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"Over There" is the two-part second season finale of the
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
science fiction drama series ''
Fringe Fringe may refer to: Arts * Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest arts festival, known as "the Fringe" * Adelaide Fringe, the world's second-largest annual arts festival * Fringe theatre, a name for alternative theatre * The Fringe, the ...
''. They are the 21st and 22nd episodes of the season, and the 42nd and 43rd episodes of the series overall. Both parts were written by
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning screenwriter
Akiva Goldsman Akiva J. Goldsman (born July 7, 1962) is an American filmmaker. He is known for making motion pictures and adaptations of popular novels. Goldsman's filmography as a screenwriter includes ''The Client''; ''Batman Forever'' and its sequel '' Ba ...
, together with
showrunner A showrunner (or colloquially a helmer) is the top-level executive producer of a television series production who has creative and management authority through combining the responsibilities of employer and, in comedy or dramas, typically also th ...
s
Jeff Pinkner Jeff Pinkner (born November 16, 1964) is an American television and movie writer and producer. Life and career Born to a Jewish family,J. H. Wyman Joel Howard "J. H." Wyman (born January 5, 1967) is a film and TV producer, screenwriter, director and musician. He is best known for his work on the Fox science fiction shows ''Fringe'' and '' Almost Human'', and wrote and produced the films ...
. Goldsman also served as director, his first such credit since the
season premiere A season premiere is the first episode of a new season of a returning television show. In the United States, many season premieres are aired in the fall time or, for mid-season replacements, either in the spring or late winter. In countries such ...
. ''Fringe''s premise is based on the idea of two parallel universes, our own and the Other Side, each of which contains historical idiosyncrasies. The two universes began to clash in 1985, after
Dr. Walter Bishop Walter Harold Bishop, Ph.D. is a fictional character on the Fox television series ''Fringe''. He is portrayed by John Noble. Noble also plays Walter's counterpart in the show's parallel universe, who is referred to in the show as Walternate. A ...
(
John Noble John Noble (born 20 August 1948) is an Australian actor. He is known for his roles as Denethor in the ''Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy, Dr. Walter Bishop on the science fiction series ''Fringe'', Henry Parrish on the action-horror series '' ...
) stole the parallel universe version of his son,
Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...
, following his own son's death. The finale's narrative recounts what happens when Peter (
Joshua Jackson Joshua Carter Jackson (born June 11, 1978) is a Canadian-American actor. He is known for his starring role as Charlie Conway in '' Mighty Ducks'', as Pacey Witter in The WB teen drama series ''Dawson's Creek'' (1998–2003), Peter Bishop in the ...
) is taken back to the Other Side by his real father, dubbed "Walternate" (Noble).
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...
agent
Olivia Dunham Olivia Dunham is a fictional character and the main protagonist from the science fiction television series ''Fringe'', which aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company in the United States from 2008 to 2013. The character was created by series' co-cre ...
(
Anna Torv Anna Torv (born 7 June 1979) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as FBI agent Olivia Dunham on the Fox science-fiction series ''Fringe'' (2008–2013), for which she was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for ...
) and Walter lead a team of former Cortexiphan test subjects to retrieve him, after discovering that Peter is an unwitting part of Walternate's plans to bring about the destruction of our universe using an ancient
doomsday device A doomsday device is a hypothetical construction — usually a weapon or weapons system — which could destroy all life on a planet, particularly Earth, or destroy the planet itself, bringing "doomsday", a term used for the end of planet Earth. ...
. In the finale, the main characters spend the longest amount of time in the parallel universe to date. The writers sought to emphasize the differences between the two worlds: Anna Torv created a unique personality and physical demeanor for her character's
doppelgänger A doppelgänger (), a compound noun formed by combining the two nouns (double) and (walker or goer) (), doppelgaenger or doppelganger is a biologically unrelated look-alike, or a double, of a living person. In fiction and mythology, a doppelg ...
, Fauxlivia;
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
designed special covers based upon some of their classic editions to display in the Other Side. These and other
popular culture Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as, popular art or mass art) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a ...
differences were noted and appreciated by critics, persuading the writers to add more in the third season. The episodes mark the first appearance of recurring character Lincoln Lee (
Seth Gabel Seth Gabel (born October 3, 1981) is an American actor. He is known for his roles of agent Lincoln Lee on Fox's television series ''Fringe'', Cotton Mather on WGN America's series '' Salem'', and Adrian Moore on the FX series ''Nip/Tuck''. He ...
), as well as the return of actors
Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, then ...
and
Kirk Acevedo Kirk M. Acevedo (born November 27, 1971) is an American actor. He is primarily known for his work on television for the portrayals of Miguel Alvarez in the HBO series '' Oz'', Joe Toye in '' Band of Brothers'', and FBI Agent Charlie Francis i ...
as William Bell and Agent
Charlie Francis Charles Merrick Francis (October 13, 1948 – May 12, 2010) was a Canadian Olympic sprinter and sprint coach most noteworthy for being the trainer of sprinter Ben Johnson, the first competitor to be stripped of an Olympic gold medal for using ban ...
, respectively. Although originally intended to air on the same night, the two parts were broadcast in the United States a week apart. On its initial airing on May 13, 2010, an estimated 5.99 million viewers watched part one. Part two aired on May 20, and was viewed by an estimated audience of 5.68 million. Both episodes received overwhelmingly positive reviews, and the season was chosen for a significant number of "best of" lists by various media outlets; many critics praised the second episode's
cliffhanger A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode or a film of serialized fiction. A cliffhang ...
in particular. The finale was included in most of the categories at ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
''s voter-driven TV Season Finale Awards, placing first in two. Pinkner, Wyman, and Goldsman submitted both episodes for the drama writing and directing categories for the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, and Nimoy submitted his work from the second episode for consideration in the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series category; none received a nomination.


