Fringe 4x01 - "Neither Here Nor There" (Discussion, Spoilers)

[AvBaur]

Mr. Adventure wrote:

---

Am I missing something here?

Probably this line: “Prime Suspect” gave NBC the worst fall Thursday series premiere in its history.

I think that strongly suggests that the show might not last very long.

[Mr. Adventure]

^^ ahh, brain fart there, being in the Fringe with the partial quote I had read it as "assuming this show lasts".

[Procutus]

AJ86 wrote:

---

Below average. Fringe is better than this. All this episode does is make me hope they kill off Olivia and let us keep FauxLivia instead.

Well, her counterpart is far more interesting, I'll give you that.

[CaptainJack]

Can someone explain to me what was actually happening in that episode and what it might mean for what was done last season?

[The Habs Fan]

Above Average

It was a pretty good episode, but Fringe has done better.

By the way, is Joshua Jackson no longer credited? I don't remember seeing his name in the credits but I could've missed it.

[Nerys Myk]

You did.

[DarthPipes]

AJ86 wrote:

---

Below average. Fringe is better than this. All this episode does is make me hope they kill off Olivia and let us keep FauxLivia instead.

Agreed. Fringe is better than this.

[Checkmate]

CaptainJack wrote:

---

Can someone explain to me what was actually happening in that episode and what it might mean for what was done last season?

I think it was supposed to show us how awful everyone's personality is (well, Walter and Olivia's anyway) without Peter's involvement, and what a crucial impact his absence has on the world. Oh, and that jumping between universes now just requires a room with a burst of lights in the floor.

With the exception of the room bit, it pretty much failed to do those things, though. Walter's always been an on-and-off dick, Olivia's always had the personality of a piece of wet cardboard, and the changes that should have occurred with Peter's absence are what's actually absent.

[Procutus]

^

Basically, an accurate assessment. I suppose this is Fringe's version of It's A Wonderful Life, minus having the Observer take the non-existent Peter around to actually show him the impact of his not being there on the other characters.

None of this though, explains how that damn machine can be there or how it connected the two universes without Peter, if this is now a re-written timeline. There's still serious flaws in this story and the writers are really going to have to work to give us a satisfactory explanation for all that we've seen.

[Forbin]

One thing I've noticed about Abrams shows is that they start off clever and intriguing, but they don't always manage to hang on to it. Lost fell completely apart; Alias had a terribly stupid third season (but recovered), and, ya know Star Trek sucked (*ducks*). Fringe has managed to keep interesting for the most part, and I'm hopeful. But history is against it.

[Jax]

3.53 million & 1.5/5 - solid start.

[Procutus]

Forbin wrote:

---

One thing I've noticed about Abrams shows is that they start off clever and intriguing, but they don't always manage to hang on to it. Lost fell completely apart; Alias had a terribly stupid third season (but recovered), and, ya know Star Trek sucked (*ducks*). Fringe has managed to keep interesting for the most part, and I'm hopeful. But history is against it.

I'm afraid you might be right.

[AJ86]

Jax wrote:

---

3.53 million & 1.5/5 - solid start.

I wouldn't go that far, it's one of the lowest numbers the show had ever pulled, and for a season première too...

[Jax]

AJ86 wrote:

---

I wouldn't go that far, it's one of the lowest numbers the show had ever pulled, and for a season première too...

the season 3 finale was a 1.2...Friday night 1.5 demo for FOX is nothing to be scoffed at + I said solid not amazing.

[stj]

Checkmate wrote:

---

I think it was supposed to show us how awful everyone's personality is (well, Walter and Olivia's anyway) without Peter's involvement, and what a crucial impact his absence has on the world. Oh, and that jumping between universes now just requires a room with a burst of lights in the floor.

With the exception of the room bit, it pretty much failed to do those things, though. Walter's always been an on-and-off dick, Olivia's always had the personality of a piece of wet cardboard, and the changes that should have occurred with Peter's absence are what's actually absent.

An interesting view. Looking back, the Peter character has always been diminished in the interests of focusing the show on Olivia. Peter is only there because he is in love with Olivia and won't even call Walter Dad. Peter is an idiot, because only Olivia is the only normal human character allowed to actually do anything successfully. All Joshua Jackson has been allowed to do is emote in reacton to John Noble and Anna Torv. That's worked well enough to anchor Walter's peculiarities in some sort of relatable human motivation (i.e., love for his son.) It doesn't work for Olivia, but the terminal Mary Suishness of the character wouldn't permit it too. Peter can't be enough of a character to constitute a partner in a romance, because Olivia has to suck up all the oxygen in the room.