Fringe - "Bloodline" (3.18)

As promised, "Bloodline," a "red" episode, is quite a stunning episode, dealing with a lot that I was not expecting. Who would have ever guessed that we would be seeing the baby's birth so soon? I certainly hadn't; in fact, Wy-Pi even said that they wouldn't be dealing with the pregnancy until the fourth season, which I am now assuming meant that Peter and this Olivia will not find out about the baby until the fourth season. This episode is definitely very exciting and suspenseful, and I love how it has so many parallels to earlier episodes, too. For example, this episode takes us all the way back to the second episode of the series, "The Same Old Story," an episode in which Olivia seems to have some kind of vision involving what is happening to the victims, only it's happening to her, and that is an accelerated, apparently painful pregnancy. We have to wonder (as some, myself included, wondered shortly before we even received the official confirmation in episode 3.13, "Immortality," that Bolivia was indeed pregnant) if that was some sort of glimpse into a possible future, and I say that because of what September says to Walter in "The Firefly" (3.10), which is that he is capable of observing multiple futures but can't determine which will unfold. Is this the same as seeing multiple universes?

We find out in this episode that the reason that Rachel died giving birth is that she had a disease, and in this episode, we learn that Olivia has the same disease and therefore can't give birth, either (following up on the fact that the Redverse seems to be very prone to disease). At first, I wondered if this helped support David Wu's theory regarding Ella, that Ella was actually Peter and the other Olivia's child and that the Observers somehow intervened, and that was a theory that I was sort of starting to buy into because Wy-Pi said that what we see September do in "The Firefly" (3.10) (moving Roscoe Joyce's son forward in time) planted a seed for something that we will see later down the road; however, that theory has now been disproven because the child is a boy, and I doubt that the Observers have the ability to change someone's sex. We learn in this episode that Lincoln is apparently not happy with the fact that Olivia is pregnant, which doesn't surprise me in the least bit, since I didn't think he would be. He has his sights set on her, and not only does a pregnancy decrease his chances, but even if he does have a chance, being with her would mean raising a child of whom he wouldn't be the father.

Apparently, Charlie is now dating "bug girl" (whose name is actually Mona), and based on what he says to Lincoln, he seems to have really gotten along with her; that was a really happy moment of the episode, seeing as how I really like Mona and wasn't expecting her to ever be mentioned again. Walternate is still refusing to experiment on children (even though he is more than okay with experimenting on and imprisoning adults), and the fact that the other Brandon is still pushing for the child experimentation to take place indicates that Brandon really is a bad, bad guy, and it makes me wonder about the Brandon in the Blueverse; perhaps, as red Brandon is Walternate's right-hand man, blue Brandon is Nina's right-hand man and has had a great deal of involvement in the immoral experimentation that Massive Dynamic has conducted, such as the cloning of the Tylers in "Of Human Action" (2.07). (I recently saw the actor who played Tyler, Cameron Monaghan, in an NCIS episode, by the way.) I spotted blue, red, and yellow on Walternate's wall, which was probably there before, but I didn't notice it until now.

In this episode, Walternate is definitely very driven, and we even see him in tears. As usual, John Noble is amazing, but I won't say much more than that because that has been said over and over and over again; he and Anna both need Emmys. An Observer is seen near the beginning of the episode, and he is watching Olivia enter her apartment complex. What's really interesting, though, is that it definitely doesn't look like September; he looks like he is a bit older than September, so maybe he is October or November? I don't know, but it is odd. At the end of the episode, after Walternate gets his hands on the baby's blood sample, September says into one of those strange communication devices that it's happening, and I was teased a bit beforehand. I read a review that I believe TV Guide had published saying that we would see the Observer and would even hear him speak, saying something that would be incredibly game-changing. I think that it has something to do with getting Peter back to the Redverse and has something to do with what September and December say at the end of "The Firefly" (3.10), but I guess we will see; Wy-Pi recently said that we will find out a lot more about the Observers in Season 4 (which, as you all know by now, is officially happening, so we can take a few breaths and relax), so that is really exciting.

This episode also has a parallel to this season's premiere, "Olivia." In that episode, we start to see the effects of season 2's cliffhanger, which, of course, is the revelation that Olivia (as in Blueverse Olivia) is being held captive in the Redverse, and Bolivia being held captive against her will really reminds me of what Olivia has to endure during the first part of season 3. In fact, for the second time now (the first being the end of episode 3.13, "Immortality"), we have seen Bolivia as a very vulnerable person, a lot like Olivia, and in this episode, she reminds me a lot of Blue Olivia. She tries to reason with the blonde woman, tries to convince her to let her go, and this reminds me of Olivia trying to reason with Colonel Broyles in "Entrada" (3.08). This episode also reminds me of both Alias and LOST in that both shows also deal with a pregnancy, and both of those pregnancies are handled in similar fashions. When I first saw the promo for this episode, in fact, I suspected that the abduction was related to the pregnancy and even said, "How much do you want to bet that they are somehow trying to save her baby?" I just know J.J. too well. One scene even reminds me of Stargate SG-1 (which, by the way, J.J. was not involved with at all), because in episode 5.11, "Desperate Measures," of Stargate SG-1, Samantha Carter is abducted and tries to use a scalpel to free herself from her restraints.

We see Chinatown in this episode yet again, which is probably the fourth or fifth time that we have seen Chinatown in this series. I have to wonder what's up with the creepy masks that Olivia comes across on the streets. Is she hallucinating, or is this some sort of cultural custom? Something that I love about this episode is that we see Henry again, and I am so happy that they haven't just dismissed his character. When we first see him in this episode, he is reading a comic strip on his computer titled Opus, and when I saw that, I knew that there must have been something significant about that, and sure enough, there is, which is that Opus was discontinued here and is no longer published, so it was intended as another differentiation between the universes. It is kind of tragic how Henry still thinks that the Olivia that he has been watching over (which I do not see as creepy; he was concerned) is the same one that he had previously met. Red Olivia says before giving birth, "It's nice to meet you, Henry," and you can see that Henry doesn't understand, which is sad. Lincoln and Charlie confront him, but I'm not sure whether or not they told Walternate, and I hope not because if so, Henry may end up dead, and that would be truly, truly tragic. I sincerely hope that that is not what happens.

I absolutely love the scene near the end of the episode in which Lincoln and Charlie have an epiphany, realizing that Broyles went missing right around the same time that the Olivias switched to their rightful places, consequently wondering what else they have been lied to about. They are getting very close to the truth, if they are not there already. I wonder if this will affect their friendship with Olivia; my guess is that it will, but I am also wondering if they will say anything to her. My thought is that they will not, that they will pretend like they don't know for a while until it somehow comes to fruition. I knew early in the season, when Lincoln and Charlie have that conversation in which Charlie suggests that Olivia was telling the truth about not being who they thought she was, that they would definitely receive official confirmation that she was indeed telling the truth, and now that they have, I wonder if they will become more sympathetic toward the Blueverse. What about Sam Weiss? He obviously knew about Bolivia's pregnancy because he told Nina that she shouldn't be so sure that Peter would choose Blue Olivia. I do know that Sam will have a major role in the season's last two to three episodes; I can't wait, and I'm sure that the finale will have a lot to do with why Walternate wanted the baby's blood sample."Bloodline" is a fantastic episode, and I give it 9 Agonized Alters.

