Fringe 3x03 'The Plateau'

Is it wrong that I think I prefer life over there?

What's it about?

In the alternate universe, Walternate informs Colonel Broyles of his plan to use Olivia to discover how to safely traverse universes while the alternate Astrid reports a statistical anomaly to the Fringe team: two pedestrians being killed by distracted bus drivers in as many days. At the scene of the second accident, the Fringe team finds a ballpoint pen - unusual as nearly all writing has been done on digital devices for years. The pen was used by a man named Milo with an incredible ability to calculate cause and effect to an unimaginable degree, and thus to set off chain reactions (in these cases, using a pen to initiate the chain). The Fringe team discovers that Milo previously suffered from low-functioning autism and was given experimental nootropic drugs which enabled the ability. The conclusion of the test would have involved restoring him to his original state (to evaluate potential side effects), which Milo perceived and then sought to avoid by killing those involved. At the scene of a third accident, Olivia spots Milo and gives chase, but he escapes by jumping off the bridge onto a truck that he has directed there using his ability. They later track him down through his sister, and while fleeing he attempts to have Olivia killed with a chain reaction. His attempt fails because she does not react according to his predictions - as an unknown variable was present in the equation (the fact that she is from the prime universe). During the episode, Olivia has several hallucinations, first seeing Peter at the scene of the accident, then Walter (prime) at the medical laboratory, and finally talks to Peter at the end of the episode who informs her she does not belong in the alternate universe offering her unpredictable actions while pursuing Milo as evidence. 

Review

Please note this week we are over there not here.

I think I want to move over there... I know, I know they have it tough with all their incursions and their buildings encased in amber etc... but it just seems so cool. I think I'd probably be dead in some awesome weird accident but I don't think life would be dull.

This week we continue to pine for the Dunham of old who is still trapped in the alternate universe although she doesn't know it, or does she?

There's a scary innocence to our Olivia as she is trapped and suffering with a serious case of Altlivia's memories and it must be a serious pain in the arse for Anna Torv as she is kind of playing four Olivia's instead of two. You've got Olivia trapped in to be Altlivia with her memories and Altivia hiding in our universe pretending to be Olivia. Confusing but she pulls it off with absolute ease.

It's heart wrenching to see flashes of the true Olivia showing through, this show really misses her being her true self and I think that although it's a big plot point for this season the show is suffering a little without her and I think this lack of a lead might be a factor in the lower viewer numbers so far.

Despite all the drama surrounding the character of Olivia there is a lot to see in the alternate universe and if you can see past the body switching story then you can easily find yourself lost in the environment that has been created by the writers.

As I've said previously we are clearly being duped in to caring for the characters living over there so that when the eventual clash of universes comes we will feel torn between who to side with and I have to admit that I'm being completely caught up in it.

Firstly I have to say WTF to the fact that the alternate universe doesn't have pens! I will be spending the rest of the episodes over there checking to see if I see anybody holding a pen because I flat out refuse to believe that they can clear every scene of pens. It just seems absurd, but I love that the universe has been so well thought out that it's even understood what their preferred method of writing is.

The alternate Fringe Division characters are an obvious draw in this world, there's no way you can fault having Charlie back on our screens and I'm glad that the writers decided that even though this world is totally different to ours the relationship between Charlie and Olivia is relatively the same. Their partnership in season one was a big plus point of the series as it grounded the characters in humanity which can easily get lost in all the science fiction surroundings.

The other characters in the alterna-verse are continuing to be rounded out in the same way in which their counterparts were in our universe at the beginning of the series and that is a testament to the talent of the writing staff currently working on the show. Other shows could easily have pulled off the alternate universe theme without putting anywhere near as much thought in to how the universe would be constructed.

I must note that being a fan of Star Trek which JJ Abrams clearly is it's hard not to notice the similarities in story between this show and the alternative universe first seen back in the original Trek show which followed through right to the DS9 era.

The general audience is clearly having some issues with this season as the viewing figures have not been great and I think that it i down to the factors which are missing from both sides of the universe. True Olivia aside the alternate universe episodes suffer from a lack of Peter and Walter in the same way that over here episodes suffer from the lack of the chemistry between the three leads.

