Attention, "Fringe" fans — all 19 of you: Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) is gone. In case anyone still watching this show missed that pivotal nugget of information in last season's finale, Peter attempted to single-handedly save two parallel universes from annihilation and flickered out of existence in the process.
Of course, Peter's character isn't really gone for good. Joshua Jackson's name is still in the credits, and Peter himself (well, someone in public relations pretending to be Peter) promised his eventual return in Fox's press release for this season of "Fringe." However, just in case concrete evidence isn't enough for some viewers, "Fringe" has decided to take a more aggressive approach to ensure everyone knows Peter is still around.
That approach involves bludgeoning viewers with painfully unsubtle references to Peter's absence — in fact, Peter's screen presence may be palpably stronger now that he's offscreen. The first two episodes of the season, "Neither Here Nor There" and "One Night in October," are chock-full of clunky storylines that force characters to dwell on loss and emptiness; they literally discuss the imprint one soul can leave on another and how void life can feel without that special someone. Really smooth, "Fringe."
That clumsy execution casts a shadow on the show's potential this season, and for all its flaws, it does have promise. Peter's erasure has sparked a butterfly effect, and the history of the show and its characters has been rewritten. Unfortunately, the Observers spoil that intricate recreation: Nary a scene in the first episode passes without a pale, expressionless and well-dressed bald man pointing out Peter's disappearance and its consequences.
If "Fringe" were still striving to pick up new viewers, that bizarre Grecian chorus of deadpan baldies would make sense as an explanatory device. However, there is essentially no chance "Fringe" will be renewed for another season, and it's a niche show with an equally niche fan base. Attempts to make the show accessible to new viewers — which will exist in small numbers, if at all — only alienate and insult its actual audience. Loyal fans don't need every "Fringe"-sans-Peter moment pointed out to them; odds are they've already noticed.
On the bright side, the actors certainly do what they can with a sub-par script. Anna Torv's portrayals of both Olivia from our universe and her sexier, alternate-universe counterpart (dubbed "Bolivia" by the show's producers) are remarkably nuanced. Without Peter, Olivia has grown a shade chillier; Bolivia seems more elastic and spirited than ever before. Even as cameras cheesily zoom in on Torv's face to — surprise — emphasize how she's damaged without Peter, she pulls off a profound performance.
That dichotomy between all-business Olivia and saucy Bolivia is mirrored in each universe's Fringe department. The alternate universe's Fringe agents are edgier and, frankly, cooler; it's a lot of fun to see the teams from both universes gathered in a room, sizing up their identical counterparts and dismissing them as too stodgy or too wild.
As always, John Noble plays lovable mad scientist Walter Bishop adroitly. Gone is the kooky, milkshake-guzzling Walter of seasons past: Walter without Peter is a severed kite, and it's heartbreaking to watch his second descent into insanity. Last season's finale revealed Walter in an asylum at some future point, and Noble's tender portrait of his breakdown ensures Walter's path to a straightjacket will be wholly believable.
For better or worse, "Neither Here Nor There" premieres tonight at 9 p.m. on Fox. Those willing to tolerate 40 minutes of "Fringe" producers talking down to them will at least appreciate the quality acting. Hopefully, it will be worth hanging in there until Peter comes back — "Fringe" is destined to improve when it no longer needs to concentrate on his absence.
