“Fringe” Emmy® “For Your Consideration” Ad June 2012

Here is an Emmy® “For Your Consideration” ad for “Fringe” that appeared in the June 8, 2012 issue of Daily Variety. The ad features Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, and John Noble.

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Fringe: Renewed for Season 5 (Promo)

Happy news! “Fringe” has been renewed for a fifth (but final) season. The series will wrap up with 13 episodes, beginning in the fall of 2012. Here’s a new promo teasing season 5 from Fox. Fringe is one of the best sci-fi series in years, and John Noble's superb portrayal of Walter Bishop/"Walternate" is reason enough to watch.




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Fringe 2011 “For Your Consideration” Emmy Ad

Here is a copy of the Fringe “For Your Consideration” 2011 Emmy ad that appeared on page 1 of the June 2, 2011 Daily Variety.

Update June 21 - there was also a full page ad in the June 10 Variety and I have included it below.

Full page ad:

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Fringe “The Day We Died” Season Finale Extended Trailer

Here’s an extended trailer from Fox for the season finale of Fringe, “The Day We Died” which airs on Friday, May 6, 2011 at 9PM ET on Fox. It looks like a fantastic episode. I know I’ll be glued to the TV!


Please note: I am sorry, but this video is no longer available.




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Fringe: “Where Will You Be?” Promo Video

Here’s a new promo from Fox for Fringe which asks the question – “Where will you be when it happens?” I know where I will be – glued to the TV watching the show!

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Fringe 1985 Retro Introduction

By popular demand, here’s the 1985 “retro” introduction for “Fringe” which has been used when the episode covers Peter and/or Olivia when they were children.

fringe now airs Friday on Fox, 9 PT ET.


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Fringe. Friday.Fox.

Photo from Fox

Fringe fans – don’t forget that Fringe moves to its new day – Friday – starting January 21, 2011 at 9 PM. I likely won’t be able to recap the show as often due to its new day, but I will still be watching! I hope fans continue to follow the series as it moves to Friday as there are high hopes that if Fringe can retain viewers, Fringe may continue to have a home on Fox for much longer.




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Fringe: Reports of Its Friday Death Greatly Exaggerated?

Here’s a new promo from Fox, which hopefully means that the reports of the death of Fringe on Friday has been greatly exaggerated. It certainly appears that Fox still wants the show to succeed – and so do I!





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Fringe “Entrada” Recap & Review

 Photos © 2010 FOX Television

Fringe (Fox) will be moving to Friday nights beginning in January 2010, and as a result I won’t be able to recap the episodes every week.  I’ll still be watching, of course. “Entrada” closes the loop – at least for now – on Olivia Dunham’s (Anna Torv) imprisonment in the alternate universe. And it’s not a moment too soon.

It seems that The Secretary – AKA Walternate (John Noble) – has what he need from Olivia – it’s Cortexaphan – and he’s going to have her sent back to our universe. She’ll be going back minus a few critical organs, though, which means she’ll be going back dead.

In the previous episode, Fringe: Abducted”, Olivia won the support of Colonel Broyles (Lance Reddick) when she helped solve a mystery which related to his son’s kidnapping and resulting illness, which ultimately helped restore his son’s health and well-being. Now, Colonel Broyles helps Olivia escape from Liberty Island and helps her get to Walternate’s old lab so she can get into the isolation chamber to return home. Sadly he pays for it with his life.

But, first things first. In Fringe: Abducted”, we saw Peter get the phone call late at night from a woman saying she had a message from the real Olivia and that she was trapped on the other side.  This scene replays in "Entrada" but now Peter waits until the Alternate Olivia is asleep, and then tries to access her computer. When she wakes up and asks what he’s doing, he just says he’s doing his email. But when he makes a comment to her by using a Greek phrase that Olivia should know and this Olivia  doesn’t know it, he knows for sure she is not the real deal. The problem is, she realizes that her cover is blown, and with Peter at gunpoint, has Peter inject himself with a paralytic so she can flee. Her problem is she takes HIS computer, and leaves hers with Peter. Oops.

While our Fringe team works to track her down, Alternate Olivia works to get her way back to her own side, using the old typewriter to communicate to the alternates that her cover is blown and she needs to get out. She enlists the help of the typewriter storekeeper – with the promise she’ll get him better legs – to do something for her. She also gets some help from a shape shifter. A sharp eyed Astrid (Jasika Nicole) notices that the bakery shop where the alternate Olivia was bringing bakery from to give to Walter was not the location where Alternate Olivia implied.  Broyles, Peter, and Walter head to the area where the bake shop is located. Peter reaches the typewriter shop and sees his computer and knows she’s been there. When they get the shopkeeper to show them the room that Alternate Olivia used to communicate, Peter looks at the typewriter ribbon and sees the typing showing that she’s going to Penn Station. This is where a shape shifter injects something into Alternate Olivia, and, when a woman walks into the rest room and sees them in the act, she becomes the person to which the shape shifter changes. When Walter, Peter, and Broyles arrive at Penn Station and see Alternate Olivia, she uses what looks like the woman who stumbled upon them in the restroom as a hostage. When the woman’s daughter freaks out at the sight of her mother as hostage, Peter decides to ask the hostage to give him her daughter’s name. When she can’t, Peter know the hostage is a shape shifter and shoots her. Alternate Olivia is taken into custody.

She’s not in custody for long.  While she’s in the police wagon being held, she uses whatever device that was injected into her and makes her escape back to her universe. Walter realized too late that she has some sort of harmonic rod that he and William Bell used to cross over. Peter, Walter, and especially Broyles, are shocked to find that in her place, Colonel Broyles has been returned – dead. And he’s been sent back in a manner that he accounts for all the material or mass used to bring the Alternate Olivia back.

Meanwhile, Olivia, who got into Walternate's isolation tank while Broyles stalls the security people, makes it back home. Broyles gets word that their own Olivia came back to the lab – much to the surprise of Astrid who is there when Olivia climbs out of the isolation tank. Olivia had collapsed and was taken to a hospital, where later she reunites with Peter. He doesn’t let on what happened between him and her alternate.

Later, Broyles contemplates over his alternate’s body, and Alternate Olivia is back to work at the Alternate Fringe division. It seems that Colonel Broyles is "missing" from work. The typewriter shop man gets an injection from a man looking like Mr. Rogers and the typewriter man walks without help, a bit wobbly but better than before. In return, Mr. Rogers guy has his hands on another part of Walternate’s machine.

I’m sure we haven’t heard the end of the alternate universe or Walternate. But it’s good to have things back where they belong. There is sure to be some fallout, though, when Peter tells Olivia what he was doing with her alternate while Olivia was on the other side. One question I have is – if it is so important to keep matter in balance when things switch universes, how did our Olivia get back with nothing in trade? If the Alternate Olivia went back with the enough of Colonel Broyles to account for the swap, then what accounted for our Olivia on the other side? Was Colonel Broyles enough for both Olivias? If someone out there can clarify this for me, I’d be grateful.

