And Those We've Left Behind
Encyclopedia
"And Those We've Left Behind" is the sixth episode of the fourth season
of the Fox
science-fiction drama
television series
Fringe
, and the series' 71st episode overall. The episode dealt with the Fringe team's investigation of a series of time loop fatalities.
Executive story editors Robert Chiappetta
and Glen Whitman
co-wrote "And Those We've Left Behind", and Brad Anderson directed. Real-life husband and wife Stephen Root
and Romy Rosemont
guest starred as a married couple behind the time loop, one an electric engineer, and the latter a professor of theoretical physics.
The episode first aired on November 11, 2011 in the United States to an estimated 3.07 million viewers. Its 1.1 ratings share for adults 18-49 resulted in a series low. Critical reception was generally positive, as television critics in particular praised the performances of guest stars Root and Rosemont.
), who has only recently appeared unexpectedly in the alternate timeline, is still being held by Fringe division, whose members have yet come to fully trust him. Walter Bishop (John Noble
) still disbelieves that Peter is his son, but, under orders from Broyles (Lance Reddick
), studies him as a test subject.
Fringe learns of several cases that involve time fluctuations. Broyles (Lance Reddick
), while instructing Olivia (Anna Torv
) and Lincoln (Seth Gabel
) to investigate, orders them to bring Peter along to examine the scenes. Broyles is concerned that Peter's reappearance may have created further tears between the prime and parallel universe
leading to these events. The three find the time events are localized, returning the affected area to conditions four years ago for short periods of time before dissipating, such as a building reverting to a fire-worn state, or a train crossing on a long-disused set of tracks. Peter finds himself further jumping through time near these events. Recognizing the presence of time manipulation, the three return to Walter's lab to try to find a pattern in the event. Walter initially refuses to help with Peter's involvement, but soon postulates that the events occur along a spiral defined by the Golden ratio
, and believe they will find the source of the disturbance at the epicenter of the spiral. Lincoln and other agents used an extent of the spiral to try to predict future mishaps that may be more damaging, while Olivia and Peter arrange an FBI search of the spiral's epicenter to find the source.
One unfortunate FBI agent is vaporized while approaching a suburban home, and Walter recognizes that a time bubble is surrounding the home. Isolating the extent of the time bubble, they find the home belongs to a couple, Raymond (Stephen Root
) and Kate (Romy Rosemont
) Green; Kate was a distinguished professor in physics at a nearby university until four years ago when she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease
. Walter devises a portable Faraday cage
that Peter offers to wear to enter the time bubble safely. Inside, he finds that Raymond, a skilled electrical engineer, used Kate's research to construct a giant machine in the basement of their house that creates a temporarily time bubble. Raymond has used the machine to revert their home to the state four years prior, before Kate fully suffered from rapid deterioration of Alzheimer's, and has been convincing her younger version to complete her research to allow him to stabilize the time bubble permanently. Raymond notes that he has successfully gotten the machine the work only in the last few days.
Lincoln informs the others that they have found the next time distortion event, threatening to flood drivers in an underground tunnel that did not exist four years prior. The younger Kate, having only recently discovered what Raymond has done, recognizes the side effects of the time bubble, and urges Raymond to shut it down, asking Peter to guarantee that Raymond will not be prosecuted due to his lack of understanding of the effects. As Peter discusses this with the FBI, Kate reveals she has completed the proper equations, and Raymond asks her to write them out in a notebook so that he can recreate the time bubble machine in a remote location. When Peter returns with his assurances of Raymond's fate, Raymond disables the machine; the house reverts to its present-day state, with Kate bound to a wheelchair. The time distortion in the tunnel dissipates before it can harm anyone else.
The Fringe division and the FBI remove the time bubble equipment from the house; Raymond, having kept Kate's notebook, discovers that she had blacked out all the equations, leaving a final message to him to keep on living his life and giving him her love.
