4.19 "Letters of Transit" - Disappointed

[AnimeArchAngel]

This thread is only for aspects of 4.19 "Letters of Transit" that has left you feeling disappointed. We believe that people have the right to enjoy Fringe whilst not necessarily loving everything about a particular episode.

There is, of course, a line between flaming, bashing and abuse. These things we won't tolerate. But you are, of course, allowed to say if you were disappointed by certain aspects and explain your reasons why in a constructive and mature way.

Feel free to stop by the main discussion thread to share your overall thoughts, or post new threads for specific tangents!

[tricked]

I'm sorry ... I was disappointed :-(

To all of us who didn't want the name to be "Henrietta" and have her be PO's daughter .... yo lo siento. And not only that, but they ended the episode on that note :-(

I thought it was interesting to watch ... but a dumbed down explanation of the Observers and their future. Too much time spent trying to fix Walter's brain and get the rest of the team ... although it raises some interesting questions about the future of the Observers and some implications of some things, overall if we don't get a Season 5 I don't know that it will matter all that much :-(

I'll try and keep my gripes to myself though, so as not to be a downer ^_^.

On a closing note ... is there any reason to not treat this as canon ? For those who don't follow the glyphs and such ... there would be no reason to not think this were canon, yes ?

Hope others enjoyed it more than I did :-)

[Omniscient_Jay]

I'm sorry ... I was disappointed :-(

To all of us who didn't want the name to be "Henrietta" and have her be PO's daughter .... yo lo siento. And not only that, but they ended the episode on that note :-(

I thought it was interesting to watch ... but a dumbed down explanation of the Observers and their future. Too much time spent trying to fix Walter's brain and get the rest of the team ... although it raises some interesting questions about the future of the Observers and some implications of some things, overall if we don't get a Season 5 I don't know that it will matter all that much :-(

I'll try and keep my gripes to myself though, so as not to be a downer ^_^.

On a closing note ... is there any reason to not treat this as canon ? For those who don't follow the glyphs and such ... there would be no reason to not think this were canon, yes ?

Hope others enjoyed it more than I did :-)

How unfortunate.

The Henrietta thing was the only thing that really peeved me; other than that, this was a fascinating introduction to the future.

As for Observers and "dumbed down" explanations, there was no way they were going to fit everything about their motives/origins in this one episode. I'm guessing there's more to it than just "well, we screwed up our world in 2609; let's go back when times were a bit better". If we get a S5, then the Observers motives (among countless other things pertaining to this 2036 future) will probably be expanded upon.

If you view this episode as a simple introduction to this new setting, then perhaps you may think differently; though if there is no S5, then this will be the technical open ending of the series, at which point the lack of further elaboration will be unfortunate.

[Moviemath]

Disappointed.

ETA: Also, I'm not a fan of homage. I find it predicates creative deficiency. An opening sequence that imitates a classic like Bladerunner right down to a wannabe Vangelis music track is a little tacky for my liking.

[jmsnyc]

"Canon" but its one possible future - so nothing in this episode is written in stone...

[Whisky George]

Massively disappointed.

This episode was just too far out there. Watching it felt like I missed an entire season or something.

[tricked]

How unfortunate.

I think I would have been a bit more in need of a diaper change had I not pondered every single spoiler available to me beforehand over a 7 day period haha :-)

The Henrietta thing was the only thing that really peeved me; other than that, this was a fascinating introduction to the future.

Dude, I'm glad this gave you some satisfaction. It raises it a couple of points in my book on that note alone ^_^

As for Observers and "dumbed down" explanations, there was no way they were going to fit everything about their motives/origins in this one episode. I'm guessing there's more to it than just "well, we screwed up our world in 2609; let's go back when times were a bit better". If we get a S5, then the Observers motives (among countless other things pertaining to this 2036 future) will probably be expanded upon.

If you view this episode as a simple introduction to this new setting, then perhaps you may think differently; though if there is no S5, then this will be the technical open ending of the series, at which point the lack of further elaboration will be unfortunate.

