This is in praise of Olivia Dunham
Oct. 15th, 2011 11:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
swatkatBut let's face it, everything I ever say about Fringe is in praise of Olivia Dunham.
First things first: PETER IS BACK. Sooner than I would have liked him to return, to be very honest - but no one else remembers him, which is again a fantastic comic book-y twist that I thoroughly enjoyed. I shall be eternally grateful if his future storylines do not involve either his and Olivia's One True Love or his Special Destiny.
Secondly, how is it that in this Peter-less universe Olivia has ended up having more friends? Ingrimorie's words, "Also, riddle me this, why is a universe without Peter result in Olivia getting friendships and better relationships with other people?" I doubt they're trying to make a negative point about Peter, which could only mean one thing - Peter's actions with the machine was an attempt in his part to heal the two universes, make it better; perhaps he has also ended up healing Olivia in some ways instead. This Olivia, it seems - as I observed after the end of the last episode - is different; more comfortable letting out her warmth, reaching out (not only does she comfort Walter in a very Peter-ish way - I do believe that Olivia and Astrid are now displaying some of characteristics Peter did in S1 - but she's also comfortable offering Lincoln emotional support, opening herself up).
I do not want these friendships to end just because Peter is back. Nina as Olivia's favourite aunt/mentor (I believe the writers mentioned on Twitter that she was a guardian to Olivia and Rachel, which, wow) is the BEST THING EVER, and I do not wish to lose that adorableness. I've always wanted Nina to be Olivia's mentor of sorts, and this is just fantastic.
I am also intrigued by the new backstory for the Cortexiphan trials, and I am glad they allowed Mark Little to be so angry at Walter (echoing Olivia's anger in 'Jacksonville', which will always be one of my favourite Fringe episodes). Which brings us to my principal point in this post - Olivia Dunham. I LOVE HER. I love everything she is and everything she chooses to be, and this episode - in fact, this entire season - has brought out one of the things I love best about Olivia: she is so kind.
We've always known this about Olivia - when she throws herself into her cases, when she talks to their clients, when she bonds with some of them. When she manages to feel sympathy for Walter in spite of her anger. When she strikes up a friendship with Col. Broyles' son even when she's pretending to be Altlivia. But in this verse, somehow, that is highlighted even more as Olivia sometimes plays the gentle caretaker role that both Peter and Astrid played in the blue!verse (the role she played only for Ella in the blue!verse). It shone through in this episode: when Walter cut his hand, when Walter failed to come up with anything and she gripped his hand, offering him strength. In this verse she has full memory of the abuse she underwent in the trials, and she went and forged a relationship with Walter with full knowledge of that. Perhaps her stepfather signed her up for it too, like Mark Little's father; perhaps that was one of her many grievances against him. And in spite of that, she manages to be kind to Walter, because that's who she is. ♥
First things first: PETER IS BACK. Sooner than I would have liked him to return, to be very honest - but no one else remembers him, which is again a fantastic comic book-y twist that I thoroughly enjoyed. I shall be eternally grateful if his future storylines do not involve either his and Olivia's One True Love or his Special Destiny.
Secondly, how is it that in this Peter-less universe Olivia has ended up having more friends? In
grimorie's words, "Also, riddle me this, why is a universe without Peter result in Olivia getting friendships and better relationships with other people?" I doubt they're trying to make a negative point about Peter, which could only mean one thing - Peter's actions with the machine was an attempt in his part to heal the two universes, make it better; perhaps he has also ended up healing Olivia in some ways instead. This Olivia, it seems - as I observed after the end of the last episode - is different; more comfortable letting out her warmth, reaching out (not only does she comfort Walter in a very Peter-ish way - I do believe that Olivia and Astrid are now displaying some of characteristics Peter did in S1 - but she's also comfortable offering Lincoln emotional support, opening herself up). I do not want these friendships to end just because Peter is back. Nina as Olivia's favourite aunt/mentor (I believe the writers mentioned on Twitter that she was a guardian to Olivia and Rachel, which, wow) is the BEST THING EVER, and I do not wish to lose that adorableness. I've always wanted Nina to be Olivia's mentor of sorts, and this is just fantastic.
I am also intrigued by the new backstory for the Cortexiphan trials, and I am glad they allowed Mark Little to be so angry at Walter (echoing Olivia's anger in 'Jacksonville', which will always be one of my favourite Fringe episodes). Which brings us to my principal point in this post - Olivia Dunham. I LOVE HER. I love everything she is and everything she chooses to be, and this episode - in fact, this entire season - has brought out one of the things I love best about Olivia: she is so kind.