Plot


Part one

Dr. Walter Bishop Walter Harold Bishop, Ph.D. is a fictional character on the Fox television series ''Fringe''. He is portrayed by John Noble. Noble also plays Walter's counterpart in the show's parallel universe, who is referred to in the show as Walternate. A ...
(
John Noble John Noble (born 20 August 1948) is an Australian actor. He is known for his roles as Denethor in the ''Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy, Dr. Walter Bishop on the science fiction series ''Fringe'', Henry Parrish on the action-horror series '' ...
) and
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...
agent
Olivia Dunham Olivia Dunham is a fictional character and the main protagonist from the science fiction television series ''Fringe'', which aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company in the United States from 2008 to 2013. The character was created by series' co-cre ...
(
Anna Torv Anna Torv (born 7 June 1979) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as FBI agent Olivia Dunham on the Fox science-fiction series ''Fringe'' (2008–2013), for which she was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for ...
) discover that
Peter Bishop Peter Bishop is a fictional character of the Fox television series ''Fringe''. He is portrayed by Joshua Jackson Joshua Carter Jackson (born June 11, 1978) is a Canadian-American actor. He is known for his starring role as Charlie Conway in ...
(
Joshua Jackson Joshua Carter Jackson (born June 11, 1978) is a Canadian-American actor. He is known for his starring role as Charlie Conway in '' Mighty Ducks'', as Pacey Witter in The WB teen drama series ''Dawson's Creek'' (1998–2003), Peter Bishop in the ...
) has agreed to return with his real father, dubbed "Walternate" (Noble), to his own universe called the Other Side, which runs parallel to ours. One of the mysterious
Observer An observer is one who engages in observation or in watching an experiment. Observer may also refer to: Computer science and information theory * In information theory, any system which receives information from an object * State observer in co ...
s (
Michael Cerveris Michael Cerveris (born November 6, 1960) is an American actor, singer, and guitarist. He has performed in many stage musicals and plays, including several Stephen Sondheim musicals: '' Assassins'', ''Sweeney Todd'', '' Road Show'', and '' Pass ...
) leaves Olivia a note indicating that Peter is named in a prophecy as the one responsible for the end of the world. To warn Peter of his impending role, the Fringe Division work with biotechnology corporation
Massive Dynamic ''Fringe (TV series), Fringe'' is an American science fiction drama television series originally broadcast from 2008 to 2013. The show, created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci, revolves around the fictional Fringe Division, a congr ...
to come up with a way to cross over. They form a plan that takes advantage of Olivia's universe-hopping ability, and recruit three other Cortexiphan test subjects who have unique abilities:
Nick Lane Nick Lane (born 1967) is a British biochemist and writer. He is a professor in evolutionary biochemistry at University College London. He has published five books to date which have won several awards. Career Educated at Imperial College, Lon ...
(
David Call David Steven Call (born August 14, 1982) is an American actor. Personal life Call was born in Issaquah, Washington. He is a graduate student of the Tisch School of the Arts and the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School. Acting career Call's ...
), Sally Clark (
Pascale Hutton Pascale Hutton (born June 14, 1979) is a Canadian actress. She was born in Creston, British Columbia. Hutton attended the conservatory acting program at the University of Alberta in Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadia ...
), and James Heath (
Omar Metwally Omar Metwally is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Dr. Vik Ullah in the Showtime television series '' The Affair'', as well as for '' Rendition'' (2007), ''Munich'' (2005), and ''Miral'' (2010). He has also appeared in the ...
), two of whom appeared in previous episodes. The team—composed of Walter, Olivia, Nick, Sally, and James—successfully arrives on the Other Side. James dies shortly after arrival, but the rest manage to escape the alternate reality's Fringe Division, who had used their special technology to detect their arrival. It is revealed that Walternate is the Secretary of Defense on the Other Side. Peter reunites with his real mother,
Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...
(
Orla Brady Orla Brady (born 28 March 1961) is an Irish theatre, television, and film actress born in Dublin. She has been nominated for several awards from the Irish Film & Television Academy for her work in televised programs, as well as starring in the ...
), while Walter's team journeys to meet with William Bell (
Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, then ...
) at
Central Park Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West Side, Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the List of New York City parks, fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban par ...
. But instead of Bell the alternate Fringe Division appears, and attacks Walter's team. Nick is shot and Sally stays with him; she produces a suicidal fireball that torches both her and Nick to ashes and severely burns the Other Side Fringe Division's principal investigator Lincoln Lee (
Seth Gabel Seth Gabel (born October 3, 1981) is an American actor. He is known for his roles of agent Lincoln Lee on Fox's television series ''Fringe'', Cotton Mather on WGN America's series '' Salem'', and Adrian Moore on the FX series ''Nip/Tuck''. He ...
). Walter is shot and walks to the hospital. Olivia follows her alternate counterpart and encounters Bell, who insists he did not betray their location to the Fringe Division and tells her that Walter is in trouble. Walternate is seen in the room housing the doomsday device Peter will be a part of, and leaves with its final component.


