The Last Sam Weiss
Encyclopedia
The Last Sam Weiss is the penultimate episode of the third season
of the Fox
science fiction
television series Fringe
. It aired on April 29, 2011 in the United States.
creates numerous static lightning storms along the eastern seaboard. As Walter and Astrid see to Peter's recovery after his failed attempt to enter the machine, Olivia takes Sam Weiss to the machine. Weiss states that the machine is not meant to be a doomsday device and that the strange effects are a byproduct of the machine's "frustration" due to its believing that Peter is already inside the machine. Weiss suggests finding a proverbial "crowbar" that can be used to break the shield protecting the device to give Peter enough time to enter it. As Olivia travels with Weiss to collect a box and the key containing this crowbar, Weiss explains that he descends from a long unbroken line of men named Sam Weiss whose forebear found the incomplete collection of information on the First People and the device, and have sought to try to find the rest. Upon collecting both the box and key, they open it to find a parchment, revealing that Olivia herself is the crowbar.
Meanwhile, Walter and Astrid determine that most of the effects of the device are occurring in the areas between western Massachusetts and Liberty Island—the locations of the doomsday machines in the prime and parallel universe
s respectively—aligned like iron filings around the ends of a magnet. Walter convinces Broyles to move the device to Liberty Island to reduce the area affected by the strange events. During this time, Peter wakes with confused memories and leaves the hospital, travelling to a location in New York City and buying a silver dollar coin from a pawn shop.
Olivia and Weiss bring the parchment to Walter, who recognizes that Olivia's telekinetic powers must be used to turn off the machine in the parallel universe. To prepare Olivia, they use the quantum entangled
Selectric typewriter that the shapeshifters had used to contact the parallel universe, having her attempt to "use" the parallel universe's version to send a message to the prime universe's one. Olivia struggles unsuccessfully with trying to activate the typewriter, even with Walter's support. Peter is soon discovered in New York, about the same time that the machine has been moved into position. Walter and Olivia rejoin him, finding him confused and believing himself to be in the parallel universe. Peter eventually comes to his senses, with Walter believing his confustion to be a temporary result of the head trauma. Astrid calls the trio from the lab, revealing that the typewriter is typing out "Be a better man than your father", a phrase that Olivia and Peter have talked about before, thus giving them hope that Olivia will be able to disengage the parallel universe's device. After she does so, Peter takes a moment to recall the events of his life, including his experiences with Walter and Olivia, and then steps into the machine.
Peter wakes up on a war-torn street in New York City. He finds himself in the future, facing the completed One World Trade Center, dedicated in 2021 to the victims of the September 11 attacks, but falls wounded into the arms of an officer of the militarized Fringe division.
called the beginning scene with Olivia and Walter naked "the funniest thing" yet, explaining "The writers keep throwing challenges at me, because I never say no. They said, 'Okay, John, you’ll do a scene naked.' I said 'Okay.' And so that was a big surprise. So I do this scene, this strange scene with Anna Torv, without any clothes on. Anna’s staying at the Bishop house with Walter running around with no clothes on except for a pair of slippers, getting breakfast. She comes round the corner and catches him in the full monty, going, 'Oh no!' Didn’t know where to look. That was probably one of the most fun things we ever did. Anna’s reaction was priceless to that. I haven’t seen the scene yet, but it was hilarious to do it."
In March 2011, TVline
's Michael Ausiello
exclusively confirmed that previous guest actor Kevin Corrigan
would be returning for the twentieth and twenty-first episodes of the season. Corrigan last appeared in the season's twelfth episode "Concentrate and Ask Again
"; his role in "The Last Sam Weiss" and the previous week's episode "6:02 AM EST
" marked his sixth and seventh appearances on Fringe, respectively.
As with other Fringe episodes, Fox released a science lesson plan in collaboration with Science Olympiad
for grade school children, focusing on the science seen in "The Last Sam Weiss", with the intention of having "students learn about static electricity
and how it is created and dissipated."
caused an increase of 67 percent in the all-important 18–49 demographic, resulting in a 2.0 rating; this was the largest increase out of all the television series airing that week.
called the episode "equally surprising in its plotting and pacing", praised Sam and Olivia's scenes together, and believed the ending to be "mind-blowing" and "both startling and thrilling". The A.V. Club
's Noel Murray graded the episode with an A-, writing the first half "wasn't quite as rollicking as last week's episode
, because there was a lot more set-up and explanation required to keep the story moving" but "then the second half brought in all the emotion and tension, topped off by an unexpected gut-punch of an ending." Murray admitted his "eyes glazed over a bit" during the search for the "crowbar", believing it to be "little too Lost
-y", but "the quirky Corrigan as Weiss helped put all the mumbo-jumbo over".
