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kerithwynNot so much a review as a bunch of random comments. Still very conflicted, and as many people have said: It's not the what, it's the how.
Because endgame was always endgame, and that's not the issue here.
But "be careful what you wish for" has never been more true. All season, I've been calling for Olivia to get her memories back. I just never thought they'd be at the expense of the life she has now, which she earned, which is real. It also doesn't make any sense that Olivia's losing memories that have occurred since after Peter returned, and I hope that gets addressed.
On this show, love has often been a hugely destructive force: it shattered the universe, in fact. It causes rifts in space-time (6B). Even this episode, the villain was willing to do anything for love. Is he supposed to be paralleling Olivia, then? And that's supposed to be a good thing for her?
But mostly, on the rewatch I find myself becoming increasingly irritated with Peter. Olivia made a choice--and we'll all be debating that choice ad infinitum--but it was hers, and made at a moment when Peter wasn't necessarily in the picture.
Peter needed an Observer to tell him what to do.
And that's the pattern for his life, so perhaps that's not surprising. I never thought about Peter Bishop as a guy who needed someone else to tell him his truth, except that's been happening all his life...and all those other people were lying. Walter, Elizabeth, Liv.
In my most bitter post-ep moment, I scribbled: Do we really think the Observers are above lying?
Olivia was willing to take a leap of faith...but Peter needed an Observer to tell him which way was up. He didn't come to it on his own, so might he not start to doubt? Every other time, someone's lied to him. Why not this time?
That's a much nastier fic than I'm willing to write at the moment.
(I still like you a whole bunch, Peter. It's not your fault.)
Also, one more shot of Lincoln's yeaaaaaaaaarning face and I was going to punch something. All those looks actually started to stomp on my embarrassment squick. And no, Olivia didn't owe him a damn thing; neither of them got past the awkward flirting stage, and I knew this was why. Should've stepped up while Peter was waffling, honey.
(That fic, I want to read right now. ;)
Other notes: The case file was underdeveloped and uninteresting (barely a Fringe case at all!), like too many this season; but the Nina and Olivia scenes were spectacular. How gorgeous did Olivia look in the first scene? And how great is it that Blair Brown finally gets more to do? (Even if I miss the dodgy, impenetrable Nina from first season.) Olivia holding the teddy bear was all levels of adorable, and there's a great "Astrid does not buy your 'fine'" look along the line. "Beavers," 'nuff said.
*sigh* It's really going to depend what happens next. Of course, I want Olivia to retain both sets of memories. I want Peter to say, whoa, you shouldn't lose your memories! if Olivia still refuses to care. I want to see Lincoln Lee smile, for fuck's sake. I especially want him not to die as some kind of now-extraneous addendum.
What I really want most of all is now that the P/O question is settled (let it be settled, please), we can get back to the real business at hand. Better case files, if we must have them in the last episodes of the season, but more importantly, attention to the real issues: shapeshifters, the relationship with the alternate universe, and the holes in both worlds. I want DRJ's revised history, and alt-Nina's story, and some attention paid to the question of the alt-team's lives. Why did Liv break up with Frank? I need to know!
I would prefer that the bridge never close--oh, please please give me that fanfic playground forever--but I can see where that might be necessary for a season/series finale.
Fingers crossed for a less unsettling episode tonight.
Because endgame was always endgame, and that's not the issue here.
But "be careful what you wish for" has never been more true. All season, I've been calling for Olivia to get her memories back. I just never thought they'd be at the expense of the life she has now, which she earned, which is real. It also doesn't make any sense that Olivia's losing memories that have occurred since after Peter returned, and I hope that gets addressed.
On this show, love has often been a hugely destructive force: it shattered the universe, in fact. It causes rifts in space-time (6B). Even this episode, the villain was willing to do anything for love. Is he supposed to be paralleling Olivia, then? And that's supposed to be a good thing for her?
But mostly, on the rewatch I find myself becoming increasingly irritated with Peter. Olivia made a choice--and we'll all be debating that choice ad infinitum--but it was hers, and made at a moment when Peter wasn't necessarily in the picture.
Peter needed an Observer to tell him what to do.
And that's the pattern for his life, so perhaps that's not surprising. I never thought about Peter Bishop as a guy who needed someone else to tell him his truth, except that's been happening all his life...and all those other people were lying. Walter, Elizabeth, Liv.
In my most bitter post-ep moment, I scribbled: Do we really think the Observers are above lying?
Olivia was willing to take a leap of faith...but Peter needed an Observer to tell him which way was up. He didn't come to it on his own, so might he not start to doubt? Every other time, someone's lied to him. Why not this time?