As I mentioned earlier, in January 2011, Fringe will be moving to Friday nights, and as a result, I may not be able to recap regularly. I do hope that viewers continue to support the show, as it is one of the finest science fiction shows on television right now. 


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Fringe “The Abducted” Recap & Review

All photos from Fox

Despite being set in the alternate universe, Fringe returned to its roots with a tale from the weird. While there was an actual Fringe case for the team to work, Olivia’s (Anna Torv) need to get back home was still a big part of this very interesting story. The episode also gives viewers a look into the life of Colonel Broyles, a person who seems cold on the outside but we find is a normal wife and father.

The alternate Fringe team is called in to handle a kidnapping. Kidnappings aren’t something that our usual Fringe team handles, but in the alternate universe, they are given very high priority. The Secretary – AKA “Walternate” (John Noble) – whose own son Peter (Joshua Jackson) was abducted by “our” Walter – doesn’t seem to want any parent to suffer as he did when his own son was stolen. In fact, the Peter Bishop Act of 1991 says every kidnapping of a child is treated as a possible Fringe event.

While Olivia is working the case, she’s also trying to get back home. She knows that her usefulness to Walternate is over and she has to get back before they eliminate her. She enlists the help of Henry the cab driver (Andre Royo) and wants his help to get a boat so she can get back to Liberty Island and the tank which is used to help her cross over to the other side.

The alternate Fringe team – Olivia, Lincoln (Seth Gabel ) and Charlie (Kirk Acevedo) realize that child of the current kidnapping case was taken by a serial kidnapper known as The Candy Man (he sweats sugar). This is not good news to Colonel Broyles (Lance Reddick), whose own son was taken by The Candy Man before the (faux) Olivia had joined the Fringe team. When his son was found, like the other children, the life was drained out of them, many had deterioration of organ tissue, their immune systems were depleted, and some children came back with cancer. Olivia realizes that based on what some of the children reported, there seems to have been two men involved in the kidnappings. Despite being told not to do so, Olivia approaches Broyles and wants to talk to his son Chris (Curtis Harris). Broyles is furious with her. But later, he changes his mind when his wife reassures him that their son can handle it.

It’s Chris’ recollection of a prayer–like incantation from the kidnapper that helps Olivia get the clues which leads the team to a church and one of the church members, and she rescues the kidnap victim. She does make one mistake – she refers to the FBI during her rescue and the boy hears it. They find that The Candy Man was stealing hormones from the children and using them to make a serum to help members of the church heal their own illnesses. Olivia then realizes that the church leader is also involved, and lucky for Broyles and his family, she gets the information to Broyles in time. He is able to shoot and kill the reverenced who has entered Broyles' home and has his hands on Chris, ready to administer chloroform to knock him out.

Later at the hospital, they hope the serum will help the kidnapped children recover. When Olivia speaks to the recent kidnap victim, he asks her what is the FBI. It seems Olivia didn’t realize she had even said "FBI" when she came to save him, but she quickly covers. But Broyles has heard their conversation and when he tells her the FBI ceased to exist over 10 years ago, he asks her "You know who you are, don't you?" She asks him what happens now. But Broyles, maybe grateful for what she’s done to help his own child, seems to decide that nothing will happen, because he’s going home.

Henry, meanwhile, is still waiting with the boat, and he takes Olivia over so she can make the swim to Liberty Island. She makes her way in – setting off a silent security alert – but gets into the tank and makes it to the other side. She’s back in the Liberty Island gift shop and a cleaning woman spots her. But, as the scene seems to shift and blur, she knows she’s getting pulled back.. She tells the cleaning woman she has something important to tell her that's going to sound insane – and then we see she’s back in the tank, being yanked out by an incensed Walternate. As she screams that she doesn’t belong there, they sedate her.

Back on “our” side, Peter and alternate Olivia are cuddling in bed watching the movie “Casablanca” and she has the details about the film wrong. When they get ready to go to sleep, Peter gets a call. It’s the cleaning woman, and she said she’s calling from New York. She saw a woman who said her name was Olivia disappear in front of her eyes, and that Olivia had a message for Peter - that she’s trapped in the other universe. Peter gets that look on his face that suddenly some things makes sense.


There’s already been a lot of press about what happens in the next episode (don’t read any further if you don’t want to know) that Colonel Broyles will help Olivia get back and the alternate Olivia also returns where she belongs. “The Abducted” was a great set up to the swap, since Broyles seems to have gained respect, and some sympathy, for our Olivia because of her work in the kidnapping case. A sneak peak and the Fox promo for that episode is below. Will this mean that they are closing the door for good on the alternate universe? I doubt it. I wonder if part of the alternate Olivia’s plan was to get pregnant by Peter, and if somehow that child would have the ability to operate the yet to be built “doomsday” machine? That’s speculation on my part, but it would be a logical step in the plan. It seems nothing that the alternate Olivia has done has been without a plan or without guidance. Either way, the next episode looks exciting!







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Fringe “6955 kHz” Recap & Review

All photos from Fox

Yet again Fringe (Fox) delivers another fascinating episode in this season’s main story of two universes on a collision course. In “6955 kHz” we are on our own side, but with the alternate Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) continuing to pass herself off as the real thing. The episode gets its title from a mysterious radio signal at 6955 kHz which wipes the memories of those people who are happening to listen its transmission. One doesn’t have to be a fan of science fiction to enjoy Fringe because it offers an interesting mystery that doesn’t require massive amounts of effort to follow from episode to episode.

The episode starts with 15 people scattered on Eastern Seaboard who suffer retrograde amnesia from listening to their shortwave radios on the same frequency – 6955 kHz. The Fringe team – Dunham, Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) and Walter Bishop (John Noble) are called in to investigate. They find those people were listening to radio “number stations” and discover that people have been trying to crack the code of the mysterious numbers transmissions for years. The Fringe team believes these amnesia victims were close to cracking the code, and this is why their memories were erased.

Meanwhile, Peter and Olivia continue to cement their romantic relationship. Walter, however, is dismayed that Peter continues to work on the device from the other side.

To examine the transmission without causing the memory erasure, Walter finds a way using a children's toy that makes animal sounds plus a guitar wa-wa pedal. There are two sound waves from the broadcast, one for the numbers, and one for a pulse which is what erased the listeners’ memories. When the Fringe team finds a floating cube at the radio station that made the transmission, they get a fingerprint off the cube and Walter tries to find how the cube works.

While all this is going on, there are signs that Olivia may not be who she says she is, but is anyone really picking up on it? Olivia doesn’t seem to have immediate recall of Ed Markham, the bookstore owner, whose name appeared on a list of one of the initial memory victims chat rooms. She asks Nina (Blair Brown) to talk to Walter about Peter and the machine, and Nina thinks it’s unlike Olivia not to take the direct approach herself. When Peter asks her to recall the numbers from the transmission, Olivia, who is supposed to have a photographic memory, seems to be slow with the recall.

