Fringe Review: The Perfect Day
"And Those We've Left Behind" was a nod to pretty much every viewer in an understanding that we all lose those we love at some point, whether through death, disease or erasure from our time line.
Okay, that last remark is most likely not going to happen to us, but you get the idea. How we cope with our loss is what matters.
Olivia’s and Walter’s reaction to Peter
You, Peter, you’re the problem. Yes, it was only said in a dream, but there is no doubt that Olivia believes it. She not only feels absolutely nothing for Peter, but has no interest in knowing why he is so fixated on her. His appreciation of her has not gone unnoticed, but she merely wishes he finds his Olivia again. That hurt me; it had to hurt Peter.
Walter took the path I predicted and turned his back on Peter completely. He couldn’t look him in the eye and called him “the object.” The pain Peter feels at seeing Walter so crushed, so lost after he worked so hard with him in his own timeline to ensure Walter’s assimilation after taking him out of the mental institution, is portrayed excellently by Joshua Jackson.
Can we have some love for Jackson?
It appears a lot of the viewing audience feels it’s time that Olivia gets her due. I feel perfectly fine giving this time to Peter. He supported Olivia as she dealt with her kidnapping, and Walter as he reintegrated into society. Even though Peter Bishop was the key to two universes, Jackson was a secondary player on Fringe. It turns out he has the same powerful acting chops we’ve seen with the others. In short, he belongs with this wonderful cast.
The space time continuum!
Any time the phrase space time continuum can be utilized, I go into fits of happiness. To hear it used with complete seriousness on my favorite show is pure joy.
I loved the time jumps. We saw one last week. Now that I know there are hints in every episode of the one to come, it made sense. While the apartment fire was definitely freaky, seeing the ghostly apparition of the train appear and disappear was by far my favorite effect.
That Peter was the only one on the team who was experiencing the jumps should have been telling, but it took them a while to figure out he had a connection to what was happening. The jumps were done so well - how he was in the middle of a sentence sitting in a car and finished it, hand gestures and all, walking on the street. Ah, those brilliant minds of Fringe producers.
I could understand why Raymond (guest star Stephen Root) would so desperately want to find an enduring solution to changing time. I wish the same every day. While he only gets jumps in fits of minutes, the jump is timed to coincide with his wife finishing an equation that will make it permanent. Haven’t we all wished for a second chance?
So where are we?
The producers have said that they were not going to introduce a third universe. The focal points are to remain over there and over here. So, logically, we must be over here, with Peter erased. I was shocked that Peter didn’t know he had been contacting both Walter and Olivia while he was lost, because it had to be him channeling communication. He knows what we know.
At one point, Peter acquiesces. He doesn’t belong here. But if this is his universe, then he does belong, and needs to be unerased. There will have to be a merging of the time lines at some point, but how they will accomplish that is beyond my pay grade.
Other thoughts:
- Where did the cars on the other half of the tunnel go once the time jump stopped? Had that may cars gotten out already?
- The scenes of Walter listening to music are so enjoyable. Sytx, too much time on my hands. It’s fun to see the world through his eyes with the music playing.
- How about that poor guy who exploded in front of the house? Made me wonder if part of Walter wasn’t hoping that Peter would explode, too, so he could ease his mind.
- Walter is such a softie. He borders on being annoyed and proud of the man that calls himself his son. Their relationship must be the key.
- Peter is finally trusted, and gets to live on campus, out of confinement. It’s a start!
- The perfect day for Peter and Olivia is one where they are together in a way we've never seen them. How long until we get that chance?
Sound off now and be sure to read the quotes because there were some great ones for the memory box!
Carissa Pavlica is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter and on Google+.
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November 14th, 2011 1:14 PM
Fabulous episode this week! But, I was left confused regarding how all the time anomalies threatening the public were jumping to 40-years back, regardless of what point it happened in the nautilus chamber, while the Connecticut couple in their time bubble were only going back 3 years. AND, Peter was flipping back & forth within the same hour. I should know better than to question the logic of time travel episodes, right?
Rank: Staff Member
November 13th, 2011 1:54 PM
With all due respect to your opinions, Josh Jackson is doing a superb job with the material he has been given. So many of your examples of other actors surpassing him are due to their duality. Josh doesn't have that and must remain Peter in every time and every universe. Working against completely different characters is just as difficult being a different character.
