The Fringe Review Blog

Written by Akiva Goldsman, J.H. Wyman, and Jeff Pinkner
Directed by Joe Chappelle

That sound you heard about 10PM on 07 May 2011 was the collective scream of “Fringe” fans, all wondering what the hell happened at the end of the third season finale. Certainly this is a masterful cliffhanger, because it leaves the fandom in that delicious “Lost” mode of discussing the implications and speculating on future directions. And, of course, wondering if the show we’ve been watching for the past three years is the story we thought it was.

I think there are two main camps right now, though the variations within each are practically infinite and evolving by the second. The first group takes the finale literally: Peter never existed, and was some kind of artificial or artifactual construct designed to repair the damage done to the two universes, getting both worlds to the point where an intersection point could exist for cooperation. Members of that group are frantically trying to reconcile three years of storytelling with this new information.

The second group looks at it from a different interpretation of temporal mechanics, with the intersection of the two worlds in that bubble of spacetime effectively representing a third alternative in which Peter does not and never did exist, as a consequence of changing history to avoid the future for the Fringe Prime universe that was seen in the bulk of the episode. It’s not that Peter actually didn’t exist, but rather, that to the people inside that bubble, Peter might as well have not existed, since they don’t remember him at all. For them, the paths that brought them to that point in space and time involved actions and choices that didn’t include Peter.

It strikes me as a very canny way to end the third season. With the show continuing, it sets up a completely unexpected premise: an opportunity for Fringe Prime and Alt-Fringe to work together to save both worlds. It’s not at all what the audience was expecting. But had the show been canceled, it would have been a reasonable enough ending to the saga. I must applaud that level of storytelling prowess.

I imagine that, had the series ended, the twist with Peter would have been cut from the final version. It’s the only major hook into the next phase of the story. For my own part, I fall into the second camp, the one anticipating that Peter exists outside of the Schrodinger’s bubble. I fully expect to see him return in the fourth season, with the first episode or so exploring the pseudo-scientific reason for his “disappearance”. (Those looking for good theoretical ground in the argument/speculation might delve into the various interpretations of the Many Worlds Theory, already prominently mentioned earlier in the series.)

I loved the twist, particularly because it really made the episode rise above the somewhat pedestrian approach throughout most of the finale. We’ve seen this before: a character jumps into the future, sees the outcome of a particular choice, and then makes a different choice to prevent that future. Only “Fringe” has all but adopted a variation on the familiar “Lost” theory of temporal mechanics, with a Many Worlds layer on top of it: whatever happened, happened, but the how and why can change and it may not be “our universe” in which it happened.

It’s all great fun, and as a potential future, it’s remarkably well rendered. That future seems credible with respect to the context of the series. One can believe that it will all lead to those moments. But what really makes it work is how the various revelations affect Peter, and how it leads him to certain realizations (like the truth about the First People) and to that momentous choice.

It would be easy to assume that none of that future ever happened. That’s usually how it works. A different choice is made, and the terrible future is averted. But Walter has already warned the audience: that’s not how it works. Some things can be altered and avoided, but some events are inevitable. Within the context of Many Worlds, that future will occur. It’s a question of whether or not Peter, as an agency of free will, can create a new timeline as well.

After all, if Walter is correct about the true nature of the First People, then what is the compelling reason why they sent the Vacuum back into the past, millions of years? What is the mechanism by which they do so? It’s the wormhole in Central Park and everything that led up to its creation. The only way for Peter to use the machine to generate the new outcome/timeline is if the machine was sent back in time. That requires the existence of the future seen in this episode. By the laws of Many Worlds theory, that future must exist.

It brings this discussion (and, in a sense, the series) full circle. As Walter said a long time ago, certain choices generate branch points in the Many Worlds theory, where two timelines exist simultaneously, with a common history. This finale has to be seen in that context. And September’s statement to the other Observers must also be taken in that context. I’m sure it will be explained early in the fourth season.

And that’s the tricky part of assessing this episode. It’s story is still incomplete. If the writers take the direction I believe they will, then it will be an awesome mind-binding moment marking the next step in the show’s evolution. But if the explanations in the fourth season aren’t convincing, it could be catastrophic. I think that’s why there are so many fans on the fence about this: like the fate of both worlds on “Fringe” itself, this turn of events has the potential to be beneficial or devastating.