Part two

Walternate learns of Walter's presence in the hospital and dispatches "Fauxlivia" (Torv) and "Alt-Charlie" (
Kirk Acevedo Kirk M. Acevedo (born November 27, 1971) is an American actor. He is primarily known for his work on television for the portrayals of Miguel Alvarez in the HBO series '' Oz'', Joe Toye in '' Band of Brothers'', and FBI Agent Charlie Francis i ...
) to apprehend him, but before their arrival Bell and Olivia liberate Walter and escape. Fauxlivia sees a surveillance shot of Olivia and Walter and decides to confer with Walternate about the doppelgängers. During a discussion in his office, Walternate lies to Peter about the doomsday machine's real purpose, claiming it can help to heal both worlds. Fauxlivia meets Peter in Walternate's office and subsequently drives him to his new apartment. Walter and Bell travel to Harvard to collect some equipment necessary for the journey back to their own universe, and Walter reveals his intense dislike for Bell, whom he considers to have been a selfish war profiteer while he himself was locked away for seventeen years. Bell tells Walter that the parallel universe equivalent of himself died in a car accident as a young man. Olivia confronts Fauxlivia, who recognizes that Olivia has feelings for Peter. The women fight, and after rendering Fauxlivia unconscious Olivia dyes her hair to assume Fauxlivia's identity. Meanwhile, Peter discovers that the machine is symbiotic and needs a particular human to control it—him. Olivia and an oblivious alt-Charlie visit Peter to take him to a safe location. Olivia knocks out alt-Charlie and reveals herself to Peter, informing him of the machine's real purpose and Walternate's intentions. Peter tells her that he does not belong in either reality, following which Olivia admits her romantic feelings for him and convinces him to leave with her. The couple race to meet Walter and Bell at the Opera House, where Fauxlivia and a team of Fringe Commandos catch up with them. Bell and Olivia hold off the assault while Peter and Walter set up the dimensional device to enable their return home. Lacking a fuel source for the device, Bell sacrifices himself to create a nuclear reaction, using his body's unstable molecular state. Close to death, Bell reveals that he removed Walter's memories at his own request, and he and Walter are reconciled. Olivia, Walter, and Peter return home. Peter tells Walter he will never understand him, but because Walter traveled to another universe twice to save him—which has "gotta count for something"—he forgives him. Olivia is revealed to be Fauxlivia, infiltrating Our Side, when she arrives at a typewriter communication station to await orders. The Olivia from our world is then seen in a military detention center on the Other Side. Walternate visits and stares at Olivia without speaking before leaving her in the dark, in solitary confinement.