It's not that 'Fringe' totally falls apart without the core relationships but without that the show tends to slip towards a more generic science fiction show whereas with those core three in place the show soars towards a far more clever level of entertainment.

I've not even found time to mention the villain of the week, Milo, who's ability is sheer genius. I loved watching the way he calculated what was going to happen and how he could manipulate the world around him. It made for a very entertaining story and at one point I genuinely thought Dunham was going to disappear under a pile of rubble.

Some of the monster-of-the-week characters haven't really felt as though they could carry a whole episode to themselves but it's never mattered before as there has always been far much more going on for it to become noticeable, but with the above lack of the core trio the story has needed to be far stronger and thankfully this week it was.

I only hope that the remaining episodes over there will maintain this level of creativeness.

Next week...
The shape shifters are back!


Overall


Character   3.0
Story   4.0
Science   4.0
Overall   4.0

Fringe 3x04 'Do Shape Shifters Dream of Electric Sheep'

We're back over 'here' ...






What's it about?

In the prime universe, James Van Horn, a U.S. senator and personal friend of Broyles is gravely injured in a car accident. He is admitted to a hospital because he is still breathing, even though he lacks a pulse. Newton breaks into the hospital in an attempt to extract the unconscious senator, but after a brief shootout with Newton simply shoots the senator in the face and runs. The senator bleeds mercury, revealing that he was a shape-shifter. Van Horn, a senior executive shape-shifter, had been collecting data on the Fringe team for two years, supplying Newton with information about Olivia's personal life, which he used to create 'Bolivia's' cover. Walter takes advantage of his new lab at Massive Dynamic and attempts to extract data from Van Horn using it's state of the art equipment. To prevent the fringe team from discovering any more about the senator's mission details or history, Newton activates a "sleeper agent" shapeshifter - a policeman named Ray Duffy who has been living for five years with a wife and son - to infiltrate Massive Dynamic and retrieve the senator's data storage unit. He tells Ray to take on a new form after the mission, and eliminate any traces of his past identity by killing his cover family. Walter discovers that shapeshifters have the capacity for normal emotional connections as a result of a flaw in their programming, and attempts to map the senator's memories using Van Horn's wife. However, his attempt is foiled by Ray, who manages to extract the senator's "brain" without shifting. However, Ray is not willing to murder his cover family, having developed an attachment to them, and dies as a result (his family is spared.) Alter-Olivia and Peter find Newton and pursue him in a car chase which eventually ends when Newton's car crashes in a tunnel. Olivia removes the senator's memory drive from Newton before taking him into custody. She later visits Newton in a detention facility and gives him a suicide pill which causes him to convulse and eventually "bleed out" his mercury, presumably killing him. The episode concludes with Alter-Olivia inviting Peter over and sleeping with him, in an apparent attempt to draw his attention away from his growing suspicion that something is not right with her. 

Review

Please note that this week we are over here and not over there, it does get a little confusing at times. But the shape shifters are back and that's always a good sign. I like the idea that the foot soldiers of the other side are well integrated in to our universe totally unbeknownst to us and this episode is basically about just that.

I was a little let down that it was revealed the Senator had been replaced for a short time, I think there was a lot of room for development of the infiltration story line if it had turned out that members of the government had been replaced decades ago, it certainly would have put a dire twist on the events taking place in our universe.

There's a lot of time over here being dedicated to the will-he-won't-he-realise story between Peter and Altlivia and that is clearly keeping some viewers hooked but I find that some of the obvious lengthly shots of Anna Torv pulling that 'I'm evil but hiding it' face can get a bit tedious. Although sometimes I panic that maybe nobody will realise and the two separate Olivia's will end up staying in the universes which they are currently inhabiting and never return to their true homes, I say this because Altlivia clearly clicks with Peter and our Olivia has the mother she has missed for so long over there.

Walter takes over as the head of Massive Dynamic this week, it's interesting to see him suddenly have a huge playground of new toys to play with but at the same time it seems a crying shame to take him out of the lab which has done so much to ground his character over the course of the first two seasons.

The lab at Harvard has so much history for the character, not even including Jean the Cow, so to remove him and put him in an alien environment seems like it could take some of the character away even when he has all of his usual supporting characters around him. Hopefully the Harvard lab is not gone forever but only time will tell.

