Saturday, March 12, 2011

Fringe... DUDE!

So as many of you know, our beloved Jorge was on Fringe last night. Sadly, just as a cameo (I try to remain spoiler-free on it, so I was hoping for a larger role, but hey, the cameo came right at the top and it was HILARIOUS) but it was so much fun to see one of our Lost peeps on a favourite TV show again. Now that Jorge, Terry O'Quinn, Michael Emerson, and Nestor Carbonell have all been confirmed for fall pilots, I'm thinking it'll be a bit of a Lostapalooza this fall, and I'm very happy for that!

But back to Fringe. Many people have asked me why I haven't been blogging on it. To be honest, it's simply a lack of time. Now that it's moved to Friday nights, I typically don't get to see it until later in the weekend, and since I try to stay off my computer for the weekend (the only evenings I really spend with my husband catching up) it means I wouldn't be able to blog on it until Monday, and by then it would be so out of date compared to the other blogs that would have had something up on Friday, it's not worth doing. (This is me on Saturday night, neglecting my husband.)

But that doesn't mean I'm not watching it. I'm watching it every week and loving it. Its complexities are getting deeper and deeper, I love the combination of the two universes, and I think Anna Torv's performance(s) this season has been extraordinary. She's had to play Olivia, and Faux-livia, and Olivia pretending to be Faux-livia and Faux-livia pretending to be Olivia, and each one has had its own subtle nuances that allowed us to know exactly what we were watching each week. And, as of the end of last night's episode (spoiler ahead!), which made me gasp out loud... she'll apparently be channelling William Bell. WHOA. I did not see that coming... And while she seemed to be doing her best Leonard Nimoy inflection, she didn't do it in an over-the-top kind of way.

John Noble has also been a joy to watch as Walter, grappling with the massive effects of what he did so many years ago. He's seen the effects his kidnapping has had on an entire world, and is desperate to halt the destruction before it moves into his own and takes away everything he has.

The two worlds continue to fascinate -- a couple of weeks ago, when Walternate refused to do any sort of testing on children, it was a wonderful moment where we realized that he, the person that Walter has demonized, actually draws a line where Walter wouldn't. Walter and Bell tested children all the time, tossing them back out into the world when they were done with them, not equipping them with any information or tools to deal with their new abilities.

I really enjoyed the previous episode, "Subject 13," and was surprised when I said so on my Facebook page and many people said they hated it. I suppose if I was watching this show as hardcore as I did Lost, I would probably have been annoyed by it. We already knew most of that stuff -- what Walter had done to Olivia and the other children at the "daycare," what he'd done with Peter and what that had done to both Bishop families... we knew about Olivia's evil stepfather and that she'll eventually shoot him. But a lot of this has been glossed over, and casual viewers may have missed it or forgotten about it, so watching it unfold in a dramatization of it was compelling. And at the end, when we realized Olivia was talking to Walternate and not Walter, was brilliant. She was the one who gave him the idea in the first place, and she has no idea what she did.

I adore this season of Fringe. Each year it just gets better than the one before it. My fingers are crossed that the show is as loved within the Fox executive offices as it is by the fans, and it can be saved into a fourth season.

16 comments:

Page48 said...

I was hoping Hurley would tell me why Broyles sent Olivia to the storage facility.

Marebabe said...

Just today I was thinking about the uncertainty regarding Fringe’s future. If the execs at Fox lower the boom and cancel it, I was wondering what the devoted and outraged fans would do. Remember a few years ago, when fans of (I think) Jericho sent in tons of peanuts by way of petitioning for their show to be saved? (It worked, by the way.) I think it would be wonderful if every Fringe fan could deliver a real, live, black-and-white dairy cow to the Fox Studios headquarters. Just a silly little daydream (pipe dream), but it made me smile.

Fred said...

I keep wondering if the writers are setting us up with the possibility that it is our world that bites the big one, and not Walternate's world. We have to ask which side has shown the most good behaviour, and it mostly comes out to the alternate world. Here's hoping Fringe survives to season four and so many more.

Lisa(until further notice) said...

I've so been enjoying watching Jorge Garcia pop up all over the place this season. I'm mostly excited to see him in Alcatraz, though.

I am loving this season of Fringe. In this last episode, Peter was very deep in thought, throughout, and while he was "with" Olivia, and eventually showed her what he has been working on, I think he still has feelings for "Fauxlivia". And not just because the guy who can hear thoughts told Olivia so. He just seems to be "waiting" for something to happen. Or is it just me? I'm also so sad that the other Broyles had to die.

