Is Fringe’s Olivia Hallucinating in ‘Dreamscape’?

November 26, 2008
Barbara Nitke/FOX

FRINGE: Olivia (Anna Torv, L) interrogates Nina Sharp (Blair Brown, R) at Massive Dynamic headquarters in the FRINGE episode "The Dreamscape." ©2008 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Barbara Nitke/FOX

In “Dreamscape,” the Fringe team must solve the mystery of the killer butterflies.  But the case is secondary to what is really going on in the lives of the team.

The case itself was pretty easily solved Mark, the Massive Dynamics exec, actually hallucinated the attack of the butterflies which led to his fall.  And since he was selling MD secrets and his accomplice is also killed by a hallucination, it is easy to see who is behind the murders.  However, proving it – especially since Broyles seemed to be protecting Massive Dynamics – is another thing entirely.

I’m really glad that they brought Massive Dynamics back into the mix.  I was beginning to wonder if I hallucinated their involvement.

Ironically, Walter seemed very lucid – except for his obsession with coffee yogurt – in this episode while Olivia seems to be losing her grip on reality.

I’m really glad that when she came to Walter demanding to go into the tank a second time in this episode that Walter said no.  I think it shows 1) how desperate she has become and 2) how far Walter has come to recognize that it wasn’t safe.

But in Olivia’s defense, I would be freaked out if my computer started turning itself on and sending me email from dead people.

I’m failing miserably at the Where’s The Observer game.  I didn’t seem him last night.  But if my theory from last week is correct and he can glamour to look like others, I wonder if the John Scotts that Olivia keeps seeing are him.

And I have a feeling that Peter is about to be in a lot of trouble soon. He obviously has quite a temper – at least when it comes to men beating up on his exes.  And I’m right there with him.  But unfortunately he tipped his hand to what looks like some really bad dudes.

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Does Fringe’s Broyles Trust Olivia in ‘Meet Mr. Jones’

What Drives Fringe’s Agent Olivia Dunham in ‘The Cure’?

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‘The Arrival’ of the Observer Brings New Mysteries on Fringe

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Is Nina Fringe’s Cigarette Smoking Man?

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Fringe’s Walter Faces His Fears in ‘Equation’

November 19, 2008

In last night’s Fringe, “The Equation,” Walter Bishop had to face one of his greatest fears – returning to the mental hospital where he was locked up for 17 years.  But just what was he afraid of?

Walter tries to find a clue to help find the kidnapped boy from Dashiell.

Walter tries to find a clue to help find the kidnapped boy from Dashiell.

When a musical prodigy boy (Charlie Tahan) is kidnapped after his father is hypnotized with green and red lights, Walter must return to the mental hospital to visit Dashiell (Randall Duk Kim), a patient who was also abducted by the same woman.

The kidnap story about Ben was very interesting.  I mean who knew that a musical composition would result in being able to allow someone to reach through solid objects, like a safe, and pull out things like an apple.  An apple very much like the one we see introducing the commercial breaks.

Not to mention, who was Joanne Ostler/Ritz and the man who later shot her?  Did she use hypnosis to show her abductees what they wanted most?  Why did she fake her own death?  And why did she still look 20 years old when she should be 30?  And most importantly who were they working for?

But the real heart of the episode this week was Walter.  I don’t know that if I ever spent that much time in a mental institute and then got out if I’d ever be willing to return.  But Walter proved that despite is ethically questionable experiments, he really does have a heart of gold and willingly faced his fear.

But what was he afraid of?  Well Dr. Summer (Bill Sadler) would definitely top my creepy scale.  Anyone else wonder just how far involved he is?  Did he know about the kidnappings?  Or does he play a bigger role in the Pattern?

Dashiell, himself, was a bit scary too.  Or rather whatever was done to him to make him that way freaked me out.  Did they make him forget about the kidnapping because they were afraid someone would believe him?  Or did they know that Olivia and team were getting close?

