Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Fringe's Future:Walternate's Plan, Olivia as Bell, More

Fringe's Future: Walternate's Plan, Olivia as Bell, More With the show officially renewed, what can we expect heading towards the season finale? US, March 29, 2011 by Eric Goldman

On Friday, I posted Part 1 of my chat with Fringe showrunners Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman, who I spoke to shortly after the great news came out that the series was renewed for Season 4. Where the first part of our conversation was more specifically about the renewal and the factors that go into analyzing TV viewership these days, this second part is more about the show's current storylines. Read on for some hints at what's to come, in the wake of this past Friday's "Bloodline" episode.

We pick up with the three of us in the midst of discussing Anna Torv and all she's been asked to do on the show of late.
Wyman: Look at what she did with [William] Bell! It's astounding. And we've got to tell you, that's all her. She interpreted that character the way it was and for us, in our wildest dreams… It's just transcended all our expectations.

IGN: It's such a fun, interesting choice. When you decided Olivia would be taken over by William Bell, did you tell Anna at all, "We'd like you to act like Leonard Nimoy," or was it not quite that specific?



Pinkner: We pitched the idea to her and as Joel said, she sort of took a silent beat and then said, "Okay… So what are you guys thinking? Are you thinking that you'll put his voice in my mouth?" And we said, "No, no, no." Our premise, always, is keep the show grounded. Play everything as real and as dramatically authentic as possible, from camera lens choices, to angles to set design and props and obviously performance, because the crazy only plays if everything else is real. And so we said to her, "No, no, no. He's inside of you. But it's his consciousness in your body." And she said, "Oh, I think I understand. Let me play around with that." And we're incredibly fortunate, because our cast are actually friends and insanely dedicated to their craft and the show. And she and John [Noble] spent a Saturday practicing and sort of working out the character together, because of course Walter has a relationship with William. So the two of them worked it up on their own and presented it to us – from her arched eyebrow and the way she carries her body, to the way she controls her voice. And it's really astounding. One thing that is important to note is that it delights Leonard to no end! Of all of us, the one who's the most proud and most impressed is Leonard.

IGN: I liked how he teased it several weeks ago, Tweeting, "Plans developing for a William Bell return to Fringe."

Pinkner: And by the way, there's more to come!

IGN: At the end of "Bloodline," we find out Walternate was behind Fauxlivia's kidnapping, but of course he did end up helping her – what he did saved her and the baby. But because she got away, we don't know for sure what his full plan was with her.

Wyman: I think there are a lot of risks with that disease and he wasn't 100% sure. So imagine there are some trial drugs on the market out there that really aren't approved. This was a way for him to actually do it. Because what he can't have happen is, number one, if he doesn't heal her, he can't have them die, because then all is lost. And he knows very well with the condition of that disease that she would terminate the pregnancy – she would have no choice. So the only thing to do is to say, "Look, I hope she lives. I'm sure we'll get the baby…"

Pinkner: Yeah, he needed the baby's blood. That was his end game.

Wyman: Right. So it's like, "We're going to try this. We'll do what we can. I have a theory – a hypothesis of what's going to happen when she carries it to term, with the things that we're giving her. And if I'm right, we get to save both of them. And if I'm wrong, I get the baby." So I think there's a certain amount of cunning in him that would make a sacrifice just to have the baby live, if he had to.

Pinkner: Walternate is very sincere when he says, "No experimentation on children." He doesn't have the same moral compass when it comes to adults!

IGN: On one hand I thought it might have been interesting if Fauxlivia had died in childbirth. But on the other hand, I think we all want to see Olivia and Fauxlivia confront each other again.

Pinkner: It's too quick to kill her, right?

IGN: [Laughs] Right! So might we see that confrontation sooner than later, perhaps?

Pinkner: Yes.

Wyman:
We're still in the world of augmenting our cast, not diminishing it. There's stories still to tell.

IGN: What can you say about the final four episodes of Season 3?

Pinkner: The story that set up at the beginning of the year with Olivia being trapped over there and Bolivia on our side comes full circle by the end of the year. Very much, the season was designed as a chapter and it will play out that way. And the very end of the season hopefully will make you sort of revisit and look at everything that's happened all year through a fresh pair of glasses.

