Last evening, the final episode of the FOX series "Fringe" aired. The original episode aired in September, 2008, just eight weeks before Daniel's passing, and only a month before my father's. This would have been the type of program which would have captured Daniel's imagination. It was a science fiction based series starring Australian Anna Torv, Canadian Joshua Jackson, and the amazing Australian actor, John Noble. Many other important actors have contributed to the ensemble cast. In the beginning, one is reminded of X-Files as we join the team as a Boston based law enforcement unit which gathers information on "Fringe" cases, or cases which are quite bizarre. The show went on to have 100 episodes and five seasons in which the concepts of the parallel universe were explored. This was a wonderful program in that the acting prowess of the principles was well explored. In one season, Torv not only plays two versions of her own character, but is possessed by Leonard Nimoy's character. She really is an actress. Jackson has been consistently strong through the series. John Noble however brought us such a multi-dimensional and complex brilliant character with alter-egos that I find it hard to believe that he did not walk away with an Emmy. Cast members still receive Saturn Awards though. He should have.
As bizarre as the program was at times, I liked it. I suppose I was quietly intrigued with the concept that perhaps God has a parallel universe elsewhere in which Daniel remains, living the life as we had intended. Perhaps, the timeline in which we live just now, is the errant one. Perhaps there are a set of tasks I can undertake on my own journey to return the timeline to its former healthy state, and bring Daniel back.
In any event, the program ran five seasons, and I can imagine Daniel being able to follow all of the nuances when I, in typical adult fashion, would have missed some of them. In the end, the "Fringe" people were able to regain their own child by completing their complex tasks which repair their own original timeline.. I , however, remain here, in a world which has seen Barack Obama's election, Daniel's untimely and poorly explained departure from Earth, a trend toward the weakening and dissolution of the American Constitution, and a serious weakening of the American economy. My own universe seems very much off the track and in disarray. Thank you to the writers and producers of "Fringe" for one hundred episodes of much needed escapism.on, at least, Friday evenings. I remain stuck with my own ravaged timeline with no particular plans for a trip to the past to rectify it, although Daniel would certainly have been game ! As for the "Fringe" being bizarre, I think American life and politics has been even more so !
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| The cast of "Fringe" |
