Fringe Review: What Answers?

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The commercials promised answers. By my calculations, "The End of All Things" brought us two. We know what the Observers are, and we know which Nina was held captive with Olivia. Other than that, we have just as many questions as ever. I call foul!!

Because I had the pleasure of being on a conference call with Jeff Pinkner and Joel Wyman the other day, I know that this was not the episode they expected to go into a break with. I bring that up only because I feel like I have been left dangling, once again, over a huge chasm of information that is on the brink of being shed, but they lifted the cup up just before the knowledge spilled onto the floor.

Peter on the Phone

Let’s talk about the easy part first. Poor Nina had no idea she had an alternate and was duped. Blair Brown finally got to show her acting chops by biting into two characters. This was relatively easy in this particular timeline because our Nina here is quite a bit nicer than our first Nina.

When she jumped up off the gurney and took a sailor’s stance to tell David Robert Jones that their plans wouldn’t work without Peter, Blair got to have some real fun. Welcome to the alternates, Ms. Brown!

Here’s a big question: Why in the Hell were Broyles and Lincoln coming down so hard on Nina? They have both seen their alternates. They KNOW there is a possibility that a Nina could have come over. That part really confused me. But enough of the Ninas.

Let’s talk about the Observers. They are humans many generations beyond our own - and only one possibility of who we may become - that can also see through time and space. Not a lot of info given there. The simple answer was that they are human. The more complicated answer was that we may never get to that place. Sigh.

September showed up in the lab and scared the heck out everyone, but not before we learned a little bit about his going rogue from the other Observers. I’m sorry to report that I do not know their scientific designations. In essence, they asked why he had disobeyed orders and let traces of Peter remain in “this timeline.” They also determined he is the only one who can say for sure if he is responsible for Peter’s “return.”

I put those words into quotation marks because the way they said it made me think we were still in the same timeline we had been in all along. With Peter erased. Even after this episode, I continue to believe we are indeed with the people we always loved, who have been altered due to Peter’s vanishing.

When Peter entered September’s mind, he found out about Henry. Sadly, September also told him he would never meet Henry because when Peter stepped into that machine, Peter and anything begotten from Peter was erased. Peter saw memories of his past and September explained that important events need to occur with the right Olivia Dunham, and he need only go home.

At first, Peter got it. He meant home, as in, I’m heading home now. But then Peter started to over think things. He just had to realize that he IS home to get home. He almost let himself find it, but then he tried to outsmart himself. Peter "thought" September said he had to get back to his timeline and his Olivia. I’ve rewatched scenes over and over. Not once did an Observer mention timelines needing to be crossed for him to find what he is searching.

Peter has never been as smart as Olivia. She tried to reason with him. I’ve never see her so passionate. She could barely make out the sentences in explanation of what she feels for him. He didn’t listen. He kept thinking back to Fauxlivia before he was erased. He was so afraid of making the same mistake twice that he refused to see what was right in front of him: His life.

So, let the infighting begin! It’s the same question every week: Where is Peter? Is he home? Do you think he is or that he must flee this place to find the right person? Did hearing the Observers chat amongst themselves help or hurt your decision? I’m going to be crazy for the next three weeks. We have eight episodes remaining in Season Four. The final episode has not yet been written. What are your hopes?

The End of All Things Review

Editor Rating: 4.8 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.8 / 5.0 (156 Votes)

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.

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Fringe Season 4 Episode 14 Quotes

Olivia Dunham. I've waited so very long to meet you.

David Robert Jones

I don't know you that well, but I'd like to think you weren't ignoring her safety for personal reasons. And that you aren't ignoring me right now!

Lincoln