hard to be soft, tough to be tender
Holiday Love Meme, oh golly.
Fringe
THE SCENE WHERE PETER TELLS HER, OH GOD. FUCKING HEARTBREAKING. They were both so amazing there, with Peter's voice kind of faltering and Olivia's FACE. The first amazing moment was when he was describing Altlivia and how she was quicker to smile, and Olivia sort of recoiled like she was trying really hard to not show how much that stung but you could seeeee it in her face that that was a really brutal comment. BECAUSE IT WAS. Like Olivia's stoicism is a bad thing, like he sees her as cold. And then when he actually tells her about the relationship, and that whooooole long shot just on Olivia as her wary smile fades and fades until it's just this completely shattered look. And still still still she tries to stifle it and says it's okay and that she understands. ;_____;
And then the scene in her apartment, and finding Peter's clothes in the washer, and GODDDDDD THIS SHIT IS SO PAINFUL TO WATCH. OLIVIAAAAAAAAA
I do love that, in addition to dying her hair back to blonde, she brushed the bangs back as well, and in the apartment scene she was even forcibly trying to make them go away. It's all in the details, PETER.
It's amazing how even though this is an obvious delay(/end?) to Peter/Olivia, it's not at all forced the way a lot of other shows handle impeding their main ship. The way they played it was really honest and the acting went a long way toward grounding it in reality; it was remarkable for how much it didn't seem like contrived, obnoxious melodrama. Plus Peter actually told her everything immediately, without bullshit interruptions or postponements! That never happens!
But seriously ANNA TORV. She is fucking amazing. It's so weird now to think how bland and unremarkable she seemed to me in the beginning of the series, because she has just killed it this season. KILLED IT.
"I don't know what i brought back, but i know it wasn't her." The episode plot's connection to a larger theme hadn't been totally clear to me until that line. Also: parts of a girl being used by other people and then returned, except even if all the original pieces are there nothing can go back together the same. Even the reassembly of the different organs seemed reminiscent of all that's been done to locate and assemble the pieces of the doomsday device (which also requires a vessel to operate it, i.e. Peter). All that being said, an obsessed man violating the corpse of a dead girl and calling that "love" doesn't really equate with Olivia and Peter's situation, although i appreciate the abstract "in love with the idea of a person" thread running throughout. Olivia was in love with the Peter in her head while she was on the other side -- the idea of Peter -- and suddenly that Peter doesn't align with reality at all. It actually comes back around to a theme of the entire show: that nothing ever works out quite the way it's meant to, that nature and free will are much greater forces that will always eventually transmute or override your original intentions, no matter how much you push to the limits of the possible in an attempt to gain control.
The marionette dancing scene was quite spectacularly creepy. Empty eye sockets are fucking gross and all, but dead bodies being moved like dolls, that's real existential horror. OH MAN, remember the music video for Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance"??!??!! I saw that video so many freaking times back when it was new and MTV and VH1 actually played music videos; it's one of my most vivid music video memories because it unsettled me but i totally watched it every time it was on, and it was on a lot. (another vivid music video memory from that era: "Cryin'" by Aerosmith. I had a pretty big girlcrush on Alicia Silverstone, oh my god. This is giving me some intense 4th grade flashbacks.) ANYWAY i liked how little of the reanimated girl was shown. It didn't happen until the end of the episode, and even then it was just eyes open, next time we see her she's dead. No shambling around or what have you -- the wrongness of what was brought back and barely even showing it kind of reminded me of Dawn's attempt to bring Joyce back on Buffy, which i still recall with a distinct dread to this day. ALSO: Harry Potter! The Deathly Hallows! The Resurrection Stone and the brother bringing back his lost love; the most powerful weapon in existence for the combative brother (Walternate and the doomsday device); do we have an Invisibility Cloak?! WE SHOULD HAVE AN INVISIBILITY CLOAK.
Even though the last scene was depressing as hell, i agree with it wholeheartedly. There's not really any coming back from that, at least for now. I'd probably be a lot more distraught if i shipped Peter/Olivia in earnest, but as it stands i've always been far more invested in Olivia herself. Granted, the concept of them as GROWN-UP LYRA AND WILL goes a long, long, long way in making me want them together and is something i constantly cling to. As is the concept of this season as Swan Lake. I ship Peter/Olivia thematically more than emotionally, i guess is an apt way of putting it. And i kind of really ended up loving Peter/Altlivia. :O Of course, i still have lingering Charlie/Olivia feelings. BUT SECRETLY I SHIP OLIVIA/ALTLIVIA, YUUUUUP. what. Ugh idk guys, Olivia/everyone.
