Looking Back At Season Four

[tricked]

@ OJ

Interesting thoughts and take on Season 4 ^_^

Like you, I didn't really care all that much about "losing" the characters of past seasons. What I personally really wanted were explanations and direct reveals about the mechanisms behind the mythos arcs and the "rules" they followed, as well as Observer action lol :-)

I'm assuming we'll get a fair share of Observer action in S5, which leaves really only one issue I want to see addressed. I dare say it's the only reason I keep watching Fringe tenaciously rather than casually. If we learn more about Bell ... it will be interesting, but not the apex for me. If we hear "Observer speak" and have some more questions answered about their society and culture, it will be interesting, but not the apex for me. I hardly care about Peter and Olivia's personal life. I hardly care about the lives of the Redverse peeps. I hardly even care, tbh, exactly how an Observer experiences their life verses a "normal" human verses anyone else. I hardly even care to see certain questions about re-writes and erasures answered. None of the above would really be enough for me to keep watching into Season 5 with my thinking-cap on. I actually want the Fringe team to be triumphant over the NaziObservers, but I doubt I will watch merely to cheer them on.

What I really want to know, is the absolute and concrete origin of the Machine :-) Secondary to that, I would like to know the principles it is supposed to operate based on, and if they will explain this in detail and show us more examples. So I'm personally still fascinated by the aspects surrounding the Machine: it's creators, how many there are, machines that may be like it, those connected to it directly concerning it's operation and their lives as it specifically regards the Machine and what it does. The mythos arcs still present within Fringe, I want to see them resolved as it concerns the Machine and the Players.

Having said all of that .... if you could narrow down the reasons why you, personally, still watch Fringe to just *one* main reason and thing you would like to see accomplished through the final season, what would that *one* reason and thing end up being ?

[tricked]

One thing I did like about S4 verses S1-S3 of Fringe, was the following idea concerning "character development":

Previously, we see Peter go from being a displaced nomad who chiefly looks out for himself and is the victim of master behind-the-scenes-manipulations, to being "given" the right to operate a machine which can essentially convert his wishes into reality and transform universes. And he finally does so, and makes the correct choices after getting an infinite amount of chances to do so lol ....

But he does all of this with a MACHINE. He goes from child, to "man", and ends up getting this ultimate piece of technology as his "Christmas Present" so to speak, the end of a road.

But in reality, this is all just *practice*. Almost like a simulation. He's growing up, and learning about what it means to be a grown up .... and he's practicing on a machine, to prepare himself for the "real thing", when he gets the living, breathing, dynamic version of the machine: Olivia.

Olivia isn't a machine. She's a person. But she can do what the Machine does, arguably. So it's almost like Peter got the chance to grow up, and practice an infinite amount of times, on a machine .... something he became obsessed with .... before he finally gets it right and then is given the opportunity to experience it once and for all with a vulnerable, fragile, yet resilient living thing. A thing of infinite potential. Olivia. A living thing which he will love above all else. It's quite amazing actually ... to practice till you get it right on a chunk of metal, so that you won't mess it up when you have the living version in your arms ...

[Omniscient_Jay]

In short, I thought that S4 was the most ambitious. It had the greatest potential, but failed to live up to it. I felt like the points that were brought up, and the cases themselves, fit the story, but that the focus on different aspects of the show was skewed.

Excellent post, PG. A most astute analysis of character shortcomings.

Yet this passage above strikes true. It may be too strong a term, but it is as though the intentions of the writers were misguided relative to the premise they chose to follow; and I think this is so because they valued sentimentality over everything else, thus sacrificing the follow-through the premise would have necessitated.

@ OJ

Having said all of that .... if you could narrow down the reasons why you, personally, still watch Fringe to just *one* main reason and thing you would like to see accomplished through the final season, what would that *one* reason and thing end up being ?

An interesting question.

I believe I already relayed the reason for which I continue to watch Fringe in my analysis - even if the execution misses the mark, there are so many fascinating ideas and concepts, and I'm always drawn to things that cause one to reflect and ponder.

As for the one thing I would have be accomplished by 5.13, it's hard to say. Like you, I'm not too picky on what happens; what will happen will happen, as it always does. I'm less concerned about the Machine, however, and more so on Observer-related mysteries.

So if I had to submit a wish, it would be to have as many lingering Observer-related mysteries resolved, among them the child from 1.15 (or children, if hints are accurate), John Mosley, a bit more on Beacons, GGGR, and all that wonderful stuff.

