Fringe: The Plateau
I must admit, I'm becoming a little bit irritated by the alternating episodes. It's not that I prefer one universe over the other, but that they are both so captivating. Every week I feel happy to return to one universe, but melancholy for spending so long without the other. Each episode over here, we see how much our Olivia has lost, and each episode over there, we're able to feel that loss. This week, we get our first full look at their Fringe division, and guess what. They're not bad people. The fact that one of them is Charlie only adds to the conflict that we feel at this point. There will come a time when the war is bearing down, and we will be forced to take a side, and even I am not sure who will win.
The case of the week format is back in play, but for the first time, we're not complaining about it. The series is in a place where the writers can do pretty much anything they want without question. This episode seemed almost destined to be a step down from the action packed Olivia, but it wasn't. It was a more than intriguing case involving Milo, a man who can predict and influence events in order to commit murder. He's someone who has gone from juvenile intelligence to above genius IQ, and he doesn't want to go back. For a moment, I thought the episode was going to take a turn and bring in the Observers, given Milo's ability to predict everything someone else will say before they say it. They didn't, but at least the show has me asking these questions.
The case also packs an emotional punch similar to last year's White Tulip. Milo has a sister who he used to be so attached to, and it was truly heartbreaking to see her look at her brother, who has become so mechanical that he's nearly incapable of true emotion anymore. The plastic horse was a nice motif, and I'm glad that the writers have become inquisitive enough to put those little details in. The action in this episode was pretty great, and there's definitely something intense about going up against somebody who is 37 steps ahead of you.
One of the pleasant surprises that made this episode canonical was Olivia's visions. It was so nice to see crazy old Walter in the hospital, smiling that smile that's so absent from Walternate. The final vision of Peter gave a sharp pang of what (or who) we saw him doing last week, and what better sentence to define this show than, "Real is just a matter of perspective." We got two nice scenes that indicated that while Walternate is still a terrifying threat, he has still lost so much, and I actually felt sorry for him towards this episode's close. I felt sorry for the man who locked our Olivia up and tortured her! He also delivers what may be his defining quote, "I'm still a scientist. I just have a much larger laboratory." Ultimately, Fringe is far from backing down, and if we get some nice enough ratings in the next few weeks, it will only get better.
Final Note: This was the first episode written by Alison Schapker & Monica Owusu-Breen, producers of shows such as Charmed and Brothers and Sisters. They certainly have what it takes to hold their own in this group of esteemed writers.
The case of the week format is back in play, but for the first time, we're not complaining about it. The series is in a place where the writers can do pretty much anything they want without question. This episode seemed almost destined to be a step down from the action packed Olivia, but it wasn't. It was a more than intriguing case involving Milo, a man who can predict and influence events in order to commit murder. He's someone who has gone from juvenile intelligence to above genius IQ, and he doesn't want to go back. For a moment, I thought the episode was going to take a turn and bring in the Observers, given Milo's ability to predict everything someone else will say before they say it. They didn't, but at least the show has me asking these questions.
The case also packs an emotional punch similar to last year's White Tulip. Milo has a sister who he used to be so attached to, and it was truly heartbreaking to see her look at her brother, who has become so mechanical that he's nearly incapable of true emotion anymore. The plastic horse was a nice motif, and I'm glad that the writers have become inquisitive enough to put those little details in. The action in this episode was pretty great, and there's definitely something intense about going up against somebody who is 37 steps ahead of you.
One of the pleasant surprises that made this episode canonical was Olivia's visions. It was so nice to see crazy old Walter in the hospital, smiling that smile that's so absent from Walternate. The final vision of Peter gave a sharp pang of what (or who) we saw him doing last week, and what better sentence to define this show than, "Real is just a matter of perspective." We got two nice scenes that indicated that while Walternate is still a terrifying threat, he has still lost so much, and I actually felt sorry for him towards this episode's close. I felt sorry for the man who locked our Olivia up and tortured her! He also delivers what may be his defining quote, "I'm still a scientist. I just have a much larger laboratory." Ultimately, Fringe is far from backing down, and if we get some nice enough ratings in the next few weeks, it will only get better.
Final Note: This was the first episode written by Alison Schapker & Monica Owusu-Breen, producers of shows such as Charmed and Brothers and Sisters. They certainly have what it takes to hold their own in this group of esteemed writers.
9.5 out of 10
Glee: Grilled Cheesus
I know I don't talk about Glee often, but this week's Event was kind of same-old, so I really wanted to talk about this one. It's a risk whenever a comedy tackles the topic of religion, and this could've been utterly horrid. Oddly enough, I found this episode to be rather moving. Kurt and Burt Hummel have long been the most emotionally dynamic relationship on this show. These two have gone through some tough ordeals, and I feel bad for them that this show just keeps nailing them to the ground. Burt is in a coma, and Kurt is feeling more isolated than ever.
This episode still has ample amounts of comedy, mostly deriving from Finn's existential crisis involving a sandwich. It's funny that he uses his prayers to benefit himself instead of helping Kurt's father. Finn's not a jerk, but he's just a little too stupid to truly understand the way the world works. The musical numbers were half and half this week, with "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "What If God Was One of Us," and "Only the Good Die Young" the best this week. The rest failed to achieve the same spark. Although, I must admit that the cinematography during "Papa, Can You Hear Me" was the best this series has done. Ultimately, a particularly strong episode in a series that's been suffering in its sophomore season.
8.8 out of 10
This episode still has ample amounts of comedy, mostly deriving from Finn's existential crisis involving a sandwich. It's funny that he uses his prayers to benefit himself instead of helping Kurt's father. Finn's not a jerk, but he's just a little too stupid to truly understand the way the world works. The musical numbers were half and half this week, with "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "What If God Was One of Us," and "Only the Good Die Young" the best this week. The rest failed to achieve the same spark. Although, I must admit that the cinematography during "Papa, Can You Hear Me" was the best this series has done. Ultimately, a particularly strong episode in a series that's been suffering in its sophomore season.
8.8 out of 10
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