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Fringe: Season 3
It is rare for a television show to exhibit such admirable qualities as innovation, style and intrigue. Unfortunately, it is even rarer for a series like that to be sufficiently appreciated by the all powerful network executives to allow it to survive more than one or two seasons. In the case of the Fox science fiction show, ‘Fringe’ there was a point when its future was clouded by the spectra of cancellation but thanks in part to a loyal and vocal fan base the fourth season is about to begin and, of course, that means that the third season is available on Blu-ray and DVD. This is precisely the kind of television series that greatly benefits from the ability to watch episodes back to back and pause to review the minuscule details and clues that makes this series one of the best things to air in a very long time. In blatant defiance to the unspoken mandate that requires a TV series to be mindless entertainment, easily digested by the broadest cross section of audience members, this show requires thought, consideration and a better than average capacity to remember and associate the slightest details of what is depicted on screen. This is definitely not a show that can be enjoyed and comprehended lightly. It requires a degree of effort and commitment on the part of the viewer. Despite what some may think there is a place for shows such as this even though ‘Fringe’ is not a passive past time; it is an interactive experience where the audience is required to engage their high thought process. It is also an unusual occurrence for as series in the science fiction/fantasy genre to make any impact with the network. Historically the Fox broadcast network has not been overly kind to shows of this type. After all they did prematurely terminate ‘Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles’ and ‘Firefly’ much to the chagrin of a steadily building fan community. Perhaps the suites over in the Fox corporate headquarters have seen the light and realized the paradigm for television programming is changing. People in the audience want to think, if only to take their minds off constantly mounting global and national problems. So pop in the disc and load the ‘Fringe’ wiki for reference and prepared to be highly entertained.At the end of season two the existence of an alternate universe had been established. While basically the same as ours there are numerous differences, most notably the use of dirigibles for air travel and the World Trade Towers survived the tragic events of 9-11. FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Tov) has the unique ability to travel between universes without harm and is trapped in the alter-verse exchanged with her doppelganger dubbed by fans as ‘Bolivia’. The alternate is on our side of the universe rift on a mission from the Secretary of Defense Walter Bishop (John Noble). He referred to by fans and within the context of the series as ‘Walternate’ denoting his connection to the brilliant but highly eccentric Dr. Walter Bishop in our universe. Walter started a crisis ripping apart the fabric of the alterverse by kidnapping the Secretary’s son Peter (Joshua Jackson) as a child. Now the Secretary is using the ‘Fringe Division’ of their universe and a dedicated group of covert operatives to destroy our universe before theirs is annulated. As any fan of the series will quickly affirm this only scratches the surface of what went on in this third season. The series builds a vast and elaborate mythos that forms the foundation for the stories and character development. This is where fan sites become virtually mandatory filling in the background and opening a forum for devotees to exchange theories and dissect the many details contained in each episode. The series is the brainchild of one of the most innovative talents in television and film; J.J. Abrams. After bursting into the geist of the television audience with ‘Felicity’ and ‘Alias’ he cemented his reputation with the Sci-Fi convention crowd with his enigmatic series ‘Lost’. Many of the elements from that show found their way into ‘Fringe’ but Abrams listened closely to the criticism of disenchanted fans making suitable adjustments to his style. One of the chief complaints with ‘Lost’ concerned the pacing; Abrams had the tendency to dole out clues to the mysteries too slowly. In ‘Fringe’ he picks up the rate of exposition so that reveals are provided on a regular basis. As Abrams begins to tie up one set of loose ends another mystery is about to unfold. There are certain elements that most consider essential and this series expertly demonstrated here. There are well defined sides although the usual good versus evil is mitigated by the circumstances of the story. You really can’t cast ‘Walternate’ as the typical ‘evil twin’. His son was stolen by our Walter and that action did set in motion the events that threaten to destroy their entire universe. He is merely attempting to preserve literally everything. A similar justification can be afforded to Bolivia. It is more than just following orders; she also views her job as life and death for billions of people. This moral ambiguity makes for exceptional storytelling and provides a basis for fan debate. Next, you need a romance. After two years of a sexually charged dance Peter and Olivia get together only to have the women switched so Peter is unwittingly sleeping with the enemy. Then there is the dual punch of the sword of Damocles, impending doom, and the countdown. Walternate is after pieces of an ancient device that with Peter hooked into it can save his universe. Time is running out as the boundary between the universes erodes. The most interesting factor inherent to Abrahams’ style is his pioneering visual style. Like most of his works ‘Fringe has an unmistakable look and feel that sets it far above the pack. There are metallic looking 3D block letters floating above the streets indicating the locations and a slick almost retro look to much of the technology. The most notable element of this season is in the opening credits. If the episode opens in the alternate universe the credit card is red with a different set of ‘fringe’ sciences listed. The other side is noted visually with little touches like the blimps, Towers and a glimmering bronze Lady Liberty standing in New York Harbor. With a slight glance the audience is immediately oriented as to which universe the scene is set. This always reflected a fan prompted improvement from ‘Lost’ where the viewers could get dizzy with the constant shifts in time and place. Abrahams relies on his strongest trait, his unique visual style, to keep the audience grounded in the multifaceted story. the series had a bit of reconfiguration in this season but it leads up to what will definitely make for a fascinating forth season. Posted 09/23/11 |
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