The impending exploration of Observerkind (which I think is a given if 4.19 is a precursor to S5) provides the best opportunity to have these secondary questions resolved in passing. Although, I had thought that S4 would have a lot about Jones, Bell, and their relation to one another further detailed, but we all know how that went, so perhaps my wishes are misplaced.

[tricked]

As for the one thing I would have be accomplished by 5.13, it's hard to say. Like you, I'm not too picky on what happens; what will happen will happen, as it always does. I'm less concerned about the Machine, however, and more so on Observer-related mysteries.

So if I had to submit a wish, it would be to have as many lingering Observer-related mysteries resolved, among them the child from 1.15 (or children, if hints are accurate), John Mosley, a bit more on Beacons, GGGR, and all that wonderful stuff.

The impending exploration of Observerkind (which I think is a given if 4.19 is a precursor to S5) provides the best opportunity to have these secondary questions resolved in passing. Although, I had thought that S4 would have a lot about Jones, Bell, and their relation to one another further detailed, but we all know how that went, so perhaps my wishes are misplaced.

Well, I hope you get what you wish for :~)

[Firefly]

I'll have to agree with another poster and say that I enjoyed Season Four more for it's 'moments'. There was too much filler for me to enjoy every single little thing.

Favourite moments:

1. End of 4.01 where Olivia takes Lincoln to the bridge, "Sometimes answers lead to more questions".
2. 4.08 where September tells Olivia she has to die.
3. Jones' interrogation by Peter in 4.09.
4. Eliznate asking Walter to accept and help Peter in 4.09.
5. Fauxlivia's "Hey girls!" in 4.11.
6. Walter throwing the magnetised car alloy in 4.12.
7. "Olivia and Peter to the biology lab!" in 4.12.
8. Olivia ordering Damiano's and kissing Peter at the end of 4.12.
9. Olivia's flashbacks in 4.13/walking around Peter's house and remembering the things they did together, "I remember, I remember everything!"
10. Olivia kidnapped at the end of 4.13.
11. Peter inside September's head in 4.14.
12. Olivia and Meana's 'heart-to-heart' in 4.14.
13. Meana stepping off the hospital trolley and casually getting a drink from the water dispenser in 4.14.
14. Olivia electrocuting Jones' lackey in 4.14.
15. Peter telling Olivia he should stay away from her in 4.14.
16. Olivia and Nina's meeting at the start of 4.15.
17. Peter and September's interaction in 4.15, "you have been home all along", "she is your Olivia".
18. Olivia saying 'goodbye' to Nina in 4.15, "don't give up on me".
19. Olivia and Peter's embrace at the end of 4.15.
20. Walter's "perfect" when looking at Olivia, Peter and Astrid, his family, in 4.16.
21. Fauxlivia's "hey girls, some of us are trying to work!" in 4.17.
22. Fauxlivia drunk and upset in 4.18.
23. Captain Windmark's "I like you Phillip..." speech in 4.19.
24. Rescuing the Fringe team from the amber in 4.19.
25. Walter and Walternate talk in 4.20.
26. Severing the bridge in 4.20.
27. Olivia and Peter looking for homes in bed, "nursery!" in 4.21.
28. Olivia asking Peter if they will ever have a normal life in 4.21.
29. Walter returning to St Clair's and being scared by the cleaner, 4.21.
30. Walter's "peace out!" to 'Alex', 4.21.
31. Astrid being shot, 4.21.
32. Bell's hologram of the new world, 4.22.
33. Olivia/Peter/Jessica/September scene in the warehouse, 4.22.
34. Olivia and Nina's heart-to-heart, 4.22.
35. Jessica's crazy eyes, "we are ALL expendable!", 4.22.
36. Peter and Olivia's heart-to-heart 4.22.
37. Peter and Olivia leaping onto Bell's boat, 4.22.
38. Walter shooting Olivia, 4.22.
39. Bell's escape, 4.22.
40. Walter saving Olivia, 4.22.
41. Walter reveals he has always known Astrid's name, Walter and Astrid eating the red vines at the same time, 4.22.
42. Olivia reveals she is pregnant, 4.22.

Gosh.

[PapayaGoo]

@ OJ

Having said all of that .... if you could narrow down the reasons why you, personally, still watch Fringe to just *one* main reason and thing you would like to see accomplished through the final season, what would that *one* reason and thing end up being ?