Perhaps fittingly, it all comes down to the choices that the writers will make.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 3/4

Final Rating: 9/10

(Season 3 Final Average: 7.6)

Written by Monica Owusu-Breen and Alison Schapker
Directed by Thomas Yatsko

Middle chapters have the unfortunate distinction of being little more than complication. They don’t set things up, they don’t resolve much of anything. At best, they give a sense of the scope of the total journey to the endgame. Enjoyment of middle chapters is often dependent on how the complicating factors add up in the end, and whether or not the writers leave the audience eager to see the resolution.

A lot of this episode was maneuvering. Peter was finding his way back to himself and the machine, Olivia was finding her way to even more self-realization, and so on. Which, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. It gives the writers time to pay off the mystery of Sam Weiss and tie back into the first season and Olivia’s unusual abilities.

I often get the feeling that “Fringe” is the distillation of the best elements of “Alias” and “Lost”, fitting well within the Abrams tradition, and that means a healthy consideration of destiny vs. free will. We’ve already seen that with Peter, and now we’re seeing it play out even more with Olivia. This season has underscored the notion that the two of them were meant for each other, even as the characters (consciously and otherwise) have attempted to forestall fate.

But that’s the interesting thing about Abrams’ consistent take on destiny: in almost every case, destiny is less a matter of some ephemeral plan than the application of some more powerful being’s exercise of free will. In “Alias”, it was the machinations of a very human Rambaldi and the endless plans of others to gain his knowledge of apparent immortality. In “Lost”, it was the very human struggle between two brothers, with Jacob gaining the power to impose rules and change lives to keep his brother captive and protect the world from his errors in judgment.

In “Fringe”, there are the prophetic writings of the First People. Sam Weiss is apparently the latest in a long family line of caretakers of accumulated First People knowledge, which is a fairly disappointing revelation. But it does support the theory that the Observers are either the First People or their descendents, watching events they have observed play out. I return to an earlier theory that the Observers are trying to manage the consequences of past actions of the First People.

Because the truth about Sam Weiss is relatively pedestrian, there’s just not a lot for his character to do, other than lead Olivia from point A to point B. It all comes down to tying up a big loose end from the first season and connecting it to the resolution of Peter’s season arc (now back on track). That’s all great stuff, but it clearly takes up a lot of time, and the writers seemed to toss in the slight complication with Peter and his post-shock confusion to mark time.

It justifies some of the complaints I’ve read about the pacing this season. While the season as a whole has been far more cohesive than the first two seasons, there have been stretches that tested my patience, like the seemingly wasteful Bellivia arc. Looking back on the first two parts of this finale trilogy, I can’t help but note that the actual story elements could have been easily compressed into one installment. I know that would have eliminated a lot of the character-centric moments, but I don’t necessarily think those would be missed. The heavy lifting was done in earlier episodes.

But I must also agree with the sentiment that the end of the episode made up for a lot of the complaints about the pacing and the lackluster Sam Weiss revelation. We all expected something unusual to happen with Peter when he entered the machine. Tossing him forward in time, perhaps into a different universe altogether, sets up a very interesting scenario for the fourth season.

It also ties into the Observer theory. If this is what the machine can accomplish, then this explains the origin of the prophecies: the First People used the machine to see future events, and took note of this conflict to come and the role their technology would play. On a smaller scale, it sets up Peter as someone with knowledge of potential future choices of his loved ones, and they can’t all be good.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by David Wilcox, Josh Singer, and Graham Roland
Directed by Jeannot Szwarc

There were many indications that this was going to be the beginning of a three-episode finale arc, and sure enough, this definitely felt like the introductory chapter of such an event. In essence, the previous episode was the prelude to what is happening here, and there are plenty of little twists and turns that change the rules of the game.

Walternate initiates his plan to wipe out Fringe Prime, and he manages to do so without Peter, thanks to the DNA of Peter and Fauxlivia’s son. (He avoids using the child, which is consistent with his earlier statements regarding the use of children in his experiments.) Walternate’s characterization is once again note-perfect; his actions are reprehensible, yet it’s impossible to ignore the fact that he has a logical and even sympathetic rationale behind it. After all, who would sacrifice their own universe, if it came down to it?

