Sychronization Issues

[jane eire]

Walter: Human brain generates a quantifiable electric field. I hypothesized in 1976, that it is possible to synchronize the fields of two distinct minds to allow the sharing of information across the unconscious state, like a string between two tin cans...

Walter: These are her brain rhythms. More important than most people know regarding cerebral regional interaction. Critical. And these are his. As the drugs take effect, the probes will synchronize the electrical signals from both. That's what the brain is, an electrical router - should be able to be interpreted by the other.

Peter: Simple really, like making taffy.

Walter: And when the rhythms are in sync, they should be in the same place. So to speak.

Okay, in the pilot episode there were a couple of interesting cases where there were some synchronization issues. The first one occurs when Olivia is discussing her discovery of Walter to Broyles at the Federal Building. Look at the clocks on the wall behind Broyles' head. At first they are all in sync, all 16 minutes past the hour. As the conversation progresses, they get out-of-sync, with the first clock showing 26 minutes past the hour while the other two show 36 minutes past the hour. This is definitely fishy.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/jane_eris/Fringe/pilotclocks1.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/jane_eris/Fringe/pilotclocks2.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/jane_eris/Fringe/pilotclocks3.jpg


Next, we have the out-of-sync moment as Olivia's time in the tank comes to an end. A hand reaches in, with a watch on it, but none of the characters in the scene are wearing that kind of watch. Olivia's eyes open, but when we see her pulled out of the tank by Peter and Walter, her eyes are still closed.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/jane_eris/Fringe/pilot-tankwatch.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/jane_eris/Fringe/pilot-tankeyes.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/jane_eris/Fringe/pilot-tankremoval.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/jane_eris/Fringe/pilot-peterwatch.jpg


Finally, there's the matter of the interrogation of Richard Steig. Walter is futzing with some equipment next to the three video feeds of the interrogation room. The monitor on the lower right is briefly out-of-sync, showing Olivia's head moving prematurely. While Walter futzes, Olivia's voice becomes briefly altered (on the word "destruction" no less.) And then, Peter leaves the room, and the video feed (lower left) shows him entering the interrogation room before he actually gets there.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/jane_eris/Fringe/pilot-oliviavideosync.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/jane_eris/Fringe/pilot-waltervideo.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/jane_eris/Fringe/pilot-petervideo.jpg

All very, very suspicious.

[Citizen]

Continuity errors.

Shows have them.

[jane eire]

Continuity errors.

Shows have them.

Yeah, but these ones are weird! Why would the clocks behind Broyles become unsynchronized? Why did the editor put Olivia waking up prematurely? And what is Walter doing futzing with that equipment?

[D-Roc]

Ah, very interesting observations!

Whilst they could be continuity errors (especially the Olivia/tank example - which has also been noted here (http://fringe-forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=526)), I can't overlook the potential double-meaning from the quoted text at the top of jane's post, which speaks of the melding of minds across unconscious states. The following examples then depict 3 instances which appear to be out of sync..or displaced, so to speak. Perhaps inferring that whilst Olivia and John's minds have been merged together, so much so that the continuity between their individual minds is water tight, the viewers are (mostly subconsciously) perceiving something else at hand.

I think it's a good observation jane. What would you speculate this means (assuming they're not continuity errors)?

Since we are dealing with 'realities' and 'states', could this be an indication that the story-telling itself is being affected by the events that take place in the episodes?
Or could it have something to do with Olivia's "Minds-eye" (which has recently come into question), and the things around her being altered..displaced somehow?

Could this be why she is so important - does she have "hidden potential" that she is unaware of in this reality?

Just some random ideas there.

[jane eire]

I think it's a good observation jane. What would you speculate this means (assuming they're not continuity errors)?

Well I don't know that they have any meaning, not just yet, but I'm always happy to hazard some guesses! I think Walter has been messing around with Time, to begin with. That's what I get out of the first "bad sync", since Walter is the topic of conversation between Olivia and Broyles, and it's the clocks that get messed up.

I think the second one may be more symbolic, perhaps Olivia "waking up" prematurely indicates that part of John has crossed over into her subconsciousness?

