Fringe 3/18/11: Discussion and Commentary

[Iconian]

Very good. For a sec there, I thought Bell would end up in Gray's body. Though it would be nice to have Malcomson around from time to time, luckily that wasn't the case since it would have been kind of predictable.

It was fun watching the Walter/Bellivia interaction and Bellivia hitting on Astrid. A reference to Spock/Uhura?

I think the producers should seriously consider making Agent Lee a regular.

 

[dru]

Worst of the series. I just cannot stand Torv's attempted impression of Nimoy. I don't know how any kent a straight face filming that nonsense. Fortunately no one saw it - rating was a 1.3!

 

[Forbin]

I had no problem kenting a straight face, personally.

 

[Isis]

...Initial thoughts: Anna Torv is doing a helluva job impersonating Nimoy's speech patterns. I didn't think she had it in her.

This little twist has me intrigued to see how they work it into LN's actual return to the show.

What I'd like (and I apologize if someone else has brought this up already) is to find out that alt-Bell was not killed as a young man, is still alive, and have LN make his next appearance as this character. It will turn out that LN as alt-Bell has strangely familiar facial hair...a mustache and goatee.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Very good. For a sec there, I thought Bell would end up in Gray's body. Though it would be nice to have Malcomson around from time to time, luckily that wasn't the case since it would have been kind of predictable.

They're waiting on Zach Quinto to sign on the dotted line to play Belly's body donor.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Or, something is going to happen to Astrid?

Good god! He's going to secretly take over Astrid, and put Astrid in the cow just so he can milk her!

 

[Samurai8472]

Ouch


http://thecelebritycafe.com/feature/fringe-ratings-hit-all-time-low-03-19-2011

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/fringe-hits-series-low-friday-169328


The series dropped 13 percent from last week.

Fox's Fringe hit a series low in the ratings Friday night.

The sci-fi series was down 13 percent from the previous week, drawing a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic, though Fringe (3.8 million) was also going up against CBS' telecast of the NCAA college basketball tournament.

While Fringe was struggling, lead-in Kitchen Nightmares (3.7 million, 1.5) ticked up. Nightmares tied CBS for the win in the demo at 8 p.m. Fox still placed second on the night with a 1.4.

 

[Hyperspace05]

Ugh... I did not care for this episode. Anna Torv is a decent enough actress for the role, but her acting like Nimoy was a bridge too far IMO.

I fear that this while "carrying the soul of William Bell" may be the jumping the shark moment of this show. I really hope not.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Anyone watching bar karma?

They had a gal on it last night from a totalitarian 2058 who had a fangasm when she sees a television set. "Oh my god! Oh my god! A TV! I haven't seen one of those since I was a little girl, lets watch some classic science fiction! Lets watch Fringe!"

I like Torv's Nimoy.

Her dirty old manning and spliffing was hilarious

 

[AJ86]

Random Agent: Agent Broyles? We found this invoice in the bathroom.

Broyles: 20 pounds of plastic explosives? This guy was making a bomb!

LOL

 

[OsmiumJohnnycake]

Worst of the series. I just cannot stand Torv's attempted impression of Nimoy. I don't know how any kent a straight face filming that nonsense. Fortunately no one saw it - rating was a 1.3!

Well I certainly couldn't keep a straight face. I alternated between laughing and feeling embarrassed for everyone involved. There was a scene between Bellivia and Peter where it seemed like Joshua Jackson was horrified by the scene he was expected to take seriously. But I was probably just projecting.

I did like the appearance of the guy from the alternate universe and I hope we see more of him on the show.

Watched it since the beginning, have found it almost always entertaining, so I know to expect wacky "science" but "I put soul magnets in her tea" + Anna's version of Nimoy make this episode the nadir of the show for me.

Hopefully this Bellivia thing isn't long-lived. I know X-Files had some episodes that made me cringe too, and it recovered.

 

[Forbin]

Random Agent: Agent Broyles? We found this invoice in the bathroom.

