Fringe 4.03: "Alone in the World"

[icepixie]

Soooo...another filler episode, basically, but with less of an emotional punch than last week. On the other hand, ANSWERS! And THE ENDING!

Too bad the poor kid had to listen to Walter exposit, but I'm glad he did anyway, because I had been wondering about things. I had actually been leaning toward the idea that both Peters were never born (because the Observers said "he never existed"), but I can live with him dying in the lake because the Observer--September, is it?--never stepped in to save him. Though this brings up the question of how Walter is still alive, since presumably Walternate basically went, "You stole my fatally ill son AND LET HIM DROWN?!?!" when he learned what happened. And probably there was a murderface involved. Hmmm.

And the ending--we are moving things along, yay! The moment Olivia told the kid in the first act that she liked to draw, I sort of figured she was going to pull out a sketch of Peter's face by the end, and I was not disappointed! I wonder if she's linking it to the sense of loss she's felt throughout her life.

Anyway, rest of the episode:

Awwww, Walter's on actual prescribed meds as well as his own. And his psychologist (Bill Sadler, aka Darren Tyler, yay!) doesn't even bat an eye at that. Heh.

Olivia's back to wearing a braid! I've always liked that hairstyle on her. Also, glasses. Are those new? She and Lincoln were sort of cute together with their giant plastic glasses frames. Also, is this the first time in over a season that we've been back to the Boston FBI building?

Hehehehe, Lincoln, I think Olivia wants you to freak out so that you get out of Fringe division. Something tells me this Olivia doesn't like having a partner.

"There's nothing scary about him." Bwahahahaha.

"I'm thinking flamethrowers." SHOW, I LOVE YOU. Also, Olivia and Michael Westen should meet up and chat.

Awwwwww, the lab is the only home Walter knows. :(

I'm not even going to ask about the tinfoil hats...

The intelligent fungus reminds me of something. Possibly XF's "Field Trip." Also, heh, "Gus."

...Is Olivia actually wearing a color? She is! She's wearing a green shirt and jacket and blue jeans! Wait, does this mean she was never cortexiphan'd as a kid? Surely not, because Walter was doing that before his Peter died. Maybe she never got programmed to wear only black, white, and gray? Or maybe it means nothing. Or costuming just decided to revolt.

Yay, at least Nina still exists! Even if we haven't seen her yet.

Bwahahaha, of course Walter wants to lobotomize the kid.

Oh, Walter conflating Peter and Aaron is just heartbreaking.

Heh, that scene toward the end where the fungus lets Lincoln go was filmed as almost an exact mirror image of the Fauxlivia/Red!Lincoln birth scene. He's in her arms, and their orientation is flipped relative to the camera.

...Walter, if you don't want to go back to the mental institution, I think GIVING YOURSELF A LOBOTOMY is not the best course of action.

"I'm perfectly sane!" Ummmm...

"We have to find him!" YES, YOU DO!

Comments

[orangetango.livejournal.com]

Heh, that scene toward the end where the fungus lets Lincoln go was filmed as almost an exact mirror image of the Fauxlivia/Red!Lincoln birth scene. He's in her arms, and their orientation is flipped relative to the camera.

Duuuuuuuuuude.

Says Jon: "How the hell did she notice that?"



Also - is it just me, or does Astrid do a lot more questioning/not understanding this season? Jon claims she never had much of an active role in previous seasons, but I contend that at least then she was hacking computers and decoding shit. Now she just spends half her lines going "Walter, I'm not following you..."

[icepixie]

Says Jon: "How the hell did she notice that?"

:D I don't exactly have a photographic memory, but I have a very good one for images. (Also, that birth scene took up like half that episode last season. It's kind of burned into my brain.)

I was actually thinking Astrid got to do more this season than in any other, since she gets to go out in the field and be Walter's eyes and ears. Maybe she's not as proactive in the lab, but that might just be because these specific stories haven't given her much to do in the way of computers or linguistics.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Though this brings up the question of how Walter is still alive, since presumably Walternate basically went, "You stole my fatally ill son AND LET HIM DROWN?!?!" when he learned what happened. And probably there was a murderface involved.

I think Walternate would have... input on that, yes.

I sort of figured she was going to pull out a sketch of Peter's face by the end, and I was not disappointed!

Arg! I caught that she was googling (Interpoling?) a drawing of Peter, but I assumed it was from Walter. Oh show! So sneaky!

Hehehehe, Lincoln, I think Olivia wants you to freak out so that you get out of Fringe division.

I was confused by that scene, and decided that maybe Olivia was trying to flirt with Lincoln? Very unsuccessfully? Great payoff, though!

"There's nothing scary about him." Bwahahahaha.

OLIVIA, HAVE YOU MET WALTER? HE'S KIND OF TERRIFYING. And it's sad that the kid thinks a rambling old crazy man is the best company he's had in a long time.

"I'm thinking flamethrowers." SHOW, I LOVE YOU.

