In this episode of The Fringe Podcast we share our final thoughts on the series finale of Fringe. We discuss the final scene, the resolution of the characters, our satisfaction with the questions that were answered, and how the story could continue. We also discuss some of the scenes that have caused some fans to be confused such as Windmark’s death and the time reset. This episode also features a final installment of Random Thoughts From Canadia.
We also talk about how the Fringe series finale compares to other shows, the future of Golden Spiral Media, and other shows that we’ll be watching.
During the podcast we mention a Bunsen Burners group on Facebook, and we feature a song from one of our listeners, MaryJ. Here are the links to those items.
Check out the Fringe montage video we showed at our finale party.
I’m Bringing Nerdy Back by MaryJ
Greensleeves by MaryJ
It has been a tremendous pleasure talking about Fringe with you all over the last 5 seasons! THANK YOU for being a part of this community and contributing to the conversation. We hope that you’ll continue to be a part of the Golden Spiral Media community and join in our other projects. We also want to thank Michael Purcell and the great team over at Global Cash Card for their support and allowing us to do some amazing things over the last couple of years!
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Darrell, Clint,
Thanks for taking a great thing, and making it greater. I loved FRINGE, but discovering your show lifted it to another level for me. Listening (and infrequently participating) to The Fringe Podcast has been a real joy these last few years. You guys created a real community, and that’s no easy task – bravo to you and everyone involved. My Downcast app is set to download anything Golden Spiral Media does, and I’m looking forward to whatever that might be! If you’re ever in Michigan, let me know: Lunch is on me!
Warmly,
Tony C
Not sure if I’m the only one, but I can’t see the Podcast in this post.
Your not the only one, I can’t see it either
Sorry everybody. You should be able to see it now.
Thanks !
Thanx, wont be able to listen for a bit now, but looking forward to it.
Hey guys, just listening to the podcast (great job as always). Anyway, Darryl I believe you were saying that the first 4 seasons happen as is, but you cant explain it. Well I completely agree, but I have developed theory to explain it.
Essentially the Observers were a paradox. Before they invaded in 2015, their future was possible. When they invaded, the timeline changed and their future was no longer possible (they did not know this, as they did not account for the boy; they thought by ensuring a 99.999% chance of survival they were in good shape), however in order for thier possible future to be erased, they had to at some point in time (seasons 1-4) have a possible future.
When Walter traveled to 2167 he and the boy became part of this paradox. Like Walter said on the tape, he would cease to exist in 2015, but continue to exist in 2167; he would be there 1 second then gone the next. So everything up to that point (seasons 1-4) remain the same.
FRINGE has told us that the Observers are from a possible future. So until this possible future is 100% erased (see season 5), they would continue to exist outside of time. The key is that it is a possible future, not the future. If FRINGE had not established the possible future avenue, then my theory would not be plausible at all.
Hope that helps. I know you guys probably already have the feedback podcast done so no worries there, but I would like to know what you and Clint think of this theory. Either leave me a comment or send me an email.
Again, love the podcast. And thanx for all your hard work.
Wonderful job on the podcast! I wholeheartedly agree with Brandon who said the podcast at times outshone episodes of Fringe! You guys always saved the show for me!
As to the reset…..I guess they reset to the park to add a nice bow to the show. By resetting to the park, they basically broadcast all season where the show would end. But I am kind of bothered by it resetting there and not to let’s say one of the first times the Observers show up. (Remember the old photos that Broyles shows Olivia, that had an Observer in them?)
I thought the show should end with a reset to an earlier time that shows the lack of Observers. The reason that I think the Observers would have been written completely out of history, is that Michael and Walter went forward in time to change the mind of the doctor that creates the Observers, by showing him a different outcome potential….Michael.
So if they doctor never creates the Observers….none of the “month” Observers ever come back in time to scope out the best time for a takeover. Thus September never existed. That is why Walter and Michael are paradoxes in the time that they go forward to. Because in reality, there should be no way they are their either.
And if the Observers never existed, there was never anyone to disturb “Alter-Walter” as he looked for a cure young Peter.
I think a more appropriate ending would have been flashing back to Young Walter looking through his “alter-universe” window at the other Walter….and smiling, as he was crying, knowing that somewhere, in some other universe Peter would be alive and well…
Thanks again for the wonderful 5 years. You two set the bar high on
the art of podcasting!
…Patty’s feedback at the end of the podcast made me cry! Thanks Patty!
just left work and started listening to the podcast, and I’m with Clint’s wife about the Fringe finale making the show better than LOST. That is a massively profound statement, (for me anyway) but she is right!!
on with the podcast….
(i think I’ll be dragging this one out for some reason) 🙁
Everything through seasons 1-4 definitely happened as we saw them (including the possible future that Peter’s consciousness was brought to and then popped back from)… The reson it HAS to be this way is that for there to even be a PLAN to defeat the Observers, they had to have existed through that time. Without the Observers to defeat, there would be no plan.
So much like season 5 HAD to happen for it to NOT happen, seasons 1-4 had to happen for there to be a plan to change the future. …
From the moment Walter and September had the “They are coming” exchange to the point where Walter solidified (and put into motion) his plan, the proverbial coin was still up in the air. The coin landed in 2015, but it wasn’t until the plan played out and WORKED (this time around) that the outcome of head or tails (success or failure) was realized. (when Walter took the boy into the future)
According to one of Schrodinger’s principles, the coin is no longer in the air (providing two possible outcomes), but the outcome has not yet fully been observed/realized. The outcome EXISTS, but not solid. Once the hand is removed from over the coin, then the outcome is known and that’s when it is solidified as fact.
Between 2015 and 2036 (through the last iteration we saw), the hand was covering the coin obscuring the outcome.
It’s a paradox, but it HAS to be for it to work. The season 3-4 “reset” with the future shown in the machine and the removal of Peter was merely preparing us for what was to come at the end.
Person of Interest, guys!
There’s a lack of quality podcasts about it, and you’d do a good job. Consider it please 🙂
Thanks so much for your honest work in The Fringe Podcast 😉
When Walter and Michael went to the future that did not mean that no Observers were created. January through December could still have been created for their scientific purpose of observing. The scientists of the future could still have created the race of Observers, but with the emotions that guys like Windmark did not have. They could have created Observers to be like Michael. And that could be the reason for no invasion; not that they don’t exist, but that they didn’t ruin their world and thus had no reason to invade the past.
Doing a Liberty and Enemy of Fate rewatch today, I realised Peter and Olivia were going for the ‘cube’ and I’m not sure they knew Broyles was there too. So it looks less like the Fringe Freakshow occured as a rescue attempt and more to further the plan.
It’s possible someone else remarked on this already. But I just got it.