As the team works on the mystery of the numbers, they find out from Markham that it was rumored that when Marconi invented the first radio, he turned it on to hear the numbers already over the airwaves, Markham gives Olivia and Peter a book called “The First People” who were allegedly here long before us, and they apparently had discovered the “Vacuum” which is something like the Big Bang which both creates and destroys. Peter realizes that the numbers heard in the transmissions correspond to an early calendar in the book. Astrid (Jasika Nicole) works on cracking the code, thinking it is some sort of “decoder ring” of sorts.

Later, they get a second cube when another transmission occurs, this time affecting a plane in flight, causing it to crash. It’s that second cube where Peter finds a component that looks new; it's a Polish, military-grade transistor that would have to be registered. But Olivia already knows who is planting the devices, and while others work to crack the code and to trace the source of the component, she heads to the apartment of Joseph Feller (Kevin Weisman) to tell him they are on to him. When she gets a call from Broyles (Lance Reddick) that they are on their way to Feller's, she kills Feller by sending him out his high rise apartment window, to fall to his death. He “bleeds” mercury – he’s a shape shifter. Olivia says he came at her and she had no choice. Peter sees that Fellers’ data storage unit was destroyed in the fall.

Back at the lab, Astrid, possibly inspired by a special sandwich Walter made for her to help her thought process, cracks the code of the numbers - they are coordinates to locations all across the world. The team assumes since the number transmissions are old, that they may be looking for something buried at each location. They excavate the closest location in New Jersey and find what looks like a component to the device that Peter has been working on from the other side. Astrid also finds that one of the locations is for the house where a piece of Walternate's machine was already found buried (located a few episodes ago).
Walter seems to have changed his mind and wants to help Peter assemble the machine, thinking that the outcome doesn’t have to be complete destruction of their world or the alternate.

Olivia heads back to the typewriter which allows her to communicate with the alternate universe and types “ They've located the pieces of the device." The response : "Well done. Initiate Phase Two."

But, back on the alternate side, the real Olivia gets a call from Brandon (Ryan James McDonald ) from the lab; he’s canceling her tank dunk for the day. She sees her “vision” of Peter and he tells her she has to get out of there, and she must know why they canceled the test - they already have what they need from her. He urges "You have to go home."

This is the big question for Fringe viewers – just when will our Olivia get home? So far, the story is not getting old and there is plenty of mystery involving both sides that can keep viewers entertained. Still, as the faux-Olivia’s romance with Peter continues to grow, I find myself hoping that the real Olivia returns sooner than later.



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Fringe: Is “Walternate” Evil or a Victim of Tragedy? (Video)

From Fox, here’s a video short featuring members of the cast of Fringe – Joshua Jackson, Jasika Nicole, Lance Reddick, and of course John Noble, giving some insight on what may make the alternate universe’s Walter – The Secretary, AKA “Walternate” – tick. No wonder he’s out to destroy “our” universe; Walter took his son and in the process has caused the alternate universe all kinds of problems in the process. You may want to feel sorry for him – but - somehow I think there is even more to the whole story. Enjoy the video!




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Fringe “Amber 31422” Recap & Review

All photos from Fox

Fringe “Amber 31422” takes place in the alternate universe, and Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) is starting to have stronger feelings that this is not her true home. It’s another excellent episode which has Olivia working a case that, without her realizing, parallels her own situation. The story is about twins – one trapped in amber for years, the other twin taking over his identity and living his life, but eventually breaking his brother free. The episode also uses the "Twin Towers" as a trigger for Olivia to help her recall who she really is. Fringe does an exceptional job of using each case to advance the bigger story, and at the same time, brings depth to each character. For TV watchers who like a continuing story and also like a touch of science fiction, it’s the best show on television.

In this episode, the alternate Fringe Division is called to work a case where someone has breached the security and managed to release someone who was encased in amber. That amber is what helps quarantine an area affected by a breach from the other side. It seems that a man has released his twin brother from the amber and in the process, one of the people who was assisting in the "escape" gets trapped in the amber when the quarantine reseals itself. It seems that the twin who was in the amber was not the bank robber that people thought was trapped in there – it was the “good” twin. The “evil” twin (the real bank robber) was rescuing his brother, as he felt guilt over having his brother trapped in there all those years while he stayed out and assumed his identity. Confusing, I know. Because I had a hard time matching which twin was which, I’ll just call them “good” or “evil” twin (and add they were played by Aaron Ashmore and Shawn Ashmore).

The Secretary/”Walternate” (John Noble) is also beginning his experiments on Olivia to see exactly how she can travel between universes. Of course, he knows who she really is, but doesn’t know that Olivia is having suspicions that she is not from their world. The visions of Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson), who offers her insights into her real mind and memories, are becoming more frequent.

While working the case trying to track down the twin taken from the amber, Olivia, Lincoln (Seth Gabel) and Charlie (Kirk Acevedo) head to the home of the man who got trapped in amber when the twin was removed, and they find a secret room with lasers and drills. Lincoln thinks it is for a device that would allow a person to walk through walls. While they are there, Olivia hears a noise and then she urges them to get out of the house fast. Just as they get out the door, the house explodes.

Walternate tells Broyles (Lance Reddick) that the people trapped in amber can be extracted and revived, and they are trapped in their final memory as the amber encased them. Walternate does not want the public knowing that. There is a danger, though, that removing someone from the amber weakens its structural integrity of the amber.

Olivia is also undergoing her first of Walternate’s tests in the sensory deprivation tank and the drugs which will hopefully give them insight on how she can shift between universes. She makes a short trip back and finds herself standing soaking wet in a gift shop and she drops a snow globe. It’s a short trip but Walternate is pleased that she did cross over.

Olivia begins to show the signs of “our” Olivia – the rule breaker who pushes boundaries. Peter appears and hints that Walternate is testing Olivia because they already know who she is and knows she can cross over. When Peter gives her a clue about how the twins could be fooling them by switching, Olivia pushes hard when questioning the twin they have in custody. That, combined with her mother’s (Amy Madigan) concerns that Olivia came back to work too soon, has Broyles telling her to go home. What Olivia doesn’t realize is that Peter’s advice on how the twins could be fooling them could also apply to her own situation, but this seems to dawn on her more and more as things progress.

Olivia bounces her theories of the twin switch with Astrid (Jasika Nicole) and asks her for possible bank targets with less human collateral. Astrid comes up with three. Meanwhile, the “evil” twin appears to be breaking into a bank, one of the banks in Astrid’s target list. Olivia gets there and when she finds "evil" twin trying to break in, he uses a taser-like device and knocks her out. But as "evil" twin opens up a hole in the wall, the warning sounds for an imminent breach. They hear the alarm at Fringe Division, and Astrid tells Broyles that Olivia was right.

