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Okay, so we're up to Northwest Passage with only the Over There duology left...
eta: I just watched Over There because I couldn't wait.
I believe I may have OD'd just slightly on Fringe this weekend. But, on the plus side, we're now in Season 3!
Well, where to start?
I still miss the show being utterly Olivia-centric, but the storylines in Season Two have been excellent. And it looks like S3 may turn Olivia-centric again.
The '1985' Fringe credits were great, and the story of Walter's good intentions being derailed and derailed is excellent, although sad. First the death of his son, then Elizabeth's glimpse of Peter, then Walter synthesising the cure, then breaking it on the way through (and nice callback to Nina's arm), then taking Peter back with him...
It's interesting; I always assumed that Walter deliberately went across to get Peter and bring him back; that was how the hints all through the season read to me. But in all honesty, they could have called that episode "paved with good intentions". Because it would have been just as accurate.
Watching Peter through these episodes is very sad. Because he's really really happy - he's not only found a 'family' of sorts (which he says to Olivia when he's backpedalling on the almost-kiss in Olivia. In The Lab...) but he's gotten his relationship with his dad back and although there's the tension of the shapechangers, he seems to be of the mind that they're Fringe Division! They'll face the shapechangers together.
And then there's The Man From The Other Side and Northwest Passage...
Brown Betty is a blast and a half - I spent most of it in tears, I was laughing so hard. It wasn't just the story, btw, it was Ella's expressions all through it, her interruptions...oh, the whole opening sequence to Walter's story:
"Smells funny in here." "Hi, Cow!" "What kind of doctor are you?"
You know, I'd love to have been in the room when the writers first pitched it, then when the cast were told what they'd be doing for that episode! I wonder if they have any behind-the-scenes stuff for that on the Fringe S2 DVDs...that would be beyond awesome.
So, the penultimate arc leading to the revelation of Walternate as the mastermind of the shapechanging army:
OMG AWESOME.
I figured "Mr Secretary" was probably Walternate when I discovered Newton succeeded in bringing him through.
Some twists in this show are dictated by narrativium - eg. the situation in Edina (the one with the 'deformed' individuals who could pretend to be 'normal' so long as they were within the city limits). They had to fail to stop the shapechangers finding Newton because otherwise there'd be no 'rest of Season 2' - the conflict in the 1st episode of S2 is the other side trying to 'shoot the messenger' - ie. Olivia and so the conflict in the final episode is getting over to the other side and coming back safely.
In order for an AU to have true potency in a TV show, one must reuse as many of the players as possible. Familiar faces must become unfamiliar people - a jump to the left or a step to the right. The constancy of the familiar mixed in with the dissonance of the unfamiliar creates a psychological 'Uncanny Valley' effect, except that the effect isn't disquieting so much as intriguing.
So for an AU power, Walternate was the logical choice.
I'm glad they brought Nick Lane and the fire girl back...but frustrated that they only did so to use them as redshirts. GAH. I was really hoping for Olivia and a little army of her Cortexiphan buddies. That would be a terrifying Fringe Division.
Something I note from between the two universes: Walternate created his shapeshifters - an army of protectors. Walter and Belly created the Cortexiphan children - an army of protectors. Walternate had better technology to work with, and Walter and Belly had....uh...drugs.
Peter and his sojourn in the northwest... The Olivia/Peter shipper in me wonders a bit if he didn't see Olivia in the sheriff lady - fell for her partner, holding it all together, but fraying a little at the edges.
Anyway, that's a killer of a season finale. How long did they have to wait for the conclusion?
--
My blurty while watching Over There because I was watching this with no-one to talk to.
So, skimming the episodes descriptions of Season 3, it seems that the Regular/Red'verse switchover continues through much of S3.
Do we get Olivia back in regular!verse anytime soon? And does that mean most of the relationship development between Olivia and Peter next season is actually between FauxLivia and Peter? Because if so... *sadfaces*
And I want our Livvy back in town again!