Broyles: 20 pounds of plastic explosives? This guy was making a bomb!

LOL

OMG, that was ridiculous!

 

[FreezeC77]

Random Agent: Agent Broyles? We found this invoice in the bathroom.

Broyles: 20 pounds of plastic explosives? This guy was making a bomb!

LOL

OMG, that was ridiculous!

Yea I was busting up at that part. Where do you order plastic explosive from? and if it is legal for some purposes I'm guessing 20 pounds of it would flag a government database. Could have made it fertilizer or something, but even that has flags in the government systems now if someone buys over a certain amount I believe.

I totally agree on the Nimoy voice. I cringe everytime I hear it, I feel like the whole soul magnet thing has kind of jumped the shark a bit with this show. It's just so out there that I'm not sure I can buy into it. All the other crazy things are bizarre science or advanced science and things... But this soul magnet thing...

I also don't understand why the first question Bell wasn't asked was where was his soul. Did he have any kind of awareness? Etc... It's just he popped back and nobody asked anything.

 

[startrekwatcher]

I also didn't understand why they weren't grilling Bell on everything he knew about the weapon and Walternate's plan--Peter killed shifters to try to learn more yet it wasn't a priority here.

 

[OsmiumJohnnycake]

You know if Bellivia sticks around, and I was Peter, I'd choose Fauxlivia, consequences be damned.

I mean even if Olivia is returned to normal and she and Peter continue a relationship, you just know one day she's going to wake up with a cold and a raspy voice and Peter will jump out of bed and out the nearest window.

 

[Samurai8472]

I totally agree on the Nimoy voice. I cringe everytime I hear it, I feel like the whole soul magnet thing has kind of jumped the shark a bit with this show. It's just so out there that I'm not sure I can buy into it. All the other crazy things are bizarre science or advanced science and things... But this soul magnet thing...

The parallel universes and the shifting from red to normal
maybe all a casual viewer can handle.

But I think the soul switching will cause people to go "This is too weird for me"

If the show is canceled we'll probably point to this episode as a cause

 

[Procutus]

I totally agree on the Nimoy voice. I cringe everytime I hear it, I feel like the whole soul magnet thing has kind of jumped the shark a bit with this show. It's just so out there that I'm not sure I can buy into it. All the other crazy things are bizarre science or advanced science and things... But this soul magnet thing...

The parallel universes and the shifting from red to normal
maybe all a casual viewer can handle.

But I think the soul switching will cause people to go "This is too weird for me"

If the show is canceled we'll probably point to this episode as a cause

You guys might have a point. Even for Fringe, this is pushing things a bit. I'm still trying to decide how this is going to play into Nimoy's alleged return, presumably in the finale.

I suspect you might be right Samurai that if the show doesn't get the nod for Season 4, a lot of folks will hold this ep as the cause.

 

[Samurai8472]

Like "LOST" Fringe might get lost in it's own theme

LOST- what the hell's going on?

FRINGE- Too much weirdness/niche sciences for it own good people tune out.

What next? Peter and Olivia merging? or something to do with the baby

 

[startrekwatcher]

I think they have been going off with these lame B-movie notions all season--the survival of a universe depends on who Peter loves more, drink some soul magnets whatever the hell those are, ring a bell and raise the dead, strong bonds because of lightning leads to immortality?!?. Plus the bad idea of focusing on Olivia/Peter/Fauxlivia love triangle and making it such a central feature of the show's mythology, too many standalone filler fringe stories of the week, stupid mumbo jumbo science, a soap opera-esque plot twist involving a baby to complicate a relationship, very little focus on mythological elements i.e. Observers/Sam Weiss/the weapon/First People.

Looking back over the three seasons this has to be the worst with S1 being its best in my opinion even if it was uneven.

 

[Samurai8472]

I hate it when i'm right

http://thevoiceoftv.com/blog/fringe-hits-all-time-low-cancellation-is-possible/32999

On the brink now.