Fringe (TV Show), A Love Story? **Spoilers**

**SPOILERS ALERT**

So, for me, Fringe was really a love story. Why? Because Peter is my hero, and the kind of love they shared is the kind of simple love that transcends time (and timelines), universes (both whole and shattered), and just overcomes all things that stand in its way. 

Here we have two people that have just simply given up on love. Peter can't be pinned down to one place, and Olivia has massive trust issues, especially after John Scott. But then, even John Scott was a strange occurrence in Olivia's life. The exception, not the norm. Olivia is someone who doesn't fall easy or so they present her. 

But I do question that, we see her romantic side 3 times in the show. With John, Peter, and beginning to form with Lincon. If she hadn't have started to get her memories back about Peter, that likely would have gone somewhere like it did with  Lincon and Fauxlivia. But all that is also explained in the show. Her training as a child had conditioned her to be bland and gray. To "hide" as it were. But as the show progresses she starts breaking out of that shell, largely due to Peter being in her life. 

I have a problem with the whole John Scott dynamic, however. We see the "warmer and vulnerable" Olivia in some scenes with Scott. I would have rather us to never have seen that side except with Peter. And not until much later in the show. That Olivia we see then just doesn't jive with the Olivia we see between Scott and Peter. I guess you could argue Scott started waking her up emotionally, and she shut back down after his betrayal.  But that's not how it felt. That Olivia we see with Scott just didn't feel natural. 

I did think the whole Olivia/Fauxlivia dynamic with Peter was brilliant. Just as Olivia is ready to start exploring her feelings for Peter she gets kidnapped and replaced with Fauxlivia. As a viewer, we feel robbed. Both for Olivia's sake and Peters as well. Olivia and Peter were finally getting somewhere, but it's Fauxlivia who gets to experience it. The fact that Fauxlivia ends up falling for Peter herself while trying to be a "spy" was a nice touch. And worked organically very well. 

When Olivia returns and finds out, she expresses all the feeling us as views had been having about the whole situation. And I feel for Peter. The differences in Olivia while she was Fauxlivia are completely understandable! He felt it was their relationship that had changed something in Olivia. And who doesn't want to feel they are bringing out a different side of someone they are with. To be fair, Fauxlivia was more warm, carefree, sexy, and open than Olivia. What man doesn't want to feel like his love brings those aspects out of the woman he cares for!?

But what he says later is spot on. It wasn't Fauxlivia he fell for, it wasn't her he had spent 3 years getting to know. He fell for Olivia long before Fauxlivia came along, she just swooped in and stole the benefits. And he has real true remorse, it really is Olivia he loves. So much so that when he returns to the timeline after being removed, and Olivia starts remembering him and their time together, he doesn't want to make the same mistake again. And almost screws it all up. I had already suspected what the show later confirmed, that this WAS his Olivia, and this WAS his timeline. He had been removed completely from the timeline, he had never lived. I think it was Olivia's love, and her Cortexiphan powers, that brought Peter back to the main Timeline. And the fact she was remembering it all on her own seals that for me. She "called" him back. The show presents it as all the people who missed him playing a part, but I think it was all Olivia. 

And how strong does a love have to be to pull someone back who's been erased from a timeline? I mean really? Pretty damn strong. And that's my whole point of way I admire this love story so much!

They had a love that literally transcended time, space, and universes. No matter what they always came back to each other, they fought for what they had, no matter the odds. And even when things were bleak, like during the fallout from Fauxlivia or when their daughter disappeared, they never doubted their love for each other. They just had to work through the issues. Things didn't have to be perfect, they just never gave up. They were meant for each other, and no force in the universe(s) was going to tell them otherwise. 


That folks is what love is all about.

Walter Bishop, a moral discussion (Fringe TV show) **Spoilers**

**SPOILERS ALERT**

I've watched this series several times now, and one hangup I have with the show is how Walter just kinda "gets away with it". Don't get me wrong, time and time again the writers try to address the moral issues, and Walter is portrayed as having huge guilt for his actions. 

