Fringe Season 2 Episode 16
Leysan Torri
1.7 In Which We Meet Mr. Jones: Just what it says on the tin. David Robert Jones is the main villain in season 1 & is the driving force that sets the events of the series into motion.
1.19 The Road Not Taken: Together with the finale, this episode sets up the central mythology element of the show, the parallel universes. We even get our first glimpse of the other side.
2.4 Momentum Deferred: An incredible episode on several levels, the only shame is that you had to sit through two standalones to get to it. We learn what Olivia learned on the other side, the subplot involving Charlie is resolved & we see Thomas Jerome Newton, the main season 2 villain, for the first time.
3.20 6:02 AM EST: Primarily a set-up episode for the finale, it also features the re-emergence of Sam Weiss, who is an important figure but who I have yet to mention because he has sneakily thus far primarily appeared in several of the non-mythology episodes of season 2.
4.17 Everything In Its Right Place: Possibly my favorite episode of the season is a Lincoln-centric red-verse story that barely features any of the original three Fringe team. Huh. This is a shapeshifter episode, but we also learn exactly what the bridge (and in turn, the doomsday machine) has been doing to the red-verse, which becomes important later. Also, Wyman and Pinkner break our collective hearts.
4.19 Letters of Transit: The traditionally weird episode 19 is a flashforward into a dystopian future in which the Observers have taken over the world and the Fringe team is nowhere to be found. Henry Ian Cusick makes a welcome appearance and we meet a very important young female blonde Fringe agent. All indications are that we will be revisiting this future in season 5.
Hi Amy! Thanks so much for this guide. I basically used it to watch the show from scratch in late January while I was sick with the flu. I found most of season one and two unwatchable until Peter, however. After that, I thought it got pretty good. In fact, I watched every episode of season three and most of season four and all of season five! I thought season four, however, was weaker than seasons three and five.
@xMort
I think these sentences refer to the ep "Equation", when Walter returns to St Claire's to help a fellow scientist. At one moment, Walter looks outside the window, and can see himself outside the building.
I think that 'The Observer' was helping Walter, as I think Walter has helped it a long time ago. The observer has done this before when it fought AR Peter (in the cemetery[mid season]) possibly to stop him seeing TR(this reality) Peter's grave???
I lost too many friends on 11 September 2001 to appreciate the Twin Tower scene. This show found new lows for being disrespectful and thoughtless. Shame. I think I and others like me have suffered enough. Please stop piling on the pain for the sake of entertainment. This is NOT entertainment.
The most amazing part of the finale was that it DIDN'T SUCK!
I used to be an X-Files fan and then the finale of the TV Series happened...What a POS!
Peter's role in the plot holds a lot of promise. I don't think it is a simple as he was plucked from another AR. There is much more to it.
I can't wait for next season. I'm so exited about all the new revelations we got in the finale.
I'm kinda worried about Peter though. I can't even try to imagine what his reaction would be if he got to know about his death as a child and the fact that he comes from another universe.
And could Charlie's hat be more awesome?
Anyone notice the Adlous Huxley reference in the street scene where DRJ first tries to open the portal with the semi?
Later when Olivia and crew are examining the scene there are bright orange banners outside a nearby store sporting the wonder drug name "Soma" . . . perhaps I am reaching for a reference here, but it seems like the greats of Sci Fi lit seem to show up all over in this show.
Please have some sympathy for Andrea's point of view.
I'm British. Whilst I can appreciate the impact of 911 on an intellectual level, I've only experienced it emotionally at 2nd or 3rd hand. But even I thought that featuring the Twin Towers at the end was an extremely risky thing to do.
So I can appreciate that people who lost loved ones may find it too painful to be reminded.
However, whilst Fringe is an entertainment as such, it also allows us to reflect on some very serious things that could affect us in the real world. And the tone of the final episode of the season was very downbeat.
So using the Twin Towers in themselves was not sensationalist or disrespectful to my mind.
However, the makers will have to be very careful how they handle this element of the show in season 2.
If it turns out to be just a gimmick, then I will be extremely unhappy with the writers and producers of the show.
