Fringe episode 3.14: 6B

*Originally published on 3/2/11




The trailer for this episode, as well as the script itself toyed with the idea that this episode would center around a haunting. Most science fiction shows will use a basic plot element such as this as a red herring, however, this instance has a few problems. For one, the ads themselves tell you what's really going on. More importantly, the teaser at the beginning also lets you know what the real deal is.

When the people at the party are initially seen plummeting from the high balcony, it's safe to assume that some supernatural force threw them. However, when Peter's analyzing their trajectory, he notes that they were too close to the door to have jumped. The group surmises that the universe is unraveling and that as a result, the balcony phased out of existence for a few seconds, causing the people to fall.

While there are certainly those out there more well versed in ghost lore than I am, I've never seen a ghost with the ability to alter matter to that extent. Yes, ghosts themselves can phase through walls, but most corporeal things remain as such. So when the idea of ghosts is brought up, you know that it isn't what they're dealing with.

Walter's skepticism is also rather odd. Peter calls him on it, most likely because they've seen things far stranger than ghosts, but seeing as we established that Walter has a pretty deep spiritual side, I find it hard to believe that he would dismiss the idea. I guess it's a moot point as his theory is right, but I still found it odd.

Olivia starts off the episode still angsting about her doppelganger's relationship with Peter. I still find the setup peculiar, but by the episode's end it's resolved. This episode also goes a long way to showing us that doppelgangers from parallel universes are still different people. It's still a stretch to say that Peter cheated (though Olivia's reactions mirror those of a woman who's boyfriend did cheat on her), but it helps clear some things up.

If you are an Olivia/Peter shipper (would that be "Oliver" or "Petivia"?) you will probably like this episode as Olivia finally overcomes her self doubt and the two take their relationship to the next level.

The climax for this episode was particularly effective. It was poignant and managed to tug on the heartstrings while still building up suspense. You really felt sorry for the old woman, understanding why she had such a hard time not believing Olivia and Peter when they came to get her out of the evacuated apartment complex.

Normally, the heroes' victory is guaranteed, but when the vortex started to form, you honestly believed that Broyles would detonate the Amber bomb. He kept telling them to get out, but they refused to listen. Unless he wanted a vortex to consume everything, he wouldn't have had any other choice but to release the amber and freeze the group.

Of course, this raises another issue of how different our characters are from their doppelgangers. Walter even points out that he used to see "Walternate' as evil and ruthless, becoming legitimately frightened by the realization that he's going down the same path. In hindsight, it reminded me a lot of "A Better World" from the DCAU Justice League cartoon.

I can't help but feel like the Fringe team is in over their heads. I mean, the freakin' universe is unraveling. The aforementioned Justice League would have a hard time with a crisis of that magnitude. Luckily, the circumstances allowed them to pull off a successful saving throw, but that might not always be the case in the future. I don't know how you fight something like that. I guess that's a good thing, putting the heroes in a situation that they might not be able to overcome, but this seems to be piling it on. The writers probably have something in mind, I just can't think of what it is.

Did anyone else think that the creation of the vortex sort of mirrored the creation of that anomaly from the Star Trek: TNG series finale? Maybe it's a stretch on my part, but I found the two pretty similar.

I did rather like the quick flip to the alternate side to show that the two universes are linked. It's a fairly common trope in stories involving parallel dimensions, but it makes the actions of the characters that much more significant.

I really have no complaints about this episode. The plot moved forward on several levels, the characters grew and went through their own personal trials, and as mentioned before, the climax resonated quite a bit in terms of emotional weight, not to mention sheer scope in terms of peril.