A question for Fringe watchers

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 9:44am

Okay, so first off I want to say that Fringe is one of my favorite shows and I've been following it since the first season. I love virtually everything about it, including the whole parallel universes plot.

Here's the thing that I don't get, though. How can there be an identical version of each person on the other side? Unless there's stuff about fate and destiny that they've yet to touch on, it seems improbable that the very same people could be created in both worlds, and yet go on to have vastly different life experiences. Does that make any sense? Like the two worlds are so different (Zeppelins! Just like the alternate universe in The Golden Compass!), yet each person and his doppelganger on the other side manage to procreate at the exact same time to create all the same people on both sides.

Has this been an issue for anyone else or do I just think too much?

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 12:20am

I think you just think to much! haha

It's just an alternate world... things happened differently over there... Charlie died in our world but lived over there... the towers were destroyed in 9/11 but over there they were fine...

I just think that for the sake of the show and for dramatic purposes I think our main characters all have characters who just ended up being born at the same time...

and i'm pretty sure it's all about fate and destiny but i don't think we need to know that.. we don't know need to know how Olivia ended up being some other woman with a man on the other world while our Olivia has no one.... we as viewers can just assume she had a different environment that made her develop differently as a person..

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 12:57am

But again, it's not the differences in personality that irk me, it's that there seems to be an identical/alternate person for each person on either side. Peter's mother is English. In both universes she somehow wound up in America.

I DO overthink it, but I'm trying to get over it because I really love this show, but I'm afraid I can't make myself believe this.

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 2:45am

Yeah, I've thought that sometimes too, but at the same time I'm willing to suspend my disbelief. ::shrug::

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 9:28am

I WANT to suspend it. And I'm trying so hard. It's just that even for this sort of show, I feel like this part is so unbelievable. I guess I have to just accept that part for what it is and move on, but I just had to see if other people were thinking about it the way I was.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 9:55am

I just accept it as a science fiction plot device. If I'm willing to believe they have an alternate universe, then I've already suspended my disbelief enough to play by their rules. It's not like everything else that happens on the show is so believable. It's all just part of the fun.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 11:45am

I guess I just feel that usually their scifi holds water within the context of the show and this just ... doesn't. Maybe there will be a fuller explanation later on, or maybe I just need to get over it. Could alt Olivia get pregnant by that boyfriend of hers and have a kid that real Olivia doesn't have? It would seem not, since so far there's not only an exact match for virtually everyone, but even their alt selves managed to find each other and be living pretty much the same kind of life.


Updated On: 5/18/10 at 11:45 AM

[twinbelters]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 12:46pm

What Matt said. The way the alternate universe works is as consistent with the show's idea of fringe science as anything else. The storytelling requires that the alternate universe have our core characters to fully realize the show's potential as well.

But, I do think it is important to note that Peter Bishop has always been recognized as special or important at least to the observers who can cross between the worlds. Peter is a big overarching plot point on which much of this show hangs. I think there is more explanation coming.

How many people were reminded of the best ever Star Trek: TOS episode "Mirror, Mirror"? When I saw Astrid wearing the beret with the alternate world's fringe bureau logo I realized Bad Robot were directly inspired by the Terran Empire in that ST episode. The Terran Empire, for those who don't know, is the evil mirror universe version of the United Federation of Planets which the U.S.S. Enterprise is a representative of. I love the Terran logo.

It also reminded me of Buffy The Vampire Slayer's alternate universe episode "The Wish." Mostly in the way character's alternate versions had a subtle shift in character, but were still recognizable as their counterpart. Can't wait to see more this week!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 12:52pm

But then doesn't that to mean that in the greater scheme of things in the show's world, that everything is ruled by destiny?

Also, shouldn't there be another William Bell running around, then?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 12:56pm

Also, PS, I didn't realize there were so many Fringe watchers on the board!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 1:26pm

I think there is more explanation coming.

I do as well. The alternate universe thing is just getting going and I think they already plotted out much more to come. The show has never been immediately forthright in any of its major through lines, so I assume there is a lot we haven't been told about it yet. While it seems to be taking a Lost/Heroes turn, it annoys me far less because at least they are providing something other than flashbacks to move the plot along.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 1:39pm

I just love this show so damn much that I don't even think about this stuff...

I'm looking forward to the two Olivias fighting!

And I love me some Astrid!

and Walter's flashback episode was AMAZING! loved the retro introduction! John Noble needs an Emmy for his portrayal... that guy has done that role to PERFECTION... when Peter told him "you're not my father" and you saw the look on his face... man that was just heartbreaking...

[twinbelters]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 2:33pm

Also, PS, I didn't realize there were so many Fringe watchers on the board!

I would say I am definitely a bigger scifi/horror/fantasy genre nerd than a musical theater nerd. But, I also believe all of these genres to be equally thrilling and powerful storytelling tools. Especially when they are all mushed together a la the work of Joss Whedon.

Much like with LOST and Alias I think Fringe poses destiny and faith as things the characters (and the audience) can believe in but should continuously consider questioning the validity of. Just like real life! A character can tell us something is destiny, but they could be misinformed or lying for their own purposes. Angel also did a good job of playing with fate, destiny, and prophecy. Can't wait for LOST tonight!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 2:52pm

The only major misstep I've seen from Fringe was that damn musical episode. God, that was awful.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 3:17pm

I love Fringe, im so happy it got a 3rd season

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 3:23pm

The only major misstep I've seen from Fringe was that damn musical episode. God, that was awful.

Couldn't agree more.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 3:56pm

eh.. i don't even know why they called it a musical episode... it was just an episode with maybe two minutes of singing total... but it was pretty damn cool to hear lance reddick sing.. i thought that guy had a pretty nice voice

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 4:01pm

I agree with that, too. I remember when BWW was hyping the musical episode and I started watching it, and I thought, "Wait, this is the musical episode?" It was a real waste of an hour. Still love the show, though.

[twinbelters]

Posted: 5/18/10 at 9:34pm

MMyeah, that musical episode was unfortunate. I liked the basic idea behind the premise, Walter is trying to evade his pain through fantasy like Bjork in Dancer in the Dark or something, but the execution was forced. It was out of place. That being said, I want to watch it again because it fascinated me in its wrongness. Those Pizza Hut wings up in the corner are looking mighty tasty.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 5/21/10 at 4:17pm

so what did you all think of the season finale? i saw the ending coming but it was still pretty cool to see how they revealed it... excellent cliffhanger! can't wait for the third season to see how they resolve it!

oh and at least two minutes of Astrid is better than none at all! haha

[wonkit]

Posted: 5/21/10 at 4:49pm

I guess the synchronicity between the two universes doesn't bother me at all. There is a theory, for example, that there are infinite paralllel universes, running in parallel "realities," and each just slightly different from each of the others. If I know the creators of this show, I wouldn't be surprised to find that there are these two similar universes and still others that have not been detected yet. So the "forced" similarities don't bother me, and they make for wonderful aha! moments - the World Trade Centers, the quarantine zones, etc.