Post Game TV Recap: FRINGE S2E8: "August"

Wow...now that’s an episode that could potentially change Fringe history.  August is the episode Fringe fans have been waiting for; more information about the Observer(s), a little bit of involvement with Olivia’s family, and the high powered action from the rest of the Fringe crew.

The show begins with an Observer doing what he does best, observing a girl who is seemingly normal.  Instead of following the Observer code to not get involved, this Observer kidnaps the girl, thus eventually saving her from boarding a plane that later crashes, which would have killed her.

The episode leads us to discover that the Observer is not just one person, but instead, a group of different Observers.  It appears that the group exists to observe major events, from the Boston Massacre to the assassination of Franz Ferdinand.  As the employee of Massive Dynamic who is investigating the Observers mentioned, their presence in the past has been sporadic, but within recent months, it has been very active.

It is important to focus on August and the girl who he rescued, Christine.  The Observers make it very clear that if an Observer makes an error, such as becoming involved and changing the future, it must be corrected.  Therefore, the Observers send their everyday seeming assassin after Christine, who should not be alive.  But what makes this girl special?  The Observer, August, as he is referred to in this episode, has been watching her from the time she was young.  As he is dying, he even claims that he fell in love with her.  So what element is most important?  The fact that an Observer fell in love or that this girl is responsible for the death of an Observer?  Either way, Christine has become important to the Observers, just as August did, even in death.

It was entertaining to see everyone struggling to figure out the code of the Observer’s when it is so clear that Walter understands a great majority of it, having past dealings with the Observers himself.  It is apparent that the Observers make Walter uncomfortable, because it’s always in the back of his mind that they might someday come and take Peter back.  

On a side note, I kind of feel like identifying Observers in different events is like playing “Where’s Waldo?”  So, how many Waldo(s), or Observers did you see?

I think the last line was the clincher of the episode.  “Look how happy she is...it’s a shame things are about to get so hard for her.”  Is the Observer referring to Olivia or her niece, Ella?  Either way, the line serves as a great cliff hanger for Fringe fans wanting more!