Fringe: The Dreamscape

Some writer at Fox read my review last week (and why wouldn’t they?), because at long last, another good Fringe episode!  Sure, they wrote and shot these episodes far in advance of my having viewed them, but maybe it’s some Pattern-like, fringe science-esque ability they possess, to draw me back in when I’m ready to walk away.  It reminds me, fondly, of boys I’ve dated.

But that’s for another episode.  In New York, Mark Young is surprised by traffic on the West Side Highway, so he is both late for his meeting and not a Manhattan resident, obviously.  Alone after a well-executed client presentation, a monarch butterfly catches his attention.  He marvels at its beauty until its razor sharp wings cut his face in a fly-by.  He swats and kills it with a report (Award for Best Use of Company Resources goes to…), and another butterfly appears, draws some blood, and disappears down a vent.  And then Young pulls the oldest “Don’t open the door!” trick from a horror movie, and peers into the vent.  Hundreds of butterflies shoot out and slice and dice Young, who screams and jumps away – straight through the high-rise window!  He crashes to the ground, and we pull back to reveal the office building belongs the mystery men of Massive Dynamic.

It’s about time right?  I’m sure I wasn’t the only one wondering what happened to that storyline.

Olivia prepares to live dangerously on her night off, until Broyles summons her and the Bishops to New York to investigate.  You know what would go a long way to developing some character for Olivia?  Non-science friends.  Outside of Massive Dynamic, Olivia spots John Scott in a crowd before he disappears.  Must be Consciousness-Crossing Scott Time!  Creepy!  And hot, because hot dead guys are all the rage right now.

Olivia questions Nina Sharp, who suggests suicide.  Query: Should a person, even under a great amount of stress, be able throw himself through a window in a high-rise office building?  There’s an OSHA code enforcer somewhere having a fit right now.

Olivia and Agent Charlie Francis visit Young’s home.  Wait, why is Agent “I-don’t-have-clearance” Francis there?  For that matter, why is Olivia there?  Why would Homeland Security have been called at all for an apparent suicide?  For our sanity and my word count, let’s ignore.  Olivia finds a planner with a note inside reading, “MONARCH.”

Peter receives a call from a nameless female.  She demands he see her, and thus a sure-to-disappoint backstory begins.  Allow me to summate:

He meets “Tess” (ex-lover?) at a café; she frets because “they” could find him.  He discovers bruises on her wrists, so predictably, he uses his free time to turn stalker and locate her boyfriend.  He attacks the guy and warns him to stay away from Tess (because life ever works that way), and later, the boyfriend reveals to some shady character that Peter’s back in town.  Yawn.

Olivia googles Monarch, because the internet solves 75% of this show’s problems.  The computer refuses to hibernate, delivering an email from John Scott, with an address.  That’s some subconscious, sending her emails.  Olivia investigates the address, and discovers frogs stored in large blue containers.

The next morning, Olivia confides in Francis that she might need time off to deal with the “Scott betrayal,” because she might be going crazy.  Francis seems unsurprised by her hallucinations and Dead Man Emails.

The lab.  Doc’s examinations reveal a powerful hallucinogen in Young’s blood, which stimulated the fear center of his brain.  Doc posits a mind over matter theory: Young believed in the attack, and his mind caused the wounds.  Obviously murder because of the exaggerated dosage.  Doc snaps a bit as he believes (incorrectly) that he’s had this conversation with Olivia previously.  But Doc’s crazy, remember.

Olivia confides in Doc that she’s still seeing John Scott, and Doc suggests the details of this case are triggering Scott’s subconscious within Olivia.  How his subconscious is sending her emails, I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.  Attempting to remove the Scott from her brain will be dangerous, requiring another trip into the tank, which could cause irreparable damage.  He seems uncharacteristically reluctant, but she wants it done.