Fringe - "Stowaway" (3.17)

This episode, while definitely not my favorite episode of the season so far, is a decent episode, and I ultimately give it 8.5 Plastic Explosives. The case, while more or less "stand-alone," is very compelling and emotionally riveting, and I would even go as far as to say that it is oddly beautiful. If there is any area at which Fringe excels (and, believe me, there is), it is storytelling, and this episode is certainly no exception. Anna Torv, as always, is amazing, and it surprised me when I discovered that her performance has actually been controversial, as some people didn't like her performance and have even been rather harsh about it, saying that there is not a single spark of Bell's character existing, something with which I totally and completely disagree. I think that she does a fantastic job of capturing Nimoy's mannerisms, and she is utterly hilarious, as well. Her mannerisms and her facial expressions are simply priceless, and while it may be true that, for the most part, Bell's character has never really been very fun-loving, cheerful, and mischievous like it is now, it would stand to reason that Bell is thrilled that his "soul magnet" idea was valid and that his life has therefore been extended.

The opening scene of the episode explains when Olivia had the "soul magnets" implanted, and I was right about that; it happened when she visited Bell on the Other Side at the end of the first season, and, in fact, that is part of the reason why he brought her "over there" in the first place. The opening scene also explains where Olivia is right now, a question that I had previously posited, seeing as how she is obviously not present in her body right now. Bell says that her consciousness simply lies dormant, and that causes me to wonder where Bell's consciousness has been during these past few months that he has been "dead." In "6B" (3.14), Walter says that Bell posited the idea of "soul magnets" and said that if he were right, he would contact Walter "from the Great Beyond," so what is meant by "the Great Beyond," I wonder? When I first saw that scene, I didn't think much of it, but I think that we should (if we aren't all already) pay very close attention to everything from now on, which Redverse Olivia does tell "us" in "Over There, Part 1" (2.21) when she says, "If you could tell me what you saw; I mean, even small things could be important." I definitely think that we should be listening to her.

Now that Bell (who has, by some, been cleverly referred to as Bellivia) is back (well, for now), he really is so funny. He is mischievous and is incredibly gleeful, like a child. He says that he had never previously imagined how binding a bra would be, and the first time that I saw this episode, I didn't catch that; when I did catch that, I died laughing. He also really seems to like Astrid, if you know what I mean. He tells her that she has really beautiful hands, just in case no one had ever told her that before, and he puts the binding of magnets that he uses as a demonstration for Lincoln on Astrid's wrist as a bracelet, saying that it really suits her, and I love how Astrid then proceeds to button up her shirt. He then smirks mischievously, and this scene is an example of Anna's genius acting talent. I can only imagine how much fun this episode must have been to film, seeing as how they all probably lost control and laughed quite frequently. Bell promises Broyles that he will only be inside of Olivia's body temporarily and says, "You have my word, young man," and I found this interesting, because we know that Bell had had a relationship with Nina, and based on the incredibly strange kiss in "A New Day in the Old Town" (2.01), we can assume that Nina had had some sort of relationship with Broyles, as well, yet Bell refers to him as "young man." Just how old is Broyles?

It is outrageously funny when Bell has the idea of implanting his consciousness inside of Gene. The expression on his face, especially with the glasses, is utterly priceless, and you can see the sinister mischief that is blooming in his mind. I would imagine that Anna and John, particularly, had a lot of fun filming this episode, seeing as how they spent a lot more time together than they usually do. Astrid says on the phone that she can't really figure out what conclusion at which they are arriving because "they're doing that thing again where they don't finish sentences." I would imagine that this was their typical behavior "back in the day" when they were lab partners, which we got a much closer glimpse at in this episode, which makes it a pretty meaningful episode in that sense. We certainly get to know Bell a lot better than we ever have before. He is apparently adventurous, and (as we had already known) likes to experiment. This is why, for a short while near the end of the episode, I thought that he was going to suggest having sex with Peter, figuring that Peter would agree since he is in Olivia's body; I just totally got that vibe when he said that Walter said that it would be a good idea if he stayed there for the night and then offered a cup of tea. I wouldn't put that past Bell; I really wouldn't.

I really like what Bell says at the end of the episode because it opens two different doors of possibilities; either the magnetic charge of the bomb finally made it possible for Dana Grey to die, or she couldn't die prior to the explosion (which was pretty powerful; how was she not blown to smithereens?) because she had a purpose to fulfill, and that purpose was to stop all of those people from dying on the train. Science vs. faith definitely comes into play here (which it also does in regards to Dana connecting the story of Azrael to her own situation), and I think that we also have to wonder whether or not the Observers are involved if Bell's latter thought is true. I do like how Bell's positing of these two ideas is consistent with the season 1 tagline, which is "Imagine the Impossibilities," which is certainly not the first time that that tagline has come into play on the series. Olivia returns, but it's only for a few seconds, and then, Bell says, "I think that I may have been wrong; this may be a little more complicated than I first thought." At first, I said, "Oh, no!" However, I think that all that that probably means is that there is a variable for which Bell didn't account, and now, he needs to make some new considerations. I don't think that Olivia is in any danger, just for the record, but we probably won't be finding out until Fringe returns from its lowatus on April 15th, since "Bloodline" (3.18) is an "over there" episode.

After season 2 had concluded, I feared that Bell would be another Jones, not mentioned even once during the course of the third season, but obviously, I was wrong, which I am really happy about. Leonard Nimoy has even said that he will be returning to the show, and even though I don't yet see how that is possible, this is Fringe, so I have to "imagine the impossibilities," right? What I don't understand about this episode is why Nina is not in it. After all, she and Bell were business partners and lovers, were they not? However, Bell has returned, yet she has no involvement whatsoever and doesn't even "meet" him, so what's up with that? It would be something if Broyles made the decision not to involve her for that very reason, but you would think that there would be a scene in which he explicitly says that, because it is kind of a major point to overlook. I love the look on Broyles' face when Bell introduces himself to Lincoln; it is yet another priceless look, and it is one of agitation and annoyance. 

Something that I do absolutely love about this episode is the fact that the Lincoln on this side is finally introduced to us, something for which I have been waiting a long time, since I love Lincoln. This Lincoln is definitely different, and I honestly can't decide which Lincoln I like better, as they each have their charms. I love when he arrives at the lab and sees Gene, obviously wondering why there is a cow in the lab. He later says to Peter that his work with Fringe Division was "a lot more exciting than Hartford," and this makes me wonder whether or not he will be back on the series. I really hope so, and I wish that Seth Gabel would just be regarded as a series regular already. I love the Peter and Lincoln bromance in this episode and really wish that it would develop into something further, even though I know that that obviously is never going to happen. Lincoln, interestingly enough, refers to the Sesame Street song "One of These Things (Is Not Like the Others)," and that's not the first time that that song has been mentioned; the first time is in "Jacksonville" (2.14), when Olivia discovers her ability to identify objects that belong on the Other Side. Overall, despite the annoying convenience of the bearded man who had been sitting next to Dana on the train showing up just in time to say that he recognized her from the photo, this is a really satisfying, emotionally compelling (both really funny and really tragic) episode.

