In Absentia (Fringe)

Last updated
"In Absentia"
Fringe episode
Episode no.Season 5
Episode 2
Directed by Jeannot Szwarc
Written by J. H. Wyman
David Fury
Production code3X7502
Original air dateOctober 5, 2012 (2012-10-05)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
 Previous
"Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11"
Next 
"The Recordist"
Fringe season 5
List of episodes

"In Absentia" is the second episode of the fifth and final season of the American Fox science fiction/drama television series Fringe , and the show's 89th episode overall. The episode aired in the United States on October 5, 2012. [1]

Contents

It was co-written by J.H. Wyman and David Fury, while being directed by Jeannot Szwarc.

Plot

Walter (John Noble) attempts to use the Transilience-Thought Unifier to relocate the fragmented plan to defeat the Observers within his brain, but fails to do anything productive. Olivia (Anna Torv), reminded of Walter's past, contemplates whether he may have written the plan down. The Fringe team considers breaking into Walter's old lab at Harvard, which has been taken over as an Observer base. Using old service tunnels to avoid detection, they arrive at the lab, finding half of it encased in amber. Walter spots a video camera embedded at the epicenter of the amber encasement, and suspects that he has recorded the plan on it. They work to assemble a laser to cut out the camera from spare lab parts, but know they will likely need power from the science building.

Etta (Georgina Haig) captures a passing human Loyalist guard, Gael Manfretti (Eric Lange), before they are detected, and offers to interrogate him in the back office to get intel on the science building. In private, she uses an Observer device called an "Angel Device," which was co-opted by the human resistance groups. When Manfretti refuses to give up information, the device ages him several years. Olivia discovers and condemns this, and while Etta takes a break, is able to convince Manfretti, who believes that he will not survive, to cooperate after agreeing to tell his son his fate. Manfretti explains about the access codes to the science building that requires an optical scan, but Etta's torture has caused him to age so much that his presence would arouse suspicion. Walter is able to transfer Manfretti's iris patterns to old pig eyes, and Peter (Joshua Jackson) and Etta, disguised as human Loyalists, infiltrate the building. As they go to activate the power, they pass several labs where the Observers are performing experiments on humans, including keeping Etta's former partner Simon's severed head alive. Peter stops Etta from making a scene before they can complete the mission. They successfully restore the power and return to the lab. Meanwhile, Olivia talks to Manfretti and learns that Loyalists like himself believe that their world would be better if they simply gave in to the Observers, himself having volunteered to protect his family.

As Walter and Astrid (Jasika Nicole) start to free the camera with the laser, Etta prepares to transport Manfretti to her resistance group, assuring Olivia that the guard was lying to get her sympathy. Before he is taken away, Manfretti passes Olivia an address. Instead of taking him to the Resistance base, Etta takes Manfretti to the countryside, and after confirming that he was lying about having a son, allows him to run. Before he flees, Manfretti notes he now plans to fight for the resistance, having seen the hope and determination in Olivia's eyes; Etta also said that her change of heart was from seeing pity for the world from Olivia.

Back at Harvard, the Fringe team successfully retrieves the camera and watches the tape. On it, Walter has instructed the viewer to find and follow the instructions on a series of tapes he has hidden to reveal the plan to rid the world of the Observers, before he ambers the lab.

Production

"In Absentia" was co-written by co-executive producer David Fury and executive producer J.H. Wyman, while being directed by Smallville veteran Jeannot Szwarc. [2]

Reception

Ratings

"In Absentia" first aired in the United States on October 5, 2012. An estimated 2.98 million viewers watched the episode, and earned a ratings share of 1.0 among adults aged 18 to 49, to rank third in its timeslot. [3] The episode was down in viewership from the previous episode. [4]

Reviews

Ramsey Isler of IGN gave the episode a highly positive review, noting the episode had strong themes and great character moments. He awarded the episode an 8.6 out of 10. [5] The A.V. Club's Noel Murray also gave it positive review, by giving it an "A−" grade. He noted the episode gave a clear indication of what the final season will be, and enjoyed the episodic strengths of the episode among the serialized storylines of the season. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Fringe</i> (TV series) 2008–13 American science fiction television series

Fringe is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci. It premiered on the Fox television network on September 9, 2008, and concluded on January 18, 2013, after five seasons comprising 100 episodes. An FBI agent, Olivia Dunham ; a genius but dysfunctional scientist, Walter Bishop ; and his son with a troubled past, Peter Bishop, are all members of a newly formed Fringe Division in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the team uses fringe science to investigate a series of unexplained and often ghastly occurrences which are related to a parallel universe.

Walter Bishop (<i>Fringe</i>) Fictional character

Walter Harold Bishop, Ph.D. is a fictional character on the Fox television series Fringe. He is portrayed by John Noble. Noble also plays Walter's counterpart in the show's parallel universe, who is referred to in the show as Walternate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Bishop</span> Fictional character

Peter Bishop is a fictional character of the Fox television series Fringe. He is portrayed by Joshua Jackson.