When “good” twin arrives at the bank, he sees an unconscious Olivia but races inside where he confronts his brother. It seems his brother has no intention of robbing the bank, he just wants them to stop looking for him and allow his “good” brother his freedom. As his "good" brother was trapped in the amber for years in “evil” twin’s place, “evil” twin wants to set things right and be encased in the amber, calling his action his “one good thing. ”Good" twin runs out, and lucky for Olivia, Lincoln and Charlie revive Olivia and get her out of the subway area before they are all encased in amber. Afterwards, Broyles tells Olivia she broke protocol, but adds that she did a good job.

Later, when Olivia pays a visit to “good” twin, she tells them they found “evil” twin trapped in the amber. They shake hands. In doing so, she collected a skin sample and asks him what he thinks it would show. But, she seems to think about what it would mean for him, and then tells him the case is closed. As she walks back to her car, Peter appears and tells her she let him go because she understood what being trapped is like. She responds to Peter, saying he has no proof. He tells her she knows things only the real Olivia would know, things like Rachel and Ella being alive on the other side, that it’s Ella’s birthday, and that the twin towers have been destroyed. Peter says there is a way to prove it.

Olivia races back to the lab and tells Brandon (Ryan James McDonald ) she wants to go back in the tank. As she’s in there, Walternate arrives and Brandon tells him about a synthetic compound he found in Olivia’s brain. She then goes critical and finds herself back in the gift shop, soaking wet. The snow globe also breaking again. She sees a post card commemorating the Twin Towers and as she looks to the skyline she sees they're gone. She also picks up a telephone and dials a phone number. Ella answers, and is happy that her Aunt Olivia remembered her birthday. But before Olivia can say much more, she is yanked back to the other side, and Walternate is there as she is pulled out of the tank. She tells him that this time it didn’t work – all she saw was black. But that is not where viewers are left this week; while Olivia tells Walternate she saw black, we have the benefit of knowing that now “our” Olivia may see a way out!


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Fringe “Do Shapeshifters Dream of Electric Sheep?”

All photos from Fox

Fringe (Fox) “Do Shapeshifters Dream of Electric Sheep?” had viewers back in the “normal” universe, but it still felt different. The episode didn’t have the usual suspense but it should be enough to hold fans while they wait until new episodes return in November (after baseball playoffs). Shapeshifters were causing all the trouble in this episode, and one of them – Newton – delivers a stern warning to a hard-headed Olivia, who seems to think she has everything under control.

Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) – who is really the alternate Olivia - and Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) seem to be moving their relationship to a new level. Walter Bishop (John Noble) is having some fun as the new sole owner of Massive Dynamic – the fun part aided by the fact that he’s tripping on LSD. Things take a serious turn when Agent Phillip Broyles (Lance Reddick) hears that Senator Van Horn has been in a car accident (a visual sure to make viewers feel like they were jolted themselves) and is in the hospital. Van Horn has no pulse but is breathing. Broyles, acquinted with Van Horn’s wife Patricia, helps to support her while the doctors work to save him. Thomas Jerome Newton (Sebastian Roché) comes in and tries to steal the body, shooting many people in his way. Broyles tries to stop him and Newton can’t get away with the body so he shoots Van Horn and makes a quick exit. We can see that Van Horn is bleeding mercury – he’s a shapeshifter.

This news rocks the Fringe team and Broyles, who has known Van Horn for a long time and wonders when the switch was made and how much Van Horn knows about what Fringe is doing. Peter finds that Van Horn had files on all of them. Peter and Olivia are working the case, and Walter is working on reanimating the body in his new high tech lab at Massive dynamic. Newton is planning to get the body back. He’s also not happy with how Olivia is handling everything and thinks she is in over her head. He also warns her that Peter has doubts about her, maybe on a subconscious level but that likely Peter has noticed things are different with her. Van Horn also knew about the alternate Olivia and Newton and Olivia must make sure Walter can’t revive Van Horn.

Newton activates another shapeshifter, Ray, who has been living a normal life with a wife and family. Newton orders him to shapeshift into someone who can get into the lab and get the shapeshifting device – and then tells Ray he has to leave no trace at home. Ray seems torn, clearly happy in his new life. So he disregards Newton’s orders so he doesn’t kill his wife and son, and heads into Massive Dynamic as a security man.

Walter, meanwhile, is at Massive Dynamic and close to bringing enough life into Van Horn in order to find out what Van Horn knows. They enlist the aid of his wife Patricia, and she is able to get a response. Van Horn sits up and begins to rattle off numbers and places. His wife recognizes the information as their anniversary date and hotels where they were planning to stay to celebrate. They stop the test, and Olivia convinces them to all take a break – Newton has sent her a message to get everyone out of the lab. She needs them out of the lab so Ray can enter and get the shapeshifting device.

the problem is that Astrid (Jasika Nicole) – who Walter oddly calls her by her actual name Astrid and attributes it to him being on LSD – lets Walter head back to the lab alone. They don’t know that Walter has stepped into the elevator with Ray, the shapeshifter. Ray follows Walter to the lab and, shooting a guard, gets into the lab and gets the shapeshifting device out of Van Horn. Walter, not wanting the device to be lost, stabs Ray with a scalpel but Ray slams Walter against a beam, knocking him out.

When Peter realizes Walter is in the lab alone, he races there and steps into the elevator as Ray is stepping out. When Peter sees mercury on the elevator buttons, he knows it was a shapeshifter who just got out of the elevator and he stops the doors from closing. Olivia tells him to head up to Walter and she’ll go after the shapeshifter – of course she has no intention of doing so.

When Peter gets to the lab, he finds Walter down and out, but Walter comes to and Peter calls for medical help. Olivia returns and says she lost the shapeshifter. Peter works to get his identity from surveillance cameras.

Ray returns home and finds Newton waiting there. Newton is not happy that Ray went to the lab as his normal self, and then tells Ray he “took care” of his family, and when Ray reacts badly, Newton tells him he lied, he just wanted to see Ray’s reaction. Newton kills Ray and is putting the body in his trunk as Olivia and Peter drive up. Olivia shoots at the car and purposely misses. Newton wrecks his car in a tunnel and when Olivia catches up with the injured Newton, he gives her the shapeshifting device.

Afterwards, Newton is in a Federal Detention Center and Olivia comes to visit. He continues to question her ability. She hands him what looks like a computer chip, which Newton later ingests, killing himself.

Olivia texts Peter saying they need to talk. But when he gets to her place, she tells him she lied, she doesn’t want to talk – and she kisses him. Clearly she wants him to distract him into thinking she’s different but in a good way for Peter.