Fringe - "Os" (3.16)

There is nothing extravagantly special about this episode until the very ending, when I experienced a shock of a lifetime, as I was not expecting to see Olivia's body being used as a vessel for Bell's consciousness. What a cliffhanger, and I can't wait to see how this plays out. I am just really disappointed that this happened to her now because I found out weeks ago that we would finally meet this Lincoln Lee in "Stowaway" (3.17), and not only was I excited of that discovery in and of itself because I love Lincoln Lee, I was excited to find out how Olivia would react since she met the Lincoln "over there," but now, that isn't going to happen exactly because she is William Bell. I am wondering how that is going to play out and am really excited about that for that reason, but I am also wondering where Olivia is right now; is a part of her still in there, and if not, then where is she? Where is her consciousness? For a minute, I thought that it had actually worked on Nina, since her mannerisms seem to change, but no, it did not work on Nina, and it having caused Olivia's consciousness to be dominated by that of Bell definitely serves as a much more satisfying cliffhanger than that would have, and this cliffhanger was one of the biggest surprises of the series so far.

The week before and the week during this episode's airing, I posted on both my Facebook and my Twitter account that LOST fans should tune in to "Os," since Jorge Garcia (who played the part of Hurley) would be guest-starring, and if I did hook any LOST fans who were not Fringe fans, then hopefully, I didn't disappoint you, since he was not in as much of the episode as I was expecting (and I'm sure it wasn't a coincidence that he is in 3.16). The purpose was purely aLOST nod, basically serving no other purpose since he is only in the very first scene, a relatively useless, unimportant scene, but it was a lot of fun seeing him. It definitely gets the LOST fan in me feeling a bit nostalgic, even though Fringe is my love and is considerably better than LOST. I wonder if Walter is still trying to regenerate his brain cells, of if he has given that up due to Bell's "soul magnets" theory giving him a new idea. I ask that for a few reasons. Firstly, he hasn't mentioned the regeneration in a while. Secondly, the "soul magnets" idea seems to be a reasonable substitution. Lastly, while he was quite angry and irritable in "6B" (3.14), he now seems really happy, which I'm sure has a lot to do with Peter and Olivia being together, but that can't be the entire reason, because in "6B," even Astrid irritated him easily, which is not usual by any means.

One observation that I made is that Walter tells Nina what situations would likely be like "if William were here," which is likely supposed to be a parallel to "Peter" (2.15), except now, their roles are reversed. He then breaks the news to Nina that Olivia and Peter are dating, and Nina seems pleasantly surprised and then later tells Peter that he made the right choice, which we know, of course, has a lot to do with what she talks with Sam about at the end of "Concentrate and Ask Again" (3.12). I wonder, however, if they are allowed to be dating via FBI rules and regulations; after all, Walter had apparently been covering the relationship between Peter and Bolivia up (who Peter obviously thought was his Olivia), and when Broyles finds out, he seems very "put off," if you will, which could have just been that he was upset that he wasn't told. In this episode, Olivia has a lot of the same mannerisms as the other Olivia, which is because she is, "for once in her life," happy, and the other Olivia usually seems to be very happy (with the exception of the scene during which Frank breaks up with her, that is, a scene during which we see a glimpse of our Olivia).

Olivia and Peter are so adorable in this episode, behaving like teenage lovebirds, and it's so funny when they walk out of the lab holding hands, and Olivia says, "Don't look now," when she sees Nina approaching. At the same time, though, it was all kind of heartbreaking to watch because I knew that Peter was keeping something from her and was lying to her in the process, and that really made me fear for Olivia's happiness because she always ends up having her heart broken somehow. She was happy with John Scott, and that didn't work out (episode 1.01, "Pilot"). She finally told Peter how she feels, and then she was imprisoned and was therefore not able to go back to her world with him (episode 2.22, "Over There, Part 2"). Then, she finally comes home after months of hell, for lack of a better word, only to find out that Peter had had a relationship with her doppelgänger; needless to say, she really can't afford to endure any more heartbreak. The scene during which Olivia says, "It's about trust, so it's a great game if two people are playing," was difficult to watch because it's easy to see that Olivia is very happy while we, as the viewers, know that Peter is lying to her, and also, the scene is nearly identical to a scene in "Olivia. In the Lab. With the Revolver" (2.16), except in that scene, their roles were reversed; Olivia was keeping something from Peter.

I do, however, have respect for Peter for finally telling Olivia the truth. Again, it is disappointing that Bell's consciousness dominates Olivia's consciousness when it does, not only because she would have otherwise met the Lincoln on this side but also because Peter finally tells Olivia the truth, and now, we aren't going to see her reaction right away. Will she even remember when she comes to (which I read, by the way, won't happen until a couple of episodes down the road)? My thought is that Bell did this when he pulled her over to the Other Side in "There's More than One of Everything" (1.20) and then sent her back, as we see in "Momentum Deferred" (2.04); I think, in fact, that he planned that so that he could store his "soul magnet" inside of her. Like I have said before, I really don't think that Bell is the "nice guy" that we were led to believe he is in "Over There, Part 2" (2.22). After all, he has had a lot to do with the inhumane experiments that have been taking place at Massive Dynamic, as we see in "Of Human Action" (2.07), and he even refers to Olivia in "Over There, Part 2" (2.22) as if she is still a scientific specimen. Now that he is back (based on what we see in the very last scene of this episode and based on the promo of "Stowaway"), it looks like he is still wanting to "play games," if you will.

The case in this episode is kind of interesting, and it was really neat to find out that the two components being combined which produced an ability to float has to do with the physicality of the blueverse beginning to fall apart like that of the redverse. The episode kind of reminds me of "Safe" (1.10), since in that episode, the "bad guys" conduct robberies in an unconventional manner, and Peter even tells a museum employee in this episode that the "bad guys" didn't come in through the front door, as he tells the bank employee in "Safe" that they were able to get around the bank's security blockades. This is yet another "bad guy," however, who seems to have good intentions, which is why I put "bad guy" in quotes. I love the Icarus reference that Walter makes, and it's an allusion that I probably never would have made myself had Walter not made it, and the soda explosion is incredibly hilarious, mainly because of Astrid's reaction, which is actually why Walter is so funny a lot of the time. Despite the incredibly annoying Ford commercial in Olivia's vehicle, this is a decent episode, and I give it 7 Volcanic Colas.

"Nothing Can Impede Serenity" [an NCIS / Fringe Crossover Fanfic]

Sadness hung over the Washington NCIS Headquarters like dark clouds, and Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs' team felt its effects, even Anthony DiNozzo, the class clown. Better known as Tony, he had lost many men in his line of work, but Caitlin Todd, who he had known as Kate, had been a woman, one that had been a very good agent. Even Tony could admit that.

Timothy McGee was much in the same spirits, which wasn't very spirited at all. All he could manage to think about was how the team, the family, would never be the same again, and it didn't seem the least bit odd to him that Tony wasn't cracking any kind of clever jokes about McGee's choice of leisurely activities, which were primarily writing fiction and playing computer games, nor did it seem odd that Tony wasn't making any references to old movies.

The two of them did nothing but sit at their desks as the rain fell outside, sounding like small pellets of glass hitting the window. Even Abby Scituo, the forensic specialist, didn't have a lot to say, and she was usually as chipper as a bird on a rainy morning, and it was a very rainy morning. She may have been wearing a bit more eyeliner than usual, and her hair was tied in pigtails on the sides of her head, her black short-sleeve shirt depicting a very large white skull with crossbones on the front. Abby was sitting at Gibbs' desk, and about ten minutes passed between their arrival and Gibbs' entrance into the room.

