S5 at Comic Con, she knew what was coming, she is a professional, she was more interested in the story.
I feel sorry for her, Anna Torv is an awesome actress and deserves great material.
Thank you for the space.
dewdropvelvet I'm sure all these things were tossed around in the IDEA room and rejected... Just cuz somebody has the best acting chops doesnt dictate they have the most screen time.. and the guy who plays walter has amazing acting chops. And btw I thought jacksons observer acting was good this episode.. It impressed me.. And i'm a "crazy olivia fan" lol. Im wondering when we'll see the characters from the other side... !!!! SOON please!
November 17, 2012 at 3:42AM ESTdewdropvelvet ALSO: just cuz Olivia has been abused and didn't end up with a happy ending doesn't mean that feminism has taken a hit, etc etc etc LOL!!! I think it's realistic. And I think she met her soulmate in peter and at least she had some happy years with him. And she's always been strong... So I dunno, I find it hard to see her as a victim, and just see her as Olivia.. Having 12 episodes covering her "abuse?" Dunno about that... I think they covered it all just fine.. Since you want more, they prob covered it just enough!
November 17, 2012 at 3:44AM ESTbb breaking bad is an amazing show because it focuses in their best players ,fringe until the third season was an amazing show when the focus was on John Noble and Anna Torv after the show was focused on josh in the fourth season, the show lost in quality, Joshua Jackson is a limited actor does not have the same talent of John and Anna
November 17, 2012 at 5:14AM ESTbb breaking bad is an amazing show because it focuses in their best players ,fringe until the third season was an amazing show when the focus was on John Noble and Anna Torv after the show was focused on josh in the fourth season, the show lost in quality, Joshua Jackson is a limited actor does not have the same talent of John and Anna
November 17, 2012 at 5:14AM ESTgeorgina the only limited and bad actor on fringe right now is Anna Torv.
November 17, 2012 at 6:38AM ESTThe scene when olivia met nina: Anna didnt add nothing to that scene, it was all coming from Blair.
I never liked anna torv acting, but lately she is very bad.
Joshua Jackson is doing such an amazing job this season. So does John noble!!
Anna Torv is wooden and bland, this season more than ever.
Anne Patty your opinion about the performance of anna does not have much importance , everyone is aware of his hatred and jealousy sickly for her
November 17, 2012 at 1:31PM ESTAnne Patty your opinion about the performance of anna does not have much importance , everyone is aware of his hatred and jealousy sickly for her
November 17, 2012 at 1:31PM ESTJaniceLG Anna fan. I'm interested in reading/watching where Anna felt like quitting acting after S1, S2 and where Josh trashed her Bell. Or where he complained to the press about his role. I'm not talking him saying it would be nice to have Peter do this or that.
November 17, 2012 at 1:45PM ESTI find JJ incredibly supportive of the fact that Anna was the central character for 3 seasons. In the first interviews that came out in 2008, he said that Olivia was central to the story.
Additionally, for at least 3 seasons she was #1 on the call sheet. And she's still listed first when each episode airs which means she's probably still #1.
I really like Anna's acting and much of it's based on her character which isn't the warmest or open (at all). She's my favorite character of the three, but only slightly ahead of Peter and Walter.
But I've only heard her castmates say very postiive things about the Olivia character and story and Anna Torv.
marlene to janicelg:
November 17, 2012 at 1:57PM ESTdon't mind the crazy anna torv fan. She makes up stories about Joshua, John and Joel whyman all the time. The crazy thinks that the writers and her castmembers have a thing against Anna torv.
She is so jealous of Joshua Jackson and John Noble.
It's Joel Whyman who wanted to give this story about becoming an observer to Josh and Joel is very proud of Joshua's performance, so is John Noble.
It's not Anna Torv stongest performance this season, there is something off with Anna Torv acting, that's for sure.
But Joshua and John are doing a fantastic job.
