Fringe Season Finale

[bryant]

If you aren’t watching it, you might want to catch up. The characterization has improved remarkably, and as of the end of the season the plot is equally enjoyable. We’ve taken a heavy turn into the SF. Also, Brad Anderson is producing and directing a bunch of episodes, and he is one creepy director.

Spoilers follow in the form of transcribed newspaper headlines, cause we couldn’t resist freeze framing.

“Obamas Set To Move Into New White House (Michelle has new Interior Designer)”
“Former Pres. Kennedy to Address UN” (And it’s Teddy.)
“Stock Markets Remain Closed (21 Days & Counting)”
“Celtics Sweep! Len Bias Wins MVP” (Sniff.)

Originally published at Imaginary Vestibule.

Comments

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

The show seems like it has been slowly morphing from a clone of The X-Files into a TV version of Planetary. And I agree it is definitely worth watching.

I'm not really sure you need to see the first nine episodes, though. Ten on are all really solid, and I'm not sure the first nine have any crucial info in 'em, but you could go back if you liked 10+.

[bryant]

#4 is optional but does set up some nice details about the Observer; in retrospect the revelations therein foreshadow the reveals about Bishop in this episode.

#7 is the introduction of Mr. Jones. I think that's a must.

#8 is part of the Mr. Jones arc, but could be skipped.

#10, #14, #15, #17, #18, #19, and #20 wrap it up, yeah.

[telepresence.livejournal.com]

I watched the episode where the lady was linked mentally to the empathic suicidal guy and that was pretty decent, especially the end. I still can't stand the batty scientist Denethor. Drives me crazy.

[brainiacfive.livejournal.com]

I gave up after 3 episodes because my IQ kept dropping as a result of watching. Are you saying it eventually gets better, or that it plateaus to something that isn't a parody of every weird science show of the last two decades?

[bryant]

The science doesn't get any better at all. I understand why this is non-negotiable for some! The science is awful. In a recent episode, we learn that you can't make vaccines for a certain disease unless you culture them in spinal fluid, and you have to use spinal fluid from the same person whose spinal fluid was used to cultivate the original disease.

See, you lost a few IQ points just reading that, didn't you?

However. Somewhere in the first half of the season, Olivia stopped being a vulnerable idiot and started being the toughest protagonist in television. Starting her out with a romance plot was dumb. She is really obsessive and interesting and she shoots people at appropriate times without suffering a lot of wishywashy.

The metaplot also came into focus, and I'm finding it interesting, although you do have to put up with sloppy science. It's nothing unusual as far as the SF genre goes -- smart people discover things just a little bit beyond their grasp and mess around with them unwisely. Still, it's handled well. It feels possible that the various figures (good guys and bad guys) who're screwing around with not-science might be able to get a handle on it if they try hard enough, which is way more satisfying for me than if they'd gone with a Lovecraftian "you're just screwed" approach.

But the science sucks.

[brainiacfive.livejournal.com]

Oh, OK. Well, as long as we get that straight! :-)

I may give it another try this summer, for some of the later episodes, to see if the change in tone can overcome the gut reaction to SO MUCH bad science (I don't mind bad science as long as it comes in drabbles, or is couched in the proper nonsensical terms and situations. This ain't that.)

If I were to try that - which would be the best episodes to start with?

[bryant]

#7, #10, and if it's still pissing you off with those episodes I'd give up on it. It's not like you're missing an all-time classic show or anything.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

"Somewhere in the first half of the season, Olivia stopped being a vulnerable idiot and started being the toughest protagonist in television."

Maybe when she got captured and actually rescued herself? #10 or #11, I think.

[death-by-monkey.livejournal.com]

Not to mention the fact that, IMHO, the last 15 seconds of the season finale are the most chilling of any TV show I've seen this season. I mean, the reveal on William Bell's identity was one thing (and had been leaked for a while), but the shot after that took my breath away.

[bryant]

I can't think of a single shot which would be more effective at making it clear that we were in an alternate universe.