Doc hooks up Olivia and warns her to listen to his voice, as it will be her guide and tether to reality.  He quietly admits not remembering exactly how this process works.  Then, whoops!  Doc gets an erection!  At Olivia’s shocked look, he tells her to relax; it has nothing to do with her half-nakedness, and everything to do with needing to urinate.  And speaking of old boyfriends, if I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that one.  But again, another time!  You don’t really want to hear about that, do you?  Anyway, into the tank!

Doc guides Olivia through her “Dreamscape,” which leads back to Olivia’s first date with Scott.  She cannot interact with anyone, as it’s Scott’s memory.  So, she rhapsodizes about her love and how he hurt her.  Fed up, she finally says, “Mark Young killed himself yesterday.”  Suddenly, Scott makes eye contact and smiles.  Doc pulls her further along.

In a parking lot, Scott meets three other men, including Mark Young.  Whatever the three are planning, Young is the most reluctant.  Eventually, he agrees and leaves with the Latino Man, who naturally says, “Hasta luego,” so we can confirm his Latino-ness.  Alone with the fourth man, Scott stabs and kills him, causing Olivia to freak.  Doc pulls the plug.

At headquarters, Broyles delivers Young’s project files, courtesy of ever-helpful Massive Dynamic.  Olivia theorizes that the four men were working on selling the hallucinogen as a black market drug.  She cross-references MONARCH against a phone number keypad.  She calls the number, and the accent and the “hasta luego” confirm that this, in fact, is the Latino Man from Olivia’s/Scott’s memory (naturally).  A trace of the phone locates Latino Man on his cell, and two FBI SUVs, one with Olivia and Francis, track him down.

In traffic, Latino Man’s no fool and spots the FBI, so he runs from his cab, and this being Fringe, a foot chase follows, cut short when Latino Man runs into an oncoming cab.  Nice irony.  Always tip your cabbies well, America!

Hospitalized, Latino Man offers a deal to Olivia: protection from Massive Dynamic for everything he knows about the company.  The Pattern is a smokescreen, allowing MD to do whatever it wants to whomever it wants.  Latino Man shall reveal all!  Uh oh.  One of these two will die before the episode is over.  And I don’t think it’ll be Olivia.

Olivia next barges into Nina Sharp’s office unannounced.  Olivia insinuates about smokescreens, but Sharp claims MD has nothing to hide.  In the hospital, Latino Man calls a nurse.  Instead, John Scott enters!  Latino Man freaks as Scott punches him, then pulls a knife and slits his throat.  Except, John Scott’s not really there!  The hallucinogen works its magic against Latino Man, and a nurse enters as his throat cuts itself!

Broyles calls Olivia, informing her of Latino Man’s death by hallucinogen, though how he was drugged is unclear.  Olivia next visits Doc, asking for another trip into the tank to find the answers that reside only in Scott’s subconscious link.  He denies her request, because apparently, Doc draws the line at risking Olivia’s mind.  Experimenting on his son, no issues.  Testing on Olivia, he develops some moral ground.  Go figure.  He reminds her (and us) that she can’t interact with Scott while linked to his memories.  Except…

Later, lying in bed with regrets and recriminations (I imagine), Olivia’s computer starts up.  I wish my subconscious could multi-task like hers.  She receives another email from the non-existent John Scott: “I saw you.  In the restaurant.”  Yes!

Note to JJ Abrams & Company: When the story relates to Massive Dynamic and the Pattern, decent episodes happen.  This one was both interesting and furthered the Massive Dynamic mystery.  No progress of course, but it was more entertaining than most of the prior episodes.  Doc’s kookiness and sidebars were played less outrageously while still providing laughs.  At the same time, it seemed a natural progression again of his time in his mental institution (for 17 years!).  Stay on course!

I almost feel bad for bashing last week’s episode, but I dare not speculate on whether the writers will keep this up.  Because I’ll get my hopes up and then you people will have to hear about it.  And I’m sure you all know how I hate to judge.  So out of character for me.

Next week: Walking through walls and more John Scott!

Season 1, Episode 9: The Dreamscape (originally aired November 25, 2008)

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Photographs courtesy of Fox and IMDbPro