Paul Brian McCoy" />
Psycho Drive-In logo
Search
  • PDI Press
    Featured
    • BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie

      Paul Brian McCoy
      January 17, 2022
      Fiction, PDI Press, PDI Press Writers
    Recent
    • BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie

      John E. Meredith
      January 17, 2022
    • Betty White Vs the Stupid World (Chapter Seven)

      John E. Meredith
      January 16, 2022
    • Betty White Vs the Stupid World (Chapter Six)

      John E. Meredith
      January 15, 2022
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    Featured
    • X (2022)

      Paul Brian McCoy
      April 22, 2022
      Movies, Reviews
    Recent
    • X (2022)

      Nate Zoebl
      April 22, 2022
    • Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

      Nate Zoebl
      April 15, 2022
    • The Adam Project (2022)

      Nate Zoebl
      March 16, 2022
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
    Featured
    • Interview with Indie Horror Master, Chris Bickel

      Paul Brian McCoy
      July 13, 2018
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview with Indie Horror Master, Chris Bickel

      The Final Girl
      July 13, 2018
    • David Black: Carnies, Carnage, and the Creative Chaos of Darkness Visible

      Dan Lee
      March 7, 2017
    • Jaiden Kaine joins the Marvel Universe as new Luke Cage baddie, Zip

      Andre Lamar
      September 29, 2016
    • SDCC 2016 Interviews: The Cast and Creators of Batman: The Killing Joke

      Jason Sacks
      July 28, 2016
    • SDCC 2016 Interviews: The Cast and Creators of Syfy’s Van Helsing

      Dave Hearn, Paul Brian McCoy
      July 27, 2016
    • Wondercon Interview: The Cast of Damien

      Gary Richardson, Laura Akers
      April 16, 2016
  • News
    Featured
    • John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum arrives on Digital 8/23 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand 9/10

      Paul Brian McCoy
      July 30, 2019
      DVD/Blu-ray, News
    Recent
    • John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum arrives on Digital 8/23 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand 9/10

      psychodr
      July 30, 2019
    • X-Men: Dark Phoenix arrives on Digital 9/3 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD 9/17

      Paul Brian McCoy
      July 16, 2019
    • Avengers: Endgame arrives on Digital 7/30 and Blu-ray 8/13

      psychodr
      July 16, 2019
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
Breaking
  • X (2022)
  • Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
  • The Adam Project (2022)
  • The Batman (2022)
  • Entropy (2022)
  • Killer Sofa (2019)
  • RSS
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Who We Be
  • Contact
  • PDI Press
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
Home
Reviews

Fringe 4.02 “One Night in October”

Paul Brian McCoy
October 7, 2011
Reviews, TV

This was one of those episodes of Fringe that make me very, very happy. Pretty much everything about this episode worked, with the main plot serving to really illuminate the similarities and contrasts between the parallel worlds while the subplot involving Walter (John Noble) and Peter (Joshua Jackson) inched forward in a creepily satisfying way.

It was also nice to see how the writers are going to be managing the Two-Worlds aspect of the show this season. With the bridge between worlds open, it allows for interaction between the Fringe Divisions while maintaining the antagonistic relationship and growing paranoia.

Even the cryptic references to things missing from people’s lives were more subtle and effective. Well, except for Broyles’ (Lance Reddick) dive into romantic mysticism at the end. Don’t know what that was about. Most of the credit goes to the writing team of Alison Schapker and Monica Breen, who have done quite a bit of solid work over the past ten years as both writers and producers.

2LIVIAS
While the focus of this episode is on the hunt for a bizarre serial killer on the Other Side, it serves to spotlight Olivia/Fauxlivia and provides Anna Torv an excellent opportunity to emphasize the differences in how she plays the characters.

The simple fact that we can tell which world’s Olivia is on-screen just by her expressions and the way she holds her body should be enough to prove to the haters that our world’s Olivia is supposed to be played as stiff and cold. That’s not an acting shortcoming, folks. That’s the character.

