whatever they told you, i am not who you think i am.
FRIIIIIIIINGE!! Of all of the premieres this fall, this is the one I've loved the most. It wasn't all forced exposition or lacklustre set-up, nor was it stunty or flashy and lacking in content. It was just a good, solid hour 44 minutes of quality show, picking up where things left off and immersing me instantly. It was as if we'd never left. So, thoughts below, spoilers in abundance.
Fringe, 3.01, "Olivia"
:: Can we talk about Anna Torv, y'all? And what a powerhouse she was in this episode? I find it kind of awesome that Thursday now features not one, but two shows, rocking variations on that old soap trope of the evil twin, but doing so in a way that feels compelling and fresh, with actresses executing it with some really subtle maneuvering. That little slip in the back of the taxi, when she was sort of in-between full versions of herself, when she kind of snorted out "Frank" (?) instead of Peter when Bubs Henry asked about her fella. The differences in little things like the way the two Olivias smile. The way she was sitting on the couch when Charlie came to her mom's. Even the way she said such a simple syllable as "hey." She was that other person. It was just so well done.
:: While we're on the subject of Bubs Henry, I hope that last little glimpse of him watching Charlie and Olive drive away means that he's going to be a recurring character. Andre Royo was so good, and I loved the way that everything about their short interaction hinted to so much history and depth to the character, without ever actually delving into it. He didn't feel like a plot device at any point, but a full character existing in a full world, that Olivia's just taking us through.
:: And everything in that alternate world is like that, really. Nothing feels set up just for the story. There's this feel to everything that happens over there that gives the impression of so much more going on. The Amber protests. It gives everything this rich, haunted feel, because while our girl is in this desperate situation, the world isn't there just to facilitate that. Hers is but one desperate situation in a world that is full of them. And that's something a lot of shows can't manage with even one world, let alone two. (Or three... *eye*)
:: I like that the alternates aren't necessarily portrayed as evil too (my citing of the evil twin trope aside). They're harder, maybe, but they live in a harder world. The rapport between the alternate Olivia (I'll not call her Altivia.. it sounds like a dietary supplement or an allergy medicine or something) and Charlie breaks my heart a little, because I've missed it so. Broyles still has that gruff, protective streak, for his Olivia, and his whole team. And poor Astrid seems almost robotic, which, Over There, could well be the case.
:: In other actual, honest to god, serious EVIL evil twin news.. The Walternate is totally scary. The knowledge that he was not just willing to kill his only son, but willing to go to lengths to do it, in order to bring global destruction onto the other world is just chilling. And knowing that, despite that our Olivia seems to be in no immediate danger, just makes the situation so much more dire. Saving his world is a noble enough cause, but he's infused the effort with so much hate, as if saving his own world is only a happy side-effect of destroying the other.
:: And of course, I have to touch on Peter & Olivia, and what is manifesting as one of the more interesting relationship hurdles. The sweetness of their mutual, but separate, affection, all the while under this cloud of doom for the audience, knowing that eventually, she's going to get home (I assume.. she has to get home eventually right??), finally able to make good on her still-newly-realized feelings for him, only to find him with, in effect, another woman. And Peter, to find that he's been sleeping with a stranger instead of the woman he (I hope, I hope!) loves, no doubt after some nefarious and/or violent betrayal. I often find the will-they-or-won't-they business a little tiresome, because so frequently, the see-sawing is the result of something trivial that inevitably cheapens the whole basis of the would-be relationship. But this? This is a pretty legitimate roadblock, and I can't wait to see how they handle it.
:: Also, there was so. much. red. I can't not see the colours in this show now, and I love it. It'd be enough for it to be beautifully done, but that it would seem to mean something too just makes it that much richer.
In summation, this show is the best, and if you could hug a show, I would so hug this one.
Fringe, 3.01, "Olivia"
:: Can we talk about Anna Torv, y'all? And what a powerhouse she was in this episode? I find it kind of awesome that Thursday now features not one, but two shows, rocking variations on that old soap trope of the evil twin, but doing so in a way that feels compelling and fresh, with actresses executing it with some really subtle maneuvering. That little slip in the back of the taxi, when she was sort of in-between full versions of herself, when she kind of snorted out "Frank" (?) instead of Peter when Bubs Henry asked about her fella. The differences in little things like the way the two Olivias smile. The way she was sitting on the couch when Charlie came to her mom's. Even the way she said such a simple syllable as "hey." She was that other person. It was just so well done.
:: While we're on the subject of Bubs Henry, I hope that last little glimpse of him watching Charlie and Olive drive away means that he's going to be a recurring character. Andre Royo was so good, and I loved the way that everything about their short interaction hinted to so much history and depth to the character, without ever actually delving into it. He didn't feel like a plot device at any point, but a full character existing in a full world, that Olivia's just taking us through.
:: And everything in that alternate world is like that, really. Nothing feels set up just for the story. There's this feel to everything that happens over there that gives the impression of so much more going on. The Amber protests. It gives everything this rich, haunted feel, because while our girl is in this desperate situation, the world isn't there just to facilitate that. Hers is but one desperate situation in a world that is full of them. And that's something a lot of shows can't manage with even one world, let alone two. (Or three... *eye*)
:: I like that the alternates aren't necessarily portrayed as evil too (my citing of the evil twin trope aside). They're harder, maybe, but they live in a harder world. The rapport between the alternate Olivia (I'll not call her Altivia.. it sounds like a dietary supplement or an allergy medicine or something) and Charlie breaks my heart a little, because I've missed it so. Broyles still has that gruff, protective streak, for his Olivia, and his whole team. And poor Astrid seems almost robotic, which, Over There, could well be the case.
:: In other actual, honest to god, serious EVIL evil twin news.. The Walternate is totally scary. The knowledge that he was not just willing to kill his only son, but willing to go to lengths to do it, in order to bring global destruction onto the other world is just chilling. And knowing that, despite that our Olivia seems to be in no immediate danger, just makes the situation so much more dire. Saving his world is a noble enough cause, but he's infused the effort with so much hate, as if saving his own world is only a happy side-effect of destroying the other.
:: And of course, I have to touch on Peter & Olivia, and what is manifesting as one of the more interesting relationship hurdles. The sweetness of their mutual, but separate, affection, all the while under this cloud of doom for the audience, knowing that eventually, she's going to get home (I assume.. she has to get home eventually right??), finally able to make good on her still-newly-realized feelings for him, only to find him with, in effect, another woman. And Peter, to find that he's been sleeping with a stranger instead of the woman he (I hope, I hope!) loves, no doubt after some nefarious and/or violent betrayal. I often find the will-they-or-won't-they business a little tiresome, because so frequently, the see-sawing is the result of something trivial that inevitably cheapens the whole basis of the would-be relationship. But this? This is a pretty legitimate roadblock, and I can't wait to see how they handle it.
:: Also, there was so. much. red. I can't not see the colours in this show now, and I love it. It'd be enough for it to be beautifully done, but that it would seem to mean something too just makes it that much richer.
In summation, this show is the best, and if you could hug a show, I would so hug this one.