I'm curious if the last two symbols were left off for everyone. I'm in Minnesota, and they weren't there. Of course, I had to watch the 1st half online due to a power outage, so maybe all of them were left off when it aired.
I'm assuming it spelled out "Grave" for obvious reasons.
I was disappointed that Olivia acted so dumb this episode. After all, last week she moved between alternate realities herself ! Also, being a 'JJ' show, why didn't one of those kids say: "A shimmering wall, like a force shield in Star Trek". Which would have been a plug, but a PERFECT description of the phenomenon. This episode also brought a question to mind. If you consider deep space, thousands of light years from any 'rational being' Are there Alternate Realities out there ? If so, WHO is making the decisions ? All in all, I LOVED it !!
I was just thinking about this recently... she must have done more than switch realities, because she started out at the Mitsumi Hotel, somewhere near the 12th floor, and ended up near the 100th floor of the World Trade Center.
Last scene was definitely a big risk, but I think they presented it well.
Andrea, I am SO incredibly sorry for your loss. I am in nyc but was very fortunate not to lose anyone in the horrible tragedy on 9/11.
I do feel that this was a loving tribute though, and not exploitative. And an alternative timeline where the towers still exist means that the tragedy did not occur, at least not in that location...
Adam: great review as always :-)
At the wrap party, Kirk was wearing the most amazing stylish panama hat, and from seeing pics of him on the net I have to wonder if he had input on the choice of hat here -- seems he's a hat man and he has mucho taste!
On the weather ref, this ep was actually shot at the beginning of April, but NYC weather was very freaky (unseasonable) at the time!
Loved Bell's smile (though I did think the initial 'in shadow' effect was a bit overdone). Pondered this a lot, thought he was smiling in pride of (one of?) his crowning achievements, Olivia. She has passed every test, and removed an immediate threat from his life. At any rate, worked for me!
I can't wait to see what happens next...
what happened to Jones? his arm made it across, right? next season, the arm of Jones will chase Bell down and strangle him. watch for it! and how will the arm of Jones find Bell - sign language...duh!
Great review!
I agree with your thoughts on the final scene Tanya. My first reaction was that, wow, it would be wonderful if there was a universe where that didn't happen and we didn't lose so many people. But everyone feels grief and its reminders differently, so I can appreciate your feelings about it completely Andrea.
It was a very daring artistic thing to do so soon after the event, for sure. Although, not too different from portraying other tragedies of long ago such as the Titanic or WW2 moments, as someone mentioned. Like Dennis said, everyone should be allowed their own feelings about it here. :-\
I can imagine, for those that lost someone in 9/11, it would really hurt to be reminded of it.
I guess an argument is that it is better to acknowlege the event, rather than everyone just pretend it didn't happen and stop talking about it.
But yeah, I really sympathise with people who got a surprise with that scene and it really bummed them out. I would expect it to happen to many people.
-DC
Yeah, you could probably skip about half and have a basic coherent understanding of the show, but there are enough callbacks to past episodes by the end of the season to warrant watching the bulk of them. Totally YMMV, though.
Greg, I've got one question for you. The "fringe streaks," Are you doing those totally in post or is there any filtration going on in camera to sneak 'em into the real world. Sadly I only caught1/2 of last night's episode, and I've no idea what # it is but it's always been a very pleasant looking show and John Noble is quite the captivating character.
The streaks you are probably referring to are actually a filter effect. Its literally called the Streak filter. Sort of like a star filter, bit a glass streak that creates the long diagonal flare only on highlights.
Flares with lights pointed into the lens are also used. Some are in camera but many are in post. There is one big one in the next episode that was done in camera. Many of the flares in the taxi scenes in the premiere were done in post.
1- Shows are 9 days. 8 main unit and 1 2nd Unit. 2nd Unit are still bigger scenes typically but without the principle cast. There is also an insert unit which works occasionally.The show typically has many inserts. I get to shoot my own 2nd Units. Hours depends on directors. Short days are rare. 12-14hrs more typical.
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