Blueaeryn's World
It is a true testament to the outstanding work by Anna Torv in season three of Fringe that I can completely adore Olivia Dunham, express great hatred for Alt-Olivia and they are both played by the same person. The subtle differences, the way Anna plays Alt-Olivia so cocky and self-assured is so different from our Olivia, who is a total bad-ass, but at times lacks self-assurance.
ANNA TORV DESERVES AN EMMY!!
As I am setting up my Fringe re-watch, I am in season one, I find it interesting that this episode Brown Betty, just seems to fit flawlessly in season two. Plus, there are two great things I like about it.
1. We get to hear Anna Torv sing
2. Walter’s story to young Ella that created “Brown Betty” storyline was referenced in the season 3 finale. In the Brown Betty finale, Ella said Walter had to change the ending because a story deserves a happy ending. In the season three finale, adult Ella shows how the world has jaded her by saying there are no happy endings.
Why do some fans have to pit Olivia against Peter? I have been reading some Fringe forums and there are some people who are constantly pitting Peter against Olivia or vis versa. I don’t get it.
I have always seen Peter and Olivia as kind of two halves of the same person. They were both, in one way or another, directly effected by the experiments Walter did and have had to live with the consequences the rest of their lives. They really are the yin and yang of each other.
Not to mention how they tend to bring out the best in each other. There are so many times they can’t do something without the other. Olivia tapping her powers only when Peter is near her and how Olivia helped Peter with the machine.
I just don’t get some fans seeing them at odds with each other, taking something away from each other. I think, after overcoming the drama, they have formed a loving, caring mature bond with each other.
Not to mention the two characters seemed to have instant chemistry from the first minute we saw them together in the pilot.
More observations on my Fringe re-watch. This scene from season one, episode six, was kind of game-changer for me regarding Olivia. I love big reveals on a character’s past - showing how their past creates them.
But the best part is the beginning, after Olivia tells Peter she is sorry for being so short with him.
“I had a stepfather….” (And she kind of cocks her head like, wait for it, I am about to tell you what a bastard he is. The typical cliche step-father.
And it was our first true look into Olivia’s psyche and you could see Anna Torv finding her way into Olivia herself.
A season one of a series is all about finding their way and erecting and creating stories and back-stories about the characters.
In the season one episode “The Safe” Peter can’t believe Olivia has never had a best friend. She tells him her nick-name in boarding school was Han, because she preferred being on her own.
However, in a later episode, Olivia contradicts herself. As Olivia is showing Peter how she can count cards, she tells him she has an insane ability of remembering numbers. She rattles off the license plate number of her best friend’s car.
OOPS
Stoked I finally earned Olivia sticker on GetGlue