While it’s definitely a cool turn of events, and something worthy of triggering a season finale, it does serve to render Peter’s entire storyline this season a red herring and therefore moot. And once the initial shock of that revelation wore off (no pun intended), it just seemed like a waste. On the one hand, I’m glad that Peter isn’t being drawn to the Alt-Fringe side by knowledge of his son, but surely he must be involved somehow!

It was nice to see them directly reference Walter’s experience in “The Firefly”, which at least demonstrates that the writers have been planning much of this for a long time now. And Walter’s faith came to the forefront at what felt like a logical and appropriate time, especially given the stakes and Walter’s overall character arc. When Walter, willing to do nearly anything in the name of scientific possibility, is left to appeal to the Almighty, it speak volumes as to his state of mind.

Less obvious is Fauxlivia’s character turn. I really wasn’t expecting her to betray Walternate, especially considering the fact that she pretty much has everything she could ever ask for in the Alt-Fringe universe. Granted, she had feelings for Peter, and wouldn’t want him to die, but Waternate makes it plain for her. It was a choice of her son over Peter. I just don’t know that Fauxlivia would make the opposite choice, even if she disagreed with the morality of Walternate’s actions.

The real hook to this episode, though, was the indication that Sam Weiss’ nature and purpose is finally going to be explained. If anyone other than Olivia (through transferred William Bell knowledge, perhaps) could shed light on the mythology at this point, it’s Weiss. And he certainly seems to know what all these signs represent. How could he, if he hadn’t seen it before in some way, shape, or form?

The main problem is not that the episode was full of red herrings, both short- and long-term, but that it also had to weave the seeds of the real explanation into the story at the same time. It was a thrilling hour as a result, but in the end, not as much happened as might initially appear. Then again, perhaps that is for the best; it leaves the real fireworks for the next episode, which cannot help but raise the stakes and cause jaws to drop.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by Jeff Pinkner, J.H. Wyman, and Akiva Goldsman
Directed by Joe Chappelle

To say that this episode was inspired by “Inception” is probably unnecessary. It’s really just a variation on a theme. And as we’ve seen with other high-profile genre shows where popular culture has been directly references (recent episodes of “Smallville” come to mind), it all comes down to how well the ideas are integrated into the context of the show in question. In this case, no matter what the inspiration, the final result was all “Fringe”.

It’s no surprise that this episode hinged around the liberal use of a psychotropic drug; that’s been part of the series’ DNA since the very beginning. But it does provide for some memorable moments, and not just the ones in Olivia’s mind. Broyles was absolutely hilarious once he started tripping out, demonstrating once and for all that Lance Reddick can do more than act authoritative (and far better than seen in “Brown Betty”).

But the highlight, of course, was the trip through Olivia’s psyche. It started off as fairly mundane, but that was apparently an intentional device to get the audience prepared for what was to come. Switching to the cartoon version of “Fringe”, complete with visual echoes of “A Scanner Darkly” and similar works, was an ingenious way to handle the physical absence of Leonard Nimoy. This allowed them to do what they never could have done otherwise on a television budget, and work around the additional restrictions of Nimoy’s age.

That’s not to say that the episode was pure perfection. The visual style, designed to allow William Bell to make one final momentous impact on the war between universes without Nimoy, masked what was a bit of a letdown. In the end, what did Bell’s return bring to the table? Bell’s long involvement in the story’s timeline, from the Jacksonville experiments to the creation of Massive Dynamic to the study of the First People, was essentially set aside.

Instead, the focus was purely on resolving Olivia’s internal issues, which have been plaguing her since the beginning of the series. It was great to see them indirectly reference the fact that she was dealing with the fact that Fauxlivia’s memories were still integrated with her own, which suggests that she will now be able to move on with a more congenial approach to the world, but it’s a long, weird way to go with a lot of missed potential.

Certainly, as a “Lost” fan, I’m not going to complain when story arcs turn out to be more about character development than mythology info-dumps. And for all we know, Bell’s knowledge may still be part of the reintegrated Olivia. She certainly seems to have a new kind of insight. My suspicion is that Olivia’s abilities, previously held back by her psychological and emotional barriers, will be fully accessible, and this will include an innate knowledge of where it all originates. Will we discover, perhaps, that Olivia is a genetic descendent of the First People, thus explaining her semi-unique role in the Cortexiphan trials?