“Gibbs,” Abby said, looking up from his desk as he neared. She had perked up a bit.

“Abby,” he said. He wasn't really a man of many words, and if the black blazer that he frequently wore didn't ward people off, then his steely blue eyes usually did. However, he had a soft spot for Abby, who was very much like a daughter to him, him a father to her.

She stood up from the desk and looked at him intently.

“Abbs?” Gibbs said icily. “What is it?”

“I know that I'm going to sound crazy,” Abby proposed, “but there may be a way to bring Kate back.”

Unsure of what to say, Gibbs simply waited for her to continue, and she cleared her throat before continuing.

“For years now, there have been scientific indications that parallel universes are out there. You know, like, other worlds that have other versions of people, people like you, me, McGee, Tony, and, well, you know, Kate.”

Understanding was now recognizable on Gibbs' face, and his frown line became much more pronounced than it already was.

“Abbs,” he said calmly, “you're right. It is crazy. Kate's gone, and that's something that we have to accept. Our job now is to find Ari.”

“But Gibbs,” Abby began, but she was cut off by McGee.

“Abby,” he said, standing up from his desk and approaching the two of them at Gibbs' desk, “even if accomplishing something like that were possible, and I'm not saying that it is, it wouldn't be our right. That Kate would belong there. Besides, it would fundamentally rupture the nature of the universe as we know it.”

“I know,” she said, although she sounded desperate, “but I don't necessarily want to steal her. I just want to tell her everything that I never got the chance to, and we wouldn't do it alone. In fact, we couldn't, but I found someone who could, someone who has.”

Both Gibbs and McGee looked beyond puzzled while Tony stayed at his desk, observing with interest but remaining silent.

Abby lifted a manila envelope from Gibbs' desk and took out a printed sheet of paper, a profile. She handed it to Gibbs, and McGee took a peek at it from Gibbs' side.

“His name is Dr. Walter Bishop,” Abby explained as the two men looked the profile over. “He can help us.”

“Abbs,” Gibbs said patiently, “this guy was incarcerated in an institution for seventeen years.”

“Yeah,” Abby said, nodding, “I know, but he works for the FBI, specifically Fringe Division, with his son and a female agent named Olivia Dunham, and apparently, he has been really helpful.”

“What you're suggesting is beyond insanity,” McGee argued, looking at Abby with both care and confusion. “Abby, I miss Kate, too. We all miss her, but this is crazy.”

“McGee,” Gibbs halted.

“But boss,” McGee started, but Gibbs cut him off with a glare that said more than enough.

“I'll make a call and set up a meeting,” Gibbs said to Abby, handing Bishop's profile back to her. “In the meantime, take it easy, Abbs.”

Smiling, Abby put the profile back in the folder.

“Thanks, Gibbs.”

He nodded, and she left the room, heading to the elevator.

“Boss,” McGee reasoned when Abby was gone, “you can't possibly believe this is possible.”

“No,” Gibbs replied, “no, I don't, McGee, but if going to see these people is going to make Abby at peace, then I'm not going to deny her that. We need her.”

McGee nodded and returned to his desk.

Gibbs went to the NCIS conference room and picked up the phone, dialing the number of one of his best friends, FBI Agent Tobias Fornell.

“Tobias,” he said after Fornell picked up, “I have a favor to ask.”

“Why does that not sound like a very promising proposition?” Fornell asked.

“It can be whatever you want it to be, Tobias.”

“What is it?”

“I need you to tell me what you know about a branch of the FBI,” Gibbs explained. “It's called Fringe Division.”

“Honestly, Gibbs,” Fornell argued, “what would you expect me to know?”

“Well,” Gibbs reasoned, “whatever you don't know, I'm sure you can find out.”

Fornell sighed and then finally said, “I'll see what I can do.”

“Thanks, Tobias.”

The line went dead, but about a half-hour later, as Gibbs was at his desk, Fornell called back.

“Fringe Division's small,” Fornell explained, sharing what he had learned, “very small. It's basically run in a lab in the basement of a Harvard building by an FBI agent Phillip Broyles, used to be a colonel. His team consists of Agent Olivia Dunham and two consultants, Peter Bishop and his father Dr. Walter Bishop. They're assisted by Agent Astrid Farnsworth.”

“What is their purpose?” Gibbs asked.

“To investigate the scientifically unexplainable,” Fornell replied, and Gibbs could hear typing on a keyboard. “Dr. Bishop has a history involving the use of Fringe Science. He was placed in a mental institution for manslaughter. His lab assistant, Dr. Carla Warren, was killed in a lab fire.”

“So, this is a legitimate FBI operation?” Gibbs asked.

“From what I can tell, yes,” Fornell said impatiently. “Gibbs, why are you looking into this?”

“If I need anything else,” Gibbs dismissed him, “I'll let you know. Thanks, Tobias.”

He hung up the phone, and finally, Tony spoke up from across the room, still sitting at his desk.

“Boss,” he said quietly, “what's going on?”

Gibbs sat up from his desk.

“We're going to Boston,” he said, as if it had already been made clear. “That's what's going on.”

The next day

“Harvard?” McGee asked incredulously. The three of them were around Harvard Yard, heading toward the building directly in front of them.

“Yep,” Gibbs replied, “in the basement.”

“A lot of hot stuff around here, Probie,” Tony teased McGee. “You sure you can handle it?”

McGee glared at him. “Tony, not now.”

“What?” Tony responded defensively. “Boss, you said this guy, Dr. Walter Bishop, was locked up for seventeen years in the loony bin.”

“Show some respect,” McGee countered.

“Enough,” Gibbs said, concluding the argument.

McGee and Tony ceased their bickering, and the three of them, now inside the building, headed down the stairs until they found a young woman sitting with a young man on a bench outside of a room. The woman was very beautiful, wearing a woman's black business suit, her long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. The man was also very attractive, with short brown hair and a small amount of facial hair, wearing blue jeans and a black leather jacket over a striped blue and white button-up shirt. The two of them had obviously been talking, but they immediately stood up when they saw the three of them approaching.

“Hi,” the woman said, smiling pleasantly and extending a hand, “I'm Special Agent Olivia Dunham. Agent Broyles told us that you'd be stopping by.”

Gibbs shook her hand. “Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and this is my team, Timothy McGee and Anthony DiNozzo.”

“So, have you, uh, Dunham yet?”Tony asked Olivia, his head gesturing toward Peter.

Olivia began to say something, but McGee cut in, which wasn't entirely necessary, because the cold, angry expression that Gibbs had on his face was certainly far from unbeknownst to Tony, and although Tony was a little more focused on Gibbs at the moment, the man standing with Olivia didn't look too happy, either, looking at Tony like a vile creature.

“Don't mind him,” McGee said.

“I'll try not to,” the man said coldly.

“You must be Dr. Bishop's son,” McGee said, trying to change the subject, as well as the mood, for that matter, “Peter Bishop.”

“That would be me,” Peter said as he walked toward the door and opened it, stepping in. “Come on in. Welcome to the creep show.”

