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Fringe Season 1 Episode 3

The Ghost Network

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Aired Friday 9:00 PM Sep 23, 2008 on FOX

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Episode Summary

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Amazon Prime

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AIRED: 9/23/08

Roy McComb, a man who claims to receive visions from God, sees passengers on a bus caught in a gas attack that solidifies the air around them, asphyxiating them. Now the team must use Roy's visions to find the man responsible.

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Fan Episode Reviews (35)

Sometimes it's the little touches

9.0

By BevinChu, Apr 09, 2013

Sometimes it's the little touches that tell you whether a show is going to be great.

When Peter started playing Gershwin's "Someone to watch over me" on Walter's piano I knew I was going to like this show!
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The Ghost Network

7.0

By arkanitoo, Jul 16, 2012

I know this was only the third episode of the series, but the similarities in the course of the narrative in relation to the second were so many, it seems to me that "Fringe" is allowed to fall

a formula and not to do. At least for me, as I have said countless times, get bored with the series that follow this style, which "Fringe" needs right now is, without doubt, avoid letting yourself fall in repeatability. Do not just have the feeling of deja vu in relation to "The X-Files"?

So let's see something strange happens, Walter is brought to the scene and recognizes the science used to perpetuate the crime, because, for once, is something he experienced in the past / Olivia (Anna Torv) and Peter (Joshua Jackson) have to seek any apparatus that Walter drew in the past involving their experiences in the subject / Olivia meets the mysterious Nina Sharp (Blair Brown), the even more disturbing Massive Dynamics, and this turns out to give you information that helps solve the case / and finally, Walter uses such a device recovered to make another (hard to believe) that experience is the key to solving the case. Basically, this was the formula of two episodes in question.

As for the actual events of "The Ghost Network", I point out that the biggest difference was that half of the episode, during the research process, have not lost my attention and I have kept interested until the end. Despite the theme surrounding the case has not been as strong as the previous episode, it was interesting to see people immobilized in a kind of amber on the bus, see the attempt to demystify the idea of a prophet who receives visions sent by God, and yes, the scene of the eye of the previous episode was less credible than what happened here.

The most interesting episode was to have stayed even know that there is a group behind the events known as "The Pattern". Of course it's no surprise or this would not be a series with the mark of JJ Abrams. But, despite having just said that was the best of the episode, I ask, would even take another series that explores the themes (more to hit) a big conspiracy behind nothing unusual events?

As a final note, just a word for the characters. John Noble and his Walter is, without doubt, the biggest stars of the series. Peter showed, finally, some more useful and we were given for the first time, some (small) development in relation to personal history of the character. The Olivia left out that air the second episode dour and John Scott (Mark Valley) over there gave an air of grace. Will will be resurrected?moreless
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Better

7.5

By Parricida, Jun 13, 2011

I most say... It was better than previous episode and somehow gave me new hope that this show is worth watching but I still it lacks little bit of the continues storylines. I know there is pattern and all that but I do not see the connections and it feels like from week to week you watch the team investigating something new. Even the little hint back to the first episode with those man visions did not saved that aspect.

But.. I liked the story of this episode.. That man and his visions and the piano.. Weird, but I totally loved the piano. I cannot say it was best part of the episode, but it added something.. and it worked.moreless
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it is very exciting tv show to me, it has a high imaginative power.

9.0

By jobcho, Jul 10, 2010

It hit me a new impulse to the my imagination and it is very exciting tv show to me, it has a high imaginative power. Good character chemistry and plot are as realistic as sci-fi can get. Awesome, awesome show. Although I am not a huge fan of "toughguy Women" Olivia dunham is believeable. Not to mention easy on the eyes. Each episode I like her more and more. Jeremy Jackson is surprisingly likeable as well. He is no pacey in this show. He is smart, like his father but not crazy. Him and dunham have a good, but not too sappy sexual tension that is evident but not explored every episode. Last but not Least Dr. Walter Bishop. Refreshingly honest with a hint of insanity. He makes a great genius as well as a comic relief. The father son relastionship between him and Peter is great too. To sum up Fringe is a great supplement to the X-files yet. I hope it stays on the air for a good long while. Watch this show. Peacemoreless
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A troubled man who can see events related to the Pattern in advance. Another who kills a bus load of people for who knows what in a horrific manner. Olivia and her team must uncover what it is the killer wanted that was on that bus and retrieve it.moreless

8.5

By jyarter, Sep 20, 2009

Very mysterious and cynical direction for the show to go in. Blair Brown as Nina Sharp seems at the root of everything that is going on but we as is Agent Olivia are out of the loop. Cryptic things are said and strange situations are shown but no explanations of much of what is going on.

We knew that Nina was involved in the board that oversees Broyles operating group, but it now seems as if they maybe run and finance it as well. We have been told that Massive Dynamics is one of the ten richest entities in the world and has more control than any one country.

I now have my suspicions about John Scott and how much of a traitor he was or is as I don't see a clear direction with that yet. We continue to see development of the main character group and traits and characteristics of those people involved in Olivia's team. The elder Bishop is a pure scientist where the ends always justifies the means. That is what pure science is about. Think about the Atomic Bomb! His son is more of a sensitive intellect and obviously learned some bad traits in his years to survive but his ethical sense is much more evolved than his father. Olivia seems like the kind of person who can't be corrupted. I think that is why Broyles picked her.

