"Sometimes you just gotta believe in what you can't see" - Henry
'Fringe' is back for a new season and this will be the first show that I attempt to discuss every week, hopefully keeping up with every episode. Now, I fully realise that I don't have the TV analytical skills of someone like Alan Sepinwall, who can spot every popular culture reference (and there are always many) within a Chuck episode without blinking, and who offers key insights into such things as the writers' thoughts, but you'll just have to make do with the skills I do have.
Firstly, it's great to see the guest appearances for this show getting better; last season giving us such acting (and nerdy SF-reference) greats as Peter Weller, and now, interestingly - since there there is no clear geek culture link that I can see - Andre Royo of The Wire fame.
This episode shouted Michael Mann's Collateral at me continually; with the taxi driver hostage to a fugitive situation, whom towards he the taxi driver then becomes sympathetic and ever more entangled with, to the point of almost being complicit, and the taxi driver having a profound effect on the thoughts of our fugitive, etc.
Olivia struggles with her identity until she eventually buckles and seemingly believes that she is indeed alt-Olivia (presuming she isn't duping Walternate and co.), which we're told is a key move towards Walternate's unknown endgame.
Seth Gabel's character Lincoln Lee is treated to more characterisation here (and how cool does he look all scarred up and not giving a damn? - that's got to hurt like hell, no matter how good medicinal technology is in this universe), something that was necessary since this show has for a long time resisted introducing new long-term characters (though it could perhaps be argued that it is all the better for this) - presuming Lee is here to stay, since we know we are going to be treated to a great deal of time spent in the alternate universe this season.
I grew so used to Anna Torv's hazel coloured hair in this episode that seeing Alt-Olivia's blonde hair at the end gave me the same repulsed reaction I had when I saw the hazel do for the first time. I'm forced to conclude that they both look good on Torv, but just should never be viewed in quick succession of one another (something we unfortunately won't be able to avoid).
Overall, this was a great character piece for Olivia, excellently portrayed by Torv, which allowed us viewers to spend some much deserved time exploring this alt-verse, whilst also setting up some key plot scenarios to take forward. A great start to the season.
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