“Oh, oh!” Walter yipped. “Our guests are here! Here, here, I made muffins!”

Walter had a tray of blueberry muffins and offered the muffins to the NCIS team, Tony taking one as he received another cold glare from Gibbs.

“Sorry, boss,” he said, his mouth full.

“I spent all morning make sure that the recipe was right,” Walter said excitedly, an older man with short curly gray hair, with cream-colored pants and a red button up-shirt on under a cream-colored overcoat.

“So,” Peter interjected, “how can we be of service to you gentlemen?”

“Well, honestly, we're not sure that you can be of any,” Gibbs replied, “but we have a member of our team back home, Abby Sciuto, who seems to think that you can be of some.”

“How so?” Olivia asked curiously.

“Well,” McGee said straightforwardly, “this is probably going to sound insane, but she seems convinced that you know something about a parallel universe.”

“We don't mean to waste your time,” Gibbs added, “but Abby's invaluable to us, and we just lost a team member, Kate Todd. Abby is probably taking it the hardest out of all of us, and we need her to be focused, especially now. We simply figured that we could calm her down a bit by seeing you.”

“Gentlemen,” Walter replied, setting the tray of muffins down on a nearby table, “what she says is true.”

“Excuse me?” McGee asked, taken aback.

“However,” Walter quickly added, “we cannot do what your friend is asking.”

“Well,” Gibbs said, “she seems to think that we can, and-”

“It is possible, yes,” Walter said with a dark tone, “but to do what you are asking would cause even more damage, and taking your lost friend could cause some serious problems. You don't even know that your friend would be there. She could have died there, too.”

“Even more?” Tony inquired.

“Excuse me?” Walter asked.

“You said even more damage,” Tony explained. “What did you mean by that?”

“Gentlemen,” Walter said swiftly, changing the subject, “We cannot help you.”

“Listen,” Gibbs pleaded, “if what you're saying truly is possible, she simply wants the chance to see her one last time. That's all we're asking.”

Walter remained silent for quite some time until Peter stepped forward.

“Walter?” Peter asked him. “What are you thinking?”

“The window,” Walter said simply.

“What?”

“The window,” Olivia said, nodding, her arms crossed, “the one that he showed me when he told me about you.”

The NCIS team exchanged glances, aware that they were being kept out of the loop in regards to whatever Fringe Division was talking about at the moment.

“That would be correct,” Walter said, glaring seriously at the NCIS team. “Gentlemen, we may be able to help you after all. I'll tell you how to operate the window, and I will give it to you so that you can bring it back to your friend, but you must return it, and you must not allow anyone else to see it.”

Gibbs nodded. “Okay.”

Walter nodded, as well, and with that, he walked off, Peter first looking at the NCIS team and then following Walter.

That night

The NCIS team waited until everyone had left the office, and once they had, Gibbs entered, having brought the window up the stairs from the team's van. Only the city lights from outside and a few desk-lamps illuminated the office.

“Gibbs,” Abby questioned, standing to McGee's right,“what exactly is this?”

“You'll see, Abbs.”

“Tony,” McGee said, turning to face Tony to his left, “I just wanted to say that you were pretty well-behaved today; I'm proud of you.”

“Thanks, McGoo,” Tony replied, “I figured that I'd give you a chance with that smoking hot blonde, even though you didn't even have a fighting one.”

McGee shook his head, annoyed, but he couldn't help but smile.

Gibbs stood the window up in front of Tony's desk so that Kate's desk was seen through the window, and then, he turned the switch on and backed up, standing right next to Abby, who, looking through the window, gasped.

“Wow!” McGee exclaimed. “Boss, this could change the world. Do you realize what this is?”

“Yes,” Gibbs said, nodding, “I do, but you heard what Dr. Bishop said. We are bringing this back to him tomorrow.”

McGee continued to shake his head in disbelief.

On the other side of the mirror stood Kate, standing next to her desk putting a black jacket on. She was dressed in black leggings with a red skirt and a black and red top, her hair pulled up in a ponytail behind her head. She was smiling broadly at the team, and Abby cried, “Kate! It's me!”

“She can't hear you, Abbs,” Gibbs told her, placing her hands on her shoulders. “It's just a window. I know that this isn't exactly what you wanted, but it's the best we could do.”

It then became clear to them that she was not smiling at them but instead at who had been across from her on the Other Side, as he could now be seen in the frame, having approached from his desk.

“I can't believe it,” McGee said, and Tony was speechless.

Kate and Tony, who was dressed in a black suit and red tie, were hugging. Kate's smile was utterly forgettable, beautiful, and as the two of them kissed and then walked away, Abby was thinking that it was no different than it had been there.

Fringe - "Subject 13" (3.15)

"Subject 13" is definitely one of the best episodes of the series so far, and I know that I don't speak prematurely when I say that. We get so much backstory, more than we get in "Peter" (2.15) even, and we finally get something for which I have been waiting quite some time, and that would be an episode exploring Olivia's childhood. After having seen "Peter," I expected us to see another 80s episode called "Olivia," and although that's not exactly what happened, I'm satisfied all the same. What is ultimately key in this episode is that Olivia and Peter met when they were children, but it really surprises me that so many people didn't see that coming. Fringe fans, for quite some time now, have been speculating that the two of them met when they were children because it would be inconceivable that they wouldn't have met, and, in fact, although we don't yet have this information, I think that the Peter who died was given Cortexiphan when he was very young. If Olivia and other children were given Cortexiphan when they were very young, why wouldn't have Walter tried Peter? Maybe he did, and it didn't work? I don't know; it's obviously all speculation, but I love throwing ideas out there; that is, after all, what this website is all about.

When I first saw the sneak peek that showed us Peter walking out on the lake trying to break the ice, I was shocked and horrified; I couldn't believe that he had tried to kill himself, but obviously, we now know that that is not quite what he was trying to do. He thought that that would bring him home, which it obviously would not have done. Now, something that I had not considered (silly me) before listening to The Fringe Podcast's episode regarding "Subject 13" is that this episode takes place six months after "Peter," and we know that for two reasons. Firstly, the episode was originally titled "Six Months Later," a title that I actually prefer (just because the "Subject 13" title implies that the episode is about Olivia, when really, it is about Peter, too), and secondly, Elizabeth explicitly says that it has been six months. Here is the problem, however; the lake is still frozen over, and that is incredibly unlikely. Also (something that I noticed myself), the video footage that Walter documents for Bell is dated April 1, 1985, which would mean that "Peter" takes place in 1984, not 1985, which we know it doesn't. Firstly, we know from "There's More than One of Everything" (1.20) that Peter died in 1985, and secondly, the "Peter" episode tells us that it is 1985.

Let's also not forget the fact that the actor and actress who played young Peter and Olivia are much too old. Peter was born in 1978, and Olivia was born in 1979, which means that they should have been approximately six and seven, when they were clearly pre-teens. I absolutely love this episode, but I almost had to knock it down a bit from my rating of 10 Tormented Tweens (which I ultimately did not) because of all of the annoying continuity errors. As for Peter and Olivia not remembering having met when they were children, however, that is not a continuity error, and it surprises me that people are perceiving it as such. We have had so many clues that Peter's memory has been altered somehow. In "Dream Logic" (2.05), Peter says that when he was about nine years old (if I am getting the age right), Walter conditioned him to stop having nightmares, and he even says in "The Man from the Other Side" (2.18) that being from the Other Side must be why he can't remember his childhood. We also already knew that Olivia doesn't remember much, because in "Jacksonville" (2.14), she says that she usually has a freakishly good memory but that she doesn't remember anything that happened at the Daycare Center. Obviously, their memories were altered.