CrewMember Been reading these recaps and rants for a bit now...as someone who works on the "Fringe" set (no I don't write the show), I can state firmly and completely that "Anna the serial poster" is a WINGNUT. The cast and crew get along. Both Jackson and Torv are total pros and are generous when playing against the cast (whether regular or guest)and friendly with the crew.
November 18, 2012 at 6:39PM ESTYes J and T have had a few tiffs over the course of 5 years but that has more to do with "working styles". Jackson is, in comparison to Torv (this is her first series and "big break") the "old pro" of the 2. He is chummy with everyone and "loose" if not jokey in his scene prep. Torv is a bit...not "method" but meticulous. Those 2 styles sometimes clash (esp in a heavy emotional scene) so sometimes there is friction.
As to "Anna the Serial Poster's" claims that Jackson complained to the powers that be about his lack of screen time in previous years...could NOT be further from the truth. He LOVES his time off...he's got a hot actress girlfriend and a new house in LA...if he's off the schedule for an episode, he's either (happpily) out of town or visiting family (he grew up in Vancouver, where we shoot). He doesn't count lines or pages or sulks if he's not heavily featured in a run of episodes (like the "2 Olivia/2 Earths" arc). The crew has taken no "sides" because there are no sides to take...if anything the crew is quietly, collectively pulling for more Jasika screen time as the crew ADORES her. As to Noble - a true gentlemen and consumate pro. Like or hate the quality/writing of the episodes (will be interesting to see if people like the finales, for which we haven't seen a script yet), but crazies like the "Anna" poster should just STOP posting lies and fiction about what they "think" is going on behind the scenes because she just comes across as an unhinged crazy person.
CrewMember ...and just to show there is no "anti Anna Torv" sentiments, in this current "Bishop heavy" arc, Anna Torv is also being a total pro...no whining, no sulking, no outbursts...just friendly Anna..she shows up everyday ready for work, whether it's a small one page scene or a heavy, emotional 9 page day.
November 18, 2012 at 6:48PM ESTmaja Hi!! 'He went in Ew.com saying that he hated what Anna did with Bell' ... how do you know about that? Is there any interview w/ him? I'm really curious. Please help me!!
November 19, 2012 at 4:03PM ESTSandy crewmember, I think you just explained why it looks like Josh really doesn't bring his all to Peter. I always find myself while watching him that another actor would have brought more to that scene. Your explanation that Josh is loose and fun before a take explains a lot.
December 6, 2012 at 7:49PM ESTGuest LOL. Knew someone (Sandy) would make a comment like that when I read what crewmember said. I mean, OMG, seriously, every actor has their own style and approach to scenes. They do it the way that works for them. Just because you may not agree with their style of doing things doesn't mean that they are not bringing all to their character. People will see what they want to see I guess.
December 7, 2012 at 2:40AM ESTinsane Indeed! Way to twist the crew member's words to fit your perception, Sandy. If I were of the same mindset as you, I'd say that Torv being not method shows in her lack of commitment to the role of Olivia. This is why we can't have nice things.
December 7, 2012 at 3:30AM ESTThom
November 17, 2012 at 3:25AM EST Reply to CommentThat was amazing! Peter's transformation is the greatest and most disturbing plot since forever. I don't think this episode was the best one in two seasons, I think An Origin Story was slightly better, but it was pretty great. The exposition about Bell was the weakest part, but at least it led somewhere.
Evelyn
November 17, 2012 at 3:44AM EST Reply to CommentI didn't like the tonight's episode... Acting was very bad and the dialogue was too cheesy and clanky... Everything felt too stretched and the storyline wasn't moving at all... Almost nothing new happened... And there are only 6 episodes left... The last episode will probably feel rushed and I think that many fans will remain unsatisfied...