There are a few enjoyable moments as Fauxlivia and their Agent Lee (Seth Gabel) get to roll their eyes and comment on just how bitchy and by-the-book Olivia is, but we also get to see that she’s actually a better agent than Fauxlivia, thinking on her feet and going the extra mile to solve the case.

So I guess there are pros and cons to each world’s Olivia, but I have to admit, I still prefer her as a redhead with attitude.

CRAZY
The real highlight of the episode, though, is the performance of John Pyper-Ferguson as both the Other Side serial killer and the Our Side Forensics Professor recruited to help solve the case. Pyper-Ferguson had already proven his acting chops as Tomas Vergis on Caprica and just last week as Stanton Parish on Alphas, but this was a bravura performance.

Not only was he remarkably creepy as the serial killer stalking and stealing people’s happiest memories as he slowly freezes their brains (just go with it – it works in the moment), but the way he plays the slow realization that he’s profiling an alternate version of himself is both horrifying and heart-breaking. As is the revelation that he’s not different from his Other World version; he’s just learned to control his violent urges.

Once he knows that there is a parallel world and that his other self never had the life-changing experience that saved him, the tragic conclusion is practically inevitable. I’d say that his performance was on par with Peter Weller’s in the now classic “White Tulip” from Season Two.

And I don’t say that lightly.

THEEND
In addition to both Pyper-Ferguson’s and Torv’s performances as Things That Make Me Happy, we discover, to my delight, that the Other Side Broyles isn’t dead! Of course, with the way reality was re-written, we don’t know if he still played a part in Olivia’s escape. If he did, then he’s a lucky bastard. If he didn’t, then who knows how Olivia got away?

Regardless, I’m glad the hard-ass – sorry — harder-ass Broyles is back!

On the Walter front, things aren’t so rosy. In fact, catching glimpses of Peter has pushed Walter into a nervous frenzy, covering all reflective surfaces and acting crazier than usual. And not the lovable crazy that we’re used to. This Walter makes me sad.

Although I did laugh out loud when he called Lincoln, “Kennedy.” Finally! Someone other than Astrid (Jasika Nicole) gets the Walter renaming treatment.

WALTER
Especially since now he’s not only seeing Peter, he’s hearing him. Which leads to a clever scene of Walter reenacting the classic Maxell cassette tape ad, lacking only the tie blowing in the sound waves from his speaker stack. But even though that was funny, as the episode ends, Walter is thrust back into the same sort of panic that wrapped last week’s premiere.

Peter’s trying to communicate with Walter and in the final moments he shouts out an ominous “Help me!” Unfortunately, Walter’s cowering in fear again.

I’ve done a good job of avoiding spoilers, so I don’t have a clue how this situation is going to play out. I’d like for it become something big that everyone will have to acknowledge and deal with, but I’d prefer it not to happen too quickly. As Chris and I discussed last week, it’s kind of interesting exploring the new Peter-less world and I’d like to spend some time here.

So, yeah. I thought this was one of the best episodes in a while. I’m hesitant to go as large as I want to, as this wasn’t necessarily an important episode, but dammit, I was entirely satisfied with how everything played out, so it’s a 4.5 star score for me.

As usual, your mileage may vary.

(Visited 139 times, 1 visits today)
Fringe 4.02 "One Night in October"
4.5Overall Score

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

FringePaul Brian McCoy

Supernatural 7.02 “Hello Cruel World”
Boardwalk Empire 2.02 “Ourselves Alone”

About The Author

monsterid
Paul Brian McCoy
Co-Founder / Editor-in-Chief / Dreamweaver

Paul Brian McCoy is the Editor-in-Chief of Psycho Drive-In. His first novel, The Unraveling: Damaged Inc. Book One is available at Amazon US & UK, along with his collection of short stories, Coffee, Sex, & Creation (US & UK). He recently contributed the 1989 chapter to The American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1980s (US & UK). He also kicked off Comics Bulletin Books with Mondo Marvel Volumes One (US & UK) and Two (US & UK) and PDI Press with Marvel at the Movies: 1977-1998 (US & UK), Marvel at the Movies: Marvel Studios (US & UK), and Spoiler Warning: Hannibal Season 1 - An Unauthorized Critical Guide (US & UK). Paul is also unnaturally preoccupied with zombie films and sci-fi television. He can be found babbling on Twitter at @PBMcCoy.

