I think what bugs me most about the series is that, despite having a crazy old scientist, they still take the ridiculous pseudoscience seriously. They're trying to rationalize things at it just isn't working - it seems like the show would be better off playing the absurdity for humor.
It would make it an entirely different show, granted, but I think it might be a better show.
I think what bugs me most about the series is that, despite having a crazy old scientist, they still take the ridiculous pseudoscience seriously. They're trying to rationalize things at it just isn't working - it seems like the show would be better off playing the absurdity for humor.
It would make it an entirely different show, granted, but I think it might be a better show.
This is the hardest part.
The show would have to be really really good for me to accept the bullshit, and it's not working.
I was pretty indifferent to the pilot, but the second episode, while better, isn't compelling my continued viewing. I dig all the fringe science stuff; vague science that could have a genuine place in the real world, sure. But what gets to me is the blatantly inaccurate science, subsequently presented in as dubious a manner as possible - specifically, the retinal imaging segment. Muscle relaxant interrupting - no, freeze-framing - the optic nerve? Really? REALLY? Interpreting the retinal imprint as a pixel perfect image? Really? REALLY? And the 3D bridge triangulation was the worst sort of techno-wizardry made fancy for TV.
I don't mind the fringe science, it's the bad science that's making me lose interest. Argh, I dunno. I'll give it two more eps, I guess..?
the bridge triangulation thing would not be impossible
main problem i had with that was how accurate it was when the building was on a pier and they could have just been all 'its probably somewhere on that pier'
It's a show called Fringe, specifically about pseudo-science.
Isn't all this crazy crap to be expected?
It's no worse than what they do in the movies to justify cool shit.
Would all of this been waved over if they had simply put the time period in "the near future"?
The problem is that they have this psuedoscience crazy shit, but their point is that "oh wow guys, it's actually valid and has perfectly explainable answers" and they explain it with more crazy shit.
so it would be better if the crazy old guy did his weird shit and everyone else stood around going 'what the fuck no way dude no fucking way how did you do that shit goddamn' ?
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The GeekOh-Two Crew, OmeganautRegistered User, ClubPAregular
edited September 2008
The scene with the all of a sudden "hey, I have a robot arm!" kinda put me off a bit. I thought this show was talking place in current time or whatever, just with some people working on crazy fringe stuff. The mad science seems a little less interesting when fully dexterous and functional robot arms are commonplace.
I'm just saying that you can't have it both ways. The theory behind the show seems to be "Look at this crazy unexplainable shit but it really is explainable, look at our science words!" but the science-y part is all ridiculous and they are doing surgeries in a dank basement lab and people have crazy robot arms and I'm seriously trying to suspend my disbelief here.
I'm just saying that you can't have it both ways. The theory behind the show seems to be "Look at this crazy unexplainable shit but it really is explainable, look at our science words!" but the science-y part is all ridiculous and they are doing surgeries in a dank basement lab and people have crazy robot arms and I'm seriously trying to suspend my disbelief here.
dude, it's total Gothic Horror pseudo-science, the stuff of Weird Tales pulps and Mary Shelly's most famous book.
It doesn't have to make sense! It's like fifties horror movies brought up to date.
The scene with the all of a sudden "hey, I have a robot arm!" kinda put me off a bit. I thought this show was talking place in current time or whatever, just with some people working on crazy fringe stuff. The mad science seems a little less interesting when fully dexterous and functional robot arms are commonplace.
also it's not commonplace, not everybody is the acting CEO of a huge frankenstein corporation
Yea so has anyone contemplated the thought that Peter might be a clone of Walter?
Cloning is obviously possible in 'Fringe World' as seen by the end of last episode, we already know that Peter is special somehow, and it seems just like the kind of shit Abrams would think up.
the bridge triangulation thing would not be impossible
main problem i had with that was how accurate it was when the building was on a pier and they could have just been all 'its probably somewhere on that pier'
No no, I'm only arguing against the presentation; Oh ok, one photo, let's just spin around this convenient 3d model of the bridge in our database say "TRIANGULATE!" and get the precise location without any noticeably extensive input whatsoever.
