SpaceGypsies

There is just something about Fringe that makes me fangirl like a complete loon. I’m not sure there are enough words in the whole English dictionary for me to describe the feeling I get when I watch it. Let me put it this way, not since Stargate SG-1 has a show captivated me in a way that Fringe does.

Last night, the season four finale aired; it was the second part of the continuation. For me to properly explain all my thoughts and feelings on the epic ‘Brave New World’ two-parter, I need to take you through the journey that has been the story so far.

If you’re a watcher of this amazing show, then this recap is not for you, well it is if you want to see me try to explain it all in a paragraph or few, which is no easy task (Challenge Accepted). Beware: Spoilers below.

Leads Jackson, Noble and Torv

Fringe is really centred around three main characters, FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham, Doctor Walter Bishop (Australia’s Anna Torv and John Noble) and Peter Bishop (Mighty Ducks star, Joshua Jackson – who has amazing beard scruff).  The work they investigate usually has ties back to the wacky fringe science experiments Walter performed in the late 70s and 80s with William Bell (Star Trek’s Leonard Nimoy), founder of Massive Dynamic – the largest privately owned R&D facility in the world.

In short, Walter is released from a mental institution to help save Agent Dunham’s partner, who was exposed to a cocktail of chemicals that turned his skin completely translucent. This whole thing created a domino effect and led Dunham to be pulled into working for Fringe Division to explain events that could mean the end of the world. Season one is centred on The Pattern and ZFT where David Robert Jones heavily features. We are also introduced to the Observers, who turn up at important points in history. However, their origin and purpose are relatively unknown until season four. Season one finishes with William Bell taking Olivia across to another universe – the ‘Red’ universe (ours is Blue – it helps to differentiate during the episodes).

During season two we learn that Peter is not actually ‘our’ Peter (he was taken from the other side as a boy) and Olivia discovers

William Bell (Nimoy) and Walter Bishop

more about the experiments that Walter and William performed on her when she was a child living down in Jacksonville, Florida. Did I forget to mention that in the previous paragraph? Whoops. Anyway, Olivia is special; she was given ‘Cortexiphan’ – a drug that enhances innate mental abilities. Due to the Cortexiphan, Olivia has a gift that Walter wanted to exploit – she can cross over to the other universe.  So anyway, back to the story. Basically, Peter felt betrayed and decided to join his real father back on the other side. However, Walternate wasn’t the man Peter thought he was and so, with help from other Cortexiphan subjects, Olivia crossed over with Walter and William Bell to bring Peter back. Only the main trio manage to return safely home, or do they?

Season three is a story about both of the universes, so you got to see the similarities and differences between the two worlds – they didn’t have coffee; could you imagine that? I’d die! I don’t want to give too much away because season three is quite awesome, but lets just say, the Olivias are a little bit different; one of them has an ‘evil vagenda’.  The season focuses on finding and building a machine that has the ability to destroy universes, to which somehow Peter and Olivia are the keys. The two universes are basically on the brink of war with one another and it is up to Peter to save them; only a trip to the future gave him the idea of how.

September (Michael Cerveris)

So finally, season four… I don’t know how to explain this season. It brought the story from season one full circle to an ‘end’ of sorts… in a Fringe way of course. The central storyline was the creation of a new universe and the destruction of the other two. Unknown to anyone was the bankroller for the idea. Season four started out with Peter having been wiped from existence and therefore, the timeline had changed, almost drastically in some instances. He was the lynchpin. Without giving away the whole story, Peter eventually found his way back into existence, but no one knew who he was. Memories of the past were lost. The key line of the season, which explains pretty much everything, was said to Olivia by one of the Observers, September: “In every version of the future, you have to die.” After the finale, the line finally makes sense. And let me tell you one thing, the William Bell of this world is like ‘Alternate Universe Spock’ – he just didn’t have his goatee.

