Fringe

[seriousfic]

So, most of the way through the first season, I gotta ask... is there any point to Peter Bishop's character? I know he has a feud with the Godfather or something -- because that's more interesting than alternate universes and psychic powers, small-time crime -- and there's hints he was experimented on as a kid -- who hasn't in this series? -- but he seems so very... Central Casting.

I understand why he's there, and hey, I've got nothing against UST, snarkiness, and daddy issues, but... damn. Either the screenwriters fall asleep when it comes to his lines or he just doesn't have good comedic timing, because every other line seems to be reacting to something Walter said with a variation of "Wow, that sure is odd!", only in a sarcastic sort of way. (So, basically, he's putting a punchline on a punchline. The character is like a walking, talking APPLAUSE sign.) Now, if you've ever read anything I've written, you know I have nothing against snark -- hell, House is pretty much ER with a gimpy British man talking shit -- but damn, can we at least give him a wacky catchphrase or something?

OLIVIA: What's that smell? I bet it's delicious!

WALTER: Fried monkey brains.

PETER: (turning to audience) That's so Walter!

And the whole thing with Olivia... anyone else a bit bored when two characters who are both confident, single, and (presumably) lacking in sexual hang-ups can't just say "Hey, I like you, we should go out sometime"? That's what I liked about LotS, Richard and Kahlan admitted they liked each other and started in on a relationship in pretty short order.

Maybe the show would work better if Olivia were Walter's daughter. Cut out the middleman, as they say. That would mean the supporting cast would consist entirely of boring FBI agents, but at least it would spare us Olivia Dunham: Nine-Year-Old Gunslinger (come on, it's silly).

Comments

[devmackie.livejournal.com]

I was with you until the Nine-Year-Old Gunslinger comment. As I tweeted to FringeOnFox recently, ep 1x06 is what converted me from run-of-the-mill fan o' Olivia to diehard fanatic. However, because I don't know exactly where you are in the season, I won't say anymore about my reasons for accepting the plausibility of that event.

Now: YES! about Peter. It just so happens I was chatting with co-worker about this very thing not 2 days ago. Peter, esp. in S1, was written as a foil for both Walter and Olivia. Not saying the writing was hot, but Jackson did nothing with it. I still don't care for Peter to this very day.

On O/P shipping: I didn't see any romantic chemistry between them in S1. *shrug* Even when the writers started going there more forcefully, both Anna Torv and Joshua Jackson were still thinking about and playing (trying to play) the two as pseudo-family. In fact, all three actors (incl. Noble) were pretty frank about that (since they had to respond to the inevitable 'boy and girl onscreen means get in bed right now, yes/yes' fandom stuff). I sorta think they got tired of reminding people that Olivia was getting over the death of her lover.

OK, shutting up now. :)

[alcimines.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Peter's not that interesting in the first season. Essentially, his role is better filled by both Olivia and Walter. However, I think you'll see Peter become more interesting in subsequent seasons.

Actually, the character they never seem to do much with is Astrid.

[oonaseckar.livejournal.com]

I find him mysteriously hot. I don't mean he's mysterious. I mean it's a fucking mystery to me and I can't explain it, especially considering Dawson's Creek.

[mcity.livejournal.com]

At some point, he both a)pretty much stops pointing out how weird whatever they're investigating that week is, and b)given a proper character arc.

And it turns out Olivia has a lot of hangups. Her last boyfriend died horribly in front of her, and she spent a while with his ghost in her head. A lot of people criticized Anna Torv's acting for the first two seasons, until we learned that it was the character who was stiff and restrained, not the actress. That's about all I can say without spoilers.

[cleo]

There's much more of a point to Peter in the subsequent seasons, as someone above me mentioned.

And to echo someone else above me, lol, I wish they'd do more with Astrid.