And the freakiest thing of the night – two Walters.  And what’s worse is that the Walter we know and love didn’t seem surprised to see his other self.  Is he hallucinating?  Is he really crazy?  Or is it more?

Did anyone see The Observer in this episode?  I didn’t.  Or at least I didn’t see him as we usually do.  I think – now this is just a theory – that the other Walter is actually The Observer in disguise.  Not sure yet if it was a great disguise or if The Observer actually metamorphosized his looks. But if I’m right, our weird game of Where’s Waldo just got harder.

And lastly how sweet was it how defense Peter got about his father.  A few weeks ago he was ready to send him back to the institution and now he’s fighting to keep him out.  And my heart just signed when Walter, after expression exasperation from trying to talk to Dashiell, asked Peter if that’s what it’s like to talk to him.  Peter response was sweet.

I really can’t wait until next week.  This series just keeps getting better and it looks like the stakes are getting raised again in the next episode.

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John Scott Returns to Guide Fringe’s Olivia in ‘Power Hungry’

‘The Arrival’ of the Observer Brings New Mysteries on Fringe

What is the Mystery Behind Fringe’s Peter Bishop?

Is Nina Fringe’s Cigarette Smoking Man?

Fringe Premiere Promises New Hit, Lots of Intrigue


Does Fringe’s Broyles Trust Olivia in ‘Meet Mr. Jones’

November 12, 2008

In the latest episode of Fringe, ”In Which We Meet Mr. Jones,” Olivia is working on another Pattern case when she comes across a connection to past cases.  When she asks Broyles about it, he tells her that there’s a lot about the Pattern that she doesn’t know.  So tell her already!

Peter must become part of the experiement to help Olivia

Peter must become part of the experiement to help Olivia

For weeks, Broyles has kept Olivia on a need to know basis regarding the Pattern.  Why?  Does he not trust her?  Wouldn’t she be able to work better if she had all the facts?

I can understand him not inundating her with lots of past cases to sift through when she should be working on current cases.  But if he knows there’s a connection between her current case and a past incident, why not tell her?  Why let her waste time figuring it out herself?

And, while we’re on the subject, just how many people are working on Pattern cases?  I thought Olivia and the Bishops were the only ones working Pattern cases.  But in this episode we meet Mitchell Loeb (Chance Kelly), another agent and a friend of Broyles, who was working a case in Frankfurt recently and another one in Weymouth, Massachusetts in the beginning of the episode.

And judging from what we saw at the end of the episode, I’d say Broyles is putting his faith in the wrong agent. 

Or do you think Broyles is on to Loeb?  If he is, why did he bring Loeb’s wife (Trini Alvarado) to Walter’s lab? 

But those questions are just the tip of the iceberg.  What the heck is “Little Hill?”  Who is the gentleman?  Could it be The Observer?  Or is it someone behind the Pattern? 

Did Loeb (or his wife) infect himself with the parasite?  If not, who did?  And who is Loeb working for?

Maybe if Broyles opened up a little to Olivia we’d know a little more.

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John Scott Returns to Guide Fringe’s Olivia in ‘Power Hungry’

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Is Nina Fringe’s Cigarette Smoking Man?

Fringe Premiere Promises New Hit, Lots of Intrigue


The Best New Shows of the Fall

November 7, 2008

This week I am a guest columnist at Clique Clack for this article.

It’s hard to believe that it’s already November and that we are two months into the fall TV season.  Sweeps will be starting soon and it’s time to see how this fall’s new shows measured up.

Michael Lavine/FOX

FRINGE: When an unlikely trio uncovers a deadly mystery that involves a series of unbelievable events, they discover it may be part of a larger, more disturbing pattern that blurs the line between science fiction and technology. Cr: Michael Lavine/FOX

I have to admit that overall – with a few exceptions – it’s not been a very impressive freshman crop.  I’m guessing it’s a result of last season’s writers strike and can only hope that we can expect better in the future. 