Production


Writing and filming

"Over There" was written by
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning screenwriter and frequent ''Fringe'' collaborator
Akiva Goldsman Akiva J. Goldsman (born July 7, 1962) is an American filmmaker. He is known for making motion pictures and adaptations of popular novels. Goldsman's filmography as a screenwriter includes ''The Client''; ''Batman Forever'' and its sequel '' Ba ...
, together with
showrunner A showrunner (or colloquially a helmer) is the top-level executive producer of a television series production who has creative and management authority through combining the responsibilities of employer and, in comedy or dramas, typically also th ...
s
Jeff Pinkner Jeff Pinkner (born November 16, 1964) is an American television and movie writer and producer. Life and career Born to a Jewish family,J. H. Wyman Joel Howard "J. H." Wyman (born January 5, 1967) is a film and TV producer, screenwriter, director and musician. He is best known for his work on the Fox science fiction shows ''Fringe'' and '' Almost Human'', and wrote and produced the films ...
. Goldsman directed the episodes, his first such credit since the
season premiere A season premiere is the first episode of a new season of a returning television show. In the United States, many season premieres are aired in the fall time or, for mid-season replacements, either in the spring or late winter. In countries such ...
. He explained the finale in a January 2010 interview with ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'': "We're trying to do the last two episodes as a singular event, a little bit more movie-like. It's really one big story. We're approaching it like a mini-feature. It'll have a singular narrative drive." They originally intended for the two parts to air on the same night, but
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
told them it would be shown on two nights, a week apart. The episodes first aired in the United States on May 13 and May 20, 2010. The writers, finding the script to be easily divisible, ended the first episode with William Bell and
Olivia Olivia may refer to: People * Olivia (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Olivia (singer) (Olivia Longott, born 1981), American singer * Olívia (basketball) (Carlos Henrique Rodrigues do Nascimento, born 19 ...
meeting outside Fauxlivia's apartment, and began the second with Bell helping
Walter Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...
escape from the hospital. Pinkner and Wyman brought back the "Cortexiphan kids", introduced in the first two seasons, because they felt that part of the storyline was really interesting. They wanted the end of the season to be a "beautiful culmination of everything" while traveling to the Other Side. The show had been developing a parallel universe storyline since its conception, but "Over There" marked the longest time spent in that world thus far. Pinker explained the idea of two worlds: "One of the big themes of the show is how small choices that you make define you as a person and can change your life in large ways down the line." Wyman said that the parallel universe "is a reminder to our viewers that your life is what your choices are." The two began discussing details about the Other Side early on, especially what the differences between the two universes would be. Pinkner commented in an interview with the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' that "a lot of them are ideas that we jokingly threw out. Some of them, like the notion of
zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp ...
s or the
Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; French: ''La Liberté éclairant le monde'') is a List of colossal sculpture in situ, colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the U ...
if we didn't let it oxidize or the
Grand Central Hotel The Grand Central Hotel, later renamed the Broadway Central Hotel, was a hotel at 673 Broadway, New York City, that was famous as the site of the murder of financier James Fisk in 1872 by Edward S. Stokes. The hotel collapsed on August 3, 19 ...
, we're not making up. Had the Hindenburg not blown up, zeppelins would be passenger air ships docking at the
Empire State Building The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its name is derived from "Empire State", the nickname of the st ...
. That was the plan. We opened ourselves to the standard that it had to be possible." Pinkner later elaborated, "We're interested in world building and all that stuff is the texture that actually makes it a world. The richness of detail is what makes it feel real." They used comic books as one way to subtly differentiate the two worlds. Goldsman, Wyman, and actor
Joshua Jackson Joshua Carter Jackson (born June 11, 1978) is a Canadian-American actor. He is known for his starring role as Charlie Conway in '' Mighty Ducks'', as Pacey Witter in The WB teen drama series ''Dawson's Creek'' (1998–2003), Peter Bishop in the ...
are longstanding comic book fans and decided to make the character of
Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...
a fan as well. Goldsman called on his friend
Geoff Johns Geoffrey Johns (born January 25, 1973) is an American comic book writer, screenwriter, and film and television producer. Johns's work on the DC Comics characters Green Lantern, Aquaman, Flash and Superman, has drawn critical acclaim. He serve ...
, Chief Creative Officer at
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
. He arranged for DC to specially design ten alternate covers for some of their most iconic editions, which were displayed in Peter's apartment on the Other Side. Visual effects company Eden FX created Peter's apartment and the alternate New York skyline visible outside his window. When fans reacted positively to these detailed characteristics written into the parallel universe, the producers stated their intention to show a lot more similar details in the third season. The finale introduces parallel-universe versions of familiar characters, including the Fauxlivia version of Olivia Dunham, both played by actress
Anna Torv Anna Torv (born 7 June 1979) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as FBI agent Olivia Dunham on the Fox science-fiction series ''Fringe'' (2008–2013), for which she was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for ...
. One topic of conversation among fans, journalists, and those working on the show was what to call the alternate Olivia to differentiate the two. Names varied, with many using "Fauxlivia", "Bolivia", and/or "Altlivia". The writers chose Fauxlivia because a character in a season three episode referred to her as such. Torv and Akiva Goldsman discussed various ways to differentiate the two depictions of Olivia; ultimately two different physical demeanors were created. Torv wanted to make the new character "completely different", but she and Goldsman recognized that the two share some major similarities, as they both are in the same profession and are "fundamentally, genetically really the same person." According to Torv, Fauxlivia holds herself differently and has "a different silhouette. She's got a little firefighter, a little military in her." Torv further explained, "Olivia wants to be the best, but auxliviajust wants to win;" "There's just a front-footedness I think to er simply because she just doesn't carry the weight of the world on her shoulders like Olivia does. Olivia's mum died when she was really little, and auxlivias mum is still around. There's lots of little, subtle differences." The producers discussed cutting her hair, but ultimately decided on the auburn hair color to differentiate her. They also made her "a little bit more playful". Pinkner describes shooting the Fauxlivia scenes in the DVD
audio commentary An audio commentary is an additional audio track, usually digital, consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with a video. Commentaries can be serious or entertaining in nature, and can add informatio ...
: "When orvfirst showed up on set in this different guise, she had really embodied this other character in a very playful and sexy way. She turned a lot of heads." Goldsman remarked that Torv's depiction of Fauxlivia was actually much closer to the actress' real personality than her performance as Olivia. The producers were so pleased with her Fauxlivia depiction that they thought "it really opened up a bunch of possibilities ... it went from 'let's see if this experiment works' to 'how can we get more of this? "Over There" marks the first time Olivia meets Fauxlivia. Their meeting was one of the first scenes to be shot; this caused Anna Torv to be anxious about her new character's traits "coming across", as she had not yet developed all her mannerisms for Fauxlivia. While filming the conversation between the two, they did not use a double; Torv memorized the timing and where she should be looking and pointing her gun, and the characters were filmed one at a time. Torv commented about the scene, "You're talking to air. Learning both sides ... was tough." For the fight scene that followed, Torv had to block and aim her gun carefully while being mindful of her movements and the camera's location—though she was aided by stunt doubles. Torv credits the crew for successfully completing the scene: "I give them all the credit in the world. It took a while. They had to change the makeup, change the clothes, change the hair, change every little thing, every time they ovedthe camera." A later scene depicts Walter in a hospital recovering from a gunshot wound. Olivia and William Bell try to smuggle him out. As it was a real emergency room in a Vancouver hospital, the crew had only one day of shooting. One of the scenes included "monitor acting", in which Torv had to react to a blank computer screen, because the writers had not yet chosen what images they wanted to display. The scene between Olivia, Walter, and Bell was originally set in a coffee shop, but the producers changed their minds when they realized they needed more funding for the finale. Consequently, they began "hawking" the scene in the hopes of gaining a sponsor.
KFC KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is an American fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in fried chicken. It is the world's second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald's, with 2 ...
responded, agreeing to pay them for shooting the scene at one of their locations. Walternate's office scenes were shot in a
mortuary A morgue or mortuary (in a hospital or elsewhere) is a place used for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification (ID), removal for autopsy, respectful burial, cremation or other methods of disposal. In modern times, corpses have cus ...
overlooking a cemetery. Goldsman had Joshua Jackson react in different ways during his first meeting with Fauxlivia, including showing "anger and testiness". He ultimately decided he would be "quite taken with her". For the second episode's cliffhanger, the producers worried about making it as "provocative" as the first season's. They were originally going to have Olivia sacrifice herself to allow Peter and Walter's return to Our Side, but changed their minds when Wyman suggested she be secretly swapped with Fauxlivia instead. Wyman commented, "We were ecstatic when we figured
he cliffhanger He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
out." Co-creator
J. J. Abrams Jeffrey Jacob Abrams (born June 27, 1966) is an American filmmaker and composer. He is best known for his works in the genres of action, drama, and science fiction. Abrams wrote and produced such films as '' Regarding Henry'' (1991), '' F ...
and other cast members were also pleased with it, with Abrams calling it "different, but I think equally impactful." They wrote the cliffhanger before they knew whether the series had been renewed—they would have had to make an "eleventh-hour redraft" had the show been canceled by Fox.


