The Bishop Revival
Encyclopedia
"The Bishop Revival" is the 14th episode of the second season of the American science fiction
drama
television series
Fringe
. The episode's storyline followed Nazi scientist Alfred Hoffman (Craig Robert Young
) as he specially designed airborne toxins to kill only surrounding people with similar genetic traits, such as people with brown eyes.
It was written by Glen Whitman
and Robert Chiappetta
, and directed by Adam Davidson. Along with Young and a number of small guest parts, the episode featured another guest appearance by Clark Middleton
as rare book seller Edward Markham. "The Bishop Revival" first aired in the United States on January 28, 2010 on the Fox network
to an estimated 9.153 million viewers. Critical reception for the episode ranged from positive to mixed, as reviewers were divided on the episode's villain.
(Anna Torv
) identifies that all the victims were from the groom's side, whose grandmother was a Holocaust survivor, and Walter
(John Noble
) surmises that they were all killed by sharing a common genetic trait. Later, a similar mass death occurs at a coffee shop, which Walter recognizes the victims all had brown eyes, another common genetic trait. From fingerprints found at the scene, they discover their culprit is Alfred Hoffman (Craig Robert Young
), a Nazi scientist apparently over 100 years old. Walter realizes that the man likely worked with his own father, Robert Bishop, in creating a chemical agent that, once heated as a gas, could be used to target any specific trait using DNA from the target subject. Though Walter originally had his father's files on the subject, his son Peter
(Joshua Jackson
), years earlier, had sold them; Peter tries to recover the files but finds they have been used by an artist to create sensationalism art, causing Walter to become distraught.
They trace Hoffman to his home, finding his equipment used to create the chemical agent but no sign of Hoffman. Walter nearly suffocates from an agent left by Hoffman, but Olivia is able to save him in time. As the FBI search the premises, they find evidence that points to a convention being held to promote world equality. Olivia and Peter depart to try to find Hoffman, while Walter remains behind, examining Hoffman's equipment.
At the convention, Hoffman has replaced the heating elements for the chafing dishes with those of his own invention with the chemical agent designed to attack all those not of the master race
. Olivia and Peter struggle with locating Hoffman before Walter and Astrid (Jasika Nicole
) arrive. Walter uses a fogger to distribute his own chemical agent, this time specific to Hoffman, and soon the man is found dead. As the team regroups, Walter fully admits to killing Hoffman, a crime in itself, but Broyles (Lance Reddick
) decides to do nothing and lets Walter go. Later, Peter has been able to recover the rest of Robert Bishop's work and returns it to Walter; Walter privately goes through the files, finding an old photo of his father and Hoffman working together.
and Robert Chiappetta
. It was the first and only Fringe episode directed by Adam Davidson.
"The Bishop Revival" revealed that the seahorse
shown in promotions since the series began was in fact a genetically encoded "signature" created by Walter's father Dr. Robert Bishop. In an interview after the episode's broadcast, consulting producer Akiva Goldsman
cited "The Bishop Revival" when discussing the use of flashbacks in Fringe; he stated his disinclination to use too many flashbacks in the series, explaining "I think flashbacks are really useful and there are a couple of places where it will be useful. But fundamentally, no, I don't think we're a show that will be doing a lot of jumping back in time despite the single horde of calls for the 'Walter's Grandfather Nazi Hunting' series. I think not, but it was fun to do [in the 'Peter
' episode]."
Guest stars for the episode included Craig Robert Young
, Max Train, Sierra Pitkin, Brendon Zub, Barbara Kottmeier, John Macintyre, Lauren Attadia, Al Miro, Aaron Brooks, Magda Harout, Leonard Tenisci, Alberta Mayne
, Nancy Linari
, and Dan Joffre. Clark Middleton
, who was last seen in the first season episode "Ability"
, made his second guest appearance in "The Bishop Revival" as rare bookseller Edward Markham.
