FRINGE: Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman Talk ‘And Those We’ve Left Behind’ and What’s to Come
November 15, 2011 by Marisa Roffman
Can we blame the delay of this post on Peter’s return impacting the space-time continuum? (Okay, that was a terrible joke. I apologize for that, too.)
It may be a little bit delayed (darn you dead laptop!), but I do have a few burning FRINGE questions answered for you guys, courtesy of executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman…
Peter very clearly wants to go home. Does he think there’s a location, whether it’s third universe or another existence, where he can go back to? Or is he going to be actively going to try and right the wrongs in this timeline so things can get back on track?
Jeff Pinkner: No, he believes very actively there is a timeline, a — universe is sort of an appropriate and sort of not appropriate as a word — but he believes that there is a timeline, a place that he has left where everybody remembers him. In effect, he’s in Oz trying to get back to Kansas.
As we learned in “And Those We’ve Left Behind,” Peter wasn’t aware he was “haunting” Walter and Olivia before he popped back into existence. Is it possible he appeared to other people or caused other reactions we’re not aware of?
JP: Well, certainly in episode 6, there’s an implication and a fear that because of the way he’s returned to a world that was supposed to have developed without him, he’s causing more external consequences. And that storyline will play out.
But it’s not like he appeared to anyone else — like, say, Walternate — who may be wondering who this mysterious man is?
JP: No, the answer is no. Certainly the implication is he was reaching out in some sort of metaphysical way to the people that he cared about the most — Walter and Olivia.
Speaking of that Olivia relationship, she now knows a piece of the equation — that Peter cared about a version of her — but she doesn’t the full extent of their relationship. Is that going to be something she finds out soon?
JP: Certainly for Peter, the question of how much he reveals emotionally about his connection with these characters and the consequences of them learning it, yes, absolutely, that’s where the story is headed.
Good to know. Does that mean there is any hope for Peter and Olivia in the near future?
JP: Sure.
J.H. Wyman: We’ve said before, a great love story has many turns in the road. A love story that’s worth watching has a lot of obstacles and half the fun is watching people overcome obstacles — at least in our opinion of what makes a really good and satisfying love story. I think that everybody understands that Peter and Olivia are kind of destined, fated.
Fair enough. Looking forward, Fox vaguely teased in this week’s episode that “Olivia suffers from migraines.” Is she starting to remember things that have been repressed from the other timeline?
JP: Uh, that would be an incorrect assumption. It’s hopefully more interesting than that. Not that that’s not interesting, but it’s hopefully — no, the answer is no, that’s not what’s happening.
–
Since you guys are super smart, I’m going to need your best guesses for Olivia’s migraines. My only crazy, far-out theory? Something related to William Bell. I know the EPs said he was dead, but…
Related:
Jeff Pinkner Describes How Real-Life Spouses Stephen Root and Romy Rosemont Ended Up On FRINGE
FRINGE: Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman Talk ‘Novation’ and What’s to Come
FRINGE: Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman Talk Peter’s Return, William Bell, Ratings and More
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Well, Olivia’s been mixed up with Nina in this timeline and that can never be good. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that *this* Olivia is some kind of clone or shapeshifter experiment.
The ongoing theme in Fringe seems to be identity, or what makes you “you,” so I guess I’m approaching it from that angle. That this Olivia is not really human and that she was a shapeshifter prototype who absorbed the genes/memories of the girl Yellow!Olivia that Nina adopted. I dunno, too crazy?
@Donna, I kind of love that. It’s just crazy enough for FRINGE!
I think it has to do with the cortexiphan trials. Maybe she’ll start to develope her powers?
Yeah she would be kind of a replicant, which would be a(nother) huge nod to Philip K. Dick.
Joel and Jeff said at Comic Con that we might not have seen all of Olivia’s ‘powers’ yet. Given that she’s not aware (as far as we know) that she could once cross universes without a bridge and that she received lower doses of cortexiphan in the trials, I would guess that maybe she is now coming into powers related to cortexiphan. That would link well with the time slip she experienced at the end of 405, which echos how she first started seeing the other side in Season 1.
@Amy: That’s much more logical than my guess. 😉
@Donna: This show does make me want to dig into all the sci-fi books/movies I own. I love all the nods!
@Emma: Good point. I’m wondering how many cases were different from what we saw in seasons 1-3, given that Olivia’s powers were essential to a few of them. And if they took this long to develop, did Nina perhaps make sure they stayed buried for a bit?
I’ve always been distrustful of Nina so I reckon if Nina knew Olivia had powers she would have tried to tap into them a long time ago rather than try to keep them buried, especially seeing as there have always been hints at a long romantic relationship between her and Bell, who as far as we know spent more of the last 25yrs on the other side than in our world.
I’m really curious about how many of the earlier cases would have been affected too, not just without Olivia’s powers but also without the presence of Peter and his ‘weird connections’ like Markham and the computer guy who saved Ella from having her brains melted. I can’t wait to see if the light box case still occurred in this timeline with DRJ making a comeback!
perhaps the headaches Sam Weiss kept telling her she was gonna get
Wow I thought the writers of Fringe were smart well read and knew a lot about science fiction. Obviously I was wrong while what Jeff Pinker wrote doesn’t make me not want to watch the show or anything it definitely leads me to think the following: 1 that Jeff doesn’t know exastential science fiction logic and 2. He is not good at using metaphors. I say this because he wrote the following “universe is sort of an appropriate and sort of not appropriate as a word”. My response to that is how is it not appropriate we are talking about a different place right another time an alternate reality you mean an alternate universe where everyone remembers peter and Folivias son. 2nd “He’s in Oz trying to get back to Kansas” my responce: oh you mean that alternate world or dimension that Dorothy went to lol writers
Weel the migraines can be from her abilities. She knows of them when she was a child but in the episode when Peter reapears in the lake. THey come in contact eith another trial child. Who uses his powers as an adult and if I remeber correctly she thought that was impossible. She does not have abilities now. In the other timeline she has used them aas an adult and when peter neede the crow bar aka her and her abilities. I love frienge it keeps me guessing.