At the same time basing the show within the belly of the beast could provide the opportunity for some serious plot development and of course the opportunity to get hold of some tech which might help either identify Altlivia or bring back our Olivia from over there.

A note to the writers: I don't like seeing Walter bleed or get hurt, please don't do it again!

I feel like I should perhaps write an obituary for the character of Newton this week. He's been a great villain and its a shame that he has been written out of the show - although this could be good news for the reappearance of his character on 'Supernatural' - but it's understandable that the writers needed to portray a stronger sense of the duty that the over there army feels towards their cause.

As of now we're beginning to see them portrayed more like terrorists who are more than happy to die for their cause, perhaps they're getting desperate now that the lines between the universes are blurring but their actions are becoming increasingly more violent as the weeks go on

There is an undeniable sense of escalation to this season as we are clearly heading for the clash of worlds which has been foreshadowed right back to the first season. I don't doubt for a second that when it gets here it will be kick ass awesome!

There's a little bit of the season one spark which seems to be lacking in 'Fringe' at the moment. I'm putting it down to the fact that our proper core trio is currently split up and so much has taken place in between that things just aren't as cohesive as they used to be.

Once Olivia returns to our universe, as long as the consequences aren't too apocalyptic, I'm hoping that some of the cinematic glory of those early episodes returns to the screen.

It's worrying me greatly that the ratings for this show are still not great and I need to stop looking at the cancellation index chart on SpoilerTV but lets hope that one the show returns from its three week break that the viewers will come back, the universe hopping will decrease and maybe things will pick up.

Next week...

No new episodes until November 4th sadly.

Overall

Story   3.5

Character   3.0

Science   3.5

Overall   3.5

The Event 1x05 'Casualties of War'

The twists continue....

What's it about?

While the CDC tries to deal with the captive's contagion, Martinez and Blake try to negotiate with Thomas. Meanwhile, Simon talks to Sophia about Thomas, and Collier closes in on Vicky and Carter.

Review

Another bloody good episode of 'The Event' this week, we're riding high on the news that the show has been picked up for the back nine episodes so we're now getting a full twenty-two episode season. YAY!

That being said the ratings for this weeks episode are out and once again there has been a slight leakage from last week but in the wake of the pickup that's nothing to worry about for now.

'The Event' begins in the UK this Friday so I'm hoping to drum up some international interest in the meantime but don't forget to tell at least one person to watch the show each week and lets see if we can get the ratings up and open with some strong international ratings at the same time.

This week we're still on the trail of Vicky to reunite Sean and Leila so we're taking all that character that was introduced last week and packing it out with an absolute bucketload of action, I lost count of the amount of gun shots which took place in this episode.

That, of course, doesn't mean that there isn't even more character development this week. In fact I would go as far as to say that the character scenes this week out do the action by a mile. There are things in this episode that I couldn't have imagined coming in their wildest dreams. There's many a moral guideline blurred in this episode particularly surrounding the character of Vicky who tries to redeem herself both in the present and in one of the past timelines. Still doesn't make me like her but at least there is a heart inside her somewhere.

The spotlight is well and truly on the President this week as he begins to crack under the pressure of the ever increasing situation involving the Inostrankan's and the survivors of the Avias plane crash.

The scenes featuring the survivors take on a very zombie movie-like appearance in this episode and in a pre-halloween warmup I felt quite freaked out and just a little sick after watching them. This episode almost totally dispenses with a recap and teaser and brings us straight in to the quarantine ward and hits us with some really tough to watch content.

There are a lot of very interesting theories floating around the internet regarding the Inostrankans, one of the more interesting being that the reason they are so close in physiology to humans is that in fact they are just that, humans. Only from the future. This theory was very well backed up by one blogger who stated that if time around the plane in the pilot were to be shifted then it could well have landed in the exact desert where it reappeared.

Of course this could just mean that the aliens have the power to move objects in time but there are some hints in this episode which allude to a similar theory. The characters in this episode show at least some knowledge of where humanity is headed in its future. We'll have to watch this space.

I've not yet formed a complete theory of my own and I'm giving myself a headache thinking that maybe the events in the past take place after the events of the present for the Inostrankans if in fact they can travel in time.