But.... He BROKE TWO FREAKIN' universes. His actions caused millions of deaths directly and in one timeline billions! I mean, I get it. In the fits of grief over losing his son, and watching as another version of himself was losing his son as well, he crossed over to save the boy. And he never meant to kidnap Peter, but when Nina tried to stop him and the cure was broken, he did the only thing he knew to do. He brought Peter back to cure him. I mean I get it, he did the wrong things for ALL the right reasons. And I believe he really did intend to take Peter back. But at the end of the day, he doomed two entire universes in the process. The ends do NOT justify the means.

And let's not forget that he and Bellie experimented on CHILDREN!!!!! Let's never forget that!

The part I can't figure out is throughout the series they throw the moral implications out there. But you never really FEEL it. Of course in one timeline Walter was put in prison for his crimes, but only because of the destruction that was happening on the main storyline side. The main universe (MU) brings him to "justice", trial and all, but he's never brought to justice in the alternative universe (AU). Or in the MU for his crimes against the AU. In fact, the whole thing starts a full out black ops war with the AU, just because there is never any justice for the kidnapping of Peter and the destructions that resulted on the AU side from that kidnapping.

But like I said, in almost every episode there is some reference to his crimes and his guilt. It seemed the writers really WANTED there to be moral implications, but they never follow through with it in a way that I feel had any real true feeling or intent. It's always kinda on the fringes (no pun intended), but never at the heart of the story. Maybe that doesn't make good Hollywood, but really folks, don't you think it should have been? I loved the show, don't get me wrong, but the whole time I had this nagging feeling the implications were far too glossed over. 

And in the ending, sure Walter states because of his actions and his guilt he has to take "the boy" to the future to save humanity. Leaving Peter and everything he knows behind. And you could see that as a punishment, I guess, kinda. Walter sure seems to. But is it really? 

Sure, he has parts of his brain removed because he didn't like whom he had become, but that's not really punishment or atonement either. That was more like running away and hiding from what he had done. 

And about that ending. This isn't a moral discussion, just plot holes. If the observers HAD won and wiped out humanity, wouldn't that mean they would also wipe themselves out? I guess they could have crossed timelines, but then Walter and the boy going to the future wouldn't have changed anything in this timeline. It would be like us going back 10,000 years and killing everything on the planet. If we did that, we wouldn't have ever survived to go back and do it. There is a massive plot hole here. 

And what was the timeline that survived? The final timeline? I think it was the timeline where both Peters died, but he "returned" to the timeline because no one could forget him (really JJ, really? That's the best you guys could come up with?). The timeline where he just "appeared" out of then air and no one remembered him? Of course, they retconned that by giving Olivia her memories back "just because', and Walter was given his memories back by "the boy" Michael. So more or less, seasons 4 and 5 didn't happen? This is confirmed (I found after writing this) by producer David Fury here. 

So pretty much in the final timeline, while Olivia and Walter remember Seasons 1-3, they never actually experienced them. And that begs the question, exactly how many Olivia's did Peter have sex with? Inquiring minds want to know. At least 3, maybe 4?

Fringe TV series (2008-2013): A 2019 review

The cast of Fringe

*As always, my reviews aren't traditional reviews. My idea is to give a quick overview and some general thoughts. I try to not give away any spoilers, so I have to keep it simple. Consider it a "common persons" very general take on a show.*

Fringe was a TV series that originally aired in 2008 on Fox. If you haven't heard of it before it's likely because Fox, in my opinion, has a psychological fear of success. I feel Fox has this extraordinary talent for finding and green lighting incredible shows, then totally screwing them up by monkeying around with their air times and episode orders (Firefly anyone?). Not to mention when their executives try to get involved and DIRECTLY screw shows up by trying to control the creative direction. 

Of course with J. J. Abrams in charge, it's hard to make a BAD show. But Fox could have done so much better. It even had good ratings, yet still, they felt the need to make poor decisions. So if you haven't heard of it, you can blame Fox. But I'm not here to talk about the idiots over at Fox (sorry, I'm still upset about Firefly,18 years later)

Fringe Science is the core theme of the entire show (which is of course what Fringe means in the title). And season 1 very much reminds one of The X-Files. Right down to the main characters working for the FBI, and even a hinted at romance that never seems to get acted on. Also like The X-Files and most police procedurals, it starts out in a standard monster-of-the-week type format but evolves into season-long story arcs from season 2 on. 

