Fringe - The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray)

Written by Senora Bicho

The series finale of Lost would have left a large void in my television schedule were it not for Fringe. As the fall season gets underway it is the only show I am highly anticipating with lofty expectations. While I enjoyed the first season, the second season was outstanding and solidified their hold on me as a viewer.

The first season of Fringe followed FBI Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble), and his son Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) as they investigated cases involving strange phenomena and sought to uncover how the large global company, Massive Dynamic, fit into these events. We also learned about the existence of an alternate universe which Olivia is transported to in order to meet William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) the founder and chairman of Massive Dynamic.

Season Two is difficult to write about without giving too much away since there are big reveals throughout. It starts with Olivia being thrown from a car with no recollection of her visit to the alternate universe but with the knowledge that she must do something very important. As she tries to remember what happened, she is being hunted by a shape-shifting soldier sent by someone from the parallel reality seeking to silence her forever. Over the course of the season, the alternate universe is further explained and the team crosses over. Each of the main characters has a counterpart living in the other world and seeing how they differ creates an extra layer of intrigue. The strengthening relationship of Peter and Walter is another main storyline of the season along with the discovery of Peter's past that threatens to undo the bond that has formed between them. Peter and Olivia's romantic tension continues to tease viewers as well.

Like The X-Files, there are episodes that deal with the series' mythology and others with stories that standalone. That worked in the first season, but at this point the series is beginning to get so entrenched in its mythology with so much going on that to be able to catch an episode here or there and feel satisfied is hard to imagine. Character development, emotional connections, and relationships are more at the forefront which is what made the season so special. They have been able to find the perfect blend of science fiction and character-driven storytelling.

Along with all 22 episodes from the season, which are spread across four discs, there are many special features. Three episodes come with commentary tracks provided by the creative team, and "Peter" features John Noble and Blair Brown, moderated by TV Guide Magazine's Damian Holbrook. While the creative team commentaries are interesting, the "Peter" episode was my favorite of the season and it is wonderful to get more background, especially Nobel's thoughts since it centers on Walter's actions. "Beyond the Pattern: The Mythology of Fringe" is a comprehensive overview of the season that offers interviews of cast and crew providing additional insights. It is the perfect vehicle to prepare and excite viewers for the start of the new season. "Analyzing the Scene" provides in-depth details on the making of certain scenes from six key episodes. Also included is "Unearthed," a standalone unaired episode from season one that aired as a special during the break in season two. "In the Lab with John Noble and Prop Master Rob Smith" offers a tour of the lab set and a demonstration of some of the more notable props. There is also a gag reel and unaired scenes.

The 1080p/VC-1 encoded transfer delivers a solid picture at an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Colors have rich hues and skintones are realistic and consistent. Black is prevalent in the color scheme of the series' production design, regularly appearing inky although there is minimal noise on occasion. Detail sharpness seems dictated by the source.

The audio is Dolby Digital 5.1. Dialogue is clear and balanced well with the effects and music. Together they demonstrate very good dynamics. There is very good ambiance including the rear speakers. Sounds move across the system and are positioned throughout the soundscape. The subwoofer delivers a solid contribution.

I was a huge fan of The X-Files but am an even bigger fan of Fringe as it has more heart and characters I have come to love and root for, most notably Walter. John Noble's portrayal of this quirky and flawed scientist is one of the best performances on television these days.

Season Three starts on September 23rd and after reviewing this Blu-ray collection, I am even more excited for it.

Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Fifth Season

Written by Pirata Hermosa

While the final season of Stargate Atlantis may have come to a conclusion, the final story has not been written for the crew of Earth’s most famous and mythical city, Atlantis. Having reached the all-important fifth season where the show can reach its full syndication potential, it can now be spun off into films released on DVD as to take advantage of a fanbase now forced to pay for something that they once received for free.

The Sci-Fi Channel, which originally aired the series, has always been known for cutting shows too soon, but after watching the final season, they may have done it just at the right time. The show may have survived a change in command from Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Michelle Morgan) to Colonel Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping), and the loss of Dr. Carson Beckett (Paul McGillion) and his replacement by Dr. Jennifer Keller (Jewell Staite), but season five starts with a change in command once again.