My thoughts:

Show: "I think we're going to need something stronger than UV."
Me: "Lol, like what, flamethrowers?"
Show: "Flamethrowers!"
Me: "YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!1!"

The intelligent fungus reminds me of something. Possibly XF's "Field Trip."

Exactly! And I love that Lincoln starts calling it "Gus" immediately and unperturbedly, and Olivia is all, "Don't encourage the crazy."

(How Fringe is it that this whole new lifeform has evolved enough to have feelings, and the first and foremost feeling it has is existential loneliness? OH, SHOW.)

...Is Olivia actually wearing a color? She is!

It was very 2026 of her! Maybe she went on a dream-inspired shopping spree?

Oh, Walter conflating Peter and Aaron is just heartbreaking.

And then treating him just like Peter: "I love you, son! But go away now, Daddy's busy."

Heh, that scene toward the end where the fungus lets Lincoln go was filmed as almost an exact mirror image of the Fauxlivia/Red!Lincoln birth scene.

Bwah, you're right! And here I was just thinking, "Lincoln is such a damsel, and Olivia is a big strong hero man!" (And earlier: "Why why why are they so stupid as to not wear hazmat suits while inside a deadly deadly monster? Oh wait, they must need to be clearly visible for a touchy-feely scene coming up.")

...Walter, if you don't want to go back to the mental institution, I think GIVING YOURSELF A LOBOTOMY is not the best course of action.

I know, right? "He lobotomized himself? Oh, well that must mean he's all better now, right? No need for professional help here!" (Although amber!Darren is oddly non-evil...)

And can Walter have a piratical eyepatch now? Please please please?

[icepixie]

I think Walternate would have... input on that, yes.

The kind of input that comes with a bullet.

Arg! I caught that she was googling (Interpoling?) a drawing of Peter, but I assumed it was from Walter. Oh show! So sneaky!

And I completely missed the Interpoling!

I was confused by that scene, and decided that maybe Olivia was trying to flirt with Lincoln? Very unsuccessfully? Great payoff, though!

Eh, it didn't seem flirty to me. It seemed more like she was trying to warn him away from the freaky stuff they deal with, and was getting annoyed when he wouldn't take the hint and leave. (Of course, I've never really seen flirting in the wild, so perhaps my flirt-o-meter is messed up...)

And it's sad that the kid thinks a rambling old crazy man is the best company he's had in a long time.

So, so sad.

And I love that Lincoln starts calling it "Gus" immediately and unperturbedly, and Olivia is all, "Don't encourage the crazy."

Heh heh heh. Lincoln: possibly more like Walter's son than Peter?

(How Fringe is it that this whole new lifeform has evolved enough to have feelings, and the first and foremost feeling it has is existential loneliness? OH, SHOW.)

Bwahahahahaha! Yes! This show is obviously written by introverts.

It was very 2026 of her! Maybe she went on a dream-inspired shopping spree?

"I see you in...colors! Any of them! Just please something that isn't a neutral!"

And then treating him just like Peter: "I love you, son! But go away now, Daddy's busy."

Awwwwww.

Bwah, you're right! And here I was just thinking, "Lincoln is such a damsel, and Olivia is a big strong hero man!"

This is true as well...

(And earlier: "Why why why are they so stupid as to not wear hazmat suits while inside a deadly deadly monster? Oh wait, they must need to be clearly visible for a touchy-feely scene coming up.")

Yes, I was wondering this as well. I think I put it down to, "Well, they know the guy with the needle is the sacrificial red shirt of this scene, so they didn't feel the need to protect themselves."

And can Walter have a piratical eyepatch now? Please please please?

That would be so great! But the preview suggests no...

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

The kind of input that comes with a bullet.

Can you imagine that opening conversation?

Walternate: "So, how's my son who you evilly kidnapped twenty-five years ago? Doing good?"
Walter: "Ulp."

perhaps my flirt-o-meter is messed up...

Lol, I was kind of assuming Olivia's was. Although you're right, it was probably more trying to talk him into freaking out. Except she didn't seem to mind him all that much in the field. It was just a weird conversation.

Lincoln: possibly more like Walter's son than Peter?

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Or like Peter might have been with a bit less childhood trauma!

Yes! This show is obviously written by introverts.

LOVE IT!

"Well, they know the guy with the needle is the sacrificial red shirt of this scene, so they didn't feel the need to protect themselves."

Yeah, they were obviously putting a gooooood healthy distance between themselves and the redshirt. But then you wonder why they even needed to follow the redshirt in in the first place... but then just when the logic starts to jar YOU'RE HIT BY THE CUTE wait, plothole, what?

That would be so great! But the preview suggests no...

I'd like to see how magical Red!tech fixes an icepick through the eye.

[icepixie]

Walternate: "So, how's my son who you evilly kidnapped twenty-five years ago? Doing good?"
Walter: "Ulp."

Perhaps Walter stays in the lab less because he's a shut-in than for his own safety...

Although you're right, it was probably more trying to talk him into freaking out. Except she didn't seem to mind him all that much in the field. It was just a weird conversation.

