So back on the other side, we find Olivia reintegrating with Altlivia’s life but shadows of her true self start to emerge in the field.
With the first regular story of the “other” side, we have a story of probability and prediction. Milo was formerly a mentally challenged man that after a medical drug trial can now see a range of probable futures and the chain events needed to obtain a particular outcome. And in this case, he uses his newfound ability to murder people using accidents.
I like how Fringe once again explores real science and pushes it just slightly more. It’s a simple concept to think that if you could aggregate a few decisions down the road, that you could make an action to achieve the outcome you desire. In the Fringe world, we find a man who doesn’t just aggregates a few actions ahead, but rather millions of variables and decisions ahead to achieve his goal.
While it’s a typical Fringe style episode, fans of the show can’t help but really be drawn into the differences between the universes and how well Olivia’s brainwashing will hold. As evidenced tonight, there’s already a lot of subconscious efforts to return to normal. In fact, it was that subconsciousness that saved her from a painful death by her lack of knowledge of oxygen protocol. I would bet as we move though the season, we’ll see more and more of Olivia manifest and perhaps we’ll have two stories of two spies working to defeat each other.
Other World Bizarre Stuff
- The Aruba War
- Agent Lee returns after his fiery ordeal last season.
- Pens are uncommon as the whole world has moved to be nearly completely digital. How I’d like to live in that world.
- The Altlivia memories downloaded into Olivia seem to lack about the last month of data.
- No coffee, and hard to find avocados. Their world is a tough place to be for foodies.
- Smallpox is breaking out in North Texas.
- Francis and Lee joking suggest that the Olivia they are with might not actually be theirs.
- Alt world has some weird air quality thing going on. I have no idea what that’s about, but people have personal oxygen canisters ready on standby. Is it roaming clouds of surface level Ozone?
- Walternate likes the sensory deprivation cambers too.
- “Real is just a matter of perception” – Walternate
- Both sides sure love their iPads, though they do a good job of hiding it in a rubberized shell on their side.