Without further ado, here’s my report card for this season’s new shows:

View the rest of the article


Appointment Television – The Best Shows Worth Watching

October 27, 2008

As any of you who’ve read my blog know, I watch a lot of television and I mean a lot.  But what most of you might not realize is that I have a husband, three-year old twins, a full-time job and hopes for some semblance of a social life.

My other obligations mean that a lot of my television shows have to be DVRed for viewing at a later time.  But a handful of shows rank as must sees for me.  I will go out of my way to watch these shows live and am gravely disappointed when I can’t.

So without further ado here is my list of appointment shows – television shows I schedule time to watch:

Chuck

Chuck - Season 2 Cast - Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah Walker, Adam Baldwin as Major John Casey, Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski, Sarah Lancaster as Ellie Bartowski, Ryan McPartlin as Capt. Awesome, Joshua Gomez as Morgan Grimes courtesy Mitchell Haaseth/NBC Photo

Chuck - Season 2 Cast - Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah Walker, Adam Baldwin as Major John Casey, Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski, Sarah Lancaster as Ellie Bartowski, Ryan McPartlin as Capt. Awesome, Joshua Gomez as Morgan Grimes courtesy Mitchell Haaseth/NBC Photo

It’s nice to start out the week with a little humor.  That’s why I watch Chuck.  And what’s funnier that a Buy More slacker turned super spy with Adam Baldwin as his take-no-prisoners handler? 

Chuck was happily not living up to his potential when he suddenly acquired a brain full of encrypted government secrets when the computer housing them was destroyed.  Now he balances his day job as part of the Nerd Herd with his secret life – a life where the girl he has a crush on – CIA Agent Sarah Walker – and NSA Agent John Casey (Baldwin) protect him while helping him to unravel the secrets in his head.

I already outlined my Top 10 reasons for watching the show so I won’t bore you with that again.  But if you are looking for a little lighter fare to add to your TV repertoire, then I highly recommend Chuck.

Chuck airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on NBC.

Fringe

Michael Lavine/FOX

FRINGE: When an unlikely trio uncovers a deadly mystery that involves a series of unbelievable events, they discover it may be part of a larger, more disturbing pattern that blurs the line between science fiction and technology on FRINGE airing Tuesdays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) this fall on FOX. Pictured L-R: Lance Reddick, John Noble, Blair Brown, Kirk Acevedo, Anna Torv, Mark Valley, Joshua Jackson and Jasika Nicole ©2008 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Michael Lavine/FOX

Out of all the new shows, Fringe is my favorite.  Who doesn’t love a show where a cow has a recurring role?  Seriously, the mystery is high in this high-tech X-Files-like show.

With the help of lovable “mad scientist” Walter Bishop and his brilliant, but loner son Peter, FBI Agent Olivia Dunham sets out to unlock the mysteries behind The Pattern.  But Olivia has a few secrets of her own including a dead boyfriend who haunts her.  But she’s not the only enigma – Peter, Walter, the Observer and Nina all have a mystery or two of their own.

I tune in every week for the weekly case, as much as for the overall intrigue.  What is the Pattern?  Who’s behind it?  And what are they trying to do?

Fringe airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Fox.  The next new episode airs on November 11.

Bones

Kwaku Alston/FOX

BONES: L-R: TJ Thyne, Michaela Conlin, Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Tamara Taylor and Eric Millegan. ©2007 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Kwaku Alston/FOX

I followed Angel’s David Boreanaz to Bones four years ago, but stayed because I fell in love with the team of squints let by Dr. Brennan.  Together the team of brilliant misfits solves murders based on a pile of bones.

Booth (Boreanaz) is a former sniper turned FBI agent who always gets his man.  But this single dad also has a soft spot for Brennan and her team, and of course, his son.  Brennan is his forensic anthropologist partner – brilliant, but socially inept.  And that’s just the leadership of this team.

The cases are intriguing – after all where else do you see a case solved from nothing more than a femur — but the dynamics of the team are what keep me coming back for more.

Bones airs on Wednesday at 8 p.m. on Fox.  The next new episode airs November 5.  You can catch reruns of this season on Mondays at 11 p.m. on TNT.