We've always known this about Olivia - when she throws herself into her cases, when she talks to their clients, when she bonds with some of them. When she manages to feel sympathy for Walter in spite of her anger. When she strikes up a friendship with Col. Broyles' son even when she's pretending to be Altlivia. But in this verse, somehow, that is highlighted even more as Olivia sometimes plays the gentle caretaker role that both Peter and Astrid played in the blue!verse (the role she played only for Ella in the blue!verse). It shone through in this episode: when Walter cut his hand, when Walter failed to come up with anything and she gripped his hand, offering him strength. In this verse she has full memory of the abuse she underwent in the trials, and she went and forged a relationship with Walter with full knowledge of that. Perhaps her stepfather signed her up for it too, like Mark Little's father; perhaps that was one of her many grievances against him. And in spite of that, she manages to be kind to Walter, because that's who she is. ♥
I feel "+1" or "LIKE" would have accomplished the same as my nodd-y elaborations
Date: 2011-10-15 08:57 pm (UTC)As it should be, only as it should be.
First things first: PETER IS BACK. Sooner than I would have liked him to return, to be very honest - but no one else remembers him, which is again a fantastic comic book-y twist that I thoroughly enjoyed. I shall be eternally grateful if his future storylines do not involve either his and Olivia's One True Love or his Special Destiny.
I should never write my own reviews any more; I should just link to yours. Fate & Things That Have Been Written Coming To Pass (In Unforeseen Ways) are markers of the JJ Abrams oeuvre, of course; I find them vaguely annoying with regard to plot elements but hard'n fast pet peeves when it comes to romance.
I doubt they're trying to make a negative point about Peter, which could only mean one thing - Peter's actions with the machine was an attempt in his part to heal the two universes, make it better; perhaps he has also ended up healing Olivia in some ways instead.
Interesting! His last words would point towards rectifying the universes -- or rather, it may pay off to remember that this is the "proper" universe, as Peter was supposed to die in the first place, and only September's intervention back then prevented history playing out just. Like. This.
This Olivia, it seems - as I observed after the end of the last episode - is different; more comfortable letting out her warmth, reaching out (not only does she comfort Walter in a very Peter-ish way - I do believe that Olivia and Astrid are now displaying some of characteristics Peter did in S1 - but she's also comfortable offering Lincoln emotional support, opening herself up).
She's surprisingly physically and emotionally available here, it's true (although of course we started at 1x01 with an Olivia in love and quite tactile too...although she also mentions she's generally terrible at romance to John).
Nina as Olivia's favourite aunt/mentor (I believe the writers mentioned on Twitter that she was a guardian to Olivia and Rachel, which, wow) is the BEST THING EVER
There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that's not pure awesomeness about this! I feel it calls for a \o/
I've always wanted Nina to be Olivia's mentor of sorts
Not just you! Seems the universe, in this case the writers listened...
I am also intrigued by the new backstory for the Cortexiphan trials, and I am glad they allowed Mark Little to be so angry at Walter (echoing Olivia's anger in 'Jacksonville', which will always be one of my favourite Fringe episodes).
It was a really great performance, at once restrained and powerful. I've written about it in my other comments: that there was an extra dimension of darkness to his particular trials, being a black child experimented on by white scientists without his personal consent.
Which brings us to my principal point in this post - Olivia Dunham. I LOVE HER. I love everything she is and everything she chooses to be, and this episode - in fact, this entire season - has brought out one of the things I love best about Oliva: she is so kind.
She is. Everything you write out in your last paragraph: so accurate, and it made me smile.
Re: I feel "+1" or "LIKE" would have accomplished the same as my nodd-y elaborations
Date: 2011-10-16 05:47 am (UTC)I'll be honest here, perhaps I would be a lot more okay with ~fated romance if I really enjoyed Peter/Olivia beyond a certain point? But I don't (except at the level of 'Olivia wants Peter, therefore she should have him, she can have anything she wants'), and therefore it's extremely annoying. Equally annoying is how we're apparently supposed to handwave away Peter's relationship with Altlivia in favour of Destiny - what about the fact that he liked her because she was Olivia and not Olivia?
His last words would point towards rectifying the universes -- or rather, it may pay off to remember that this is the "proper" universe, as Peter was supposed to die in the first place, and only September's intervention back then prevented history playing out just. Like. This.
So this is the way the world should be, then? Olivia with more friendships, better relationships - I could buy that. The question is of course where Peter fits into this 'better' world, whether he fits in at all (after all, how is it going to be 'better' for Walter's sanity that his dead (stolen) son has come back to life?). It could make for a compelling story, if they can somehow manage to give Peter a POV that works, without demolishing the structure of the show (in some ways, this was the real problem with the last half of the previous season - Fringe at its best is usually structured to show off Walter and Olivia, and Josh Jackson failed to steal the limelight from Anna Torv and John Noble in spite of having an author-backed platform). So far, they haven't been very good at giving Peter a POV.
