'Fringe' recap: Punch Buggie Blue

I finally get to write something I’ve been wanting to write for a very long time: looks like “Fringe” has been doing pretty well in the ratings the past couple weeks. Now I don’t claim to be an expert in Nielsen ratings. Half the time, I can’t even spell It, but I do know that since “Fringe” moved to Friday nights, it has been winning the night in viewers 18-49. That’s the coveted age group that, I guess, is most affected by commercials. Which very well might be true. I spent most of the night craving a chicken wrap from Carl’s Jr.

This week, “Fringe” veers from its larger story of the battle between two universes to deal with the more immediate threat of a gas that causes a person’s bones to disintegrate. I don’t care if you have a giant doomsday device that could destroy reality, when people start turning into piles of organs, you stop and check it out. 

Before “Fringe” dives into the deboning gas, it gives us a little treat: Nina Sharp traveling down to the storage space of Massive Dynamic. There’s a few fun Easter eggs. She flips through William Bell’s diplomas, which are right next to a copy of Dr. Spock’s “Baby and Child Care.” She opens a safe that contains old photos and the napkin that has the original sketch for the Massive Dynamic logo. She’s really after a book about the First People, but that all has to wait while Fringe Division stops people from turning into meat bags. 

Everything starts when a former Marine sends a birthday present to the scientist who once ran secret military weapons experiments. The experiments that tested this deboning gas. The former Marine and several others were inoculated against the gas, but it caused a genetic defect that caused their unborn children to lose their bones as well. As far as reasons to go on a crazy science revenge trip, this one seems pretty solid.

Being the incredibly competent investigators they are, Fringe Division quickly uncovers the culprit through video footage from the post office where he sent the package and the military quality of the weapon. (I’m so glad that everyone on “Fringe” is so good at what they do. It makes the story move so much faster.) They track down the former Marine to his home, but he gets hit by a car and suffers extreme brain damage before they can question him. Darn. 

Luckily, Walter knows of a way to interrogate the comatose suspect. There’s another test subject from the Cortexiphan studies who might be able to help named Simon Phillips. Walter kicked Simon out of the study early on because he showed signs of being able to read minds, and Walter was afraid that Simon would find out he stole Peter from the other universe. Makes me wonder why Walter didn’t go get Simon before. I’m sure there were dozens of cases they’ve investigated so far that could really have benefited from a mind reader. I guess Walter might have wanted to keep his secret safe, but after it was out, why not?

Simon the mind reader helps Olivia figure out the next target is the general who oversaw the experiments. She brings Simon along to save the day even though being surrounded by all the people in Boston is like getting needles stuck into his mind-reading brain. He may look like a heroin addict going through withdrawal, but Simon helps point out the former Marine’s accomplices, and Olivia shoots them both, each with just one bullet. Like I said, it’s so nice that she’s good. No need to waste time with a shoot out. 

While she’s spending most of the episode kicking butt, Olivia also displays major vulnerability as she continues to struggle with the relationship Peter had with Fauxlivia. He brings coffee the way Fauxlivia liked it. He joked around with her. He had a relationship with her. Olivia tells Nina she saw Fauxlivia’s life and friends and wonders if maybe Fauxlivia is the better Olivia. I love how “Fringe” delves into the consequences of that swap. The crazy science is fun, but the human response is what makes it so fascinating.  

I’m curious to hear your reactions to the final revelation of the episode. Nina confronts Sam Weiss that it really seems like he wrote all the different First People books and Sam tells her that Peter can create or destroy universes based on which Olivia he chooses. I know there will be a lot of opinions. I know I’m upset. That’s the one thing Sam is going to tell Nina? I’m sure Peter and the Olivias and destroying universes is important, but I want to know more about the First People! And Sam himself. Get that mind reader back in here. 

The Tingler At the beginning of the episode right when the doll sprayed the deboning gas, I got a text message on my phone, which was set to vibrate. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Freaked me out. It made me think that some show should do that. Set up automatic texts to be sent out to people who subscribe to it during the episode. Similar to what William Castle tried to do for the movie “The Tingler.” It would be one way to get people to watch live and sit through the commercials. I’d much rather have that than 3-D. 

Astrid action Was Astrid in this episode much at all? I remember her scolding Walter for using his tests on the deboning gas as an excuse to eat fried chicken, but that’s about it. Makes sense. They didn’t spend a lot of time in the lab this week. Though they really need to start taking Astrid out to crime scenes more often so Walter has someone to drive him home. After hearing how Walter’s mind works through Simon this week, I don’t know if I trust him behind the wheel. 

Spot the Observer Did you spot the Observer this week? “Fringe” caught me with a distraction. The Observer strolls into the party right before Olivia stops the deboning vest bomber. It’s during the overhead shot, when I was too busy noticing that the layout of the room was the same as the layout on the farm where they tested the vest. Now that I know the Observer was there, I can’t help thinking 1) it’s guts of the Observer to get that close to possibly being deboned, and 2) I wonder if Simon was able to read the Observer’s mind. What could he have learned? What would the Observer’s mind be like? These are two characters we need to bring together. 

How could I not mention Walter and William Bell worked for Richard Nixon!?! Nixon’s wife wouldn’t stop hitting on Walter!?! This is why we need flashback episodes of “Fringe,” or a whole spinoff series. I still want to hear more about Walter’s father during World War II. Hopefully these good Friday night ratings will give “Fringe” extra life to explore. 

--Andrew

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PHOTO: Olivia (Anna Trov). Fox Television

 

Comments

[Cathy]

Great commentary on last night's episode. The show has me hooked, though I must admit to feeling crushed when Olivia read the letter.