That’s the thing: while it’s not airtight, looking back, it all hangs together very well. It just needs a bit of polish here and there, and Bell was the perfect character to provide a bit of context and tie some of the loose threads together. That didn’t happen, so it’s just a question of whether or not the writers have a plan to cover those elements in some other way. If so, I certainly won’t complain. If not, my feeling will be that the return of William Bell was a missed opportunity.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

Written by Alison Schapker and Monica Owusu-Breen
Directed by Dennis Smith

First things first: this episode was all the more enjoyable thanks to the news that “Fringe” will be returning for a full fourth season, despite being ratings-challenged. While some see this as a good sign that the networks are paying more attention to the DVR Live+7 numbers, I see it as a matter of diminished expectations for Friday nights. After all, “Dollhouse” was renewed for a second season on Friday nights, despite pulling in lower numbers than “Fringe”. And “Fringe” has been more critically admired than “Dollhouse” ever was.

With the future now relatively secure, there’s less tension over the concern that the producers will assume renewal, set the pace accordingly, and leave the audience hanging. The question now is whether or not the pacing and natural evolution of the plot will allow enough time to give the necessary exposition, which was a big part of the criticism of the previous episode.

This installment seems to find the right balance, because while the mystery is maintained throughout, it all comes together in the end. Focusing on Fauxlivia’s pregnancy and another quirk of the Alt-Fringe status quo, it’s as much a character-centric piece as a vital step towards the third season endgame.

I’m always concerned when character pregnancy enters the picture, because all too often, that short-term increase in drama comes with a long-term series albatross. Either characters get roped into annoying “baby plots”, or the babies are shoved off-screen to be trotted out when convenient. Regardless, in genre, these plots tend to fall into all-too-predictable categories.

This episode is no different. Much of the drama surrounds the likelihood that Fauxlivia will die if she carries the baby to term, and the accelerated gestation (itself a tired old trope) only heightens the anxiety. It’s all very well done, but it’s also too easy to see where it’s going. It’s more interesting to see how this crisis forces information to come out, like Lincoln’s confession to Fauxlivia and Lincoln and Charlie bonding over their shared anger. (And good on Charlie for getting it on with Bug Girl! She was hot!)

I also wasn’t particularly shocked by the revelation that Walternate was the one behind the abduction and accelerated pregnancy. He’s really the only one with the means and opportunity to do such a thing, and as far as motive goes, this is a man willing to sacrifice his own son to destroy another universe. I fully expect him to accelerate the development of his grandson to serve in Peter’s place, since the genetics would presumably be compatible.

As setup for the big season finale event, which is now poised to take many plot threads and slam them together in one massive conflagration, this episode works well enough. On its own, though, it is a bit predictable. If it wasn’t for the fact that Anna Torv brings it each and every week, and the Alt-Fringe universe has established itself as equally interesting as the Fringe Prime universe, this would have been a slight letdown. As it is, this is a good place to have a short hiatus before driving towards the finale.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by Jeff Pinkner, J.H. Wyman, Akiva Goldsman, and Danielle Dispaltro
Directed by Charles Beeson

I get the feeling that this episode is going to be ridiculously divisive. Some people are going to laud it as a perfect example of long-term planning, while others will pull out the overused and oft-misapplied “jump the shark” comments. I think it’s safe to say there was no shark-jumping moment here, as this did not feel like an attempt to boost the ratings with some bizarre stunt. If anything, it was a potential miscalculation on the part of the writers and producers.

After all, when you’re a cult hit with an uncertain future, it’s typically a good idea not to alienate your existing fanbase with plot twists that defy the basic fabric of your mythology. A lot of “Fringe” fans liked the show because it took “real world” fringe science and put a fictional spin on it, all while developing strong character arcs. This plot twist comes out of the metaphysical left field, and I can see why a lot of fans didn’t like it.

I can’t fault Anna Torv for her attempt at making “Bellivia” convincing. The voice is a stretch, but it serves its purpose, and Torv manages to get Nimoy’s characteristic cadence down pat (even if the voice comes and goes from scene to scene). The writers make the necessary connections to previous episodes to justify things, but it all falls on Torv to make it work on-screen. She certainly put forth a supreme effort, so I can’t blame her.

