FRINGE: “One Night In October” Recap

A man is trembling as he looks at a photo of himself when he was six…he was going camping. His mom took the photo. Another man is questioning him about the day. There is a tube going into the subjects head, with a fluorescent fluid running through it. The questions and answers continue until the man dies, a single fluorescent tear running down his face.

Walter is moving about the lab, changing things, covering things up, expressing his contempt for the residents of the other universe. Lincoln explains to Astrid that he started out telling him about the shapeshifters, but soon moved on to inhabitants of the other universe in general. Walter tells Lincoln about that ‘awful woman’ who pranced around his lab and “bought my ignorance with baked goods”. Astrid tries to calm Walter down, the others plans didn’t happen after all. Walter doesn’t care, he’s on a roll and has things to do in the lab. He asks Kennedy…err, Lincoln…to help him. With Peter out of the picture Walter seems to know Astrid’s name, but has trouble with everyone else’s.

Olivia arrives at work and asks about Walter’s redecorating the lab. She’s surprised Lincoln is already there, although she promised to tell him all about the shapeshifters. Astrid thinks he’s lonely…Olivia gets the hint and tells Astrid it won’t happen, Lincoln isn’t her type. The phone rings…someone died and saved Olivia from having to continue making excuses for why she has no personal life.

Broyles tells Olivia the victim has had a hole drilled in his skull to access the brain….a chemical was used to lower the brains temperature, frozen from inside out. Why hasn’t Olivia heard of the 23 murders? Because they happened ‘over there’, and they’ve been asked to assist on the case. Broyles asks if it will be a problem, and Olivia shoots him a glance that says she doesn’t like it but she can never say no to work, no-Peter-in-her-life Olivia is all about the work.

Broyles and Olivia arrive on other side. Fauxlivia greets them…smirks at them…whatever. She tells them of the serial killer they are searching for. He has a 220 IQ and he’s always ahead of them. Why do they need help? They know who they are looking for, John McClendon, and they want them to escort the John McClendon from their side to the other side. Maybe he can provide insight. Fauxlivia gets under Olivia’s skin by mentioning that when she was living her life she learned a lot about her. Olivia and Broyles excuse themselves to discuss it privately. Olivia doesn’t like it, but Broyles tells her they have to do it. On the other side McClendon is a serial killer, on ours he is a professor..and an expert on serial killers.

Olivia goes to see him to try to convince him to participate and help them locate a serial killer. He will. He doesn’t know who he is helping to locate, that detail is left out. They sedate Professor McClendon in order to transport him to the other side…another little detail they didn’t actually mention.

Now in Norristown, PA, OtherSide USA, Lincoln (the hip one, not the nerdy Clark Kent one) arrives at Fauxlivia’s apartment. She’s dressed as Olivia again. Ah, brings back memories. She says it’s lucky Frank likes red….so she’s still with Frank now that Peter doesn’t exist. Olivia arrives, hip Lincoln and Fauxlivia greet her. She tells Fauxlivia that she buttons her jacket (letting her know she’s a fake and will always be a fake). It’s show time. At the same time, at a gas station elsewhere in town, a little girl is cleaning a car window while her mom watches. From a distance serial killer McClendon watches as well.

Back at Harvard, Walter is listening to music, loud music. Well, he’s also sleeping. Astrid comes in, turns it off, asks if he knows how loud that was. She wants to know what’s wrong with him…he says his nerves are raw, he hasn’t been sleeping well. She has checked his meds, the counts are way off. She’s going to help him, but asks him to tell her if something else is going on. He insists he just needs to rest and leaves to lie down.

Professor McClendon is profiling the serial killer. The killer needs to feel in control. Messy spaces bother him. Highly intelligent, probably self taught. Fascinated by the brain.

Hip Lincoln asks Olivia if she hates being out there, because he knows it would drive Fauxlivia crazy. She says she’s fine with it….they sit in the car and listen to Fauxlivia and the Professor over the radio.

Professor says the killer is deeply unhappy….trying to make up for all he didn’t have as a kid. Dinner is very important to him, he hunts during the day. He blends into his surroundings. Killer Mc is still watching the woman and girl at the gas station. Professor notices a set of chairs Killer Mc has that are exactly like ones in house he grew up in. What are the odds? The killer hates people that have happy lives. He wants to take that away from them. It makes him feel better. Across town, the little girl goes to the restroom. When she returns, her mom is gone. Killer Mc’s coffee cup is seen sitting on the table.