We could theorise about this until the cows come home and then possibly go back in time and tell ourselves not to worry about it but for now lets stick to this episode.

With the focus being towards the President there is an added element of politics to this episode, the scenes of all the officials sitting around the big table conjure up images of big alien invasion monster movies and is a nice nod to genre visuals of old.

I'm surprised that the writers reunited Sean and Leila so early in the series, this could be down to the original thirteen episode order or it could be that having them separated was not as larger part of the overall story line as one might originally think.

The same could be said of when they're reunited, it happens in the midst of a very confusing side switching scene which just made me feel all the more conflicted about god damn Vicky. Clearly whoever is behind all of the goings on in this first part of the season won't be letting up any time soon otherwise Sean would not be the focal point of the series.

Taking a moment to heap some more praise on the cast I don't think I could now single out any one of them as a weak point. Despite not really intermixing for lengthly periods of time there's a tightness which outclasses many other ensemble cast shows. I wonder if at some point these people will all come together and be given the chance to spend more time together on screen. It would be interesting to see how they mix directly rather than how their scenes flow throughout each episode.

Now that we have at the very least a full season to look forward to I can't wait to see how this show develops further, I wonder if amongst all the mystery anybody is actually asking: when will we see the titular event?

WHEN?!

Next week...

Martinez and Sterling suspect a traitor when someone within their organization undermines their deal with Thomas. Sean meets up with Madeline, a conspiracy theorist, who is also investigating Leila's disappearance. And Simon must choose when his loyalties to the detainees conflict with his responsibilities as a member of Sterling's team.

Overall

Story    4.0

Character    4.0

Weirdness    3.5

Overall    3.5

Supernatural 6x04 'A Weekend At Bobby's'

Jensen Ackles directorial debut brings us the best episode so far this season...

What's it about?

Bobby turns to Sam and Dean for help when the demon Crowley refuses to return his soul as agreed.

Review

Last week I was underwhelmed by 'Supernatural' and it scared me. I loved this show from before I'd even seen the pilot and for the last five years I have watched religiously and awaited the end of the five year plan by creator Eric Kripkie and I loved his season finale in May.

I was apprehensive about the return of the series for a sixth season but I awaited it with an open mind and enjoyed the season opener 'Exile on Main Street' immensely; episode two I enjoyed a little less and after watching episode three I found that during the week which followed I several conversations along the lines of 'maybe this show should have ended last season' and that is not a conversation I take lightly or enjoy having. 

It's not so bad when you're on the receiving end and defending the integrity of your favourite show but when you are giving the talk it's bad times... thankfully this weeks episode was far more enjoyable and has worked somewhat to renew my faith in the series.

'A Weekend At Bobby's' is the directorial debut of series lead Jensen Ackles so in turn he is barely in this episode, the same goes for Jared Padelecki because wherever Dean goes Sam must follow. Jensen's time in the directors chair doesn't seem to have been as hyped as other series where stars take a turn behind the camera but all his work and effort has clearly paid off and this is the most solid episode so far this season.

There are a lot of different elements to this episode: slapstick comedy, horror, drama etc... all of which together  are needed to make a damn good episode of 'Supernatural' and that's what we've got here.

The writing this season has so far failed to bring all these elements together in a seemless manner every week and that is where the show as lost its game, but apparently having somebody as important as a series lead behind the camera means that everybody has pulled out their A game here.

The writing in this episode is much more cohesive and instead of waiting for a twist to happen purely because we need it to for us to remain entertained this episode involves the audience by disposing of the usual Sam/Dean  investigation and subsequent slayers and replaces them with the loveable Bobby Singer.

Bobby has long been a fan favourite character and after this I would quite like to seem him spun off, whether it be the stories of a younger Bobby or even him now. After all he has been through it really was time for him to take the limelight and have a self contained story of his own.

Casts and crews often talk about working on their respective show as being like a family and I think that is important to note here because clearly the 'Supernatural' family have a lot of respect for each other and where this episode could have become filler it is instead a brilliant stray from the norm.

The story has so many peaks and troughs in mood yet it's impossible not to be swept up in them even as an audience members and I can't remember the last time I had a good chortle to myself whilst watching an episode of this show.