Supernatural

Supernatural - Season 4 - Jensen Ackles as Dean, Jared Padalecki as Sam courtesy Brian Bowen Smith/Warner Bros. Television Entertainment

Supernatural - Season 4 - Jensen Ackles as Dean, Jared Padalecki as Sam courtesy Brian Bowen Smith/Warner Bros. Television Entertainment

I wait all week for this show.  And if I only get to watch one show a week – Supernatural is it.  In its fourth season, this sci fi series stars a beautiful 67 Impala and two demon hunting brothers – Jensen Ackles and Jared Paledecki as Dean and Sam Winchester – that are more than easy on the eyes.  Need I say more!

Okay, if you need more than pretty faces and a hot car to sell you, I’ll continue.  The show is about an epic battle between good and evil without being preachy.  In fact the show does an excellent job of combining the spooky with excellent dialogue, super music, wit and lots of great pop culture references. 

And the story itself is top-notch (in my opinion).  Dean and Sam were raised by their late father to be hunters after their mother was killed by the powerful yellow-eyed demon Azazel.  This season Dean has been pulled from the bowels of Hell by the angel Castiel to help prevent Armageddon and to keep Sam from being sway to the dark side through the use of his psychic powers – powers he acquired because Azazel dropped demon blood into his mouth when he was a child.

Supernatural airs on the CW on Thursdays at 9 p.m.

That pretty much wraps up a week for me.  I spend the rest of the time catching up on my DVR.

What shows do you find yourself scheduling time in front of the tube for?  What are your must see shows?


What Drives Fringe’s Agent Olivia Dunham in ‘The Cure’?

October 22, 2008

Most days on Fringe start out as bad days for the agents given the nature of the cases they investigate.  But on “The Cure,” Agent Olivia Dunham is having a particularly bad day.

Broyles, Olivia, Walter and Peter must find what killed a diner full of people.

Broyles, Olivia, Walter and Peter must find what killed a diner full of people.

It starts with a crime scene with a diner full of dead people – all exposed to a high level of radiation that actually cooked their brains thanks to human lab rat Emily Kramer (Maria Dizzia).  It seems going into remission for a fatal disease really is too good to be true.

To make matters worse, Olivia gets word that another woman – Claire Williams (Marjan Neshat) – also in remission for the same fatal disease, is missing.  Not a coincidence.  Add the fact that Claire’s husband Ken (Robert Eli) and Dr. Patel (Alok Tewari), the doctor that treated both girls, lied to her, and you can understand Olivia’s bad mood.

But that bad mood makes Olivia public question Intrepus main R&D guy, David Esterbrook (Chris Eigeman) in public and later march him in handcuffs in front of the press (that she tipped off) for questioning.   But her desire to get the bad guy ruffles a few feathers and gets her in trouble with Broyles.

But job troubles are the least of Olivia’s worries.  You see today is Olivia’s birthday.  Now lots of people hate their birthday, but Olivia’s got real issues.

When Little Olivia was only nine, she had to shoot her step-father twice in self defense to prevent him from beating her mom again!  To top it off, the bastard lived.

To remind her of his existence he sends her a card every year on her birthday “just to let me know he’s out there.”  She spends the whole episode searching the office mail for this year’s letter. 

Well that explains her obsession with closing a case.  One creepy card a birthday is enough.  But the creepy factor goes up a notch this year because the letter doesn’t arrive at the office, but it still arrived.

The one bright light in Olivia’s day was Peter and Walter.  Peter was willing to sell his soul to the devil – okay, make a deal with Massive Dynamics’ Nina, but hey same difference – just to get her a lead on the case.  Why?  Because she’s always looking out for him and Walter and he wanted to return the favor.  I think it’s more than that.  I think Peter has a thing for Olivia.

Walter helps her out be being obsessed with blue.  Blue flowers, blue cotton candy, blue medicine – eventually it all leads to him developing a cure that Olivia uses to save Claire.

