To say that the welcome back of Peter Bishop wasn’t as happy as a homecoming as he anticipated, is an understatement. The ‘Novation’ episode I think is one of the best ones so far, filled with all the things that make Fringe the brilliant show that it is. This episode is the John Noble episode. Everything that John did in this episode was absolute perfection. He was at his finest in every way. From the moment we see him he is in top form. The best scenes are between John and Josh. The father/son dynamic is evident and very palpable with them.
I loved that Arye Gross was a guest star in the episode. I have always admired his work and he did a fabulous job as the brilliant, albeit disgruntled scientist. He was great opposite Michelle Krusiec, they worked really well together. They had a great push and pull, Michelle did a great job playing on the sympathy of the moment. I found it ironic that William Bell shut down the research that Gross’s character was doing for ethical concerns. Pot calling kettle Bell!
When Peter sees Olivia again and smiles at her, there is still a connection between them, although it may not be obvious to her, but it is present. I loved that Peter’s charming con-man ways emerge, once a con man always a con man…that never changes. It’s in his blood by now. The comment about Walter and Olivia being different commented on by Peter doesn’t sit well with him. He knows that he will have to work harder than usual because they are different. The two people he loves the most are the ones who he will have to fight for and convince.
John Noble and the lunch box scene were heartbreaking. The way he looks at Peter’s things from his childhood. The coin and such that Walter played with…it made me smile and cry at the same time. The physical manifestation of pain was evident in his body language and written all over his face. John Noble is one of those actors that with the slightest look can convey volumes in emotion. Such beauty, heartbreak, joy, pain and lost innocence wrapped up in that lunch box.
When Lincoln say “He seems pretty confident in general,” I laughed out loud as if to say to ‘oh Lincoln if you only knew OUR Peter Bishop…’and yes he has gotten to Olivia. He is the one from your dreams, there is a connection there and it will always be there. What is happening now and what did happen when Peter came back reminds me of the twin flame concept. They are part of each other, on different levels and different planes in time, but they are and always will be together, it’s just a matter of time. Destiny is destiny in any timeline.
“One man shouldn’t stand in the way of progress” was a very telling line in this episode. It pertained to a few different people…Walter, Peter, Walternate, Bell, etc. What are we without progress? What kind of society functions without change? This statement is never truer than in the current situation that Fringe is in right now.
The story that Walter tells Nina about the lake is HUGE! It is another glimpse into that story that was always a little vague, a little questionable. Plus the fact that Nina had something to do with it makes perfect sense. “For the sake of one life I destroyed two worlds” just like Peter did for Olivia when he stepped into that machine. When he bridged the worlds, he still destroyed the ones that he knew of before. They no longer exist and all for the love of another person. All for the fact that neither Peter nor Walter could bear to live with the unimaginable loss of someone they loved more than anything.
John Noble is no doubt one of the finest actor’s on TV…he’s one of the finest out there period. The last part of the episode is the best I have ever seen from him. When he tells Nina that looking at Peter’s face filled him with indescribable joy, my heart swelled and broke at the same time. He became a broken man in front of our eyes. When Nina tried to convince him that he was given a second chance, Walter didn’t want it. He didn’t want to take the chance that this man was his son, that he was able to love him the way a father loves a son. He was afraid that if it turned out to be false, the pain it would cause would surely kill him. Walter has gone through it twice, he knew what it felt like and he would never go through that again. He has had his heart broken by the worst possible pain in the world and he doesn’t ever want to feel that loss again.
The discovery about the shapeshifters blending in made me think of Charlie and how he had gone almost undetected before. It is going to be great to see how things are going to change now that the stakes are higher and more deadly. I love the fact that Peter figured it out, that he knew the knowledge and experience with them from before and was able to decipher the memory discs. The way the Lincoln had taken an interest in what Peter was saying, leaving Broyles in the dust was very funny. The ease with which he was with Peter reminded me of the previous timeline when we saw Lincoln before.
Great progress requires great sacrifice reminds me again of what the purpose everyone serves in this episode. What does Olivia’s life without Peter serve, Walter’s life without Peter serves and now that Peter is back what will that serve.
When Peter talked about the Observers and the rest of the crew had no idea what he was talking about made my jaw drop. They are in for an HUGE surprise when they do find out who and or what they are and what they represent.
The time slip that Olivia had was curious. I have heard many theories on why it happened. I’ve had people say that it’s the old timeline trying to seep through. That it might be the memories of Peter and her previous life with him. It might be her subconscious finally allowing her conscious mind to accept the dreams and what they mean. I will be glad to see how the producers flesh that out. Knowing how they have dealt with reveals like that in the past, I know it will be very cool.
Now comes the part that nearly broke me in two watching it. As a director, one of the things I look for in a scene is that the actor can deliver the proper emotions to the audience in the most authentic and real way possible. The scene when Walter and Peter are talking and Walter holds Peter’s face in his hands and tells him about looking into his adult son’s eyes, it was gut wrenching. The pain in his eyes, the hurt, the love, the reluctance and every possible emotion that could be running through a person John had in his body. He had it coursing through him so much that it was visceral for me to watch. The way that Josh reacted to him was brilliant. I do often find that when they are playing those dramatic scenes together they ARE father and son. Josh’s desperation and love was transmitted through his body language with John. The way he works with John is amazing. The subtle way that Josh can smile or furrow his brow or clench his jaw or fold his arms is such perfection. One of the many reasons why I love watching Josh, John and Anna, in particular is because they are so damn good at what they do. Because they are able to, with a single look, floor me or render me speechless. As a director, when I watched this scene, I knew that no words needed to be given, that my silence was proof enough of how amazing they were.
I am so glad to see Josh coming into his own this season. I have a feeling that this is the season of Peter. That we will finally get to see Josh use those great acting chops of his, that wonderful charm of his, those skills he has that have been muted for so long. I think he does his best work opposite both Anna and John and vice versa. How can they not? All three are enormous talents and when they are in a scene together or as pair, it is lightning in a bottle, magic time as Jack Lemmon used to say. The one thing that I know that I can always rely on with Josh and Anna is that incredible connection that they have, the eye contact they have, the chemistry is unmistakable and completely electric.
Okay, now for the conclusion…the typewriter that Nadine pulled out nearly killed me. It just floored me, we’re sending the others the four deadliest words ever in Fringe history. I am so excited to see the possibilities that will be ahead of us in the months to come. It’s going be a great year!
