(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.

(S02E18) "Until I took my son from the other side, I had never believed in God. But it occurred to me that my actions had betrayed Him, and that everything that happened to me since then was God punishing me. So now I'm looking for a sign of forgiveness, a specific one, a white tulip ... If God can forgive me for my acts, maybe it's in the realm of possibility that my son will be able to forgive me." - Walter Bishop to Alistair Peck

First of all, how cool was it to see John Noble and Peter Weller hobnobbing on screen together? Just two old scientists exchanging time travel theories and comparing notes on saving/stealing loved ones.

It was the perfect vehicle to build on Walter's struggle about whether to tell Peter or not. In a sense, he'd already been through what Alistair was contemplating. Yes, Walter had crossed to another universe while Alistair was trying to jump back in time, but the result was the same -- be with the person you'd lost. Anyone who's lost a loved one can relate. There's nothing you wouldn't do to be with that person again, even if it means jeopardizing others in the process.

Now that we're firmly into the second half -- and heading towards the end -- of season two of 'Fringe,' let's talk about what's happened so far, and what we think might happen. Some of these speculations will mirror those I made last September, because not all of those questions have been answered yet. In fact, we may have more questions now than we did back then.

Still, with the episode titled 'Peter,' we finally started to get into the nitty-gritty about Walter stealing Peter from the alternate universe. Of course, we all knew this, but when will Peter find out, and who will tell him? That and lots of other questions spring to mind.

Will Peter learn the truth about his origins? Yes, I believe so, but the question is who will be the one to tell him? In last week's episode, 'Olivia. In the Lab. With a Revolver,' Olivia was determined to tell Peter the truth, but then decided against it after realizing that their family unit (Peter, Walter and Olivia) was more important than Peter knowing the truth. Then Walter decided that HE should be the one to tell Peter, painful as it might be. Walter knows there's a good chance that he could lose his son ... again. One other question is this: Walter visited Peter's grave in season one. If that grave is in this universe, why on earth would they use his real name on the gravestone? What if Peter stumbled across it?

(S02E17) "I have to tell him. I've gotta tell Peter the truth." - Olivia to Walter

I wish I could figure out how Sam, the bowling alley guy, fits into everything. I don't trust Nina Sharp one bit and neither does Olivia, so why should she think that Nina's suggestion to talk to Sam is a good thing? He could be totally nefarious (even though I don't get that vibe from him).

His midnight game of Clue did give us the great title for this episode, though, so there's that (along with the fact that we got to see Finn Garrity from 'Damages' again). But even so, he's not being very helpful at this point. Is he from the other universe? "I'm older than I look," he told Olivia. "I barely remember my childhood. I'm also taller than I appear."

(S02E16) "Somewhere, Peter will grow up, somewhere he will lead a proper life, somewhere he will be happy, but just not here. And we must take comfort in this. We must begin to move on." - Walter to Elizabeth, watching alt-Peter through the window to the other universe

I've said it before and I'll say it again: John Noble is a fantastic actor. With the flashback to 1985 in this episode, he completely morphed into a different Walter Bishop. And yet, you can see traces of the person that he is now, and because of all he's been through, you can understand how he got from there to here.

But he wasn't the monster that I thought he might be, based on some of the things we've learned about him since 'Fringe' began. Instead, he was a loving and caring husband and father who was obsessed with finding a cure for his son.

This episode has gotten a lot of hype, and it didn't disappoint. While it did answer a few questions, it posed even more questions, which will make the rest of the season exceedingly entertaining and possibly heartbreaking.

Geeks, meet Gleeks.

To kick of the May sweeps, Fox is planning a week of 'Glee'-inspired musical programming, including a musical episode of sci-fi fan fave 'Fringe.' In the April 29 episode, entitled 'Overture,' the show's paranormal investigators will find themselves suddenly breaking out into song and dance numbers.

Turns out a lot of the 'Fringe' cast have music backgrounds, so they were psyched to show off their crooning and hoofing skills as part of the typical weirdness of the show. How do these musical interludes come about? Read on for spoilers.

(S02E15) "We're standing in two buildings, one of which comes from the alternate universe." - Walter

Well, we asked for it, and we got it. A few big reveals -- or not -- about the alternate universe and Olivia's part in it. Big episode of 'Fringe' tonight, with lots of things coming together. This is the winter finale, and the next episode airs April 1, 2010.

(S02E13) "Quickly, get your pajamas off and let's go!" - Walter to hazmat guy escorting him back to the lab

Ok, I know Walter Bishop is brilliant, but coming up with a cure for a 75,000-year-old virus? A little far-fetched, but hey, we'll go with it. Geez, put Walter on the cure for the common cold or cancer. Just put him in a room with Astrid and a refrigerator, and who knows what awesome scientific wonders he might come up with. He's the new MacGyver.

