Monsters of Television

“Our destiny was set the day we triggered the machine.”

Oh Bad Robot and their time paradoxes.

The grim depiction of our future in the wake of Peter activating the machine is enough to get anyone to seriously consider all possible consequences of making a decision. “If I get this kind cheese WILL THE UNIVERSE EXPLODE?” That may be a bit less dire than deciding the fate of two universes, but still. What “The Day We Died” was able to accomplish was giving us a different look at the world of Fringe. We saw where our characters would be in the future, what their lives would be like, what the world itself would be like. Most importantly: it defined the stakes. Peter had been battling with this decision for a large portion of this season. Well he made his bed and everyone in two universes had to sleep in it.

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“There is an entire world out there with no rhyme or reason. Where would you like to start?”

Knowing Walter’s love of LSD, the title of the episode alone should make you giddy.

William Bell is still inhabiting Olivia’s body due to his Soul Magnets (new band name, called it!) and efforts to remove his consciousness have proven less than successful.  Now complications are growing and they have less than a day to get her back. The idea: INCEPTION! Cause really, what isn’t referencing Inception nowadays?

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“Make sure they spell my name right.”

One of the great things about Fringe is that even in a show dealing with parallel universes and other hard sci-fi plots, it’s still a believable show. Hear me out. At its core, Fringe is about taking science too far. Sure, sometimes people on the show use science for bank robberies or bringing back lost loved ones, but a lot of times it’s about people trying to do right and having it go horribly wrong. That’s the essence of Walters character and “Immortality’ gives us a look at another man who has taken his research to an extreme point for the “greater good.”

Or is it?

Dr. Silva is attempting to bring the skelter beetle back from extinction because they contain an enzyme he was working worth to produce a cure for the avian flu. Since the beetle died out with sheep (love the little details that distinguish the “over there” universe from our own) he’s engineering the beetles to live in other hosts: humans. Can you see why Fringe Division would have a problem with this?

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“Challenges WHAT?”

These week on the podcast, we mull over the implications of the NBC and Fox midseason shakeups as well as some of the shows we wish weren’t on the brink of cancellation (real or imagined), a recap of some recent food television, and, of course, discussions of the shows we’re watching. Hit us with a comment if you have something to tag on (and you should) and enjoy the sweet sounds of our lovely voices.

Notes: • During the food television segments, Matt and Nick tried out the mute function on Skype. It didn’t work. Sorry. • Nick makes references to multiple properties throughout the podcast that are not only telling of his age but also are sometimes so esoteric some readers/listeners might not quite get how hilarious he is. To that point, submitted for your education is a hint of (Family) Double Dare and a dash of Hello Again with a smidge of Emily Quartermaine (from last week’s podcast).

Running Time: 77 minutes

Topics: Place in the Podcast

• Walking Dead: 0:00:39
• Terriers: 0:09:23
  • The Good Wife: 0:16:13
  • Rubicon: 0:18:18
• NBC Midseason Shakeup: 0:21:01
• Fox Midseason Shakeup: 0:35:24
• Fringe: 0:40:38
• Top Chef: Just Desserts: 0:49:04
• Top Chef: All-Stars: 0:57:17
• Private Practice: 1:00:40
• No Ordinary Family: 1:07:23
• The Cape: 1:11:40
• In Treatment: 1:12:23

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