The episodes such as One Night In October, Welcome to Westfield, In Absentia and The Origin Story were much better than Five-Twenty-Ten... If I had to rate this one, I'd give it a C...
bolivia
November 17, 2012 at 4:17AM EST Reply to CommentI also think this was one of the strongest episodes of the last season (or even perhaps just possibly last two). Peter's transformation into an Observer is fascinating to behold and his descent from layered lying into ruthlessly logical, unfeeling, twitchy-mode is creepy, eerie, and probably one of the most exciting plots to ever unfold on Fringe!! In season 1, Peter ran away from the Fringe team when he felt betrayed by Walter. In S2 and S3 he disappeared to the alternate universe. In S4, he disappeared physically from existance, and now, in S5, the ultimate disappearance - his mind and his soul. Wtf, it's just mindblowing!
mrbofus
November 17, 2012 at 5:17AM EST Reply to Comment"There could not appeal to a man who didn’t sell the world, but may have sold his sold, in order to avenge Etta."
Huh?
felix
November 17, 2012 at 7:00AM EST Reply to CommentGreat ending song tonight. So glad Josh gets to play an alter ego finally
nelly
November 17, 2012 at 7:06AM EST Reply to CommentWrite a comment...What the hell is wrong with anna torv, she has like one expression during the entire episode!
It seems that anna doesnt even bother to try to act anymore.
She ruined the scene between olivia and nina. Blair did the crying and showing the emotions, while wooden olivia/anna should stood there.
Whoa Nothing wrong with Anna Torv. She is playing Olivia Dunham in Fringe, not Fantine in Les Miserables.
November 17, 2012 at 8:28AM ESTUm no Some people have this misconception that a show of tears automatically means fine acting. How wrong...
November 17, 2012 at 9:41AM ESTnelly but olivia can at least show some emotions. What's with the one expression (constipated look) all the time, on olivia?
November 17, 2012 at 10:07AM ESTi know that tears don't automatically mean fine acting, but wooden means bad acting and that is what anna torv is doing this season.
Guest Well you don't like her acting, that's fine. Doesn't mean everyone sees what you see. (Or in this case, don't see)
November 17, 2012 at 10:22AM ESTSandy Actually Josh is the one actor on this show who has done most of his scenes with a stoned face.
November 17, 2012 at 10:45AM ESTGuest Olivia remembers that Nina is supposed to be her mother but has forgotten most of the time spent with her. Hence she wasn't all Mommy! Mommy! I missed you with tears down her face.
November 17, 2012 at 11:24AM ESTYour loss if you can't see the subtleties in her performance.
ursula Anna Torv is really bad this season. I totally agree. There isnt any emotions in her acting, just one bland look.
November 17, 2012 at 11:44AM ESTAnne Patty your opinion about the performance of anna does not have much importance , everyone is aware of his hatred and jealousy sickly for her
November 17, 2012 at 1:32PM ESTAnne Patty your opinion about the performance of anna does not have much importance , everyone is aware of his hatred and jealousy sickly for her
November 17, 2012 at 1:32PM ESTguest I am happy that the oliva arc is over. Has been since end of last season. The less sad, depressed oliva i see, the better. At laest, with peter and walter there is suspense and action. With olivia is just too boring.
November 17, 2012 at 1:47PM ESTJared J.
November 17, 2012 at 9:13AM EST Reply to CommentClearly I did this wrong and replied to a spammer the first time. Anyhow, I am sooooooo encouraged by this episode. This is the first episode all year that has had clear goals, emotional reasons for those goals, action happening because of those goals, and relationships hallenged because of decisions made. And an awesome musical/emotional wrap up noticeably absent for a few seasons. God I hope this writer has been given a couple more episodes before the series end, cause he actually fucking knows what he's doing.
I do agree the dialogue was a bit janky at times, but for once it wasn't painful as in previous episodes. The emotion hit home so I was able to overlook the dialogue foibles (how on the nose it was). This is something no episode this season has so far succeeded in. Kudos, Graham Roland.
And excellent summation of the episode, Ryan!
cooper
November 17, 2012 at 10:09AM EST Reply to CommentI enjoyed last night's episode. I especially liked the parts where there was no dialogue, just suspense and action like Peter at the restaurant, for example. So much better than last week. Take note, David Fury!