November 13th, 2011 11:00 AM
WHAT?! No 3rd universe? MY WHOLE BELIEF SYSTEM HAVE JUST COLLAPSED! Well, if I'm right, that would reflect poorly on Fringe for being too predictable, right? Go Fringe! Keep me guessing every week!
Rank: Regular Character
November 12th, 2011 9:17 PM
I dont think is a different universe...just a modified version of "over here" with Peter ripped out of it.
November 12th, 2011 8:46 PM
I don't know why the producers said that they weren't going to introduce a third universe when this is clearly a different one from the previous two.
November 12th, 2011 7:37 PM
This comment goes out to "review"..I started watching Fringe because I am a huge Josh Jackson fan but since I have started watching it, i love the entire cast! I have never seen where they have said one actor was better than the other because they are ALL awesome in their own way. Its no different than looking at people, everyone does things differently. And as far as the other cast members, ie Broyles, Astrid, Nina...they are awesome too in what it is that their characters are portrayed to do and you have to remember the show is & has always been about an FBI agent that needs a scientist & has to have his son too & he ends up helping. The show is based on these 3 characters & the others are just a plus. And when they finally got Peter/Olivia together, she was NOT weak, a whiner or a needy insecure woman, she just was finally able to let her guard down due to being in love.No matter how tough a person acts, when you fall in love, you completely change and that is what s
November 12th, 2011 7:10 PM
UNBELIEVABLY AMAZING!!!Can this show get any better!?! And to think that some people had lost hope with the writers! All I can say to those people is EAT YOUR WORDS & how can you lose your faith in THESE writers!They have NEVER disappointed us!I believe that Peter is in our universe & the machine sent him back 4 yrs with some hiccups instead of 3 when all got started as we know it because they are using the equipment that the Alt universe was using with manuals on how to work them AND when Peter & Olivia were in the lab together & she told him to look at the computer & they were close to each other they both felt for a moment a connection & when she took him to the house they had a tender moment when she said that the other Olivia must have meant something to him because she could see the way he looks at her & that she hoped he would get back to her. Also, Peter brought up deja vu when he said in season 2 the white tulip episode when Olivia sd she had a mome
November 12th, 2011 6:34 PM
First I agree with Jeff staff member about his comments on the acting front, and that Anna Torv only has been given 4.02 and for me she made 4.04, as it is I think she is amazing in each scene she is in, how small. Just watch the scenes where Olivia sees the FBI agent dissolve in air, that is acting at the highest level. I have far more admiration for Anna Torv then John Noble, besides the fact that I prefer her subtle acting from the inside, Anna also has to create now 2 Olivia;s from virtually no information, compared to the overload John Noble gets, and this Walter is more mannerism and determined by outside facts, like the phobia.
But as usual the writers write for Walter and Walter and Peter, also in season 3 Anna already was sidelined in a large part in the second half of season 3.
In this episode Walter was a bit replaced by Raymond, the way the writers wrote for him.
I am not sure what the reviewer means that fans want Olivia to get her revenge on Peter: this Olivia does not
Rank: Regular Character
November 12th, 2011 12:03 PM
I only disagree with one point: Joshua Jackson. I think he does a good job as Peter, but his skills as an actor do not reach the epic brilliance of Anna Torv and John Noble. Torv hasnt been given the material so far in Season 4 that she had in Season 3, but we've seen an incredible range from her over the course of the series. Noble is flawless and makes the most banal Walter moment mesmerizing. Jackson doesn't have the nuance of the other two actors, but that is fine; it doesnt make me like Peter any less.
November 12th, 2011 10:28 AM
Awesome! Read the review before I saw the show.............because I taped it to save and watch again, and neither disappointed! Great review and great story line! Every week I can't imagine how this can keep on getting better and better, but it does. The only drawback as far as I am concerned is that I want them to remember Peter to some degree........and the waiting is and suspense of not knowing when.........is killing me................Keep up the good work!
Thank you to the writers and to the review writers of TV Fanatic........GREAT JOB ALL THE WAY AROUND!