All in the name of love.

It’s good to see a story built (and built so well) around pure, irrational emotion. That is precisely what we see from ”August,” an episode of Fringe whose very premise is how love can lead us to paths which, to everyone else, may seem extreme, irrational, or even a bit like a betrayal. Just as important as the premise, is the means by which the story unfolds. And while, initially, it seems to be a rather typical mystery tale, the episode ultimately proves to be something quite special.

After some flashbacks reminding the audience about “The Observer” and his role in the lives of Walter and Peter, we’re given a scene in which an Observer (a different one) abducts a young woman in broad daylight. The scene is notable for a number of reasons. For starters, the inclusion of the war vet is a fascinating touch. But, more important, is the revelation that there is more than one Observer present in our world – and that they can operate with their own agenda.

Ultimately, as Broyles says, the motivation behind why this abduction took place – Observers are, afterall supposed to “observe” and not interfere – becomes the central mystery of the episode. Put simply, we learn that Observers are part of a kind of Order, which has been present for the most significant events in human history. Furthermore, we learn that this new Observer, called August, has been acting outside of the “rules” of his order. Why? Because he loves the young woman, whose parents died in the San Francisco earthquake of 1989 and who displayed remarkable bravery in light of the tragedy.

The commentary here – that acting on love is the right thing to do, even if the act itself is looked on with disapproval – is especially powerful. It’s reinforced by way of the references to Walter and Peter (remember, Walter took a duplicate Peter from a parallel reality to replace the one that died in our own), and by the subplot involving Olivia and her niece. There’s no question that “acts of love” is meant to be a driving factor to this story. And the manner with which it plays out on screen is especially profound. Not only does Olivia ultimately find time to spend with her niece, but August ends up sacrificing his life for the young woman.

Sometimes we must make sacrifices for the ones we love.

And the episode goes to great lengths to show the costs of sacrifice. August saves the young woman from death in an imminent plane crash. But this creates an “anomaly” which must be corrected – and so he dies to save the girl and correct the anomaly. Oh, sure, sacrifice in the name of love rarely leads to death in the real world. But, symbolically, the death of the Observer can be a parallel for emotional death – which often is a very real consequence of sacrifice. This, then, is the thematic foundation for perhaps the best episode of Fringe to date.

Of course, thematic work isn’t enough to make an episode exceptional. And this installment is no exception. There are a number of moments which help the story become worthwhile. The scene involving the Observers in the restaurant is well-done, providing more questions than answers about their real agenda. The notion that they would hire an assassin to “correct the anomaly” of the young girl surviving the crash, is intriguing, as is the concept that they can move back-and-forth through the “constant” of time. Just as important is Walter’s reaction to all of this. He clearly knows more than he lets on and the episode gives him the means to demonstrate that he is more than just a doddering old scientist.

Overall Grade: A

“August” is clearly one of the most fully-realized stories that Fringe has presented thus far. It has a clear, purposeful focus, solid character work and a fantastic thematic foundation. All told, this is one of the most enjoyable – and meaningful – episodes presented on television in quite some time.

Topics: Mystery, Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
Filed under: Fringe

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