Daily Top Ten

  • Women in Horror: Patty MullenWomen in Horror: Patty Mullen by Fred L. Taulbee Jr.
  • Fist of the North Star (1986)Fist of the North Star (1986) by Matthew Fantaci
  • Jamming It Down Their Throats: Captain America & Captain America 2 (1979)Jamming It Down Their Throats: Captain America… by Paul Brian McCoy
  • Spartacus interview #1 (of 5): Lucy LawlessSpartacus interview #1 (of 5): Lucy Lawless by Karyn Pinter
  • The Vampire Diaries 4.21 "She's Come Undone"The Vampire Diaries 4.21 “She’s Come… by Shawn Hill
  • Reel Deal Podcast Episode 4: Purple Rain, Keanu, Ratchet and Clank, & NewsReel Deal Podcast Episode 4: Purple Rain, Keanu,… by Kevin Pauley
  • Lost in Translation 161: Star Trek Role-Playing GamesLost in Translation 161: Star Trek Role-Playing Games by Scott Delahunt
  • Things Once Seen: Jason BourneThings Once Seen: Jason Bourne by Joshua Mattern
  • Suicide Squad (2016): An Alternate TakeSuicide Squad (2016): An Alternate Take by Jamil Scalese
  • Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes Vol. 3Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes Vol. 3 by Paul Brian McCoy
400x400 GI Joe Funko Banner

Weekly Top Ten

  • Page to Screen: The Boys Season OnePage to Screen: The Boys Season One by Paul Brian McCoy
  • Drive-In Saturday: Heavy Metal 2000 (2000)Drive-In Saturday: Heavy Metal 2000 (2000) by Alex Wolfe
  • Advance Review: The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Blu-rayAdvance Review: The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Blu-ray by Paul Brian McCoy
  • Big Eyes Smart Mouth: Porco RossoBig Eyes Smart Mouth: Porco Rosso by Serdar Yegulalp
  • The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006)The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006) by Corin Totin
  • Sick Flix: Guinea Pig 6 – Mermaid in a Manhole (1988)Sick Flix: Guinea Pig 6 – Mermaid in a Manhole (1988) by Corin Totin
  • Adventure Time 6.06 “Breezy”Adventure Time 6.06 “Breezy” by Dave Hearn
  • House of Wax (2005)House of Wax (2005) by The Final Girl
  • Women in Horror: They Call Her One-Eye, or Thriller: A Cruel PictureWomen in Horror: They Call Her One-Eye, or Thriller:… by John E. Meredith
  • Advance Review: Russian Yeti – The Killer LivesAdvance Review: Russian Yeti – The Killer Lives by Paul Brian McCoy
400x400 UA Affiliate Banner

FACEBOOK

FACEBOOK

Latest Reviews

  • X (2022)

    Nate Zoebl
    April 22, 2022
  • Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

    Nate Zoebl
    April 15, 2022
  • The Adam Project (2022)

    Nate Zoebl
    March 16, 2022

psychodrivein

Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E38 - Greg And Joel's Favorite Modern Figures, Part 1

Greg & Joel (@OrderOfBattlePod) break down their favorite modern figures from the first half of the line. 
---
Listen to the guys at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes #OrderOfBattle @AnythingJoesPod #GIJoe #Habro
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 415: Remaking Gilligan's Island

Gilligan’s Island was escapism comedy, with everyday and weird science devices made from bamboo and coconuts. 
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#GilligansIsland #LostInTranslation #BobDenver #AlanHaleJr #JimBackus #NatalieSchafer #TinaLouise #DawnWells #RussellJohnson
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: Unboxing Kotobukiya's Dawn Moreno (Snake Eyes II) & Mighty Jaxx's Off Werk Snake Eyes Vinyl!