Peter could stand to be a little more sensitive though, jeez louise. Really seeming like a jerk there, guy! Then again there's not much he could say that would really excuse himself at this point (especially if he's gonna say horrible insulting shit like "no, it's okay, she was just happier and more fun than you!"). It... just... sucks. This season is not doing Peter's character too many favors. :/ THEN AGAIN i loved when Peter first saw Olivia and stopped dead in his tracks. Aw man, SEE, i'm probably lying to myself about not shipping them because shit like that does get to me. As do pictures of them together wearing peacoats and looking awesome. *___*
UGGHHHHHHH NOW THE WAIT TILL JANUARY BEGINS. I am so pissed/terrified about the move to Fridays. I know this little song and dance. It doesn't end well. >:( (seriously though, ANY OTHER NIGHT OF THE WEEK WOULD HAVE SUFFICED. I have nothing to watch on Tuesday, put it on Tuesday! ANYTHING THAT SAYS YOU HAVE EVEN A REMOTE INTENTION OF NOT CANCELLING IT, YOU FUCKRAGS)
Fringe
THE SCENE WHERE PETER TELLS HER, OH GOD. FUCKING HEARTBREAKING. They were both so amazing there, with Peter's voice kind of faltering and Olivia's FACE. The first amazing moment was when he was describing Altlivia and how she was quicker to smile, and Olivia sort of recoiled like she was trying really hard to not show how much that stung but you could seeeee it in her face that that was a really brutal comment. BECAUSE IT WAS. Like Olivia's stoicism is a bad thing, like he sees her as cold. And then when he actually tells her about the relationship, and that whooooole long shot just on Olivia as her wary smile fades and fades until it's just this completely shattered look. And still still still she tries to stifle it and says it's okay and that she understands. ;_____;
And then the scene in her apartment, and finding Peter's clothes in the washer, and GODDDDDD THIS SHIT IS SO PAINFUL TO WATCH. OLIVIAAAAAAAAA
I do love that, in addition to dying her hair back to blonde, she brushed the bangs back as well, and in the apartment scene she was even forcibly trying to make them go away. It's all in the details, PETER.
It's amazing how even though this is an obvious delay(/end?) to Peter/Olivia, it's not at all forced the way a lot of other shows handle impeding their main ship. The way they played it was really honest and the acting went a long way toward grounding it in reality; it was remarkable for how much it didn't seem like contrived, obnoxious melodrama. Plus Peter actually told her everything immediately, without bullshit interruptions or postponements! That never happens!
But seriously ANNA TORV. She is fucking amazing. It's so weird now to think how bland and unremarkable she seemed to me in the beginning of the series, because she has just killed it this season. KILLED IT.
"I don't know what i brought back, but i know it wasn't her." The episode plot's connection to a larger theme hadn't been totally clear to me until that line. Also: parts of a girl being used by other people and then returned, except even if all the original pieces are there nothing can go back together the same. Even the reassembly of the different organs seemed reminiscent of all that's been done to locate and assemble the pieces of the doomsday device (which also requires a vessel to operate it, i.e. Peter). All that being said, an obsessed man violating the corpse of a dead girl and calling that "love" doesn't really equate with Olivia and Peter's situation, although i appreciate the abstract "in love with the idea of a person" thread running throughout. Olivia was in love with the Peter in her head while she was on the other side -- the idea of Peter -- and suddenly that Peter doesn't align with reality at all. It actually comes back around to a theme of the entire show: that nothing ever works out quite the way it's meant to, that nature and free will are much greater forces that will always eventually transmute or override your original intentions, no matter how much you push to the limits of the possible in an attempt to gain control.
The marionette dancing scene was quite spectacularly creepy. Empty eye sockets are fucking gross and all, but dead bodies being moved like dolls, that's real existential horror. OH MAN, remember the music video for Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance"??!??!! I saw that video so many freaking times back when it was new and MTV and VH1 actually played music videos; it's one of my most vivid music video memories because it unsettled me but i totally watched it every time it was on, and it was on a lot. (another vivid music video memory from that era: "Cryin'" by Aerosmith. I had a pretty big girlcrush on Alicia Silverstone, oh my god. This is giving me some intense 4th grade flashbacks.) ANYWAY i liked how little of the reanimated girl was shown. It didn't happen until the end of the episode, and even then it was just eyes open, next time we see her she's dead. No shambling around or what have you -- the wrongness of what was brought back and barely even showing it kind of reminded me of Dawn's attempt to bring Joyce back on Buffy, which i still recall with a distinct dread to this day. ALSO: Harry Potter! The Deathly Hallows! The Resurrection Stone and the brother bringing back his lost love; the most powerful weapon in existence for the combative brother (Walternate and the doomsday device); do we have an Invisibility Cloak?! WE SHOULD HAVE AN INVISIBILITY CLOAK.
Even though the last scene was depressing as hell, i agree with it wholeheartedly. There's not really any coming back from that, at least for now. I'd probably be a lot more distraught if i shipped Peter/Olivia in earnest, but as it stands i've always been far more invested in Olivia herself. Granted, the concept of them as GROWN-UP LYRA AND WILL goes a long, long, long way in making me want them together and is something i constantly cling to. As is the concept of this season as Swan Lake. I ship Peter/Olivia thematically more than emotionally, i guess is an apt way of putting it. And i kind of really ended up loving Peter/Altlivia. :O Of course, i still have lingering Charlie/Olivia feelings. BUT SECRETLY I SHIP OLIVIA/ALTLIVIA, YUUUUUP. what. Ugh idk guys, Olivia/everyone.
Peter could stand to be a little more sensitive though, jeez louise. Really seeming like a jerk there, guy! Then again there's not much he could say that would really excuse himself at this point (especially if he's gonna say horrible insulting shit like "no, it's okay, she was just happier and more fun than you!"). It... just... sucks. This season is not doing Peter's character too many favors. :/ THEN AGAIN i loved when Peter first saw Olivia and stopped dead in his tracks. Aw man, SEE, i'm probably lying to myself about not shipping them because shit like that does get to me. As do pictures of them together wearing peacoats and looking awesome. *___*
UGGHHHHHHH NOW THE WAIT TILL JANUARY BEGINS. I am so pissed/terrified about the move to Fridays. I know this little song and dance. It doesn't end well. >:( (seriously though, ANY OTHER NIGHT OF THE WEEK WOULD HAVE SUFFICED. I have nothing to watch on Tuesday, put it on Tuesday! ANYTHING THAT SAYS YOU HAVE EVEN A REMOTE INTENTION OF NOT CANCELLING IT, YOU FUCKRAGS)