Casting

On April 5, 2010, ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' reported that ''
Dirty Sexy Money ''Dirty Sexy Money'' is an American prime time drama television series created by Craig Wright. It ran on ABC from September 26, 2007, to August 8, 2009. The series was produced by Berlanti Television and ABC Studios. Wright served as an e ...
'' actor
Seth Gabel Seth Gabel (born October 3, 1981) is an American actor. He is known for his roles of agent Lincoln Lee on Fox's television series ''Fringe'', Cotton Mather on WGN America's series '' Salem'', and Adrian Moore on the FX series ''Nip/Tuck''. He ...
had been cast as the lead Fringe investigator in the parallel universe, and would be making his first appearance in the finale as a possible recurring character. Jeff Pinkner described the character as "the scientist-cop-leader of the team on the Other Side." In an interview with ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'', Gabel commented that during shooting he felt that he looked "like such a doofus holding a gun," but changed his mind when he saw the finished production. Gabel elaborated, "I was so scared that I wouldn't pull it off. Once I saw myself being a scientist-slash-FBI hero, I felt more confident and relaxed." His character is caught in a large explosion in the finale, but Gabel confirmed, in a ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' interview, that his character would be returning for the third season. He states that the parallel universe has "special technology than can heal burns". The finale marked the return of actor
Kirk Acevedo Kirk M. Acevedo (born November 27, 1971) is an American actor. He is primarily known for his work on television for the portrayals of Miguel Alvarez in the HBO series '' Oz'', Joe Toye in '' Band of Brothers'', and FBI Agent Charlie Francis i ...
as the Other Side FBI agent
Charlie Francis Charles Merrick Francis (October 13, 1948 – May 12, 2010) was a Canadian Olympic sprinter and sprint coach most noteworthy for being the trainer of sprinter Ben Johnson, the first competitor to be stripped of an Olympic gold medal for using ban ...
. In the DVD audio commentary, the producers admit they "faced a bit of hatred" when they killed off Acevedo's character near the beginning of the season. They were aware the entire time that Charlie exists in the parallel universe, and that "nobody ever dies on ''Fringe''. Acevedo describes the parallel universe version of his character as someone who is "so much more fun." He is subtly different, with a lighter personality; he jokes around more, and is less "doom and gloom" than the original character. Some viewers refer to the new character as "alt-Charlie" to differentiate the two. The actor, the producers, and some fans have called the new character "Scarlie" in reference to a scar on his cheek, which takes ten minutes to apply before shooting, according to Acevedo. Previous guest actors
Orla Brady Orla Brady (born 28 March 1961) is an Irish theatre, television, and film actress born in Dublin. She has been nominated for several awards from the Irish Film & Television Academy for her work in televised programs, as well as starring in the ...
, Lily Pilblad,
Ari Graynor Ariel Geltman Graynor (born April 27, 1983) is an American actress, known for her roles in TV series such as ''I'm Dying Up Here'', ''The Sopranos'' and ''Fringe'', in stage productions such as ''Brooklyn Boy'' and ''The Little Dog Laughed'', and ...
,
Omar Metwally Omar Metwally is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Dr. Vik Ullah in the Showtime television series '' The Affair'', as well as for '' Rendition'' (2007), ''Munich'' (2005), and ''Miral'' (2010). He has also appeared in the ...
, Ryan McDonald, and
David Call David Steven Call (born August 14, 1982) is an American actor. Personal life Call was born in Issaquah, Washington. He is a graduate student of the Tisch School of the Arts and the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School. Acting career Call's ...
appear in the finale, as well as new guest stars
Philip Winchester Philip Charles Winchester (born March 24, 1981) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in '' The Patriot'', ''The Hi-Line'', '' LD 50 Lethal Dose'', '' Thunderbirds'', ''CSI: Miami'', ''King Lear'', '' Strike Back'', '' Flyboys'', ''In M ...
and
Pascale Hutton Pascale Hutton (born June 14, 1979) is a Canadian actress. She was born in Creston, British Columbia. Hutton attended the conservatory acting program at the University of Alberta in Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadia ...
. Some cast members portray alternate versions of their characters, including
John Noble John Noble (born 20 August 1948) is an Australian actor. He is known for his roles as Denethor in the ''Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy, Dr. Walter Bishop on the science fiction series ''Fringe'', Henry Parrish on the action-horror series '' ...
,
Lance Reddick Lance Reddick (born December 31, 1962) is an American actor and musician. He is best known for playing Cedric Daniels in ''The Wire'' (2002–2008), Phillip Broyles in ''Fringe'' (2008–2013), and Chief Irvin Irving in '' Bosch'' (2014–2020) ...
, and
Jasika Nicole Jasika Nicole Pruitt (born April 10, 1980), is an American actress and illustrator from Birmingham, Alabama. She is known for her role as Agent Astrid Farnsworth on the Fox series ''Fringe''. She has guest-starred in ''Scandal'' as Kim Munoz. She ...
. Noble described his doppelgänger—nicknamed "Walternate" by Walter—as " hysicallythe same man and the same actor." He continued, "I think of
alternate Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film * ''The Alternative ...
as a soldier. He's like a general in the army. He's very upright, he's very strong." Reddick called alt-Broyles "a great patriot and a great mind," but "a bit of a maverick, so I guess we'll see just how that loyalty and relationship plays out." Nicole based "alterna-Astrid"s characteristics on her sister, who has
Asperger syndrome Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's, is a former neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in Interpersonal relationship, social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and re ...
, partly by avoiding eye contact with the other characters when relaying information to them and by focusing solely on the data in front of her. Though guest actor Leonard Nimoy was reluctant to return after completing his three-episode commitment on the show that had ended with the season's tenth episode, he returned for the season finale when the producers "essentially called him up and pleaded". They discussed their plans for the character, and "told him it was a story we couldn't tell without him." He "graciously agreed." "Over There" marked Nimoy's longest appearance on ''Fringe'', a longer and "much more involv d
shoot In botany, a plant shoot consists of any plant stem together with its appendages, leaves and lateral buds, flowering stems, and flower buds. The new growth from seed germination that grows upward is a shoot where leaves will develop. In the spri ...
of roughly seven days was required. Despite Leonard Nimoy's planned exit from the show, the show's producers have said that nothing is final in the ''Fringe'' world. Pinkner commented that Nimoy's retirement from acting obviously hinders his character's possible return but, "if Leonard chooses to come back, there is a story in place that we'd love to tell." Wyman elaborated that "I think it's fair to say that you have not experienced the last of William Bell". When the producers told Nimoy their ideas for Bell's storyline in the third season, he returned for some brief voice and animation work in the episode "
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, vi ...
".


