A New Day in the Old Town

Season 2, Episode 1, Aired
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Olivia returns from the alternate reality and Peter tries to get information about her visit. Walter makes some custard for his son's birthday, while Broyles deals with the threat of a government shutdown of the Fringe Division.

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Fan Episode Reviews (28)

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  • Good season opener (Spoilers)

    8.5
    "Great"
    By lost, Feb 24, 2012
    I liked this episode and thought it really moved the story along. The shape shifter was cool and it will be interesting to see how he comes into play in later episodes. What I was hoping for in this episode what a lead off from the season one finale. I wanted to see more of the alternate universe but I knew that wouldn't happen so soon. I hated the ending with Charlie dying. I really liked him and thought he was actually like a real FBI agent. He also had a good connection with Olivia, he would like watch over her. Well you could tell he was going to die sooner or later. I'm going to miss him.moreless

  • Best episode yet for me

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By dreamgoat, Jan 26, 2012
    This show is what I was hoping for when I said team work. I saw a lot of it in this episode when they try to stop fringe division from closing, and also another side of Peter more confident and starting to believe in what he's doing. Now there is complete trust between the team and that's what I wanted to see. Sad what has happen to the agent, but like I said before we didn't even know much about him, his lost should have been deeper felt, but still very sad because his connection with his wife. Still we need more incite into the characters to get a stronger bond its getting there step by stepmoreless

  • The return of this mysterious show with an episode full of suspanse..and a goof.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By sickbay, Nov 27, 2011
    It was really , really fascinating how this episode unfolded introducing new charachters - agent jessup and the soldier from other world - and signaling a new development in the Fringe division. They're getting ready for war as far as i can see.Maybe not this seson..but in the next..I do hope mr JJ has it all planned and doesn't go by the ear because it could ruin a potentially amazing developemnt. I still trust in his magic though.

    Now on with the goof: maybe it's just me but how did the Soldier get the body of that nurse there in order to be shot by fake-charlie?! did they analyze the nurse then? isn't she supposed to have different characteristics?! after all ..is a thing from other universe non necessary human [ or totally human ].

    For me, while interesting, the whole charlie thing makes no sense. when did he have time to bring the body of the nurse [ which was left somehwere at the entrance after he changed her OR did he bring her there forseeing what did come?!-unlikely ]- change into charlie AND close charlie's body?!
    isn't that too much in such a short time-span?

    i'm sorry. i'm not convinced.

    and i'm also pissed that they killed charlie. i think it was really a charachter that made the connection with reality as we know it. the last one of them maybe..moreless

  • Would you eat something from Walters lab?

    7.5
    "Good"
    By becksdakex, Sep 26, 2011
    I wouldn't! Its so funny and disgusting seeing Walter perform an autopsy and licking a lollipop at the same time, touching everything.
    This episode was good but not great, the story was exciting but filled with too manyplot holesand confusing parts.
    Liked how they tricked us last episode, thinking Olivia avoided the car crash and switched universes in the elevator. That's why we saw people in the elevator, she switched back and forth super fast. It doesn't explain how she wound up being in one of the twin towers though and why she suddenly got back in her car, crashing out the window, where did the time go? Maybe I think of this the wrong way, hope to get a goodexplanation when the Fringe's have thought on this for a while.
    It was so sad seeing Olivia almost dead even though I knew she wouldn't die. Walter was so upset, I'm verydisappointed that we didn't see his or the rest of the cast big relief when she came back. It's a miracle, I want a big reaction next time.
    The Shapeshifter is a great new storyline for the show but once again I'mdisappointed with the writers. The first time we see him shift, he has to make himself look like some sort of vampire from Buffy before he changes form, it seems like he need a few minutes to get it done. Later he does the same trick in seconds, clothes and everything (how can clothes change, they don't belong to the body?). And what about the bodies? I guess somehow, the Shifter was very lucky that Charlie found him in the room that he must have hid the real nurse in before. I'm very confused about this.
    I feel so sorry for Charlie, monster attack and now this. I'm gonna miss him, he was such a good friend to Olivia and one of the good guys. Interesting to see him act as the Shifter though, wonder how long he can keep it up!?
    moreless

  • Probably Fringe's best episode.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By _Leslie_, Jun 29, 2011
    I've to admit that I just finished watching the first season, but I do believe this episode is the best of 'em all so far. Unlike this one, all of the 1st season episodes seemed so predictable and not that gripping. There was always something lacking, but this season starter was a real mind bender. Yup, some action at last - and I don't mean the guns, chasing and dead people - we get to see that all the time, but now ...we finally saw some development in the storyline. In order to understand why does the Fringe division exist - you've watch this episode. Peter Bishop's greek totally sucked, I barely understood what he said, but that little line was another cross-reference to what there is to come in the series.moreless
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  • TRIVIA (5)

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    • Prior to the opening credits, Olivia is seen hurtling through the windshield of her SUV and landing on the pavement. The windshields of all vehicles in North America are made from laminated glass (two sheets of tempered glass with a layer of resilient plastic between them) which are specifically designed not to shatter when violently struck.