The writers also did their best to incorporate a stand-alone mystery that thematically ties into the Bellivia issue. And they topped it all off with the inclusion of Fringe Prime’s version of Lincoln Lee, a character that I immediately enjoyed. Not only did that touch on the difference between the two universes at the heart of the mythology, but it gave the writers a way to cover the exposition usually covered by Olivia.

Even so, the mystery isn’t that involving. I’m not even sure that it ultimately made any sense. Instead, it felt like a way to give the characters something to do while working through the Bellivia problem. Peter’s constant annoyance was realistic (well, relatively speaking), Bellivia’s flirting with Astrid was creepy as it gets, and Walter and Bellivia’s pot-induced notion of moving Bell’s consciousness into a cow was just plain hilarious.

I can’t fault the writers for exploring this latest twist on the nature of the consciousness; that topic has been at the heart of “Fringe” since the very beginning. Walter and Belly originally experimented with drugs of every shade and flavor to explore various altered states, after all. And we’ve even seen at least one pure alien consciousness in the second season, essentially establishing the possibility of the permanence of the human soul as non-corporeality.

But it’s also a matter of overall execution, and so far, it’s not quite working. The end of the previous episode pointed to Bellivia’s involvement in some important plot threads, specifically Peter’s attempt to decode the shapeshifters’ hard drives. So why is that just dropped in favor of this stand-alone mystery? Bell is connected to so many other important plot elements, past and present, yet few of them came to the forefront in even a perfunctory manner.

I’m not opposed to the metaphysical in my science fiction; I stand with the minority in defending how shows like “Battlestar Galactica” and “Lost” came to endings that seemed to stray too far into that territory. But that doesn’t mean I can’t see the pitfalls or recognize that it all comes down to execution. And despite all the effort in this episode, I think they missed a lot of opportunities to make the plot twist more amenable. Concentrating on Bell’s answers to big mythology questions would have been a good start.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

Written by Josh Singer and Graham Roland
Directed by Brad Anderson

Just when it felt like the third season of “Fringe” could do no wrong, they toss us an episode that not only feels like a step backwards, but also introduces a plot element that leaves me uncertain in my opinion. Yet in the end, I’m left wanting to see how it all pans out, so I suppose the writers have done what they intended to do.

First, the majority of the episode, which felt like a step back into all-too-familiar first season territory. The case itself really didn’t have much to do with current events, it seems, and so it felt more connected to The Pattern than the war between universes. If anything, it felt like an episode inspired by “Inception” and its gravity-defying effects. Granted, there was some actual science hidden in the plot, wrapped in the usual fringe concepts, but it just didn’t seem all that involving.

The subplot with Walter and Nina was a lot more interesting, and it was good to see Walter’s deeper connection to Massive Dynamic mined for more plot gold. There are aspects to the Nina character that still beg for exploration, and this seems like a natural way to keep her in the story. It’s so natural that it felt like a great way to bring some of William Bell’s knowledge and theory into the plot without the need for William Bell.

Of course, that’s not how it panned out. I was wondering how they would counter-balance Peter’s desire to be with Olivia now that they are together, and this is apparently how it will happen. If I were Peter, I wouldn’t want to be in a relationship with a woman possessed by William Bell either. The voice alone is creepy. It’s like Olivia is trying to be Batman. I suspect this is a way to get Bell back into the story for some necessary exposition without bringing Leonard Nimoy into the picture for an extended period of time as well, but this could be pushing things to the very brink.

Let’s set aside the contradiction of Walter exploring the notion of “soul magnets” and Bell’s survival after physical death, when a couple episodes ago, ghosts were out of the question in his mind. (After all, everything in “6B” should have served to reinforce his feelings on the matter.) I just don’t think this is a good plot twist. I’m not sure they can pull it off without it being ridiculously silly in execution. And that’s the last thing “Fringe” needs right now.

It all comes down to the next episode, where we will apparently see a lot more of the Bell-possessed Olivia. Anna Torv has been asked to pull off some subtle and amazing performances this season, but this is going to be the most challenging.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by Jeff Pinkner, J.H. Wyman, and Akiva Goldsman
Directed by Frederick Toye

The best episode of the second season, by far, was the emotionally gut-wrenching and revealing “Peter”, which took all of the blatant hints about the genesis of the cross-dimensional war and Peter Bishop’s true nature and brought them into crystal clear focus. But there were some details that didn’t quite get addressed, and other aspects that begged for further exploration. Thus we have “Subject 13”, an episode that follows up on “Peter”.