Back at Fringe division, Peter notes that Raymond's success with the time bubble started simultaneously with his appearance in the alternate timeline. Broyles thanks Peter for his help, and offers to allow him to stay in the home Walter owns on campus. Peter attempts to try to explain to the Olivia of this timeline his relationship with the Olivia of his original timeline.
and Robert Chiappetta
, while frequent Fringe collaborator Brad Anderson directed.
This episode guest stars real-life husband and wife Stephen Root
and Romy Rosemont
portraying the roles of Raymond and Kate Green, and is the first time they have played alongside each other in a creative work. Their appearance on the show came by way of a party at Northwestern University
, where Rosemont had met with executive producer Jeff Pinkner
. Pinkner asked Rosemont if her husband would be interested in guest starring on a Fringe episode; Rosemont quickly affirmed he would, but only if she was also asked to participate.
" by American rock band Styx
. Walter references the Marvel Comics
superhero Spider-Man
when directing Astrid to find his fannypack
.
While studying the time anomaly, Peter Bishop consults the fictional book Cosmology by real-world physicist Sean M. Carroll
.
in the United States. An estimated 3.07 million viewers tuned in with a 1.1 rating for adults 18-49, a series low.
A.V. Club writer Noel Murray graded the episode with an A-, calling it "an at once tense and moving episode of Fringe." Writing for Entertainment Weekly
, Jeff Jensen believed the episode was "high grade Fringe, in my opinion, heartfelt and heady, a fraternal twin to the season 2 classic 'White Tulip
.'" Jensen in particular highlighted the scene involving Peter's time-jumps while the Fringe team is investigating train tracks, comparing it to the experiences of main character Billy Pilgrim in the novel Slaughterhouse Five. He explained, "The storytelling, editing, and acting worked together marvelously to create a clever, clear, and funny passage. Kudos to Joshua Jackson for recognizing and nailing the wry comedy of it all."
Fearnet
writer Alyse Wax also lauded "And Those We've Left Behind", explaining that "once you get past all the hardcore theoretical physics, this is a great episode. It's a pretty emotional episode but not in a sappy way." IGN
's Ramsey Isler was pleased with Joshua Jackson's return, but criticized the writers for once again producing the 'mad scientist whose best intentions to save a loved one have dramatic consequences' trope.... each time the series does it we get diminishing returns."
Murray, Jensen, and Hitfix
reviewer Ryan McGee also noted references to the science fiction drama series Lost
, including the use of the name Faraday
as well as the mention of constants
and the Red Sox winning the 2007 World Series
. Critics praised the performances of guest stars Stephen Root and Romy Rosemont.
Fringe (season 4)
The fourth season of the American science fiction television series Fringe premiered on Fox on September 23, 2011, and will consist of 22 episodes. The series is produced by Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television...
of the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
science-fiction drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
Fringe
Fringe (TV series)
Fringe is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The series follows a Federal Bureau of Investigation "Fringe Division" team based in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Homeland Security...
, and the series' 71st episode overall. The episode dealt with the Fringe team's investigation of a series of time loop fatalities.
Executive story editors Robert Chiappetta
Robert Chiappetta
Robert Chiappetta is an American television writer who, along with his writing partner Glen Whitman, serves as executive story editor on the FOX science-fiction series Fringe and has contributed many scripts to the show as well.- Fringe episodes :...
and Glen Whitman
Glen Whitman
Glen Whitman is an American television writer who, along with his writing partner Robert Chiappetta, serves as executive story editor on the FOX science-fiction series Fringe and has contributed several scripts to the series. Whitman has been a Science Adviser to the series since the first season.-...
co-wrote "And Those We've Left Behind", and Brad Anderson directed. Real-life husband and wife Stephen Root
Stephen Root
Stephen Root is an American actor. He is best known for his comedic work on the TV sitcom NewsRadio, in the film Office Space and as the voice of Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland in the animated series King of the Hill...
and Romy Rosemont
Romy Rosemont
Romy Rosemont is a television actress who has appeared in multiple TV series, including Shark, Grey's Anatomy, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Prison Break and Private Practice. She got her break in 2010, playing Carole Hudson in the musical series Glee...
guest starred as a married couple behind the time loop, one an electric engineer, and the latter a professor of theoretical physics.
