Contributor: John Keegan
After the reveal in the previous episode, I was looking forward to the eventual confrontation between Peter and David Robert Jones, given how the end of the first season played out. And sure enough, it was worth the wait, even if it was just one minor part of a much more interesting turn of events.
Essentially, given that Peter didn’t exist in the current timeline, there was no one to stop Mr. Jones from crossing over into Alt-Fringe. Thus, Mr. Jones was able to continue forward with his diabolical plans, along with some help from a familiar face. In a very nice touch, the writers took something that should have been obvious (the alliance between Mr. Jones and Nina Sharp) and made it surprising.
I agree with those who say that Mr. Jones manages to bring the gravitas of a solid Bond villain to “Fringe”. All things being equal, his plot does have all the hallmarks of some bizarre Bond mastermind, but with none of the unnecessary camp. Jared Harris knows how to bring an unsettling edge to a performance, to say the least; from the first scene with Lincoln and Fauxlivia, he’s got everyone back on their heels.
In essence, this all came together with a scene that could have flopped tremendously, but felt more than earned after all that we’ve seen of the two universes: the summit at Liberty Island. Once it was revealed in the previous episode that the two sides were dealing with a common enemy, this was a likely turn of events. But how awesome was it to see the various doppelgangers sitting across from each other? One could just see the potential plot threads forming, and it was good.
One incredibly nice touch to the whole Many Worlds concept is how well it facilitates closure. Under normal circumstances, how could Walter have been redeemed for his mistakes in life? It wouldn’t have happened, but the fact that Elizabeth was still alive in Alt-Fringe (at least, this version of it) allowed for a conversation that would otherwise have never taken place. The writers alluded to how Elizabeth would become a key part of the overall equation of “Fringe”, and that has proven absolutely true.
Now that we’ve gotten past some of the elements of the season that were, unfortunately, spoiled by circumstance and an over-eager Fox promotional department, I look forward to seeing how the season will evolve. There’s still more than half a season’s worth of episodes to go, so most of what we have seen is just the tip of the iceberg.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 3/4
Final Rating: 9/10