I agree on the Season 5 angle. As far as cramming too much into a single "intro" episode .... I think this is being very forgiving. They shouldn't have waited up till now for THIS episode. But they did, so that's that. At a minimum, however, I would have liked to hear official Observer speak at least one time, in their native tongue .... as well as what they actually call themselves. I didn't have to have flashforwards envisioned to 2609 or whatever .... I didn't need every detail I could consider addressed. But just a couple of basics would have been nice. 4 years of teasing us about so many mythos arcs ... and with a Season 5 or not looming before us, this episode should have had a *bit more* introduction imo, if for no other reason then for the loyal viewers like us. Just ... a few choice nuggets and it would have been great. Like learning the name of at least one other Observer. Or seeing at least one of them move at bullet-time speed. It was a bit sloppy, imo.

But I should stop there .... there was also a lot I DID like ... I actually enjoyed the characters. Broyles seemed appropriately beat down and domesticated. I loved Big Baldie's comments .... man, that was good stuff. "I enjoy animals". I could have matched his exact attitude at one time in my life lol. Good god I about fell out of my chair at that one, delivered flawlessly. And the way he offered Broyles the water ..... just, awesomeness. Walter was epic. His anti-matter choice was a wow moment.

I'll stop there :-) But I'm glad you enjoyed it sir .... really :-) Perhaps there will be more .....

:-)

[Omniscient_Jay]

I agree on the Season 5 angle. As far as cramming too much into a single "intro" episode .... I think this is being very forgiving. They shouldn't have waited up till now for THIS episode. But they did, so that's that. At a minimum, however, I would have liked to hear official Observer speak at least one time, in their native tongue .... as well as what they actually call themselves. I didn't have to have flashforwards envisioned to 2609 or whatever .... I didn't need every detail I could consider addressed. But just a couple of basics would have been nice. 4 years of teasing us about so many mythos arcs ... and with a Season 5 or not looming before us, this episode should have had a *bit more* introduction imo, if for no other reason then for the loyal viewers like us. Just ... a few choice nuggets and it would have been great. Like learning the name of at least one other Observer. Or seeing at least one of them move at bullet-time speed. It was a bit sloppy, imo.

I agree that they could have given us more, particularly on the Observer front, but I was pleased with what we got.

It's understandable that the episode was written as it was; it was more focused on exploring 2036 through the eyes of the "Native" characters, so as to introduce us to the setting. I'm guessing that in S5, everything about the Observers, from their names/titles, to their general culture, to why they allowed their future world to die, will be explored in further depth.

Since S5 is very strong a possibility, I can wait for that. Although, if we don't get it, then I wouldn't be disappointed, either; lack of resolution and answers was never a prospect that fazed me.

And we did learn Lord Cranium's name, at the least.

But I should stop there .... there was also a lot I DID like ... I actually enjoyed the characters. Broyles seemed appropriately beat down and domesticated. I loved Big Baldie's comments .... man, that was good stuff. "I enjoy animals". I could have matched his exact attitude at one time in my life lol. Good god I about fell out of my chair at that one, delivered flawlessly. And the way he offered Broyles the water ..... just, awesomeness. Walter was epic. His anti-matter choice was a wow moment.

I'll stop there :-) But I'm glad you enjoyed it sir .... really :-) Perhaps there will be more .....

:-)

That scene with Widmark/Broyles was crackling with awesomeness. The acting, dialogue, the interplay; it was probably the best scene in the episode (though the Bell WTF and the Antimatter detonation were great as well, the latter of which made me chuckle).

[tricked]

Since S5 is very strong a possibility, I can wait for that. Although, if we don't get it, then I wouldn't be disappointed, either; lack of resolution and answers was never a prospect that fazed me.

Lack of resolution concerning any of the other story arcs never fazed me .... only the Observer arc lol :-)

And we did learn Lord Cranium's name, at the least.

Yeah I'll be curious what cross-referencing his name choice will pull up, but I don't have the best hearing .... couldn't tell if it was Widmark, Whitmark, Windmark, Wyndmark, yada yada ....

That scene with Widmark/Broyles was crackling with awesomeness. The acting, dialogue, the interplay; it was probably the best scene in the episode (though the Bell WTF and the Antimatter detonation were great as well, the latter of which made me chuckle).

If you've ever seen the Prophecy movies with Christopher Walken playing a fallen angel who addresses humans as "talking monkeys" .... that scene with Broyles and Widmark made Walken look like Mr Rogers :-)

Which leads into the dialogue on monkey feces .... the interplay in that scene was sweet as well (pun intended), imo ^_^. The Bell WTF scene ... I think that was the obvious "surprise character" choice, but oh well.

[Conrad]

Disappointed that Anna Torv was never seen at all.