Our twelfth episode tells a sad and disturbing tale of a man using nanotech face-altering technology for a love he has yet to meet, while we briefly continue to explore the world of chromes and see the beauty of the flaws of our characters being personified.
We Don't Die Young
Coming off of introductions made in "Perception" we continue to explore Chromes through the main character Valerie Stahl. Despite being a character who's genetically designed to be of certain perfections and somewhat emotionally removed, as presumably being too emotional may in this philosophy take away one's potential and is ultimately seen as a character flaw, more and more we can see how cases that involve Chromes are able show Valerie's emotions, as the subject alone makes her touchy and Chromes are still in the vicinity of being at the expense of crime and even at odds with each other. We didn't advance with it as much as I would have liked, but I was glad for some more insight and continuity on the subject and her character.
Beauty and Perfection Are In the Eye of the Beholder
Coming off of introductions made in "Perception" we continue to explore Chromes through the main character Valerie Stahl. Despite being a character who's genetically designed to be of certain perfections and somewhat emotionally removed, as presumably being too emotional may in this philosophy take away one's potential and is ultimately seen as a character flaw, more and more we can see how cases that involve Chromes are able show Valerie's emotions, as the subject alone makes her touchy and Chromes are still in the vicinity of being at the expense of crime and even at odds with each other. We didn't advance with it as much as I would have liked, but I was glad for some more insight and continuity on the subject and her character.
Beauty and Perfection Are In the Eye of the Beholder
The episode centers around a man who is using nanobots to reconstruct his face through his ideal perception of others' faces, as he literally steals parts of them to create his own through the use of an "actuator" and by extension compiles genes of those he's stolen. -But the whole episode looks at beauty and flaws from multiple points and multiple characters in multiple situations. From John telling DRN he has no flaws and DRN correcting him, to seeing Valerie getting along and not get along with other Chromes, to Di Carlo juxtaposition with his EXO suit, to people being disfigured in the nanobot study, to John not wanting to talk to Samantha and having DRN belay this truth to her, all point to our flaws, but also our motivations in such concerns which stem to the need to share our lives with others.
Before the season began, when we learned the name of the android Dorian (DRN) one reference that immediately came to mind that I thought Almost Human might allude to was The Picture of Dorian Gray and it's exploration and/or defiance of the art movement known as "aestheticism". This is the first episode where I feel like we really hit the mark in relation to that novel. It was just such an ironic and heartbreaking experience to see Erik go through and kill so many people in fear of his looks, only to find out the person he cared for was blind and to come to an end in which he takes his own life. I was also touched by the fact that despite that Agent Reynolds had tried to unnerve and degrade John's belief system that there is someone for everyone in the episode "Perception", John did not waver in expressing that belief to DRN and even in his pursuit of getting closer to Valerie Stahl, despite the current results.
Note: Feel Free to Check out my Pilot Review for more thoughts on The Picture of Dorian Gray
The episode also made me more acutely aware of the range or spectrum of people form our little family in the precinct. The tough, but often soft spoken naturalist Sandra Maldonado. Our genetically modified physically beautiful-pattern breaking, but yet distinctly rogue and sometimes emotionally distant chrome Valerie Stahl. Our odd-ball geeky-tech, but yet occasionally big-headed and semi-falsely perceived fashionable lady killer Rudy Lom. Our shady and seems-to-have-it-in-for-everyone/could go bad at any time, but doesn't Richard Paul. Our semi anit tech and disgruntle, sturdy and good-looking, but yet old fashioned romantic with a synthetic leg John Kennex. And our Android with a heart of gold with philosophical musings to match, but doesn't always know when to let go, makes up this family that on surface one would think could never exist.
Musical References
We have a few more musical references to add to the list.
The episode begins and ends with sad song "Worlds Away" by Strange Advanced, giving us a circular motif to the episode and possibly hinting at fate or timing.
Then later we have the song "Crimson and Clover" by Tommy James and The Shondells (which always reminds me of Christina Ricci and Charlize Theron holding hands while rollerskating in the film, Monster. Which is also a sad-serial killing-love story). Note: maybe there is also an allusion to the colors red and green, which could be significant down the road thinking of Fringe.
Bad Robot Factor:
Each week after my review I will bring this section relating to many things Bad Robot in relationship to the episode, as I feel certain Bad Robot often makes a point to reference themselves with similar characters, subject matter, riffs, easter eggs, aesthetics, contrasting situations, & occasionally shared pop cultural references. So this section is to explore the possibility of those things, which may provide some and insight speculation and at the very least food for thought and/or trivia. I also think it's just fun to be able to reminisce!