Greg takes a quick look at two new releases in the world of GI Joe statues and collectibles!
---
Watch Greg at the link in our profile!

#GIJoe #AnythingJoes @AnythingJoesPod #DawnMorano #SnakeEyes2 #SnakeEyes #Kotobukiya #MightyJaxx #OffWerk
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 414: I Love You, Colonel Sanders! (2019)

The game has a heart, and that heart is Colonel Sanders.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#ColonelSanders #KFC #LostInTranslation #ILoveYouColonelSanders
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 413: Cloak & Dagger (2018)

Cloak & Dagger is a coming-of-age story with superheroes, a teen drama with superheroes, and works as such.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#LostInTranslation #MarvelComics #MarvelTelevision #CloakAndDagger #AubreyJoseph #OliviaHolt
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Popcorn Cinema Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Popcorn Cinema 48: THE MULTIVERSE IS MADNESS

POPCORN raises his hands, putting them together in front of his face. He then pushes his face slowly through them as if he's giving birth to himself. 
---
Read more of John's reviews at the link in our profile!

#DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness #EverythingEverywhereAllAtOnce #SamRaimi #Daniels #BenedictCumberbatch #MichelleYeoh #ElizabethOlsen #JamesHong #JamieLeeCurtis #KeHuyQuan #StephanieHsu
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E37 - G.I. Joe #12 / Three Strikes For Snake-Eyes!

It's the start of one of the most iconic Joe stories in it's entire history, and it includes the return of two pivotal characters from the past! Join Greg and Jaren as they venture into Rio Lindo to root out Cobra's next devious plot!
---
Watch Greg and Jaren at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes @anythingjoespod #GIJoe #MarvelComics #SnakeEyes
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 412: Good Omens (2014 BBC Radio Dramatisation)

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch was first published in 1990 and was a comedy about Revelations and Armageddon.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#LostInTranslation #GoodOmens #NeilGaiman #TerryPratchett #BBC #MarkHeap #PeterSerafinowicz #JimNorton #AdamThomasWright #JosieLawrence #Charlotterichie #ColinMorgan #CliveRussell #JuliaDeakin #BBCRadio
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E36 - Lexington Comic & Toy Convention 2022

Greg & Jaren recount their experience meeting Larry Hama at the Lexington Comic & Toy Convention 2022. Plus, the latest news, recent acquisitions, and listener mail!
---
Listen to Greg and Jaren's podcast at the link in our profile!

@anythingjoespod #AnythingJoes #GIJoe #Mezco #LarryHama
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Latest Columns

  • Anything Joes: S01E38 – Greg And Joel’s Favorite Modern Figures, Part 1

    Greg Engle
    June 24, 2022
  • Lost in Translation 415: Remaking Gilligan’s Island

    Scott Delahunt
    June 24, 2022
  • Anything Joes: Unboxing Kotobukiya’s Dawn Moreno (Snake Eyes II) & Mighty Jaxx’s Off Werk Snake Eyes Vinyl!

    Greg Engle
    June 15, 2022

TWITTER

My Tweets

Look Who's Talking

Oliver Ghingold
Oliver Ghingold - 2/18/2022
Muppet Madness: You’re the Director
Do you still have these tapes? I've been looking everywhere for them! I loved the Interactive Vision...
white swan
white swan - 12/22/2021
The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
I enjoyed the article though I would never call brutality gorgeous.
Shawn EH
Shawn EH - 10/26/2021
13 Days of Halloween Day 12: Halloween Kills (2021)
Very disappointing, it's true. And very mean-spirited murders of nobodies. And I don't even see how...
RSSTwitterFacebookinstagramtumblr

Archives

Large_rectangle_336X280
All work on this site is Copyright © each individual writer.
  • PDI Press
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
%d bloggers like this: