Fringe: “Wallflower” Review
“Wallflower” is a difficult episode to review. It’s certainly a fair episode of Fringe but as the Fall finale, it leaves something to be desired. There’s enough here to present some interesting material that certainly adds to the Season 4 mythology, but is there enough to bring casual fans back in January?
“Wallflower” is about an invisible man dealing with isolation and loneliness. Both topics have been handled on Fringe before, but I must say, this one had a particular emotional resonance that really worked. We find out early that this individual - codenamed Eugene - has been genetically altered. He’s basically a failed government experiment who’s gone AWOL.
As “Wallflower” progresses, we learn that it’s Eugene’s severe loneliness that ultimately leads to his downfall. In a touching conclusion, Eugene dies after finally being acknowledged by another human being. It’s a poignant and effective resolution with an appropriate degree of emotional truth.
”Wallflower” is filled with interesting Olivia revelations. I particularly liked her conversation with Nina Sharp. Olivia is concerned about her indifference to the Fringe events, fearing that the Cortexiphan drug trials somehow altered her emotionally. When Nina reassures her - explaining that childhood events do not determine your future - Olivia wonders why her life feels so empty. It was an interesting scene that hints at the loss of Peter in her life.
Meanwhile, Peter continues to distance himself from this (what he believes to be) third universe. He hopes to return home to the Olivia he loves, and to leave this world behind in the process. It’s here that things get tricky since we still don’t quite know where we are.
When the time comes for Peter to return home, what will happen to this world and these altered characters? I’m trying not to think too much about it and am hoping the writers will take me by surprise with a mind-altering twist. Because right now it feels like they’ve written themselves into a corner, and I can’t see any way out.
”Wallflower” ends with an interesting twist, as Olivia is drugged by Nina Sharp. It’s great to see Nina with a larger role this season and it’s too bad we have to wait until 2012 to see how it plays out. Meanwhile, poor Lincoln is still waiting at the dinner with his new pair of glasses (from Peter, no less).
Here’s hoping that Fringe returns in the new year with some major plot advancements. This first part of Season 4 has been a bit shaky but the show is definitely finding its footing once again. Sadly, “Wallflower” was not intended as the Fall finale, as the show was pushed back due to baseball schedules. If the next episode was supposed to be the actual finale, that only means a stronger start to the January return.
I don’t know if “Wallflower” was enough to hold the casual viewers until January, but it was certainly enough for me. What about you? What did you think?
-MP
Note: This review is taken from Review Hub Central.