Batcabbage said...

Nik: ...I wouldn't be able to blog on it until Monday, and by then it would be so out of date compared to the other blogs that would have had something up on Friday, it's not worth doing.

I hate to disagree with you, but I disagree. :) I don't read other blogs about tv shows - I read Nik @ Nite. Why? Because Nik is the best tv show blogger on the web. Nik, you could post one column every four months, and yours would still be my favourite blog. A late Fringe post isn't worth doing? I think all your fans would join me in saying 'Bollocks!' :)

And yay for a Fringe post! I love this show, and the reason why is that I can never see what's coming. With Lost, I used to speculate about what may be around the corner (on this very blog, mostly), but with Fringe every week I just sit back and wait for them to astound me yet again. And they do, every single week!

Anna Torv is brilliant, John Noble is a god, and Pacey is giving the best performance of his career. Yay Hurley! Yay Olivia-channelled-Spock! YAY FRINGE! Thanks for the great post, Nik!

vw: wipilyar - a game played by the young in Mid-World. 'I feel like a game of wipilyar, do ye kennit?' (Yes, I'm reading the Dark Tower. Up to volume 5. Read them, for your father's sake!)

Marebabe said...

@Batcabbage: Amen, brother! Also, Bollocks! I'm in total agreement with you.

yourblindspot said...

Ack! What with all the long hours I've been working these past couple of months (and the fact that we're so into 'Breaking Bad' that it has become difficult to choose anything else when we have a free viewing hour), we're about three episodes behind on 'Fringe' right now, so I couldn't read the bulk of this just yet. But I'm all for the idea of resurrecting your recaps of what I pray isn't the last season of this excellent show. (We may not watch live on Fridays lately, but we always make sure our cable boxes are on and tuned to Fox during the hour it broadcasts anyway, hoping these falling Friday ratings don't do it in...)

@Batcabbage: Did you catch the news from last week that King has written a new Dark Tower novel? Titled 'The Wind Through the Keyhole,' its events fall between those of books 4 and 5. Supposed to be released next year sometime (and thankee-sai). http://tinyurl.com/sktower

JavaChick said...

I liked Fringe from the very beginning - mostly because of Walter who is a very entertaining character - but this season has been really good.

If you blogged about Fringe, I'd read it. I never watch TV shows live these days anyway, it's all PVR'd.

Andy said...

Thought it was cool that Jorge Garcia was cast because of Hurley's connection with Lance Reddick's (Broyles) character on LOST, Matthew Abbadon.

Also interesting that on Fringe episode, Garcia was playing the guy who monitors security cameras...very leader of the Others/Jacob like.

Batcabbage said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Batcabbage said...

@yourblindspot: (uncontained joy and surprisingly girlish giggle) REALLY??!! Thank the gods and Man Jesus, do ya! That's utterly fantastic. I'm about a third of the way into Calla now. This is the best series of books I've read since the Age of Eld. I'd set my watch and warrant on it, thankya. And thankya for the welcome news, yourblindspot!!!!

vw: extoph - What the rest of the cast called Mr Grace when he left That 70's Show.

Nikki Stafford said...

Aw, Batty... you totally made my day. I wasn't actually fishing for compliments (just explaining why I hadn't done it) and I didn't expect that response, so thank you! Very sweet. In that case, I will try to blog about other shows. I'm watching more than you'd think, and really wish I could find more time to talk about them. Like Supernatural, Doctor Who, Treme (catching up on S1), Big Love, Parks and Recreation, Community, 30 Rock, The Office, United States of Tara... and Buffy, of course. ;)

EsDee said...

Yay, FRINGE FRIDAYS! I was wondering why you didn't blog about Fringe...but did figure it was a time thing...I certainly don't have time to write a blog - but I do so love to read them! I have only found 2 decent Fringe blogs - 1 thanks to Marebabe - (maybe I am not looking hard enough) and I would LOVE to read your take! No pressure, really...

Blam said...


Amen!
Bollocks!
Grr... Arrgh...
Ack! Thpppt!
even...
...
Squirrel!

Anonymous said...

HI Niki,
If you blog Fringe I will keep checking in . You are indeed the best blogger spot.
I followed your LOST blog from the third season until a few months after it's last show. I found you by way of your 1st Lost book.
Fringe makes me feel like lost again in some respects. Hope you blog it. thanks dena

Unknown said...

Its good show with well written storyline. J J Abraham has created such a wonderful sci-fi series. You can watch and download Fringe Episodes online for free.