Fringe season 4 episode 17 review: Everything In Its Right Place

This review contains spoilers.

4.17 Everything In Its Right Place

Having rubbed me entirely the wrong way recently, Fringe bounced back with a main plot story that mixed all the right elements in almost perfect proportions. This Lincoln Lee-centric narrative was the pay-off for having to endure him grinding his teeth for numerous episodes through the blossoming happiness of Peter and Olivia. Sometimes the joy of others is more than some around them can stomach, or so it appears.

When the show is based in the other dimension it always seems more interesting, and Everything In Its Right Place was significantly more engaging a yarn than we’ve experienced of late on Fringe.

It started out as Lincoln Lee’s day off, and then as the story progressed the symmetry of him being in the other dimension where there’s an Olivia he can have quickly became apparent. The only problem was his alternate, and from about a third of the way in I was convinced that position of Captain Lee would become magically vacant, and it eventually did.

A slightly fascinating subplot to the story was the notion of nature and nurture, in respect that both Lincolns had identical upbringings but became different people. The notion put forward in the story is that personal choice plays an important part, and the alternate Lincoln made a choice to be the way he was, while his counterpart didn’t. I’m not sure if this is something that’s going to be critical going forward, or just another curiosity of parallel universes.

The tease this week was the vulnerability of the  alternate (or shapeshifter) Broyles, who is becoming increasingly exposed. It’s only a matter of time before Altrid calculates that he’s the only person that could be undermining their operation, and he’s smart enough to work that one out in advance too.

As for the shape shifters, this plot point turns yet another corner to introduce yet another type of them, is this the third or the fourth iteration?

Because I’ve watched this show from the outset, what makes anyone think that the capture of the Alternina isn’t part of some dastardly Dr Jones plan, to get to the very heart of the Fringe division in both universes? Nothing is as it seems, or very rarely, I’d suggest, and that goes triple for anything Nina-related.

So what was wrong with this story? Not much, except it was incredibly Walter-light, which is never a good thing even if he didn’t have much to contribute to the story. I can see from my information that they’ll address this in the next episode, which focuses on both versions of Walter and how they need to work together to solve a case. There wasn’t much Peter either, but then we’ve had plenty of him for most of season 4.

There are five episodes now until the season ends, and no confirmation positive or otherwise about the return of the show. So it would be best to assume that the aim from this point is to pull all the narrative threads together in preparation to finish on May 11th.

I’m hoping that a recent firming of the Friday viewing figures (and poor Alcatraz numbers) means that Fringe might return, but trying to apply logic to the choices made by Fox TV is like trying to nail shaving foam to a wall. I just hope those on the show know either way, so we’re not left with a cliffhanger and no resolution.