The Shape of Things to Come
LOST producers often joked, which spawned theories that nanites were behind everything, including the smoke monster (although I personally think we can just stick with "exotic matter" and electromagnetic water being the key to life, death, rebirth and all essence in relation to the Island being a kind of space-time machine), but interestingly did nanites show themselves briefly on Fringe in relation to William Bell with the season four version that was attempting to start the world(s) over without humanity. ("A Brave New World").
But giving support to those like Randy Tayler (hope it was ok to mention your theory here) that the smoke monster and all of that electromagnetic exotic matter could be made from nanites, would he only have to look to the second season of Revolution, where nanites are the series full-fledged mythology and where the nanites become kennetic with certain characters like Aaron Pittman, --and much like the smoke monster (and the Island), do they astral project memory in the image of others often from the past or the dead. But similar to concepts presented in Fringe they also change physical matter and are capable of mind control!
Note: Zack Orth plays Aaron Pittman on Revolution, but he is also a guest star on the Fringe episode, "The Ghost Network". One might be able to see a juxtaposition through both of his characters and an over all play on the concept of what a 'ghost network' could be. The name Aaron (iconic on LOST and minor-one shot, but reflective boy on Fringe) has also been showing itself lately on both Almsot Human ("Disrupt") and Person of Interest ("Last Call"). Shapeshifting of various kinds through various technologies is also a common idea explored in Bad Robot works (Alias, Lost, Fringe, Super 8, Revolution, Almost Human).
Additionally Revolution picks up a lot of Fringe-familiar concepts, including that the nanites are in the appearance of fireflies (a concept used to explain that there are too many variables to always be able to predict future outcome, even for the Observers), which in themselves provide a GREEN hugh. Fringe originally was intended to be 7 seasons and looking to the "rainbow" motif and the Violet Sedan Chair album SEVEN Suns, we might conclude that there was meant to be 7 kinds of alternate realities to look at, but also a missing track listed on the album is titled "Green Mana" and is a color that showed more of itself in the final 2 seasons. Aaron Pittman just woke up in an alternate reality at the end of the last episode. He is seen from wearing his iconic AC/DC shirt to instead a Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon shirt, which art features a rainbow coming through a prism.
Fight Club
Speaking of Revolution our scene with the robots fighting outdoors and in casual way is reminiscent to the Mad Max-ian fight club atmosphere in New Vegas featured in this past week's episode, "Fear and Loathing".
Additionally character "Di Carlo" reminds me of Fringe character Edward Markham (in terms of personality and role), but also his size in relation to his EXO suit is reminiscent to aliens hiding in 'person suits' in sci-fi the film Men in Black.
Note: Lost Actress Evangeline Lily stars opposite Hugh Jackman in sci-fi sports drama Real Steel where people build and have their robots fight each other
A Short Story About Love
This is probably the second or third time I'm reminded of this particular episode of Fringe along with the similar episode "The Wallflower", but really there are several episodes of Fringe that show us these sometimes horrific scenarios often about male characters who do react terribly in relation to their wanna-be love interest ("Power Hungry" and "Marionette" also come to mind) or even just for their family, which ultimately reflects Walter's and Peter's arcs.
I'm hopeful that if we get a second season that the idea is to eventually put John and Valerie together and where we can start to see this smaller stories reflect their own romantic struggle and/or all the main characters struggles with each other.
Note: Actor Michael Ekland plays the character Erik Lathem also played the character Milo Stanfield in the Fringe episode "The Plateau" and he played the inmate Kit Nelson on Alcatraz. Milo Stanfield may have been wink to Alias' Milo Rambaldi (the common denominator of possibly being able to know what will happen ahead of time/in the future) and one person's DNA that Erik had used/stolen was named Paxton, which is also the name of another Alcatraz inmate, Paxton Petty. All three of Ekland's Bad Robot characters are serial killers.
Also Erik jumping off a building at night is something juxtaposed in scene from next week's Revolution, where character Aaron Pittman, in what appears to be a kind of alternate reality/time line, which in turn may also relate to scene on Lost where the manifestation of "Dave" tries to get Hugo to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff, also takes a plunge off a building!!
Before the season began, when we learned the name of the android Dorian (DRN) one reference that immediately came to mind that I thought Almost Human might allude to was The Picture of Dorian Gray and it's exploration and/or defiance of the art movement known as "aestheticism". This is the first episode where I feel like we really hit the mark in relation to that novel. It was just such an ironic and heartbreaking experience to see Erik go through and kill so many people in fear of his looks, only to find out the person he cared for was blind and to come to an end in which he takes his own life. I was also touched by the fact that despite that Agent Reynolds had tried to unnerve and degrade John's belief system that there is someone for everyone in the episode "Perception", John did not waver in expressing that belief to DRN and even in his pursuit of getting closer to Valerie Stahl, despite the current results.
