Just when we thought things couldn’t get any fringier on Fringe, it gets a lot more, err, fringier.  Last night’s season premiere is what I pretty much call a reboot–a change of direction for everyone, and a change of roles for so many people.

And a reboot needs a reintroduction.  Meghan Markle made her Fringe debut as Amy Jessup, a new FBI agent who’s pretty much clueless with what the fringe division is up to.  It’s interesting seeing her being this new, idealistic recruit with strong beliefs that don’t seem to be easily swayed.  It could be hard convincing her that things like what happened last night really happen.

If you’re just new to the show, then welcome.  It seems they knew it was going to be the case, and Amy (with the help of Nina Sharp at the beginning) pretty much helped us get to know everyone again.  Hang on there.  It obviously will get weirder.  You’re now the character who’s initially clueless but figures everything out as time passes by.  Not after what we already know that…

Charlie Francis is dead.  Well, that’s in a very technical sense.  Now, I understand what everybody’s trying to say: Charlie’s dead, but Kirk Acevedo is not leaving, and instead has become this shape-shifting monster.  Livy, it seems, really isn’t safe just yet.  This simply means he’ll be on his way out soon, too.  It must be the case, right?

So what exactly is it with the Dunham-Bell meeting?  Of course, we’ll only know what this is about in three weeks’ time, when Walter helps Livy flash back to her encounter on an alternate universe.  But what exactly did they talk about?  My head’s going towards the possibility of that war between actuals (to borrow a Dollhouse term) and alternates that’s been hinted in the past seasons.

Are we fighting all these shape-shifters then?  They want to take over our world or something?  Must be the reason why they want Livy’s meeting with Bellie stopped.  (And the reason why the “delayed car crash”, as I like to put it, looks so freaking cool.)

And perhaps most importantly, does this mean they’ve already crossed over?  I must have missed something from the first season, so refresh me if there’s really something.  But it seems this season, and the next, will focus more on this looming danger rather than last season’s individual cases.  As Peter told Broyles, they’ll now be the ones doing the looking.  Mythology, here we come!

Finally, the off-tangents, because Walter has them.  Rachel told Peter that Livy likes him.  Peter said goodbye to her and was going to kiss her.  Right?  Must be the effect of all that custard talk, which isn’t flan, because it’s French.  But it’s not the French.  Maybe it’s the Greek words that Livy said right after that and, weirdly, Peter’s mom told him before he went to sleep.  “Dad’s already gone then,” he said.

Am I not getting something here?  Was this during Walter’s time at St. Claire’s, or is this a totally different memory Peter’s talking about, since he’s alternate or something?  Is he?

– Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Image courtesy of Fox)

Henrik Batallones

Staff Writer, BuddyTV