John Noble has done some outstanding work on 'Fringe' this year, and I really hope he ends up with an Emmy for it. The nominations will be announced on July 8, and the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards will air on Aug. 29 on NBC.

I've loved Noble's portrayal of the brilliant scientist Walter Bishop since 'Fringe' premiered in 2008, but he really raised the bar during season two. 'The Man From the Other Side' included a heartbreaking scene where Peter told Walter that he knew he wasn't his son, that Walter had stolen him from the other universe, and that it was a horrible betrayal that Walter had kept from him.

You could just see the panic on Noble's face as Peter's words pierced his heart. And my heart broke for Walter.

But as we know, "there's more than one of everything," and when we finally met Walternate, his alter-ego in the other universe, we met a completely different Walter. The Walter we'd come to know and love was scattered and timid, and he possessed a childlike curiosity of even the smallest things in his world. He also loved root beer floats, onion soup and Red Vines.

In contrast, Walternate was stern, cold, calculating and ... tall. Yes, even his body seemed completely different. Our Walter was fluttery and a bit crumpled over, probably from having spent 17 years in a mental institution. Walternate, on the other hand, was smooth, well-spoken and carried himself tall and confidently. When he looked at Peter, he didn't see the son he'd lost earlier in life. He saw a doorway into the other universe.

Of course, 'Fringe' isn't Noble's first time at the rodeo. The veteran actor has been working in film and theater since the 1970s, but only came into my consciousness as Denethor in the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. His portrayal of the steward of Gondor brought an emotional pathos to the character that forever secured his place in the annuls of Tolkien history. The scene where Denethor feasts on meat and other juicy tidbits as Pippin sadly sings for him is what film-making is all about. Noble's work in the extended scenes, like this one with David Wenham (Faramir), are master classes unto themselves.

There aren't a ton of embeddable videos of Walter, but I've compiled a few below. Also, check out this one on YouTube; it's one of my favorites of Walter dancing to quell the fears of the mysterious child on 'Inner Child' (S01E15). And here's one where Walter calls Darwin a moron.

Season 2, Episode 22 - 'Over There, Part 1.' Walter tries to explain his actions to the Cortexiphan kids, now adults seeking answers.



Season 2, Episode 20 - 'Brown Betty.' What Walter just smoked isn't your basic run-of-the-mill marijuana. It's super-nova pot that he calls Brown Betty.



And because he doesn't take anything too seriously, here's 'Deep in the Lab' by Dr. Walter Bishop. The real question is whether to wet the toothbrush before or after application of the paste. Is there a right or wrong answer? If there is, I'm sure Walter will figure it out.



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