Cultural references

A number of
popular culture Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as, popular art or mass art) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a ...
references are used to subtly differentiate the two universes. The American drama series ''
The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American serial (radio and television), serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the ...
'' is beginning its 11th season in the parallel universe, and US politicians
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
and
Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin (; Heath; born February 11, 1964) is an American politician, commentator, author, and reality television personality who served as the ninth governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. She was the 2008 R ...
are in one of the show's advertisements. The parallel universe's
Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; French: ''La Liberté éclairant le monde'') is a List of colossal sculpture in situ, colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the U ...
is still its original shiny copper. "We imagined that Over There, they really liked copper and they cleaned it all the time," one of the creators says.
Liberty Island Liberty Island is a federally owned island in Upper New York Bay in the United States. Its most notable feature is the Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''), a large statue by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi that was dedicated in ...
is the location of Fringe Division and the
Department of Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to: Current departments of defence * Department of Defence (Australia) * Department of National Defence (Canada) * Department of Defence (Ireland) * Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
on the Other Side. The Hotel Attraction project by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí was built in 1908 in the parallel universe, whereas in our world it never went past initial planning. Former president
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
is shown on a dollar coin in the parallel universe, rather than
Dwight Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
. Fauxlivia finds a twenty-dollar bill from Our Side and questions who
Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
is, implying that he was either never president or is far less known in their universe.
Civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...
activist
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...
is shown on their version of the bill, which has been nicknamed a "junior". Aviator
Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, author, inventor, and activist. On May 20–21, 1927, Lindbergh made the first nonstop flight from New York City to Paris, a distance o ...
is less well known in the parallel universe, and the famous kidnapping of his son presumably did not occur, as Fauxlivia expresses confusion when his name is brought up. When Walter, Bell, and Olivia are on the Other Side eating at
KFC KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is an American fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in fried chicken. It is the world's second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald's, with 2 ...
(called KGC in the alternate universe, for Kentucky Grilled Chicken), Walter puts on a
Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association (19th century), American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the ...
baseball cap. Unlike in Our Side, the team never moved to
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. The parallel universe has a number of famous comic book issues from DC Comics, similar to Our Side, but with notable differences. For instance, the Red Arrow and Red Lantern exist on the Other Side, rather than the green versions of both characters in our universe, and there are different members in the
Justice League The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
. Fauxlivia's cellphone
ringtone A ringtone, ring tone or ring is the sound made by a telephone to indicate an incoming call. Originally referring to and made by the electromechanical striking of bells, the term now refers to any sound on any device alerting of a new incoming ...
is taken from the 1975 film ''
The Rocky Horror Picture Show ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O'Brien, who is also ...
''. Other films, both real and invented, are also shown in the parallel universe, such as ''Superman vs. Batman 2'', ''Indiana Jones and the Hex of the Hydra'', ''Star Wars: Legion of Droids'', ''Splash 7'', ''Smokey and the Bandit: The Final Lap'' and ''Mask vs. Joker''.


