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'Fringe' - 'The Man From the Other Side' Recap
by Jane Boursaw, posted Apr 23rd 2010 12:00PM
(S02E19) "I want you to get some rest, Dad." - Peter to Walter
This episode of 'Fringe' had everything -- a slimy embryo, a thrilling gunfight, nefarious shapeshifters, some alternate universe action, and yes, that heartbreaking drama we've been waiting for all season.
It also had plenty of scientific talk about frequencies, harmonic vibrations, cellular polarity and the like. I won't attempt to decipher most of it, but suffice to say that I was amazed everything came together in the right place at the right time to make that bridge appear.
Even more amazing is that the Fringe crew used an old-school protractor and ruler to figure out where it would happen.
I was really hoping that Peter's big revelation that he's from the alternate universe would turn out better. Of course, it's more dramatic to have him turn against Walter, but oh, they built up the relationship so much in this episode. Peter wanted to make a pie with Walter, he called him Dad, he promised to take him to the 'Star Trek' convention, and you just knew all of that would come crashing down. Just heartbreaking to see Walter's face after Peter said, "I am not your son" in the hospital. For the record, here's most of what Peter said to Walter:
"There was another man on that bridge. When Newton's device started to work, I saw him there, just walking down the bridge. You said the effects of Newton's vibrations would be devastating. They destroyed that FBI agent, just disintegrated him like he wasn't there. But they didn't kill the man from the other side, and they didn't kill me. I'm not from here, am I? You didn't just open up a hole to the other side; you went through, and you brought me back. That's why I was able to survive Newton's device. It's why I can't remember my childhood. It's why my mother committed suicide, isn't it? She knew, didn't she? And when I left, the guilt was too much for her, the lie ... I understand, Walter. I understand everything now ... I am not your son ... I'd like to be alone now."
Oh, Walter. My heart bleeds for you. Especially now that Peter's checked himself out of the hospital and isn't answering his phone. Where it goes from here is anybody's guess, but of course, Peter will show back up eventually. Still, you can see where he's coming from with his anger and bitterness. It's like his whole life has been a lie. Essentially, it has.
How about those shapeshifting-pod-people-embryos? I had to laugh when the guy went into the abandoned warehouse at the beginning, and didn't seem the least bit freaked out that these goopy globs were pulsating on the floor. No, he got a stick and started poking one. First wrong move.
And later, when Walter assembled all his supplies -- including six car batteries, a corpse (can't be dead for more than two days!), and some other stuff -- the Fringe crew seemed to take the glob coming to life all in stride. Who knew you could jump-start an embryo? Let's face it; that was pretty awesome, even for them. And I don't even want to think about the legalities of producing a fresh corpse. But at least Walter got Astrid's name right in the process.
It was cool to see Sebastian Roche, a.k.a. Newton, again, and see some of the earlier storylines come full circle. Well, half circle anyway. I know we're supposed to suspend disbelief for this show, but it was pretty amazing that Walter et al could figure out exactly where the center of Newton's triangle would be, and then set up all the gadgets to cancel Newton's device using opposite harmonic vibrations. But hey, we'll go with it. I did have to laugh, though, when the thing wasn't working, and Peter looked at the computer to see "Network cable disconnected." Eh, it happens to the best of us.
So, who do you think "Mr. Secretary" was at the end? Do you think it's the other Walter? The hand didn't look old enough, but maybe...
Watch episodes and clips of 'Fringe' on SlashControl.
Follow @jboursaw on Twitter.
This episode of 'Fringe' had everything -- a slimy embryo, a thrilling gunfight, nefarious shapeshifters, some alternate universe action, and yes, that heartbreaking drama we've been waiting for all season.
It also had plenty of scientific talk about frequencies, harmonic vibrations, cellular polarity and the like. I won't attempt to decipher most of it, but suffice to say that I was amazed everything came together in the right place at the right time to make that bridge appear. Even more amazing is that the Fringe crew used an old-school protractor and ruler to figure out where it would happen.
I was really hoping that Peter's big revelation that he's from the alternate universe would turn out better. Of course, it's more dramatic to have him turn against Walter, but oh, they built up the relationship so much in this episode. Peter wanted to make a pie with Walter, he called him Dad, he promised to take him to the 'Star Trek' convention, and you just knew all of that would come crashing down. Just heartbreaking to see Walter's face after Peter said, "I am not your son" in the hospital. For the record, here's most of what Peter said to Walter:
"There was another man on that bridge. When Newton's device started to work, I saw him there, just walking down the bridge. You said the effects of Newton's vibrations would be devastating. They destroyed that FBI agent, just disintegrated him like he wasn't there. But they didn't kill the man from the other side, and they didn't kill me. I'm not from here, am I? You didn't just open up a hole to the other side; you went through, and you brought me back. That's why I was able to survive Newton's device. It's why I can't remember my childhood. It's why my mother committed suicide, isn't it? She knew, didn't she? And when I left, the guilt was too much for her, the lie ... I understand, Walter. I understand everything now ... I am not your son ... I'd like to be alone now."
Oh, Walter. My heart bleeds for you. Especially now that Peter's checked himself out of the hospital and isn't answering his phone. Where it goes from here is anybody's guess, but of course, Peter will show back up eventually. Still, you can see where he's coming from with his anger and bitterness. It's like his whole life has been a lie. Essentially, it has.
How about those shapeshifting-pod-people-embryos? I had to laugh when the guy went into the abandoned warehouse at the beginning, and didn't seem the least bit freaked out that these goopy globs were pulsating on the floor. No, he got a stick and started poking one. First wrong move.
And later, when Walter assembled all his supplies -- including six car batteries, a corpse (can't be dead for more than two days!), and some other stuff -- the Fringe crew seemed to take the glob coming to life all in stride. Who knew you could jump-start an embryo? Let's face it; that was pretty awesome, even for them. And I don't even want to think about the legalities of producing a fresh corpse. But at least Walter got Astrid's name right in the process.
It was cool to see Sebastian Roche, a.k.a. Newton, again, and see some of the earlier storylines come full circle. Well, half circle anyway. I know we're supposed to suspend disbelief for this show, but it was pretty amazing that Walter et al could figure out exactly where the center of Newton's triangle would be, and then set up all the gadgets to cancel Newton's device using opposite harmonic vibrations. But hey, we'll go with it. I did have to laugh, though, when the thing wasn't working, and Peter looked at the computer to see "Network cable disconnected." Eh, it happens to the best of us.
So, who do you think "Mr. Secretary" was at the end? Do you think it's the other Walter? The hand didn't look old enough, but maybe...
Watch episodes and clips of 'Fringe' on SlashControl.
Follow @jboursaw on Twitter.
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