Contributor: John Keegan
Written by David Fury
Directed by Jon Cassar
This episode might be better titled “Walter’s Inception”, because it’s fairly clear that film was a major influence on the visual style. But I must admit, I found myself a bit frustrated by the time all was said and done. With so little time left, and this season presented as a “13-hour finale”, I was left wondering how this was supposed to tie into the big picture. And since this is the second episode of the season to leave me feeling that way, it’s something of a momentum killer.
Granted, the previous two episodes were quite intense, so it’s perhaps no surprise that the writers wanted a chance to step back and delve into Walter’s psyche. After all, there hasn’t been a lot of time to explore the after-effects of the brain surgery that he endured in “Letters of Transit”, but the change in Walter was rather stark at the time.
In that sense, this is a very necessary diversion. The previous episode was focused on how Etta’s death had affected Olivia and Peter. Both characters retreated into old patterns. Peter’s dark side came out, reminding us of the amoral man he had been at the start of the series, and Olivia’s withdrawn grieving was not unlike the days just after John Scott’s death. To complete the picture, why wouldn’t the writers focus on Walter’s fears that he is literally becoming the man he once was, erasing all of the progress he’s made in the years after?
In terms of the larger narrative, it makes sense for them to be at this low point. They are all reeling from Etta’s demise, and their attempt to find a plan that will result in the end of the Observer Occupation has been futile. Even the scavenger hunt for the items mentioned in the tapes feels like grasping at straws. Since this is roughly the midpoint of the season arc, one would expect that things should seem bleak rather than hopeful.
Meanwhile, we get more mind-bending examples of physics gone amuck, as the show that brought us alternate timelines and parallel universes in the same narrative now tosses pocket universes into the mix. To be honest, I was left scratching my head as to how this fits into what we’ve seen before. It seems more meaningful in terms of the effect on Walter, and a reminder of the hubris of his youth, than tying up loose ends.
This points once again to character. Walter is terrified that he will lose his humanity again, and become the monster that was happy to experiment on children and risk the destruction of the world. Peter has chosen the opposite. He doesn’t seem at all bothered by the prospect that integrating with the tech will have terrible consequences. There doesn’t seem to be a way to turn back from the path he’s on, either, which makes it even more damning.
Even with all the focus on character, which is always welcome, there are plot elements to be resolved. When the writers include a reference to a first season episode, and the relevance just isn’t clear or compelling, it feels like a lost opportunity. It’s a solid episode, but it could have been much more.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Score: 8/10