First, I will admit that there seem to be discrepancies between the information given and implied in “Peter” and what is revealed in this episode, particularly regarding how much Peter knew and why Peter was never returned. While it may be tempting to place this on the shoulders of the writers (and some will adamantly do so), it should be remembered that “Peter” was told from Walter’s point of view. And Walter is practically the definition of an unreliable narrator, even when he tries to tell the truth.

But set aside the apparent discrepancies, and this is a nice way to provide context to the time period of Peter’s arrival in Fringe Prime. Walter’s decision to use the Cortexiphan experiments to look into ways to cross back into Alt-Fringe was interesting, and one can see how it would have swiftly spiraled out of control. The various videos of Walter’s test regime with Olivia demonstrated, quite effectively, how the tests turned sinister over time. After all, it’s never been a secret that Walter has serious morality issues. And since Olivia reminded the audience in the previous episode that fear triggers her abilities, it was a chilling process of elimination.

The mythological aspects of Olivia’s importance to that era, beyond being just one among many test subjects, are a nice touch. As I said, it feels slightly like a retcon in some respects, yet I can’t imagine that it is. After all, the writers bring back little details that could have easily been discarded or forgotten: the issue of Olivia’s abusive stepfather, the various mentions of white tulips, Nick Lane, Olivia’s pyrotechnic outbursts, and so on. It all fits together, even if it’s not airtight.

Even as Walter attempted to find a way to send Peter home, even as the Bishops essentially brainwash Peter into accepting life in Fringe Prime, the situation in Alt-Fringe is drenched in agony. Walternate has been spending every waking hour trying to determine what happened to Peter, and he hasn’t got a clue. While at first this seems odd, it actually makes sense. Alt-Fringe was very much like Fringe Prime in that time period; why would Walternate consider the insane notion of cross-dimensional abduction?

It all comes together when Olivia crosses over, thanks to Walter’s experiment in fear, and she delivers to Walternate the answer. It was such a brilliant sleight of hand that I had to replay the scene to recognize just how they pulled it off. Not only does it explain how Walternate’s program began, but also why he places so much importance on Fauxlivia.

Some details don’t quite add up yet, though they are implied. If Walter was so worried about getting Peter home, why wouldn’t William Bell have made it happen later, knowing what Walternate was doing in Alt-Fringe? The fact that Bell knew about the First People, Sam the Bowling Alley Man, and so many other things (as demonstrated by his creation of Massive Dynamic) suggests that he knew it would be that simple. But something tells me that is all going to come together as the season arc drives towards resolution.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 3/4

Final Rating: 9/10

Written by Glen Whitman and Robert Chiappetta
Directed by Thomas Yatsko

There are times when fiction seems to intersect with “real life” in some unusual and unexpected ways. This episode of “Fringe” is one of those moments. The treatment of “paranormal phenomena” in this episode is not only true to the “science” as it has been explored on this series, but it mirrors some of the actual theorizing that has been done by paranormal researchers I’ve worked with in recent years.

Far from “ghost hunting”, the research has involved the hypothesis that a great deal of paranormal phenomena is due to the generation of wormholes (as theoretically defined in physics) between universes (see recent works by Brian Greene and such for discussions on that topic). In essence, based on the theory, the idea is to measure key environmental factors to determine if they change as predicted by wormhole theory in locations where apparent paranormal activity is reported or experienced.

It’s still something of a hobby and a bit of a wild “fringe” concept in and of itself, but a lot of the same thinking runs at the heart of this episode. Fringe Prime and Alt-Fringe have intersected before; in the second season, Newton and Walternate were conspiring to make it happen to bring Peter across. But now it is happening without such activity, with dire implications for the “Fringe” universe as a whole.

What is most interesting is the idea that “ghosts” are, in fact, interactions with beings from a parallel universe, with the barriers between those universes breaking down as a consequence of intense sentient psychological states. Recalling that Cortexiphan was supposedly designed to tap into the hidden potentials within the human psyche, this is a logical enough extension. It also neatly ties into the traditional observation in the “real world” that there is a connection between the observer and the observed in paranormal events.