In the last one, I think Walter's messing around that equipment by the video feed for no apparent good reason has something to do with the "bad syncs" on the video feeds, and that has something to do with Peter's success in extracting vital information from Steig, information which ultimately leads to the prolonged life of John Scott.

Like I said, it's just... fishy.



Or could it have something to do with Olivia's "Minds-eye" (which has recently come into question), and the things around her being altered..displaced somehow?

Could this be why she is so important - does she have "hidden potential" that she is unaware of in this reality?

Maybe it's a reflection of how her perspective has changed? I don't know. I'm just putting it out there.

[Deknor]

While the last two examples COULD be continuity issues. I feel that the first is less likely. Why the hell would the clocks change, even if they stopped mid scene to fix something? The clocks would've then still stayed on proper time. I I would think that it would be far easier for the clocks to remain the same than get off-sync.

The second one is slightly more likely to be a continuity error, but I still have problems accepting it as such. No editor or director would allow such a continuity issue to occur, a waking before she wakes? Unless of course it was intentional. Perhaps it was still within her dream state when she entered that state of panic.

The third is a very strange continuity issue.. If it is. You'd think the monitors would just show video feed of different angles of the room. Not exactly moments ahead of such.

All of these are strange occurrences. I think you should delve into this slightly, but certainly not occupy all time with it. It is interesting.

[jonjonz]

I subconciously noticed the third issue, of the monitor showing Peter entering the room before he left the viewing room, but I never gave it a second thought untill reading this post. And this is after spending hours reviewing and compiling notes of my own observations. I wonder how many other tidbits like this are there. Solid clues that are out in plain sight, but presented in a way that we are likely to pass over it.

Great catch!

[D-Roc]

Well I don't know that they have any meaning, not just yet, but I'm always happy to hazard some guesses! I think Walter has been messing around with Time, to begin with. That's what I get out of the first "bad sync", since Walter is the topic of conversation between Olivia and Broyles, and it's the clocks that get messed up.
Good suggestion. The time-travel/tinkering issue is one that I think we'll revisit on a few occassions.

Although I wonder whether the subject of the 'bad sync' in this instance is Olivia or Broyles (the two people actually in the scene), since just talking about Walter wouldn't be a reason for time to become badly sync'd. Would it?:confused0006:Although the writers are able to write the rules on how they seed their clues, I guess.


I think the second one may be more symbolic, perhaps Olivia "waking up" prematurely indicates that part of John has crossed over into her subconsciousness? True.


In the last one, I think Walter's messing around that equipment by the video feed for no apparent good reason has something to do with the "bad syncs" on the video feeds, and that has something to do with Peter's success in extracting vital information from Steig, information which ultimately leads to the prolonged life of John Scott.I think this is the most intriguing of the three, and I like your suggestion, if only for the fact that I've always felt deflated at how easily Peter got the info from Steig (I mean, a coffee cup to the hand, really Steig?:what:). If the Walter/Peter mind-meld was somehow involved then I'd probably buy that better than Steig giving it up because he got tortured by a civilian who wouldn't have been able to torture him for very long at any rate (Olivia wouldn't have allowed it and Steig, surely, can take a bit of pain).



Maybe it's a reflection of how her perspective has changed? I don't know. I'm just putting it out there.It certainly seems to have changed over the course of the show. She seems so calm though, perhaps this has always been her calling? I mean, look where Walter ended up after he lost his mind, yet Olivia is still coping quite well (on the whole).


While the last two examples COULD be continuity issues. I feel that the first is less likely. Why the hell would the clocks change, even if they stopped mid scene to fix something? The clocks would've then still stayed on proper time. I I would think that it would be far easier for the clocks to remain the same than get off-sync.
Good point. More evidence of time-travel/interference, perhaps?



The third is a very strange continuity issue.. If it is. You'd think the monitors would just show video feed of different angles of the room. Not exactly moments ahead of such.This is a reach, but considering Walter has made many references to "the walls" (both in the show and in his lab notes), perhaps the different angles (perspectives) of the cameras and the different time relays are an indication of the "Fourth Wall" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_wall) eroding? An interesting way to 'break' the Fourth Wall could be to invite the audience into the mythology of the show by showing us the same scene from different angles (space) at different speeds (time).

Just a wild suggestion.:cookiemonster: