I’ve been meaning to blog about the TV show Fringe in a little over a week, after the season finale, so that if anyone is interested in trying out the show they’d have the summer to catch up (rather than being exposed to all the season-finale spoilers that are about to be broadcast), but I just discovered this nifty share thingie on hulu, and since the episodes are available there for a limited time, I thought I’d share this one particular moment with you.
The moment features Dr. Walter Bishop, one of the lead characters, and the who often gets the best, or at least the funniest, character moments on the show.
Here’s what you need to know for the clip, and below the fold I’ll tell you what I like about it.
Walter is a brilliant scientist.
Years ago he arrogantly conducted nature-defying experiments that led to tragedy and resulted in him being put in a mental hospital.
Back then, when he was playing God, he didn’t believe in God. Now he does.
He is a humbled man trying to make amends for his past, despite the fact that he often can’t remember the details of what he has done.
Most of the time he is sweet, childlike, humorous, and caring. He also is in need of constant adult supervision.
In this clip we find him trying to cope with the real world–on his own–for the first time in twenty years.
NOTE: This doesn’t seem to work for people outside the U.S. due to copyright issues.
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I like this clip because of the humor. “Death! Delicious . . . strawberry . . . -flavored death!” (after which he slams it into his cart, apparently intending to buy it anyway). LOL! Must. Use. Line. In. Future!
But I also like it because it shows the versatility and vulnerability of Walter’s character. He’s not a one-note character. Just count the different emotional tones he hits during in this two-and-a-half-minute sequence.
John Nobel, the Australian actor who plays Walter, has been suggested as a potential honoree for an acting Emmy, though those awards usually shun sci-fi.
I don’t know about the mechanics of such awards, but I certainly enjoy his performance of the character.
So anyway: Walter. One of the reasons I enjoy Fringe.
Nobel also played the Steward of Gondor in the LOTR movies.
This show looks fantastic. I’ve complained alot about TV, recently. Maybe I’m just watching the wrong stuff. I don’t plan my viewing, but just flop down with the remote now and then, and seldom find anything worth watching.
Anyway, great clip. Thanks!
Sounds interesting, but instead of the video I see this message from Hulu:
“We’re sorry, currently our video library can only be streamed within the united states. … ”
I love this show.. good sci-fi never does well in the mainstream though.. it seems that it’s going to be cancelled 🙁 http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/14/chuck-is-safe-on-nbc-fox-renews-lie-to-me-human-target/
Frederick, you’ll be relieved to know that Fringe was renewed for a full third season on March 6.
-Angry Canadian shakes fist-
When the robot revolution comes those nazis at hulu will be the first with their backs up against the wall!!111!!
was one of my favorites as well
I tried to get into Fringe and I just thought it was lame. I’d rather watch old X-Files.
My wife and I have a friend who uses Fringe as a way to unwind after her weekly hour of Eucharistic Adoration. 🙂
Twenty years? But that doesn’t make any sense. They had Pop-Tarts in the 1990’s. Heck, they had Pop-Tarts when that actor was born. So even if you had severe memory problems, why would you freak out? Okay, they probably would have used normal corn syrup instead of high fructose corn syrup, but that’s about it.
If somebody were going to freak out, you’d think it would be the wasabi and soy flavored nuts that would do it. “Why am I in Tokyo? And why is everything in English???”
I don’t understand what you are trying to say Maureen. He freaked out because he recognized potasium bromide as a carcinogenic compound being used as a preservative in a commonly consumed product. In fact PB used to be common in bread products about a decade ago, but is no longer used because people found out that it was carcinogenic. The show is based on a true story it seems.
It’s the degree of his reaction that people don’t seem to understand — society tends to think that certain behavior needs to be medicated. In fact there are quite a few briliant excentrics in the history of science that probably would be recieved the same way by contemporary society.
I love Fringe. My wife thinks its just another X-Files.
I never saw the alternate Walter coming. Kudos for the twist.