(S02E12) "Hard artichokes rarely keep. Norwegian elephants, Singapore sleep." - Walter's song to remember the Harkness Law Library

Now that's more like it! After Monday's misplaced episode, Fringe was back to speed tonight with "Johari Window," an episode that played like a thriller movie. I love Fringe and always hate when an episode ends because I know I'll have to wait a whole week to see the next one.

While this was seemingly a stand-alone episode that didn't deal directly with the alternate universe, we did get a little tidbit from Walter at the end. One of those lines with very words and a facial expression that says so much. Oh, Walter. I feel for you when it all comes out in the open, because I have a feeling Peter won't be so forgiving.

(S02E10) "I don't do Valium nearly enough. I'll have 50 milligrams please." - Walter

More Walterisms like the one above, as well as a few reveals and a nice cliff-hanger into the second part of this season, which picks up January 14. So far, every episode in this season of Fringe has psyched me up for what's to come, whether it's a seemingly stand-alone ep or something that carries us forward into the alternative universe. Things don't sound too good over there. In fact, it sounds a little apocalyptic. Now I'm curious to take a look myself.

In honor of the great Frank Costanza, and to ring in the holiday season, we're celebrating Festivus here at the Squad by sharing our personal TV wish lists. This year, I'm wishing for ...

• An awesome end for Dollhouse. I know its cancellation was inevitable – the series was forever tanking in the ratings, and even Joss Whedon devotees were sometimes underwhelmed by it – but I really loved the experimental nature of the show. Dollhouse was a weird, funny and sometimes very dark playground where Whedon could try out new ideas and put new spins on old ones. I'm looking forward to watching the final episodes.


• More sci-fi stuff on Stargate Universe. I love the slow burn character arcs, but would it kill the writers to shake things up a bit with a little action and some fantastic science fiction-based stories?

'Fringe' may give us a weekly dose of strange characters, bizarre phenomena and wild special effects, but what draws us back are the charismatic, quirky, heroes.

And as Olivia, Peter and Walter continue investigating The Pattern and delve deeper into inter-dimensional strangeness, they grow closer -- so close, in fact, that some wonder if Peter and Olivia may soon set off sparks of their own. AOL TV recently asked star Joshua Jackson if this was inevitable.

It appears that the Russians have fringe science, too. Tonight's episode of Fringe, "Earthling," ups the creep factor with an old case of Agent Broyles' that's come back to haunt him. The story centers on a cosmonaut who goes to outer space and brings something mysterious back with him that's killing people.

On first glance, it appears to be a standalone episode not connected with the alternate universe, but my feeling is that every episode is somehow connected to the big picture. The fact that this series of murders was unsolved is a good clue, and the guy in the hospital bed with half of a head is reminiscent of the people who get caught between the two universes. Any theories before we see tonight's episode?

And since the last episode, "Dream Logic," ended with a young Peter being yanked from his room, I'm hoping we get a few more clues into his past in tonight's episode, too. Here's the clip, straight from SlashControl.

(S02E05) "Whether you admit it or not, your life is something of a nightmare." - Bowling Alley Guy to Olivia

For a minute there, I thought maybe we were in a True Blood crossover with the horned guy in the first few minutes of this episode. But no, it was the usual twisty-turny Fringe-isms involving mind control, computer chips and dream states.

And it appears that something many of us assumed had happened to Peter actually did happen -- though with this show, you can never be sure until it all plays out. It wouldn't surprise me if it's something completely different from what I'm assuming it is. All this, and Mysterious Bowling Alley Guy after the jump ...

(S02E04) "Momentum can be deferred, but it must always be paid back in full. As I always said to Walter, physics is a bitch." - William Bell to Olivia, on the dangers of jumping universes

Cryonics, frozen heads, worm juice, mercury blood, shapeshifters, and Leonard Nimoy were all featured in this episode, and I loved it all.

Let's start with the worm juice. Olivia must have been seriously craving her William Bell memories to drink that awful stuff. And what a trooper that she was able to keep it down, too. I guess it must have worked. She got some of her memories back, along with some help from the bell -- both the bell they chimed during Rebecca's psychedelic adventure and William Bell. Or Willem, as Olivia used to call him.

Is she right not to trust him? Could he have started the war? It's certainly possible, given his mysteriousness. He said for reasons she might understand later, he couldn't come back to this universe right now, possibly never. Why? What's he doing over there? Is he the one building the army? Is he being forced to? Will he and Walter face off eventually?