: his Piano Quartet No. 1, Op.25 in G Major: III. Andante Con Moto-Animato
and Piano Quartet No. 1, Op.25 in G Minor: II. Intermezzo: Allegro Ma Non Troppo-Trio: Animato. Also in the episode, someone is seen holding a Dharma Initiative
tea bag, a reference to the mysterious organization on the science fiction series Lost
.
and Fringe finished #1 among adults aged 18–49, with an estimated 9.153 million viewers tuning in. Fringe was up fifteen percent from the previous week
with a 3.0 rating, tying its highest 18–49 ratings share for the season. It was the second most viewed episode of the season after the season premiere "A New Day in the Old Town
".
called the episode "surprisingly meh"; while appreciating "all the weird family revelations about the Bishops", she believed the revelations about Walter's father to be "too much" because "we didn't need that extra backstory". Newitz wished Fringe had brought back Olivia's childhood subplot and its ties with Walter and Peter. The A.V. Club
columnist Noel Murray was also critical of the episode, explaining "Plotwise, there wasn't much going on in 'The Bishop Revival.'... The FD tracked down a criminal and felled that criminal; that's really it." Murray did however praise the killer's methods and "Aryan aloofness" as "cool" and "delightfully old-school". Like Newitz, Tim Grierson of the magazine New York
believed the episode contained "stupid revelations"; for instance, the Nazi connection of Walter's father "just felt like a variation on season one's episodes in which bizarre phenomena could always magically be linked back to Walter's work for the government. Obviously, this info about Peter's grandfather was supposed to be 'shocking,' showing how the Bishop family's scientific work can so easily be perverted for evil, but by this point it just seems like a very artificial, unnecessary ploy to keep us engaged."
Other than a few minor complaints with the episode's logic, IGN
writer Ramsey Isler thought positively about "The Bishop Revival" and the Nazi story element in particular, stating "there's a definite unique Fringe flavor that makes this story work". Isler disliked the unsolved mystery of Hoffman however, writing the "story really had the feel of one of those intriguing but ultimately disposable stories in the Fringe library". Jennifer Walker from TV Fanatic called the episode "amazing" and a "heart stopper", while Andrew Hanson of the Los Angeles Times
enjoyed the father-son dynamic. Ken Tucker from Entertainment Weekly
wrote "The Bishop Revival" was "one of the series' most satisfying stand-alone episodes" because it featured a "good threat" and gave more information about the Bishop family's backstory. Tucker praised John Noble
's performance, as his "portrayal of Walter encompasses everything from endearing daffiness to ferocious concentration and commitment". MTV
's Josh Wigler believed the episode was "terrific," but wished there was more of a balance between the show's three leads, and that Olivia was featured on a regular basis. He, Hanson, and other critics agreed that this and the previous week's episode gave Fringe some strong momentum heading into the winter finale. Though normally skeptical of the series' many fringe cases, Popular Mechanics
called the episode Fringes "most plausible case yet".
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
Fringe
Fringe (TV series)
Fringe is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The series follows a Federal Bureau of Investigation "Fringe Division" team based in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Homeland Security...
. The episode's storyline followed Nazi scientist Alfred Hoffman (Craig Robert Young
Craig Robert Young
Craig Robert Young is a British actor who began his acting career at age ten, starring in the stage production of The Price of Coal. By the time he was 17, he moved to London to attend the Central School of Speech and Drama, whereupon he was chosen to become a member of the pop band Deuce, scoring...
) as he specially designed airborne toxins to kill only surrounding people with similar genetic traits, such as people with brown eyes.
It was written by Glen Whitman
Glen Whitman
Glen Whitman is an American television writer who, along with his writing partner Robert Chiappetta, serves as executive story editor on the FOX science-fiction series Fringe and has contributed several scripts to the series. Whitman has been a Science Adviser to the series since the first season.-...
and Robert Chiappetta
Robert Chiappetta
Robert Chiappetta is an American television writer who, along with his writing partner Glen Whitman, serves as executive story editor on the FOX science-fiction series Fringe and has contributed many scripts to the show as well.- Fringe episodes :...
, and directed by Adam Davidson. Along with Young and a number of small guest parts, the episode featured another guest appearance by Clark Middleton
Clark Middleton
Clark Middleton is an American actor. He may be best known for his supporting roles in Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Sin City, and Fringe.-Career:Middleton began acting at a California junior college when he signed up with an acting class with friends...
as rare book seller Edward Markham. "The Bishop Revival" first aired in the United States on January 28, 2010 on the Fox network
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
to an estimated 9.153 million viewers. Critical reception for the episode ranged from positive to mixed, as reviewers were divided on the episode's villain.
