Welcome to Multiversity Comics’ Summer Binger of Fringe, a show that Parks and Recreation’s own Ben Wyatt once called “airtight.” The show’s fourth episode reaches new heights as the show starts to rid itself of any remaining sense of normalcy.
1. Fringe’s Weirdest (and Best) Episode Yet
Mark this as the episode that J.J. Abrams decided to dial the weird factor in this show to 11 (and for a series that opens with people’s skin going translucent, that’s saying a lot). With “The Arrival,” Fringe moves into more heady sci-fi territory than it has in the past; where episodes one through three had in-universe descriptions for their events, episode four introduces truly baffling aspects of this show’s mythology. The result is an episode that feels like Fringe starting to become its most full self. Many of the show’s best elements are on display here- Olivia’s incredible skill, Walter and Peter’s layered relationship, and the genuinely interesting world-building are all present in “The Arrival.” The only thing that doesn’t really work in this episode is Michael Kelly’s villain, John Mosley. Maybe it’s just my personal vendetta against Michael Kelly as an actor speaking, but he just feels like a weird character that doesn’t actually fit in the episode as more than a means of generating some tension. To be fair, that’s what all antagonists are, but usually they’re at least a bit interesting and John Mosley just isn’t.
2. Enter, The Observer
“The Arrival” marks the introduction of Fringe’s most interesting character- The Observer. As of right now, the Observer is a man in old-fashioned clothes with very futuristic technology and an apparent knowledge of coming events. Michael Cerveris infuses him with an almost indescribable energy- it’s alien but deeply endearing, though distinct from most actors who play a non-human character who longs to be a real boy. His whole introductory scene at the diner waiting for the Beacon to arrive is reliant on a pitch-perfect performance from Cerveris, who really delivers. The moment he catches Peter off guard by reciting their conversation before it’s happened is a major moment in There’s a lot left to be revealed about this strange, hairless, hot-sauce loving man (who’s made fleeting cameos in every episode thus far) and I’m thrilled we get to start that process now.
3. A Brief Note on the Title Cards
I just want to take a moment to give some respect to the way that this show does transitions. It’s really hard to make establishing shots of new locations interesting or dynamic and Fringe manages to do both. The weird angles and giant block letters that we all see when we move from location to location are genuinely great stuff; they quietly hook you to a scene in a way that I really haven’t seen anywhere else.
4. Peter Starts to Believe
Peter Bishop spent the first couple of episodes of this show as the Scully of Fringe, attempting to rationalize near impossible to explain phenomena. After his run in with the Observer, though, he’s done with his skepticism. It’s a welcome development- for a skeptic, Peter really embraced all of the weird science and it didn’t make sense to keep him run that role. The shift also serves as a way to move Peter away from keeping one foot out the door and does so in a compelling, interesting way. Up until now, his investment in this has been rooted in not wanting to be thrown in jail. In “The Arrival,” he truly comes face to face with the things he’s dealing with and now he needs answers.
5. That Monologue
In the next to last scene of this episode, Walter delivers a beautiful monologue describing a night that he and Peter got into a car accident; Peter almost drowned after falling into a frozen lake only to be saved by a mysterious hairless man in a suit. The monologue is the clear high point of a very good episode of television. It communicates a lot about Walter’s feelings toward his son and serves as yet another showcase for John Noble’s considerable talents. It also serves as the perfect topper to an episode that Peter spent ready to abandon his father. Peter and Walter’s relationship is complex and compelling in ways that I certainly didn’t appreciate the first time I watched this show. That monologue has always stayed with me for years, though. It’s emblematic of what makes this show work- it has a strong emotional core. And when that core is revealed, all of the weird sci-fi trappings feel like they’re in service of real character development on top of being super cool.
Spare Point
It would be negligent not to mention the seeming return of the allegedly deceased Agent John Scott. We know that there was some type of reanimation going on at Massive Dynamics but it’s not clear that this is a result of that. It could just as easily be some type of psychic projection.
