Fringe - Show discussion

[Jay 46,244]

The final season was only 13 episodes, so the fact that it started in September means its over now.

[Wycket 36]

A really good finale, and one that didn't leave me disappointed in the slightest, unlike most of these type of shows (looking at you LOST). Fringe really rejuvenated itself over the last few seasons to keep it fresh, but never abandoned what the series was about. The raid towards the end was just great and if that itself was the final sequence I would have been satisfied.

[Jay 46,244]

I'm a bit behind so haven't seen the finale yet.... but last night we watched the one with the Monty Python bit.... wow! Did NOT see that coming!

[Marian Schedenig 11,695]

Yup, the Gillianimation was totally out of the blue... and totally brilliant.

...in fact, it's among the most brilliant moments I've seen on TV.

...I have now purchased the MP3 of that song on Amazon and set it as my phone's alarm clock sound.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I think there are about 4 people that read this read, all of which have finished the series except for me, so I'll openly talk about details...

I finished Season 2. I knew Walternate was going to be the dude on the bridge, and that he wrote ZTF (I mean the typewriter thing in "Ability" gave it away a season ago), but I'm not sure I'm a fan of him being a villain. I don't know, there's just something about this show that puts me off despite the mythology being really cool. The "Peter" episode was horribly written.

I'll watch Season 3 but if I don't like that one I probably won't finish. But at that point I'll be more than halfway done with the series... eh, we'll see.

[Marian Schedenig 11,695]

Far more than halfway, as season 5 only has 13 episodes.

[Jay 46,244]

Season 3 is easily the best season of the show. The show was at its best when the Fringe Division of our universe and the alternate universe were working together solving cases. Anna Torv was just fantastic as both Olivias.... actually the different Broyles, Astrid, and Walter were cool to watch each week too. Plus - come on - Lincoln Lee for the epic win!

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I don't know who that is.

[Jay 46,244]

You will!

[Walid 3]

i'm not really sure i like where J.J. went with this show. The first 2 (the third was pretty spaced out too, but great season) seasons were so promising, but then... I don't know. I feel it's a different type of show now, with all the "Freedom!" and "Liberty!" stuff going on vs the observers.. Hope they tie it up well though towards the end.

[Jay 46,244]

The show was run by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, NOT JJ. He just creates these shows, then passes them off to others to run.

[Walid 3]

The show was run by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, NOT JJ. He just creates these shows, then passes them off to others to run.

learn something new everyday! thanks for the correction

[Marian Schedenig 11,695]

i'm not really sure i like where J.J. went with this show. The first 2 (the third was pretty spaced out too, but great season) seasons were so promising,

I don't think the first season was particularly promising. It barely managed to keep me mildly interested and keep watching. Which then paid off in S2.

but then... I don't know. I feel it's a different type of show now, with all the "Freedom!" and "Liberty!" stuff going on vs the observers.. Hope they tie it up well though towards the end.

It's your classic Abrams/Kurtzman/Orci show... once or twice each season it completely switches plots, or even genres.

[Walid 3]

i'm not really sure i like where J.J. went with this show. The first 2 (the third was pretty spaced out too, but great season) seasons were so promising,

I don't think the first season was particularly promising. It barely managed to keep me mildly interested and keep watching. Which then paid off in S2.

but then... I don't know. I feel it's a different type of show now, with all the "Freedom!" and "Liberty!" stuff going on vs the observers.. Hope they tie it up well though towards the end.

It's your classic Abrams/Kurtzman/Orci show... once or twice each season it completely switches plots, or even genres.

I think the 1st season was awesome, it really caught my interest of this whole pseudo-science entertainment - which made it enough to keep watching to see where they would go with it.

all's well that ends well, I guess.

