Fringe Review: “The Transilience Thought Unifier Model—11”

The Transilience Thought Unifier Model—11! That creature has stolen the Thought Unifier!
Regretably, no one actually says this

We haven’t reviewed Fringe for some time, but they’ve launched a fifth and final season, with a bold new direction: a leap onto the Future Dystopia Train! We’re reviewing the season premiere, and asking if anyone wants discussions of the rest of the season.

Title: “Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11”

Cast and Crew

Directed by Jeannot Szwarc and Miguel Sapochnik
Written by J.H. Wyman

Anna Torv as Olivia Dunham
Joshua Jackso as Peter Biship
John Noble as Walter Bishop
Georgina Haig as Henrietta Bishop
Jasika Nicole as Astrid Farnsworth
Michael Kopsa as Windmark
Clark Middleton as Edward Markham

Full cast and crew may be found here.

Synopsis

Olivia and Peter are raising their little girl, when reality gets rudely interrupted by swarms of bald-headed guys in suits.
In 2036, Etta has grown into a Fringe agent herself. The time-warped Fringe Force reunite with her, seek the missing Olivia (who has experienced a fate reminiscent of Han Solo’s), and try to uncover hidden knowledge that will help them defeat the Observers.

Unfortunately, Walter gets captured.

High Point

Walter’s encounter with a creepy Observer plays well.

Low Points

Given the technology they possess, the Observers appear comparatively easy to outwit and out-tech.

The Scores

Originality: 3/6. It’s a new direction for Fringe, but we’ve been dystopia’d to death lately, and this one serves up little that’s original. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m betting on the plucky band of rebels to save the future.

Effects: 5/6 They do a good job of creating the Observers’ Blade-Runner-meets-1984 future.

Story: 4/6.

Acting: 4/6 Fringe has always been uneven in this area. John Noble remains their strongest asset. Georgina Haig works remarkably well as the child of Peter and Olivia.

Production: 5/6

Emotional response: 4/6.

Overall: 5/6.

The Season Five premiere receives thirty out of forty-two.

3 replies on “Fringe Review: “The Transilience Thought Unifier Model—11””

  1. The Observers do seem a bit easy to outwit, but I suppose their downfall will be the same as many such advanced occupiers in other shows — Arrogance and the assumption of total superiority (See the Goa’uld, Wraith, Peacekeepers, just about any other dystopia).

    The daughter is doing a good job so far, at times I picked up hints of Olivia’s mannerisms when she did certain things. Which is fairly tough since there’s not much to work with there.

    It’ll be interesting to see how they knock down the Observers. It’s a short season so they payoff shouldn’t be too far away, even if it does mean Fringe will be over.

    FYI- Fringe reruns are going to start being shown on The Science Channel starting in November. First they get Firefly, now Fringe. They already had John Noble narrating a show, too. That is definitely one of my favorite channels these days.

  2. I agree… in general, but the Goa’uld were not part of a dystopian future story line… (but yeah… I see where you are going with it)

    And I also agree about the Science channel. It’ s everything the syphilis channel SHOULD have been

  3. It wasn’t too clear in how I wrote that, but I didn’t mean the Goa’uld were part of a dystopia per se, they were one of the “advanced occupiers” I mentioned, but it’s also a feature of many dystopian future stories so I was adding those in on top of the ones I mentioned.

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