[Geoff]

Fauxlivia was the crack shot, correct? So does Olivia being able to hit the two perps in the spine show that she is maintaining Fauxlivia abilities?

[Elena]

Liked the episode, especially the human moments when Olivia it trying to tell Simon he could have a real life, and Olivia's musing about Fauxlivia. But I HATED the "which universe survives will depend on which Olivia Peter chooses" reveal. Very disappointed that they are hinting everything will depend on which woman can more effectively deploy her feminine wiles on Peter. Hope they modify it, and or it turns out to be a red herring. Really Fringe, I expect so much more from you.

[Salome]

Loved the episode except the end.

I really enjoyed the reference to Olivia still retaining Fauxlivia's marksmanship skills, which hints at her still being able to think like Fauxlivia.

Also extra points have to go for the scene in the lab where in the background their is a perspex box filled with this pink "thing", and then you realise it's the de-boned doctor. That was shudder inducing.

Walter seemed a tad more mental in this episode than he has recently, which was nice to see as he's been getting way too normal recently.

As for the end, I never liked Sam anyway, thought the whole character was pointless and just needlessly mysterious. He seems like he escaped from a bad episode of Scooby Doo. It's all very "oh look here's a genius working in a bowling ally...isn't it so odd and unique?", when really its just boring and has been done like a zillion times before. (putting characters in odd job roles just to make them "seem" more interesting, when really they are dull as dishwater)

Then discovering that 6 billion lives in each universe was dependent upon who Peter wanted to poke (sorry just liked the alliteration in that sentence), was just a complete let down. I expected more from Fringe, than our universe to be dependant upon Pacey's (as Joshua Jackson shall always be known post-Dawson's Creek) libido!

Lets try and keep it a bit sciency guys and less "love will win out"... Or more to the point, when are the observers just going to shoot Peter to stop him from destroying either world?

Also not liking new ninja Peter and his shapeshifter killing ways. It was always a far fetched program, but now its just getting a tad silly at times. They need to start pulling it back a bit and MORE Astrid!!!!!!!

[Mario]

The survival of one or another universe hinging on which Olivia Peter chooses is no doubt a red herring, for two reasons. One, the writers just couldn't go there: it's too corny. Besides, they've already established that Peter is committed to finding a way where he doesn't have to destroy one or another universe. Two, if you check out some of the hard core fan sites, where people decode the glyphs shown during the commercials and so forth, you'll see that the show has been dropping hints that Sam Weiss should not be trusted.

Take whatever Sam Weiss says with a grain of salt. He has his own agenda, and we don't know what that is.

I do suspect, though, that it's Weiss who Peter is having his surreptitious cell phone conversations with. If that turns out to be true, it only demonstrates that Weiss is trying to manipulate everyone.

[MrTemecula]

I am ashamed to admit it, but I'm Team Fauxlivia. I think it's a dude thing about smirking, shooting and tossing the hay, rather than worrying about the fate of two universes. Our Olivia is a party-pooper. A nag. A fun killer. I'm so glad Fauxlivia makes an appearance next week. Something about redheads.

@Elena. I think the whole who-will-he-pick is red herring. All of Peter's relationships are doomed, just like he is. His story is tragic, that's what will make him heroic.

[JohnDoe]

It's obvious that Sam is some sort of ancient being. Not human. He wrote the First People books, and knows how the machine works. He's officially Fringe's Jacob.

[Snark]

Okay, if Olivia can make those crack shots, do you think she might have the gumption and resource to return the favor to Fauxlivia by impersonating her and in effect, steal Peter back?

[Matt Rackham]

Having the fate of the universe depend on who Peter chooses, and giving Peter the goal of saving both universes, makes the solution obvious:

Threesome!

[Andrew Hanson]

Nice catch, everybody. Olivia's new marksmanship may be a hold over from the Fauxlivia memories Walternate pumped into her. It'll be interesting to see if anything else slips through.

I also was let down by Sam's revelation. The whole seen seemed a little off to me.

More importantly it made me completely gloss over the amazing scene between Walter and Simon. The silent moment where it's obvious Walter's thinking how sorry he is for what he did to Simon. Then Simon reads his mind and without a word, seems to forgive him. That's "Fringe" at its best.

[Hannah]

Addressed to Snark,

well, if he fell for Olivia thinking she was Fauxlivia, it kinda defeats the purpose, don't you think?

And on an unrelated note, yeah, Fauxlivia won some sharpshooting awards or medals or whatever, but Olivia was always a really awesome shot even before she ever visited the red universe. I don't recall the exact episode, but doesn't anyone remember when she killed the shapeshifter driving a van once straight through the head in one shot? Thats pretty amazing. I realize this sounds mega dumb, since I don't know which episode exactly, but my point remains...

[JMT]

They made a huge deal in the red universe episodes about Fauxlivia being a crack shot. And knew the mind meld thing was working on our Olivia when she took that shot at the gas station or something. And Olivia says prior to the party that she's not a very good shot. There's a definite 'merging' of the two Olivias, don't know if that means both universes will survive if they somehow come together.
And the whole "whoever Peter picks" angle better not be it. It pissed me off when Jack's whole motivation on Lost was to restart time so he could win Kate back. They better not make the same mistake here.

[KarenJ]

Wait a minute? Olivia's shot was a 'crackshot'? She was what - 30 to 50 feet away?

The observer mentioned to Peter - 'it's hard to be a father'. And now this week - the 'Dr. Spock baby book'. I hope I'm wrong about a baby or pregnancy complicating things.

I'm so glad the ratings are better! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.