I'm with NotACrook. Your show is either out and out fantasy, like Lost, or futuristic science fiction, like Star Trek. But I'm not going to take a show seriously that tries to put a scientific spin on the paranormal, but then makes a complete mess of the actual science. It's as if, instead of bringing the paranormal into the realm of the scientific, it's pushing both fringe science and actual science into this blurry zone in the middle, where it becomes impossible to rationalize objectively about either.
I'm ok with a show that's unambiguously about mad science, but I'm only going to get more and more annoyed when they bastardize anything that approaches real science.
man, were people this retarded when X-Files was on, or is this something new?
no, in one episode of the x-files they satirize this by having the lone gunmen ask mulder if he wants to pick apart the scientific inaccuracies of another fox show
Ok, I'll concede that I'm being retarded about the bridge sequence. In the interest of not boring the audience with accuracy, I'm ok with made-fancy-for-television presentation. But my general opinion about the approach to "science" in the show, stands.
Strangely, my problem with the bridge scene has nothing to do with technology.
Seriously, they couldn't just figure that out themselves? Whatever happened to mystery-solvers actually, y'know, solving mysteries? It would've been simpler, and much more satisfying to have one of the characters actually figure out where the image was taken from without running it through their magical satellite answer-mo-tron.
I can suspend my disbelief and enjoy it for now. I'm just worried about how sick it's going to make me when people start repeating some of the science in conversation as if it's real. Which they no doubt will.
"Did you know they can see the last moment of your death in your eyeball and that we only use 10% of our brain? Shutup you're a tool! That's why it's called Fringe science, I looked it up. It's stuff they won't give grant money for because they don't want people to know, man! Are you one of those grant money bogarting dudes? HUH ARE YA"
Whatever happened to mystery-solvers actually, y'know, solving mysteries? It would've been simpler, and much more satisfying to have one of the characters to actually figure out where the image was taken from without running it through there magical satellite answer-mo-tron.
This.
I fear this show is going to become the new 'Threshold'. God damn I loved that show, but according to statistics I'm a tool and don't know what decent television is.
You can say that you agree with something without turning it a different color, you know.
My issue is that the show isn't good enough to make me want to just go with it. Take away the scientific intrigue and it's just a show with stock characters and bad dialogue and I already see four seasons from now some writing team telling us "don't worry, we'll be answering some of your questions about the Pattern this season, but bringing up some new mysteries as well!"
You can say that you agree with something without turning it a different color, you know.
My issue is that the show isn't good enough to make me want to just go with it. Take away the scientific intrigue and it's just a show with stock characters and bad dialogue and I already see four seasons from now some writing team telling us "don't worry, we'll be answering some of your questions about the Pattern this season, but bringing up some new mysteries as well!"
But I like the color button
But yea, I get the feeling fringe is just going to turn into the scifi version of LOST.
i saw some interview or thing where abrams or the writers said they actually planned this thing out and they know where they are going with it and all the stages involved
and also that it could go on for like 10 seasons or whatever but if they got shut down early they would still be able to wrap it all up pretty easy
which is to say
lessons have been learned from lost where i guess they made up a lot of it as they went along
hopefully it also means that they wont carry on with useless shit for too long and carry on with the main story
they wanna do this monster of the week thing but hopefully with more relevance to happenings
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The GeekOh-Two Crew, OmeganautRegistered User, ClubPAregular
The scene with the all of a sudden "hey, I have a robot arm!" kinda put me off a bit. I thought this show was talking place in current time or whatever, just with some people working on crazy fringe stuff. The mad science seems a little less interesting when fully dexterous and functional robot arms are commonplace.
also it's not commonplace, not everybody is the acting CEO of a huge frankenstein corporation
Sure, probably not a lot of people have them, but the casual reveal and reaction to it indicated like it was no big deal, that everyone knows kind of thing exists.
The Geek on
BLM - ACAB
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DislexicCreepy Uncle Bad TouchYour local playgroundRegistered Userregular
edited September 2008
I saw the first two episodes of this just now, this is an awesome show right here.
