We are thrown into the episode in a very un-Fringe esc. place as we have Bolivia and Peter having a very fun date-night meal in a restaurant, which was clearly supposed to be for us to see how different Bolivia is to our Olivia, and more alarmingly, how much Peter likes this Olivia more. At times throughout 'Electric Sheep' I have to say I felt that Bolivia was perhaps too distant from her doppelgänger, and a part of me was crying out to Peter that he must see the difference, or notice something was wrong, but as it turned out...
...he didn't :P
I have to admit, I thought he had sussed her towards the end of the episode when he told Bolivia about the differences he felt towards her, but then he said it was good and he liked it. Real kick in the teeth coming when our Olivia returns, as Peter now has more of a reason to head back to his real mommy, daddy and lover :P
However, after the early, slower-than-normal start, we still got our pre-credits mystery, as Senator Van Horn, a character who has appeared in a couple of episodes prior as a god friend of Broyles is struck by a car and left for dead. This sets up the storyline in the way that we discover that Van Horn is not Van Horn anymore, but a Shapeshifter, and this springs Newton into action, as he tries to first break the Senator out of the Hospital, and when that failed, he shoots him in the head. It became clear that Newton didn't want our side knowing whatever the Shapeshifter knew, and resorted to a last resort.
The start was really well done, and the Broyles, Newton shoot out was one of the better ones I've seen on the show. And it's always nice when they give Lance Reddick something to do more than stand and look deep in thought. Criminally underused would be my thoughts if it wasn't for the fact that Blair Brown, who plays Nina Sharp has been even more underused so far in Season three it's a bit disappointing.
I also have to admit, I was a little disappointed in the storyline they gave Walter this...
OBSERVER ALERT:
...episode, and it didn't feel the same when he was conducting experiments on our side in the Massive Dynamic. The parallels to Walternate's position in 'Over There' definetely resonate more, but he felt less fun and more serious in that setting, despite the usual doses of drugs he was on. However it set up the added security that made Newton's recruitment of Duffy, a Shapeshifter with a family over here much more exciting, as they had to stop Walter from finding the memories from the Senator's body. On a kind of related note, why are we getting Alt-Brandon this season but not the one who's much more fun and silly on our side. Seems a bit odd, but hopefully our Brandon will be back soon :P
So what did we learn about the Shapeshifters then, as that was the main point of the episode. We sadly didn't learn if they dreamed of electric sheep, however they do have a brain in their anus, like a Stegasaurus! (good one Astrid) But more importantly, they aren't all the evil they're cracked up to be. Such a powerful thought in a world where clones, and other hybrids exist to hear Ray Duffy. a Shapeshifter speak to his son as he knows he won't see him again.
"You know, sometimes, monsters aren't all that bad. Sometimes, if you get to spend some time with them, they can be very surprising. They can be incredibly sweet and pure... and capable of great, great love. And then, one of them might actually become your very, very best friend"
Really top drawer writing and a fascinating idea from the Fringe writers, and I'm majorly excited to get more on them. Which leads to the incredibly awesome ending, which also makes me a bit sad. So Duffy gets the Senator's anus brain, Newton kills him and the family, then gets caught. Bolivia receives the brain chip from Newton and hands him what can only be described as a Shapeshifter suicide pill. These Shapeshifters really will stop at nothing to ensure that whatever secrets they know don't fall into are hands.
Newton's speech to Olivia as he prepares to die was so awesome:
[You're very good]"at continuing to try to convince yourself that you don't care. But you do care, don't you? Every night when your head hits the pillow, in the last moments before you go to sleep, your emotions betray you, and you question your ability to pull this off. Words like, integrity, self-respect - they haunt you. They form a line that you're unwilling to cross and that will lead to your undoing. But I suppose that's not my problem anymore."
A set up for what's to come on our side, but it sadly will be without Sebastian Roche, as Newton's character leaves the show in a pool of mercury. :( So see you later Sebastian, you to me, were Fringe's best villain.
We end with Bolivia trying to boost her cover more by heading to Peter and making some hot lovin' in our Olivia's apartment (way to rub it in :P), and everyone watching the show lets out a "Woah, No, but so Cool" sound. Not totally sure what that sounds like, I was too engrossed to listen to how it sounded when I made it.
This to me was the best yet of Season three, action, mystery, suspense, a car chase, a death, some sex. It was pure Fringe quality, and despite a few very small gripes, was one of the best Fringe's I can think of. So make sure you don't swallow any small microchips this week. You'll not want to miss what's coming next...
9/10
Adam
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