With Newton out of the way, Olivia now has free reign to run the operation as she sees fit. The problem is, does she know anyone else from the other side who is there to help her? With Olivia entering into a sexual relationship with Peter, is it enough to keep his mind away from the fact that he knows she’s different since she “came back” from the other side? And now, with Walter having full access to massive Dynamic and all its technology, will he still be the same Walter or will his mad scientist side return? How much did Van Horn know and how many more shapeshifters have infiltrated key positions? Were those words that Van Horn rattled off really what his wife thought? We’ll have to wait until the show returns with new episodes in November to begin to find out.



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Fringe “The Plateau” Recap & Review

Photo from Fox

Fringe (Fox) “The Plateau” put viewers back in the alternate universe, where “our” Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) is back to work at the (alternate) Fringe Division. She seems to have been completely assimilated into her alternate’s persona, made possible by the treatments ordered by The Secretary - AKA “Walternate” (John Noble). He wants to make Olivia feel as if she is part of his universe so he can get her to agree to further testing and hopefully help them discover how she can pass between both universes. The episode offered what seems like the typical Fringe case, but things are not always what they seem. I’m enjoying this season as it moves back and forth between episodes, alternating each episode with each universe. It also allows the actors to play two different characters – even though they look the same, they have distinct personalities. John Noble excels in this (as Walter and The Secretary). This week we got a better look at Astrid’s alternate, and she seems to be one cold, testy woman.

The first case she’s called in to work - along with Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo) and Lincoln Lee (Seth Gabel) who is still recovering from his burns - involves what seems like a death caused by freak accidents as a result of a series of events. They realize that there is a pattern to these accidents – a pattern that Alternate Astrid (Jasika Nicole) concludes is impossible - and things get stranger when they find a ball point pen at both scenes. It seems that in the alternate universe, ball point pens are rarely used (who knows, that time may come here sooner than we think). When another accident occurs, but no death, Olivia and the team investigate. When Olivia sees a ball point pen rolling around on the ground, she realizes it’s not over. She spots someone who seems the likely suspect and begins her chase. But her target, Milo (Michael Eklund) seems to have already worked out that scenario in his mind. He throws a bike over the edge of the walking bridge on which he is standing, causing a truck to swerve right underneath where he is standing on the bridge, and he jumps onto it, making a clean escape.

While Olivia works the case, she’s also seeing things – images of Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) and Walter Bishop pop up when she least expects it.

Milo’s ability to predict the outcome of a list of occurrences is a talent that he picked up from drugs he was given as part of a test project to increase the IQ of low IQ people. Milo’s sister helps Olivia by telling Olivia of Milo’s location, and later, this sets off another sequence of events for which Milo has already predicted. He sees Olivia chasing him down, and then getting injured by falling concrete blocks. While Olivia, Charlie, and Astrid try to think of what Milo expects will be their next step, Astrid helps them realize that every step they predict, Milo also predicted. They decide to go to the location where Milo’s sister told them he is hiding out, and of course, he’s there, expecting exactly that.

But, Milo gets a big surprise when Olivia chases him as planned, but doesn’t stop the chase (which would have caused her to be crushed by the falling cement blocks) when the environmental alarms warning of air problems goes off. Olivia somehow subconsciously didn’t know that the flashing alarm meant her to stop and get oxygen, so she continued her chase. When Milo stops and comments that this should not have happened, she apprehends him. Later, he’s back in a special lockup, only able to communicate with a computer, and completely oblivious to his sister’s touch. Apparently he’s been on the treatment too long and it can’t be undone.

Charlie, meanwhile, has been wondering if what Olivia told him before her “breakdown” - that she was not from their universe – is really true. Olivia ignoring the warning signs may also have added another red flag to Charlie’s already suspicious mind.

Olivia herself is starting to wonder when, as her boyfriend is preparing to leave to take care of a virus break out, she sees Peter and he speaks with her about why she is seeing him. When he kisses her, Olivia suddenly seems to understand why. You can see the gears working in Olivia’s head – maybe her delusions and breakdown were not that at all. This has been my hope – that she will recover her original memories, but will also have the benefit of her alternate’s, something what would be invaluable to help her get back home.

Walternate, however, sets an ominous tone when he comments that he is still a scientist, just with a much larger lab. While our Walter regrets his past experiments, Walternate seems only too happy to think that the whole world is his lab, and he doesn’t seem to care who or what he uses as his lab rats.

“The Plateau” was an excellent episode that offered a Fringe case that was interesting as a standalone case, but was made better by the fact that Olivia may realize she’s not who they want her to be. Now, her task will be to use what she knows from both universes in order to get back home and/or hopefully avoid either universe being destroyed in the process. Someone has to stop Walternate, and she may be able to beat him using the very knowledge he gave her.

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Fringe "The Box” Recap & Review

Photo from Fox

The second episode of this season of Fringe (Fox) “The Box” brought viewers back “over here” to the universe where Fringe began. But, there is one small problem – it’s not “our” Olivia that is here, it’s the “Alternate” Olivia (Anna Torv), and she’s got her own agenda. She’s assimilating very nicely, with her alternate universe contact Thomas Jerome Newton (Sebastian Roché) giving her homework – reading a book on pop culture – in order to help her to blend in. And she shares a drink – and a dance – with Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) in a bar. Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) is also mourning the death of his colleague, William Bell, and at the same time, working to get his cow to produce chocolate milk.

The Fringe team – Olivia, Walter, and Peter - is called into a case where a family has been bound and gagged so two men can dig up a mysterious box buried in the basement. The family and the burglars are later all killed when curiosity gets the two men and when the open the box, something causes everyone in the house to die. However, another man had already entered the house, unaffected by the power of the box, and takes it. A problem for Olivia is that she only hired two men to get the box and now has to track down who stole this box.

Walter is called to Massive Dynamic for the reading of William Bell’s will, and he and Nina (Blair Brown) are both given envelopes – but we don’t see what is in either envelope and Walter will not reveal it to Peter. Peter also finds out from Broyles (Lance Reddick) that Broyles gave Olivia information about searching the home of one of the dead burglars and Peter is surprised that Olivia didn’t tell him about it.

When Peter meets Olivia at the house, she’s already been looking for the box and she makes the excuse that she didn’t tell him about the search because she knew he would come and felt that Walter really needed his support. When Olivia exits the house, a man watches and writes down her name. He seems to be listening from afar (we later find he’s not listening per se).

At the lab, Walter chooses to show what is in the envelope to Astrid (Jasika Nicole), it’s a key and a letter from Bell which said: "Don't be afraid to cross the line." Walter also figures out that the reason why the people in the house were killed was some sort of ultrasound that overwhelms the brain. Somehow, the person who escaped with the box was not affected. Astrid also prods Walter to talk to Peter about his feelings.

While Olivia is at home reading files on “herself” – the real Olivia has a photographic memory and she wonders how she will pull that off – there is a knock on her door. It’s the man who stole the box, and when he speaks, she realizes he is deaf, which is why the ultrasound from the box did not affect him.