That whole situation with the bus was quite horrific and fascinating at the same time. Much the same as the incident with the substance on the plane in the Pilot episode.

I think this episode was much more in the vain of the first episode, more action with a lot more cryptic pieces to it if that is even possible. One of the problems with this kind of suspense though is the technic of leaving the viewer in the dark only works just so long before it becomes boring or annoying. Hopefully that will not happen here. A recent show called Defying Gravity which is very intellectual in nature made that mistake by leaving viewers strung along for the first eight episodes before revealing something of real importance.

Still a very entertaining episode and it leaves a lot of questions to answer in later episodes. Thanks for reading...moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Blair Brown	Nina Sharp
Mark Valley	John Scott
Joshua Jackson	Peter Bishop
Lance Reddick	Phillip Broyles
John Noble	Dr. Walter Bishop
Kirk Acevedo	Charlie Francis

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Zak Orth	Roy	Guest Star
Peter Hermann	Grant	Guest Star
David Lansbury	Businessman	Guest Star

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (3)
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- Trivia: At the train station you can see a spiral shaped symbol on one of the signs. This is a clue toward the next episode "The Arrival."
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- Trivia: The Observer can be seen on the train as Agent Dunham is walking through it.
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- When Walter prepares to drill in Roy's head, he inserts the drill in the hole left from the center on the head gear. When he is interrupted, by a knock on the door, the drill is in the center hole.
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QUOTES (15)
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- Olivia: (John) used me, Charlie. And he told me he loved me.
  Charlie: I wasn't going to tell you this, but he said he loved me too.
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- Peter: You brought your own sweetener?
  Walter: Don't be ridiculous. My medication.
  Peter: You're not on any medication, Walter.
  Walter: Of course I am. I've been making it myself in the lab.
  Peter: Oh, I wish you were joking.
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- Walter: There was something important… Oh! I've decided on the pancakes. Blueberry.
  Peter: That's great, Walter. Did somebody call me on the phone?
  Walter: Oh! That's what was important. Something about a bus.
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- Broyles: Forgive me, Dr. Bishop. I like to think I have an open mind. but I have a hard time accepting that that man is hearing another person's thoughts.
  Walter: Oh yes, so do I. Which is why I would like to prove it.
  Peter: And how would you do that?
  Walter: Am I required to keep him alive?
  Olivia: That would probably be best.
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- Walter: If my hypothesis is correct, he is picking up the thoughts of another human being, they will leave a distinct signature
  Peter: And you think we'll be able to identify whose thoughts they are?
  Walter: That's preposterous. But I may be able to intercept them.
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- Peter: What's happening?
  Walter: No idea. But I'm extremely interested to find out.
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- Peter: He was a sophomore volunteering for psych experiments. Did you ever even bother to explain to him what you were doing?
  Walter: Well, it wouldn't have been a very secret experiment if I had!
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- Astrid: Wait, you want to rewire his brain?
  Walter: Not without his permission. It would be a minor surgery.
  Peter: Minor brain surgery. Emphasis not on the minor.
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- Walter: Are you taking any medications, prescribed or illicit? You can be truthful, I won't judge. In fact, if the answer is "no," I may encourage some drug use.
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- Peter: When I was nine years old I think I wanted to be a brontosaurus.
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- Peter: You know, they say the psych profiles of cops and criminals are pretty much identical. Ever considered a life of crime?
  Olivia: No dental.
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- Walter: How was the old house? How was Rufus?
  Peter: Well, the house is just like we left it, but we put Rufus to sleep almost 20 years ago, Walter.
  Walter: Oh. That's terrible news.
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- Roy: What the hell was that?
  Walter: Oh, that was your body's normal muscle response. It's perfectly natural. You may also experience an involuntary bowel movement.
  Peter: Great.
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- Walter: Oh my god!
  Roy: What's wrong?
  Walter: I believe with proper demodulation, you could receive satellite television for free.
  Peter: Okay, fun time's over!
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- Olivia: How are you feeling?
  Roy: My head hurts a little, but, um, Dr. Bishop gave me something for the pain.
  Walter: Vicodin. That's it, I promise.
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NOTES (2)
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- Original International Air Dates:
  Sweden: October 16, 2008 on Kanal 5
  United Kingdom: October 19, 2008 on Sky1/Sky1 HD
  Norway: January 15, 2009 on Tvn
  Finland: January 19, 2009 on MTV3
  Thailand: February 21, 2009 on True Series
  Hungary: March 27, 2009 on RTL-Klub
  Germany: March 30, 2009 on Pro7
  Belgium: June 4, 2009 on RTBF2
  France: June 17, 2009 on TF1
  New Zealand: July 15, 2009 on TV2
  Poland: September 24, 2009 on TVN
  Slovakia: October 18, 2009 on Markiza
  Czech Republic: February 12, 2010 on Nova Cinema
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- Music: Smoke From a Distant Fire (Sanford and Townsend), Someone to Watch Over Me (George Gershwin)
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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