I do feel bad that after criticising the show so much over the course of the last couple of weeks that I now renew my respect for it over an episode which isn't actually about the characters the show was created for. But maybe that is just a genuine sign that the story of the Winchester Bros should start winding itself down before the masses call for it to be over.

There are a lot of standalone moments in this episode, the wood chipper stands out most for me, and they are all strongly directed which is testament to the work of the rookie director here. We've yet to find out if castmate Jared will have a crack at the directors chair.

The guest cast do a great job of filling out the world of Bobby and providing character which help those standalone moments jump out of the screen and stick in the memory long after the episode is over. A lot of attention has been paid to making sure that this episode is memorable for a long time to come which I think alludes back to my earlier comment about the nature of the family on this show.

It does worry me slightly that this was the first episode shot for the season and yet after that the creativity lost its juice a little but I remain hopeful that after seeing the final edit this gave the creative team a boost and pushed them back in the direction this show should be going in. Only time will tell.

Next week...

During a fight with vampires, Dean is bitten and transformed. To obtain a cure, Samuel tells Dean to get the blood of the vampire that bit him. However, the vampire alpha is part of the pack that Dean must infiltrate.

Overall

Story    3.5

Character    3.5

Scares    3.0    

Overall    3.5

Private Practice 4x04 'A Better Place To Be'

Betsy returns... crying ensues...

What's it about?

The arrival of Dell's young orphaned daughter, Betsey, stirs up the emotions of everyone in the practice; and Pete and Amelia disagree over a risky surgery to treat a woman who has been experiencing chronic and insufferable pain throughout her pregnancy. 

Review

It's a tearjerker of an episode this week when the ghost of Dell returns in the form of Betsy and it serves to emphasize the family dynamic that runs beneath the storylines and the medical jargon of 'Private Practice'.

This is one of those episodes which makes you realise that although this show is always good it can be great, I mean really great. When the core group of characters are not being ripped apart but are brought together over a common purpose of event then this show shines in a way that other ensemble cast shows fail.

This year 'PP' has proven that it doesn't just have to all be about Addison which you know I could complain about as she is the most kick ass double board certified surgeon in TV land but you can't help but respect the amount of talent that exists between these actors.

I fear that we are seeing the end of the character of Naomi whether it be through poor treatment of the character or by wish of the actress Audra McDonald to take a back seat to other members of the cast. Either way she is once again written out of the show for the next few weeks whilst she is 'away on foundation business'. Naomi was part of the original driving force of the show and in early days it was the dynamic between herself, Addison and Sam which was at the core of the group. To take her out of the equation now would leave a large gap in the family and unlike 'Grey's Anatomy' this isn't a show which can exist with a revolving door of secondary cast members.

There are a couple of things which have irked me about both this season and this episode:

1. After the major story arc of last year with the marriage and teenage pregnancy of Maya she has been talking about so often in the first episodes of this season yet we haven't seen her once. She is supposedly recuperating from the accident in last seasons finale yet we've not seen her. Strangely though we have seen her husband.

2. So Pete decided last week that he was going back to emergency medicine. This week he's in scrubs (which have quite randomly changed colour from previous seasons) working at the hospital. Good to see things move fast here.

Tugging at the heart strings constantly through this episode are Violet struggling to discern between her emotions and her professional opinion when it comes to caring for Betsy and Addision's desire to 'have the option' to have children with Sam.

Even the lighter moments of the episode (Cooper discussing his childhood love of magic for instance) give way to some much more downbeat scenes but as usual there is a seamless flow through the episode that gives the feeling of a roller coaster of emotions.

This season seems darker, in colour pallet and lighting, that previous seasons. I'm not sure if that is a conscious decision on behalf of the creative team to move away from the lighter pallet of early episodes when the show had a more upbeat and whimsical tone in comparison to more recent episodes. That is by no means a complaint because I like things dark and twisty so I can deal and enjoy with a broader colour spectrum, some of those early episodes can be a bit painful on the eyes.

There's also some very poignant dialogue in this episode which continues to allude to potential troubles or triumphs between the various couples on the show and now that we are several seasons in the voices of each character are beginning to assert themselves nicely and further prove that this is a truly well written ensemble piece and not a vehicle to further the careers of jobbing actors.

