1x04: The Arrival

WYD when my gang pull up? I find it very funny when shows do promotional images that are just the entire cast striding purposefully towards the viewer as one. Like, are they coming to beat my ass? Do I need to flee for my life? Feels very intimidating. Activates my fight or flight response. 

Anyway, “The Arrival” is our fourth episode, which first aired on September 30, 2008. I’ve been remiss not to mention that Fringe's timeslot was on Tuesday nights. This becomes important later, when the whole Friday night death slot (I feel like this term is self-explanatory) debacle goes down. But at this point, the show was airing weekly on Tuesdays. Let's get into it.

The recap

Well. I read on the Wikipedia that JJ Abrams and the writers of Fringe sought to balance serialization with standalone episodes, and, well, the lie detector test determined that was a fucking lie, because there is a goddamn Observer in this one, IMMEDIATELY, just out there.

He's just. There. For multiple frames. Blatantly. Talking. Out loud!

I genuinely did not remember the Observers being revealed THIS early. I thought they were a surprise that was saved for way, way, way later. Like, season 3 at the earliest. I did NOT remember this. It's kind of a shock to me. It feels... kind of whorish? Slutty? He's just out there. Exposed. Doesn't even have a hat on or anything. Also, the fact that there's an Observer in this one means it's going to be another mythology episode, which makes four! in! a! freaking! ROW! 

Anyway, this is the Observer (Michael Cerveris) and you'd better get used to him. This MF is hanging out in a diner, ordering a sandwich with "meat as raw as possible," accompanied by "lukewarm water" and "eleven jalapenos." Somehow, the waitress manages to take this order from this guy without screaming and running away, which is more than I could say for myself in that situation. The Observer watches out the window of the diner as some construction workers are doing their thing. He glances at a pocketwatch, pulls out a weird lil set of binoculars, and jots down some notes in a weird, alien script. Then, his raw meat sandwich arrives, and this guy just... he just... pours pepper on there. Like, pours.

The past few minutes of show have been several consecutive punches to the face. I genuinely, seriously do not remember the Observers being quite THIS weird. 

Suddenly, the diner begins to shake, there's an explosion, and a huge crane collapses, while the Observer calmly dons his hat and leaves. He calls someone and says, "It has arrived." Cue theme music.

I should probably put the intro here somewhere. It's short, but it's still one of my favourite intros ever. The visuals are really appealing, and the theme is simple but insanely catchy. And there are several variations on it that dovetail with shifts in the plot/setting. It's good stuff!

We switch to Walter and Peter in their hotel room. All is not well in the Bishop household, as Walter is driving Peter batty by being a crazy old man who does crazy old man shit like reciting the formula for root beer at 3 in the morning. The next day, Peter visits Olivia and begs her to let him get the fuck out of dodge, arguing that she doesn't need him for her investigations, only Walter. Olivia is like, "Tough shit," pointing out that Walter goes straight back to the mental institution if Peter leaves. 

Everyone heads over to a warehouse where they're keeping the object that caused the diner incident. Broyles shows them said object: a futuristic-looking, egg-shaped metal device that came up from underground into a gas main. Walter demands to take the egg, which is what I'm calling it now, fuck it, back to his lab. 

Olivia heads to see Henry Jacobson, who investigated a similar case years ago, and who is an old friend and mentor of hers. He reveals that he encountered a similar object in that case, which transmitted information that couldn't be decoded, but it vanished in a mysterious explosion. Meanwhile, a man attacks the warehouse, shooting the armed guards inside with some sort of weird sonic gun thing, and demands, "Where is it?" Not long after, he shows up at Jacobson's house and shoots him with said gun. 

Olivia starts putting together that the Observer has appeared in the background of several photos from FBI case files, and she goes to Broyles with the evidence. In response, Broyles takes her to a room with a bunch of surveillance photos on the wall where the Observer is circled in each one. Broyles reveals that they've connected him to dozens of Pattern incidents, but they have no idea who he is. They call him the Observer because seemingly, all he does at each scene is observe.

Upon hearing that the warehouse was attacked by someone looking for the egg, Walter asks Peter to go out and fetch some aluminum foil, insisting that all their lives depend on it. Left alone with Astrid, he then surprise attacks her and injects her with the mysterious contents of some random syringe, holy shit!! RIP Astrid, gone too soon. Walter takes this opportunity to escape. Back at Jacobson's house, the mysterious man tortures him, demanding information about Olivia. He gets the information he needed and kills Jacobson. RIP, also gone too soon, I guess. 

