The Observer spotted at Yankees game

The Observer was spotted yesterday at the Yankees / Indians baseball game, sitting in the audience. The Observer has been making a lot of public appearances lately, showing up at NFL games, NASCAR, and even American Idol. However, in this case, he may have been there to witness a disaster, as New York was routed by Cleveland 22-4.

* Thanks to Robert Fallon for the screenshot, and Carolie & joeyboy553 for the video!

Fringe: The Complete First Season DVD & Blu-ray Preorder

Fringe: The Complete First Season is now available for pre-order on Amazon in both Blu-ray and DVD formats for $55.99 and $41.99 respectively. The release date has not been announced yet, but it is estimated to be sometime in August.

BTW, one of the nice things about pre-ordering on Amazon is that you are guaranteed the lowest price, even if the price drops between now and the release date. Plus, either edition should qualify for free shipping, and you don't get charged until it ships.

However, if past performance is any indication of future outcomes, I would expect to see several "special-editions", as was the case with Cloverfield, Transformers, and the first few seasons of Lost. Of course if that happens, we'll let you know about it.

Walter's Song From Unleashed - Menagerie

In the Fringe episode Unleashed, Walter recalls a song that he used to sing to his dog Rufus (which suffered from night terrors. )

The song he sings is called "Van Amburghs Menagerie", a popular song in the late 19th century about a menagerie (traveling zoo.)

Here are the lyrics that Walter sings, as he goes to confront the monster in the sewer:

Van Amburgh is the man, who goes to all the shows
He goes into the lion's cage, and tells you all he knows;
He sticks his head in the lion's mouth,and keeps it there a-while,
And when he pulls it out again, he greets you with a smile.
...
That Hyena in the next cage, most terrible to relate,
Got awful hungry the other day, and ate up his female mate;
He’s a very ferocious beast, don't go near him little boys,
For when he's angry he shakes his tail, and makes this awful noise.

Click here to read the full lyrics

Van Amburgh is the man, who goes to all the shows
He goes into the lion's cage, and tells you all he knows;
He sticks his head in the lion's mouth,and keeps it there a-while,
And when he pulls it out again, he greets you with a smile.

Chorus:
The elephant goes around, The band begins to play,
The boys around the monkey's cage had better get out of the way.

First comes the African Polar Bear, oft called the Iceberg's Daughter,
She eats three cakes of ice per day then calls for soda water;
She wades in the water up to her knees, not fearing any harm,
You may growl and grumble as much as you please, and she don't give a "darn."

That Hyena in the next cage, most terrible to relate,
Got awful hungry the other day, and ate up his female mate;
He’s a very ferocious beast, don't go near him little boys,
For when he's angry he shakes his tail, and makes this awful noise.
(imitate growling)

Next comes the Anaconda Boa Constrictor, oft called Anaconda for brevity,
He's known throughout the whole wide world for his age and great longevity;
He can swallow himself, crawl into himself, and crawl out again with facility,
He can tie himself into a double-bow-knot with his tail, and smile with the greatest facility.

The peacock is a pretty bird, his tail is wondrous fine,
The Jay bird and the jackdaw are mad to see it shine,
The Kangaroos are jumping, and rattling the cage door,
Look out ye little boys, for the lion's going to roar.

The monkey in the next cage, is cuffing his little brother,
He's not to blame for doing that, for he learned it of his mother;
The skin of his face is drawn so tight, and coverv'd o're with kinks,
And when he winks, he's sure to gape, and when he gapes he winks.

Next comes the Great Vulture, awful bird, from highest mountain's top,
He's been known to eat up little girls, and then to lick his chops;
The performance can't go on, there's too much noise and confusion,
Ladies don't feed those monkeys cakes, you'll ruin their constitutions.

(alternate)
The last is the eagle, from the highest mountain tops,
He's been known to eat up little birds, and here his history stops;
The performance can't go on, there's too much noise and confusion,
If the ladies give them monkeys fruit, it will injure their constitution.

BTW, Menagerie is also this week's Star Trek reference - the name of the only two-part episode from the original series.

Fringe Scenemaker 116: Unleashed

Scenemaker is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Fringe. This episode shows the making of the monster sewer hunt scene, from the Fringe episode Unleashed.

You can watch previous episode's scenemaker videos here.

Fox Fringe Website Nominated for Webbys

Fringe was honored by The Webby Awards as an official honoree selection in three categories:

• Television Website: for the official Fringe website at Fox.com
• Video Remixes/Mashups: for the “Fringemas” video (see below)
• Best Writing for the “Fringemas” video

Congratulations to everyone on Fox!

If you missed the "Happy Fringemas" video from last Christmas, here it is:

Happy Birthday Anna Torv!

Everyone's favorite Australian actress, Anna Torv, celebrates her birthday today.

Congratulations to Anna on her career, her stellar performances as Olivia Dunham, and her recent marriage to co-star Mark Valley.