If only all ensemble shows were this good!

Next week...

Much to her displeasure, Addison is teamed with a new oncologist, Dr. Rodriguez, to treat a newborn baby with a malignant tumor; when Violet and Sheldon visit a prison in order to interview inmates who are up for parole, Pete is highly uncomfortable as Violet tries to help a parolee; and Addison and Violet suggest Sheldon could be the solution for Amelia's needs.

Overall

Story    4.0

Character    4.5

Medical content    3.0

Overall    4.0

Bones 6x04 'The Body In The Bounty'

Learning can be fun if using a homemade potato bazooka...

What's it about?

The team goes on a search for missing body parts after they find a decomposing skull and hands in a dumpster. After the victim is identified as a bounty hunter who was searching for a killer named Charles Braverman, the team discovers that someone else is looking for Braverman as well, resulting in a chase with an unexpected suspect. Meanwhile, Brennan makes children's show star Professor Bunsen Jude "The Science Dude" her new intern.

Review

Firstly I have to apologise for not having reviewed last weeks episodes, that one slipped me by somehow so I will have to go back at some point and give it a proper critique. At the time of viewing I was distracted by an influx of new DVDs you have to understand!

Now for this weeks episode: BRILLIANT! There's no other word to describe this episode and it is definitely going on my list of the top 10 best episodes of 'Bones' to date. Not only does this episode solve a particularly tricky murder but it also makes science fun! Just thinking about it I feel the need to have every statement end with a !

The inclusion of guest character Dr Jude is a very welcome change from the revolving group of Squinterns and I hope that he gets to come back for further episodes because his scenes with each member of the cast bring even more fun to a show which already doesn't take itself 100% seriously.

His light hearted nature brings a smile to the faces of all our characters and its clear to see that there is potential for him to develop interesting friendships with each of them and his fun scientific nature would clearly make for amazing viewing when it comes to Hodgen's experiments.

He's clearly having an affect on Brennan if the above picture is to be believed and understand this: that scene is perhaps one of the funniest 'Bones' moments in years. If he was to become a permanent intern then it would be nice to see their relationship develop as his approach of science for children clashes with her straight talking nature.

This episode has bucket loads of all the things that make this show great: interplay between Brennan and Angela is at its most touching, there are some great in-car moments between Brennan and Booth (who's new girlfriend is thankfully absent) including a twist on the usual car politics during the teaser, lab based experimentation is at its best and we get a nice dose of Prosecutor Caroline which always makes for good 'Bones'.

That's of course not forgetting the crime that underlines all these great moments, bringing in a series of bounty hunters to complicate things further and this episode is pretty much packed to the hilt with content so no wonder it felt like it was only on 5mins when it ended.

It's not easy to walk away from a crime show with a nice warm feeling in your stomach and a smile on your face, even "The Science Dude" had to chuck up in a bin at one point, but that's why 'Bones' works so well and I've said it time and time again: it's the characters that make the show not the cadavers.

The writers really know their strengths, which is fair enough 6 years in, and all of them are pushed to their limits in this episode and prove just how much of a team effort this show is. The dialogue is so sharp and snappy here that you just can't fault a single word which is said. Each character now has such a defined voice yet none of them have become caricatures of who they were intended to be back during season 1 and that is a strong testament to the faith both the writers and the network have in their actors.

I have to also mention the fact that in the world of TV there isn't a lot of time to get the perfect camera angle or to shoot over and over to get the perfect coverage of each scene but 'Bones' is one show that seems to get it right first time.

This show has always been reasonably well shot but the cinematography is so well executed here that I don't think it could look any better. There is a visual style to each episode which compliment the script and the story in such a way that it becomes a very well packaged product and that, again, is testament to the faith of the creative team.

Even if you're not a big fan of this show I highly recommend you checkout this episode as by the time you've finished I assure you that you will be on amazon ordering all the DVD box sets.

Next Week...

A ballet dancer is murdered and Booth and Brennan are led to suspect a group of street dancers in the crime. Meanwhile, Booth's girlfriend Hannah is shot, leaving Booth to worry about her health.

Overall

Story    4.5

Character   4.0

Crime solving    4.5

Overall    4.5