Technorama

In season 3, episode 18 we’re taken back “over there” to the other universe. The show begins with Olivia and her mom talking about her pregnancy (remember, Peter is the father – before she came back over?) We get some insight to the fact that her family has a genetic abnormality called BPE that puts the baby and the mother at risk. (We find out later that she is, in fact a carrier.) Olivia discusses the option of abortion since either the mother or baby usually die during childbirth in cases of BPE. Just after her mom drops her off at her apartment, Olivia is abducted.

She’s taken to some kind of make-shift operating room where masked people take a sample of her amniotic fluid (or so we think) and set up a live 3D ultrasound scan while she is heavily sedated.

Her fellow agents suspect this is an inside job because of the tracker technology used and how they knew about it. They track down the cab driver who helped “our” Olivia get away and she mentions something that tips off Charlie and Lee. They figure out that the cab driver knows too many details to be making up stories about another universe. They return to talk to “Walternate” to verify the story. Walternate explains the situation (noting that it was classified) and that she is pregnant for his grandchild and offers Lee access to the files to get her back.

Meanwhile back at the “clinic” Olivia defies attempts to be sedated (pills? really!) Suddenly she’s wracked by pain as we see (supposedly) the baby moving inside her. BUT… at the beginning of the show we’re told that she’s only in her first trimester. A commercial break later and it looks like the “bun in the oven” has risen to full term. She’s wheeled to another location in this ad hoc hospital to prepare for delivery. She tells the nurse that she has BPE and tries to play to the nurse’s emotions, but it doesn’t work.

Lee and Charlie tell Astrid of the situation and she starts searching for anyone who may have had access to her records. Olivia’s mom comes in to tell them “there’s no way she can have the baby.”

Olivia fights her way out of the institution to find herself running around China town, in the rain, wearing not much more than a hospital gown – oh, and VERY pregnant. She manages to find a payphone and call Agent Lee. She’s interrupted as her pursuers approach. The cab driver (Henry) offers to help Lincoln while her goes in to severe labor. While en route Charlie informs Lincoln that she won’t make it through delivery. Henry and Lincoln arrive in time and while in delivery Lincoln states that he loves Olivia. She makes him promise that he’ll stay with the baby. Just as the baby is born, there is a dramatic moment (OK, I won’t spoil that one for you.) Just as the medical crew arrives, we see the (bad guy’s) nurse looking through the window and walk off set.

During the closing segment Walternate thanks Lincoln for his help as he passes by them at the hospital. He and Charlie aren’t happy about Walternate’s deception about the Olivia swap and begin to question Walternate’s motives and integrity. There are other suspicious characters from earlier in the show lurking around (including a certain bald man) – so we know this story is far from over. And of course, the writers always throw one more twist that you didn’t see coming just to make you say “YOU BASTARDS!”

Editor’s note: You want my guess? The abductees wanted the baby to power the machine since they can’t have Peter. But that’s just me. And yes, I got misty when the baby was born, but that’s because I’m a parent and a softie.

Footnote: In case you haven’t heard, Fringe has been renewed for another season! HURRAY! We’ll keep you posted. There are only 4 shows left in the season – the next one is April 15th. See you then!

Rating: 10/10

Every week I groan a little louder that Stargate Universe has been canceled. “THOSE MORONS!” (Oh, sorry). And every week the show gets a better.

This week’s show “Alliances” was no exception. The storyline: From last week’s failed attempt to dial Earth (and subsequent wrinkle in time), Homeworld Command Senator Michaels and Dr. Andrew Covel, a former colleague of Dr. Rush’s, to check on things aboard Destiny. Using the stones, they swap with Camille and Greer. Greer is the only crew member who has not been to Earth (using the stones) and is reluctant to do so.

While the Dr. and Senator get a tour of the ship and formulate the feasibility of another Icarus station, Greer and Camille are given a harsh greeting, requiring security codes, because Homeworld Security is on high alert from a Lucian Alliance attack – which comes fairly quickly as a ship crashes in to the headquarters. While many get out (including Col. Tellford – now back on Earth), Greer and Camille are trapped inside and Greer has a broken leg.

Tellford informs the two that it was a cargo ship and wasn’t your typical ship used for this kind of 9/11 style attack. They believe there is an unexploded bomb on board. Facing no way out and increasing radiation from what they believe is the bomb, they go towards the source of danger, with another survivor to try and disarm the bomb.

Greer tries to put on a brave face and Camille tries to use her expertise to break through and find out why he is always “go go go” while Greer criticizes that she spends too much time thinking. The two are at odds, but realize what needs to be done. On their way, the connection is interrupted and they only have a few seconds to relay the situation back to Destiny. While on Earth, Dr. Covel realizes the recently found Geiger counter is registering high levels of radiation on “his” body before his is ripped back to Destiny via the stones when the connection is re-established. It’s about this time that the third survivor pulls a knife on Camille and ends up getting shot by Greer (I won’t tell you why.)

Varro, one of the Lucian soldiers on board Destiny, informs Col. Young that he knows how to defuse that type of bomb. The crew has no choice but to believe him but faces a problem because the radiation is interfering with the ability to break the stone’s connection at will. They figure out a risky way to do it, but (of course) it could cause more damage to the ship. Interestingly enough, Dr. Covel criticizes Young for not playing nice with Destiny and bringing it to the brink of destruction. The Senator and Covel also rip on them for not retrieving any logs from the other Destiny to find out what really happened.

Camille and Greer reach the bomb, get partial instructions to disarm it when the connection is broken, but don’t want to risk anything without complete information so they decide to wait it out while having a touching moment about their differences.

Meanwhile back on board Destiny, Rush discovers that Covel sabotaged the stones so they couldn’t go back because he didn’t want to face dying of lethal radiation poisoning. They resolve that, send Covel and Michaels back after giving them full instructions to disarm the bomb and we’re left with Greer and Camille on the observation deck as Greer confides in Camille that he never got to tell his Mom (who didn’t want him to join the military in the first place) everything that he wanted as we finally see him break down and cry. Camille said “She’s your mother, she knows.”

I absolutely LOVE where the writers are taking the characters. They (Rush and Young, Camille and Greer, etc) seem to be recognizing the situation they are in and bridging those differences. I suspect we’ll still see some hidden agendas and manipulations toward the end of the show. I half expected to lose a regular character or two on this episode since it’s been canceled anyway – why not cross the line?

Rating: 10/10