Saturday, September 25, 2010

Olivia

Pictured: Anna Torv ©2010 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Liane Hentscher/FOX


To me, Thursday's season opener of Fringe was well worth the wait. But before i get started with my recap, I just want to talk about how amazing the cast of this show is! It's a darn shame John Noble didn't get an Emmy nomination for his amazing performances as Walter/Walternate. That was some big snub by the Academy and I really hope it's fixed next year. He is phenomenal and I just love him. Anna Torv (Olivia) is amazing as well. Specifically in last year's season finale, "Over There." I think it's a really tough role for an actor to play two different people, and this cast makes it look like they're just singing the ABC's so bravo to them. 

The 3rd season opener begins "over there" with our Olivia talking to her therapist, Dr. Anderson about how she's not who they say she is. (side note: episodes taking place "over there" have the red credits) Apparently, Walternate's crew has been importing Alt-Olivia's (Bolivia as named by Anna Torv at SDCC) memories into her head in an attempt to transform her. The reason or motive behind this, we don't really know, except for Walternate's mention of a need to know how she can move between universes. Neither does alt-Broyles (Lance Reddick) apparently as Walternate withholds this information from him at the end of the episode. It seems that only alt-Broyles knows this is the real Olivia and not actually Bolivia. The rest of the fringe division just seems to believe she's lost her memories from a bump in the head. 

Anyways, after attempting to inject Olivia with another dose of memories, she feigns sickness and breaks out just like our kick ass Olivia should. She runs, she jumps into the river, and finally takes a cabbie at gun point. (More on this later) (...and did anyone else notice that the cab driver's radio was talking about President JFK??). She has the cab driver take her over to the theater, where she had entered this universe, only to find that its about to be quarantined with the amber solution. Distraught and needing gas, they head to a station not too far off before heading to what she thinks will be Massive Dynamic. Her partners Lincoln and Alt-Charlie swoop on in. Olivia is a bad ass, she blows up a gas tanker, locks Lincoln in the bathroom and has the cabbie, Henry, take her to Massive Dynamic. It's here, where we switch to Walternate and Alt-Broyles who can see that the memories have finally begin to kick in "because only one member of fringe division can shoot like that."


In the alt-universe, Massive Dynamic wasn't built and without really knowing where she wants to go, she asks Henry to take her to her "mother's" house. Our Olivia is torn between her two identities at the house. It was heartbreaking to see her freak out because her mom is actually dead and even more aggravating to see Bolivia's memories breaking in to her consciousness and taking over. We learn that her adrenaline is really what kick started the transformation and it will be interesting to see how this grows throughout the rest of the season. 


The last moments of the episode switch back to "over here" and we see Peter relaying his experiences and what he believes to be Walternate's plan to congress. Walter is adorable eating an Oreo waiting on the stairs for him with Bolivia. The last thing we hear and see is Peter telling Bolivia that "the whole time i was in there, there's only one thing i could think about" and then they kiss. 


Let me tell you I was SO angry about this kiss that i yelled at the TV. Stupid Bolivia! She's effing with Peter's head and infiltrating our group. Grr, she makes me mad! (But how excellent is Anna Torv at playing her?) I can't wait until she's found out and this whole thing unravels! It's going to be an exciting and hopefully Emmy award winning season! I think my favorite parts of the episode took place in the cab with Henry. There's something about him. Not too sure what, but I feel like he must have been in another episode or has some back story. The story he shares with Olivia about thinking he's someone else and the way he follows Charlie and Olivia as they leave her "mother's" house. He must be a spy from our side or have some connection. Or i could just be making this up? Who knows? But i definitely think there is something about him. I also got a little feeling when Alt-Broyles is speaking with Walternate about his motives, that maybe Broyles will eventually help our Olivia get back to where she belongs. I guess we will have to wait and see. 


Next week, the episode will take place "over here" where a mysterious box is causing all sorts of trouble. Here's a clip i found on imdb.com 


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