When Walter does have that important discussion with Peter, he tries to explain what happened when he took Peter from the other universe and why, but Peter is not ready to hear it or talk about it yet.

After Olivia gives the box to Newton, she shoots and kills the deaf man. She hears another knock at the door and it’s Peter, so she is forced to drag the man’s body into the bathroom. Peter begins to talk about Walter’s apology, and says he can’t bring himself to give Walter a break. All Peter can see is his image in the blueprint as part of the doomsday machine. When Olivia notices blood from the dead man is creeping from under the bathroom door, she diverts Peter with a kiss, which becomes more passionate.

Newton, meanwhile, has taken the box to a subway and paid a homeless dwarf some money to watch his box for a short while. Of course, curiosity gets the man and he takes the box. Before we know it, the Fringe team is called to the subway to investigate more deaths, just like the ones at the house. Peter knows the box is there and he wants to be the one to chase after it. Walter has an idea to protect Peter from the ultrasound – Olivia shoots her gun next to each of Peter’s ears to render him temporarily deaf. He races down the subway tracks, finds the dwarf and the box, the dwarf’s head exploding in a very dramatic fashion.

Peter manages to disable the box, but when Olivia and Broyles realize not all the subway trains have been stopped and one is on its way to Peter, Olivia races into the tunnel and pulls him away, just before the subway would have flattened him.

Back of the platform, they realize that this is just another piece of the doomsday machine and for some reason, some of the parts are stored in this universe – but why? Peter takes the machine back to the lab to do further work on it.

Walter heads to the back to check out the safety deposit box with the key Bell left him. He heads to Astrid’s home and shows Astrid that William Bell left him Massive Dynamic, and he is now the sole shareholder, holding a large pile of stock certificates.

Olivia sits at the typewriter where she can communicate with the alternate – and her own – universe – and types in the message, "Peter has first piece. He is actively engaged." The reply: "Understood. Begin work on Dr. Bishop."

I couldn’t be happier that Fringe is focusing less on the oddball cases and is focusing on the alternate universe storyline. It is far richer and more compelling than handling their stand-alone, “normal” cases. It’s a story line that continues to engage viewers in and have them anticipate the next episode. I only wish more people would be tuning in to Fringe because it’s one of the best shows on television today, and both Anna Torv and John Noble are excellent in their respective roles. In fact, it is almost as if the alternate Olivia really IS a different person. Hopefully, “Faux-livia” will be discovered before Peter and Walter get in too deep.


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Fringe “Olivia” Recap & Review (Season Premiere)

All photos from Fox

“She’s OUR Olivia now.” Well, The Secretary – AKA “The Walternate” may think this is the case, but somehow I feel that Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), trapped in the alternate universe, may still have the upper hand. Again, Fringe (Fox) does not disappoint, with an action packed and intense season premiere. It’s primarily set in the alternate universe, and subsequent shows will alternate episodes between universes so we can follow what is happening on both sides. In the alternate, Olivia is trying desperately to get back to her home universe. But, Walter (John Noble) and Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) think that the Olivia that came back with them is “their” Olivia. My money is on “our” Olivia, who is fighting to get back home, and may have what I see as an advantage – her real memories, and the memories and skills of her alternate. At least, I hope she still has her real memories. The alternate, “faux” Olivia is now in the real Olivia's universe, and may make real trouble for the unsuspecting Walter and Peter.

The episode begins with Olivia still trapped in the alternate universe, still confined, and now being questioned by a psychologist who seems bent on convincing Olivia she is really from “their” side. It is clear the Olivia is not playing along. We later find that The Secretary (John Noble) is having Olivia injected with a treatment that is supposed to give her the memories of the alternate, “faux” Olivia. He also wants to understand how she can travel from both universes.

Of course, Olivia is smarter than they think, and The Secretary orders her to be injected again in order to hasten her assimilation of faux Olivia’s memories. But, she fakes having a bad reaction to the treatment and escapes from the men administering it. She makes a dramatic exit by jumping off the high wall at Liberty Island, and swims to safety in the city. It’s not before she looks back and sees an almost brand new looking Statue of Liberty.



Soaking wet, she gets into Manhattan and hijacks a cab, being driven by a man named Henry (Andre Royo). She pulls the gun she stole while escaping and points it at him, ordering him to drive. She later tells him her hard-to-believe story about the government experimenting on her. He doesn’t want trouble for him or his family, so he goes along with her, even to the point of buying her fresh clothes when she orders him to do so.

Meanwhile, Lincoln Lee (Seth Gabel) is recovering from the burns he received while battling Olivia’s colleagues, and he wants work to help Charlie (Kirk Acevedo) track her down. It’s clear that they think it’s their Olivia they are working to recover, apparently being told she had some kind of psychotic break after the episode at the Opera House (in the season finale).

Henry takes Olivia to the Opera House, and it’s now being encased in amber to seal the hole between the universes, and she now realizes she has no way out. She also is spotted there, tipping off the alternate Broyles (Lance Reddick). While Olivia thinks over her dilemma, Henry gets a call from his wife.

Olivia asks him to take her to the address of Massive Dynamic, only to find it’s never been built there in the alternate universe. She orders Henry to drive away and later, when they stop at a gas station, Olivia breaks down in the rest room. When she exits, she finds Lincoln Lee waiting there, and Charlie not far behind. Lincoln Lee confronts her about her behavior saying she is just suffering the effects of a head injury from the incident at the Opera House. She aims and shoots at both men with amazing accuracy and escapes. She realizes that she now has the skill of her alternate, who was an Olympic marksman.

She gets an idea and gives Henry an address that pops into her mind – she thinks it’s some sort of safe house. Henry takes out the cab’s tracking device and they are off the grid.

Meanwhile, The Secretary thinks the treatment is actually working, because only Olivia’s alternate could shoot like that.

When Olivia arrives at what she thinks is a safe house, she later finds her alternate mother there, very much alive. Her mother believes Olivia is just suffering from a breakdown and tries to reason with her. Olivia resists at first, but then, in her mother’s arms, she seems to have all the faux-Olivia’s memories flood in. Later, when Charlie arrives for a visit, Olivia seems to treat him as if she is who Walternate wants her to be – the alternate.

The Secretary and the doctors discuss this turn of events, saying the treatments worked and that the adrenaline from her escape helped the transfer. The Secretary gloats, "For all intents and purposes, she is our Olivia now.”

Charlie drives away from her mother's home with Olivia in the car, but Henry watches from his cab. Olivia thanks Charlie for being a friend, and he thanks her for not shooting him.

The Secretary tells the alternate Broyles that Olivia should be OK to work on Monday, but doesn't tell Broyles what is really going on with her.

As we look up to the sky over the Capitol building, we see a blimp flying above, and in a poof, it’s gone. We’re now back in our own universe, with Peter on Capitol Hill telling the story of what happened to them, with a man taking notes. Peter tells them how the Walternate misled him into trying to get him to stay there, and the man asks Peter why he came back. We then see the faux-Olivia standing on the steps with Walter as Peter exits the building. Peter tells Olivia that the whole time he was in there, she was only thing he could think about, and he kisses her.

