owlbeer | I think this is what I wanted ...

HOLY FUCKING SHIT.

Now, I wanted a Peter episode, and uh, I got one. Hell, I wanted a badass Peter wants answers and is pissed and is actually showing that he's a little screwed up by this whole doomsday machine thing episode ... and I got that too. However, was that what I really wanted? Right now, I'm not so sure. That was much darker than I thought they'd go.

Part me is delighted we got to see Peter being smart and badass though, because fuck yes. Also, kinda hot. Though I do still think that Josh, for all that I love him, excels more at the quiet emotional stuff than the serious bad-assery. You weren't meant to be an action star, honey. Not that he was bad, not at all, just not as good as with the other stuff. - Edit On a second watch, he really does fine, especially in that chilling scene with Walter. Oy.

The one thing I'm not really okay with? Keeping secrets from Olivia. How can that end well, Peter? How can that possibly end well?! You told her about sleeping with her doppelganger, for fuck's sake, you won't tell her this? And you dragged Walter into it too. And just as she's all forgiven you and you were all cute (so fucking cute) by the scanner machine and ... ahjbvkjvedean ... damn you show.

Edit: Watching it a second time, it really brings home how much he misled them all in this. Watching that scene in the Dr's house and at MD when he was trying to not get Olivia to look at the files ... eeep. There is just no trust there (because he's not doing it to protect them) and I don't think either Walter or Olivia deserve that in the slightest. Eeep. It makes him seem far more like AltLivia.

As for the forgiveness. That sort of happened sooner than I thought it would. Not a bad thing, just interesting. And no, she really didn't have to apologise. The P/O stuff seemed almost a little tacked on in general. I need to rewatch. Interesting that Olivia started to see the similarities between her and AltLiv ... arguably what started the forgiveness as much as anything else. Hmm. Loved that she had more scenes with Astrid.

Also, Astrid and Broyles scenes! How often does that happen? :)

Peter did arguably do them a favour with his shapeshifter killing spree. Now no one's reporting back to Walternate. Not ideal perhaps, or the best idea ... but interesting.

I'm also seeing comments about him being evil. Jokingly perhaps, but he's really not. He wanted answers, and he's frustrated and he was played for a fool and he's sick of just sitting there waiting for things to happen (thank you, show). I think the doomsday machine isn't helping him out, but I'm not 100% sure it's as much to blame as Walter thinks it is. Part of that is Peter is there. He was dealing with all of this shit far too well ... now not so much. As this rather awesome review puts it, he wants the control back.

Also, while still surprised by the darkness of it all (I mean dude, the finger cutting at the end when Walter was right there was freakishly bad ass) I did pick pretty early it was Peter. I had a few doubts, but by half way I was pretty sure.

To be 'shipper, god, I hate that there's this big secret between them again. I want them to save the universe together, damn it, but it's just not going to be that simple, is it? Oy. Show, I both love you and hate you for that. Also, when Olivia said, 'well, she's gone now, right?' -- oh honey.

Next week's promo looks delightful though. As someone on Twitter said ... Fringe does an Alias episode. Undercover. Tuxes (Peter with an undone bow-tie). Dresses (love that dress). Guh.

I keep looking at all my Peter .gifs and pictures - of which you will be surprised to hear there are a few - in a slightly new light now. Oh, Peter.

Added some extra thoughts on re-watch.