Fringe: "Snakehead" 12/3/09 - Grading & Discussion

[Forbin]

See, like with X-Files, I prefer the standalone eps to the arc eps. It's just that the arc in Fringe hasn't yet gotten as frustrating and dull as the alien arc in X-Files.

 

[startrekwatcher]

I don't mind standalones but they have to be interesting. The problem with Fringe's standalones is the stories are predictable unimaginative rehashes of better done TXF episodes. There is nothing clever about them with scarce twists or surprises. Rarely is there a intriguing spin on an old chestnut. They are straightforward formulaic middling fares where the best you can say about them is they weren't awful just decidedly average.

The XF standalones were enjoyable because the characters were more interesting than Olivia et al and the show had some fresh ideas executed in interesting ways so you didn't mind not getting a mythology episode except during sweeps. Their standalones held your attention to the point that you weren't disappointed when we didn't get a steady week-in and week-out serving of mythology.

Fringe, on the otherhand, only sets itself apart and exhibits any sort of freshness when they are doing their mythology episodes hence the continued urging by the audience for a more heavily serialized series like LOST where all the threads and episodes focus on the mythology. But I don't see that happening and as a result the show will continue to be a mixed bag offering up stale one-offs and the occasional involving Mythology story.

 

[firehawk12]

Apologies for my ignorance on the whole Cantonese/Mandarin thing, interesting little tidbit about the title "Snakehead" though.

No worries. Probably the only reason Cantonese is used on American TV these days is because the first wave of immigrants were from southern China/HK - which is where the acting pool is drawn from.

It's a strange anachronism - one that I prefer as a Cantonese speaker - but oh well.