Mark Watches ‘Fringe’: S05E07 – Five-Twenty-Ten

In the seventh episode of the fifth season of Fringe, William Bell’s past becomes relevant again when the team uncovers another videotape. Meanwhile, Peter continues his mission of revenge. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Fringe.

Good god, this is the best season of this show yet.

• It is simply mind-blowing to watch the transformation of Peter Bishop. Most of that credit goes to Joshua Jackson, who is able to portray the subtle attributes we’re used to seeing on Observers: that piercing stare, the monotone speech patterns, the head cock of interest, the upright way in which they stand. The entire cold open clued me in on what Peter was doing, but I couldn’t figure out why. Observers are able to hypothesize any possible future, and what we’re seeing in this scene is Peter acting them all out. He becomes obsessed with locating variables, but the motivation for this isn’t revealed until later. What’s clear, though, is that Peter is also able to travel through time as well, though not in a significant way yet. Actually, now that I think about it, Peter living out all those possible scenarios with Mueller might not truly be time travel, but it’s still fascinating regardless to see how these logical experiments turn out. So why is Peter trying to get Mueller across the street?
• Very early on, it’s also obvious that Olivia has figured out that Peter is lying to her about something, though she has no clue what he could be up to.
• Another sign that Walter we know now is giving way to the old one: He tells Astrid to work before eating. Good lord, no. You always eat first. Ugh, Walter is slipping away, isn’t he?
• I know it’s a very brief moment, but when the truck rolls up outside, it reminded me just how fragile life is under the Observers. At any moment, you could be taken away. That’s scary.
• Oh shit, it’s the Observer Beacons! But where on earth would you find these? They don’t use them anymore, do they?
• Kelvin Genetics? William Bell’s private storage? Oh, this is gonna be good, isn’t it?
• Whoa, it’s kind of incredible that there was more to Bell’s story post- “Brave New World.” I mean, I know some of that was revealed in “Letters of Transit,” but his full betrayal is spelled out here in “Five-Twenty-Ten.” it’s necessary, though, since Walter fears he is turning back into the man who once revered William Bell.
• Peter, you’re not even a good liar. My god, you have future technology in your neck, surely you could come up with a less obvious lie, right? Also, stop lying to Olivia.
• OH MY GOD NINA SHARP!!! OH my god, she’s still alive, she’s clandestinely working for the Resistance, and she looks fabulous in her wheelchair.
• Whoops, what are these tears in my eyes? Nina and Olivia reunited. I can’t believe it’s actually happening.
• Okay, it’s never addressed again, but who was the Loyalist who Walter appeared to recognize? Is that significant?
• Can we talk about how I think this season is building up to some terrible tragedy? Walter is depending on Peter to keep him human, but Peter is off turning into an Observer. How is Walter going to react to this? God, he’s going to panic, isn’t he? Peter, you are ruining the lives of the people around you with your Horribly Bad Ideas. You’ve upgraded to First Class.
• I know I’ve written a thousand unanswered questions in this review, but I’m just going to have to add more: What happened to Peter in that car when he experienced severe pain? Was that a seizure? What’s happening to him?
• It wasn’t until the scene in the restaurant that I understood Peter’s plan: he wanted Mueller to take the briefcase because of what was inside of it. I knew from his meeting with Anil that he wanted to swap briefcases, but I didn’t come to the conclusion that this was an attempted attack until the restaurant. Peter’s story after “The Bullet That Saved The World” has been one about a man consumed by revenge, so the only thing he’d want with Mueller was revenge.
• H E L P 
• Oh, another scene where Astrid and Olivia hang out, and Astrid is the totally awesome best friend? Great. Stop reminding me that Astrid isn’t used enough!
• This episode reminded me how much I also missed Nina Sharp. I felt so bad for her when Walter was rude to her about William Bell. I agree with Nina; the old Walter is showing up, and Peter is not going to be able to keep him in line. Only she doesn’t know the real reason why. Oh fuck, this can’t end well.
• Okay, the Observers are going into that building. What’s in the briefcase? Did Peter probably determine the most probable outcome? I don’t know what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t THE SAME FUCKING TOXIN FROM THE PILOT EPISODE. OH MY GOD, NO, I CAN’T DEAL WITH DECAYING FACES LIKE THAT.
• As tough as this episode is to watch, I liked the moment when the sublimation device worked and everyone smiled.
• WILLIAM BELL, YOU STOLE ONE OF THE BEST BOWIE RECORDS. THAT IS INHUMAN.
• Ah, so that’s why the title of this episode is “Five-Twenty-Ten.” For a moment there, though, I thought Peter would read Walter’s mind and try to retrieve the combo for himself.
• When the safe was revealed to be largely empty, I was furious. This team has had so may setbacks. Do they need another one? Thankfully, Peter figured out that the metal disk was actually a device to bring the Beacons to the surface. Huzzah!
• Really, Olivia deserves the most sympathy here. God, what is Peter doing to her? The worst part is that he is entirely oblivious to the effects of his transformation, though I suspect that the device in his neck is starting to leech his emotions out of his body.
• I find it admirable and honorable that Walter would rather keep his humanity than risk keeping it and driving away everyone he loves. But does Nina agree to the surgery? Argh, I have so many questions!
• Honestly, I don’t know how much longer I could have tolerated Peter keeping his transformation a secret. So, while it’s agonizing to watch Olivia realize what’s happening, I’m glad the show isn’t dragging it out any further. That being said… my god, Peter, what have you done? You’ve been promoted to the Conductor of the Horribly Bad Idea Express, and you’re running this train right off a bridge and into a rocky ravine. But he has no concept of this anymore, and that’s what is so frightening about this. He doesn’t possess the ability to say no. It was during this scene that I realized that Nina’s comments about what Walter once was – a man playing at God in his omniscience – is exactly what Peter has become. The son has become the father. And Olivia simply backs out of the room, horrified at what Peter has done. Please, please don’t let this be their undoing.
• It’s so very Walter-esque that Walter found a display case for all the components of the Plan.
• How does this all tie together? I’m so stumped.
• And I’m also scared. Peter has found a way to kill Windmark. He is also losing his hair. Fuck, Peter, this is the worst.

Everything is so awful. PLEASE GET BETTER.

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