IGN: It's been such a bold and audacious move to go so many times to the other universe – even just the fact that Joshua Jackson can't be in those episodes, and he's one of your leads… Was that something you had any trepidation about or you just thought, "This is the story we're telling and we're going to go all the way with it"?

Wyman: When we asked, "How are we going to tell these stories?" there were a whole bunch of things you have to consider when you're making it. Are we going to have episodes where half is over there and half is over here? Are we going to, full tilt, go over there and then come over here and the red universe and the blue? And we knew right away that was the right decision, the latter, because we could really explore it. And we were really intrigued by the concept of "Over There." We thought that if we could build a compelling mythology over there as well, by putting one of our main characters there… Which is kind of a little sleight of hand, but it works . People really got on board and we were hoping that they would. Which again is just a testament to our partners at Warner Bros. and FOX, for sure. You tell somebody, "Hey, guess what? We're going to tell episodes that doesn't have one of our main stars in it! None of our cast is going to be who they say they are!" We really got a chance to make two shows about one show and they embraced that. We were just really pleased that the fans got on board with us, because it's really fun for us to write.

IGN: I really like when you can do a callback on the show to something that happened quite a while ago, such as the recent episode about amber in "our" world, which involved a case from very early in the series. Is it exciting for you when you realize you can make that connective tissue?

Pinkner: Oh yeah. We purposefully plant seeds along the way and sometimes we know exactly how they're going to pay off. Other times we know that they will pay off, but not necessarily when or how. And we've said we sort of want to world-build. It's a way to make the show feel like it takes place in a world and it's not just episodic.

Wyman: We have a lot of faith in our fans and the audience that they enjoy that – so the loyal viewer will really enjoy those things. And then the show, the series itself, just gets a little more deeper. It just consistently broadens and everybody goes, "Oh wow, I'm seeing a design here I didn't really see." What Jeff said about the chapters is a really good point, because that's part of it. Consistently, at the end of each season, we start a new chapter. And that new chapter should broaden and enlighten, so by the time you get to the next season, you'll be like, "Oh, wow, I didn't see that coming and now this is how I'm going to enjoy the show now." It's sort of shifting and changing and forever growing. So a lot of those earlier things that we set up, they come into play. Even next season, you'll learn more things. We're constantly trying to shift and expand.

IGN: You just started production on the finale. Does knowing you're renewed in any way change the script or any aspect of what's going to occur?

Pinkner: Not a word. But to be fair, we wrote the episode, perhaps foolishly, assuming that we would be on for Season 4. We never for one second entertained that it would be the end of the series. So therefore, we didn't have to change a word!

IGN: For any show with a big overall mythology like this one, the fear for fans is that it's just suddenly cancelled and you guys didn't have time to prep for it and give it a proper ending. At this point, you're going into your fourth year and you know the studio and network support the show. Nothing's for certain of course, but do you think when the time comes, you'll get a head's up to wrap things up?

Pinkner: We certainly hope so. The studio and the network know that we have an ending and that for a long time we have been building towards an ending. So we anticipate getting to tell the story in the way and the manner that we want to.
Source: uk.tv.ign.com

29 comments:

  1. When the "X-Files" started to be character driven. indeed Scully driven, the ratings sunk like a rock. Fringe is starting to do the same with the inane antics of Walter and the Olivia/Bolivia plotting. Get back to the story-line stuff and throw in some real Fringe cases. Otherwise the series might go down the same drain that swallowed "Heros" AND for the same reason.

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  2. I love Olivia but this is too much I'm getting bored , hopefully season 4 will change that.
    bring Our old fringe team plz !
    give the Bishops more screen time
    my fringe addiction started the time I was stunned by the characters interactions
    now they are focusing on how each olivia is living her life , the spend an ep over ther with no walter and no peter to tell that altrivia is pregnante come on!they even made her more important than many of the main characters. and for me the dynamique b/w Lincolen and Scarlie is poor and synthetic and is nothing compared to the father/son relationship which had to be a bit considered after the big reveal , but sadly they dismissed this and instead tried to create this overthere Dynamique to plug the hole caused by the absence of overhere characters dynamique , but I dunno it just felt a bit stagy.

