Are you as excited for this Friday as I am? |
As the screener for 4.08 makes it way out to media outlets, reactions are showing up on the web. So far I have come across three of them. When the promo for 4.08 - "Back To Where You've Never Been" - aired way back in November of 2011, viewers could tell that the table setting of the first third of the season was complete and things were going to kick into the next gear.
One of the most recurring observations of the season was that many did not care about the characters from this new timeline. Sounds very reminiscent of last season when the AltVerse characters were initially met with the same resistance.
With 4.08, looks like the show has, once again, engaged viewers with this latest new set of characters.
1) First up - TV Critic Jace Lacob of the The Daily Beast
Via Twitter:
Jace Lacob
Great episode of #Fringe next week. I actually cared about the "new" versions of these characters for the first time this season. Well done.
"The
storyline finally comes together in an intriguing way. Plus, they're
written in a way that forces us to see them differently."
Addundum #2:
And then this:
"Plus, one of the best Walternate scenes in a long time."
Addendum #1:
I tweeted Jace to expand on his thoughts on the episode and he responded with this:
Addundum #2:
And then this:
"Plus, one of the best Walternate scenes in a long time."
2) Next is - Jason Lynch - TV Editor for People Magazine.
Via Twitter:
Jason Lynch
Friday's #Fringe return features some DELICIOUS twists & for the first time I cared about the people in this alt-alt-universe. Welcome back!
3) Over at GMMR - Marisa Roffman previewed the screener, answered several questions, and provided several teases of her own.
Marisa does great work over at GMMR covering Fringe. Recommend you keep her on your follow list.
Are the stakes being raised? This snippet certainly grabbed my attention:
At least one character we know is gravely injured before the hour ends. (No, I’m not counting a one-off guest star. A few of those didn’t end up so hot, either.)
Check out Marisa's full article - FRINGE: ‘Back To Where You’ve Never Been’ You Ask, I Answer
The Wait Is Almost Over!
20 Comments:
So stoked. Just re-watched 3.05 - 3.09 yesterday.
5 more days is too long.
Fringe rocks!
Watch live!
Jace Lacob is a good tv critic, sounds very promising.
If Ryan McGee turns the corner on this season, that will be big.
Well he has been a little crotchety with everything this season. He has been trashing terra nova, glee, fringe, suburgatory, modern family and now he has emotionally distanced himself from Chuck (although that could change if chuck delivers big time in the series finale) It is hard to tell what his reaction will be, but I do hope he does give the episode a shot on it's own merits.
i was angry just now and then i read this-now im in a great mood...gotta love fringe
Amrit,
thank you for your positive comments.
So glad the wait is almost over! I was beginning to think I had dreamed it was cancelled but that was an 'alternate' nightmare I'm sure.
Having looked at Marisa's article and her suggestion to reread the interview with producers, I wonder if one of the big moments might be the first face off between Peter and Walternate (post Walternate's shooting of Future Olivia – since as far as I can tell from their comments Peter may well remember that little fact and not be too happy about it). Go Peter and the Walters!
There will be at least 15 Peter scenes and Josh Jackson has said that it is a fantastic episode for him. Lady...maybe the reviewer is not trying to spoil something and has not mentioned a lot of spoilers. It sounds like Peter is going to be relevant in this episode (non MacGuffin wise). Based on todays TCA maybe a little positivity should be laid out.
Ryan McGee twitted "This week's return of #Fringe doesn't solve this seasons problems, but it's a good step in the right direction." That's sounds good enough. I don't expect them to dig themselves out of the hole they're in in one episode, but I hope that trend continues the rest of the season. No steps back, please.
@Trent
Good news! I just hope the episode is worth the wait, and from what im hearing it is! so im very excited. Tbh the episode has the advantage that i just CANNOT be worse than the previous episode, the absoloutely abysmal "wallflower"
Even more excited with McGee's tweet.
For myself as one whos disagree with him about Peter's situation being an unnecessary complication - for me it is an exploration of character that is at the core of the best of SF; having him deem this episode as good and right makes the anticipation to see it even higher.