However, can we just address two things. Firstly, Olivia has said the lines 'I don't want to lose him/ I don't want to lose you' 3 times in 4 episodes. For crying out loud, it has now lost all meaning. Whatever happened to the beautiful writing of season 3? Torv can't even say it now with feeling, it has become meaningless.
Also, I really don't care for Walter and the 'oh my god are we really repeating this storyline again' Man I'm becoming.
I'm amazed each week when people say how brilliant John Noble is. He's fine in small dosses, very small.
Sandy Agree about Noble here in this episode. I'm just tired of the Walter we saw in this episode.
November 17, 2012 at 11:17AM ESTursela That's the problem with Torv acting: she can't say anything with feeling. Her scenes are not at the level of Joshua or John, especially this season
November 17, 2012 at 11:47AM ESTcooper @ursela Yes and no. Torv is only partially to blame. The owness is on the writers to stop repeating dialogue week after week. If I were her, I'd be fed up too. It's as though the writers aren't even aware of what others on the writing team are doing. Either that or the same person keeps doing the teleplay, thus explaining the repetitious turn of phrase.
November 17, 2012 at 1:24PM ESTjon88
November 17, 2012 at 10:11AM EST Reply to CommentI don't "unplug" from media (though I do avoid ads in general and promos in particular), but I didn't know Blair Brown would be on this week's show. At least, not until the guest credits ran. Didn't seem like that big a deal. Maybe just that detail, minus Fox's hype, reduced the impact.
Shaun Yeah, I didn't understand McGee's mini-rant about the "spoiler" of Nina's return. First, I didn't know about it either (until seeing her name in the credits) and I consider myself a pretty big fan of the show. Did FOX similarly spoil the return of Broyles a few weeks back?
November 17, 2012 at 12:04PM ESTSecond, who cares?
It's not like Nina's return was some earth-shattering twist. It was good to see her, and I liked her scenes with Walter (even though we covered much the same ground with him last week), but there was nothing pivotal about it. Had they said "THIS WEEK: NINA DIES" that would be different.
I'd still like to see Nina and Broyles return before the end, and see both do something badass to help the resistance succeed. Broyles already has, somewhat, but I hope we get more.
RileyJMU
November 17, 2012 at 11:11AM EST Reply to CommentThese reviews are so drawn out and boring. I wish Alan still reviewed Fringe. Hopefully he will give his two sense on the final episodes.
Shaun
November 17, 2012 at 11:53AM EST Reply to Comment"“Fringe” deployed perhaps its strongest episode of the past two seasons."
Stop the presses!! McGee actually enjoyed an episode of Fringe!
More amazingly, he liked it better than his pal Noel Murray. Usually, the opposite is true. Best of the past two seasons though? No... That's going a bit too far.
Anyhow, I liked this episode fine and the whole season's been pretty solid (even though "The Recordist" seems like a pointless episode). McGee is right that last night's episode struck the right balance.
I am concerned that we've only got six weeks left, and the team is still chasing after clues with no context (enough with the damned tapes!). Perhaps the discovery of the beacons, couple with last week's reveal of the Observer child, means things are finally kicking into the high gear I expected from the get-go this season. I sure hope so.
I'm still bothered that Our Heroes generally seem to move about freely, for the most part, in spite of being the most wanted people on the planet. Not even an effort to disguise themselves, and they even use public transportation.
And even though they have to sneak around a bit to use the Harvard lab, I still find it hard to believe it's a viable base of operations at this point. But I guess they've done a better job of explaining that than Peter and Olivia continuing to go back to ETTA'S APARTMENT?? I can't believe the Observers haven't locked that down and had it under constant surveillance.
But, hey, John Noble (as usual) and Joshua Jackson have been knocking it out of the park, and I am intrigued to see what Peter's fate will be.
Here's hoping Olivia and Astrid will actually get something to do in these final weeks though.
ryanmcgee I've gone out of my way to praise nearly half the episodes this season. Not sure why this one merits the "stop the presses". I've liked this season on the whole thus far much more than Season 4.