Additionally, Olivia having set the room on fire is not the same incident that we see happen at the end of season 1 and in season 2 on the VHS. In that recording, Olivia was much younger, and she was not in the same room. Additionally, Bell was there; this has obviously happened on different occasions, which I think could account for part of the reason why Walter orchestrated what happened in a locked room (leading to the "Please let me out!" parallel to "Over There, Part 2," of course); he knew he was running the risk of that happening again, and he didn't want anyone to get hurt, but don't get me wrong; I am not defending Walter's actions, because this episode emotionally stirred me beyond words; it disturbed me. Obviously, I knew that what Walter put these children through was terrible (especially her, apparently), but I never knew that it was this bad. I mean, he forced her to run on a treadmill, he locked her in a room and turned the lights off, and then turned the lights back on to show her the "corpse" of Nick Lane. When I first saw this scene, I shrieked, turned away, and cried, because it was that difficult for me to watch, and it's still difficult. Olivia had a difficult life as it was, having to deal with her stepfather beating her, and now, Walter was emotionally tormenting her.

What I'm curious to know, though, is if the trials were simply still continuing or if Walter reopened them to try to get Peter home. It looks like only Olivia's consciousness crosses over, because when she briefly crosses over and sees the zeppelin, her stepfather does not seem to have perceived her having disappeared when she comes back; that is so strange. I don't know how many people caught it, mainly because I have no way of knowing how many Fringe fans are Alias fans, (If you have never seen Alias, I strongly suggest that you do see it because it's incredible. Both J.J. Abrams and Jeff Pinkner were heavily involved in it.) but we do get a little Alias nod in this episode, which is the tower that Walter demands that Olivia put together even though she can't figure out how to put it together. It's funny, because I have always said that the Cortexiphan trials remind me of Project: Christmas. There is also a great deal of red and blue in this episode; there are the red and blue bins in which the children keep belongings, there is the painting in the office, and there is the monster that Olivia drew, which is red and blue. Additionally, there is a frog on the desk in the office, which I think may have been a way to confirm the theory that the frog glyph represents Olivia, so there are definitely plenty of Easter Eggs to go around in this episode.

Yet another is the significance of the White Tulip, which was, of course, introduced in the "White Tulip" episode (2.17). In this episode, it represents something a bit different, but, of course, the implication is still there, since this episode is all about the actions that Walter takes that will lead to his seeking forgiveness later in life. In this episode, Elizabeth (May I just say that Orla Brady is a brilliant actress and that she is amazingly beautiful?) tells Peter to imagine the world the way that he wants it to be, and this is definitely a parallel to the season 1 tagline, "Imagine the Impossibilities." Also, are we to believe that Peanut M&Ms did not exist on the Other Side in 1985? Peter apparently had never had them, and what kid has never had Peanut M&Ms? This is at least the second time that we have seen M&Ms on the series, as the other instance of which I am thinking is in "Inner Child" (1.15), when Olivia tells the Child that she didn't like yellow M&Ms when she was a child because they reminded her of medicine. Is that supposed to mean anything? I just love how Peter, as always, is there for her and helps her emotionally, just like he does now. In season 1, when Peter tells Olivia that he is there for her and she says that she knows, does she, perhaps, subconsciously remember how he was there for her as children?

This episode plants a lot of seeds, which is another reason why I love it. It, of course, plants the seed for the Polivia relationship, but it also plants the seed that grows up to be Walter's position as Secretary of Defense as well as his anger. In 1985, he was Architect of the Star Wars Defense System, and this is obviously how he later became Secretary of Defense. I think it's also now safe to acknowledge why Walternate chose to use Shapeshifters as soldiers, since Walter went "over there" and pretended to be him. Elizabeth, angry and frustrated, suggests that maybe the man who stole Peter was an alien and/or someone who had the ability to "take on any shape he wanted," which is obviously what planted the seed in his mind. Bishop Dynamic, interestingly enough, was (is?) located exactly where the Daycare Center is located on this side, and I wonder if it is still open. My thought is no, just because Walter, says to the other Brandon in "The Plateau" (3.03) that he is still a scientist but that he has a much larger laboratory, so he most likely does not need Bishop Dynamic anymore. Additionally, Peter says to Walter in this episode, "I am not your son!" which, as we know, he will say again approximately twenty-five years in the future.

So, Walter now knows that what he did has caused damage, it would appear, since he says as much to Elizabeth. Did Carla finally convince him, or did he realize as much on his own? Did he know before even going "over there" that he would cause damage but didn't care because he was too fixated on saving another version of Peter? Something else that the Fringe Podcast pointed out that I didn't catch (believe it or not) is that near the end of the episode, no one seems to find it odd that it is snowing in Jacksonville, Florida, but I digress. I had a pretty good feeling before having seen this episode but after having seen the promo that Olivia crossed over as a child and met Walternate, because that's why he refers to her as "the girl." I think that that is why Olivia is a member of Fringe Division; I think that after having met this Olivia, he sought out the Olivia "over there" and watched her and then took her under his wing when she was ready. This scene is a bit haunting, just because I came to the realization that Olivia unknowingly helped start the war, that this is what set everything in motion, and it really makes your head spin when you think about that, and if you haven't thought about that, I strongly urge you to watch the episode again.

In a way, it helps me better understand Walternate, because he probably would have assumed that that little girl knew that Peter was taken and that as a woman, she has always been aware of it, too, and that that is why Peter is on her team. Now I understand that when he tells Fringe Division on the Other Side that they are "monsters in our skins" and "cannot be trusted," he probably wasn't lying; he probably believed that. Additionally, since this Walter was aware of his side and since this little girl was reporting to him regarding what she saw "over there," Walternate probably thought that they were planning some kind of war. However, it is still difficult for me to feel much for him because none of that justifies locking Olivia in total darkness without even a willingness to listen to her side of the story, and it definitely doesn't justify efforts to take out billions of people, nor efforts to use your son (the very son that was stolen from you in the first place, mind you) as a weapon, killing him in the process (as I'm sure we can assume would happen). Yes, the area is definitely grey (or, at least, a lot more grey than it was), but what I'm looking at, primarily, (since Walter himself made some terrible, terrible decisions, as we see in this very episode) is what kinds of men they eventually turned into, because life is all about choosing the right path.

I love how at the end of the episode, this Walter threatens Olivia's stepfather (I guess this is what was meant when we were told that we would be seeing him this season, and if so, then Fringe Bloggers, you were a little misleading.), because she was ultimately his only hope, and it led to Peter having to stay here. This, of course, turned into a disaster, a war, but it showed strength on a level because he realized that he could not use Olivia for his own means any longer. Was Olivia's experimentation stopped at this point? Yet another seed that this episode plants is Elizabeth beginning to drink, which I'm thinking is probably the beginning of the end for her. This really is a tragic episode because you know going into it that it's not going to have a happy ending, but as I said, I absolutely love it, and I disagree with Clint of The Fringe Podcast. I think that the child actors (Karley Scott Collins as Olivia and Chandler Canterbury as Peter) did a fantastic job, especially Karley as Olivia, who I felt really captured Olivia's mannerisms. I just wish that they had been younger, and I wish that Quinn Lord had played Peter again. John Noble is once again excellent, and I was really happy to see the retro intro again (although I was expecting it to have red in it). Overall, this is a fantastic, memorable episode, for sure.