[Jay 46,244]

I finally got caught up on Sunday and watched the last 3 episodes in a row. Overall I have to say season 5 wasn't that bad... it started out easily the worst, so bad we both struggled to make it through... my coworker in fact just told me last week that she erased the last batch of episodes off her DVR because she had lost all her interested in it. Well she is missing out because the end of the season, like the last 4-5 episodes were extremely satisfying, particularly the last 3. I did think the VERY end was a bit abrupt, but I suppose it was done that way so they can continue on with a movie or something someday if they choose.

I still think the story they told in season 5 could have been told in 4-6 episodes total, it was really stretched out for a while. But I dunno what else they would have done in the final season if they hadn't stretched that.

[Marian Schedenig 11,695]

S5 was slow going for a long time, but I never found it bad, and only a couple of times taxing. There was plenty of nice stuff in it, and the last few episodes were first rate. Episode 11 with its interrogation scenes nearly came close to Homeland. And the September actor seemed really good.

I nearly did predict the final scene of the series at the beginning of episode 12 - it turned out to be the penultimate scene.

[Jay 46,244]

From Chris Tilton's Twitter feed:

We're editing a soundtrack for Fringe S5. Just waiting to hear back from the powers that be that we can go ahead with it. Nothing yet, tho.

https://twitter.com/christilton/status/294682681474691072

[Koray Savas 2,260]

So I finally started Season 3 of this. The premiere was pretty bad but the two episodes after it were pretty great. The scoring is also awesome. Does Giacchino get a music credit throughout the whole series?

[Wycket 36]

He does, but its pretty much exclusively Tilton from that point on.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

From what I understand there's no "pretty much" about it. Guess his name is still there because of the recurring use of themes.

[Jay 46,244]

I too thought it was strange that the end credits of every episode said "Music By Michael Giacchino" even though he had nothing to do with the series after the first episode. He must have an incredible agent.

I mean, hell, he got his name in the OPENING credits of every episode of LOST. Name another show that has the composer in the opening credits!

[Wycket 36]

Once Upon A Time

Theme and Music by

Mark Isham

[Jay 46,244]

That's true!

There are probably others, actually. It's too bad Tilton didn't on Fringe

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Well it's probably J.J. Abrams' doing in regards to LOST, not to mention Cuse and Linedlof considered his music integral to their writing process. Tilton's name was the first thing to pop up in the closing credits all of Season 2. I loved that. Season 3 isn't the same though.

I think I'm 8 episodes in now. It's fairly consistent in its quality. I guess the inclusion of the alternate universe has spiced things up now and has left little room for filler. However, that's if I don't really think about things. Fringe really doesn't hold up to close analysis. I enjoy it while watching it, but nothing sticks with me. I guarantee I've already forgotten many things since I started watching again a couple days ago. And when I start really trying to make sense of stuff, it all falls flat.

Like Newton. That guy was a shapeshifter. Why the hell didn't he shapeshift like 2 seasons ago when they identified him? He ran into a hospital and "assassinated" a senator. Now they know he was important. Even so, he just shot a bullet into his eye to kill the data, why not just kill him outright and prevent any possible chance of the FBI recovering information? It's all so stupid.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Finished Season 3 today. While much better than previous seasons, the writing is still all over the place and nothing makes sense when analyzed. Ill finish the show for the hell of it.

Oh and Jay, I hate Lincoln with a passion.

[Jay 46,244]

What's wrong with Lincoln?

[Koray Savas 2,260]

He's so annoying and douchey.

[Jay 46,244]

Hmmm, he never came across as douchey to me. Oh well

Isn't Anna Torv fantastic playing Olivia and Fauxlivia?

[Koray Savas 2,260]

She's okay, I wouldn't say fantastic.

My problem with the show as a whole is that you can't latch onto any of the characters because of their constantly shifting motives. Fauxlivia murdered innocent people in cold blood to achieve her mission, but now they're all gonna be butt buddies and no one will care. How can I care for her character if she was introduced into the story as a villain? I was expecting Peter's shapeshifter rampage and lie to Olivia to create more of a splash in the relationship but she just rolls her eyes and accepts it.

