Fringe: Night of Desirable Objects

By Rhea Dee

Given the heavy nods to X-Files that Fringe made last week, my mind immediately wanted to link this episode to X-Files ones.  I got hints of “Home” and “Post Modern Prometheus,” which isn’t too bad, considering that those are some top X-Files episodes.  I wonder if these links upset the X-Files purists who feel that this show borrows too heavily from the Mulder mine.  I actually find the comparisons a curiosity more than anything else, so viva la Fringe!

This episode kicks off with the monster of the week, a burrowing killer that hangs out underneath cornfields while Ricky Nelson’s “Poor Little Fool” plays in the background.  I’m a big fan of shows that use old 50’s-60’s love songs as atmospheric monster music, so good job, show.  Also, ha, I knew right away that was Ricky Nelson.   Yes, I am pleased by that fact.  (Music nerd to the max here.)

Olivia is out of the hospital but she hasn’t made a Hollywood recovery, as she spent the whole episode limping around on a cane.  Peter jokingly asks if Olivia has a ninja sword hidden in her cane, a nice little nod to how Olivia is a tough, awesome character.  I also like how she always ends up with the last word; when she tells Peter that she’s no good at sitting around, Peter says, “You’re also no good at letting people help you.”  To which she responds, “Oh, I’ll let you carry my suitcase.”  Oh snap, Peter!  Better luck next episode.

Unfortunately, Olivia is going to need some help: turns out that traveling to an alternate universe isn’t really a walk in the park (not really a surprise).  Olivia is starting to experience wonky side effects to her little trip she can’t remember–she’s got supersonic hearing.  And before I can even complete a thought on how cool that is, we see that it isn’t really that cool–it’s actually really disorienting and distracting–a fly walks across the edge of a desk and it sounds like a frickin’ horse clopping around in Olivia’s ears.  Wonderful.

And this supersonic hearing, of course, turns out to be a major distraction in the investigation of Mr. Creepy Burrowing Monster Man.  At one point, when Peter and Olivia are investigating a suspect’s house, Olivia is so distracted by the supersonic hearing that when Peter tries to get her attention, she almost blows a bullet through his brain.  Peter is really lucky that he’s spry, eh?

Peter handles Olivia’s little episodes expertly, though.  Even though he’s not a one hundred percent sure what the eff is going on, he’s perceptive enough to notice Olivia is a little off, and covers for her accordingly, even lying to Broyles about the whole “Olivia almost blew my brains out” incident.  If that isn’t best friends forever, I don’t know what is.

During all this, evil!Charlie is stalking around being evil, communicating on the alt universe mirror typewriter about what to do about Olivia.  I’m unsure how I feel about evil!Charlie.  As far as threats on this show, he scores below Olivia’s alt universe side effect problems, which isn’t a good thing, since I’m sure evil!Charlie will be playing a bigger role in upcoming episodes.  I just feel like all he’s doing is being Mr. Lurky.  But maybe the Mr. Lurky thing will pay off in the end, so I may be judging too soon.

And as far as the monster of the week is concerned, I felt like perhaps that storyline was compacted a bit in order to showcase our main character’s overarching problems.  Also, the mystery behind the monster (a genetic mutant with mole and scorpion DNA) reminded me too much of an episode Fringe did already.  That said, even though the monster of the week was somewhat sidelined, the storyline still managed to produce some honest chilling moments (like when we first got a glimpse of the creature when the first guy was pulled into the tunnels, and when the creature’s father tore out wires from the light to hang himself).

The show ends with Olivia proving Peter’s little “you suck at letting people help you” quip wrong when she goes to someone Nina recommended for help with her alt universe side effect problem.  Turns out the side effects are only going to get worse.  Bummer.

Next Week on Fringe: Why have the promos been generic “on this season of Fringe?”  It’s kind of irritating.

Last Thoughts: I liked the Walter and Peter bonding moment lots, but ever since they revealed that Peter is not this universe’s Peter, all their moments are bittersweet to me.  I dread when that ball drops.

Rhea Dee spends her time collecting vintage junk, daydreaming about Eli Roth, and pondering the genius of John Carpenter soundtracks.  She really likes horror films.

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