    yes they super-developped olivia's character but I still like s2 and S1 Olivia , she was more kick ass / Dunhamator to me ! plus : where is olivia this season ? at first she was altrivia then broken/needy olivia in the mean time when the universe is collapsing , then Bellivia , ....
    @Rich and I agree with you
    this seems to be turning typical , which I don't like


    Fall

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  3. I like the descriptive moniker "Dunhamator." Olivia has been through the wringer. In the first two "chapters", it was intimated that Olivia had developed powers that would work to her advantage in going toe-to-toe with the enemy. These powers were little evidenced this season, except to show their destructive nature to her as a child. Bell had even stated to Walter that Olivia was their crowning achievement. I expect to see the Bell/Bishop payoff - a new and battle-ready Olivia for the next chapter, even if it means that she abandons Peter for awhile.

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  4. Unlike every other commenter, I am completely happy with how the show is right now. I like that it focuses on the characters a lot. I think they have a good balance between mythology and characters, and how they intertwine them (ex: Peter having to choose one universe or the other in the end it depended on his relationship with Olivia).
    In the end, I trust the writers. I know, that no matter what, I won't end up bailing. I just love the show that much, I'm going to stick it out through the end.

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  5. The show is great. We love it.

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  6. This season has had some very good episodes, but they have focused so much on developing both Olivias, that they have sidelined the other main characters completely. The result, I will remember this season as the Perils of Olivia Season. Olivia/Fauxlivia got captured, were experimented on and escaped several times. It has been like a running gag.

    I wish I could be interested in watching Olivia/Faux going through the same stuff again and again, but the result is, that I got fed up with it. I hope S4 brings more variety to the table, because I miss The Bishops, Astrid, Broyles and Nina.

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  7. I'm hoping - and in truth it does feel like it to me - that we've just finished the 2nd of the first two major story arcs in this particular season. I'm expecting the third to be kicka$$.

    First arc was 'Dunhamator gets home', second has been to heal the characters and mend them together stronger then before. I think this third - which feels to me like its going to fully start in the next episode and now that Polivia is established - is going to blow us away and set the stage for an amazing story.

    The second angsty arc has been a bit long, but I think I remember hearing the writers trying to negotiate to make the first arc take more time but because there was a lot of over here/over there switching planned the powers that be thought think the audience wouldn't like it. I loved those episodes though, personally that arc could have lasted longer for me and the second one could have been shorter. So I still trust the writers because if I'm remembering that correctly then I think the powers that be should have trusted the writers gut and gone with a longer first arc.

    Looking forward to April 15th!!!

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  8. Interesting , I am with @Fall , i want our team back , we hooked to Fringe from Olivia Walter and Peter , am not too much in to the other universe , but that's the story line .

    I know that Fauxlivia is a critic character , but nothing can change my mind .. i don't like her ! Olivia always step behind her , i will be waiting their meeting in the future , and am very exciting to know what S4 will hold and how S3 will end .

    I just wish that by the end we will see how Peter is going to deal with his fate , and how Olivia will be back to her mind . and i hope to get many answers .

    Real1

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  9. I have to disagree with the comment about how fringe need change! I love the show in the current format and would find it hard to watch if it when backwards. I love the seeing the alternative universe and all the characters.

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  10. I think the show has to evolve, so we can get rid of the caracter centric stuff running over this season, I didn't know Fringe was about that otherwise I wouldn't start watching it ever. So I'm a little desapointed by this season, and would like it to be back to what is really important the sci-fi plotline, and the caracters we loved, it's a pity that alt-universe is symbolised by a vagina threat making babies, I hope they didn't plan for next season that when Faux farts it could create an earthquake in our universe ! lol so boring

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  11. In response to the comments about the show getting "boring" and "we need more fringe cases", I have to completely DISAGREE. I actually thought S1 was the least interesting BECAUSE of these cases. I almost stopped watching because I was having "dejavu" of xfiles. Though I loved xfiles for what it was, that show does not deserve or need to be remade. And if you are looking for a Law and Order, HOUSE type of show, watch exactly that... and this show is not for you.

    What I love about JJ Abrams shows is that it explores the unknown and is not only character-driven, but plot-driven and scientific-driven as well. How many shows can you count that embodies all of those things and more?

    Most importantly, I love that they try to answer questions or present theories that people forget have been unanswered for years. I wonder how many Fringe fans out there were also Alias and LOST fans. Because if you were a true fan, you would understand where JJ and his writers come from which is there is always a bigger picture and a lesson to be learned, more important and profound than reality shows that kill brain cells. And that, my friend, is true entertainment.

