Fringe – Recap & Review – Concentrate and Ask Again

photo: fox

Fringe
Concentrate and Ask Again

Original Air Date: Feb 4, 2011

Rachel – Sr. Managing Editor
rachel@thetwocentscorp.com

So William Bell was looking for copies of The First People, too. Huh. Nina goes to his office for a little looksie and past the shelf complete with a book from Dr. Spock is his safe. Inside is a toy car, photos of William, Walter, and herself, and a copy of The First People. The plot thickens.

Meanwhile, Dr. Warren Blake, a scientist working in an R&D department, received a birthday present from someone named Madison. It is a doll that laughs and then shoots a blue powder at him… which causes his bones to disintegrate. Not a cool way to die.

Nina calls Olivia in to talk more about the books. Each copy, though written by different people in different languages is precisely the same. Nina thinks that there may be more information in Fauxlivia’s journal, but Olivia says she’s read it all and there is nothing. In very un-Nina-like form, Nina comforts an obviously uncomfortable and sad Olivia. Learning more about Fauxlivia has made her believe that Fauxlivia was a better person who had a happier life complete with friends and, of course, the love of Peter. Nina knows the pain of not knowing what a loved one is thinking (yes, she’s talking about William) and she advises Olivia to simply ask Peter who he loves.

FD is called in to investigate the murder of Mr. No Bones. Back at the lab, Walter does some tests and realizes that the pathogen is similar to something he and Billy worked on in the Nixon administration. Of course it is. After a few more tests, Walter confirms that the pathogen is US Military. From some Post Office surveillance, they get a suspect: Aaron Downey, a former marine.

They search his home and discover that after the service Downey went off the grid for a while and then resurfaced with a boatload of money. Olivia takes this time to confront Peter about Fauxlivia. Peter had brought Olivia some coffee earlier but it wasn’t how she normally takes it: black with one sugar. Fauxlivia takes it with milk. Peter tries, again, to convince Olivia that he thought it was Olivia… that he was in love with Olivia, but she’s not having it. Back to the case, they find a case of the pathogin with holes for six containers but only three canisters. Where are the other three? When Peter realizes Downey is actually hiding on the roof, he cases him right into oncoming traffic she Downey is hit by a car. Unable to be questioned what with the severe brain damage and all, FD finds his ex-wife and questions her. They were very happy for a while, but when, in the 7th month of her pregnancy, they lost their daughter to a bone disease, he freaked out and started plotting revenge. He told his wife that the military had done tests on him and two other marines; that those tests were what killed their daughter, Madison. Dr. Blake was the scientist that oversaw the testing.

Walter figures out a way to question Downey: with a Cortexiphan test subject named Simon whom Walter kicked out of the program when his mind reading abilities threatened Walter’s secret about Peter. They visit Simon and find that his ability is far from dormant. If he gets within 20 feet of anyone he can hear everything they are thinking which causes him extreme pain and nausea. Because Olivia was also a cortexiphan test subject, he can’t read her. He says it’s nice having a real conversation. She convinces him to help them question Downey, even though it’s going to be very rough. They take Simon to Boston and he gets the name of the project: Jellyfish. How appropriate. Olivia and Peter theorize that the other two marines involved are going to target more of the people who ran Project Jellyfish as they lost children, too.

They don’t catch another doll before it kills three people in an elevator, but they know the next target: Congressman Jim Thorn. And they know that the delivery system will kill a lot more than just one guy. Olivia takes Simon to a benefit held by the congressman, and he looks like he is going to throw up any second. She needs him to find the two marines. They find one, kill him, then chase the other. Olivia shoots him right through the spine so he can’t detonate the pathogen. And FD (with a little help from poor old Simon) saves the day.

When Olivia takes Simon back to his secluded compound (no trespassing + no minds to read & make him sick), they talk about the merits and disadvantages of knowing what another person is thinking. He hates it but she wishes she had the power so she could read Peter. Simon read peter and gives Olivia an envelope with the thoughts. It’s up to her to read or not. Of course she does. It says “He still has feelings for her.”

Then, in true Fringe form, we get one last piece of information: Nina cracks a code in the books which leads her to Bowling Alley Sam. He lets her in on anther secret. The Doomsday Machine will be a tool of either creation or destruction and it all depends on Peter… and which Olivia he picks.

What do YOU think? Which Olivia will he pick? I don’t think it’s as cut-and-dried as it could be. Personally, I think that the fact Peter thought it was Olivia needs to count for something. Perhaps the choice is up to FOX. If they renew, Peter will pick our Olivia. If they don’t, our universe will be destroyed. No pressure, FOX. Give us your Two Cents in the comment section below!

Next Week: Immortality