I try very hard not to give out to many spoilers in my reviews, so I'll just give a quick overview of the basis of the show. A scientist, Walter Bishop, breaks two universes (parallel dimensions). The first 4 seasons are the main characters discovering what happened, and dealing with the fallout. The fifth and final season is about saving the world from invaders from the future. There are at least 4 different timelines and stories from two universes, not to mention more than a little time jumping.  

One of the most interesting parts of the show to me, from a "really makes you think" standpoint is the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) differences when events get added, removed, or changed in the timelines. The way the writers, and actors, handled these changes is really thought-provoking.  I also felt there was an attempt at sharing a message about the dangers of "playing God". The age-old sci-fi adage of "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should." However, I never felt the writers were really behind the idea, they kind of play with it, but never commit to bringing the viewer along for the ride. And maybe that's for the best. In the end, all the science is really just a backdrop for the amazing cast to entertain and move you. And that, they do well!

Quickly let me cover the "core" cast, there are a lot of great main characters, but this post would get too long if I covered them all in detail. So I'll give you the core 3 the plot revolves around, and an honorable mention.

At the center of it all, we have the LSD loving "mad scientist" Walter Bishop played by the incredible John Noble. I could make an entire blog just about the talents of this amazing actor, but this post isn't about him (but it COULD be). In the show, Walter breaks not one, but TWO universes. And John Noble gets to play not one, not two, not three, but at least SIX different versions of Walter from multiple different timelines and universes. Each slightly different and discernable.  If that doesn't show his chops as an actor, nothing will!

(Here is a link to a blog post I made for the moral discussion of Walters actions)

Before I move on, I have to point out that the music in the show is on a different level. It's almost a character in itself. In fact, Walter's obsession with old vinyl has awakened in me a desire to start collecting vinyl myself! I'm up to 10 albums as of this writing, with no signs of stopping. For those interested, that's a 60's Zenith Music System with the "Circle of Sound" speaker (that funny cone-shaped thing) Walter is using in the picture. It gave 360 degree sound. You're welcome for that useless piece of trivia.

I've never stopped a show so often to look up music as I did in Fringe. There is almost always something playing in the background. From Mazzy Star to Velvet Underground to David Bowie. Of course these I knew. But many other snatches I caught I had to look up, and I was never disappointed. Whoever chose the music for this show is someone I'd love to hang out with!

Ok, now back to the show. There is one other actor who is mentioned often and has a large part to play in the plot of the show, but whom due to health reasons we don't get to see very much. And that's William Bell, played by none other than the late, great, Leonard Nimoy  Fringe would be Nimoy's last hurrah before his passing, and you can see his health going downhill during his appearances on the show. They even animated an episode where Bell was needed for the plot, but due to health reasons, Nimoy was not able to do the episode. In the end, they "froze" Bell in amber when it became obvious Nimoy would no longer be able to appear on the show. He passed two years after the end of the show. RIP to a great actor.

(here is my post about Peter and Olivia, the love story)

Peter Bishop played by Joshua Jackson is one of my personal fictional heroes. He's the son of Walter Bishop, and really the cause of this whole mess. Through no fault of his own. He's the kind of man I'd like to think I'd be if I was in his shoes. He might be a bit of a Mary Sue, but who isn't in their own imagination? If nothing else, the way he approaches love, his view of it, and what he's willing to do to protect it, really moves me. He's the kind of unwavering, steadfast protector I think all men should be. And yes ladies, I'll be waiting outside so you can string me up for saying such things. Sorry, not sorry. Women don't need protection because they are helpless, far from it. But I'm of the opinion it's simply a man's job to protect those they care about (be that a girl, a guy, or children), and also those who can't protect themselves. Peter is the definition of that viewpoint. As he's the same in all timelines. and doesn't have a double in the parallel universe, he doesn't get the chance to flex his acting muscle like most of the other actors on the show. But he does get a chance to show a version of himself devoid of emotion. And I think he does a fair job. For sure well enough not to drop you out of the story emersion.