I think that the migraines have to do with cortexiphan, but surely her ability when she was little was to be a telepyromaniac, she set fire to Walter’s lab as a child. Also is this timeline’s Olivia eidetic? Because the one from the otherside wasn’t and since there are small changes in their history, eg. Nina being a parental figure in Olivia’s life whereas in the 1st series she had a younger sister (who had a kid) so is this Olivia the same Olivia as in the 1st series or the same as the alternate Olivia???
Its a really confusing show but keeps ya guessing so its good!
Didn’t Sam Weiss ask if she’d started having the headaches yet?
I am really tired of waiting for Olivia to make the full use of her abilities. whats the point of it in the first place? we’ve waited so long now and she’s effectively used it only once i.e one significant time – the machine. I think it would be interesting if perter can persuade the Olivia of this time line to use her abilities in order to travel to other universes or multi-verses should i say.. and see whats going on with peter. Nevertheless I’m eager to find out what happens next!
I LOVE what they said about Peter and Olivia!! I was starting to have some doubts, especially because I really don’t like NT Olivia (cold and boring and some what patronizing), but this has renewed my hope! <3 Before this ep I was thinking of NT Olivia as our Olivia and I am somewhat relieved she is not.
I am interested in the dream sequence at the start of the episode — something that was not mentioned in the article above. A few people noticed the wedding band on Peter’s right hand ring finger. Is it there in mourning for 2026 Olivia’s murder? Is it there as a wedding band in the Eastern Orthodox tradition? Or is the timeline/universe Peter is envisioning inverted?
I think the wedding band makes this more than a simple dream. But rather than a foreshadowing of the future, I think it is a glimpse into the Kansas that Peter is trying to find. The problem for Peter (our Peter, anyway) is that there is already a near imperceptibly alt-Peter inhabiting Kansas, and he already has the girl. I figure Peter will find this out, eventually, and rather than become an unwelcome third wheel, give up on the Kansas dream and stay in Oz.
Also, I agree that the migraines probably have to do with Olivia’s long repressed and now emerging powers.
Olivia and the migraines will have something to do with repressed past, being raised by Nina, she does not remember Cameron in 4.04 , he had headaches before he got his powers,
Nina wil probably have used some medicine of MD to keep Olivia under the wraps.
This Olivia is great, she is warm and caring towards Walter, has a good report with Astrid, we are promised more, she quickly warmed to Lincoln, looking after him and already after a few days she sits alone in a car with Peter, reads him well, and wants to help him.
The only ones who have a problem with her are those Peter fans who expected her to fall down on her knees for him.
I have a huge problem with the fact that the showrunners have done everything to show us that this Olivia and Walter can only be whole with Peter, not the other way around it seems.
I never saw Peter as the great caretaker of Walter, in her way Olivia cared more and the day to day caring was Astrid. Peter mostly shouted at Walter.
Walter was the one caring and worrying for Peter.
Olivia has been ruined because of Peter. In the pilot she was a very determined, strong ,independent and happy woman, the more Peter the more insecure and dependent.
Olivia and the migraines is me hoping that Olivia will get back her original status as hero and the one to save both worlds.
Olivia and Peter as a great lovestory is only for the Polivia shippers, because the only great episode around Olivia and Peter was Marionette.
From then on 3.10 onwards , Olivia’s personality and function has been erased to fit, she lost her hero status, no longer gatekeeper, savior, but was turned into a insecure, dependent on Peter girl. Peter on the other hand has become the superman,genius and hero.
With the return of Peter we can be certain that this Olivia will be battered and beaten until she is just as insecure as Olivia was.
Shut up input!!!!!!!! I have had it with your damn Peter hate!!!!!! Shut up!!!!!!
I hate this stupid Olivia superpowers storyline. I just makes the annoying Olivia fangirls keep bashing peter! I hate ALL Olivia fans!
This has nothing to do with the current episodes, rather it’s about a scene in Season 1 (i think) when Nina and Broyles exchange a passionate kiss outside. This is after they have first told Olivia about “The Pattern.” It made it seem like there was some secret romance or alliance going on with Nina and Broyles, but they never really followed up with it, what was that all about?
I think because in the last 2 episodes of the last season a picture of Olivia controlling the machine with her mind and Peter in it that this Olivia will have to tap into her powers of using her mind and she will be the key in getting Peter back to the universe he belongs in. The machine exists over in this universe but Walter had nothing to do with it, maybe Nina did and that’s why she adopted Olivia as a child to keep her safe but familiar with these types of events. William bell is still a key factor. I do find it funny how much this Walter hates Peter where as the other Walter would bend over backwards for his son.
Jeff Pinkner: “…he believes that there is a time line, a place that he has left where everybody remembers him….”
I think Peter is trying to get back to a place that doesn’t exist. The Observers said that the timeline was rewritten. To me this means that there isn’t a “home” to go back to. Peter is going to have to re-create it but I have no idea how.
just my 2c.
-ferbfan