I'm not OJ, but I'm going to respond with my one reason I still watch:

I care about the characters. I want them to have a good life. I want them to be together. But I also don't see how that's possible. I feel as though Peter does not belong anywhere. Sure, he finds a place to belong in the sense that he forms relationships that tie him to a place, but cosmically his presence is an aberration. Peter's presence, I feel, will always put Olivia in extra danger. The Cortexiphan trials, possibly the Observer invasion, ZFT...all these things go back to Walter in some way. Walter's ideas and experiments and his rescue of Peter have doomed Olivia, and the rest of the world, no matter how much he wants things to be better. It was both his objective inquiry as a scientist, and his inability to maintain that objectivity that caused so many problems. So I still watch it because I'm curious to see if Walter gives up Peter for good in order to reset the world. I'm also curious about September's Walter-like role as the subjective scientist.

I'll have to agree with another poster and say that I enjoyed Season Four more for it's 'moments'. There was too much filler for me to enjoy every single little thing.

Favourite moments:

1. End of 4.01 where Olivia takes Lincoln to the bridge, "Sometimes answers lead to more questions".
2. 4.08 where September tells Olivia she has to die.
3. Jones' interrogation by Peter in 4.09.
4. Eliznate asking Walter to accept and help Peter in 4.09.
5. Fauxlivia's "Hey girls!" in 4.11.
6. Walter throwing the magnetised car alloy in 4.12.
7. "Olivia and Peter to the biology lab!" in 4.12.
8. Olivia ordering Damiano's and kissing Peter at the end of 4.12.
9. Olivia's flashbacks in 4.13/walking around Peter's house and remembering the things they did together, "I remember, I remember everything!"
10. Olivia kidnapped at the end of 4.13.
11. Peter inside September's head in 4.14.
12. Olivia and Meana's 'heart-to-heart' in 4.14.
13. Meana stepping off the hospital trolley and casually getting a drink from the water dispenser in 4.14.
14. Olivia electrocuting Jones' lackey in 4.14.
15. Peter telling Olivia he should stay away from her in 4.14.
16. Olivia and Nina's meeting at the start of 4.15.
17. Peter and September's interaction in 4.15, "you have been home all along", "she is your Olivia".
18. Olivia saying 'goodbye' to Nina in 4.15, "don't give up on me".
19. Olivia and Peter's embrace at the end of 4.15.
20. Walter's "perfect" when looking at Olivia, Peter and Astrid, his family, in 4.16.
21. Fauxlivia's "hey girls, some of us are trying to work!" in 4.17.
22. Fauxlivia drunk and upset in 4.18.
23. Captain Windmark's "I like you Phillip..." speech in 4.19.
24. Rescuing the Fringe team from the amber in 4.19.
25. Walter and Walternate talk in 4.20.
26. Severing the bridge in 4.20.
27. Olivia and Peter looking for homes in bed, "nursery!" in 4.21.
28. Olivia asking Peter if they will ever have a normal life in 4.21.
29. Walter returning to St Clair's and being scared by the cleaner, 4.21.
30. Walter's "peace out!" to 'Alex', 4.21.
31. Astrid being shot, 4.21.
32. Bell's hologram of the new world, 4.22.
33. Olivia/Peter/Jessica/September scene in the warehouse, 4.22.
34. Olivia and Nina's heart-to-heart, 4.22.
35. Jessica's crazy eyes, "we are ALL expendable!", 4.22.
36. Peter and Olivia's heart-to-heart 4.22.
37. Peter and Olivia leaping onto Bell's boat, 4.22.
38. Walter shooting Olivia, 4.22.
39. Bell's escape, 4.22.
40. Walter saving Olivia, 4.22.
41. Walter reveals he has always known Astrid's name, Walter and Astrid eating the red vines at the same time, 4.22.
42. Olivia reveals she is pregnant, 4.22.

Gosh.

I bolded my "I concurs"

Adding: 4x02 (pretty much all of it). 4x03, Olivia has been drawing Peter. 4x07, Olivia and Nina experience tension regarding "U-Gene"

[Omniscient_Jay]

Like PG, I'll hijack your list and note moments that I enjoyed.

As a side note, I think your first sentence is the way that I've approach Fringe as a whole; it's not so much favourite seasons as it has been favourite moments.

I'll have to agree with another poster and say that I enjoyed Season Four more for it's 'moments'. There was too much filler for me to enjoy every single little thing.