John Noble is fantastic.
"Just making popcorn"
"Walter, I'm with a woman in her mid 20s, she's going into cardiac arrest due to an overdose of anesthesia...Her heart just stoped."
*eating popcorn* "Do you have any cocaine?"
"Cocaine? No, I don't have any cocaine."
*still eating popcorn* "Oh, too bad, you'll have to shock her heart"
Dislexic on
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DislexicCreepy Uncle Bad TouchYour local playgroundRegistered Userregular
edited September 2008
Also:
"I've never seen a feature like this before, it warms your ass! Wonderful, have you tried it?
Dislexic on
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NogsCrap, crap, mega crap.Crap, crap, mega crap.Registered Userregular
edited September 2008
Pretty cool third episode, I enjoyed it. Definitely gonna have this on my rotation.
if the formula for this week and the last holds up, the first half hour of each episode will be kind of bland except for the very beginning, and then in the second half something ridiculous will happen and i will grow giddy and then it will end cryptically with the massive dynamic woman
i know they're purposefully putting the overarching story in the background, but some development on something - anything - would be just swell
satansfingers on
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ZoelI suppose... I'd put it onRegistered Userregular
edited September 2008
The old guy is great but I'm getting sort of sick of seeing the same deus ex machina every episode
Fringe =
1. Incident
2. Thing that makes no sense
3. Thing that makes no sense is one of old guy's experiments but he forgot something about it
4. "Touching" father son moment makes him remember what the hell
5. WHY DON'T YOU LET ME DO MY JOB WHY DON'T YOU TRUST ME
6. Oh hey if we just hook up this (dead person/crazy person/comatose person) to this machine we can find out the random piece of information we need to solve this mystery
7. Oh AHAHA YOU FOUND ME OUT Ok i'll tell you everything oh wait what *dies*
8. Muahaha, this irony is dramatic because nobody knows how creepy we are! Lets talk about next week oh wait why bother
Zoel on
A magician gives you a ring that, when worn, will let you see the world as it truly is.
However, the ring will never leave your finger, and you will be unable to ever describe to another living person what you see.
Posts
I think what bugs me most about the series is that, despite having a crazy old scientist, they still take the ridiculous pseudoscience seriously. They're trying to rationalize things at it just isn't working - it seems like the show would be better off playing the absurdity for humor.
It would make it an entirely different show, granted, but I think it might be a better show.
"If you're going to play tiddly winks, play it with man hole covers."
- John McCallum
This is the hardest part.
The show would have to be really really good for me to accept the bullshit, and it's not working.
I was pretty indifferent to the pilot, but the second episode, while better, isn't compelling my continued viewing. I dig all the fringe science stuff; vague science that could have a genuine place in the real world, sure. But what gets to me is the blatantly inaccurate science, subsequently presented in as dubious a manner as possible - specifically, the retinal imaging segment. Muscle relaxant interrupting - no, freeze-framing - the optic nerve? Really? REALLY? Interpreting the retinal imprint as a pixel perfect image? Really? REALLY? And the 3D bridge triangulation was the worst sort of techno-wizardry made fancy for TV.
I don't mind the fringe science, it's the bad science that's making me lose interest. Argh, I dunno. I'll give it two more eps, I guess..?
main problem i had with that was how accurate it was when the building was on a pier and they could have just been all 'its probably somewhere on that pier'
I made a TD for iphone and windows phone!
Isn't all this crazy crap to be expected?
It's no worse than what they do in the movies to justify cool shit.
Would all of this been waved over if they had simply put the time period in "the near future"?
PARKER, YOU'RE FIRED! <-- My comic book podcast! Satan look here!
The problem is that they have this psuedoscience crazy shit, but their point is that "oh wow guys, it's actually valid and has perfectly explainable answers" and they explain it with more crazy shit.
this show has about as much real science as Star Trek and that is kind of the point
dude, it's total Gothic Horror pseudo-science, the stuff of Weird Tales pulps and Mary Shelly's most famous book.