Indeed.

Or like Peter might have been with a bit less childhood trauma!

Yes!

but then just when the logic starts to jar YOU'RE HIT BY THE CUTE wait, plothole, what?

This show does know how to strategically deploy cuteness to its best advantage, doesn't it?

I'd like to see how magical Red!tech fixes an icepick through the eye.

I'm pretty sure it was above the eye. This is how they used to do real lobotomies back in the fifties and earlier; apparently there's nothing actually connecting your eye to the socket, and you can slip an icepick in pretty easily and root around in there until you've destroyed the brain tissue. Then just pull the icepick out and the patient has no damage to the eye.

...Uhhh, I went through a Sylvia Plath period in high school and read a lot about horrible psychiatric practices of yore. Don't look at me like that. *shifty eyes*

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Perhaps Walter stays in the lab less because he's a shut-in than for his own safety...

I wonder if the key to a Blue!door would open the corresponding door in Red!...?

The more I think about it, the more Lincoln has been set up as a FauxPeter, since adult Peter is the only one without an exact Red counterpart. I can't wait for them both (all three?) to get raging inferiority complexes!

This show does know how to strategically deploy cuteness to its best advantage, doesn't it?

Curse them and their wiles!

Uhhh, I went through a Sylvia Plath period in high school and read a lot about horrible psychiatric practices of yore.

Uhhh, my (brief) Sylvia Plath period DID NOT include lobotomy instructions. ........but my House period did. AND I HAD BLOCKED OUT THOSE INFORMATIVE DETAILS, THANKS A LOT. ;P

[icepixie]

I wonder if the key to a Blue!door would open the corresponding door in Red!...?

For Walter's sake, let's hope not...

The more I think about it, the more Lincoln has been set up as a FauxPeter, since adult Peter is the only one without an exact Red counterpart. I can't wait for them both (all three?) to get raging inferiority complexes!

Wait, huh? I see what you mean about Lincoln being a bit Petery in this timeline, but I'm lost on the rest of that.

Uhhh, my (brief) Sylvia Plath period DID NOT include lobotomy instructions.

Lucky you?

........but my House period did.

Awwwwww.

AND I HAD BLOCKED OUT THOSE INFORMATIVE DETAILS, THANKS A LOT. ;P

Always here to serve!

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Wait, huh? I see what you mean about Lincoln being a bit Petery in this timeline, but I'm lost on the rest of that.

Well, he was one of the few characters created from scratch when we first met Redverse, and he seems to have been made to fill the empty slot of Olivia's Partner Who Is In Lurrrve With Her, what with no Peter around. Except in Red, it's unrequited, and besides Charlie is still alive, so he dilutes the partnership a bit. And as last season went on, Lincoln got more and more obsessed with her, a la S2 Peter, especially after Frank left her and he saw a possibility for himself. But! He and Peter are vying for the same role, and Peter, magical love interest that he is, is totally winning. Creating DRAMA! I dunno, does that make sense? It does in my head, but maybe less so outside it.

[icepixie]

Ah, I see. So, would Nerd!Lincoln have two raging inferiority complexes, one from Peter and one from Red!Lincoln? (And then maybe be like, "I'm going to transfer to another field office. IN ALASKA.")

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

So, would Nerd!Lincoln have two raging inferiority complexes, one from Peter and one from Red!Lincoln?

Awwwwwwww, yes!

And then maybe be like, "I'm going to transfer to another field office. IN ALASKA."

"I CAN'T DEAL WITH YOU PEOPLE, WITH YOUR ALTERNATE UNIVERSES AND, AND YOUR COWS!"

And Red!Lincoln would have three raging inferiority complexes, when you add in Frank. (WHEN DO WE GET TO SEE THE LINCOLNS MEET? I NEED THIS.)

[icepixie]

"I CAN'T DEAL WITH YOU PEOPLE, WITH YOUR ALTERNATE UNIVERSES AND, AND YOUR COWS!"

"THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH A PERSON CAN TAKE!"

And Red!Lincoln would have three raging inferiority complexes, when you add in Frank.

Awwwww, he probably fantasizes about Frank getting smallpox and dying gruesomely on one of his epidemic-control missions...

(WHEN DO WE GET TO SEE THE LINCOLNS MEET? I NEED THIS.)

Soon, I hope!

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

"THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH A PERSON CAN TAKE!"

Gene: "MOOOOOO."

(Gasp! There's no Amber!gene, is there?? (Not to be confused with aubergine...))

Awwwww, he probably fantasizes about Frank getting smallpox and dying gruesomely on one of his epidemic-control missions...

"Olivia, how's Frank these days? Any... pustules? No? Oh."

[icepixie]

(Gasp! There's no Amber!gene, is there??

...I don't remember! Screencaps from the first episode of the season suggest no, but all the wide shots of the lab also appear to have been filmed facing away from her stall, so it's inconclusive.

(Not to be confused with aubergine...)

Though I'm sure Walter would love to make a hybrid...