Fringe: Over There Review (Part 1)

It's really difficult to review this Fringe episode, because it's essentially only half of the epic conclusion to this season. Still there is just too much information in Part 1 to cram into a review alongside all of the revelations that Part 2 has in store for us. Over There started off running, with the alt-universe Fringe team (including a still living Charlie) investigating a hole in the fabric of the universe procured during our Fringe team's entry into the new world.

We then flash back to how the team got there, and how they brought the cortexiphan patients with them. Once they make it, things become a race to central park to meet William Bell, and Peter's reunion with his birth mother. This episode may run at a quick pace, but it allows for emotional development of the characters we've dealt with before, as well as the ones who've just come back into our lives.

The Cortexiphan kids' appearance was short but meaningful, giving them a proper send off instead of just leaving them as dangling plot strings. We also got more depth into Walter's reliance on Peter emotionally. During much of the season Peter was Walter's anchor to reality and what kept him driven. Now he relies on Olivia, but Olivia also relied on Peter. I've sometimes felt that the group could function without one of them, but ultimately it just falls apart.

We finally got our most in depth look at the other side, with much happier versions of the characters we've come to know. Olivia is in love with somebody who looks a lot like John Scott, but isn't. Chalie is still suffering from the parasites he was infected with in Season One's Unleashed, but he's still kicking and quipping. I hope he plays a bigger part in Season 3, but I feel like they're just going to kill him off in Part 2.

It also becomes aparent that a member of our Fringe team may meet an unfortunate end in Part 2. Walter's been shot, Peter is being used by Walternate for his doomsday device (which looks like a live-action version of the device Mewtwo is hooked up to in the first Pokemon movie), and Olivia has been becoming less of an important character this season. It could be forshadowing. Leonard Nimoy appears right at the end as William Bell, who looks to have a larger role in the second half, and we may find out what his motivations are.

Ultimately we will have to wait for Part 2 to fully understand this episode, but right now is stands as a solid 9.5 out of 10.