Fringe rewatch
Ever since I finished Fringe, I've been meaning to go back and rewatch it from the beginning -- it seemed like a show that would benefit from watching with the full context in mind. Recently, I finished the first season (except for that random "mystery of the week" ep that got slapped on out of order at the end), and so far it has not disappointed. Spoilers, not just for the first season but for the entire series.
I had forgotten how important John Scott was to the first half of the season, before that plot line was completely dropped. I have to wonder if they purposefully wrote a short, finishable arc in case the show didn't get picked up for the full first season. Not that there weren't lots of plot balls already in the air, but if the show had ended there, it would have been reasonably satisfying.
But wow, the show started hinting at Peter's true origins a lot earlier than I remembered.
And also September showing up, and the first hints of his connection to Walter. (When I got to that episode, I cursed myself for forgetting to look for him in the background of earlier shows.)
And also all the business with ZFT and the two universes.
That said, the episode where Olivia is supposed to be flashing between the two universes doesn't really work -- I'm pretty sure Peter was there, and Walter is working with Fringe instead of being Secretary of Defense, and she flashes into a different version of the FBI office, not the redverse Fringe division. Unless the attack on Boston that she sees flashes of is the event that caused the city to be encased in amber, and the FBI to be disbanded. That still doesn't explain why Peter is there, though. I'll have to pay careful attention to the timing when they start talking about that stuff later.
Charlie! I miss Charlie in later seasons. The episode where he gets infected with the baby monsters was much sadder this time around. In another episode, he asks Olivia what the hell is going on, and it was depressing to realize that he never gets to find out. I'm a little reluctant to watch the first episode of season two, largely because it means losing Charlie. Poor Charlie. There's a lot I like about Charlie, but maybe my favorite thing is his friendship with Olivia, which contains not a whit of sexual or romantic tension.
I'm amused at how the show tries to fake us out that Peter is interested in Olivia's sister. Come on, show. We all know that's never going to happen.
Even knowing what's coming, the season finale where Olivia meets William Bell, and looks out the window of the old World Trade Center, is such a glorious mindfuck. I wish I could erase it from my mind and see it for the first time again and again.
No grand conclusions at this point, just enjoyment of rewatching a quite good show. Part of me regrets that I missed it the first time, but it marathons so well that I'm hard pressed to be too disappointed.
This entry is also posted at http://owlmoose.dreamwidth.org/691959.html. There are currently
comments on DW.
I had forgotten how important John Scott was to the first half of the season, before that plot line was completely dropped. I have to wonder if they purposefully wrote a short, finishable arc in case the show didn't get picked up for the full first season. Not that there weren't lots of plot balls already in the air, but if the show had ended there, it would have been reasonably satisfying.
But wow, the show started hinting at Peter's true origins a lot earlier than I remembered.
And also September showing up, and the first hints of his connection to Walter. (When I got to that episode, I cursed myself for forgetting to look for him in the background of earlier shows.)
And also all the business with ZFT and the two universes.
That said, the episode where Olivia is supposed to be flashing between the two universes doesn't really work -- I'm pretty sure Peter was there, and Walter is working with Fringe instead of being Secretary of Defense, and she flashes into a different version of the FBI office, not the redverse Fringe division. Unless the attack on Boston that she sees flashes of is the event that caused the city to be encased in amber, and the FBI to be disbanded. That still doesn't explain why Peter is there, though. I'll have to pay careful attention to the timing when they start talking about that stuff later.
Charlie! I miss Charlie in later seasons. The episode where he gets infected with the baby monsters was much sadder this time around. In another episode, he asks Olivia what the hell is going on, and it was depressing to realize that he never gets to find out. I'm a little reluctant to watch the first episode of season two, largely because it means losing Charlie. Poor Charlie. There's a lot I like about Charlie, but maybe my favorite thing is his friendship with Olivia, which contains not a whit of sexual or romantic tension.
I'm amused at how the show tries to fake us out that Peter is interested in Olivia's sister. Come on, show. We all know that's never going to happen.
Even knowing what's coming, the season finale where Olivia meets William Bell, and looks out the window of the old World Trade Center, is such a glorious mindfuck. I wish I could erase it from my mind and see it for the first time again and again.
No grand conclusions at this point, just enjoyment of rewatching a quite good show. Part of me regrets that I missed it the first time, but it marathons so well that I'm hard pressed to be too disappointed.
This entry is also posted at http://owlmoose.dreamwidth.org/691959.html. There are currently
comments on DW.