Fringebusters 116: Unleashed

For each episode of Fringe, Popular Mechanics asks experts to analyzes the science of Fringe, and separate the science fact from the science fiction.

For "Unleashed," PM brings in Malcolm Low, a senior scientist and Head of the Transgenic Animal Core at Oregon Health & Science University, and Larry Young, a professor at Emory University's Yerkes National Primate Center, to answer the question: Is Fringe's Genetic Monster Possible?

One of the most interesting quotes from the piece comes from Low:

"The idea of this chimeric creature, to me, could be believable in the sense that, over the eons, natural processes have changed creatures on gene at a time, and we've seen all kinds of things come and go," he says. "But to engineer that in one step would involve so many changes all at once. Nobody has a way to do that."

Not yet...

Walter's Lab Notes: Fringe 116 Unleashed

Walter's Lab Notes from the Unleashed include Walter's previous notes from a project called "Radical Transgenics", a cup of the highly toxic poison (or maybe the antidote?), and another grainy photo, which appears to be part of a larger puzzle.

In Walter's notes, he argues with himself, in a similar nature to the notes from The Equation.

Fringe Promo Photos 116: Unleashed

Here are the promotional photos from Fringe episode 116 Unleashed.
(Hover over each of the photos for a full description.)

Fringe Episode Review: Unleashed

Between Inner Child and Unleashed, the writers have really figured out how to make a standalone ep work. Last week's was moody and subtle. This week: full-throttled, terror-filled fun. Fringe has introduced us to supersized virus cells, porcupine men, and heart-choking parasites, but Unleashed was our first real creature-feature. I can't wait to see the accompanying concept art! And in addition to some tangible horror and suspense, there was a wellspring of great character moments as well.

"Monsters aren't real."

Unless you live in Boston, the new nexus of All Things Weird. Last week's griffin tattoo hinted at Unleashed's villain: a real-life manticore. Taking a closer look at the image above, you can really see a cornucopia of species. The bat-like head, the reptilian scales, the lionesque paws, the octopus tail with its rattlesnake terminus.

Kudos to director Brad Anderson for keeping the "Walticore" hidden until the episode's climax, a la Cloverfield. There were a few times earlier where the effects didn't quite create a tangible presence for me, not even a hidden one (in the woods, etc.), and I wanted a more distinctive sound effect, but the final reveal blew me away. Best visual effects I've ever seen on television.

"Are you trying to tell me I'm pregnant?"

I was ecstatic to see Charlie's character further developed in this episode. The scenes between Kirk Acevedo and his real-life wife, Kiersten Warren, were touching and authentic, thanks to some excellent performances and brilliant casting. Charlie's more than just a great voice - Kirk's a luminous actor, and I'm glad the writers gave him a real chance to shine. Now, let's do the same for Peter, Broyles, and Astrid!

"You were brave today."

Peter and Walter's relationship also took center stage tonight, taking one step back as they argued over Walter's culpability, and then two steps forward when Peter recognizes Walter's re-emerging humanity. Walter's selfless heroism in the sewer, combined with Peter's unchecked fear for his father, was a wonderfully moving moment. Even more incredible that the writers managed to squeeze it into such a fun, outlandish storyline about a genetically-engineered monster.

What did you think? Unleashed is now my favorite "standalone" episode of Season 1.

Stray Thoughts

• Best Line of the Night: "I need to tinkle. Could either of you direct me to the facilities?" (Could be my favorite of the season).
• Runner-up: "Apparently you're looking for a lion-snake named Harriet."
• 2nd Runner-up: "I haven't felt any rhinos lately."
• While Charlie was infected, I kept thinking, all the man needs is a BOX of TISSUES.
• Is the cadaver-splitting larvae hatching the grossest Fringe moment yet? I put it right up there with Bound's slug vomiting and the Pilot's Captain Yawny-Face.
• Giacchino's score was particularly riveting tonight.
• John Noble was at his most delectable, too. Give the man an Emmy!
• Anyone think there's more to Walter's "thinking out loud" in this ep? Like, maybe he's speaking with someone through the Ghost Network? Belly himself?
• According to J.R. Orci, one of Unleashed's writers, the Monster is named Rufus II.

Adam Morgan is a writer for the page and screen in Chicago, and blogs daily at Mount Helicon.

Fringe Episode 116: What You Missed Because of American Idol

If you Tivo'd Fringe tonight, you might have found that the last three minutes or so were cut off due the American Idol running long (again!). If you didn't learn your lesson from last week and that happened to you, don't worry - FringeTelevision has got your back! Here are the final scenes from Fringe episode "Unleashed".

Fringe Episode 116: Unleashed

As animal rights activists ransack a laboratory, they get more than they bargained for when one of the caged "animals" unleashes a ferocious appetite. Leaving grotesquely mutilated dead bodies in its wake, the scientific engineered beast...
Leonard Nimoy to play William Bell = ?