While we continue waiting for Agent Dunham to hurry up and remember what happened in that alternative universe, we get another “monster of the week” story to tide us over. I kind of like Dunham better as a freak in her own right than as the regular lead of the show.

In fact, has anyone else noticed that Peter is basically the lead now? He stepped up in the season premiere, demanding a more pro-active stance on these fringe incidents. Now, with Olivia recovering, he’s essentially leading all their moves and determining their next best move. Read the rest of this entry »

Fringe settles into what will likely be the episode structure for most of its run. There’s a “monster-of-the-week” element, a la The X-Files, and there’s the progression of the Pattern-related storylines. Again, I guess, like The X-Files.

There was a really interesting development with Olivia this week, which I’m really looking forward to watching unfold. I’m not sure if it has a connection with her otherworldly visit with Bell in the Twin Towers, or the experimentation she was subjected to as a child, or maybe a bit of both. Read the rest of this entry »

As I indicated in my preview of this episode, Fringe is back and in fine form! It’s as if last season was all setting up this new focus and direction for the team, and I couldn’t be more excited. All through The X-Files, it felt like Scully and Mulder were always chasing the answers, always two steps behind.

The first season of Fringe felt much the same way. But now, now there’s a whole other world out there filled with possibilities, and secrets, and answers, and William Bell. Fringe has as many mysteries as ever, but I suddenly feel better knowing that the gang is going to be running toward them, rather than just cleaning up after them. Read the rest of this entry »

“I’ve been informed that our failure to deliver any usable results is unacceptable.” — Special Agent Broyles

This really has grown into a wonderful little show. If this is The X-Files for the new millennium, then I’m all for it. I hope it can find the audience it deserves, and go on for many years slowly revealing The Pattern, one maddening detail at a time.

There were even a couple of nods to the former FOX staple, including one that alludes to this series possibly existing in the same world as that one. Or maybe just that the Fringe reality had its own X-division. Read the rest of this entry »

Well, we knew this episode was coming, and we knew that we would have a little diversion from Jack, Kate, and Hurley back on the island. I really enjoyed tonight’s episode — let me say that right now — but it did seem like it was a bit of a necessary evil. We sort of knew what was going to happen and a general idea of how it was going to go down. There were just a few loose ends that needed to be tied up, and they were.

Man, if I were ever trying to sell something (even boxes) or if I were about to jump off a ledge, I certainly wouldn’t look to John Locke for help. Seriously, could Locke have been more of a complete and utter failure in his quest to convince the Oceanic Six to return to the island? I suppose that was the point, though, wasn’t it? After all, Richard himself said that John would have to die. I just wonder who else knew this?

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(Season 4, Episodes 1-4)

Well, I’ve dived into season four and things are starting to take shape.

Early in the season, some of the questions I was left with at the end of season three have been answered. The Barksdale organization looks as though it is pretty much finished, with Marlo’s crew only growing stronger. The other lingering question that I had was about the fate of Prez. With Roland moving on to a new career as a teacher, it will be interesting to see if the system chews him up and spits him out or if he can make a real go of it. It’s certainly off to rough start.

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(Season 3, Episodes 11-12)

I can’t believe I’m already through three seasons of this show. True, they are the shorter 12 episode cable seasons, but it still seems like I’m flying through The Wire, especially now that I’m more than half way through the whole series.

Overall, I thought that season three was good, but it definitely wasn’t my favorite of the first three. Playing favorites is a little silly, I know. I think it’s kind of like choosing a favorite book from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. They all are really part of the same story, and they’re all excellent.

I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that this series never won any serious awards.

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