TV-Reviewed

With last week’s episode of Fringe, it became clear that the other Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) did a good job of using her time. Despite being able to see and feel his true Olivia, Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) still has feelings for the other one. As I pointed out, intimacy is something that’s often overlooked in relationships.

The diaries left behind by the so-called “Fauxlivia” indicate she did actually develop genuine feelings for Peter. Upon reading that, Olivia said she wasn’t surprised. Since they both thought the same way, it wouldn’t be difficult to like the same things about Peter.

With all that said, it wasn’t too surprising to see that those lingering feelings had an affect on the way “Fauxlivia” interacted with her boyfriend in the other universe. When her beau asked her to marry him, I was a little surprised when she agreed to. I thought that maybe she would decline.

Anna Torv as Olivia Dunham

The big surprise came when it was revealed she was pregnant by Peter. The way the plot could go is nearly endless at this point. I can’t help but wonder what, if anything, will be special about this new child when it develops and is eventually born.

The news of the pregnancy was a welcome sign to Walternate (John Noble), who had been growing frustrated with the lack of significant progress in his lab. I was intrigued by Walternate’s self-imposed limitations as far as his research. Unlike the Walter we all know, Walternate drew the line at experimenting on children. It’s something he’s wholly against.

Despite Broyles’ (Lance Reddick) disappearance over there, I was surprised by how seamlessly the team transitioned into new leadership. Lincoln (Seth Gabel) always seemed like a natural leader, so it felt appropriate for him to assume Broyles’ position for the time being. It does make me wonder how Walternate and company will explain Broyles’ disappearance, if in fact they ever do.

I felt the mad scientist of the week plot was mediocre simply because of the reason behind it. Finding a cure for avian flu and seeking fame are two pretty lame reasons for the flesh-eating beetles. The avian flu is a relatively lightweight sickness compared to some of the more life-threatening problems out there.

Far better for me was the humor surrounding Charlie Francis and the “bug girl.” I thought the dialogue was cheesy, yet hysterically awkward. I honestly didn’t even recognize Supernatural’s super-sexy angel Julie McNiven under those glasses. She deserves her own show in my opinion.

Going forward, I’m excited to see how the pregnancy storyline proceeds. I suspect Walternate’s going to take a keen interest in monitoring the mother’s health during it all. It’s going to be fascinating to see Peter’s reaction when he’s eventually told of his fathering of a child. It could be something that’ll make him choose one Olivia over another. After all, his decision does seem to have a play in which universe survives because of that doomsday device.

Rating: 8.3