Reception


Broadcast and ratings

Fox renewed ''Fringe'' for a third season in early March 2010. The episodes aired on May 13 and May 20, 2010, in the United States and Canada. On May 17 Fox announced that the show would remain in its Thursday timeslot for the new season. A deleted scene cut from the finale featured Walternate and Peter discussing the fictional band " Violet Sedan Chair" while driving a
Ford Taurus The Ford Taurus is an automobile that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States from the 1986 to 2019 model years. Introduced in late 1985 for the 1986 model year, six generations were produced over 34 years; a brief hiat ...
; the scene's reference to a "Ford exclusive", as well as the perceived "loving shots" of the car, caused it to be noted as a prime example of
product placement Product placement, also known as embedded marketing, is a marketing technique where references to specific brands or products are incorporated into another work, such as a film or television program, with specific promotional intent. Much of th ...
by some critics. The scene was advertised during the second episode's commercial breaks in the US, advising viewers to view the clip at Fox's official website. As with other ''Fringe'' episodes, Fox released two science lesson plans for grade school children focusing on the science seen in both parts of "Over There"; the first part's intention was to have "students learn about how the various forms of energy can be converted into other forms of energy and how these conversions can be used to either disperse or concentrate energy." The second part's purpose was for "students olearn about how various types of sensors can be used to remotely collect information about a geographical area, which allows for unique scientific analyses and discoveries." According to the
Nielsen ratings Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
system, upon its original US broadcast, part one garnered an estimated 5.99 million viewers and a 3.6/6 ratings share among all households. It received a 2.3/7 ratings share among adults 18–49. In keeping with the rest of its second season, ''Fringe''s ratings suffered due to tough competition from episodes of
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
's ''
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', also referred to as ''CSI'' and ''CSI: Las Vegas'', is an American procedural forensics crime drama television series that ran on CBS from October 6, 2000, to September 27, 2015, spanning 15 seasons. This wa ...
'' and
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
's ''
Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into se ...
'', as these programs were also broadcast in the same time slot. ''Fringe'' and its lead-in, ''
Bones A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, an ...
'', helped Fox place third for the night, behind CBS and ABC. The second part was viewed by an estimated 5.68 million viewers, with a 2.0 ratings share among adults 18–49. This was a 13 percent fall in the 18–49 ratings share from the previous week, as the second episode faced competition from the
season finale A season finale (British English: last in the series; Australian English: season final) is the final episode of a season of a television program. This is often the final episode to be produced for a few months or longer, and, as such, will try to ...
of ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' and the two-part season finale of ''Grey's Anatomy''. "Over There's" second part helped Fox place third for total viewers that night, behind CBS and ABC, and tie with
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
for third place among viewers 18–49. The finale aired on two separate nights in the United Kingdom. The first part was scheduled to air on May 25, 2010, on the UK's
Sky1 Sky One was a British pay television channel operated and owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). Originally launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, it was Europe's first satellite and non-terrestrial channel. From 31 July 1989, ...
, but was put back a week to make room for the
series finale A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, or ...
of ''
Lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...
''. The first part aired on June 1 in the UK, with an estimated 195,000 viewers tuning in. The second part aired on June 8 to an estimated 246,000 viewers.