The episode first aired on November 11, 2011 in the United States to an estimated 3.07 million viewers. Its 1.1 ratings share for adults 18-49 resulted in a series low. Critical reception was generally positive, as television critics in particular praised the performances of guest stars Root and Rosemont.
Plot
Peter Bishop (Joshua JacksonJoshua Jackson
Joshua Carter Jackson is a Canadian American actor. He has appeared in primetime television and in over 32 film roles. He is best known for playing Charlie Conway in The Mighty Ducks film series, Pacey Witter in the television series Dawson's Creek and Peter Bishop in the television series...
), who has only recently appeared unexpectedly in the alternate timeline, is still being held by Fringe division, whose members have yet come to fully trust him. Walter Bishop (John Noble
John Noble
John Noble is an Australian film and television actor, and theater director of more than 80 plays. He was born in Port Pirie, South Australia, Australia and is currently starring as scientist Walter Bishop in the J. J. Abrams television series Fringe.He made occasional appearances on the...
) still disbelieves that Peter is his son, but, under orders from Broyles (Lance Reddick
Lance Reddick
Lance Reddick is an American theater, film and TV actor and musician born in Baltimore, Maryland. He starred in The Wire as Cedric Daniels, appeared in Oz as Detective Johnny Basil and appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Lost. He now has a prominent role in Fringe...
), studies him as a test subject.
Lance Reddick
Lance Reddick is an American theater, film and TV actor and musician born in Baltimore, Maryland. He starred in The Wire as Cedric Daniels, appeared in Oz as Detective Johnny Basil and appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Lost. He now has a prominent role in Fringe...
), while instructing Olivia (Anna Torv
Anna Torv
Anna Torv is an Australian actress known for her role as FBI agent Olivia Dunham on the Fox television series Fringe.-Early life:...
) and Lincoln (Seth Gabel
Seth Gabel
Seth Gabel is an American actor. Gabel plays the role of agent Lincoln Lee on Fox's television series Fringe.-Career:...
) to investigate, orders them to bring Peter along to examine the scenes. Broyles is concerned that Peter's reappearance may have created further tears between the prime and parallel universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
leading to these events. The three find the time events are localized, returning the affected area to conditions four years ago for short periods of time before dissipating, such as a building reverting to a fire-worn state, or a train crossing on a long-disused set of tracks. Peter finds himself further jumping through time near these events. Recognizing the presence of time manipulation, the three return to Walter's lab to try to find a pattern in the event. Walter initially refuses to help with Peter's involvement, but soon postulates that the events occur along a spiral defined by the Golden ratio
Golden ratio
In mathematics and the arts, two quantities are in the golden ratio if the ratio of the sum of the quantities to the larger quantity is equal to the ratio of the larger quantity to the smaller one. The golden ratio is an irrational mathematical constant, approximately 1.61803398874989...
, and believe they will find the source of the disturbance at the epicenter of the spiral. Lincoln and other agents used an extent of the spiral to try to predict future mishaps that may be more damaging, while Olivia and Peter arrange an FBI search of the spiral's epicenter to find the source.
One unfortunate FBI agent is vaporized while approaching a suburban home, and Walter recognizes that a time bubble is surrounding the home. Isolating the extent of the time bubble, they find the home belongs to a couple, Raymond (Stephen Root
Stephen Root
Stephen Root is an American actor. He is best known for his comedic work on the TV sitcom NewsRadio, in the film Office Space and as the voice of Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland in the animated series King of the Hill...