Definitely not a birthday, I’d like to have, but with friends/coworkers like Peter, Walter and Charlie, Olivia’s day could definitely have been worse.  And hey, no appearances by any dead boyfriends!

Now we know what drives Olivia, but how far will it take her.

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Is Nina Fringe’s Cigarette Smoking Man?

Fringe Premiere Promises New Hit, Lots of Intrigue


John Scott Returns to Guide Fringe’s Olivia in ‘Power Hungry’

October 15, 2008

In “Power Hungry,” Olivia is guided by her dead boyfriend – turn traitor – in her quest to find a man with serious electricity issues.  It makes you wonder if anyone is really dead on Fringe.

Eric Leibowitz/FOX

FRINGE: Olivia (Anna Torv, L) encounters her former partner John Scott (Mark Valley, R) in the FRINGE episode

Olivia tells her FBI co-worker Charlie that she’s seen John Scott in her kitchen.  He tells her that it’s her subconscious trying to deal with his death, his betrayal and everything she’s seen since then.

What Charlie doesn’t know is that Olivia and John were psychically linked in the pilot episode when she went into the tank to tap into his subconscious to find a cure for him (only to be betrayed by him later).

Well it seems that a bit of his subconscious stayed with her, according to Walter.  But what has it been doing?  Was it really guiding her?  He obviously knew about The Pattern and Jacob Fischer (Max Baker).

Or was it as Walter said, her mind trying to exorcise him?  Or is the connection still valid because someone over at Massive Dynamic is messing with his brain?  Or is Massive Dynamic using John to get to Olivia?

Speaking of Massive Dynamic, we’ve gone two episodes without a mention of the company or their creepy COO Nina Sharp.  But I have to wonder if they are behind the events of the last couple weeks.  Or maybe involved in some way involved?  At the very least they must be keeping taps on what’s going on?

This week’s bad guy was Jacob Fischer, a biotechnology guru who’s been using people with self esteem issues as human guinea pigs.  He recruits his unknowing victims through self help ads.  And poor Joseph Meeger (Ebon Moss-Bacchrach) became his walking electric current.

Unfortunately, Joseph didn’t understand what was done to him and had even less control over it, leaving in his wake death and destruction.

But thanks to helpful hints from subconscious John and a gamble by Walter on “rodents with wings,” Olivia and company are able to wrap up the case.  But not before dead John leads her to his hideaway cellar with all his files and a big fat engagement ring (presumably for Olivia).

So was that closer for the John issue?  Or will we be seeing him again?

Will Fischer rot in prison now or are we going to learn more about his experiments?  What part is he playing in The Pattern?  Does he have a connection to Massive Dynamics?

And exactly what happens to Meeger?  Does he stay sedated?  Does he go to a mental institute?  Jail?  Or does he become an experiment for Walter?

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What Drives Fringe’s Agent Olivia Dunham in ‘The Cure’?

‘The Arrival’ of the Observer Brings New Mysteries on Fringe

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Is Nina Fringe’s Cigarette Smoking Man?

Fringe Premiere Promises New Hit, Lots of Intrigue


‘The Arrival’ of the Observer Brings New Mysteries on Fringe

October 1, 2008

As if Walter isn’t enough of a character, we meet someone even more unusual than him on tonight’s episode of Fringe.  “The Arrival” marks the arrival of two mysteries – the metal cylinder and The Observer (Michael Cerveris).

Craig Blankenhorn/FOX

FRINGE: Walter (John Noble, L) and Peter (Joshua Jackson, R) examine a mysterious cylinder found among the debris of a construction site explosion in the FRINGE episode "The Arrival" airing Tuesday, Sept. 30 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2008 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Craig Blankenhorn/FOX

We meet The Observer in the opening sequence where he’s watching a construction site.  Aside from his unusual eating habits, – he ordered a raw roast beef sandwich with exactly 11 jalapeños on the side and added an entire shaker of pepper and Tabasco – The Observer has a few other unique characteristics. 