It speaks to certain aspects of quantum theory (both old and new), but the upshot is that many of the environmental factors that Walter measures to study the phenomenon in this episode are also at the top of the list for signs of potential presence of a wormhole: spontaneous emergence of electromagnetic fields, unusual gravity effects, gamma radiation bursts, and so forth. It also might help to explain the “shimmer” that occurs when the universes overlap. It could easily be a kind of particle emission that is generally below the threshold of human perception, except Olivia’s Cortexiphan ability has heightened her senses under certain stress conditions.

Lest it seem like I am adding too much of my own “content” into my appreciation of this episode, I would point out that the “vortex” phenomenon that Walter is desperate to prevent is rather similar to the common popular conception of an emergent wormhole, and if material is being pulled out of one universe into another, that would be the logical mechanism. Which makes the “amber” such an intriguing concept. What kind of substance could literally defuse a wormhole?

Of course, this episode wasn’t just about the technical and mythological aspects. The emotional core, the driver fueling the vortex generation, was all about human loss. It was enough to push Olivia beyond her internal issues regarding Peter and Fauxlivia and bring them together in the end. In terms of the story, it puts Olivia on roughly equal footing with Fauxlivia. Fauxlivia may be carrying Peter’s child, but Olivia hasn’t betrayed him and is the woman he really wanted. How those matters will counter-balance remains to be seen.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

Written by David Wilcox and Ethan Gross
Directed by Brad Anderson

Even with the revelations of the previous episode, placing equal importance on both versions of Olivia in terms of Peter’s fate (and the fate of both universes), I wasn’t expecting a return to Alt-Fringe any time soon. So a look into the post-return life of Fauxlivia was a nice treat, especially since it helps to further explain why Peter might be tempted to choose Fauxlivia over his current situation.

In some ways, this episode reminded me of “Leonard Betts”, the classic “X-Files” episode in which Scully learns (in the harshest possible way) that she has cancer. In that episode, a seemingly standard “monster of the week” episode delivers a final act revelation that ties into the series’ mythology in a far more intriguing way. In this case, one man’s obsession with scientific immortality ends up revealing Fauxlivia’s pregnancy. And of course, the father is Peter Bishop.

I mentioned once or twice that one thing that gave the story added weight was the fair treatment of the Alt-Fringe characters. Considering what Fauxlivia was doing to Peter and our favorite heroes, and the damage that she inflicted on their relationships, it’s shocking to discover that we can sympathize with her. Much credit goes to Anna Torv in making this character accessible, but it’s also the writing that makes it work.

It leads the audience to want Fauxlivia to survive, even though a part of us understands that it might be better if she were to die and end the threat that she represents. After all, if Sam the Bowling Alley Guy is right, it all comes down to Peter’s personal choices. Each Olivia represents either salvation or destruction. Setting aside the fact that we can only assume which Olivia corresponds to which fate (since we really have very little information on the subject), it would seem better if Fauxlivia were to die in the line of duty.

But now, while it leaves her personal life in a shambles (despite Walternate’s vested interest in her protection), it also places her in the perfect position to offer something Olivia is not currently ready to give. Fauxlivia may have been willing to marry Frank, but she was still having feelings for Peter. With Olivia unable to get over her internal conflicts (thanks, in part, to her experiences in the first season), the door is opened for Peter to find what he seeks elsewhere.

Fauxlivia is not the only one drawing sympathy. Walternate displays a surprising level of morality by refusing to use children in what would logically be Alt-Fringe’s version of the Cortexiphan trials. Given his cold calculated efforts to destroy another universe, it’s surprising to see that this is a line he won’t cross. It serves as a reminder that both sides of the conflict have their crosses to bear.

All of these factors help to outweigh my concerns over that most overused of plot devices: the “baby plot”. Let’s face it: as human beings with a limited life span, pregnancy will always be a standard element of dramatic fiction. It raises the stakes in a way almost nothing else can. That’s why writers constantly mine that fertile ground (no pun intended). But unless it ends in bitter tragedy, it must inevitably result in a baby. And within the genre, babies tend to drag stories down. They become a narrative burden.

For that reason alone, concerns over the ratings and a fourth season aside, I can only hope that Fauxlivia and her pregnancy are only present in the story long enough to present Peter with temptation. It renders Fauxlivia and her unborn child a plot device, which is unfortunate, but any potential fourth season needs to progress without a baby in the mix. The series has challenges enough without that!

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10