) and Kate (Romy Rosemont
Romy Rosemont
Romy Rosemont is a television actress who has appeared in multiple TV series, including Shark, Grey's Anatomy, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Prison Break and Private Practice. She got her break in 2010, playing Carole Hudson in the musical series Glee...
) Green; Kate was a distinguished professor in physics at a nearby university until four years ago when she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. Walter devises a portable Faraday cage
Faraday cage
A Faraday cage or Faraday shield is an enclosure formed by conducting material or by a mesh of such material. Such an enclosure blocks out external static and non-static electric fields...
that Peter offers to wear to enter the time bubble safely. Inside, he finds that Raymond, a skilled electrical engineer, used Kate's research to construct a giant machine in the basement of their house that creates a temporarily time bubble. Raymond has used the machine to revert their home to the state four years prior, before Kate fully suffered from rapid deterioration of Alzheimer's, and has been convincing her younger version to complete her research to allow him to stabilize the time bubble permanently. Raymond notes that he has successfully gotten the machine the work only in the last few days.
Lincoln informs the others that they have found the next time distortion event, threatening to flood drivers in an underground tunnel that did not exist four years prior. The younger Kate, having only recently discovered what Raymond has done, recognizes the side effects of the time bubble, and urges Raymond to shut it down, asking Peter to guarantee that Raymond will not be prosecuted due to his lack of understanding of the effects. As Peter discusses this with the FBI, Kate reveals she has completed the proper equations, and Raymond asks her to write them out in a notebook so that he can recreate the time bubble machine in a remote location. When Peter returns with his assurances of Raymond's fate, Raymond disables the machine; the house reverts to its present-day state, with Kate bound to a wheelchair. The time distortion in the tunnel dissipates before it can harm anyone else.
The Fringe division and the FBI remove the time bubble equipment from the house; Raymond, having kept Kate's notebook, discovers that she had blacked out all the equations, leaving a final message to him to keep on living his life and giving him her love.
Back at Fringe division, Peter notes that Raymond's success with the time bubble started simultaneously with his appearance in the alternate timeline. Broyles thanks Peter for his help, and offers to allow him to stay in the home Walter owns on campus. Peter attempts to try to explain to the Olivia of this timeline his relationship with the Olivia of his original timeline.
Production
The episode was co-written by executive story editors Glen WhitmanGlen Whitman
Glen Whitman is an American television writer who, along with his writing partner Robert Chiappetta, serves as executive story editor on the FOX science-fiction series Fringe and has contributed several scripts to the series. Whitman has been a Science Adviser to the series since the first season.-...
and Robert Chiappetta
Robert Chiappetta
Robert Chiappetta is an American television writer who, along with his writing partner Glen Whitman, serves as executive story editor on the FOX science-fiction series Fringe and has contributed many scripts to the show as well.- Fringe episodes :...
, while frequent Fringe collaborator Brad Anderson directed.
This episode guest stars real-life husband and wife Stephen Root
Stephen Root
Stephen Root is an American actor. He is best known for his comedic work on the TV sitcom NewsRadio, in the film Office Space and as the voice of Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland in the animated series King of the Hill...
and Romy Rosemont
Romy Rosemont
Romy Rosemont is a television actress who has appeared in multiple TV series, including Shark, Grey's Anatomy, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Prison Break and Private Practice. She got her break in 2010, playing Carole Hudson in the musical series Glee...
portraying the roles of Raymond and Kate Green, and is the first time they have played alongside each other in a creative work. Their appearance on the show came by way of a party at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, where Rosemont had met with executive producer Jeff Pinkner
Jeff Pinkner
Jeff Pinkner is an American television writer and producer. He graduated from Pikesville High School in Baltimore Maryland in 1983. He is known for his work on Alias where he served as executive producer. In 2006 and 2007, he worked as an executive producer and writer for the mystery series Lost...
. Pinkner asked Rosemont if her husband would be interested in guest starring on a Fringe episode; Rosemont quickly affirmed he would, but only if she was also asked to participate.