For one, he’s completely bald – he doesn’t even have eyebrows.  And he writes in a different language from right to left.  Furthermore, he’s been waiting for the arrival of the cylinder.  When it shows up at the construction site, he makes one call and says “It has arrived.”

But the cylinder isn’t the only Pattern incident that our bald friend has been at.  Olivia notices that he was at the hospital two weeks ago only to be told by Broyles that it took him a year to make the connection.  They have photos of The Observer at some three dozen Pattern incidents.

But they aren’t the only ones familiar with The Observer.  The Bishops have met him before.  It seems that The Observer saved Walter and Peter from a chilly death when their car broke through some ice on a Thanksgiving when Peter was a child.

The Observer communicated through “osmosis” that he would need Walter one day.  When the cylinder appeared, Walter knew it was time to return the favor. 

Walter sends Peter on an aluminum foil run, sedates Astrid, steals and hides the cylinder and meets with The Observer at a dinner where he can have a root beer float and confide that the cylinder is safe.

The Observer thanks him, adding that he can’t touch the beacon himself.  He tells Walter that “I know you have questions.  Soon you’ll have answers.”

Unfortunately, John Mosley (Michael Kelly) – this week’s bad guy – also has the ability to read people’s thoughts with the help of a machine and works his way through the minds of people – including Peter – until he finds the cylinder. 

But Olivia stops him from stealing the beacon (and possibly killing Peter).  But the beacon gets away – exploding into the Earth.

The Observer is on site, makes another call – “departure on schedule.”

Just who is he talking to?  What is the beacon/cylinder thing?  Why can’t he touch it?  How is The Observer tied to The Pattern?  Who or what is he?  Why does he apparently not taste anything?

What is The Observer’s connection to Walter (and possibly Peter)?  How is he communicating with them?  What was he writing in the diner?  What language is that?

The questions around The Observer are endless, but I think the answers are going to be critical to understanding The Pattern and the implications of it in the big picture.

Mostly, I’m wondering when and where we are going to see The Observer next.

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Fringe Premiere Promises New Hit, Lots of Intrigue


What is the Mystery Behind Fringe’s Peter Bishop?

September 24, 2008

On the outside Fringe’s Peter Bishop seems like a nice guy pitching in to help solve the mystery behind The Pattern.  But there’s a lot about him that we don’t know and I think he’s hiding a mystery of his own – or maybe two.

 

Let’s start with what we know about Peter.

 

He didn’t have the best of childhoods.  When his father Walter was playing “mad scientist” his moods were erratic at best and after Walter was institutionalize, Peter severed all ties with his father.

 

In fact, he wanted to separate himself from his father so much that he dropped out of school.  But with an IQ as high as Peter’s, picking up skills is pretty easy.  He even posed as a college chemistry professor once.

 

Peter is a jack of all trades with a healthy dose of common sense too.  He’s the only one who “speaks Walter.”  And after last night’s episode, we know that Peter can play the piano and can read people (a skill acquired at the poker table).

 

When Olivia finds Peter, he’s in Bagdad setting up another temporary job and hiding from the gambling debts he’s acquired.

 

It takes blackmail to get him to help at first, but Peter willingly stays to babysit his father and help Olivia pursue The Pattern.  Is Peter really all that altruistic or does he have another motivation?

 

In “The Ghost Network” we saw Peter confront a guy in the diner that had been following Peter and Walter and taking pictures.  The man tells Peter “You were supposed to check in when you got home.”

 

Check in?  With whom?  Why?

 

Peter asks if the others know he’s there and threatens the guy.

 

Just who is Peter hiding from?  Is it the mob over his gambling debts or is it someone else?  Speaking of his gambling debts, just how did a street-wise math wiz lose that badly at the casinos?  And didn’t he just tell us in this episode how well he could read people?

 

I think Peter is hiding something and it has absolutely nothing to do with poker.  I don’t know what Peter’s gotten himself into, but I’m wondering if it is somehow (probably unbeknownst to him) going to turn out to be connected to The Pattern.

 

Then there’s Peter’s other mystery – the one I’m not even sure he knows about himself.