This episode sets up a whole host of new questions. Is Henry the cabbie really who he seems to be? Is he working for the other side, or, is he there as some sort of protector for Olivia? Has Olivia’s mind been completely taken over by the memories of her alternate, or, does she have the memories of both and will use that to her advantage? Will Peter figure out that the Olivia he thinks is the one who loves him is not who she says she is? And will Olivia find her way back to her real universe, or, will she be content to stay where she is and reconnect with her mother and force the others to come get her? One thing is for sure, this is going to be an interesting season.


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Fringe “Over There Part 2” Recap & Review

All Photos from Fox

The season finale of Fringe (Fox), “Over There Part 2” brought Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), along with Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) over to the alternate universe in order to retrieve Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson), who went over there willingly with “Secretary” Walter Bishop (also John Noble). It seems that even William Bell (Leonard Nimoy, in what is supposed to be his last acting role) has come to call the alternate universe version of Walter the “Walternate”. By the way, I was amused by what seemed like a tribute to Nimoy as Star Trek's Mr. Spock as he raises his hand - reminiscent of "live long and prosper" - to release his energy. The episode did an excellent job in showing the differences between our world and the alternate – they fly in quiet dirigibles, the Transamerica Pyramid is in New York City, and Liberty Island has a gleaming Statue of Liberty with Liberty Island being the headquarters for the Department of Defense, and serves as Walternate’s headquarters. We also hear of some of the areas that are “quarantined," one of them being by Madison Square Garden, where a wormhole exists and 10,000 people are trapped inside, all who have been declared dead.



We know we are in a different place as the episode opens with a familiar looking theme – but it’s red rather than blue and some of the words are different (see comparison video below). The alternate universe, despite some of the normalcy,seems like a very cold and sterile place. Walternate seems to be the man in charge, and John Noble does his usual excellent job in portraying the very calm and reserved, yet cold and calculating Secretary. At the end of the episode, with Olivia imprisoned, he is able to show the differences between Walter and Walternate simply by changing the look on his face. It was enough to make me shudder. Although the twist at the end could be predicted a mile away, it was one of those endings that was highly satisfying, and only makes one wonder more about the interesting possibilities this show has for next season. (In case you missed part 1, see
Fringe “Over There Part 1” Recap & Review)


In case you missed Part 2, here’s what happened:

Peter flies over New York to meet Walternate in his office on Liberty Island. It’s at Walternate’s office where Peter learns that Walter’s taking of Peter years ago created several “soft spots” in their universe because of what “that man” – Walter – did, and they are marked as red spots scattered all over the map of the United States, one almost covering Boston. He wants Peter to help him with a power source to help solve the problem and Walternate believes Peter’s knowledge of science from the other side can help. It’s here where Peter sees Olivia’s strawberry blonde alternate, and she is somewhat cold to him. Later, Walternate warns her that their doubles cannot be trusted and will lie – and he wants a favor of her.


Fringe Finale – extended scene (deleted from episode)



Walternate knows that Walter is at a local hospital being treated and sends the alternate Fringe team out to get him, but William Bell helps Olivia get to Walter first and to escape. Walter is really thrilled about the drugs they used – and also seems interested in the food, specifically, a bucket of KFC fried chicken which tastes the same to him in both universes. They make their plans to get Peter back, and they need to find a way to keep the door to the universes open so they can cross over – a doorstop of sorts. But Alt-Olivia is already working to track them down as has seen their escape on security video and she has also seen her blonde equivalent, and she now must work to top Walter from getting Peter back.

Alt-Olivia takes Peter to a hotel room and tells him he will be famous now that he returned as people know his story.

While Olivia works to track down Peter, William Bell and Walter scout out his alternate Harvard lab for equipment to help them cross back over. We find that William Bell’s alternate had died in a car crash years ago and he and Walternate never worked together. Walter begins to argue with Bell, saying that Bell took the alternate world’s technology for profit, and Bell reminds Walter that he only came over to try to stop the events Walter started by coming and stealing Peter. He adds he had no choice but to work for Walternate, coming up with things like the shape shifters. Walter tells him of the 17 years he spent in a mental institution and is angry with Bell for cutting out pieces of his brain and stealing his memories. But they start working together when they find the piece of equipment that they need.

Meanwhile, back at Alt-Olivia’s apartment, she is ambushed by Olivia. They compare notes and find they are not completely alike, for example, Alt-Olivia’s mother is still alive, but her sister died in childbirth. When it seems Alt-Olivia wins at the battle of wits, Olivia manages to disable her and then knocks her out. Olivia dyes her hair and then makes her way to where Peter is being held – along with Agent Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo), whom Olivia told she was instructed to move Peter. Peter, working on the power source at the hotel, realizes the component needed to make it work is something unique – HIM.



When she gets to the hotel, she gives Peter the drawing she got from the Observer, and hearing mention of the Observer, he realizes something is up. When Olivia knocks Charlie out, Peter knows it is really Olivia, and she tells him Walternate lied about fixing the other universe; it is about destroying theirs. He asks her how long she knew about where he was really from and she tells him a few weeks, adding he doesn't belong here.. He agrees, but he thinks he doesn't belong there either. She says thought of 100 reasons why he should come back but the best reason is his belonging with her. She steps closer and they kiss.

At Alt-Fringe division, they realize Walter and the rest are going to the opera house. At the opera house, Peter and Walter re-unite, but as sirens approach, Bell tells Peter and Walter to go in and set up the device while he holds them off. Bell uses weapons he designed for maximum impact, and gives Olivia prototype phosphorous grenades while Walter powers up his machine inside. But when Olivia notices Alt-Olivia, she warns Bell, but there is a huge explosion. The next thing we see is Olivia - and I find myself asking is it really Olivia? - standing over William Bell, who was knocked out from the grenade. Inside, Walter and Peter have the machine up and running and Bell makes the decision that since his atoms are so scrambled anyway he will help keep the device open. As the door is opening, he admits to Walter that he took out part of his brain because Walter asked him to, because of what he was becoming. As the Alt-Fringies come through the door, he raises his hands and the energy flows out of him and with a flash, they are back “home” in the opera house, with Bell and the machine gone.

Later, "Olivia" arrives home and looks around strangely. At the lab, Astrid (Jasika Nicole) welcomes Peter back with lots of pie. Before Peter leave the lab for the night, Walter asks him if he is staying, and Peter tells him, "I'm trying to see this your way, Walter. I can't. But, you did cross universes twice to save my life, so that's gotta count for something, right?"

But we then see “Olivia” walk into the typewriter store and she asks for the Selectric model 251 typewriter, used to communicate with the other side – and we know she is not who she seems.
In the back room, as she gets ready to type her message, we see a tattoo on her neck. Her message: "Infiltration achieved. "Awaiting orders."