    • Trivia: The name on the sign near the accident is Gruno & Dunder, an anagram spelling out UNDERGROUND. This is a clue to the next episode, "Night of Desirable Objects."

    • At the end, the FBI is seemingly satisfied that the shapeshifter is dead and everyone is accounted for. However, they only found one body, the nurse's. To close the investigation, they would need to find two bodies: the dead nurse, and the shapeshifter disguised as the nurse. Even using the incinerator, the shapeshifter couldn't have disposed of the nurse's body without a trace. So there's no reason why the FBI should close the case.

    • Trivia: The Observer can be seen walking across the foreground just after the first shot of the crash.

    • Trivia: The glyph code for this episode is TOWER.

  • QUOTES (9)

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    • Walter: Feel his anus, it's soaking wet.

    • Walter: You know, there's something you don't know about me, Son. Peter: What's that? That once you enter a grocery store, you never leave again? Ever?

    • Walter: We need to celebrate and make sure that Agent Dunham can attend. I want to see her face when she eats my pudding. Peter: That's disturbing.

    • Walter: Agent, I need this body taken back to my lab. Paramedic: Hey, lunatic, this body is going to the morgue. Is he crazy? Walter: Peter? Paramedic: Who is the agent in charge here? Jessup: I am. Take it wherever he wants. Walter: Lovely. Jessup: Is he crazy? Peter: Oh, yeah.

    • Walter: Peter! Peter! They said I can ride in the back with the body. Can I? Peter: Sure. Of course you can. Stay out of the medications, though. Please.

    • Peter: What are you thinking? Walter: Its funny. I love custard, but I hate flan. Which could be an issue of semantics. Or difficulty with the French. Which I doubt, given my near obsession with moules à la crème Normande.

    • Jessup: Is this you? Peter: Yeah.. My father recently took a little trip down memory lane, and for no reason has become wildly obsessed with my childhood. He also likes to check and make sure that I'm still breathing when I'm asleep, which is a little creepy. Walter: Focus, please.

    • Olivia: So who was she? Peter: Walter thinks that she was a shape-changing soldier from another universe. He thinks that might be where you went. Hmm. Do you think it's a bad sign that I can say that out loud and neither one of us thinks I'm crazy.

    • Broyles: You surprise me, Mr. Bishop. Peter: Thanks.

  • NOTES (6)

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    • In Germany, this episode was dedicated to the memory of Hans-Werner Bussinger, the German voice of Walter Bishop, who passed away in September 2009.

    • International Airdates:
      UK: October 4, 2009 on Sky1/Sky1 HD
      Latin America: October 27, 2009 on WB
      Sweden: November 19, 2009 on Kanal 5
      Australia: December 23, 2009 on GO!
      The Netherlands: March 7, 2010 on Net5
      Germany: March 8, 2010 on ProSieben
      Poland: September 9, 2010 on TVN
      Finland: September 22, 2010 on MTV3
      Czech Republic: December 10, 2010 on Nova Cinema
      Slovakia: March 12, 2012 on Markiza

    • The second season saw the show's production move from New York to Vancouver.

    • Injokes: A scene from the episode "Dreamland" from the TV series The X-Files can be seen on the apartment resident's TV as the shapeshifter alters his face. Senator Kennedy Taylor at the hearing also mentions "unsubstantiated alien invasions" and "the old 'X' designation" of the FBI, both references to The X-Files and the actor playing the Senator Taylor, Ken Camroux, had a recurring role on that show. Tegan Moss, who plays Rebecca, also had a recurring role on the series as Young Dana Scully.

    • The second senator, played by actor Neil Schell, isn't named in the end credits, but his nameplate at the hearing identifies him as Neil Schell.

    • Music: Can't Find My Way Home (Green Grass)

  • ALLUSIONS (1)

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    • Jessup: There are more things in Heaven and Earth then are dreamt of... Referencing Shakespeare's Hamlet, Scene v. The full line is "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

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A New Day in the Old Town

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