Deconstruction Review of Fringe, Episode 10, Season 3, The Firefly
Posted by Karl Withakay on January 21, 2011
A Blue Episode
As always, an episode synopsis can be found over at Scott’s Polite Dissent.
Paging Doctor Brown, Doctor Emmett Brown…
While Christopher Lloyd did a decent job in this episode, his being cast in this role didn’t do much for me, contrary to my expectations.
Just Something For the Search Engines
If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him, is a real book written by Sheldon B. Kopp, a psychotherapist, in 1972.
The Observer (Singular)
Olivia:
“The Observer? It’s been a while since we’ve seen Him”
That’s an interesting way to phrase it, I’m pretty sure Olivia knows there’s more than one Observer. At the time she speaks this line, there’s really now way for them to know if this is any particular Observer.
More For the Search Engines
Violet Sedan Chair, Walter’s favorite band has been mentioned before. The fictitious band apparently has an album out.
Piano vs. Keyboard
Wouldn’t it have been easier to bring a keyboard in for Roscoe rather than wheeling in an actual piuano?
Maybe I’m Out of Practice Due to the Long Break
But that’s all I’ve got for this episode. I’m very disappointed that I found so little to Deconstruct after the long drought. Maybe it was the episode; maybe it was me. Hopefully next week will prove better fodder for Deconstruction. 😦
Followup 1-27-11
Do As I Say, Not As I Do
The Observer/ An Observer
“There things that I know, but there are things that I do not. Various possible futures are happening simultaneously. I can tell you all of them, but I cannot tell you which one of them will come to pass because every action causes ripples, consequences both obvious and unforeseen.”
Considering the Observer is admitting that due to the butterfly effect, even they can’t precisely determine the future, it’s interesting the degree to which they are willing to intervene in this episode, potentially upsetting the balance of the universes even further. I would think that from their perspective, the better option would be to avoid any further invention and let the universes find a new equilibrium on their own. Perhaps every current future without intervention they see results in the destruction of one or both universes, and they have determined the risk of intervention is warranted.
Cordial Deconstruction 
RicSantiago said
Of course you noticed the music playing from the LP at the Peter-on-the-couch-with-headache scene? “If I only had a brain” – a whole brain, Walter’s objective to begin with. Great choice!
But, what intrigued me was: What was the B&W movie playing on the TV at the nursing home, when Peter, Walter, Olivia and Broyles meet Roscoe Joyce? The fact that some scenes of it were on focus make me believe it was significant!!!
Polite Dissent » Fringe — Episode 10 (Season 3): “The Firefly” said
[…] This week’s Fringe cipher was: UNITES. A list of all previous Fringe reviews is available here. Karl, as always, has much more to say. […]
Ominous Blue Dot said
Early in Season 1, Peter plays the mentioned piano to help Walter think.
They just moved it closer to Doc Brown.
FC said
Well Scott found some medical issues (his specialty) though I wonder if the way the inhaler is used should be given a pass, after all even real life DOCTORS and NURSES have been wrong about the proper use of the inhaler. Of course Walter’s solutions for a substitute inhaler and treating Peter’s seizure are what real no-nos! Fortunately the story was good enough to counter balance the bad medicine (considering the fact that on House, they regularly make plenty of ridiculous medical mistakes and that Fringe is NOT a medical show, convinces me Scott is quite biased to towards House: if he strictly graded House the way he does Fringe on the medicine, House would have superseded the Doomsday clock two seasons ago).