Music and cultural references
While Peter and Olivia theorize in the lab, Walter listens on his headphones to the song "Too Much Time on My HandsToo Much Time on My Hands
"Too Much Time on My Hands" is the second single release from Styx's 1981 triple-platinum album Paradise Theatre and reached #9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and #2 on the Top Rock Tracks chart for one week...
" by American rock band Styx
Styx
In Greek mythology the Styx is the river that forms the boundary between the underworld and the world of the living, as well as a goddess and a nymph that represents the river.Styx may also refer to:-Popular culture:...
. Walter references the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
superhero Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
when directing Astrid to find his fannypack
Fannypack
FannyPack was a New York City-based electronic/hip hop group that was formed in 2002 by music producers Matt Goias and "Fancy". The band featured vocals by Jessibel Suthiwong, Belinda Lovell, and Cat Hartwell....
.
While studying the time anomaly, Peter Bishop consults the fictional book Cosmology by real-world physicist Sean M. Carroll
Sean M. Carroll
Sean Michael Carroll is a senior research associate in the Department of Physics at the California Institute of Technology. He is a theoretical cosmologist specializing in dark energy and general relativity...
.
Ratings
"And Those We've Left Behind" was first broadcast on November 11, 2011 on the Fox networkFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the United States. An estimated 3.07 million viewers tuned in with a 1.1 rating for adults 18-49, a series low.
Reviews
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, Jeff Jensen believed the episode was "high grade Fringe, in my opinion, heartfelt and heady, a fraternal twin to the season 2 classic 'White Tulip
White Tulip
"White Tulip" is the 18th episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. It followed a scientist in his quest to time travel back and save his fiancée, while the Fringe team investigates the consequences of his actions, and Walter struggles to tell his...
.'" Jensen in particular highlighted the scene involving Peter's time-jumps while the Fringe team is investigating train tracks, comparing it to the experiences of main character Billy Pilgrim in the novel Slaughterhouse Five. He explained, "The storytelling, editing, and acting worked together marvelously to create a clever, clear, and funny passage. Kudos to Joshua Jackson for recognizing and nailing the wry comedy of it all."
Fearnet
FEARnet
Fearnet is a cable channel, website and Video on Demand television service owned by Horror Entertainment LLC, a joint venture between Comcast, Lions Gate Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Entertainment...
writer Alyse Wax also lauded "And Those We've Left Behind", explaining that "once you get past all the hardcore theoretical physics, this is a great episode. It's a pretty emotional episode but not in a sappy way." IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Ramsey Isler was pleased with Joshua Jackson's return, but criticized the writers for once again producing the 'mad scientist whose best intentions to save a loved one have dramatic consequences' trope.... each time the series does it we get diminishing returns."
Murray, Jensen, and Hitfix
HitFix
HitFix, or the HitFix.com is an entertainment news website that launched in December 2008 specializing in breaking entertainment news, insider information and providing reviews and critiques of film, music and television...
reviewer Ryan McGee also noted references to the science fiction drama series Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
, including the use of the name Faraday
Daniel Faraday
Dr. Daniel Faraday, often referred to as Dan or simply by his surname, Faraday, is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost played by Jeremy Davies. Faraday is introduced in the season four premiere as a physicist, suffering from memory loss, and is part of the team aboard the ...
as well as the mention of constants
The Constant
"The Constant" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the American Broadcasting Company's serial drama television series Lost, and the 77th episode overall. It was aired on February 28, 2008, on ABC in the United States and on CTV in Canada...
and the Red Sox winning the 2007 World Series
2007 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsThe Red Sox cruised to a blowout win in Game 1 behind ALCS MVP Josh Beckett, who struck out nine batters, including the first four he faced, en route to his fourth win of the 2007 postseason...
. Critics praised the performances of guest stars Stephen Root and Romy Rosemont.
External links
- "And Those We've Left Behind" at Fox.comFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...