Professor finds a photo of his father and is shaken. He wants to know how that is possible, gets angry and storms out. Olivia gets out of the car and runs for him, he’s her responsibility. Professor comes face to face with dual Dunhams. He turns and sees amber in the distance, realizes we’re not in Kansas (or Pennsylvania) anymore. He wants to know where they are.

Fauxlivia wants to go inside. She says she should have removed the photos. Olivia is inside with Professor, explaining the alternate universe to him, and how people make different choices and end up in different places on this side. He thinks it’s a nightmare, learning his alternate is a serial killer. He has secrets….he always knew something was wrong with him, his father knew it too. His dad used a heavy hand to “fix” him. Olivia tells him she also came from an abusive home…her stepfather was abusive. Fauxlivia is listening. Professor says it is no mistake that he likes to do what he does, he wants to help people like him. Fauxlivia asks if he ever acted on it. No, but he wanted to. A woman, Marjorie, showed him good things, peace. That is what is different…without her, this would have been his life. Professor wishes he could tell Killer Mc that it doesn’t have to be this way, he just had no one to teach him. Olivia tells him Killer Mc can never know he exists.

Faux and Lincoln get news on latest victim, Noreen Miller. She just disappeared (it’s the lady from the gas station). They go to get the Professor. He’s in the bathroom according to the guard. He’s really just skipped out to find his alternate self.

Alter-Broyles lives! Fauxlivia and Lincoln report to him, and they look nervous. Alter-Broyles isn’t interested in who is at fault. Alter-Astrid gives them the statistics that suggest they are unlikely to find Killer Mc without Professor’s help. Olivia has an idea. Faux blows her off, if genius Alter-Astrid hasn’t already thought of it, then it doesn’t exist. Olivia and her photographic memory recalls the license plate on the photo of Prof’s father’s tractor. They can trace it’s registration to find the family’s farm.

As Killer Mc is prepping to drill a hole in Noreen’s head, Professor shows up. They stare at each other in shock and disbelief.

Lincoln briefs the crew on Noreen Miller, the missing mom, and they head out to find her at the site of the old farm. Fauxlivia tells Olivia to ride with her. Olivia looks like she’d rather ride with a psycho killer who drills holes in peoples heads, but goes along anyway.

Professor is trying to get through to Killer Mc, they are freaking each other out with their insight into each others thoughts and memories. Professor tells the darker him about the night his father had found animals he had killed and came looking for him at a carnival. This memory they share. Killer Mc says his father dragged him home and beat him. Professor’s story differs here, he ran. This is when he met Marjorie. She helped him learn to resist the urges. Professor believes he can help Killer Mc, like Marjorie helped him. Killer Mc knocks the Professor out. Guess he doesn’t want that help.

Fauxlivia asks Olivia about her stepfather…she was just trying to open the Professor up, right? Olivia tells her yes, but it was also true. Fauxlivia asks what happened to him. Olivia says she killed him (yet another thing that’s different now that things have changed).

Killer Mc drills a hole in his other self’s head and connects the tubing with fluorescent fluid. He wants to know his happiest memories, about Marjorie. As that debrief begins, Lincoln and crew burst into his fathers’ farm. It’s empty, full of cobwebs. They are in the wrong place.

They search in the darkness around the farm, looking for clues, Olivia is teamed with Lincoln. They find a cellar and climb down.

Killer Mc asks the Professor how Marjorie made him feel. He felt safe with her, she was kind, gentle. He couldn’t understand how something so beautiful could love something so dark.

Lincoln and Olivia find them. Noreen is still alive, but sedated. Killer Mc feels anguish…he wants what Marjorie gave the Professor. She made Professor feel for them. He took Professor’s memories of her away. Before he can say any more, Fauxlivia comes upon the scene and shoots him.

Professor is okay and in the hospital. Broyles tells Olivia he can’t remember the last few weeks. Because all memories of Marjorie were extracted by Killer Mc, he will now have to be watched to make sure he doesn’t become a killer like his alternate self.

Olivia goes to talk to him. Does he remember Marjorie? No, but things are dark right now. He tells Olivia “Even when it’s the darkest, you can step into the light”. He remembers what Marjorie taught him, even though he can’t remember who she is. Broyles tells Olivia there are people who leave an indelible mark on your soul, an imprint that can never be erased. Sounds a lot like Peter.

Walter prepares for bed. He still seems so frightened, as if he’s afraid to turn out the lights. When he finally does, he hears Peter’s voice “Walter I’m right here”. Walter freaks, turns on his music, loud…can’t drown out the sounds of Peter’s voice telling him he’s right there, and asking for help.

Fringe airs Fridays at 9/8c on FOX.