She's surprisingly physically and emotionally available here, it's true (although of course we started at 1x01 with an Olivia in love and quite tactile too...although she also mentions she's generally terrible at romance to John).
She was, but what's unusual is how quick she is to open up to, say, Lincoln Lee (in her own awkward way of course).
that there was an extra dimension of darkness to his particular trials, being a black child experimented on by white scientists without his personal consent.
It cements Walter and Bell as powerful white men doing whatever they wanted in the name of science.
She is. Everything you write out in your last paragraph: so accurate, and it made me smile.
I love her so much. Sigh.
Re: I feel "+1" or "LIKE" would have accomplished the same as my nodd-y elaborations
Date: 2011-10-16 11:06 am (UTC)But you're still right: if I found Olivia/Peter more compelling at this point, I wouldn't mind, so much. I loved their dynamics through 3x01 a lot, but admittedly even then from Olivia's side. It comes down to my lack of any interest in Peter as the heeero of the story because neither the narrative nor the scripts nor Josh Jackson really convinced me of this...and I'm not the only one; fandom is full of us, if possibly only this our corner. God knows I had to back out of some media blogs (of male reviewers, natch) because they kept whining about 4x01 - 4x03 not having enough Peter and being weird and wrong for that because only a show featuring their beloved younger Bishop was worth watching at all.
You raise a good point about Peter's appreciation for Liv too -- in some ways I think they are a good fit, but the thing about the whole S3 angst arc is that both of them are right in their argumentation: Peter loved our Olivia and transferred the bulk of his feelings, but at the same time he should have known; he should have realised (in this world where he knew there are doubles with nefarious plans!) she couldn't be his. Much as he wanted her to be. Which is of course the true reason for half their issues, and which is exactly what you're talking about here.
I do hope that the writers will commit to this universe, but you're right: no real place for Peter Bishop here, not at this point. As discussed elsewhere, there is a narrative need to re-connect to the old universe, if only for the whole Peter storyline (sidenote: wow, for the first time ever, I sympathise with the anti-Spike folks back in BtVS: their main claim was always that Joss bent the Whedonverse to accommodate him).
The writers must know that Walter and Olivia are the backbone of this show, acting-wise for sure, and I sure as hell hope they slot Peter into the role he was best at: Walter's son and Olivia's sidekick. It would work from a drama angle (and again I'm rehashing; God, we should have a Meta Message Board For Fringies) too, Peter being forced to reconnect with the Amber!verse's versions. (Sidenote II: I don't think it's too hard to imagine they would believe him; I only find it difficult to envision them helping him getting his old world back).
And mmh, Olivia opening up to Lincoln: that scene was gold from every angle, as was its companion piece at the end of 4x03, in the cave, his cheeky little remark. Writers, please don't kill this Blue!Lincoln; he's not just my favourite Lincoln yet but also gives a fantastic perspective on Fringe (i.e. he's Olivia Dunham, redux, and mirrors the old Peter too -- which of course is
Re: I feel "+1" or "LIKE" would have accomplished the same as my nodd-y elaborations
Date: 2011-10-16 04:16 pm (UTC)and my show is obviously the superior one.but the thing about the whole S3 angst arc is that both of them are right in their argumentation: Peter loved our Olivia and transferred the bulk of his feelings, but at the same time he should have known; he should have realised (in this world where he knew there are doubles with nefarious plans!) she couldn't be his. Much as he wanted her to be. Which is of course the true reason for half their issues, and which is exactly what you're talking about here.
Oh, I'm not disagreeing that Peter had a point, or that he simply transferred the bulk of his feelings to the first Olivia he could get his hands on - but Peter saw the differences in 'Olivia', and he liked it, liked that she was happier and more carefree. Because it's very easy to fall in love with Olivia - she inspires that kind of devotion - but to actually be with her, dealing with the weight of the world upon her shoulders? Altlivia is fun (I love how she regularly makes Olivia look like a grumpy curmudgeon, especially in the Amber!verse), and Peter responded to that. I don't blame him responding to that, either, but it's something I did not see acknowledged in the aftermath, when Peter accused Olivia of being the obstacle in their relationship.
I haven't read the story yet, but I will! I have all your recs bookmarked!
The writers do know that Walter and Olivia are their backbones, I think, which is why they keep throwing new things at the actors and they deliver. I'm hoping that the drama here will be about Peter reconnecting with these versions of the characters and helping the to save the universes; the burden of his memories could make him quite compelling!