Plot
A large number of people die at a Jewish wedding, appearing to have suffocated from inside out. When the Fringe team arrives, OliviaOlivia Dunham
FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series Fringe . Olivia first appeared in the pilot episode on September 9, 2008. She is portrayed by actress Anna Torv....
(Anna Torv
Anna Torv
Anna Torv is an Australian actress known for her role as FBI agent Olivia Dunham on the Fox television series Fringe.-Early life:...
) identifies that all the victims were from the groom's side, whose grandmother was a Holocaust survivor, and Walter
Walter Bishop (Fringe)
Walter Bishop, Ph.D. is a fictional character on the Fox television series Fringe. He is portrayed by John Noble. Noble also plays Walter's counterpart in the show's parallel universe, who is referred to in the show as Walternate.-Arc:...
(John Noble
John Noble
John Noble is an Australian film and television actor, and theater director of more than 80 plays. He was born in Port Pirie, South Australia, Australia and is currently starring as scientist Walter Bishop in the J. J. Abrams television series Fringe.He made occasional appearances on the...
) surmises that they were all killed by sharing a common genetic trait. Later, a similar mass death occurs at a coffee shop, which Walter recognizes the victims all had brown eyes, another common genetic trait. From fingerprints found at the scene, they discover their culprit is Alfred Hoffman (Craig Robert Young
Craig Robert Young
Craig Robert Young is a British actor who began his acting career at age ten, starring in the stage production of The Price of Coal. By the time he was 17, he moved to London to attend the Central School of Speech and Drama, whereupon he was chosen to become a member of the pop band Deuce, scoring...
), a Nazi scientist apparently over 100 years old. Walter realizes that the man likely worked with his own father, Robert Bishop, in creating a chemical agent that, once heated as a gas, could be used to target any specific trait using DNA from the target subject. Though Walter originally had his father's files on the subject, his son Peter
Peter Bishop
Peter Bishop is a fictional character on the Fox television series Fringe. He is portrayed by Joshua Jackson.-Fictional character biography:...
(Joshua Jackson
Joshua Jackson
Joshua Carter Jackson is a Canadian American actor. He has appeared in primetime television and in over 32 film roles. He is best known for playing Charlie Conway in The Mighty Ducks film series, Pacey Witter in the television series Dawson's Creek and Peter Bishop in the television series...
), years earlier, had sold them; Peter tries to recover the files but finds they have been used by an artist to create sensationalism art, causing Walter to become distraught.
They trace Hoffman to his home, finding his equipment used to create the chemical agent but no sign of Hoffman. Walter nearly suffocates from an agent left by Hoffman, but Olivia is able to save him in time. As the FBI search the premises, they find evidence that points to a convention being held to promote world equality. Olivia and Peter depart to try to find Hoffman, while Walter remains behind, examining Hoffman's equipment.
At the convention, Hoffman has replaced the heating elements for the chafing dishes with those of his own invention with the chemical agent designed to attack all those not of the master race
Master race
Master race was a phrase and concept originating in the slave-holding Southern US. The later phrase Herrenvolk , interpreted as 'master race', was a concept in Nazi ideology in which the Nordic peoples, one of the branches of what in the late-19th and early-20th century was called the Aryan race,...
. Olivia and Peter struggle with locating Hoffman before Walter and Astrid (Jasika Nicole
Jasika Nicole
Jasika Nicole is an American actress and illustrator from Birmingham, Alabama. She is most famous for portraying the character of Astrid Farnsworth in the TV series Fringe....
) arrive. Walter uses a fogger to distribute his own chemical agent, this time specific to Hoffman, and soon the man is found dead. As the team regroups, Walter fully admits to killing Hoffman, a crime in itself, but Broyles (Lance Reddick
Lance Reddick
Lance Reddick is an American theater, film and TV actor and musician born in Baltimore, Maryland. He starred in The Wire as Cedric Daniels, appeared in Oz as Detective Johnny Basil and appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Lost. He now has a prominent role in Fringe...
) decides to do nothing and lets Walter go. Later, Peter has been able to recover the rest of Robert Bishop's work and returns it to Walter; Walter privately goes through the files, finding an old photo of his father and Hoffman working together.