Note: Feel Free to Check out my Pilot Review for more thoughts on The Picture of Dorian Gray
Musical References
We have a few more musical references to add to the list.
The episode begins and ends with sad song "Worlds Away" by Strange Advanced, giving us a circular motif to the episode and possibly hinting at fate or timing.
Then later we have the song "Crimson and Clover" by Tommy James and The Shondells (which always reminds me of Christina Ricci and Charlize Theron holding hands while rollerskating in the film, Monster. Which is also a sad-serial killing-love story). Note: maybe there is also an allusion to the colors red and green, which could be significant down the road thinking of Fringe.
Bad Robot Factor:
Each week after my review I will bring this section relating to many things Bad Robot in relationship to the episode, as I feel certain Bad Robot often makes a point to reference themselves with similar characters, subject matter, riffs, easter eggs, aesthetics, contrasting situations, & occasionally shared pop cultural references. So this section is to explore the possibility of those things, which may provide some and insight speculation and at the very least food for thought and/or trivia. I also think it's just fun to be able to reminisce!
The Shape of Things to Come
But giving support to those like Randy Tayler (hope it was ok to mention your theory here) that the smoke monster and all of that electromagnetic exotic matter could be made from nanites, would he only have to look to the second season of Revolution, where nanites are the series full-fledged mythology and where the nanites become kennetic with certain characters like Aaron Pittman, --and much like the smoke monster (and the Island), do they astral project memory in the image of others often from the past or the dead. But similar to concepts presented in Fringe they also change physical matter and are capable of mind control!
Note: Zack Orth plays Aaron Pittman on Revolution, but he is also a guest star on the Fringe episode, "The Ghost Network". One might be able to see a juxtaposition through both of his characters and an over all play on the concept of what a 'ghost network' could be. The name Aaron (iconic on LOST and minor-one shot, but reflective boy on Fringe) has also been showing itself lately on both Almsot Human ("Disrupt") and Person of Interest ("Last Call"). Shapeshifting of various kinds through various technologies is also a common idea explored in Bad Robot works (Alias, Lost, Fringe, Super 8, Revolution, Almost Human).Additionally Revolution picks up a lot of Fringe-familiar concepts, including that the nanites are in the appearance of fireflies (a concept used to explain that there are too many variables to always be able to predict future outcome, even for the Observers), which in themselves provide a GREEN hugh. Fringe originally was intended to be 7 seasons and looking to the "rainbow" motif and the Violet Sedan Chair album SEVEN Suns, we might conclude that there was meant to be 7 kinds of alternate realities to look at, but also a missing track listed on the album is titled "Green Mana" and is a color that showed more of itself in the final 2 seasons. Aaron Pittman just woke up in an alternate reality at the end of the last episode. He is seen from wearing his iconic AC/DC shirt to instead a Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon shirt, which art features a rainbow coming through a prism.
Fight Club
Additionally character "Di Carlo" reminds me of Fringe character Edward Markham (in terms of personality and role), but also his size in relation to his EXO suit is reminiscent to aliens hiding in 'person suits' in sci-fi the film Men in Black.
Note: Lost Actress Evangeline Lily stars opposite Hugh Jackman in sci-fi sports drama Real Steel where people build and have their robots fight each other
A Short Story About Love
I'm hopeful that if we get a second season that the idea is to eventually put John and Valerie together and where we can start to see this smaller stories reflect their own romantic struggle and/or all the main characters struggles with each other.
Note: Actor Michael Ekland plays the character Erik Lathem also played the character Milo Stanfield in the Fringe episode "The Plateau" and he played the inmate Kit Nelson on Alcatraz. Milo Stanfield may have been wink to Alias' Milo Rambaldi (the common denominator of possibly being able to know what will happen ahead of time/in the future) and one person's DNA that Erik had used/stolen was named Paxton, which is also the name of another Alcatraz inmate, Paxton Petty. All three of Ekland's Bad Robot characters are serial killers.
Also Erik jumping off a building at night is something juxtaposed in scene from next week's Revolution, where character Aaron Pittman, in what appears to be a kind of alternate reality/time line, which in turn may also relate to scene on Lost where the manifestation of "Dave" tries to get Hugo to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff, also takes a plunge off a building!!
So what did you think of "Beholder"? Did you feel bad for John when Valerie already had plans with the owner of the Chrome club? Did you feel bad for Erik? Let us know in the comments below!
About the Author - Darthlocke4
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