Fringe S04E03 "Alone in the World" [** SPOILERS **]

The Black Oil

I enjoyed this one more than the first two episodes of season 4. Lots more Walter this week and he's always great with kids - 'don't worry, Dr. Bishop isn't scary', cue him coming over in his dissecting gear, mask, apron, etc.

Poor guy is having a rough time, but at least he's able to speak about it now. I would have liked to see more William Sadler, though. Easy enough to guess that the kid was somehow connected to the plant/spores/organism thing and he was a better actor than the two bullies, not that we saw much from them. The whole evil plant thing has been done lots of times before and it's usually fair dull, probably works better on paper than on screen. That's not to say I found the episode dull or flat, just the MOTW was a bit meh. Think Stargate had more fun with a plant taking over things.

FreudianSlippers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYBC85usQEQ

A story about a boy and his fungus. VERY much a mission of the week and slightly boring at times, but it's all worth it for the ending.
Most people really enjoyed this episode though, so perhaps I'm the only one who found it quite dull at times - perhaps it's children actors that just annoy me!

We get a mention of Massive Dynamic (I think the first of this season) and Nina Sharp.

We get very lucky that Olivia shows up at the end, just in time to stop Walter from doing his own pre-frontal lobotomy and the big reveal at the end that *gasp* Olivia is an artist!
I knew from early in the episode when Olivia was on the computer trying to match faces when Lee came in that she was looking for Peter, but glad now it's finally out in the open and Walter can stop being so crazy.

I'd hesitate to call this episode filler because of the last 2 minutes, but if it's really only 2 minutes of arc progression... it's probably filler.

don ramo

another monster of the week episode with the overall season arc tipping away bit by bit, its well done TBF, some might find it annoying but i like the way there doing it,

is it just me or was olivia very casual in this episode, no suit and had her hair platted, rather odd, wonder if it means anything,

walter as usual stole the show, when olivia saying hes harmless and he appear wearing a bloody apron:D, and then he tries to labotomise himself casue theres a voice in his head, great now that olivia and walter both know about peter, i wonder if altivia knows about him also, and walternate,

With a lot of TV shows, filler episodes are absolutely dire, because they pretty much add nothing - Lost was terrible for this. But with Fringe, they are generally superb. Last weeks and this weeks especially. I didn't mind the child actor, he was actually pretty brilliant.

I wonder if Olivia is becoming more relaxed because of Lincoln? They seemed to be warming to each other more and also if I'm right, Alt-Lincoln had a thing for Alt-Olivia too?

yay! walter's not crazy!! :D
im glad they moved it on, i felt sorry for him with nobody believing him

omniscient_toad

Deleted User wrote: »

With a lot of TV shows, filler episodes are absolutely dire, because they pretty much add nothing - Lost was terrible for this. But with Fringe, they are generally superb. Last weeks and this weeks especially. I didn't mind the child actor, he was actually pretty brilliant.

I wonder if Olivia is becoming more relaxed because of Lincoln? They seemed to be warming to each other more and also if I'm right, Alt-Lincoln had a thing for Alt-Olivia too?

I'd agree, people often seem dismissive of anything not heavily laden with lengthy arc based storyline, even the term "filler" is belittling but there's a lot to be said for a really well told story set in a universe filled with characters already expanded and explored in depth. The writers can create a one off plot full of shorthand and subtle meaning because groundwork has previously been laid (Walters interaction with the child given his own history etc), not all series long work is confined to overall plot.

FreudianSlippers

omniscient_toad wrote: »

I'd agree, people often seem dismissive of anything not heavily laden with lengthy arc based storyline, even the term "filler" is belittling but there's a lot to be said for a really well told story set in a universe filled with characters already expanded and explored in depth. The writers can create a one off plot full of shorthand and subtle meaning because groundwork has previously been laid (Walters interaction with the child given his own history etc), not all series long work is confined to overall plot.

Considering this will likely be the last season, I'd like to actually get the story somewhere good before the end. Not all filler is bad, but this episode was definitely filler (just good filler)

Richard Dower

Walter ruled, but the ep. itself was rather average...not the best MOTW or monster story. Disturbing scene with the lobotomy, finally they both know about Peter missing!....we need to start moving this show on now, got a 1.3 this week.

Temptamperu

Anyone else tear up at the end?





me neither

don ramo

bluewolf wrote: »

yay! walter's not crazy!! :D

hes deffinately crazy, he just doesnt hear voices:D,

someone was telling me today about their day out on some mushroom picking course.
anyway apparently there really is some fungus that takes over insects and turns them into zombies until they die and explode spores from their bodies.
so they didn't just pull it out of nowhere :eek:

Temptamperu

bluewolf wrote: »

someone was telling me today about their day out on some mushroom picking course.
anyway apparently there really is some fungus that takes over insects and turns them into zombies until they die and explode spores from their bodies.
so they didn't just pull it out of nowhere :eek:

yep its really scary alright.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/pictures/110303-zombie-ants-fungus-new-species-fungi-bugs-science-brazil/

opr

Crazy ****!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8

Opr

iguana

Deleted User wrote: »

With a lot of TV shows, filler episodes are absolutely dire, because they pretty much add nothing - Lost was terrible for this.