This is not to say characters with foggy morales isn't a good thing, it's just the writers are doing a horrible job at developing them. LOST did it perfectly, there was struggle for redemption in those characters. With Fringe, it feels like the morality scale is reset with each episode.

Also, what happened to Philip and Nina's relationship? Weren't they making out in like Episode 4? So far my favorite characters of the show have been Jarred Harris and Kevin Corrigan, which is sad.

[Jay 46,244]

I think they wrap up Walt and Nina's romance in season 5 but it was never a major storyline

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Walt and Nina or Philip and Nina? Never major is obvious, but it's not even minor! It hasn't been referenced since season 1.

[Jay 46,244]

Broyles and Nina? I don't remember that at all!

[Wycket 36]

Yeah, it was hinted at a number of times, including the kiss Koray mentioned, but it was never really touched on. One of those things you can make your own mind up about.

[Marian Schedenig 11,695]

She's okay, I wouldn't say fantastic.

I would. Up to that point I thought she was a rather one-sided actress. Then I realised she'd just played an emotionally one-sided character, and could play the complete opposite in the same scene.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Could you site some specific moments that you think showcase that? I definitely think it added a new side to her character(s), but she's still the mundane Olivia to me. John Noble does an utterly fantastic job between the two Walters, however. Perhaps it's because those characters are so different from one another. I don't notice any subtleties between the two Olivias other than their wardrobe. I thought it was hilarious that it was mentioned in the animation episode, speaking of it...

I reread this thread the other night and I too would say the "animation" episode was an obvious way to go around Nimoy not wanting to appear in the show. It's also a direct rip of Inception, whether that was supposed to be obvious or not is unknown to me.

[Jay 46,244]

So Koray have you finished your run through the show?

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Nope I still need to watch 4 and 5. I was thinking of starting it back up the other night actually.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

On Season 4 Episode 4.

The Peter subplot is the only interesting thing happening. The fungus thing in Episode 3 was cool, but interestingly the same exact thing as The Last Of Us.

Maybe I'm remembering incorrectly but I'm pretty sure both Broyles are alive in this season. Charlie also disappeared rather lamely.

[Wycket 36]

Yeah, they reset the timelines to try to bring in new audiences. It really sucks that a lot of the character development was thrown out the window, but after a while it doesn't really matter.

[Jay 46,244]

Well I mean it wasn't a reset just for reset's sake, it was to show how different everything would be if Peter had not existed.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Nothing really changed actually, which makes even less sense that Fauxlivia still went to the otherside undercover and did all she did... which wouldn't have happened without Peter.

[Wycket 36]

Yeah, its the biggest draw back of that season to me. It was supposed to be this great event, yet nothing really changed all that much as to when Peter was there. If anything, it weakened his character. Him and John Noble do have some very good scenes together, so I suppose it accomplished something.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I think I have 10 episodes left of Season 4. As usual, not much interesting stuff going on. The last one I watched, with the two universes merging in the isolated town, was terrific though. Hoping there's more stuff like that from here on out. Not liking all the convoluted BS with Other Broyles being alive and evil and plotting, same with Massive Dynamic lady. I can't even remember her name, which may just be me but is probably more likely due to how poorly this show develops its characters. Glad Jared Harris is back, been anticipating him for the past 2 seasons.

[Jay 46,244]

Nina Sharp!

You won't like season 5.

[Mr. Breathmask 624]

I never understood why Nina Sharp stuck around for as long as she did. She wasn't a very interesting character and the stilted performance by the actress portraying her didn't help much either.

[nightscape94 968]

I actually quite enjoyed season 4. I think it's better than season 3.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I agree, so far.

[Quintus 6,496]

I prefer Flange.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Finished up Season 4. Now to wait until Season 5 streams for free.

Best parts of the last 4 episodes? Seeing Desmond and "polah bear" lady again.

[Wycket 36]

Season 5 is available on Netflix now if you have it.