FRINGE: Olivia Learns ‘We Will Never Forget’

I don’t know about you guys, but I am so happy FRINGE is back. Sure, we’ve survived longer hiatuses, but this one felt especially torturous. It’s easily one of the best shows on television and this week’s episode proved why.

So let’s talk about some of last night’s highlights, shall we?

The most important revelation from “Amber 31422”? Olivia knows who she is!

Peter kept popping up in Olivia’s mind at the most inopportune times, but when she listened to him to help solve the case she was working on, she had to admit that maybe everything he’s been saying about her not being from that side is true.

He reminds Olivia about all of the differences on the other side, things she would have only known if she was from there: the Twin Towers have fallen, her sister is alive and moved to Chicago with her husband — um, that’s new information, right? — and that it’s her niece Ella’s birthday today.

Since Walternate has been testing Olivia and her ability to go to the other side, she makes a second visit to us and sees postcards saying “We will never forget” across the Twin Towers. She looks out the window to see the towers are gone. Olivia is starting to believe she’s not just crazy. She picks up the phone and calls her niece, who knew Aunt Liv wouldn’t forget her birthday, but she’s transported back to the other universe. When she comes back to the other side, she tells Walternate it didn’t work and the look on her face was pure “our” Olivia. Oh yes, she’s back.

As I’ve lamented in the past, we now have to wait two weeks to find out what our Olivia does with this information. No way she lets this slide.

A few other thoughts…

• So glad we got to see Olivia’s mother again. Props to her for realizing something is off with her “daughter.” I know she’s signed on for a couple more episodes, so is it too much to ask that we get to watch her confront her real daughter when Fauxlivia returns?
• Is it me, or does Olivia get dunked in water/goo/etc. more than any other character on television?
• I love that Peter is the thing that is pushing Olivia to accept the reality and unreality of her situation. It’s seemed obvious for a bit that Peter cares deeply for her, but we didn’t get any solid indication that she felt similarly until the second season finale. The soon-to-be-explosion when she finds out he moved on with Fauxlivia is going to be crushing.
• As much as I adore John Noble, I have very, very mixed feelings about Walternate. I think I preferred when we didn’t see him that much, because it’s easier to get lost in the alternate universe if you can almost pretend it’s a different show. Obviously Olivia is the same, but she’s our connection. Seeing Walternate — and having him play a big part in an episode — just makes me miss Walter and our side.

Next week, we’ll be back there. Cannot wait.

What did you guys think of “Amber 31422”? Was it worth the wait?

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