Re: I feel "+1" or "LIKE" would have accomplished the same as my nodd-y elaborations
Date: 2011-10-16 10:54 pm (UTC)Could be; I wasn't around in the early days of fandom. I don't doubt these are ignoranuses.
Just: if I google for Fringe reviews, and these kinds of opinions come up? You can be sure many many folks clicked and moved them up the Google hit list, and the writers might see 'em too, getting a thoroughly distorted view...
I wouldn't mind. ;)
No kidding, I snickered helplessly at the famous I Button My Jacket scene. Comedy gold, and so understandable from both sides: of course Olivia considers Liv untrustworthy and destructive, and of course Liv considers Olivia, well, a stuck-up tight-ass with no sense of fun. *g* That said, I think 4x02 really shifted that latter perception (a lot) and perhaps the former too.
Totally with you. Peter laying the blame on Olivia really rubbed me the wrongest way ever.
I feel like the fanfic reading police now (Have You Read This One, Ma'am? What, Not Yet? Well. Be On Your Way Then, But Next Time I'll Write You That Ticket)!
Your word in God's ear, as we say hereabouts...
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Date: 2011-10-16 11:54 pm (UTC)I think Olivia's relationship with Walter in this verse is in part due to Peter's absence - I mean, Walter is there, with his Walter-Face, being lost and sad and full of childlike glee and there's no Peter around to comfort him or help him . . . I can absolutely see Olivia taking up that role instead. And, as you say, with full knowledge of what was done to her, without any sudden betrayals - that would be a strong bond indeed.
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Date: 2011-10-17 05:35 pm (UTC)Me too. Times a zillion. Peter is fine, you know, there's nothing wrong with him as a character except when they try to make him Olivia's center of the universe. She's just fine without him, she has friends without him, and I would be very disappointed if the show suddenly reverts to P/O 4Evah mode without addressing that point.
(Also, randomly skimming your other entries: the W13 finale was the femslashiest thing ever, and I am so far behind on comic reviews it's embarrassing, but wow, Chiang's WW is so purty!)
Re: I feel "+1" or "LIKE" would have accomplished the same as my nodd-y elaborations
Date: 2011-10-17 06:55 pm (UTC)No kidding, I snickered helplessly at the famous I Button My Jacket scene. Comedy gold, and so understandable from both sides: of course Olivia considers Liv untrustworthy and destructive, and of course Liv considers Olivia, well, a stuck-up tight-ass with no sense of fun.
I would watch an entire show involving nothing but Olivia and Olivia bickering and fighting crime.
I feel like the fanfic reading police now
Where can I sign up? :D
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Date: 2011-10-17 07:04 pm (UTC)The fact that Olivia knew it all along somehow makes it even more powerful for me. This is something I've always appreciated about Fringe's treatment of the Cortexiphan trials - what Walter and Bell did in the name of science was unacceptable, and the Cortexikids are allowed to be angry (hence, 'Jacksonville', or Mark Little in this episode), Olivia is allowed to be angry. And here we don't see a lot of that anger - perhaps she has worked through that already - but we do see her sadness every time it's brought up; and she somehow had it in her to forge a bond with Walter in spite of that knowledge. Just. Gah.
And, as you say, this part: "she so obviously wanted to reassure him but couldn't quite bring herself to, or didn't think it was a good idea". SO TRUE. This Olivia might be more emotionally open, more willing to put herself out there, but these are the things that make her innate Olivianess. <3
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Date: 2011-10-17 07:08 pm (UTC)Chiang's WW is sooooo pretty. I can't stop staring. Also, W13: ;____;
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Date: 2011-10-17 07:52 pm (UTC)W13, I am hoping for the cosmic reset button!
Re: I feel "+1" or "LIKE" would have accomplished the same as my nodd-y elaborations
Date: 2011-10-17 07:53 pm (UTC)Me too. *g* Did you see this?
http://monanotlisa.tumblr.com/post/11108152064/beyondhope-they-saddle-up-and-go-with#notes
I TOO WOULD BE AWESOME AT IT. Instead of batons, I wield the pen myself! ;)
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Date: 2011-10-17 08:02 pm (UTC)(For what it's worth I adore Northwest passage; it's one of the best eps of Season Three, in my opinion, focusing on Peter's internal struggle, on issues that are brought about organically within the narrative: betrayal of trust -- not once but twice -- and loss of a ground the solidness of which he may have scoffed at but that he nevertheless naturally assumed, as we all do. That story is not about Machines & Mystery but human emotions and reactions.)