Fringe: Review: Season 4 Ep 6

Fox, 11 November

Could Peter’s return be the cause of a series of city-wide time warps?

The loss of relationships is at the centre of And Those We Left Behind. As Peter finds his relationship with Walter non-existent, so electrician Raymond (guest star Stephen Root) uses time travel technology to re-establish a connection with his Alzheimer’s suffering wife. She was a physics professor, so his aim is to get her to finish an equation that will allow them to be together in a stabilised time bubble. Interestingly, Root’s real-life wife Romy Rosemont played his on screen spouse.

It’s a neat thematic connection, with Root’s character mirroring Walter’s consternation at the claims of Peter to be an alternative grown-up version of his long-dead son. Neither man is being deliberately difficult (Raymond doesn’t realise the negative effects of his actions, while Walter can’t see the effect his coldness has on Peter), but both are so self-absorbed that others suffer around them without their noticing.

Left behind in this is Olivia and her relationship with Peter, which is hinted at but not really explored in any depth. Over the past two incidents, Peter has at least proved his worth to Fringe division so his expression of his desire to get back to his own timeline might give Broyles pause for thought…

Verdict: A step up from recent episodes, more like the Fringe we know, but the re-set relationships are still a bit annoying.

Episode 6 ‘And Those We Left Behind’: 8/10

Brian J. Robb