Fringe - "6B" (3.14)

"6B" is a pretty decent episode, and I give it 7.5 Disappointments Due to "Guest Starring Seth Gabel" Not Meaning THIS Lincoln. At the very beginning of the episode, I saw "Guest Starring Seth Gabel" and got so excited because just a few weeks ago, Wy-Pi said that we would see the Lincoln Lee on this side very soon, so when I saw that, I thought for sure that we were going to meet him, but nope, the episode shifts "over there" at the end of the episode, which is so disappointing. Early in the episode, I developed a new theory, one that I am surprised I have never developed before. For a very long time now, Walter has shipped Polivia, and if we are to believe what Sam tells Nina at the end of "Concentrate and Ask Again" (3.12), maybe that was intentional, an effort to save this universe as opposed to the other universe. It's really funny how we still see Walter and his food preoccupations persist, since when Peter tells him that his attempts to help him and Olivia only made the situation worse, Walter says that he should have tried a different kind of food. It's always good to see character consistencies throughout the series, and it is also good to see parallels being drawn; this series is a lot more fun when there are character consistencies and parallels.

There are many parallels in this episode, especially to episode 2.14, "Jacksonville." To begin with, Olivia runs away, scared, when she kisses Peter, which is kind of what happens in "Jacksonville," and she also sees him glimmer, which she does in "Jacksonville." In addition, Walter angrily and sarcastically suggests that they hook Olivia up again and terrify her in order to get her to identify objects from the Other Side, which is obviously the plot of "Jacksonville." In "Jacksonville," Broyles says to Olivia that there are times in which the only choices you have left are bad ones, which parallels what Olivia says in this episode about the possible need to Quarantine the apartment complex; she says, "I understand this is a last resort, but it's a bad last resort," and it was Broyles himself who had to make a very difficult decision in this episode. Once again, we hear that "there's got to be another way," which seems to be a key line in the season, since this is, I believe, the third time that we have heard it so far. Brandon works under Walter in this episode, referring to him as "sir," which is obviously yet another parallel being drawn, since, needless to say, Brandon works for Walter on the Other Side and always addresses him as "sir," and this Brandon, for some reason, behaves a lot like the other one in this episode.

Additionally, every fourteenth episode so far has dealt with a building being evacuated for some reason, starting with "Ability" (1.14), in which a building needs to be evacuated due to a bomb, then "Jacksonville" (2.14), in which a building needs to be evacuated because it is being sucked into the other universe, and now, "6B" (3.14), in which a building needs to be evacuated so that it can be encased in Amber 31422. There are definitely plenty of parallels to go around, which I very much appreciate. Did anyone else, by the way, notice the green-green-green-red sequence of dots on the equipment used to initiate the Amber 31422 gas? I don't know what to make of it, but I noticed it. Walter, which is what I was afraid of, seems to be turning into Walternate, which causes me to believe that he is successfully beginning to grow some of his missing brain cells back. He is very impatient and is even incredibly harsh in correspondence with Astrid, which is not like him at all. He takes on the role of a leader and gives orders, and like I said, we are seeing the old Walter, Walternate, which I don't like at all. This is what I dreaded when I saw him ask Nina for assistance with growing his missing brain cells back in "Reciprocity" (3.11).


Although I feel incredibly sorry for Mrs. Merchant and really, really like her, I don't know how I feel about this whole idea of the universe being damaged because of a strong emotional bond shared between two people on opposite sides, assuming that I am even understanding that correctly. It makes no sense; what would emotions have to do with the fabric of the universes? I just find it utterly ridiculous and actually had to knock my rating down, just for that reason. The reasons behind my rating still being relatively high, though, are (1) everything else about this episode is incredibly admirable, and I don't feel that that one aspect is bothersome enough for me to give it a low rating, and (2) the writers, as they have pointed out, are planting a lot of seeds for events to come, so this very well could be something that will eventually make sense in the long haul, and I'm going to be patient. I also don't understand how what was happening in the apartment complex had anything to do with appliances turning themselves on (was Mrs. Merchant's husband doing that?) or with people falling to their deaths through the floor of the deck, even though the floor stayed intact. It simply makes no sense to me at all.

Peter and Olivia finally try to fix their relationship in this episode, and although there are still some issues, such as Olivia's fear (another character consistency that I was happy to see), ultimately, they seem to be successful. What Peter says to Olivia near the beginning of the episode, which is that he thinks about her counterpart because he finally had the opportunity to see what a relationship with her would be like, is so unbelievably sweet, and if I had been Olivia, I totally would have dropped the issue right then and there, because that would have been enough. I just hope that he means what he says, because if not, if he legitimately does have exclusive feelings for the other Olivia, then I am going to hate him, not only for lying but for jumping in bed with her (which, by the way, means that this Olivia is now pregnant, too; I guarantee it). I really love the kissing scene (especially with the Velvet Underground playing underneath it), but I couldn't understand why the FOX promo didn't show the kiss, since the Canadian City TV promo did. That's something that is going to attract viewers, something that we need, and FOX is getting lazy again; I watched House on Monday night, as I do every week, and not once during that whole hour was Fringe promoted.

At the very, very end of the episode, we shift back "over there," and we see Lincoln and Bolivia investigating the same apartment complex, only to find out that there is nothing wrong, despite Astrid's findings that there was something wrong, and I wonder why that is. If there was such a catastrophe here, then why wasn't there one there, especially since, as we have seen, the Other Side seems to be in much worse shape? Someone on Twitter posited the theory that Peter and Olivia's relationship contributed here, but I don't think so, only because they are not separated by the distance of two universes, not now, anyway. I didn't at all care for the title of this episode, since it only seems to pertain to the apartment number. Next week's episode, titled "Subject 13" (originally titled "6 Months Later") looks like it's going to be really, really good, but I'm not at all happy about Quinn Lord being replaced as young Peter, since I was and am very happy with his performance (in reference, of course, to "Peter"). This actor doesn't even really look like him, but the episode itself looks like it's going to be an unforgettable episode; someone's memories have definitely been altered. Stay on the fringe, and remember to watch live because the ratings need to be back up if we are getting a fourth season.

Fringe - "Immortality" (3.13)

We shift back "over there" in this episode of Fringe, and the episode begins with a scene that I personally love. Bolivia is at an airport (for lack of a better word) and looks out the window as the zeppelin on which Frank is arrives overhead, and she watches the zeppelin with a look of interest, and the lights and everything about this scene just makes it very beautiful. I don't know how much time, precisely, has passed "over there" since "Entrada" (3.08), but Redverse Olivia is attempting to maintain her relationship with Frank, obviously hoping to keep him open as an option, since we do find out in "Reciprocity" (3.11) that she was definitely developing feelings for Peter. I was afraid of this because I want to like her; she is, after all, another version of Olivia, and I love Olivia. However, I told my boyfriend Ray before having seen this episode (since I knew that we would be seeing Frank) that if she didn't tell him the truth and pretended to maintain a relationship with him, then my Redverse Olivia disapproval would sink even deeper. She even lies to him when he asks about why it was that she was distant before he left. How can she do that and then accept a marriage proposal? Do you think Olivia would do that? I really don't think so.