Production
"The Bishop Revival" was the third episode to be written by writing partners Glen WhitmanGlen Whitman
Glen Whitman is an American television writer who, along with his writing partner Robert Chiappetta, serves as executive story editor on the FOX science-fiction series Fringe and has contributed several scripts to the series. Whitman has been a Science Adviser to the series since the first season.-...
and Robert Chiappetta
Robert Chiappetta
Robert Chiappetta is an American television writer who, along with his writing partner Glen Whitman, serves as executive story editor on the FOX science-fiction series Fringe and has contributed many scripts to the show as well.- Fringe episodes :...
. It was the first and only Fringe episode directed by Adam Davidson.
"The Bishop Revival" revealed that the seahorse
Seahorse
Seahorses compose the fish genus Hippocampus within the family Syngnathidae, in order Syngnathiformes. Syngnathidae also includes the pipefishes. "Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek hippos meaning "horse" and kampos meaning “sea monster”.There are nearly 50 species of seahorse...
shown in promotions since the series began was in fact a genetically encoded "signature" created by Walter's father Dr. Robert Bishop. In an interview after the episode's broadcast, consulting producer Akiva Goldsman
Akiva Goldsman
Akiva J. Goldsman from Walker Valley, New York is an American screenwriter and film producer. He received an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2001 film, A Beautiful Mind, which also won the Oscar for Best Picture....
cited "The Bishop Revival" when discussing the use of flashbacks in Fringe; he stated his disinclination to use too many flashbacks in the series, explaining "I think flashbacks are really useful and there are a couple of places where it will be useful. But fundamentally, no, I don't think we're a show that will be doing a lot of jumping back in time despite the single horde of calls for the 'Walter's Grandfather Nazi Hunting' series. I think not, but it was fun to do [in the 'Peter
Peter (Fringe)
"Peter" is the 16th episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe, and the 36th episode overall. Considered a keystone episode of the series, "Peter" is a flashback episode, told as Walter Bishop reveals to Olivia Dunham that his son Peter is really the...
' episode]."
Guest stars for the episode included Craig Robert Young
Craig Robert Young
Craig Robert Young is a British actor who began his acting career at age ten, starring in the stage production of The Price of Coal. By the time he was 17, he moved to London to attend the Central School of Speech and Drama, whereupon he was chosen to become a member of the pop band Deuce, scoring...
, Max Train, Sierra Pitkin, Brendon Zub, Barbara Kottmeier, John Macintyre, Lauren Attadia, Al Miro, Aaron Brooks, Magda Harout, Leonard Tenisci, Alberta Mayne
Alberta Mayne
Alberta Rosemarie Katherina Mayne is a Canadian actress, theatre producer, and social activist from Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2000, she ran a theatre company out of Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2006, she started to focus on film and television, landing roles in television movies such as...
, Nancy Linari
Nancy Linari
Nancy Linari is an American voice actress who is most popular as voicing many minor Sonic the Hedgehog characters. She also has recurring roles on Duckman, W.I.T.C.H., The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, and has guest starred on a number of other TV shows. She hails from the northern suburbs of...
, and Dan Joffre. Clark Middleton
Clark Middleton
Clark Middleton is an American actor. He may be best known for his supporting roles in Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Sin City, and Fringe.-Career:Middleton began acting at a California junior college when he signed up with an acting class with friends...
, who was last seen in the first season episode "Ability"
Ability (Fringe)
"Ability" is the 14th episode of the first season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. The episode's teleplay was written by David H...
, made his second guest appearance in "The Bishop Revival" as rare bookseller Edward Markham.
Cultural references
The episode contained two pieces of music from the 19th century German composer Johannes BrahmsJohannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
: his Piano Quartet No. 1, Op.25 in G Major: III. Andante Con Moto-Animato
Piano Quartet No. 1 (Brahms)
The Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25, was composed by Johannes Brahms between 1856 and 1861. It was Clara Schumann who owned this masterpiece, as she was the pianist for the first performance in 1861 in Hamburg. It was also played in Vienna on November 16, 1862 with Brahms himself at the piano...
and Piano Quartet No. 1, Op.25 in G Minor: II. Intermezzo: Allegro Ma Non Troppo-Trio: Animato. Also in the episode, someone is seen holding a Dharma Initiative
DHARMA Initiative
The Dharma Initiative, also written DHARMA , was a fictional research project featured in the television series Lost. It was introduced in the second season episode "Orientation". In 2008, the Dharma Initiative website was launched. Dharma's interests were directly connected with fringe science...
tea bag, a reference to the mysterious organization on the science fiction series Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
.