It doesn't have to make sense! It's like fifties horror movies brought up to date.
also it's not commonplace, not everybody is the acting CEO of a huge frankenstein corporation
it was rad!
i think it was the first episode
it was the one
go watch it
Cloning is obviously possible in 'Fringe World' as seen by the end of last episode, we already know that Peter is special somehow, and it seems just like the kind of shit Abrams would think up.
No no, I'm only arguing against the presentation; Oh ok, one photo, let's just spin around this convenient 3d model of the bridge in our database say "TRIANGULATE!" and get the precise location without any noticeably extensive input whatsoever.
I'm with NotACrook. Your show is either out and out fantasy, like Lost, or futuristic science fiction, like Star Trek. But I'm not going to take a show seriously that tries to put a scientific spin on the paranormal, but then makes a complete mess of the actual science. It's as if, instead of bringing the paranormal into the realm of the scientific, it's pushing both fringe science and actual science into this blurry zone in the middle, where it becomes impossible to rationalize objectively about either.
I'm ok with a show that's unambiguously about mad science, but I'm only going to get more and more annoyed when they bastardize anything that approaches real science.
no, in one episode of the x-files they satirize this by having the lone gunmen ask mulder if he wants to pick apart the scientific inaccuracies of another fox show
Seriously, they couldn't just figure that out themselves? Whatever happened to mystery-solvers actually, y'know, solving mysteries? It would've been simpler, and much more satisfying to have one of the characters actually figure out where the image was taken from without running it through their magical satellite answer-mo-tron.
"Did you know they can see the last moment of your death in your eyeball and that we only use 10% of our brain? Shutup you're a tool! That's why it's called Fringe science, I looked it up. It's stuff they won't give grant money for because they don't want people to know, man! Are you one of those grant money bogarting dudes? HUH ARE YA"
I made a TD for iphone and windows phone!
This.
I fear this show is going to become the new 'Threshold'. God damn I loved that show, but according to statistics I'm a tool and don't know what decent television is.
My issue is that the show isn't good enough to make me want to just go with it. Take away the scientific intrigue and it's just a show with stock characters and bad dialogue and I already see four seasons from now some writing team telling us "don't worry, we'll be answering some of your questions about the Pattern this season, but bringing up some new mysteries as well!"
But I like the color button
But yea, I get the feeling fringe is just going to turn into the scifi version of LOST.
and also that it could go on for like 10 seasons or whatever but if they got shut down early they would still be able to wrap it all up pretty easy
which is to say
lessons have been learned from lost where i guess they made up a lot of it as they went along
hopefully it also means that they wont carry on with useless shit for too long and carry on with the main story
they wanna do this monster of the week thing but hopefully with more relevance to happenings
Sure, probably not a lot of people have them, but the casual reveal and reaction to it indicated like it was no big deal, that everyone knows kind of thing exists.
John Noble is fantastic.
"Just making popcorn"
"Walter, I'm with a woman in her mid 20s, she's going into cardiac arrest due to an overdose of anesthesia...Her heart just stoped."
*eating popcorn* "Do you have any cocaine?"
"Cocaine? No, I don't have any cocaine."
*still eating popcorn* "Oh, too bad, you'll have to shock her heart"
"I've never seen a feature like this before, it warms your ass! Wonderful, have you tried it?
PARKER, YOU'RE FIRED! <-- My comic book podcast! Satan look here!
i know they're purposefully putting the overarching story in the background, but some development on something - anything - would be just swell
Fringe =
1. Incident
2. Thing that makes no sense
3. Thing that makes no sense is one of old guy's experiments but he forgot something about it
4. "Touching" father son moment makes him remember what the hell
5. WHY DON'T YOU LET ME DO MY JOB WHY DON'T YOU TRUST ME
6. Oh hey if we just hook up this (dead person/crazy person/comatose person) to this machine we can find out the random piece of information we need to solve this mystery
7. Oh AHAHA YOU FOUND ME OUT Ok i'll tell you everything oh wait what *dies*
8. Muahaha, this irony is dramatic because nobody knows how creepy we are! Lets talk about next week oh wait why bother
However, the ring will never leave your finger, and you will be unable to ever describe to another living person what you see.