****FRINGE airs on the local FOX affiliate which is WTTE 28 and can be found on channel 8 . For HD channel versions, check your local cable or satellite provider for more information. ****
To read Part 1 on Nick's review of 'FRINGE - Enemy Of My Enemy', then please click here.
Looking back at the season so far, it took four episodes to really get Peter physically back for more than 2 minutes of screen time, and over seven or eight to get things back to where they felt like they need to be. The critical assessment ultimately is, there has been some execution problem on how the season has been portrayed, and it really pertains to trying too hard to set up the world around Peter, and not Peter himself. People often seem to, on the internet at least, bash Joshua Jackson because they remember him from Dawson’s Creek and fail to see that Mr. Jackson is a fine actor, and Fringe is a fine example of his subtle talents, and I think, that maybe the Fringe-creative team felt that way too. To see a world without yourself, to see truly how much a difference you make, to someone who seems or feels more in the background compared to others, like Peter has been in Fringe is interesting in concept. Olivia and Walter take most the credit for doing most of the things that drive the action, very little is done by Peter. Peter more or less reacts, and not acts. So the idea that Peter is pretty darn important to our universe and characters is a great one. The use of Agent Lee (Seth Gabel) is nice for fans who appreciate the character and actor from previous takes, but feels too much like a hard press of wish fulfillment, and the lack of Peter as a presence, the only connection to what we’ve viewed and watched for the past four years, is more than a bit misleading and disruptive to the main goal of the series.
There is nothing wrong with slow storytelling, sometimes it helps make it sweeter, and the idea that we can learn about all these characters in a universe full of what-if’s regarding Peter’s presence is a good one, but too long.
By the time Peter was back on the show, and not just stuck in a cell, the show really picked up, and inched closer to what the drive of the season will be, which is getting Peter home. The childlike wonder and realization that we’re in a completely different universe, not just two ‘worlds’ like it was before, for me at least, began to take root again. Because this time, our proxy, our hero is Peter, and not so much Olivia. Olivia until Season 4, has been the lead or proxy we go on the journey with. But being the Olivia that we have followed and rooted for is no longer at the forefront, we are only left with Peter. With this as the focal point from the last two episodes, the show is working, to me. The idea that Peter is ‘waking up’ these people, to borrow Ryan’s term, is nice, it’s refreshing, and it takes us closer to the concept that, like Ryan, I too, want to see. So it begs the bigger question which is… ‘how are you viewing Fringe’s return’?
Personally, again, I’ve always found Peter and Walter to be the heart of the series, so having Peter especially be the main person to ground us into our motivation for the season which is getting back to our Walter, Our Olivia and Astrid and heck, even our Walternate, is an important one. I do feel there was a problem in how long it took to get to that point, but the scene between Peter and the 2nd Universe’s Walter was something that moved me. While he might not be Peter’s Walter, he reminds Peter, and at least me, while it’s so important Peter has to keep fighting to come home. And that makes all the difference.
So how are you viewing the return? There are those hard core fans who I think, will love 95% of Fringe no matter what. And then there are those who are have sincere concerns about the show, because, well, we love the show. At the end of the day, we just want a good story. I was talking to my friend who writes reviews for Lexington, TV Examiner and over lunch we discussed the folly of Fringe in depth. Jerome (or Jimmy as I know him) noted that due to his busy review schedule (as hey, we do this on the side) noted that he had to, due to the flux of new shows and DVDs he is reviewing, had to put some of his favorite shows on the back-burner so he could focus on his other more time-sensitive reviews. One of the very common problems sometimes for a show is the whole idea that shows can, week-to-week, not work as well until you view them in one sitting or seemingly consecutively.
A lot of people felt that way about the Shaw storyline in NBC’s ratings-challenged Chuck, but when watching on Blu-Ray, the entire third season, any qualms even I, a supporter of that season, had, were quickly dissipated upon devouring the third season on Blu-Ray in a week. Jimmy noted that he watched five to six episodes of Fringe and really appreciated that Fringe was taking it’s time. And I did note that earlier in the season’s run, that Fringe’s slow work around to getting to Peter might be something that I will appreciate later. And maybe I will. But as you can tell, my optimism began to sour a bit until now. I sincerely hope, that when Season four hits the DVD/Blu-Ray shelves, I will also concur with Jimmy, as currently, I’m In the camp that feels creatively, Season Four took too long to get back to the meat of things, but now we’re back to that, let’s hope they don’t lose sight of it again.
But what do YOU think, examiners?
Let us know and we may read your comments on Nick’s podcast, the Good, The Bad & The Geekywhich sponsored by Audible.com!
You can comment below or send your thoughts via e-mail or heck, if you have twitter, tweet us! Also, If you like what you hear, please subscribe on iTunesor check out our iPhone/iTouch App!The GBG App is also now available on Android Marketplace!
Comments