Ratings
In a Thursday night filled mostly with repeats, Fox's airing of new episodes BonesBones (TV series)
Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
and Fringe finished #1 among adults aged 18–49, with an estimated 9.153 million viewers tuning in. Fringe was up fifteen percent from the previous week
What Lies Below
"What Lies Below" is the 13th episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. Set in a quarantined Boston office building, the episode revolves around a thousands-year-old virus that infects and then influences its victims to attempt to spread the...
with a 3.0 rating, tying its highest 18–49 ratings share for the season. It was the second most viewed episode of the season after the season premiere "A New Day in the Old Town
A New Day in the Old Town
"A New Day in the Old Town" is the season premiere and first episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe, and the 21st episode overall. It was written by co-creator J.J. Abrams and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, with Goldsman also directing...
".
Reviews
The episode received mixed to positive reviews from television critics. Jane Boursaw of TV Squad wasn't sure what to think about "The Bishop Revival", but loved the plotline about Walter's dad being a German spy working for the US government. Alternately, Annalee Newitz of io9Io9
io9 is a blog launched in 2008 by Gawker Media. The blog focuses on the subjects of science fiction, futurism, and advancements in the fields of science and technology....
called the episode "surprisingly meh"; while appreciating "all the weird family revelations about the Bishops", she believed the revelations about Walter's father to be "too much" because "we didn't need that extra backstory". Newitz wished Fringe had brought back Olivia's childhood subplot and its ties with Walter and Peter. The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
columnist Noel Murray was also critical of the episode, explaining "Plotwise, there wasn't much going on in 'The Bishop Revival.'... The FD tracked down a criminal and felled that criminal; that's really it." Murray did however praise the killer's methods and "Aryan aloofness" as "cool" and "delightfully old-school". Like Newitz, Tim Grierson of the magazine New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
believed the episode contained "stupid revelations"; for instance, the Nazi connection of Walter's father "just felt like a variation on season one's episodes in which bizarre phenomena could always magically be linked back to Walter's work for the government. Obviously, this info about Peter's grandfather was supposed to be 'shocking,' showing how the Bishop family's scientific work can so easily be perverted for evil, but by this point it just seems like a very artificial, unnecessary ploy to keep us engaged."
Other than a few minor complaints with the episode's logic, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
writer Ramsey Isler thought positively about "The Bishop Revival" and the Nazi story element in particular, stating "there's a definite unique Fringe flavor that makes this story work". Isler disliked the unsolved mystery of Hoffman however, writing the "story really had the feel of one of those intriguing but ultimately disposable stories in the Fringe library". Jennifer Walker from TV Fanatic called the episode "amazing" and a "heart stopper", while Andrew Hanson of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
enjoyed the father-son dynamic. Ken Tucker from Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
wrote "The Bishop Revival" was "one of the series' most satisfying stand-alone episodes" because it featured a "good threat" and gave more information about the Bishop family's backstory. Tucker praised John Noble
John Noble
John Noble is an Australian film and television actor, and theater director of more than 80 plays. He was born in Port Pirie, South Australia, Australia and is currently starring as scientist Walter Bishop in the J. J. Abrams television series Fringe.He made occasional appearances on the...
's performance, as his "portrayal of Walter encompasses everything from endearing daffiness to ferocious concentration and commitment". MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Josh Wigler believed the episode was "terrific," but wished there was more of a balance between the show's three leads, and that Olivia was featured on a regular basis. He, Hanson, and other critics agreed that this and the previous week's episode gave Fringe some strong momentum heading into the winter finale. Though normally skeptical of the series' many fringe cases, Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics is an American magazine first published January 11, 1902 by H. H. Windsor, and has been owned since 1958 by the Hearst Corporation...
called the episode Fringes "most plausible case yet".
External links
- "The Bishop Revival" at FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...