Deconstruction Review of Fringe, Episode 8 Season 4, Back to Where You’ve Never Been
Posted by Karl Withakay on January 13, 2012
A Gold/Yellow Episode
As always, an episode synopsis will be found over at Scott’s Polite Dissent
No Fringe Event Science to Deconstruct
This post is going to be somewhat short as I didn’t find very much worthy of Deconstruction. It was a good episode, but there really wasn’t much fringe science to deconstruct and the episode focused mainly on laying the groundwork for the rest of the season.
Is There a Picture of Peter in the Dictionary Next to the Word Selfish?
Wow, not only does Peter not care whatsoever about the cold war between the two universe’s in this timeline (“not my fight”), but he’s willing to use the machine and risk destroying both universes, and killing about 12 billion people on the two Earth’s combined (depending on how many in the alterverse have lost their lives in Fringe events) in addition to whatever civilizations on other worlds might be wiped out, just to get back to his native timeline, assuming it still exists (which he can’t be sure of).
Here it is, Item 317, Destroyer of Worlds: Aisle 5, Top Shelf, Next to the Printer Paper
If the use of Walter’s portal device was the cause of all the Fringe events in the first place, why would Olivia ever consider using it to recon the other side (or help Peter), especially now that both sides have been stabilized? Wouldn’t it be kept under very tight security, and not just kept “in storage”?
We Have a New Automotive Sponsor
Remember the days when product placement was just a product being used in a show, but not necessarily in an obviously, in you face kind of way? Neither does Nissan.
Quote of the Show/ But was it Just to Watch Him Die?
NerdLee:
“Just out of curiousity, if this thing closes while I’m still crossing through, what happens?”
Peter:
“It’ll cut you in half. I killed a guy like that once. Eh, Don’t worry, he was a bad guy.”
This Was Not Among the Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men.
Apparently the Fringe team needs to employ an eight year old child to let them know when they’ve come up with an incredibly bad plan. Their plan to have NerdLee pass for Lincoln Lee and escort Peter to Walternate had more holes in it than Swiss cheese.
-What if Lincoln Lee had been at Liberty Island at the time?
-What if they needed a password or code (Shapeshifters are in play after all.)
-What if handprints were not identical across universes, just like they are not identical between identical twins? (Maybe that was previous established, and I’m forgetting. Even still, Lincoln could still have a scar on his palm that NerdLee dosen’t)
-What if they required the Show Me? (Shapeshifters are in play after all.) Not having a plan for dealing with the universally required Show Me was a total non-starter, end of story; go back and start over and tell me when you have a real plan.
I could go on, but you seem my point
It Wasn’t a Problem This Time, but…
Neither Olivia nor Fauxlivia have yet figured out not to separate from their partner. In addition to all the things that tend to go wrong when that happens, WE’RE DEALING WITH SHAPESHIFTERS THESE DAYS! There should be protocols in place for what to do if you ever lose sight of your partner. Admittedly, the Alterverse Fringe team members are just starting to realize the shapeshifter threat to their universe, but it’s still a bad idea to abandon your wingman and be without backup.
Cordial Deconstruction 
jedivulcan said
A few things I noticed in the episode:
-In the original timeline, did Olivia ever tell Peter that the alternate universe dispensed amber in the opera house where the soft spot was? How sure was Peter that the opera house in this timeline wasn’t amber dispensed as well? Oblivia never seemed to aware of the opera house being a soft spot in this timeline (or the fact she has super magic powers).
Peter assumes that this event and the series of events that occurred at the end of season 2 never happened. Didn’t Peter ever stop to think that he was never around in season 1 to cut the man in half when NerdLee asked Peter what happens if the portal shuts off while he’s stepping through it.
It sounded like the writers made a foreshadowing attempt at the end of the episode at the expense of some very basic common sense.
Big huge noticeable difference in this episode’s alternate universe: Elizabeth Bishop looks way younger and closer to her 80s flashback counterpart than her current day, alternate portrayal at the end of season 2. Age seems to be treating her well. Intentional? or a production decision? The actress is 50 (but I think she looks good).. maybe aging her was just an unrealistic production decision?
Is Walternate still faithful to her? Appears so since she refers to him as her husband. She still seems discontent with Walternate when she leaves his office. She’s aware he’s keeping things from her.
At the end of season 2, at least to some level when she shows Peter plans for the machine, she is at least aware of Walternate’s work on some level.
Nice bit of continuity where Peter catches Alter Walternate pitching the same line about how he never imagined meeting his son. Nice and surprising catch on Peter’s part for calling him out on his BS.
Side note: I liked the lighting work in this episode. There are moments where the windows or light is cast from behind the actors that play for a very nice, crisp effect.
Opera house is where we were first visit the alternate universe. Nice touch that they returned there.
Last thing. Why didn’t Alternate/Shapeshifter(?) Broyles order the opera house to be amber’d? It seems pretty logical to close off the escape route for inter-dimensional travelers (unless he wasn’t aware of the technology used for Peter and NerdLee to cross over).
mpatrick65 said
Good observations. That handprint match is a big problem for me. And Peter should have remembered the show me card requirement no question. Disappointing but still really enjoyed the episode.
Kevin said
Is it just me, or was that shapeshifter from the car who was supposedly shot and killed, participating in arresting NerdLee and Peter at the dock? O_O
The non-science of Fringe: Back To Where You’ve Never Been « weak interactions said
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