Lastly, we have Olivia Dunham played by the beautiful Anna Torv. Olivia is a no-nonsense FBI agent who's all about the job and catching the bad guy no matter what. She's also something of a Mary Sue, but then in a way that's almost the whole point of the show. She was MADE into a Mary Sue. By none other than the aforementioned Walter Bishop and William Bell. The real props go to Anna herself. Like many of the cast she gets to play two versions of herself. And she does it so convincingly that you have no problem knowing which Olivia you're seeing at any given moment, even without other clues. By design, the two characters are very similar. In the show's own internal logic you are often much like your "doppelganger" from the alternative universe. But Anna just nails the subtle difference perfectly. It's almost freaky. She also gets to play a version of herself from different timelines, and even a version possessed by William Bell. The voice she uses I'm still a little on the fence about, but how she adopts the mannerisms and facial expressions of Leonard Nimoy is uncanny. And while the voice itself I just can't really get behind, how she mimics the way Leonard Nimoy talks is just simply amazing.

I would love to go on about all the other great actors in this show, and I may give each their own blog post down the road, but this is getting long as it is. Like all my reviews this wasn't a true "review" in a traditional respect. There are plenty of people who have already done that. This is more about a taste of what Fringe has to offer and some brief impressions. If you've read this far, and find any of this interesting, I highly suggest checking the show out. But you really need to get to at least the second season, as that's when the show really starts to get it's legs.

Supernatural, when cable channels get it right!

So for me, this is what happens when non-network channels get it right! Supernatural was created in the days when all your good shows were on the major networks, and cable channels had either crappy content or syndicated major network content. I remember Supernatural being one of the first really great, high quality, big-budget cable shows around. On the unheard-of WB then later the CW no less.

I've been hooked from the first episode.  I've watched Sam  Winchester (Jared Padalecki) and brother Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) grow as both actors and characters. I've seen the show move from a loose "monster of the week" type show to the multiple episodes and season ark spanning powerhouse it is today. I have to admit it was maybe a bit cheesy in the early seasons as the writers, producers, and actors found their stride. But once they did the show really becomes something truly amazing. 

We went from a new monster each week to monsters and demons. We watched the Winchester brothers battle the forces of hell. Then came angels, and we learned they aren't always all that much better than demons. Then came Lucifer. Oh boy, how that got interesting. We see Dean go to hell, and Sam gets caged with Lucifer and Michael. Two very angry arch-angels you don't want to get trapped in a box with. We even meet God's sister, The Darkness, and finally the God himself. 

We see story Arcs about their mother, their father, their grandfather. We get stories about how a "Prophet" of God writes a book series about their lives called.... Supernatural. We see them get transported to OUR world, where they are actors in a TV show called Supernatural, and all the actors, producers, and creators play themselves. A mischievous entity (no spoilers) put them on a series of game shows. And we get to see what people without souls are like. They are good about mixing it up and throwing in fun episodes here and there. 

But as good as Jared and Jensen are, it's the supporting cast that really makes this show something. We have the ever-popular Bobby (Jim Beaver) who is like a surrogate father, their angel buddy Castiel (Misha Collins ) who was just supposed to be a six-episode character in season 4 but whom the fans liked so well he's still a major character on the show to this day in season 13. Next up we have our favorite demon Crowley played by the amazing (Mark Sheppard), who becomes their best "Frenemy" and is active in the show from season 5 to today's season 13.

There is also a large cast of reoccurring characters who show up from season to season here and there. Sometimes getting their own mini-arc every few years or so. One of the unwritten rules seems to be that no one is really dead, and you never know when someone might show back up for an episode or two. It seems neither heaven nor hell can keep people from the Winchesters! One of the interesting aspects of the show this creates is how the world is constantly building and growing, but its internal history remains alive even 13 years later. It's a huge nod to the die-hard fans who have supported the show from its beginnings! There are almost constant throw-backs to earlier episodes and events, even from 5, 10, or 13 years prior! Nothing that would cause a new viewer to feel lost, but a neat aspect of the show for those who have seen it all!

The actors really get put through their paces in this show. They are often possessed by other beings and have to act like someone else. And they all can handle this demand on their talents extremely well. Personally, I think Misha really shines in this, I find him an amazing actor. In one of the recent arcs he's possessed by Lucifer, and he nails the facial expressions and mannerisms of the actor that most commonly plays Lucifer so well it's uncanny. And in the episode he plays himself, our worlds Misha, the difference between his normal character Castiel and him playing "himself" is just amazing. I have true respect for his talents. 