That's a much nastier fic than I'm willing to write at the moment.
(I still like you a whole bunch, Peter. It's not your fault.)
Also, one more shot of Lincoln's yeaaaaaaaaarning face and I was going to punch something. All those looks actually started to stomp on my embarrassment squick. And no, Olivia didn't owe him a damn thing; neither of them got past the awkward flirting stage, and I knew this was why. Should've stepped up while Peter was waffling, honey.
(That fic, I want to read right now. ;)
Other notes: The case file was underdeveloped and uninteresting (barely a Fringe case at all!), like too many this season; but the Nina and Olivia scenes were spectacular. How gorgeous did Olivia look in the first scene? And how great is it that Blair Brown finally gets more to do? (Even if I miss the dodgy, impenetrable Nina from first season.) Olivia holding the teddy bear was all levels of adorable, and there's a great "Astrid does not buy your 'fine'" look along the line. "Beavers," 'nuff said.
*sigh* It's really going to depend what happens next. Of course, I want Olivia to retain both sets of memories. I want Peter to say, whoa, you shouldn't lose your memories! if Olivia still refuses to care. I want to see Lincoln Lee smile, for fuck's sake. I especially want him not to die as some kind of now-extraneous addendum.
What I really want most of all is now that the P/O question is settled (let it be settled, please), we can get back to the real business at hand. Better case files, if we must have them in the last episodes of the season, but more importantly, attention to the real issues: shapeshifters, the relationship with the alternate universe, and the holes in both worlds. I want DRJ's revised history, and alt-Nina's story, and some attention paid to the question of the alt-team's lives. Why did Liv break up with Frank? I need to know!
I would prefer that the bridge never close--oh, please please give me that fanfic playground forever--but I can see where that might be necessary for a season/series finale.
Fingers crossed for a less unsettling episode tonight.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-31 01:07 am (UTC)I am nothing but patience itself. *g*
no subject
Date: 2012-04-01 01:45 pm (UTC)But *mournful face* please, please stop deleting/hiding your comments and reviews? I go back to them often to remind myself of your cogent points and have sadface when they vanish.
no subject
Date: 2012-04-01 10:40 pm (UTC)*snorts* At this point, I'm probably the only one who is, but it's been an obvious undercurrent with Peter's character for a while now, so the writers are definitely aware of the trend. I'm just curious to see if they address it, or leave it as it is.
Peter's always deferred, he defers to Walter in the lab, he defers to Olivia in the field, he defers to Lincoln in the most recent episode. This isn't a bad thing, and it's not a criticism, he does 'step-up' when called upon, notably in season 2 when Olivia's out of commission in the early eps, but he steps aside instantly, the moment Olivia's better. Leadership, in a *group* dynamic, is not a position that sits well with Peter. He operates better alone - or in a supporting role - and seems most comfortable there.
Did love the most recent episode (other than Lincoln's gaffe at the end as team leader - no wonder Broyles was desperate to get Olivia back), but so many great moments too. If they kill blue Lincoln now, I will personally swim across the Pacific ocean if I have to, and beat the writers to death with my sodden clothes! Just saying...
*winces* Regarding comments, sorry, working on it
no subject
Date: 2012-03-31 03:15 am (UTC)I want that fic where Lincoln steps up. Can you make it happen? *begs* After tonight’s episode Lincoln needs much, much love.
Unfortunately I fear for Lincoln(s)’s life.
"What I really want most of all is now that the P/O question is settled (let it be settled, please), we can get back to the real business at hand. Better case files, if we must have them in the last episodes of the season, but more importantly, attention to the real issues: shapeshifters, the relationship with the alternate universe, and the holes in both worlds. I want DRJ's revised history, and alt-Nina's story, and some attention paid to the question of the alt-team's lives. Why did Liv break up with Frank? I need to know!"
Yes to all of this. Sometimes I wonder if they forget about their own show, especially when they have cases where someone says “I can smell you’re in love”…
no subject
Date: 2012-04-01 01:55 pm (UTC)For the next week I'm living in terror for Red!Lincoln's life. I'm convinced now he's gonna die. I can't take it.
I don't think the writers have forgotten anything--they've proven too good at the small details--but the pacing has definitely been off this season. I think that's the core of people's frustrations. Certainly mine. But the last ep I really liked (so many notes, omg!), so...smoother sailing ahead, I hope. (On a monster ship. hee hee.)
no subject
Date: 2012-04-01 05:14 pm (UTC)Yes, unfortunately I have the same feeling.
I know they haven't, but sometimes it seems they don't have the same kind of urgency we have. But next week looks awesome.