Richard Woolsey (Robert Picardo), who was once a major opponent of the Stargate project, has now taken over for the Colonel after only one year of command. It is surprising that a show can withstand so many character changes, but it’s a sign that the other various behind-the-scenes issues might be affecting the show.

Two other indications that the show may have run its course show up in the episodes “Inquisition” and “Remnants.” “Inquisition” is nothing more than a typical clip show. The Atlantis team is abducted by a council that puts them on trial for everything that they have done during their five-year stay in the Pegasus galaxy. Not only is this type of episode incredibly boring, but it’s been done many times before. “Remnants” is almost as bad as a clip show, but without the clips. This is the equally boring performance-review episode where Woolsey must justify all of his command decisions to some appointed overseer who will evaluate him and decide whether or not he is fit to command. It is somewhat ironic, since Woolsey is the one who evaluated the original Stargate team, SG-1, in the previous TV series. Thankfully, there is a secondary storyline that is more interesting than the main plot.

Even with a few weak episodes mixed in with the regular season, the episodes still work. After seeing a group of characters evolve over five seasons, they become familiar. The characters grow and just their basic interactions with one another are fascinating and entertaining. It’s good that the cast and crew knew that this was going to be the final season. Unlike many other cancelled shows, Atlantis was given plenty of time to tie up a lot of storylines.

The love triangle between Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett), Dr. Jennifer Keller, and Ronon Dax (Jason Momoa) is resolved in “Brainstorm,” an episode where the two doctors return to Earth for a conference on global warming presented by Rodney’s rival Malcolm Tunney (Dave Foley). Of course, things go horribly wrong, bringing the two closer and resulting in Jennifer making a last-minute confession of her feelings.

In “Prodigal,” Michael Kenmore (Connor Trinneer) invades the city of Atlantis in his final attempt at capturing Teyla Emmagan’s (Rachel Luttrell) son in order to use his human/wraith hybrid blood to change the evolution of the wraith. While originally a single-episode character, Michael transformed into a reoccurring villain that Teyla deals with in a very conclusive way.

In the series finale, “Enemy at the Gate,” the biggest loose thread is tied up. Todd the Wraith (Christopher Heyerdahl), who has had a strange parasitic relationship with the Atlantis crew over the last couple of seasons, appears with a new proposition and request for assistance. Originally, the plan is to stop his mutinous crew from increasing their power using stolen Z.P.M.s, but it quickly turns into a race for the survival of Earth as its location is revealed and a newly modified wraith hive ship races to destroy it.

Most of the threads have been tied up by the end of the series, but Todd is still alive, Lieutenant Aiden Ford (Rainbow Francks) is still on the loose and hooked on the wraith enzyme, and somebody has to make a decision on what to do with Atlantis. There are plenty of options for the story to continue in future feature films, but for a new Stargate TV series you only need to wait until the fall when Stargate Universe is expected to premiere.

The DVD has 20 episodes on five discs and contains the following Special Features:

Audio Commentary by Directors, Producers, and Stars - It’s always nice to learn about the creative artistry that goes into filming an episode.

Mission Directive Featurettes - There are many of these for season five, but my favorite one is “The Life and Death of Michael Kenmore.” It’s an overview on the character of Michael from his birth to his final moments, discussing his character evolution and why he is likeable even though he ultimately becomes a villain. I also enjoyed the featurette on “Brainstorm,” because the very entertaining Martin Gero hosts it. He also wrote and directed the episode.

Deleted Scenes - I’m not a big fan of deleted scenes because they are generally pretty dry, and not completely finished. On this DVD set they are all clumped together on a couple of the discs and it’s difficult to remember where they actually fit into the episodes. I’d rather they put them after the ending credits of each individual episode so you’d at least remember what context they were originally created for.

Photo & Design Galleries - Lots of still photos from episodes and general designs used in the series.