I love storylines, and Fringe has one of the best storylines I have ever followed. For those of you who know me, that’s not the only thing I love about television shows… I am a major shipper. In this show, it is no exception. The thing is, the writers don’t jerk you around with following a couple, oh no, Peter and Olivia have been together on and off since the end of season two. I can’t tell you why they were ‘off’, but one thing is for sure, Peter and Olivia are forever destined to be together. The season four finale just cemented that…

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Last Sunday brought the long awaited and highly anticipated return of the PBS Mystery series Sherlock to the US. Lucky UK fans feasted their eyes on Series Two several months ago. Sherlock is a highly entertaining modernization of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, where Victorian era ideals and technology make way for the 21st century. It can be enjoyed by both fans of the books, previous shows set in the Victorian era, and viewers who have no prior experience with Sherlock Holmes. As someone who grew up watching Jeremy Brett and has recently made a project out of reading the mysteries but is far from actually accomplishing it, I feel I have a mixed perspective on the subject.

WARNING: If you are familiar with the Sherlock Holmes mystery ‘A Scandal in Belgravia’, this review will not entirely spoil the plot for you, nor will it give away the ending, but it will reveal the modern twists that were added in Sherlock. Reader beware!

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For years Stargate fans have known and loved his work. Without him, Stargate may never have become the memorable franchise that it is. Now the man who took the amazing and helped elevate it to the astounding is gone. Composer Joel Goldsmith died yesterday, April 29th, at the age of 54.

Joel composed the music for all 334 episodes of the three series of the Stargate franchise, plus the two SG-1 DVD movies. Joel was the one to take the original Stargate theme by David Arnold and adapt it into the SG-1 theme we all love. He collaborated with his famous father Jerry Goldsmith to create the score for Star Trek: First Contact in 1996. He was nominated for two other Emmy Awards, including his music for the SG-1 Season One episode “The Nox” and the Atlantis Season Two episode “Grace Under Pressure.”

When I saw the news yesterday I was indescribably sad. I never had the opportunity to meet him. I suspect very few fans ever got that chance. The closest I ever came was by ordering a copy of the Stargate Continuum soundtrack from his website, and for a few extra dollars he signed the CD booklet. It has always had a special spot in my collection of memorabilia.

Joel’s work has had an effect on so many fans. How many of us have scrambled to get to the TV as soon as we hear our favorite title theme? How many of us proud geeks can identify each theme that Joel created, from the Goa’uld’s chanting theme to the airy chords of the Ancient’s theme? In the years since Stargate Continuum was released I have often seen fans commenting on how well the first piece, ‘A Day in the SGC’, captures the very essence of the series. If anything more ever comes out of the Stargate franchise, the composer will have a very high standard to strive for.

John Barrowman is truly a force to be reckoned with. His panel was by far one of the most entertaining I have ever seen. A self proclaimed, “Gold Star Gay,” he didn’t hold back. He was also unbelievably gracious with his fans at his autograph table, taking a moment to chat with every person in line. John Barrowman is not only a Gold Star Gay, but an all around Gold Star Guy!

Enjoy!

To following up on my original review and report, there have been some new developments regarding Michael Shanks’ new series, Saving Hope. The date has been set, so everyone should mark their calendars and set reminders to tune in to NBC on June 7th!

But wait, it gets better! The man who swore to fans that he would never join the growing ranks of celebrities (and his own wife) on Twitter has finally gone and done it! The @MichaelShanks profile, previously held by the Michael Shanks Online website team, has been handed over to the man himself! If you have never had the chance to meet Michael I recommend you pull up his Twitter feed, look for the tweet on March 19th when the account was handed over, and read from there. Reading as he fields questions, chats with fans, and interacts with other Stargate names like David Hewlett and James “Bam Bam” Bamford is the next best thing to seeing him at a convention Q&A!

Of course a big reason for Michael’s unexpected tweeting frenzy is to help spread the word for Saving Hope, so make sure you tweet using #savinghope and follow him for pictures from the set and the very latest news! If you haven’t seen the beautiful trailer for saving hope, check it out now!