*whiiiiines*
eta: I just watched Over There because I couldn't wait.
I believe I may have OD'd just slightly on Fringe this weekend. But, on the plus side, we're now in Season 3!
Well, where to start?
I still miss the show being utterly Olivia-centric, but the storylines in Season Two have been excellent. And it looks like S3 may turn Olivia-centric again.
The '1985' Fringe credits were great, and the story of Walter's good intentions being derailed and derailed is excellent, although sad. First the death of his son, then Elizabeth's glimpse of Peter, then Walter synthesising the cure, then breaking it on the way through (and nice callback to Nina's arm), then taking Peter back with him...
It's interesting; I always assumed that Walter deliberately went across to get Peter and bring him back; that was how the hints all through the season read to me. But in all honesty, they could have called that episode "paved with good intentions". Because it would have been just as accurate.
Watching Peter through these episodes is very sad. Because he's really really happy - he's not only found a 'family' of sorts (which he says to Olivia when he's backpedalling on the almost-kiss in Olivia. In The Lab...) but he's gotten his relationship with his dad back and although there's the tension of the shapechangers, he seems to be of the mind that they're Fringe Division! They'll face the shapechangers together.
And then there's The Man From The Other Side and Northwest Passage...
Brown Betty is a blast and a half - I spent most of it in tears, I was laughing so hard. It wasn't just the story, btw, it was Ella's expressions all through it, her interruptions...oh, the whole opening sequence to Walter's story:
"Smells funny in here." "Hi, Cow!" "What kind of doctor are you?"
You know, I'd love to have been in the room when the writers first pitched it, then when the cast were told what they'd be doing for that episode! I wonder if they have any behind-the-scenes stuff for that on the Fringe S2 DVDs...that would be beyond awesome.
So, the penultimate arc leading to the revelation of Walternate as the mastermind of the shapechanging army:
OMG AWESOME.
I figured "Mr Secretary" was probably Walternate when I discovered Newton succeeded in bringing him through.
Some twists in this show are dictated by narrativium - eg. the situation in Edina (the one with the 'deformed' individuals who could pretend to be 'normal' so long as they were within the city limits). They had to fail to stop the shapechangers finding Newton because otherwise there'd be no 'rest of Season 2' - the conflict in the 1st episode of S2 is the other side trying to 'shoot the messenger' - ie. Olivia and so the conflict in the final episode is getting over to the other side and coming back safely.
In order for an AU to have true potency in a TV show, one must reuse as many of the players as possible. Familiar faces must become unfamiliar people - a jump to the left or a step to the right. The constancy of the familiar mixed in with the dissonance of the unfamiliar creates a psychological 'Uncanny Valley' effect, except that the effect isn't disquieting so much as intriguing.
So for an AU power, Walternate was the logical choice.
I'm glad they brought Nick Lane and the fire girl back...but frustrated that they only did so to use them as redshirts. GAH. I was really hoping for Olivia and a little army of her Cortexiphan buddies. That would be a terrifying Fringe Division.
Something I note from between the two universes: Walternate created his shapeshifters - an army of protectors. Walter and Belly created the Cortexiphan children - an army of protectors. Walternate had better technology to work with, and Walter and Belly had....uh...drugs.
Peter and his sojourn in the northwest... The Olivia/Peter shipper in me wonders a bit if he didn't see Olivia in the sheriff lady - fell for her partner, holding it all together, but fraying a little at the edges.
Anyway, that's a killer of a season finale. How long did they have to wait for the conclusion?
--
My blurty while watching Over There because I was watching this with no-one to talk to.
ooh AU, and tough military looking people. Bugs like you, Charlie!--
This is pretty whoa. Is this Nick Lane? He's got a lot more flesh on his bones than he did last time. Hey, isn't that the Caprican Opera House? Welcome to Vancouver!
