Last weeks episode left me with more questions than answers. The only real answer was that Peter wakes up from his coma and precedes to dominate the small screen. I really do think that Joshua Jackson has come into his own through this television show. The other answer is who Sam Weiss really is and what he has to do with Fringe and the First People. I only hope that the questions this episode raises as to the fate of the two universes is actually dealt with and concluded with in tonight’s episode.
Below is a preview of tonight’s episode. Note the preview warning- All future remaining audiences- really pretty clever. I’m absolutely loving the trend in Y.A. Science Fiction and T.V. about dystopian future worlds. I’m not sure exactly why, but the fight for survival is fascinating. The preview contains some small spoilers. Not too big, but I’d say they are more than just teasers. Of course, I watched it anyway, because I HAVE TO, because I’m just not right in the head or something. 😀 [via]
Peter is in the hospital, still in a coma. Walter watches over him. Peter’s vitals are stable, but the hospital decided to keep him under for another 12 hours in hopes that when he wakes up he is ok. Walter wont leave his side, until Astrid tempts him with hospital cafeteria tapioca pudding. Damn you Astrid. A family is on a road trip when weird weather causes the hairs on the boys arm to raise. The car in front of them explodes and the father backs up the car rather fast. The father leaves the car, walks up an incline to discover that there is dry lightening storms all across the way.
Sam Weiss and Olivia are in deep conversation. Sam Weiss doesn’t understand how the other side could have started The Machine. He explains that The Machine is hot-wired, and thinks Peter is inside so it rejects anyone trying to get into it, even Peter. Olivia asks how to stop The Machine from acting like a doomsday machine. Um, hello. It. Is. A. Doomsday. Machine. But lo, what to my wondering eyes does appear but bright new manuscript from the dear first people. Ok. So how is there a never ending supply of old books and papers? Sam Weiss does not explain this, but he does explain that in order for Peter to to get into The Machine, they need to pry open the force field. That since The Machine is indestructible, once Peter is in The Machine he should be safe.
Screen Still from Fringe
In the hospital the doctor speaks about a freak lightning storm, which Walter and Astrid overhear and decide they must investigate. Broyels explains to them that there have been dry lightening storms all over the place. Astrid says to Walter, this is a Fringe event. We need to go to the lab. Walter resists, he says that if these are his last few moments on earth, then he wants to be with Peter. Awwness. Astrid says that God helps those who helps themselves. This leads Walter to get a new idea and he says that he needs to get his kite.
Sam Weiss explains to Olivia that he is not the first Sam Weiss. He is in fact like the 5th Sam Weiss and the guarding of the manuscripts and the information of the first people have been passed down from generation to generation. And I thought the awesome tea set I got from my great-grandmother was cool. But damn, ancient manuscripts! Way cool. Olivia and Sam Weiss decide they need to find a crow bar to open up the force field. But Sam Weiss is still upset, he keeps mumbling that the time line is not right. Olivia says, that it doesn’t matter, they still need to find the crowbar or two universe could be destroyed. Sam Weiss continues to shake his head and mumble that everything is wrong. Olivia says, I am armed take me to the key get me the crowbar.
Screen Still from Fringe
Meanwhile Walter is play Benjamin Franklin and gets hit by lightening twice. Walter gets excited and starts exclaiming that they have to account for repetition. Whatever that means. Peter wakes up in the hospital. The monitor blinks strangely. He goes to his closet and puts on his clothes. He wonders out of his room down the hallway and sees a man in pain who has been burned. A nurse stops Peter and asks him what is wrong, but Peter can’t even remember his name. The nurse tells him to stay as she goes to help the man who was burned. Peter doesn’t listen. Peter tells the cab driver to take him to NYC even though he’s in Pittsburgh.
Sam Weiss tells Olivia that the key (to find the crowbar? I missed something here) is in the museum. They get the floor plans from the director even though there is literally lightning inside the museum. Sam Weiss and Olivia go in the front door. Walter and Astrid go over the findings. Walter starts talking about lightening strikes frequencies and I stop listening. Astrid and Walter find a pattern. They realize that Walternate’s machine must be on Liberty Island. Walter demonstrates to Broyles with magnets. Which was a really cool demonstration and not one I can adequately explain. The two machines each create a disturbance around themselves and pole between them across the universes. If they move The Machine to the same places as the Alternate Universe (A.U.). This would make the polarization lessen and buy them sometime for Olivia to find Peter a way into The Machine.
Sam Weiss finds the key and lightening strikes the building. The alarm goes off and the two of them are almost trapped. But Sam Weiss rolls a rock into some vases which trip over and stop the gate from closing all the way. “I work in a bowling alley.” He says. And Astrid’s hokey lines are passed to Sam Weiss. They make it outside and Olivia bangs the box open. The “Crowbar” is another piece of paper from the first people. She unrolls it and on it is a picture of herself with writing surrounding her.
