The Fringe world just got a lot bigger

Well, if Fringe hadn’t already been renewed for a second season, that would go down as one of the most annoying season finales in history. I figured out Walter’s secret from Peter about halfway through, but it’s still a great development for both characters. As for Olivia, I have a lot of questions about how she wound up where she was and what William Bell is capable of, but those can wait until the fall.

I like how they closed the chapter on the Jones threat of Season One while at the same time busting wide open the future potential of the series. We didn’t get any further information as to what the “threat” is that William and Walter were trying to prepare for by experimenting on the kids, but I think we’re in for some fun come round two.

I guess you could call it a bit cliche to confirm that Olivia was in a parallel world at the end by putting her in the World Trade Center. It does raise a lot of questions as to how that world developed differently than ours, though. Had we not had the 9/11 attacks, would the political landscape have been prepared for Obama’s ascendancy to the White House last year? Would he have even felt compelled to run yet?

It also raises the question of how she was transported not only across dimensions but across distance as well. After all, she was around the 14th floor in that elevator in another building in “our” world and then suddenly she’s on one of the top floors of the World Trade Center? Does Bell have transportational technology far superior to ours? Did he steal it from the Federation?

I also want to know if this is the only parallel world that’s been discovered, or is this the only one that’s relevant in the Fringe-verse? Multidimensional threats could make for a great epic struggle, but could also make for some confusing television. Abrams’ other little telepic has certainly gotten complex over the years.

At the end of the first season of Lost, things were fairly straightforward but they were about to get so complex it’s almost impossible for new viewers to keep up nowadays. Fringe has been pretty straightforward so far, but now we’ll be juggling at least two different realities, possible parallel versions of our principal cast members and that’s just the start.

I’m all for it, as I love television that challenges me and isn’t afraid to tell big sprawling stories. But I’m just not sure how accessible they can keep things now. It’s definitely safe to say that we’re going in a very different direction than The X-Files went now, which is important. The show needs to find its unique voice, and I think tonight just solidified its singular vision.

I’m curious about the fact that Walter apparently snatched Peter from that parallel dimension. Did he steal him from his parents over there? Is there another Walter, perhaps sane, who’s pissed off and looking for his son in that other world? I have lots of questions and a lot of excitement on where we’re going from here which tells me that Fringe had a very successful first season. Let’s just keep it going, kids!

Clacked by Jason Hughes
on May 13, 2009 @ 17:00 EST5EDT