Ooh Astrid! What is she? Is she like a computer? Linked into the computer.
Ooh, carcinomas again. "Who the hell is Jackson."
AND OUR TEAM IS THERE! With Newton?? Or was that...wait, Nick Lane and random girl? So we've already had the crossover! And this is the other New Yoark! *glees*
I LOVE AUs! Have I ever mentioned that?
Red Fringe Credits!
And Peter makes a choice. *sadface*
Olivia's been shown drinking a fair bit these last few episodes. Then again, there was the bottle she kept in the bottom of her drawer, early S1. And she has a very short temper.
Brendan the geeky guy. Saying that there's something that allows people to cross back and forth - but becomes molecularly unstable: it's Cortexiphan? "I suspect aliens." "They have failed or worse - what happened to the fire girl??"
That's a very fast switchover from being unable to control it.
Olivia and her crack team...of protectors. The day for which they were created. *sniffles*
Saying goodbye to her sister and niecelet. And Rachel sees the cross and knows Olivia's not sure she's going to come back.
One wonders if FauxLivia was also treated with Cortexiphan. And if so, how did things change for FauxLivia? ANd if they remmeber back when they were just children - I thought that they weren't remembering any of that.
If the shapechangers are the soldiers of the Red universe, then these children are the soldiers of our side. And the AU note. "The Secretary wants to see you."
FauxLivia bounces on her toes. Smiles a lot. Saunters. And Walternate is fairly ruthless if you think about it: he's using public resrouces to
So interesting question: does FauxLivia switch sides?
Peter and the other universe. The world he was born into. Is it his, though? I think this is something that we don't really understand very well: both women are his mother. "We have to take responsibility for our own decisions: the good and the bad."
Sally's not strong enough for this? and Olivia's hard - the toughest of them all. Nick Lane and his brother Lincoln, then? And Sally blows them both up and burns Lincoln prety bad.
These are all brilliant actors; I love the changes they've created in their characters - their behaviours, their mannerisms.
Oh man, this is a hard, hard world. An Old Kennedy. "Mr Secretary." Okay, this whole 'on the other side' thing is getting freaky...
"Looks like you just saw a ghost." As a matter of fact...she did!
Ooh, is Walternate willing to sacrifice Peter to close the hole? Ooh, "the choice to come home"
"Do I have something in my teeth?" And Walternate begins to sew his lies. Ooh. And they need FauxLivia? Oh Walter and Belly are wonderfully grumpy old men together! Lol. Red vine that Belly's eating. And they have issues. I love that they have issues. It's nice to see it addressed.
Oh Peter, this isn't your world. It was once, but you've grown up since then and you're not the child you were. You can't go back home again. we grow up and we change, and we become someone else.
The amber stuff from the first season! And their
And Olivia walks in? She drops the casserole? The poses are excellent. Casual FauxLivia, rigid Olivia. Two worlds, not quite the same, the unfortunate and the sad and the different. Two Olivia's fighting? This is awesome! Hee. Olivia playing FauxLivia. Never let it be said that she's not resourceful!
OMG! Olivia and Peter. "I'm sorry." And this is where Olivia opens her heart. And he refuses her? Aww. KISSAGE! "Because you belong with me..." That's so cute!
"Stubborn as a donkey with a nail in his head." "I supplied Fringe division with the .76 version. This is the .77." LOL Belly gets the best lines!
Has anyone checked to see if Olivia is Olivia and not FauxLivia? Ah yes, and so it is. The war continues.
Olivia looks like she's losing it in the dark. It seems that, in this case, there isn't a crack.
So, skimming the episodes descriptions of Season 3, it seems that the Regular/Red'verse switchover continues through much of S3.
Do we get Olivia back in regular!verse anytime soon? And does that mean most of the relationship development between Olivia and Peter next season is actually between FauxLivia and Peter? Because if so... *sadfaces*
And I want our Livvy back in town again!
*whiiiiines*
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