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Fringe Season 3 Episode 5

Amber 31422

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AIRED: Nov 04, 2010

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9.4

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EPISODE REVIEWS
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Episode Summary

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On the Other Side, a man sets out to free his twin brother from an amber quarantine zone. Meanwhile, Walternate begins the experiments to duplicate Olivia's ability to transition safely between worlds.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (12)

Amber 31422

9.0

By arkanitoo, Jul 23, 2012

"It's like riding a roller coaster at Coney Island," says Olivia (Anna Torv) somewhere in the middle of this episode, referring to a specific procedure. However, by expanding and generalizing, we can very well fit this phrase as a description based on this season. It is that Holy shit, has been a journey of hell!

"Fringe" has managed to make four fabulous feats simultaneously: 1) Give space, time and depth to their characters, 2) Merge their cases with the mythology of the week basis, thus achieving a great sense of rhythm, 3) Place universal issues, in fiction, which leaves us to think, in fact, 4) entertains, stimulates and reinvents television like no other product available today. And are these four virtues that are repeated again in the fifth episode.

The five plate is named "Amber 31422", one resin used in the parallel universe to control the anomalies created by the visit of Walter (John Noble). Already knew from previous episodes, which still did not know is that people are not killed her prey. They are rather a state of latency, an eternal golden showcase that not bizarre mannequins. This fact is discovered and used: a man decides to save his twin brother, imprisoned for years in an old subway station. Can you rescue him, leaving in its place a poor man. And giving the tone for a more generic red.

The case, although it has not been so intense and hectic as the previous ones, has managed to remain based in central mythology, giving a better understanding of the mythic elements of the other side, the amber. He also makes the excellent and sublime, the bridge with the drama of Olivia, playing an interesting and surprising game of mirrors, of equal and similar, where exchange and back exchange, and nothing is what it seems. Beyond this raises questions as essential as the sacrifice of a life in favor of an entire planet. To what extent would we be willing to accept the loss of a loved one in favor of a common future? Would love one that would save even knowing that then the world would end? Is it?

And we think, confused. Walternate not, it is clear as water: "Nature does not Recognize good and evil. Nature only recognizes balance and imbalance. I intend to restore balance. "To achieve this, Olivia subject to a series of tests in order to understand how she can move to the side. We return then to the tank, not that traditional, but a sophisticated and futuristic, cold and impersonal. She leaps, but come back soon. Her confusion grows as solve the case and that the appearances of Peter (Joshua Jackson) are increasingly frequent. Your mind is becoming more and their is a cop for teimas she returns to the water returns to the store of gifts and realizes who he is. Amazing when it leaves the mind and blatantly Walternate. Our Olivia returned personnel, is now way to get out of there.

It's really exciting this issue is resolved. They could have dragged the issue for over half a dozen episodes, but they made the right choice. And now we have the heroine in a world that is not yours alone and abandoned, making a complicated double game. Nothing is right, good and evil mingle more, and in decisive moments we have big surprises.

"Amber 31422" was a victory for crystal clear "Fringe." No one offered us so frantic pace or one of the quartet thriller so hot the past, but rolled in a solid and secure an important node for the future of history.

The Best: Our Olivia returned.

The Worst: A very slight lack of pace.moreless
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Moving somewhere

8.0

By dreamgoat, Jan 31, 2012

Peter was aggressive in Olivia had, even when she kept denying what he's talking about is real. Peter help her out on a hunch but he told her I would I know if you didn't know. And told her of the other side because you been them, she than went back to the lab to ask to go in the chamber again. Shen went to the other side and realize what Peter was saying was true. Olivia is starting to realize something is not right here and after 5 episodes its about time, Peter and gang need to get to the same point on the fake Olivia.moreless
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amber 31422

5.0

By thefanof, Dec 10, 2011

JJ Abrams already had one show cancelled this season in Undercovers and I have a feeling that his other show, Fringe, is a goner too. Not only are the ratings terrible, but just look at the quality of tonight's episode. This show used to be fun. Remember when there was a monster at the beginning of the episode, Walter being hilarious in the lab, a shootout at the end, and Massive Dynamic would do something sneaky before Fringe faded to black? I miss those days. Just look at tonight's episode: way too much of the other world, just way too much nonsense.

Fringe jumped the shark awhile ago, but it's not even worth watching anymore.moreless
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finaly Olivia overcame the treatments! yay!

10

By goleghasedak, Oct 05, 2011

well good episode, but not great. I mean the cases of the other side are not such a strange but I gave 10 because I'm so happy Olivia prove it to herself that she doesn't belong there. it's so romantic: the symbol of her self protection is Peter! she realy love him! I'm sure the colonel is so impressed by Olivia. she and Bolivia are realy different!

put the Olivia story a side, that quarantine is so unfair! how could they do such a thing to people! they are alive and aware of every single passing moment. wow! they would wish to die!

what would happen if Olivia try to cross over by her self some how they can't bring her back there!

poor Olivia!moreless
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Truth and consequences

8.0

By entil2001, Oct 05, 2011

Like the previous two Alt-Fringe episodes this season, the Olivia-centric elements are blended well with the broader exploration of the details of this particular universe. While this seems to delve into the Amber, how it works, and why it was created, this feels like a setup for something much more substantial and meaningful somewhere down the road.

