This week’s episode of Fringe would have been of value in providing more insight into Walter’s past experimentation, but the episode had a far bigger development with the return of Peter Bishop. Fringe went without Peter just long enough for us to see a time-line where he did not exist as an adult before having him return this week. While often the audience is in the dark with regards to what is going on in genre shows of this nature, we now have a situation where the audience understands far more than the characters on the show, who are bewildered by this mystery person who knows about them.
John Noble discussed his role this season:
It’s just been so amazing to see a completely different Walter. What’s been your favorite version of Walter to play?
Goodness me, I’ve had so many versions of him to play. I think this is number eight! It’s been fun … the thing I’ve liked about this season is it’s given me a chance to establish a relationship with Olivia, Anna Torv‘s character, which I hadn’t really had the chance to before. We’ve had some beautiful scenes together. And, of course, some great stuff with Astrid …People were so worried that Josh Jackson’s Peter would never be “saved.” But now — he’s back!
Josh has not gone anywhere, he never did. What we’ve done is a story plot. We took one of our principle characters and now we brought him back in through a different door.
He also has said (not surprisingly) that Walternate will be back.
Lance Reddick has given some hints as to what to expect now that Peter Bishop is back:
Actor Lance Reddick says that when Peter Bishop returns to the Fringe universe later this season, the series won’t be going back to the status quo of the first three years.
Reddick tells TV Guide that Peter (Joshua Jackson) will reappear after being erased from time, but will remain a stranger to his friends and family.
“It really is as though he never existed,” he says. “So when he shows up claiming all these things and knowing all these things, it’s really freaky.”
Reddick added that his own character Broyles will struggle to trust Peter upon his return. “Broyles’ attitude is that it’s possible what he’s saying is true, but the last place I’m going to go is to believe him, at least at first,” he revealed.
However, he added that Peter will earn “more and more trust” as the season continues. “It has to reach a point where there’s so much validity to the information that he has and the way that he helps, that over time, he’s given… more and more freedom to operate, work and help.”
Here is an extended interview with Matt Smith and Mark Gatiss
Den of Geek has some information from Steven Moffat on the future of Doctor Who:
Firstly, he’s confirmed that Amy and Rory aren’t in this year’s Christmas special, although they will be back in the next series. He’s a little more coy as to the future of River Song, saying, “That’s dependent on Alex Kingston”.
As for the show in 2012, and why it’s being pushed back, Moffat says that, “The truth behind the delay next year is: why are we killing ourselves and risking compromising the show, in order to go out in the middle of summer? I’m sick of it. I’m sick of standing in the blazing sunshine, with a barebecue fork in my hand, knowing that Doctor Who is coming on any minute”.
Seemingly confirming that the show won’t return, post-Christmas special until next autumn, Moffat says that, “Six o’clock on a sunny Saturday is the middle of the afternoon, whereas six o’clock on a winter or autumn Saturday is dark and exciting” (elsewhere in the book, it does imply that some episodes will be screened in 2012, reiterating that 14 episodes will still be produced).
As for the 50th anniversary of the show, Moffat teases that it’ll be “Epic, huge, massive, indulgent… all your treats at once”. He adds that “I guarantee you it’s going to be the best year ever to be a Doctor Who fan. We’re going to be in production for longer than ever, just to do everything that we intend to do”.
Doctor Who was a big winner at the TV Choice Awards on October 12, winning as Best Family Drama. Karen Gillan won as Best Actress. Steven Moffat’s other show, Sherlock, won as Best New Drama.
There was an even bigger Star Trek reunion last week than was billed. Big Bang Theory had the return of Wil Wheaton along with an appearance by Brent Spiner. DC Fontana and David Gerrold were also in the background at Stewart’s party.
Seth McFarlane wants to reboot Star Trek for television. Star Trek always worked best, in terms of storytelling, as a television show as opposed to a movie. McFarlane questions whether Paramount is interested, preferring the big dollars of blockbuster movies, “But I’d love to see that franchise revived for television in the way that it was in the 1990s: very thoughtful, smartly written stories that transcend the science fiction audience.”
SyFy is developing a television series based upon The Adjustment Bureau. I have my doubts as to how this would work as a regular television series as the strength of the movie was seeing a couple manage to beat the Bureau’s plans. It is hard to see that dynamic working for a weekly series, and it remains to be seen if it will work to have a series about the Bureau simply succeeding in various tasks on a weekly basis.
Tricia Helfer of Battlestar Galactica has received the staring role in a TNT drama pilot Scent of the Missing.
There were big changes on Merlin this week.