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  12. Myself, I'm happy with the progression of Fringe. I do hope however that more unanswered questions get answered in season 4.

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  13. I think what we are seeing, is that different people get different things from the show, which is great. You can't please everyone all of the time. There are so many wonderful things to love about Fringe, try not to get hung up on one aspect that you don't particularly like. The show is constantly evolving, and who knows what's in store for the next four episodes or next season...

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  14. For ANON who thinks Fringe fans desapointed about season 3 should watch Law and Order, or House, please note, I don't like it. But I think if you like what changed in Fringe season 3 you should stick with Greys Anatomy, you'd love it !

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  15. I trust the producers to allow the characters to go wherever they need to go -- after all, if it weren't for Agent Dunham's tenacity in searching for a way to save John Scott, Walter would still be locked away in the mental hospital, and Peter would no doubt still be dodging bullets in Iraq, and bookies in Boston.

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  16. FOR ANON "And if you are looking for a Law and Order, HOUSE type of show, watch exactly that... and this show is not for you.
    What I love about JJ Abrams shows is that it explores the unknown and is not only character-driven" here you said it yourself, we are looking for a none-character driven show , that's why we loved fringe at the very beginning and that is so contradicted with Law and order ... but now it's like the show is focusing on just two versions of the same character => taking the same path those shows have chosen which we don't like (I don't mean by "we" all the fans of course) and if you like the character driven kind of show => you'd be the one to watch those series.

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  17. People need to calm down. I'm sure the we will have some really Fringey things going on in the end of the season. We always do.
    If you think the show is boring, I can't see you watching TV at all, because Fringe is the most exciting show on television.

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  18. @anon sure it is the most exciting show on TV,and I want the best for this incredible piece of art named fringe, and I trust the writers, but what bugs me the most is that they made some decisions in this season that almost changed it to a character-driven show , I'm still holding optimism because I'm soss expecting an astonishing end for season three that may change all this .

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  19. I sure am glad that the negative posters here are not the writers for the show...which keeps getting more and more interesting as the series evolves.

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  20. Keeping our feet on the ground and noticing real changes on how the show is driven this season is not just putting negative posts, but saying and sharing our opinions (and we are many thinking Fringe changed this season), because we love this show, and we don't want Fringe to look like any other common soapy show that's all, the writers put this boring love triangle above the central plotline, the survival of our universes should be determined but how clever and imaginative or creative are our team or the over-there team, and not about who Peter is sleeping with (even if he can't tell). There is not much left of what we loved in the main characters, they all look like messy weaky people, unable to control anything, and worse, without any passion. This is a undergo season, that's why it can be boring sometimes.

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  21. I agree with last anon

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  22. Fall/Real1: Sockpuppet much?

    I'm with the happy fans -- if you want a mindless hour of entertainment, unconnected to anything more substantial and with only the minimum of character development, then this isn't the show for you.

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  23. @Joanna
    which Fringe season do you like the best and why ?

    Fall

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  24. To Joanna, thanks for telling us to give up on Fringe, but it was my favourite show, I'm just desapointed about how he character development is uninteresting this season, I would have loved to see the characters evolve in a unexpected way that's all. For me Faux is the most mysoginistic way (which is so hard to get rid of) to qualify a woman, she is just as stupid, mean, cupid, brainless, as the only way for her to succeed is to use her ..... This character could have been really interesting, instead of that we have to cope with the interuniversal bitch cliche, and it's really lowering my interest for the show.

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  25. "I would have loved to see the characters evolve in a unexpected way that's all"

    I wonder how many people who share this same sentiment also read Fringe spoilers...

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  26. In an unexpedted way might mean, without using a cliche !

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  27. To Joanna

    "" Fall/Real1: Sockpuppet much? ""

    I didn't get what you mean ?

    Fringe for me is about Olivia Walter and Peter , they are the main characters and they are Fringe , working as a team .

    Real1

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  28. not sure if this is where to post this but i have a question i wonder if Peter is a shapeshifter that has been in place since way back in season 2. i know it sounds strange but its fringe were are talking about.

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  29. Sharon , why do you think so ?

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