Favourite moments:

1. End of 4.01 where Olivia takes Lincoln to the bridge, "Sometimes answers lead to more questions".
2. 4.08 where September tells Olivia she has to die.
3. Jones' interrogation by Peter in 4.09.
4. Eliznate asking Walter to accept and help Peter in 4.09.
5. Fauxlivia's "Hey girls!" in 4.11.
6. Walter throwing the magnetised car alloy in 4.12.
7. "Olivia and Peter to the biology lab!" in 4.12.
8. Olivia ordering Damiano's and kissing Peter at the end of 4.12.
9. Olivia's flashbacks in 4.13/walking around Peter's house and remembering the things they did together, "I remember, I remember everything!"
10. Olivia kidnapped at the end of 4.13.
11. Peter inside September's head in 4.14.
12. Olivia and Meana's 'heart-to-heart' in 4.14.
13. Meana stepping off the hospital trolley and casually getting a drink from the water dispenser in 4.14.
14. Olivia electrocuting Jones' lackey in 4.14.
15. Peter telling Olivia he should stay away from her in 4.14.
16. Olivia and Nina's meeting at the start of 4.15.
17. Peter and September's interaction in 4.15, "you have been home all along", "she is your Olivia".
18. Olivia saying 'goodbye' to Nina in 4.15, "don't give up on me".
19. Olivia and Peter's embrace at the end of 4.15.
20. Walter's "perfect" when looking at Olivia, Peter and Astrid, his family, in 4.16.
21. Fauxlivia's "hey girls, some of us are trying to work!" in 4.17.
22. Fauxlivia drunk and upset in 4.18.
23. Captain Windmark's "I like you Phillip..." speech in 4.19.
24. Rescuing the Fringe team from the amber in 4.19.
25. Walter and Walternate talk in 4.20.
26. Severing the bridge in 4.20.
27. Olivia and Peter looking for homes in bed, "nursery!" in 4.21.
28. Olivia asking Peter if they will ever have a normal life in 4.21.
29. Walter returning to St Clair's and being scared by the cleaner, 4.21.
30. Walter's "peace out!" to 'Alex', 4.21.
31. Astrid being shot, 4.21.
32. Bell's hologram of the new world, 4.22.
33. Olivia/Peter/Jessica/September scene in the warehouse, 4.22.
34. Olivia and Nina's heart-to-heart, 4.22.
35. Jessica's crazy eyes, "we are ALL expendable!", 4.22.
36. Peter and Olivia's heart-to-heart 4.22.
37. Peter and Olivia leaping onto Bell's boat, 4.22.
38. Walter shooting Olivia, 4.22.
39. Bell's escape, 4.22.
40. Walter saving Olivia, 4.22.
41. Walter reveals he has always known Astrid's name, Walter and Astrid eating the red vines at the same time, 4.22.
42. Olivia reveals she is pregnant, 4.22.

Gosh.

I have many others, of course, but I think this would best be suited for a Favourite Moments of S4 thread (which I will eventually create if no one else does).

Also, I will be posting the S4 Reimagining thread very soon (i.e. the one mentioned in my S4 analysis of this thread); I just need to tidy up the whole thing. Expect that by day's end.

[tricked]

I'm not OJ, but I'm going to respond with my one reason I still watch:

I care about the characters. I want them to have a good life. I want them to be together. But I also don't see how that's possible. I feel as though Peter does not belong anywhere. Sure, he finds a place to belong in the sense that he forms relationships that tie him to a place, but cosmically his presence is an aberration. Peter's presence, I feel, will always put Olivia in extra danger. The Cortexiphan trials, possibly the Observer invasion, ZFT...all these things go back to Walter in some way. Walter's ideas and experiments and his rescue of Peter have doomed Olivia, and the rest of the world, no matter how much he wants things to be better. It was both his objective inquiry as a scientist, and his inability to maintain that objectivity that caused so many problems. So I still watch it because I'm curious to see if Walter gives up Peter for good in order to reset the world. I'm also curious about September's Walter-like role as the subjective scientist.

Bolding mine.

I want for them to have a good life as well .... especially for Peter in the regards that he "doesn't belong anywhere". Yes we know that Olivia was going to be his "home", where he belonged irregardless of his actual physical origins. And this Season gave us a kinda/sorta Olivia in regards to Peter. Like, just shy of the whole deal. Almost like he's settled ...

[BrikHaus]

I just thought I'd leave my thoughts on Season 4 here with this link: http://awesomelyshitty.wordpress.com...inge-season-4/

[Firefly]

My major complain this Season is the lack of questions.

By that, I mean, if Amber!Olivia has regained her memories and has returned to fully being Blue!Olivia, then why isn't she asking questions?

Like "why the hell are we the only ones that remember?" "how did all this occur" "how do we get the others memories back?"

She just accepted it and it was never touched on again.

I think by the end of the Season the writers realised they messed up and hoped that we would just accept that these are our characters.