November 17, 2012 at 1:54PM ESTmesa
November 17, 2012 at 12:31PM EST Reply to CommentThe best thing the show has done was accelerate the alternate story that was planned for later seasons into the end of 1 and then 2. I mean how epic was the S2 finale and actually being in the Alt Universe! The worst thing this show has done was get rid of the Over Here / Over There dynamic. The golden age of FRINGE was mid S2-mid S3. Unfortunately it seems they wrote themselves into a corner and couldn't maintain that storyline anymore, which is a shame. I got into this show the summer after Lost ended, when I was salivating for a true dual-universe storyline. Oh boy did FRINGE deliver. I am happy with the first 3 seasons but the show is just not the same anymore.
JaniceLG Mesa, could not agree with you more. Mid S2 to mid S3 was epic TV. Really great storytelling/acting. I really liked S1 as the creative team admittedly were feeling their way around and struggling a bit. And even the back half of S3 was solid. Now S4, I appreciate that the creative team and actors felt like Peter had to erased (JJ endorsed it), there was no payoff. S5 for me is much better than 4.
November 17, 2012 at 1:51PM ESTJaniceLG
November 17, 2012 at 1:23PM EST Reply to CommentHi Ryan,
I do think this was one of the stronger episodes of Fringe in the last few seasons.
More than that, I think your review is spot on in terms of where our characters are and where they might go in the near future. Thank you for that.
At the same time, I'm happy Peter's character has a strong storyline and arc (JJ has embraced it whole-heartedly), but worried about how they have utilized Olivia. I do think Olivia character needed to open up and be more dependent on others emotionally. But she has been way too much of a sideline player. And no, I don't need her to be the lead this year, just important.
I'm having a tough time believing that all the fans who wanted Peter to become an Observer knew that he'd (apparently) become the type of Observer that is destroying human kind (and killed his daughter?). When all the Peter fans wanted this arc, all we knew about the Observers were what we saw in September (and maybe August & December). And I know some don't care about the story at all, just screen time for JJ.
The dialogue and writing on this show has improved this year. Last year was really tough when "love" and "look into my eyes" ruled the page/screen. I don't think any of the actors were at the top of their craft last year (JJ was probably most consistent as his character was the same).
I'm like you Ryan, at this point, I kinda of just go with it. I love the infinite possibilities of this show and more than that, I love these characters and their relationships.
In my other life, I am a showrunner/writer for a highly creative and critically acclaimed sci-fi show. But apparently, most Fringe fans are that in their real life.
Again, very thoughtful article Ryan.
mcklowry
November 17, 2012 at 4:55PM EST Reply to CommentDefinitely one of the better episodes this season! This may be Peter's greatest storyline ever, and looks like Jackson is having a blast portraying it. It's some of his most impressive acting to date.
That said I do have some complaints. The episode felt extremely repetitive, mostly in regards to Walter's storyline. But I blame that on last week's episode. It should have subtly focused on Walters transformation without the grand speech at the end, which was essentially repeated this week with Nina. And I also agree with others that Olivia has been left on the sidelines for far too long. I understand it's been necessary to set up this storyline and it looks like it will change in the next episode, but they could have at least given her different dialogue or something better to play with in the interim.
The next 3 weeks are going to be tough!
Robert W
November 18, 2012 at 2:39AM EST Reply to CommentMy big question this season has been....well what the hell happened to Olivia's powers from cortexiphan? in the alternate future she's seen having mastered them...they completely forgot about it this season..
carl Robert she basically lost all her powers in the finale of season 4. Maybe you should rewatch the episode
November 19, 2012 at 9:20AM ESTSilas Marner
December 25, 2012 at 7:10AM EST Reply to CommentWith the huge success of Alias and Lost because of the excellent writing AND acting, I was anticipating Fringe and am left wondering what happened to JJ Abrams?? Did he suddenly go on vacation when the entire production of Fringe took place? The concept is great, topics believable... it's the acting and the horrible scipt and dialogue that's so difficult to stomach... Anyone else get this vibe? It's almost as if JJ was seriously distracted during this show.