Back in the alternate universe, we see Walternate enter a darkened room and walk up to a window and turns on a light. It’s our Olivia inside a padded cell, and she screams for him to let he go, but he looks on her with a creepy smile of sorts and then turns the light out, leaving her in darkness, as we too go to black.


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Fringe Opening Sequence – Compare Blue and Red!

The season finale for Fringe (Fox) airs tonight (May 20, 2010) at 9PM ET on Fox. To get you ready for the action in the alternate universe, here is a video comparing the traditional “blue” opening sequence, and the alternate (or “Walternate”) red opening sequence. Enjoy! (The video is best viewed full size.)

Please note: I am sorry, but this video is no longer available.


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Fringe “Over There Part 1” Recap & Review

All photos from Fox

We actually do take a trip “Over There” in this episode of Fringe (Fox). Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) and a few other people part of Walter’s Cortexaphan experiments head over to the alternate universe to try to bring Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) back. It seems that Peter has crossed over to the other side with “The Secretary” - who is the Walter Bishop alternate (“Walternate”) and who is Peter’s real father. Major gloom and doom will ensue if he stays there, according to Walter. This episode gives us a good look at life in the alternate universe, with its different scenery (the World Trade Center Twin Towers are still standing, the Status of Liberty looks brand new, and dirigibles fly in the sky), different money (a $20 bill is a “Junior” for Martin Luther King, Jr., and a coin has Nixon’s face on it), and a different ID system ("show me"). Our main characters also have their counterparts who look different – and some that we know to be dead are still alive here. It’s an interesting episode that serves to set up the season finale very nicely. This has been a fantastic season of Fringe so far, and I suspect that fans will not only be excited about the finale, but also energized for the next season.

Here’s what happens in this episode:

When the episode opens, we’re already on the other side, watching the alternate Fringe team with a strawberry blond-ish looking Agent Olivia Dunham and her team – made up of a very edgy dressed agent Broyles (Lance Reddick), Agent and Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo), and Nick (David Call) – who on the “real” side is one of the Cortexaphan test group. They are investigating a “breach” in a large theatre – and after tense moments which included Broyles working with what seems to be a version of Astrid (Jasika Nicole) who seems to have some special ability, they don’t need to quarantine the area in the theatre. We see, though, that the breach was caused by Olivia, Walter, and 3 other members of the Cortexaphan test group crossing over to the alternate universe. The alternate Fringies find a body that doesn’t have a “show me” – which is their version of an ID – and the person has a $20 bill on them that is foreign to the alternates.




The story goes back 36 hours, and we see Walter in his lab, sadly watching a video of Peter disappearing in a flash with Walternate. Olivia is drowning her sorrows in a bar, but an Observer walks by and leaves her what looks like a large piece of paper. When Walter calls Olivia telling her something terrible is going to happen to Peter, she tries to calm him, but she looks at the paper the Observer left her and it is drawing of an odd machine and Peter's face with what looks like glowing fire coming out of his eyes. Later, when she shows this to Walter, he thinks this is what has been upsetting him and says "My son is going to be responsible for the end of the world."

Walter knows he needs to go to the other side to get Peter back and enlists the help of Nina Sharp (Blair Brown) at Massive Dynamic, who recognizes the machine as William Bell’s technology, but says they never built it. As they work to get to the other side, Massive Dynamic lab geek Brandon (Ryan McDonald) shows them the danger of going over – their molecular make up could shatter, and that William Bell crossed so many times he became molecularly unstable. Walter doesn’t want to build another door like the one he first used to get Peter – he is concerned both worlds would be destroyed. He thinks he could do it with Olivia and the Cortexaphan group. When Broyles says they do have a few more of them other than Olivia, they decide to use them to make the cross over. James Heath (Omar Metwally), the guy who transfer cancer can now cure disease. Sally Clark (Pascale Hutton) is a controlled pyro-kenetic and Nick Lane can seemingly transfer his feelings, making everyone, including Broyles, laugh.

Walter later talks with the Cortexaphan group and despite Heath seeming a little skeptical of Walter, they decide to cross over with him. After having the night off – and after Olivia gives her crucifix to her niece Ella (Lily Pilblad), and hugs her sister Rachel (Ari Graynor), she heads off to the theatre which is their best place to cross over. Nina sends a message to William Bell on the other side as to where to meet them, and hopes that he will get it. Despite Broyles objections, Walter will cross over with them, and they join in a circle and essentially “will” themselves over.

Once there, sirens can be heard and James falls ill and collapses and they must leave him. They quickly make their escape as they watch the alternate Fringe team work on the breach. Once outside, they try to get to the meeting place but they don’t have a “show me” to get on the bus, so they have to walk. Sally also becomes ill and Nick tries to help.

Meanwhile, the $20 bill the alternate Fringies found raises a red flag to the Department of Defense and they are called in to see The Secretary. He admits that although they think the Fringe team was created to investigate natural disasters that have occurred since the "zero event" in 1985 at Raden Lake (which is where Walter crossed over to get Peter), causing tears in the universe, and that the Secretary wrote about them in the “ZFT” in 1995, that the ZFT is a half-truth. The tears aren't natural and lead to a parallel earth. He believes the dead man they found didn't come over alone and he thinks the "invaders are anything but peaceful."

Elsewhere, Peter, after sleeping for 3 days, wakes up in a bed in a home in the country, and his mother Elizabeth (Orla Brady), is cooking breakfast. She tells him he's been sleeping for three days. They have an emotional hug. Later, they talk about his “other mother” and her suicide. She gives him something from Walternate. He looks at it later, and it is the blueprint for the same machine in the drawing the Observer gave to Olivia.

Walter, Olivia, and the others reach the area where they expect to meet William Bell, and instead are greeted by the alternate Fringe division, who fire their guns on them. They all attempt to flee, but Sally is ill and Nick again tries to help her. Nick gets shot, and in retaliation, Sally shoots a ball of fire at alternate Nick, turning him into a crispy critter – alive but badly burned. Nick and Sally have also vaporized. But later, and separated from Olivia, Walter realizes he was shot, and collapses at the entrance of a hospital. Olivia has tracked down the address of her alternate and stands outside her home, seeing that her alternate has male company. And soon Olivia herself has company – William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) who meets her on the sidewalk and says he got the message too late and he knew she would come here. He tells her Walter's in trouble and they don't have much time.

Elsewhere, Walternate walks into a large, secret-looking room and we see what looks like a parchment paper that depicts the machine and Peter with his glowing fiery eyes, like the drawing the Observer gave to Olivia. There seems to be strange writing on it. Walter looks up at what looks like the machine. He takes something out of a case that is marked “mC Wave Sink No. 3” and leaves the room with it, and as the door closes behind him, we cut to black.

Stay tuned for part 2 next week – the season finale!



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