The Fringe team investigates a kidnapping that led into discovery of a boy who has a capability of controlling other people’s actions using his mind.  Further investigation unravels the connection of the mind-controlling boy with the Massive Dynamic.  My personal take on this episode: Just an okay episode.  A few questions had been answered, the episode teased the audience but the story did not move much.

What we have learned from this episode?

1. Walter’s haunted by his dark past.  This is another episode that shows how Walter felt guilty on what he did in the past.  When Walter was confronted of the idea that Dr. Carson’s son was abducted, he felt uneasy.  When Peter was abducted, he felt agitated.  It was an excellent job done by John Noble as Walter Bishop.

2. Mrs. Bishop.  We learned from Walter that he met Peter’s mom in a Neurobiology conference in Berlin, and that she was introduced by William Bell.  Walter Bishop describes her as a “strong woman”, and apparently, she was there for Peter even he was gone.

3. Bishop and Bell.  We found out that it is the first time that Walter Bishop visited Massive Dynamic, and that the building has 73 laboratories.  Bishop was mesmerized.  Bell and Bishop were meant to form a company together, but Bell didn’t wait him.

4. Another Fringe science of MD.  The final scene shocked us all.  It finally answered the question on how Nina Sharp communicates with William Bell.  It seems like old technology works best for interdimensional communication.  We also learned that Tyler that we saw is just one of the many Tylers, and he is under the Penrose-Carson experiment.  Could be a tie-in with Dr. Claus Penrose, a scientist who is involved in cloning and rapid aging in the episode The Same Old Story.

The Good.

1. A fair share of screen time.  I’m glad to see Astrid’s out of the lab.  I’m also glad to see that Nina gave her fair share.  I think this episode is by far, best in terms of every character giving a spotlight.

2. True to the tagline.  I’m glad that Fringe staff did not forget their tagline – Someone out there is experimenting, only the whole world is the lab.  Did the writers answered who is that “someone”?  Are we to assume that MD (Nina/Bell) are the ones responsible for this “odd” experimentation?

3. Twists.  The sneak peek last week is successful in misleading the viewers into thinking that the “abductor” has mind controlling ability.  The twist at the end also was unexpected.

The Bad.

1.  Walter and Peter.  I think it is getting old now.  We already see a lot of previous episodes insinuating that Peter is from alternate universe, and Walter feels guilty with Peter’s abduction.  I just hope they drop the bomb soon.

2. Stretched.  I think the storyline is a bit stretched.  I don’t see the need of Peter babysitting Tyler in the bar.

The After Thoughts.

1. Massive Dynamic.  The Penrose-Carson experiment and Nina’s report to Bell suggested one thing – Massive Dynamic is preparing our world against the alternate universe.  Massive Dynamic may be the modern ZFT?

2. Cortexiphan.  Tyler’s treatment with mind control cocktail had a similarity with cortexiphan trial.  Both drugs had been treated to “kids”, confirming my previous post that indeed kids play a significant role in the show.  We knew that Nina Sharp and Dr. Carson knew what’s happening means that Tyler did not just accidentally take in a cocktail of mind control drugs.  Could it be that Tyler was treated with an improved version of cortexiphan?  I am convinced that William Bell is continuing his cortexiphan project.  And that the project aim is to create super soldier, hopefully a stable one like Olivia Dunham.

3. Effect of mind control on Peter.  Peter had been subjected to a lot of mind controlling by Tyler, it makes me wonder if it did affect Peter’s brain or not.  Walter mentioned that mind controlling causes hematomas, of which could lead to brain damage.  It was also revealed in the episode that Peter somehow managed to prevent Tyler from pushing him to put a gun on Broyles’ head.  Is Peter special, well other than being from the other universe?

4. Two.  Double.  Duality.  I think this is another recurring theme of Fringe.  The experiment involves two scientists – Penrose and Carson.  We also heard that the aeronautics division of MD is Fleming-Monroe.  And… we also found out that Bell and Bishop is thinking of making a company together.  And oh by the way, I checked the website of Massive Dynamic and somehow the word ZENO pops up.  A weird connection?

5. Foreshadowing of Observer-centric episode.  Olivia looking through the binocular seems to be a foreshadow of the next week’s episode.  Also the conversation between Peter and Olivia in the convenience store seems to be referring to the observers.

“You think they could be spies? Maybe they’re hiding out in plain sight.”
“Foreign intelligence agents often take mundane jobs so they can blend in while they’re gathering information.”

6. Easter eggs.  Observer can be found standing in front of the white car at 00:48.  You can see a seahorse glyph in the door of the convenience store.  And the store sells SLUSHO!

My ratings - 6.1 Nina Sharp’s seduction techniques