Meanwhile, Walter, mental hospital escapee extraordinaire, is at a diner enjoying a root beer float... with the Observer sitting opposite him. The Observer thanks Walter for hiding the egg, referring to it as the beacon, so now, thank God, I can stop calling it the egg. Back at the lab, Charlie has shown up to join the frantic search for Walter. They get the call that Walter was found wandering the I95. Walter admits he hid the cylinder but refuses to tell them where. Walter and Peter argue, Walter goes too far, and Peter finally breaks and decides to leave for good. He heads back to the lab to pack up, but the man from earlier who killed Jacobson shows up, captures him and starts to torture him for information on the location of the beacon. He's somehow able to read Peter's mind and learn of a secret hiding place of Walter's where he might have stashed the beacon. 

Olivia checks security camera footage and learns that the man abducted Peter. She pursues them to the place where Walter hid the beacon - his father's grave - and a shootout ensues, with Olivia as the victor. Suddenly, the beacon vanishes underground. The Observer watches and comments, "Departure on schedule," before Peter tackles him to the ground and demands to know who he is. The Observer starts repeating Peter's every word at the exact moment he says them, which understandably freaks Peter right the fuck out, and then shoots him with yet ANOTHER weird mysterious future gun. Peter isn't killed, just knocked out, but the Observer is gone when he wakes.

At FBI headquarters, Walter delivers a heartfelt apology to Astrid, but she ignores him, and rightfully so, I mean, holy shit. Broyles reveals that the shooter was John Mosley, a violent criminal wanted for a double homicide. Peter tells Olivia that his encounter with the Observer has convinced him that the Pattern exists and is worth investigating, and he promises to stick around. In return, Olivia gives him a civilian consultant FBI badge. 

Later, the Bishops are back at their hotel room. Walter explains that when Peter was a child, they both almost died in an accident, but a mysterious man - the Observer - saved their lives. Though it remained unspoken, Walter understood that the Observer would need his help in return one day, which is why he hid the beacon at the Observer's bidding. In the final scene, Olivia returns home to her own apartment, only to find John Scott standing there waiting for her. The end!

Impressions 

First of all, have this meme I saw one time. 

Anyway! "The Arrival" functions as a turning point - for Peter, and for the series too. The introduction of the Observers is a huge deal, as they are probably the second most foundational part of the show's mythology. (The most foundational part, we'll get to later.) Even at this early point, Fringe is starting to really feel like its own distinct show, with its own unique tone and mythology, setting itself apart from other series that will not be named but it starts with X and it ends with... no, I shan't say it. (Fun fact that I literally yelled out loud upon learning: Darin Morgan was a consulting producer on this episode. This is MY multiverse of madness.) 

Anyway, this is a good sign! Even if I'm feeling mythology fatigue, the fact that Fringe is finding its footing so early can only be a good thing. That being said: I am so, so sick of the mythology. Four episodes straight. I'm tired. Give me a break. I'm begging you. 

Like I said, the episode is also a turning point for Peter. His resentment towards Walter reaches a new height, a new stage; ever since "Pilot," Peter hasn't exactly been eager to stick around, but now he's reached his breaking point, and all he wants to do is run away. But his encounter with the Observer is what convinces him to stay. Not at Olivia's request, not because Walter needs him, but because there's a mystery here, and it might just be worth unravelling. 

"The Arrival" is generally pretty entertaining, if dense and mostly incomprehensible at this stage in the game. Walter's relationships with his colleagues continue to be fascinating to watch, which is only amplified by John Noble consistently bringing Shakespearian level acting to this juicy role. The episode's not great, and the lack of answers can be a little frustrating, but it's solid. Now PLEASE give me a stand-alone one next, I am begging you on my KNEES. Please!!

Most disgusting moment 

Mosley's torture of Peter is pretty cringeworthy. Cramming wires all the way up his nose into his brain?? Stuff of nightmares.

Nicest moment

This episode was kind of devoid of nice moments. Like, for example, the cutest relationship on the show in my opinion is between Walter and Astrid, and in this one he LITERALLY ROOFIES HER, so!!! Not a lot to choose from here. 

Shit Walter says

"If it would help you feel a sense of retribution, I would tell you to inject me, too, but I'd most likely enjoy it." I try not to kinkshame, but DUDE. 

Foreshadowing!

The Observer in general, obviously. The story of the Observer saving Walter and Peter becomes very important later. Peter's mother is mentioned again. Peter briefly assumes Mosley was sent by Big Eddie. 

What did the glyphs spell?

"ROGUE."

Rating

Another 7/10, I think.