This episode didn't just add nothing though. Apart from the end we also had it confirmed that Peter did exist in both realities and that Walter did cross to the other universe to save/steal him, and that he died in the freezing water and the observer didn't save him. I know it wasn't as if we couldn't have guessed that but it was good to have it confirmed and to see how broken Walter is from it.

Temptamperu

Every episode cant be aprt of the overall arc otherwise we would get sick of it, I think you all have been spoilt and now im taking Fringe away.

ScrubsfanChris

opr wrote: »

Crazy ****!

Opr

Saw that on QI friday night, and then watched Fringe Saturday, it never clicked till now

Mrs Ron Burgundy

don ramo wrote: »

another monster of the week episode with the overall season arc tipping away bit by bit, its well done TBF, some might find it annoying but i like the way there doing it,

is it just me or was olivia very casual in this episode, no suit and had her hair platted, rather odd, wonder if it means anything,

walter as usual stole the show, when olivia saying hes harmless and he appear wearing a bloody apron:D, and then he tries to labotomise himself casue theres a voice in his head, great now that olivia and walter both know about peter, i wonder if altivia knows about him also, and walternate,

I also noticed Olivia was looking pretty casual, she seems to be slowly morphing into 'alternate universe' Olivia. Have to say i like it though, her stiffness was starting to bore me.

Found the episode a bit blah overall though. Bring back Peter I say

libra02

Really enjoyed this episode even though it could be seen as a stand alone they still managed to tie in elements of the arc of Peter.

Walter was great and I loved his naming the fungus "Gus" and even better Lincoln calling it Gus when talking to Broyles. Am glad they recruited Seth Gabel as a full time cast member as love that this season we get to see more of this side's Lincoln.
Loved his bit at the end when he joking with Olivia about "freaking about and did she want to talk about it".

JerryHandbag

Mrs Ron Burgundy wrote: »

I also noticed Olivia was looking pretty casual, she seems to be slowly morphing into 'alternate universe' Olivia.

I noticed that too, she's getting hotter as the episodes go on

I don't think there has ever been a character in a TV show that I love as much as Walter Bishop. The lobotomy scene (well, almost) genuinely upset me. Brilliant character, brilliant acting, God I'm gonna miss Fringe so much if this is the last season

libra02

JerryHandbag wrote: »

I noticed that too, she's getting hotter as the episodes go on

I don't think there has ever been a character in a TV show that I love as much as Walter Bishop. The lobotomy scene (well, almost) genuinely upset me. Brilliant character, brilliant acting, God I'm gonna miss Fringe so much if this is the last season

Hopefully it won't be the last season. If I remember correctly I read an interview where I think JJ Abrams had only planned for 5 seasons as he thought after that it be dragging it out a bit too much. I think Anna Torv also mentioned this.

So be crazy of Fox to cancel it for the sake of 20 -22 episodes especially when it has such a great following and anyway why should the viewers outside of the US be denied a seson juts because the US auidance are more interesed in reality tv crap. ( I do know why by the way just v annoying good shows get cancelled while shows long past their sell y date still are on air)

I dread the day Fringe does end but if we get one more season out of it and that the writers don't have to rush an ending I be happy.

don ramo

libra02 wrote: »

Hopefully it won't be the last season. If I remember correctly I read an interview where I think JJ Abrams had only planned for 5 seasons as he thought after that it be dragging it out a bit too much. I think Anna Torv also mentioned this.

So be crazy of Fox to cancel it for the sake of 20 -22 episodes especially when it has such a great following and anyway why should the viewers outside of the US be denied a seson juts because the US auidance are more interesed in reality tv crap. ( I do know why by the way just v annoying good shows get cancelled while shows long past their sell y date still are on air)

I dread the day Fringe does end but if we get one more season out of it and that the writers don't have to rush an ending I be happy.

christ that would be horrible fringe and breaking bad finnishing the same year, 2 of my favourite shows, the thoughts of it

The Black Oil

I wouldn't pay much heed to what Abrams said, unless it was pretty recent. The guy doesn't seem to have much hands on involvement in the show.

libra02

The Black Oil wrote: »

I wouldn't pay much heed to what Abrams said, unless it was pretty recent. The guy doesn't seem to have much hands on involvement in the show.

I think some of the writers even alluded to it within past year. Knowing what they know about peoples TV viewing they probably planned for 5 seaons all going extremely well and if it a huge success they would always have stuff aside if it went any longer.

If the cast were aware of this, there has to be truth in it. I think that they just hope they get S5 out of it.

I really hope they do give it Season 5 if they do plan to cancel it. Let them wrap it up as nicely as possible in the Fringe world. Hate to see a rushed ending.