<i>Fringe</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of the American science fiction television series Fringe began airing on the Fox network on September 23, 2010, and concluded on May 6, 2011. Twenty-two episodes long, the season was produced by Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, and its showrunners were Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman. Lead actors Anna Torv, John Noble, and Joshua Jackson reprised their roles as FBI agent Olivia Dunham and the father-son duo Walter and Peter Bishop. Previous series regulars Lance Reddick, Jasika Nicole, and Blair Brown also returned, along with recurring guest stars Kirk Acevedo, Seth Gabel, and Ryan McDonald.

Fringe is an American science fiction drama television series originally broadcast from 2008 to 2013. The show, created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci, revolves around the fictional Fringe Division, a congressionally funded federal law enforcement task force, staffed primarily by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security personnel. The task force is responsible for investigating crimes and phenomena related to fringe science and the individuals and conspiratorial organizations that perpetrate those acts. During the five-season series, the mythology and backstory of the show expanded across a broad spectrum of recurring themes, locations, and characters to serialize story arcs and intricately link early episodes with later ones.

<i>Fringe</i> season 4 Season of television series

The fourth season of the American science fiction television series Fringe premiered on Fox on September 23, 2011, and concluded on May 11, 2012, consisting of 22 episodes. The series is produced by Bad Robot in association with Warner Bros. Television, and its showrunners were Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman. The show was officially renewed for a fourth season on March 24, 2011. Lead actors Anna Torv, John Noble, and Joshua Jackson reprised their roles as FBI agent Olivia Dunham and the father-son duo Walter and Peter Bishop. Previous series regulars Lance Reddick, Jasika Nicole, and Blair Brown also returned. Previous recurring guest star Seth Gabel was promoted to series regular. Prominent guest star Leonard Nimoy and first season guest star Jared Harris reprised their roles in the alternate timeline storyline. Former main cast member and previous recurring guest star Kirk Acevedo, however, did not reprise his role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Back to Where You've Never Been</span> 8th episode of the 4th season of Fringe

"Back to Where You've Never Been" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of the Fox science-fiction drama television series Fringe, and the series' 73rd episode overall.

"Letters of Transit" is the nineteenth episode of the fourth season of the Fox science-fiction drama television series, Fringe, and the series' 84th episode overall. It is set in the future, where the Observers have taken control of human society. In 2036, two FBI agents fight to free their world of the Observers by finding the amber-encased bodies of the original Fringe team. The episode's premise is subsequently built upon as the key setting of the show's fifth and final season.

<i>Fringe</i> season 5 Season of television series

The fifth and final season of the American Fox science fiction television series Fringe premiered on September 28, 2012, and concluded on January 18, 2013. The series is produced by Bad Robot in association with Warner Bros. Television. The show was officially renewed for a 13-episode fifth season on April 26, 2012. The fifth season was released on DVD and Blu-ray in region 1 on May 7, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11</span> 1st episode of the 5th season of Fringe

"Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11" is the first episode of the fifth season of the American Fox science-fiction/drama television series Fringe, and the show's 88th episode overall. The episode premiered in the United States on September 28, 2012.

"The Recordist" is the third episode of the fifth and final season of the American Fox science fiction/drama television series Fringe, and the show's 90th episode overall. The episode aired in the United States on October 12, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There</span> 6th episode of the 5th season of Fringe

"Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There" is the sixth episode of the fifth season of the Fox science-fiction/drama television series Fringe, and the 93rd episode overall.

"The Bullet That Saved the World" is the fourth episode of the fifth season of the Fox science fiction/drama television series Fringe, and the 91st episode overall.

"An Origin Story" is the fifth episode of the fifth season of the Fox science-fiction/drama television series Fringe, and the 92nd episode overall.

"Five-Twenty-Ten" is the seventh episode of the fifth season of the American Fox science-fiction/drama television series Fringe, and the show's 94th episode overall. The episode premiered in the United States on November 16, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">An Enemy of Fate</span> 13th episode of the 5th season of Fringe

"An Enemy of Fate" is the series finale of the American Fox science fiction/drama television series Fringe. It is episode 13 of season 5 and the 100th episode overall. It aired, along with the penultimate episode, "Liberty", in the United States on January 18, 2013. The final two episodes were simulcast in the UK and Ireland on Sky1 and in Spain in Canal+.

"The Human Kind" is the eighth episode of the fifth season of the Fox science-fiction/drama television series Fringe, and the show's 95th episode overall.

"Anomaly XB-6783746" is the tenth episode of the fifth season of the Fox science-fiction/drama television series Fringe, and the show's 97th episode overall.

"The Boy Must Live" is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of the Fox science-fiction/drama television series Fringe, and the show's 98th episode overall.

References

  1. "Shows A-Z - fringe on fox". The Futon Critic. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  2. Fury, David (May 31, 2012). "Hannibal ep 4 script turned in just in time to begin Fringe script 502 tomorrow. I could use a nap". Twitter . Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  3. Kondolojy, Amanda (October 8, 2012). "Friday Final TV Ratings: 'Shark Tank' Adjusted Up, No Adjustments for 'Grimm', 'Fringe' or 'Made in Jersey'". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  4. Bibel, Sara (October 1, 2012). "Friday Final TV Ratings: '20/20' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers . Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  5. Isler, Ramsey (October 5, 2012). "Fringe: "In Absentia" Review". IGN . Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  6. Murray, Noel (October 5, 2012). ""In Absentia" S5 / E2". The A.V. Club . Retrieved October 6, 2012.