I've had a lot on my plate the last couple of days, and so I have to admit that I didn't pay very much attention to last night's "Fringe" even as I was watching it. I was distracted going in, so I can't automatically assume the episode was bad. Open thread time: what did everybody else think?
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Fringe "Power Hungry": Dead man kissing
I've had a lot on my plate the last couple of days, and so I have to admit that I didn't pay very much attention to last night's "Fringe" even as I was watching it. I was distracted going in, so I can't automatically assume the episode was bad. Open thread time: what did everybody else think?
If the show is still starring Pacey and Anna Torv, it's safe to assume the episode was bad. But I am biased because I quit the show during the middle of episode #3.
ReplyDeleteI quit after the first episode.
ReplyDeleteSo while this episode still had my usual annoyance with this show - all the problems are solved too easily and instantaneously by crazy scientist guy who with one guess knows exactly what's going on - the storyline was my favorite one so far, and definitely, for me (dawg), the most entertaining.
ReplyDeleteI'm still not really sold on the show as a whole, but they've been improving after what I would consider a lackluster first few weeks.
Jackson's character went right back to doubting/snarking even after being tortured in the previous episode. I think I'm done with this show. Plus, the writers seemed to rip off Stephen King twice: Carrie and Maximum Overdrive. Ultimately, "Fringe" is just too derivative...
ReplyDeleteVery constructive comments, the above.
ReplyDeleteDecent, but barely advanced the plot.
Noble continues to shine far above the rest of the cast.
Part of me thinks the show would be improved if the cop from The 11th Hour replaced Torv though.
I meant the first two, btw.
ReplyDeletePacey's snark is a defense mechanism! You don't give up snark so deeply ingrained after a little torture.
ReplyDeleteI think the show is improving each week. It still has problems - I would like for them to have a real stand alone case - something that isn't related to The Pattern and the John Noble knows nothing about - but, they are at least working on a story thread with the bald dude. Did everyone see him exit the elevator as Meegar got on?
It was just alright for me, dawg. It was better when Mariah did it.
ReplyDeleteOh wait. Meant to say... eeennnnh. What everyone said. I was really encouraged by the previous ep, but this one was way too easily resolved. Plus the electricity guy was not all that interesting. We know in the first 20 seconds what he can do. Then we have to wait 50 minutes for them to catch him, which they do because everyone just happens to have the right info at hand. Meh.
Lot of love for John Noble still, but I guess The Arrival was a one-off. Unless they start unleashing a lot more eps like that soon, I may be out.
I quit after last week and not only the excellent John Noble and his at times quite funny interplay with Josh Jackson could keep it on my DVR list. I never watched X-Files and don't read Mr. King (I know, I know, lynch me now) so the correlations weren't big draws for me. I never did take to the Torv chick and wasn't engaged in the story - too much retread with Alias while lacking that same show's punch.
ReplyDeleteShame. I really like John Noble and Mark Valley.
This episode was definitely a big snooze. But I loved that the FBI got to the scene, investigated, and then got back to the lab to start dissecting bodies all before electro guy made it back to his office. Boy law enforcement moves fast in Boston!
ReplyDeleteFringe moment of the week: electricity guy generated an electromagnetic impulse strong enough to cause the elevator to "drive itself into the ground" while simultaneously electrocuting all of its occupants (save himself), but that discharge left only a secondary "signature" on the cassette tape in his player. The music recorded on it still sounded great when the tape was later played back.
ReplyDeleteWell, sure. What else would you expect?
It keeps showing just enough hint of quality to keep me coming back, as I have a modecum (sp?) of faith in JJ Abrams.
ReplyDeleteThe implication that dead/not dead ex boyfriend guy was also investigating The Pattern is intriguing, as it suggests that Anna Torv (why can't I remember anyones character's name? Can it be because they are all so remarkably unremarkable?) might not be on the right side of all this.
The problem I am having is that, even though it is called "The Pattern," all of the episodes feel disconnected. Yes, they all relate to Crazy Doc's work in the 70's and 80's, and to the giant company that was founded by his old lab partner, but the individual cases all come off as arbitrary and unconnected.
Plus, Torv is a charisma vacuum. Is that a prerequisite for female federal agent characters this year? This and 11th Hour seem to be shopping out of the same bargain bin...
I flipped back and forth between the show and the results for the Canadian elections. I found the elections more interesting even though it was simply numbers coming in from different ridings.
ReplyDeleteI liked the pilot, but the quality has dropped, kinda like what happened to Reaper last year.
Sorry Alan, we gave up on Fringe for the Mentalist. (which we seem to be enjoying a lot more than you did. Simon Baker is doing all the heavy lifting in that show; though this last episode had Robin Tunney crack the ice encasing her.)
ReplyDeleteJJ Abrams should have stuck to what he does best: labyrinthine soap operas that lose sight of a rational world.
Alias only had like 8 spies in the world and planes that could go anywhere in the world in a half hour.
Lost has Smokey and Locke and well everything.
Fringe has a less than charismatic lead and laughable police procedures that makes Numb3rs look authentic.
The Mentalist? You also DVR Criminal Minds and NCIS???
ReplyDeleteUggh
I enjoyed it, for the most part. I, too, feel they're relying too much on every case involving the pattern and every case easily solved by the doc. What I found most interesting in this episode was the ghost/vision of the dead guy, and his leading them to his cache of info. Where in the first episode they painted him as the total traitor, now they're making it more questionable.
ReplyDeleteGiven that, and last episode's meeting between Blair Brown and the black guy (yeah, I know none of their names yet), I think the interconnected intrigue is getting stronger. It's slowly ramping up, but the week-to-week mysteries are its biggest snag.