Critics seem to fawn over the completion of stories I think. Ryan said that he has distanced himself from Chuck because the series used a villian from previous seasons a couple of episodes ago in order to enact out the revenge that has been built over multiple seasons and that previous knowledge increased his investment and ended the same investment because payoff had been met. He only wants to watch Chuck for the relationships because that is all that is left that has continuity over the entire series and that can have emotional payoff in the end. His enjoyment is based on long term links.
It is like if long term answers are delivered it gains automatic critical aclaim. Justified had a magnificent self contained serialised second season where tough decisions were made and Mags Bennet no matter how awesome she was died in a similar fate to the premier episode. I think critics like when a show just answers the questions no matter how much sometimes none of us want to hear the answers. I did not want to see Mags die, not one bit because she was just too fantastic a character.
This post is not a critism but a way to maybe try and understand how some critics like McGee or Sepinwall appreciate television.
I think what truely stops Ryan or some critics like Ryan investing in this season is because they are holding too tight onto the previous seasons and if they think that this is the last season...then they want the show to answer the previous 3 seasons questions. I think cable has done a little bit of damage as I mentioned Justifed above. I think Homeland, Breaking Bad, Man Men, The Wire....they were great series but at the same time they were so tightly wound that everything mattered, everything was in the season or seasons before or seasons after and it all connected.
Viewing a show like fringe that way just does not help because as Walter says...decisions change destiny. So if Peter makes a different decision in the machine than what would have happened then everything before does not matter because a new path is forged.
continued...
The science fiction tells us that everything could matter or nothing could matter because it all comes down to a single decision, now that in of itself is incredibly poetic but I suppose for a tv critic that spends hours trying to piece together a puzzle...that must become difficult and frustrating.
I have mentioned that Peter represents the Lost mythology to me and maybe that is wrong or maybe that is right. But understanding his point of view through nuanced storytelling about his character might have been beneficial earlier on in the series if we are to understand where he is coming from now. I understand Walter and Olivia because the show goes to great pains to show their journey and show it very well through great performances by Torv and Noble, Peter is a little convoluted for me.
Maybe this entire season will rectify that we shall have to wait and see. But in a way I do see his point, if a critic like Ryan does not understand his character yet or when he dissappeared then for him I guess it does not make sense to dissappear him.
It might have been beneficial for them to show on screen what happened in the comic books, that would have put a whole different light on this Peter situation. Watching even for an episode Peter travel in the machine would have answered a lot of questions and help the audience invest in these new characters because they would have a better understanding of Peters decision that lead them to this new timeline or new universe.
At the same time if they did not or could not afford to do an episode that massive then perhaps once Peter came back if they put some narrative momentum into his story by letting him inform us and the audience what happened to him in the machine then that might have rectified some of Ryans misgivings.
I think Ryan is being a little impatient and the answers will be given down the line, but I think the show in a way did not help themselves with the structure of the season thus far...more answers were needed and should have been given. I do not know if it makes sense from Peter's point of view to not speak and tell people about his experiences or for us to not understand why he is not freaked out about being in a universe that does not want him or are afraid of him. If his time in the machine calmed him, that might have been good to know by now even if it was a simple line of dialogue of him saying that he experieced a life time in blink of an eye.
All of this is to say, I doubt Ryan will give most fans what they want...a great review, but I understand the limitations of his thinking in a way. This is a Sci Fy Show and thus bigger looser thinking is needed.
Connective tissue...that is it! Ryan says his investment is based on connective tissue over seasons and characters and plots. Critics with that type of thinking on a bold and innovative show like this will not understand that everything is on a knife edge.
OT but....
Sorry folks...no definite word yet....
http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/01/08/fox-on-fringe-renewal/?hpt=hp_t3
Loveycats
I know you guys haven't made a post about the renewal prospects for Fringe yet, but I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to campaign to save the show (other than watching live, which I already do)?
I think watching live is most important. Letter campaigns (referenced by Reilly himself) will not work. I think spoilertv came up with the best idea. Each week 1 million fans have to donate 50 dollars each.
Sorry got that wrong, I meant 1 hundred thousand fans donate 50 dollars. Or 1 million donate 5 dollars.
And in a related post.....
http://www.tvline.com/2012/01/fringe-season-finale-series-finale-wyman-pinkner/
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