Fringe - Brown Betty

[shipperx]

Still haven't seen Fringe Season 2 DVDs but Hulu has up the last four episodes of Season 2 and "Brown Betty" is one of them.

Okay, I think that one did it for me. It was just bizarre enough to make me go fannish. What a weird, weird episode.

Peter has disappeared and guilt-ridden Walter is getting high on pot (the aforementioned 'Brown Betty') and Olivia arrives to ask Walter's assistant to babysit her niece while Olivia searches for Walter's son PaceyPeter. Stoned Walter plays 'Operation' (the old Milton-Bradley game) with the niece and ends up telling the child a very weird but within-the-Fringe-verse meaningful story.

His imagination is one weird collage, isn't it? His story is a Gattica-ish steam punk sci-fi film-noir fairytale musical.

Heh.

In his story he casts Olivia as a hard-bitten, cynical Film Noir private investigator hired to search for Peter because Peter has stolen Walter's glass heart, the only thing keeping Walter alive so that he can 'do good things'.

It's a weird mixture of Film Noir/1930s costuming, cars, and lingo, only with far more multi-culturalism, cell phones, and modern computers still being around (because, honestly, would the seven-year-old that he's telling this story to know the difference?) What a sweet, sad, strange episode flipped-inside out by its being a fairy-tale for a child.

I rather liked that one.

It's on Hulu here

Comments

[magista.livejournal.com]

I was uncertain about Fringe when it began. Olivia and her boyfriend/partner has absolutely zero chemistry (he's much better on Human Target now), and some of the stories were just, well... stupid.

But once the second season hit and we began to see the pattern develop and the suggestions of the alternate universe (Walternate and Fauxlivia, anyone?), it's really grown on me. I love alternate universe stuff!

Have you noticed the glyphs in each episode? Those symbols between acts? Secret messages!! See here, but don't scroll down unless you want the word for each episode spoiled. Goes to the end of season 2.

*needs a Fringe icon* *goes steampunk instead*

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I"m afraid that I'll always remember Mark Valley (the Human Target-guy) as NotJack Deveraux on Days of Our Lives. He was the recast for 'real Jack' that though, everyone liked him was just in no way like the actor who originated the role and so it simply never fit. Since that was my first introduction to him, that remains my first reaction whenever I see him.

Secret message thingie is cool. Thanks.

[calturner.livejournal.com]

Fringe just keeps on getting better and better, doesn't it? I finished watching S2 a few days ago.

I love Walter! His mind is such a weird and wonderful place. :)

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Yeah, as I've watched the show has definitely grown on me. And I definitely like Walter.

[wildrider.livejournal.com]

I loved that episode! Fringe definitely crept up on me -- took me a while to get into it, but once I did, WHAM! (I adore Walter.)

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'll definitely begin tuning in next season.

[jerrymcl89.livejournal.com]

That was the episode where I felt like Fringe really gave up trying to not be the X-Files, and I thought it worked very well.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I thought the episode was both fun and good for the characters.

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

YES. I knew you'd love it. You really DO need to see the rest of Season 2 though.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I'm up to the finale now.