Sam Weiss and Olivia go back to the lab and meet up with Astrid. No one is sure how Olivia is connected, but they wonder if Olivia can open the machine so Peter can get into it. Walter says that since Olivia can bend things with her mind, she might be able to open a way into the force field with her telekinesis. But since it is the Machine in the A.U. that is on, she will have to use her powers to turn it off in the A.U. Olivia doesn’t believe she can use mind control across the universes. But Walter says she just needs to practice and sets her next to the type writing. He tells her to look int he mirror and make the type writer type over on the other side.
Olivia complains that she can’t control her powers. Walter tells her that he knows what it is like to feel incapable of the task. He tells her to embrace the broken pieces of her mind. “I wish you could see yourself the way I see you.” He tells her. Olivia demurs, saying, that believing doesn’t make it true. Walter tells her to just try. This touching moment is interrupted by Astrid informing them that the hospital called and Peter has disappeared.
Peter is in NYC looking for a pawnshop. Once he finds it he is drawn to a coin in a case, a silver half dollar. Peter pays for it, saying that it has always brought him luck. Peter is definitely acting weird. Not sure what is up with him. For a second I thought he maybe woke up in the A.U., but that doesn’t appear to be the case.
Walter is worried that Peter left the hospital because he has a brain injury. Maybe he doesn’t remember the way home. He concludes his tirade by yelling at Astrid. Not cool, Walter. Not cool. Olivia finds out that Peter’s credit card has been used and that he took a cab to NYC. Peter is on his way to Liberty Island. He goes up to someone at the site and tells him that he has something important to show his father. Walter Bishop, secretary of defense. Hmm, so Peter thinks he is in the A.U., even if he is not.
At the lab Sam Weiss is reading and he has decided that his intervention was not good. Since both The Machine and Peter are at liberty island Broyes tells Sam Weiss his is not needed. But he wishes Olivia good luck. Walter and Olivia find Peter, who looks at them weird. Peter says, “There are two of you, aren’t there? I”m confused.” He explains that he is physically find but his mind is confused. Walter discovers that Peter is holding a Silver dollar. Ok, WTF is up with the silver dollar? Is there something about this that I have forgotten? Or is it just not yet explained? Olivia tells Peter that she was worried about him, Peter goes, let’s just figure this out. He’s acting like Olivia has cooties. Grow up Peter, haven’t you learned, it’s boys who have cooties.
Screen Still from Fringe
Then comes the episode recap for anyone who wasn’t paying attention closely. Olivia bemoans her attempts at typing in the A.U., and how it didn’t work. But then Astrid, who is still back at the lab, hears typing and her investigations shows that the A.U.’s typewriter keeps writing the same message over and over, “Be a better man than your father.” Way to be passive aggressive Olivia. Have a touching moment with Walter and then tell Peter not to be like him, or is she talking about Walternate? Same difference. Walter tells her not to worry, she can open the force field, just think about it as though it is a giant typewriter. Gee thanks, I’m sure that helps. The drawing was no accident, he says. No, Shit Sherlock moment of the evening.
Peter and Olivia stand and stare at The Machine. Neither of them feel ready to face their impending doom and clasp each others hand. Peter leads them forward and tells Olivia that she can do it. The Machine opens which sets off signals in the A.U. and the A.U. Scientist dude calls in Walternate. Peter exclaims to Olivia, you did it! Olivia turns to Peter and says, “I love you.” They kiss. Awwness. Peter says, “Wish me luck.” NOT AWWNESS. Douchebaggery, Peter, douchebaggery. Is something wrong with Peter, or can he just not say the words? I’m going with something is wrong since he was “led” to a pawn shop to pick up a silver dollar.
The past flashes before Peter’s eyes. Childhood, adulthood, sunshine, the drawings. Peter steps into The Machine barefoot. Ok, so I’m not really sure why, but OMG is that Hawt! I just love a barefoot man, despite their lack of ability to say “I love you.” Hottest Bruce Willis moment is when he is walking barefoot across broken glass in Die Hard. Pictures of Olivia flash before Peter, he puts his arm into the machine, then another, ok this is really drawn out scene. Once The Machine has him in its grasp Peter’s eyes close and his body convulses. Suddenly his eyes open and flames shoot across the screen.
Apocalypse Now has begun, it is the end of the world and Peter is lying on the ground in the middle of a war zone in a completely different outfit. Has he traveled in time? Gone to the A.U.? Explosions rip across the screen and Peter stumbles across a memorial to 9/11, with the dedication date of 20121. Damn I’m good, called the time travel angle. A man dressed in black calls him “Agent Bishop” (I guess Broyles didn’t let him retire after all). The man has a Fringe division arm band and is concerned because Peter has been hit.
WTF? Is that how they are going to deal with the two universes vying for life? By time traveling into the future and not dealing with it? Urgh, they better deal with it! Sometimes skipping ahead a few years has help a few shows (Desperate Housewives), but come on already and deal with the impending apocalypse for one side or the other. I want my major story lines concluded. ASAP.
Absurdly Nerdly 