When Redverse Olivia pours a couple of drinks in the kitchen, one for Frank and one for herself, my reaction was that she was drinking in Frank's presence, so it would have raised a few questions. Firstly, would it be because she developed a taste of alcohol while she was here, since she most likely found some in Olivia's kitchen? Secondly, why wouldn't Frank have said anything? He knows that she doesn't drink. Would it have a continuity error? I really doubted it because the very fact that that line was written into "Over There" told me that the writers are keeping track of Olivia's behaviors vs. Bolivia's behaviors; something like that wouldn't have been overlooked, especially since Charlie's infestation is consistent. As The Fringe Podcast predicted it would, poor Charlie's team makes fun of Charlie because the case has to do with bugs, and man, are those bugs nasty, especially by the end of the episode when they are ridiculously huge (I also want to point out, however irrelevant that it may be, that Silva looks a lot like Roland David Barrett, the villain from episode 3.09, "Marionette," and I even thought that it was the same guy for a bit, which would have been pretty cool).

Something that I really like about this episode is that even though most (myself not included) would consider this episode "stand-alone," there are elements of even the case itself that really help move the story along, or at least give us some insight into the mythology. For example, we find out that sheep died out ten years ago, and that provides us with a bit more information regarding life "over there," and I would imagine that the extinction of the sheep has a lot to do with the Blight, the same event that we can assume caused the rarity of coffee and avocados. According to this series, sheep are genetically closer to humans than goats, and that really surprises me, because since sheep and goats look more alike (I even used to confuse them when I was a young child), it would seem to make sense that sheep would be genetically closer to goats than humans. I don't know how accurate the science is in this episode, but since Fringe is my favorite series, I tend to make a habit of trusting most of what I "learn" from it. I absolutely love the "bug girl" (I can't recall her name, or even if it was even revealed) that takes a liking to Charlie; she is so funny, and admittedly, Bolivia is really funny, too, when she pokes fun at him (which I guess means that Charlie is not married "over there").

Silva is your typical "mad scientist," incredibly mad with power. Throughout the episode, I couldn't help but wonder where his true intentions lie. Does he sincerely want to save lives (sacrificing some in the process, of course, so don't get me wrong; it's ultimately not noble by any means), or does he just care about power and recognition? I ultimately decided on the latter, because first of all, he demonstrates a great deal of arrogance at the diner, and secondly, his final words before he dies are highly indicative of that. "Make sure they spell my name right." With that, is he successful, and if so, how so? Also, what purpose is there for pretending to have infected Bolivia? Is it just to distract them in order to allow the bugs to take effect, knowing that if he tells the truth, they will attempt to save him? That seems logical, except he says that he doesn't expect any other agents to arrive, despite Bolivia's bluff that some will arrive. Silva definitely engaged me, and I find him to be a very interesting villain, mostly because of that question,what exactly are his intentions? As I said, I think that he wants power, but as a genius, there were a number of ways that he could have acquired it, and he chooses to try to save a great deal of lives.

More insight into the mythology of the series is the very fact that Silva is trying to save lives by curing diseases, and time and time again, we have seen evidence that disease is a much bigger problem on the Other Side than it is here, so it makes sense that someone would be trying to alleviate that, which we know that Frank is trying to do, and he was so funny with Alter-Astrid this week. "Where can I get one of you?" Astrid's response is simply hilarious; the expression on her face is priceless, and, of course, Lincoln is so jealous. My previous notion (based on the revelation that he had once kissed Redverse Olivia, unaware, as he claims, that she had had a boyfriend) was that he was, more or less, over how he used to feel about Bolivia, but obviously, he is not. Despite his having promised Frank that he would not ruin the surprise, he does exactly that, telling her that Frank plans to ask her to marry him, and that makes me angry, just because it isn't any of his business and because he isn't aware of her feelings for Peter, but don't get me wrong; Lincoln is one of my favorite characters, so it isn't like I'm really angry with him. It just isn't cool by any means. He is clever to think of doing what he does with the nitrogen, though.

Unfortunately, however, Frank calls everything off when he discovers the truth, and guess how that is? Wait for it. That's right. I was right; Bolivia is pregnant, so in "The Firefly" (3.10), when September tells Peter that it must be difficult being a father, he is not merely referring to Walter. The twist this episode did not surprise me, because when September said that, Bolivia being pregnant is immediately how I interpreted it, and I am really glad to see Bolivia suffering, because she deserves it; she is partially to blame for the pain that our Olivia is feeling right now, so it's only fair, and for that small amount of time that we see her broken down, she totally looks more like her counterpart. Walternate tells her that she has whatever resources that she needs, but what exactly are his intentions? Initially, I figured that he is referring to issues such as hospital bills and any needs to take maternity leaves, but after my second time watching the episode, I came to the conclusion that he also has a wagenda (courtesy of The Fringe Podcast) because of the scene before it during which Brandon tells him that he may know how to get Peter back.

Walternate also tells Bolivia that her position within Fringe Division will stay intact, but what does he mean by this? Is he simply speaking to a strong work ethic, assuring her that he will not insist that she take time off? Perhaps, he figures that Bolivia would be worried that her having gotten close to Peter and having had sexual relations with him was a breach of protocol; I don't know, but I wouldn't think so because I would have assumed that since she was pretending to be Olivia, that would have been encouraged. Then again, Walternate tells his mistress (yes, that's right; yet another flaw to add to his list of many, since he is, after all, married) that he hadn't factored in "the girl," so he must not have known that the two were in love. He also tells her that "he [Peter] was here of his own choosing," which isn't entirely true; Walternate knew what he had just discovered and took advantage of it. I just feel like the writers, despite their having said that they don't want us to see good and evil, are not doing a very good job of portraying any kind of gray area, as Walternate's mannerisms are very sinister, as are Brandon's mannerisms.

We learn in this episode that the final piece of the Weapon was sent over, but who sent it over, and how? Was it the man who administers treatment to the Shopkeeper in "Entrada" (3.08), since he was seen as being in possession of the piece? Is he a Shapeshifter? If so, how did he get that piece over here? We do see a bit of morality shine through Walternate in this episode, since he refuses to administer Cortexiphan to children, but that is just about deconstructed when we see that he is cheating on Elizabeth. I find it really interesting how, twice now, we have seen Walternate repeat words precisely the way that Bell once did. In a previous episode, he says, "Only those who risk going too far find out how far they can go," which Bell once said to Walter. In this episode, we find out that Walternate's notion is that the mind "is infinitely capable at birth," and Nina uses those exact words when speaking to Olivia in "Ability" (1.14), which she says was Bell's theory. Perhaps, Bell shared some ideas with Walternate while he was "over there." I really like this episode and give it 8.5 "In Yo' Face"s to Darrell (listeners of The Fringe Podcast surely get that). It reminds me a lot of The X-Files episode "Leonard Betts" (4.12), because while the case itself is "stand-alone," it leads to a major, startling revelation regarding Scully's health.