Reviews

The first part of the finale received critical acclaim. Ramsey Isler of
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
thought it "fantastic," because it was "a great story that leads us into one hell of a conclusion to the season," and that it "right away
ave ''Alta Velocidad Española'' (''AVE'') is a service of high-speed rail in Spain operated by Renfe, the Spanish national railway company, at speeds of up to . As of December 2021, the Spanish high-speed rail network, on part of which the AVE s ...
us the deepest, most exciting look into the alternate universe we've seen so far." He rated it 9.0/10. Ken Tucker from ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' and
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's Josh Wigler agreed on this last point, with Tucker noting the first part "was a complete success and a blast at giving us a fully lived-in alternate universe." Noel Murray of ''
The Onion ''The Onion'' is an American digital media company and newspaper organization that publishes satirical articles on international, national, and local news. The company is based in Chicago but originated as a weekly print publication on August 2 ...
''s
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
graded the first part with an A−, calling it "a fun, exciting episode that nicely set up next week's finale". Isler, Wigler, and Murray loved the return of the Cortexifan subjects; Murray docked the episode a half point, explaining "I love the idea of Olivia & The Cortexifanatics so much that I'm bummed ''Fringe'' burned through the group so quickly." Critic Andrew Hanson, writing for the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'', noted that because of the parallel universe focus, the first part felt like the following season's premiere. He praised the opening scene, and believed the scenes between Peter and his mother helped "ground the episode. They might be out of pace with the action and drama pouring out of every other moment, but there was weight and emotion. Bravo Joshua Jackson and Orla Brady. Bravo." Ken Tucker noted that the scenes with Peter and his true mother indicated "a great, humantistic use of a sci-fi trope". MTV's Josh Wigler praised Torv's performance, but wished the two-part finale was not broken up, explaining "I could have easily tuned in for another several hours. Heck, I could watch an entire parallel series focused solely on the alternate universe!" Like part one, the second part premiered to critical acclaim. IGN's Ramsey Isler wrote that it "changed the whole landscape of the show's main plot arc. Although there were some rough spots in the execution of this story, overall it's one hell of a way to end the season." He rated the episode 8.6/10. While praising Noble's performance, Isler criticized some plot aspects. He was "kind of torn" on the Peter-Olivia kiss, wished Peter and the doomsday device had been set up more for the third season, and believed the Olivia-Fauxlivia interaction to be "a little strange," as the two went from discussing their respective families to "ass kicking". Isler did praise the fight itself. Ken Tucker praised the acting and the writers, noting "The fact that the series can accommodate a fan like me only confirms what a well-wrought piece of pop culture ''Fringe'' has become." Tucker included the second part of the season in his mid-year "Top 10" list for 2010, partly attributing this ranking to ''Fringe'' "offer ngthe season's best cliffhanger", alongside ''
Breaking Bad ''Breaking Bad'' is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows Walter White (Bryan Cranston), an underpaid, overqualified, and dispirited hig ...
''. Noel Murray declared that he enjoyed part two slightly more, grading it an A. He praised Torv and Noble's performances for "inhabiting their respective worlds so well", and Goldsman for "
hooting Hoot may refer to: Publications * ''Hoot'' (novel), a young adult novel by Carl Hiaasen * ''Hoot'', a 1996 children's novel by Jane Hissey * ''Hoot'' (comics), a British magazine published from 1985 to 1986 * ''The Brandeis Hoot'', a student n ...
this episode with an emphasis on the characters more than the setting". Andrew Hanson of the ''Los Angeles Times'' felt the second part fulfilled all of the criteria for an incredible season finale: the season's arc had a "pay-off" he "didn't see coming" in the aftermath of Walternate crossing universes to take back Peter; the entire episode was an "event" because it spent more time in the parallel universe than ever before, and it had an "A+ cliffhanger". MTV's ''Fringe'' reviewer Josh Wigler enjoyed the ending, calling it "one heck of a cliffhanger!"
James Poniewozik James "Jim" Poniewozik (; born July 12, 1968) is an American journalist and television critic. He is the chief TV critic for ''The New York Times''. Earlier in his career, he wrote ''Time'' magazine's ''Tuned In'' column for 16 years. Early life ...
from ''
Time Magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Mar ...
'' positively compared both parts of the finale to ''
The X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The series revolves around Federal Bureau of Investigation ...
'', writing that, unlike that series, ''Fringe''s standalone episodes contribute to the overall mythology of the show. To him the finale "demonstrates how well the show now manages to balance its far-fetched sci-fi with grounded character storylines." Poniewozik concluded his review by expressing that it was not as strong as "
Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...
", but Over There' was a season-ender that did what it should—left me wanting more". Many critics praised the many subtle differences between the two universes, while others lauded Leonard Nimoy's appearance as William Bell and his scenes with Walter. Website blogger
io9 ''io9'' is part of Gizmodo media since 2015, and it began as blog launched in 2008 by Gawker Media. The site initially focused on the subjects of science fiction, fantasy, futurism, science, technology and related areas but over the years has ...
listed both parts of "Over There" as one of the select few "crucial" episodes new viewers must watch to understand the show, referring to it as "one of the most epic season finales ever". Another io9 reviewer called the ending one of the "best SF/fantasy cliffhangers ever shown on television" in a September 2010 list. The finale helped propel ''Fringe'' onto a number of 2010 "best of television" lists, including
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
, ''Entertainment Weekly'', the ''
Seattle Post-Intelligencer The ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' (popularly known as the ''Seattle P-I'', the ''Post-Intelligencer'', or simply the ''P-I'') is an online newspaper and former print newspaper based in Seattle, Washington, United States. The newspaper was foun ...
'', ''
The Daily Beast ''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008. It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'', ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'',
TV Squad Weblogs, Inc. was a blog network that published content on a variety of subjects, including tech news, video games, automobiles and pop culture. At one point, the network had as many as 90 blogs, although the vast majority of its traffic could be ...
, the ''
New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...
'', and IGN; the last of these named ''Fringe'' the best sci-fi series of 2010, beating fellow nominees ''Lost'', '' Caprica'', and ''
Stargate Universe ''Stargate Universe'' (often abbreviated as ''SGU'') is a military science fiction television series and part of MGM's ''Stargate'' franchise. It follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team traveling on the Ancient ...
''. Some critics predicted that, because of the increased focus on looking into the alternate universe and advancing its mythology, ''Fringe''s "
monster-of-the-week "Villain of the week" (or, depending on genre, "monster of the week", "freak of the week" or "alien of the week") is an antagonist that only appears in one episode of a multi-episode work of fiction. A villain of the week is commonly seen in Bri ...
" episodes would become less frequent. This could make it more difficult for casual viewers to follow the show in its third season.


Awards and nominations

Writers J.H. Wyman, Jeff Pinkner, and Akiva Goldsman submitted both parts of "Over There" for consideration in the Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series category at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, and director Goldsman made a submission of both parts for the
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series is presented to the best directing of a television drama series, usually for a particular episode.Though this category is the dominant one in which dramatic directing has been ...
category. None of the three secured a nomination. Leonard Nimoy submitted part two for consideration in the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series category. He and fellow guest actor
Peter Weller Peter Weller (born June 24, 1947) is an American film and stage actor, television director, and art historian. He has appeared in more than 70 films and television series, including ''RoboCop'' (1987) and its sequel ''RoboCop 2'' (1990), in whic ...
(who appeared in "
White Tulip "White Tulip" is the 17th episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series ''Fringe''. It follows a scientist (Peter Weller) in his quest to time travel back and save his fiancée, while the Fringe team invest ...
") were not chosen for nominations. At ''Entertainment Weekly''s June 2010 voter-driven TV Season Finale Awards, ''Fringe'' was nominated for multiple awards, and won in several categories. The Olivia-Fauxlivia swap was named the "Best Non-Romantic Cliff-hanger" of the season and placed third for the "Single Most Clever Twist", but it also came in third place for "Single Weakest Twist". The ending scene with Walternate and Olivia was voted the winner of the "Spookiest Image" category. Olivia's kiss with Peter finished in fifth place for the "Best Kiss" category, and her fight with Fauxlivia placed second in the "Best Fight" category. In the "Biggest Regret That I Didn't See the Finale, I Just Read About It" category ''Fringe'' won third place.


Notes


References


External links


"Over There (Part 1)"
at
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
*
"Over There (Part 2)"
at
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Over There 2010 American television episodes Fringe (season 2) episodes Television episodes written by Akiva Goldsman