(and I missed the bald man getting out of the elevator -- I'll have to look for that)
Another good episode. They're getting Broyles and Charlie more involved in case work which is a good move. And they're embracing the mythology more and delving into the characters' backstories which are intriguing. I want to know more about Peter's past, and what Agent Scott was up to. Seems like they're also adding Observer easter eggs now, which should be fun. Not sure why so many people here seem to hate this show (and have to remind us of that every week!). This week was basically an X-Men style man-with-superpowers-he-can't-control story. Its been done a million times, but they did it well. Nothing wrong with that as far as I'm concerned. The only thing that bothered me this week was where Peter waited in the car but ended up catching the guy running away, just like in the pilot. They should use Charlie more in the field and leave Peter at the lab with his dad, and that would allow them to get rid of Astrid who is cute but dead weight.
ReplyDeleteI thought the teaser opening was quite good, but the rest of the ep was a little by-the-numbers. I'm finding the show watchable, if not great.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know the name of the actor who played the main character? I was trying to figure out what I recognized him from.
I like the word "ridings."
ReplyDeleteNext week it may be Canadian political tv for me.
I liked this episode better as "DPO" on "The X Files" about a decade ago.
ReplyDeleteIf it wasn't for Walter, I'd be done.
I loved this episode and I love this show. I can forgive some of the annoyances, just like I do with most other shows.
ReplyDeleteOlivia is great. She's strong willed and not easily emotional. I just don't see that very often on main characters. She can keep a straight face even when things are going crazy. I can't stand overacting.
I love Peter. When he steps in, he's not being a klutz, he's actually being useful. Stay in the car, but come and save the day anyways. Tis' funny.
And the whole ignoring the crazy guy during a serious conversation bit. That shall never get old (until it does).
I don't live in Canada, Nicole (in Virginia), but having watched 2 1/2 episodes total of "Fringe", I am guessing the Canadian elections come off like "Lost" meets "The Office" compared to this crappy show.
ReplyDeleteI love Manda's quote above my previous comment:
ReplyDelete"Olivia is great. She's strong willed and not easily emotional. I just don't see that very often on main characters. She can keep a straight face even when things are going crazy. I can't stand overacting."
Manda, just a guess, but you may get a LOT more of Anna Torv being 'not easily emotional' because she maybe the most wooden actress on television. The straight face thing seems like a natural for her.
No one's asking her to be Alicia Silverstone/Christina Applegate lite, but I said this a few weeks back, give me the heroines from JJ's two best series: Evanegeline Lilly as Kate Austin on "Lost" and Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow on "Alias".
Two gorgeous and heroic women, who are strong yet emotional, complicated yet courageous. And this maybe less than P.C., but unlike the bland Torv, Garner and Lilly are also both gorgeous.
Add to the fact that Garner and Lilly get to play off three of the most macho and complicated guys in jack and Sawyer from "Lost" and Vaughn from "Alias". Pacey looks like a snarky, whiny child next to those guys.
Eh. I was ready to give up this show before last week, which was actually a great episode, had a genuinely threatening and sinister villain (who was unfortunately killed off immediately), and introduced the very intriguing bald-headed observer. This week's episode was right back to the pattern (heh) of the first 3 eps. Mostly pretty boring. And they introduce a potential new villain in the most boring, offhand fashion possible. I'll hope for more episodes like "The Arrival," but if they don't come soon I'll be out for good.
ReplyDeleteThe Mentalist? You also DVR Criminal Minds and NCIS???
ReplyDeleteNot everything is Rome and Battlestar Galactica, that being said, I can put up with a lot of crap for Michael Weatherly's lovely eyes (Dark Angel which became quickly silly) and have never seen Criminal Minds. Why I like the Mentalist is the compulsive showman in in Baker's character and the paralells to Profiler from ages past.
I'm confused in a post where Alan questions what people thought...there are quite a few posts mentioning how they *don't* watch the show. Then why post a comment??
ReplyDeleteI thought it was intriguing. I like electric guy and his sorry existence. I thought the part with the cassette tape was actually pretty cool...but the thing with the pigeons kinda dumb. Can you really train pigeons to fly to a certain magnetic signal in just a few hours?
Still don't get what is up with dead boyfriend...I'm guessing she's still connected to him b/c of her time in the sensory deprivation tank from the pilot. But still...?
This show tends to bring up things every week, but not follow through. They forgot all about the 'evil company' part this week. So it makes the overarching plot behind the week-to-week stories to be disjointed and incomplete.
I still like it, though. Mainly for the unexpected creep factor in the first few minutes.
I want to like this show, I really do. I love Lost, and I'm a big fan of Sci-Fi and mystery-puzzle oriented media. I wanted to like this show even more after last week's episode. But this week's really turned me off to the series.
ReplyDeleteIt felt like a CSI or a Law and Order or any other formulaic show to me. Weird thing happens. Doctor shows up, know what the problem is immediately, it relates to an experiment he did and he says "It seems someone has continued/furthered my work," Peter makes some snarky comments, they manage to find the answer within 15 minutes to which they make a quick car chase to the scene, and Peter makes a last minute save to cover the bungling Olivia who has only made 3 different facial expressions the entire episode.
They shook things up last episode, but they needed to continue with this. They point out the fact that Peter does NOTHING, and yet this episode that doesn't change. The interplay between Walter and Peter is entertaining, but you cannot rest the entire show on it. Oliva just...well I hate to say it, but she annoys the crap out of me.
I'm going to give the show another episode or two. Just to see. But right now I look forward more to watching Sons of Anarchy and Heroes than this show.