The non-science of Fringe: The Bishop Revival

Fringe: Season 2: Episode 14: “The Bishop Revival”

Also, they have the Ark of the Covenant.

From a highly contagious and indiscriminate infection last week to a minutely targeted biochemical weapon this, the Fringe team are completely on the back foot when it comes to actually preventing mass killings. Oh, and Earth-2 move over – the Nazis are back! Actually, they never went away (maybe they were hiding in the hollow earth?). In this post, I’ll be making the usual comments about how much suspension of disbelief is required to enjoy the show.

This episode is debunked at Popular Mechanics and Polite Dissent, and you can read more about it at Fox, IMDb and the A.V. Club.

The non-science of Fringe: What Lies Below

Fringe: Season 2: Episode : “What Lies Below”

Walter pays attention to health and safety for once.

The plot of this week’s episode could have been lifted from any number of films, books, or even board games – a killer infection is on the loose, with some of the team infected and some not. Can they find a cure in time? Of course they can. In this post, I’ll be making the usual comments about how much suspension of disbelief is required to enjoy the show.

This episode is debunked at Popular Mechanics and Polite Dissent, and you can read more about it at Fox, IMDb and the A.V. Club.

The non-science of Fringe: Johari Window

Fringe: Season 2: Episode 12: “Johari Window”

The usual suspects.

The Fringe team find themselves investigating murders and deformities in a very small, close-knit community. No way there could be some gigantic secret that the whole town is hiding. Nope. The usual medical impossibilities and plot deficiencies aside (which are reported on better elsewhere), this episode contained very little worth commenting on. Check back soon!

This episode is debunked at Popular Mechanics and Polite Dissent, and you can read more about it at Fox, IMDb and the A.V. Club.

Random thoughts

The camouflage field is quite a nice concept, but unfortunately way too impractical to be taken seriously. Leaving aside the fact that the eye doesn’t work the way Walter described (it might have been better to say that the EM field altered the brain somehow), what’s more puzzling is how the field can be so selectively applied. The eye takes in light from everything in your field of vision (that’s how you see things), and so the EM field would change the trees, houses, food etc in the same way as the people and butterflies.

Other posters have (correctly) pointed out that EM fields do not hum. However, the hum could potentially be caused by the field generator (or repeater equipment), or an effect like magnetostriction (which causes power lines to hum).

The non-science of Fringe: Unearthed

Fringe: Season 2: Episode 11: “Unearthed”

Walter in brainstorming mode.

More out-of-body experiences in this episode, with the usual Fringe trappings of drug-induced trances and brain scans. The usual medical impossibilities and plot deficiencies aside (which are reported on better elsewhere), this episode contained very little worth commenting on. Check back soon!

This episode is debunked at Popular Mechanics and Polite Dissent, and you can read more about it at Fox, IMDb and the A.V. Club.

Random thoughts

Hey, is that a shell casing? A clue! Absolutely no chance it could have fingerprints or anything on it, so I’ll just pick it up.

It seems that when FBI agents are sent out to apprehend young people, they are routinely armed with tranquiliser darts. Adults get shot at with regular bullets, of course.

The non-science of Fringe: Grey Matters

Fringe: Season 2: Episode 10: “Grey Matters”

Olivia and this season's Big Bad.

The Destroyer of Worlds finally shows up, having been revived weeks ago, and promptly gets vital information out of Walter’s not-so-secure brain. The absolute impossibility of the brain-memory-storage-retrieval strategy aside, this episode was refreshingly easy to watch.

This episode is debunked at Popular Mechanics and Polite Dissent, and you can read more about it at Fox, IMDb and the A.V. Club.

The non-science of Fringe: Snakehead

Fringe: Season 2: Episode 9: “Snakehead”

Walter finally gets his solo mission.

Without getting too much into the allegory of our comfortable First World lives being possible only by the exploitation of the poor, this week’s investigation does skirt around a few uncomfortable truths. The usual impossibilities to do with rapid growth aside, this episode was refreshingly easy to watch.

This episode is debunked at Popular Mechanics and Polite Dissent, and you can read more about it at Fox, IMDb and the A.V. Club.

Random thoughts

The name of the Triad gang, Sun Hung (孙空; correctly Romanised from the Cantonese as syun¹ hung¹; the Fringe cast pronounce it as “Sun Hong”) approximates to “Grandchild/Empty”.

The science of Breaking Bad: ABQ

Breaking Bad : Season 2 : Episode 13 : “ABQ”

Walt pulls Jesse out of his retreat.

The season ends with both Walt’s and Jesse’s hopes for the future falling down around their ears, like aeroplanes out of the sky. Events have conspired to keep Walt out of the lab and classroom, so this episode contains nothing of note. Check back soon!

You can read more about this episode at AMC, IMDb and the A.V. Club.

The science of Breaking Bad: Phoenix

Breaking Bad : Season 2 : Episode 12: “Phoenix”

Walt shows off the college fund.

As the season nears a close, it looks like Walt and Jesse are going to divide the profits and part ways. Events have conspired to (mostly) keep Walt out of the lab and classroom, so this episode contains nothing of note. Check back soon!

You can read more about this episode at AMC, IMDb and the A.V. Club.

The science of Breaking Bad: Mandala

Breaking Bad : Season 2 : Episode 11: “Mandala”

Walt waits for the deal to end all deals.

Walt and Jesse decide to get out of the distribution business and focus on production, which is significantly safer. Events have conspired to (mostly) keep Walt out of the lab and classroom, so this episode contains nothing of note. Check back soon!

You can read more about this episode at AMC, IMDb and the A.V. Club.

The non-science of Fringe: August

Fringe: Season 2: Episode 8: “August”

The restaurant runs out of chili peppers.

There’s more than one of everything – even Observers! This episode was refreshingly easy to watch.

This episode is debunked at Popular Mechanics and Polite Dissent, and you can read more about it at Fox, IMDb and the A.V. Club.