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..."

[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?