Pinkner and Wyman, going out of their way to make things difficult for viewers.

[PB]

Hey everyone,

PB, I thought your OP was a scream

Coming from you Moviemath that's a big complement! I've been reading your posts on this episode and I think you and I are on the same page .

[Xerophytes]

It's so far the best thing that they developed in this season. It again points back to Season 1. And of the main themes of the show - genetic manipulation -> species perfection. They planted seeds, we are sowing now.

[mj07]

RE: the "Winged Antropomorphized Porcupines", I have to go back and re-watch the episode, but didn't one of the characters pose the question of why would anyone want to create this porcu-bat? And Walter mused that maybe this was just part of an experiment, not RDJ's end game? Considering how the creatures are being treated at the end of the episode, couldn't this all be the first (or second or fifth) step towards some super-creature?

[Ironheart]

Peter's erasure has moved the event from occurring in the past to the present. It also resulted in the death of the original buyer Conrad Moreau 5 years ago. (Before the events of "The Transformation" originally happened).

Trust me, I'm not suspending my disbelief that this even could be delayed in happening, only that it would happen with the same crew, the same passengers and the same flight number. All of that added together is what's impossible.

[ag86]

The creatures are ridiculous because so is man's efforts at beocoming God. Read Dante's Divine Comedy... In the Inferno you discover that hell is a cheap imitation of heaven/paradise, and devil himself tries to imitate the Trinity.

It's silly, yes, but it makes sense, is sooo Fringerian, and, like Ominiscient Jay (thanks!) wrote, is tying up most of the plotlines.

I'm excited for the rest of the season and am hopeful for a 5th.

[tony clifton]

just a couple of thoughts/questions...anyone else intrigued about the metaphorical "Noah's Ark" at the end,or the were-cupines flying off with the idealistic woman like the flying monkeys did with Toto in The Wizard of Oz? or how much about Fringe Division does the F.B.I. shrink really know? and finally,where can I get a subscription to Hump magazine?

[HeresyProgram]

and finally,where can I get a subscription to Hump magazine?

More than anything, this is the question I need the show to answer before it wraps up.

[SeaGtGruff]

Then we get to the were-cupine plot, and there's absolutely no mention of the glass discs the found the last time this case happened. There's a wasted opportunity.

Actually, Peter did mention that there were glass discs involved when it happened in his timeline-- unless by "absolutely no mention" you mean that the glass discs didn't show up this time around?

[PB]

just a couple of thoughts/questions...anyone else intrigued about the metaphorical "Noah's Ark" at the end,or the were-cupines flying off with the idealistic woman like the flying monkeys did with Toto in The Wizard of Oz? or how much about Fringe Division does the F.B.I. shrink really know? and finally,where can I get a subscription to Hump magazine?

Yes, sure why not, I have no idea but I bet she has connections outside of Fringe division and as soon as you find out please let me know.

[heirofloki]

I hear the OP, I do. But this is the show that told me that you're not dead until you've been dead for more than seven hours, bowl-hatted hairless cylons are the future of mankind, and children can travel across universes pretty much by clicking their heels (and thinking of home). So really, I don't see porcu-bats as that much of a big deal. Furthermore, the gargoyle imagery, which as others have noted is itself based on ancient religious imagery, is pretty attractive to me (and I'm sure Jung is dancing in his grave).

[Mind you, that beauty and the beast shout out was terrible. Just terrible.]

Also, regarding why the people would follow him and willingly sign up for that: DRJ is running a a cult. And having had to deal with (religious) cult members in real life, I can confidently say that was the most believable part of the episode. People in that situation will do, say and think anything they are told, period. If "god" tells them to go turn themselves into hulking, winged porcupines because that's the way to heaven...they will. It's very frightening, and very, very sad.

just a couple of thoughts/questions...anyone else intrigued about the metaphorical "Noah's Ark" at the end,or the were-cupines flying off with the idealistic woman like the flying monkeys did with Toto in The Wizard of Oz? or how much about Fringe Division does the F.B.I. shrink really know? and finally,where can I get a subscription to Hump magazine?

The Noah's Ark Reference was the best/creepiest part of the episode to me, because it really drove home how much this universe is not like the previous one. We've been operating on the belief that things were different due to Peter's absence, which is still true, but just how different... I mean, wether or not Olivia and Peter get to make out or whether Olivia's sister is still married aren't things to phone home about, but holy fraks y'all!! Nevermind the porcu-bats. Dude's got a whole sub-basement of critters hiding somewhere. Now this, this is universe-wrecking stuff. This has finally got me excited. (yeah, I'm in the minority, but Hungry is up there in my top 10 X-files episodes, so my tolerance for ridiculous monsters is pretty high, I guess).

RE: Shrink. I don't know what's like in the FBI but I do know some intelligence/counter-insurgency units have their own personnel evaluators/shrinks, who tend to be informed about what the person is going to encounter/is expected to handle. personnel selection for these jobs is pretty rigorous and choosing the right people for the job is paramount, so knowing what the job is becomes a necessity. That said, I mentioned on the live chat that her lines where the clunkiest bit of exposition on the show yet (they should only let September do blunt exposition. He makes it look good).

So to summarize, she should be in the know, but not that much in the know -but she was a plot device, ergo, she's omniscient.

Wish I could help you the the Hump subscription. It looks like it has great articles.