But they all get chances to shine, and there are moments that really stand out. For me, one of the best moments in the show is when Dean becomes extremely scared of anything and everything. He becomes a totally different type of person. In one scene I'll never forget, he's surprised and he screams and reacts like a teen girl who just had the life scared out of her. You would swear he WAS a teenage girl there for a moment. I honestly had to stop the show and just laugh for like 5 solid minutes. To see badass Dean act like that, and so well, I just couldn't stop laughing. It was pure gold! In fact, I have to include it just for fun!

I could go on about each character, but I think this has gone on long enough. If you haven't seen it I suggest giving it a try. It's one of my favorite shows on TV!!

The Librarians, a strangely good show...

This show is a little strange to me. I really enjoy it, but I can't explain exactly why. The writing is a little weak at times, the stories are a bit campy. The acting, primarily Baird, is off. But still I enjoy the show and look forward to the next episode each weak.

There is nothing new here. It's stories and themes we've all seen before. It's a mix of Supernatural, Charmed, and Friends. The character of Baird really bothers me however. Or I should say the back story they gave her does. She's supposed to be some bad ass military Colonel, only Rebecca Romijn can't pull it off. The problem isn't with her per say, and I'd like her fine if they would just have skipped the whole Colonel McBadass thing, but it grates on me how badly they cast that role. How totally unbelievable it is. Completely miscast is being nice about it. But it doesn't ruin the show.

The cast works well together, and you do get sucked in. It's funny, and does have some good stories. Even if they are nothing ground breaking or new. It's really the Librarians themselves, and how they interact and bounce off each other that makes the show what it is. And you have to love John Larroquette as Jenkins. I've loved him as an actor since Night Court. I'm not totally unsure he isn't largely why I watch (and he BETTER not be dead, all I'm saying!).

I'm not going to say it's the best TV out there, but if you like the supernatural/magic type shows, it's worth your time to check out a few episodes and see what you think. Nothing earthshatteringly new may be found here, but it's a new take on an old theme. And it's funny and mostly entertaining.

Worth watching? Yeah, I'd say so.

Altered Carbon, Netflix nails it this time!

New shows come and go. Some are good, some are bad, some are just ok. Then some.... some are amazing enough to bring a retired blogger back, and motivate him to create a new blog, just to talk about it.

Altered Carbon is one of those shows.

There is nothing I've seen that reminds me more of Bladerunner than Netflix's new creation. That of course can't be coincidence. But that's ok. They did an amazing job. The feel of this new world has that Bladerunner grit. The dark sooty future where the masses huddle in the gutters and under the shadows of humanities own weight. But this is not Bladerunner. Everyone here is a replicant, flung out among the stars. Class warfare is the core of this story, and what it is to be human. It isn't about humanity verses it's creations, it's about what humanity has done to itself. This is TV at it finest.

I'm not sure I've watched a show that touches on so many themes so well. I know I've never seen one that immersed me so quickly and thoroughly. I watched all 10 episodes at once, the day after it came out. I just couldn't stop. There is lots here we've seen before. None of the ideas, or even the visuals are new. But the way they are strung together, and the incredible way they are presented, are something we've longed for without knowing. I don't know the creators stories, but I know they were fans of both Bladerunner and Firefly. Bladerunner in the visuals of this world, and even some of the themes. Firefly in the feel and the heart of the story. I'll eat my shorts if the multiple references to firefly's in several of the episodes was accidental. We even have a faint impression of the Browncoats. They took the best of the things I love most, and made them into something new and amazing.

The writing is amazing, the casting is amazing, the visuals are amazing. This is a must see show I'm going to be telling everyone who will listen about. I don't give in depth reviews, it's not my thing. I give overall impressions and a summary. So I won't go into too many details here. But there isn't a character in this entire show that doesn't have some depth. Every person we meet is fleshed out and real. You CARE for these people, their hopes, their dreams, their feelings. Even the bad guys. This shows doesn't lose you in the tech and science of what's going on, it's just a back drop for the story. This show is about the people, their struggle, all of their struggles. This is a show about humanity. And how it's lost. It has spills, it has chills, it's sultry and it's graphic. And it's one twist after another. It's so well done I don't know how they are even going to keep it going, but I hope with everything I have that they do. This is simply the best of the best TV has to offer us.

And you know it's good when the one person whom your the saddest to see go away.... isn't even a person. I think we have Orison Scott Card to thank for that. But you'll have to watch it to see what I mean.

And I do suggest watching it.