What a fantastic episode of Fringe this week! While some may understandably be frustrated with the lack of story development on the front of Peter getting back home, it seems there will plenty of development next week. So “Forced Perspective” chose to focus on the mind bender that we received earlier regarding Olivia Dunham’s fate. Peter is an extraordinary piece to the universes and all that is but Olivia is special too. So it was refreshing to delve back into her story and nail biting to discover where she is heading and cannot turn away from.
“They don’t predict the future, Olivia. They’ve already experienced it.” – Peter
It begins with a young teenage girl, Emily Mallom who can see a person’s death shortly before it happens. Her tactic of going to the person she sees and handing over an illustration of their death without warning and/or consent does bring up a great question as to whether or not that is the right thing to do. Emily brought up a great point about showing these people their fate so that they have a chance to say their last “I love you” and do a final good deed… but does that make it any more right for her to decide upon herself what is best to know (and possibly do) for these soon to be dead individuals? Is she taking her free will too far by tampering with others? What a fascinating talking point Fringe has brought up this week, for everyone to get involved in.
Emily’s latest premonition brings the Fringe Division to a Mr. Duncan who has devised a plan to blow up a courthouse. The judge who according to Duncan, tore his family apart works in said courthouse. There’s nothing more brilliant than not taking responsibility for your own family faults and blowing up tons of innocent people for closure. Bad decisions have consequences and the courthouse was there to make sure that those consequences were faced. Duncan can blame the judge and those in the courthouse for his broken family but murder is not going to take away the pain of what he could have done and could still do for the best of his family and his own well being.
While it’s not that kind of show, surely many of us would have loved to have seen Mr. Duncan taken to a psychiatric hospital of some sort, starting treatment or therapy while imprisoned… something. What a truly disturbed man. Thankfully, Emily’s premonition, the Fringe division, and Olivia’s plea help stopped Duncan from bombing the courthouse. Duncan had a moment of clarity and realized that he’d only be creating more pain for himself and countless others. “Forced Perspective” could not have been a more fitting title.
Unfortunately, Emily’s abilities crippled and killed her but she made a great difference in this universe while she was here. Olivia was unable to get anything out of Emily about her own fate before she died which was slightly disappointing while also somewhat expected. There are plenty more episodes left this season to dig deeper, so a tease can be handled at this point. Emily’s ability was quite a wonder, especially after the way that Walter described the humming in the lab… how the future ripples the past. Those words are so profound and will never be forgotten. Especially when there is so much to anticipate from Olivia and Peter as fate draws near.
There were quite a few stand out moments in this week’s episode. Peter encouraging this Walter to hypnotize Emily into her vision, since his Walter had done it before was quite a sweet moment. Our Walter knows no bounds and it will be exciting and equally terrifying but more exciting to get back to that. Olivia lying to Peter about being contacted by an Observer was a bad move. He may not have a ton of more knowledge about the Observers but he certainly has more experience, so holding back now is not going to get her any further. Sure, Olivia needs her personal time to digest the message that she received, but she must come clean to Peter before he goes back. She is going to need help figuring out why exactly her death at a certain point in every way that the Observer spins it is inevitable. A frightening thought could be that whatever this Olivia is doing before the moment of her death, it is what gets Peter home… Hmmm. Or we could cut to a sketchy Nina Sharp at Olivia’s apartment. Could she have something to do with Olivia’s death? Or is that going too far? But when do Nina Sharp and Massive Dynamic not cross the line?
“Forced Perspective” brought up some incredible discussion points whether a longtime Fringe fan or newcomer and is without a doubt a favorite episode this season. Even without Lincoln Lee, Astrid, and a number of other familiar faces, and also noticeably without as much comedy this week, Fringe was phenomenal. Olivia Dunham will not live in fear in any universe. Let’s just hope that her bravery and trust in Nina doesn’t bite her where it kills. What a refreshing change of pace and story that was delivered this week. Did you mind everything taking a back seat for a case? What do you think?
Watch Fringe Fridays at 9/8c on Fox.
*Photo Credit: Liane Hentscher/FOX