The episode presents the bone-chilling truth about the Amber: those trapped within it are held in a kind of conscious suspended animation, aware of their plight, yet unable to escape it. It was bad enough when there were victims of the Amber, when it was likely that this was a matter of "collateral damage". But the situation is not that simple.

One huge implication in this episode is that the damage being done to the Alt-Fringe universe is not entirely the fault of Walter and his initial cross to save Peter. Walternate's talk about "balance and imbalance", and his overall dispassionate approach, makes it all too easy to believe that his actions were also a part of the destructive equation. In fact, if Walternate has been trying to find ways to cross over to Fringe Prime, the various wormholes and other singularities could have been the result. The fact that the Amber was first used to control a "fringe event" in Boston, presumably at Harvard, points to such a possibility.

This episode also brought several elements that were seen in earlier seasons in the Fringe Prime universe and applies them to this situation. I was struck by the similarities between the tank experiment featured in the series premiere and the methodology employed to force Olivia into tapping into her ability. The fact that this coincides with the continual re-establishment of Olivia's original memories is a likely sign that her situation will soon be addressed.

Meanwhile, the writers have managed, in a very short period of time, to endear us to the Fringe Division team members. Even Walternate has his sympathetic qualities, which makes him all the more interesting as a villain. I hope that the eventual resolution to Olivia's situation doesn't end the exploration of Alt-Fringe, because what we have seen feels like the tip of the narrative iceberg.

Some have criticized the use of a "Head Peter" as a ripoff of the similar narrative device on "Battlestar Galactica", but I think that's an unfair judgment. As the season premiere established, most of what Olivia is experiencing is an internal battle, and that needs to be expressed in a way that the audience can find relatable. And making it Peter that expresses her inner doubts continually reminds the audience that she is in love with him, which only makes the Peter/Fauxlivia relationship a ticking time bomb in more ways than one.

Overall, this was a great return for the show, which never should have been taken off the air for the World Series. Unfortunately, this episode was the lowest-rated of the season thus far. I consider that a direct result of the hiatus, and not a reflection of the show itself. Hopefully, an installment this strong will generate a renewed interest on the part of the audience.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Anna Torv	Olivia Dunham
Joshua Jackson	Peter Bishop
Lance Reddick	Phillip Broyles
Jasika Nicole	Astrid Farnsworth
John Noble	Dr. Walter Bishop

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Aaron Ashmore	Matthew Rose	Guest Star
Shawn Ashmore	Joshua Rose	Guest Star
Seth Gabel	Lincoln Lee	Guest Star
Ryan McDonald	Alt Brandon	Recurring Role
Kirk Acevedo	Charlie Francis	Recurring Role
Lilly Pilyblad	Ella	Recurring Role

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Episode Photos

Over There, Olivia (Anna Torv) questions...

© 2010 Fox Broadcasting Company
Secretary Bishop (John Noble) runs more ...

© 2010 Fox Broadcasting Company
Over There, Olivia (Anna Torv) works on ...

© 2010 Fox Broadcasting Company
Over There, Broyles (Lance Reddick) take...

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (3)
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- Trivia: The Observer can be seen on the far left side of the screen as the Fringe team spots Olivia's car.
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- Alternate Earth general differences:
  - Cary Grant either starred in The Maltese Falcon rather than Humphrey Bogart, or otherwise became associated with the phrase, "The stuff that dreams are made of."
  - There is a Nixon Parkway going into New York City.
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- Trivia: The glyph code for this episode is EVENT.
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QUOTES (3)
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- Peter: You can take as many pills as you want. I'm not going anywhere.
  Olivia: You're not here.
  Peter: Look, I understand why you agreed to take the test. You just want things to go back to normal, to be the Olivia that you think you should be, but unfortunately, that's not gonna happen. Because you're not their Olivia. And you can keep on telling yourself that you're fine, but you're not fine. You're not sleeping. And I'm not a lingering symptom. You can't ignore me.
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- Secretary Bishop: Nature doesn't recognize good and evil, Phillip. Nature only recognizes balance and imbalance. I intend to restore balance to our world. Whatever it takes.
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- Secretary Bishop: Only those who risk going too far find out how far they can go.
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NOTES (3)
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- Kirk Acevedo is credited as Guest Appearance by.
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- Blair Brown is credited but doesn't appear.
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- International Airdates:
  Canada: November 4, 2010 on Citytv
  UK: November 9, 2010 on Sky1
  Latin America: November 30, 2010 on Warner Channel
  Australia: December 8, 2010 on GO!
  Germany: February 21, 2011 on ProSieben
  Finland: October 5, 2011 on MTV3
  Poland: February 20, 2012 on TVN
  Czech Republic: January 28, 2013 on FANDA
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- Charlie: Okay, Mr. Wizard.
  Referencing Don Herbert, who rose to fame as Mr. Wizard, the creator and host of four science-based educational TV series. He first appeared on the air in 1951 and after the initial show was canceled after 547 episodes, went on to produce three similarly-themed television programs.
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