 

In the pilot, when Olivia first came to see Walter he knew that Peter had come with her and requested to see him.  Walter immediately inquired about Peter’s health and how he was doing.  I had originally chalked these questions up to some deeply buried fatherly concerned.  Now I’m not so sure.

 

Maybe it is fatherly concern, but not in the way you think.  In “The Same Old Story,” an episode about human cloning, Walter corners Olivia, asks her about Peter’s health and then asks her to keep what she read in Peter’s file about his medical history a secret.  A very confused Olivia tells Walter that the only thing in Peter’s file is his birth date.  Walter is relieved and then refuses to tell her anymore.

 

While I think that part of this scene is misdirection to let us think that maybe Peter is a clone, I think it does have some key clues.  I do not think Peter is a clone.  But once again, Walter is concerned about Peter’s health.  And there is something about that birth date that is going to come back again.  I wish they had given us the date.

 

Also, notice that we know absolutely nothing about Peter’s mom – not even her name.  And when Olivia asks Peter about her in “The Ghost Network” he tells Olivia “that’s a story for a different time” and quickly redirects the conversation.  It makes you really wonder who she is.

 

While I don’t think Peter is a clone, I do think that in some way Walter has experimented on him.  I’m just not sure how and why yet.  But I’m very sure it’s going to come into play at some time.

 

Also I can’t figure out if Walter’s inquiries are genuine concern about Peter because of his experiments or if it’s curiosity about the success/progress of the experiment.

 

So what do you think?  Is Peter hiding from someone?  Who?  Why is Walter so concerned about Peter’s health?  What did Walter think was in Peter’s file?

 

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Fringe Premiere Promises New Hit, Lots of Intrigue


Is Nina Fringe’s Cigarette Smoking Man?

September 17, 2008

It’s a good thing I’ve already had my children because the opening scene of Fringe’s “The Same Old Story” was freaky enough for me to never want to be pregnant again.

Michael Lavine/FOX

FRINGE airing Tuesdays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) this fall on FOX. Pictured: Blair Brown as Nina Sharp ©2008 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Michael Lavine/FOX

But that scene wasn’t nearly as unexpected as seeing the creepy Nina Sharp among the suits Broyles is updating with the latest case and bios of his new team in the second episode of J.J. Abram’s latest thriller.

We are only two weeks into this new series, but it’s already clear that Nina isn’t someone to be trusted.  Last week the Chief Operating Officer of Massive Dynamics was almost threatening towards Olivia.  The two met when Olivia was looking for the man who released the nasty toxin.  That man turned out to be a former MD employee.

Anyone else wonder how Nina defines “former?”

Add the fact that the yet unseen founder of MD, William Bell, is Walter’s former lab partner and you have to admit that Nina is pretty suspicious.  So why on earth is Broyles briefing her?

All I could think of was the X-Files’ Cigarette Smoking Man.  He appeared to work with Mulder and Scully while secretly getting briefs on their work and himself working for the force that is behind much of the phenomenon the agents were investigating.

Sounds like Nina.  But instead of chain smoking, she’s got that creepy robotic arm.  We’ve yet to see who she works for and she’s suddenly very helpful to Olivia.

Interesting that Nina is so helpful when she was so verbal in that briefing that she didn’t think that Olivia, Walter and Peter were the appropriate people for Broyles’ new team.

Also, pretty fascinating that Massive Dynamics just happens to hold the patent on the experimental piece of equipment that Walter and Peter need to identify the killer in this week’s mystery.  Exactly what does Massive Dynamics do?  And what are they using this equipment for?

And when Olivia returns the equipment, Nina tries to insert herself as a confidant, pumping Olivia for information about the case, even offering her a job.  Now that’s one way to get Olivia to stop pursuing the Pattern.

But Olivia saw through the ruse.  And apparently Broyles isn’t all that taken in by Nina either, offering Olivia a warning about the MD executive.

Still I’m left wondering who that committee was that Broyles is briefing and why Nina has a seat on it.

What do you think?

————-
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