Fringe 3×11 – Reciprocity

(—spoilers below—)

I think I liked this episode the more I thought about it. But first things first —

Rambaldi fatigue: Big ancient device? Unless it is doing good things for the characters as far as growth and drama and stuff I don’t care about it. Most of the good character stuff was triggered by Fauxlivia (can we finally stop that Bolivia crap now? The writers have spoken.). The Rambaldi device was like a big paper weight tonight. Almost wish we didn’t see it until the moment it actually gets to do something.

Characters stuff I did like:
Peter: The little family unit has done much to declaw him, but when he and his is threatened he reverts to old ways.  Peter has a history of going solo. When he felt he and his mother had been screwed over by his dad he ran away and left his dad alone in a mental institution. For years. Being lied to by Walter about his childhood made him run to another freaking universe and by doing that away from Olivia too which indicates how pissed he was. The Fauxlivia reveal screwed him up big time. He got really cold with her and threatened to do worse if Olivia was hurt. He didn’t get to act that out because she zapped home, but I think he meant it. Rambaldi machine messes with him and he goes all Dexter to get his own answers about that and Fauxlivia conning him because he doesn’t want anymore surprises.

When he gets this way, when it is a personal attack, he goes solo, doesn’t trust other people, and otherwise reverts to the pattern had plenty of time to perfect. It’s an established trait even if he has been domesticated over the last couple of years. Also, Peter likes PB&J after his shape-shifter killing sprees. Such a versatile snack.

Olivia: Maybe Peter’s numerous near death experiences and medical mysteries finally snapped her out of her funk. Or maybe reading Fauxlivia POV fan fiction did it. Either way Olivia is back to her normal self and empathizing with the victims (aka Peter) and getting proactive about it no matter what (learning about what else in her apartment she’ll have to toss). She is initiating talking to Peter about this which is new for the relationship thing though not new for her professionally. This is normal Olivia and while some wish she gave it to him more that isn’t in her nature and I’m glad she is back to her normal self and taking on other people’s burdens.

I thought she was really sweet in her own way with him and is still broken but now at least in the terms by which she can be more herself again. Also. I loved her hair tonight.

Astrid: Until she gets field certified I guess jumping on the grenade by reading Fauxlivia fan fiction so everyone else doesn’t have to will have to do. Still wish she would get out of the lab more.

Walter: Bananas, Walter? Really? Also,Walter being all “Noooooes Peter” when Peter went all Dexter on them. Hello, what do you think dear Peter was up to while you were locked up? He was up to no good is what.

Fannish Friday Four

Fringe Friday! Well, tomorrow it will be Fringe Friday! Woo! Fringe’s 3 day DVR ratings showed a big spike (42%) on top of already holding it’s numbers in the new time slot.

Fairly Legal was fairly mundane but for Sarah Shahi. She is in it a lot and I find that will probably be enough to get me through another quirky courtroom drama. And if Sarah Shahi doesn’t do it for you Anders from BSG is is in it too. The basic plot is that Sarah’s character is an ex-lawyer turned mediator with a young stepmom she doesn’t like, lawyer ex husband who is still around, and a father who recently died and left the law firm in upheaval. Sarah gets sucked into the law firm again and must deal with a zillion things in the first episode including the meaning of justice and blah blah blah. See how I can’t even remember her character’s name? Oh well. It was cute.

You know you have officially “arrived on the scene”, at least my scene, when I suddenly start casting you as characters in books I’m reading. Take for instance Eric Stolz retroactively becomes Bren Cameron in my head for all past and future Foreigner books. So here comes Noomi Rapace being all awesome in the Millennium trilogy and suddenly she is go-to-girl number one in my head space character casting. I mean – dude – this girl is fierce! All the boys are in various states of “AHHHH” and she already looks like she hijacked a boat using only her brain and is planning on conquering a small island or something. And I’m not the only one who thinks she is awesome. Ridley Scott cast her as his leading lady in the Alien Prequel stand alone scifi/horror movie. (!!!)

This is interesting from a number of angles. The original topic which involves a discussion on gay characters in Game of Thrones as well as a fandom that leans male and has a number of … err … oblivions in their number. Ranging  from claiming not to have noticed stuff to being happy its there and will be featured even more in the tv show to the other side of it which is claiming that every unmarried man over 30 must be gay and every woman who wears armor must be as well despite POV scenes blatantly saying otherwise in some cases. Those would be the overcompensater. Male dominated fandom spaces are fascinating. (spoilers for most of the books I think)

I’ve been staying up too late writing and it seems like my favorite background noise is Charlie Rose. I find international politics soothing I guess. Anyway, last night he had a very thorough interview of Sir Anthony Hopkins (which is available streaming on his website) where they talk about a number of things including faith. I normally don’t like to hear about other people’s religious experiences (too touchy-feely or alien for me I think) but Hopkins is a very well read man, very much an over thinker, and I found his thoughts on the subject similar to the way I think of things. I obviously don’t have his life experiences, but his philosophy on life is similar to mine.

I’m Moving

I moved a lot since college (well, in general really) and the last three or for moves I’ve made “I’m moving” cards to send out to people to inform them of yet another address change. I enjoy doing them. This one I made and then ended up not moving so I let my sister use it when she beat me to the punch.

You can buy them at my cafepress shop. Either note cards like these or postcards or stickers and other merch I’ve made available.