Fringe (season 3)
The third season of the American science fiction television series Fringe premiered on Fox on September 23, 2010, and concluded on May 6, 2011, consisting of 22 episodes. The series is produced by Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros...
of the Fox
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...
science fiction
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...
television 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...
. It aired on April 29, 2011 in the United States.
Plot
In the prime universe, the doomsday machineDoomsday device
A doomsday device is a hypothetical construction — usually a weapon, or collection of weapons — which could destroy all life on a planet, particularly the Earth, or destroy the planet itself, bringing "doomsday", a term used for the end of planet Earth...
creates numerous static lightning storms along the eastern seaboard. As Walter and Astrid see to Peter's recovery after his failed attempt to enter the machine, Olivia takes Sam Weiss to the machine. Weiss states that the machine is not meant to be a doomsday device and that the strange effects are a byproduct of the machine's "frustration" due to its believing that Peter is already inside the machine. Weiss suggests finding a proverbial "crowbar" that can be used to break the shield protecting the device to give Peter enough time to enter it. As Olivia travels with Weiss to collect a box and the key containing this crowbar, Weiss explains that he descends from a long unbroken line of men named Sam Weiss whose forebear found the incomplete collection of information on the First People and the device, and have sought to try to find the rest. Upon collecting both the box and key, they open it to find a parchment, revealing that Olivia herself is the crowbar.
Meanwhile, Walter and Astrid determine that most of the effects of the device are occurring in the areas between western Massachusetts and Liberty Island—the locations of the doomsday machines in the prime and parallel universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
s respectively—aligned like iron filings around the ends of a magnet. Walter convinces Broyles to move the device to Liberty Island to reduce the area affected by the strange events. During this time, Peter wakes with confused memories and leaves the hospital, travelling to a location in New York City and buying a silver dollar coin from a pawn shop.
Olivia and Weiss bring the parchment to Walter, who recognizes that Olivia's telekinetic powers must be used to turn off the machine in the parallel universe. To prepare Olivia, they use the quantum entangled
Quantum entanglement
Quantum entanglement occurs when electrons, molecules even as large as "buckyballs", photons, etc., interact physically and then become separated; the type of interaction is such that each resulting member of a pair is properly described by the same quantum mechanical description , which is...
Selectric typewriter that the shapeshifters had used to contact the parallel universe, having her attempt to "use" the parallel universe's version to send a message to the prime universe's one. Olivia struggles unsuccessfully with trying to activate the typewriter, even with Walter's support. Peter is soon discovered in New York, about the same time that the machine has been moved into position. Walter and Olivia rejoin him, finding him confused and believing himself to be in the parallel universe. Peter eventually comes to his senses, with Walter believing his confustion to be a temporary result of the head trauma. Astrid calls the trio from the lab, revealing that the typewriter is typing out "Be a better man than your father", a phrase that Olivia and Peter have talked about before, thus giving them hope that Olivia will be able to disengage the parallel universe's device. After she does so, Peter takes a moment to recall the events of his life, including his experiences with Walter and Olivia, and then steps into the machine.
Peter wakes up on a war-torn street in New York City. He finds himself in the future, facing the completed One World Trade Center, dedicated in 2021 to the victims of the September 11 attacks, but falls wounded into the arms of an officer of the militarized Fringe division.
Production
Actor John NobleJohn 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...
called the beginning scene with Olivia and Walter naked "the funniest thing" yet, explaining "The writers keep throwing challenges at me, because I never say no. They said, 'Okay, John, you’ll do a scene naked.' I said 'Okay.' And so that was a big surprise. So I do this scene, this strange scene with Anna Torv, without any clothes on. Anna’s staying at the Bishop house with Walter running around with no clothes on except for a pair of slippers, getting breakfast. She comes round the corner and catches him in the full monty, going, 'Oh no!' Didn’t know where to look. That was probably one of the most fun things we ever did. Anna’s reaction was priceless to that. I haven’t seen the scene yet, but it was hilarious to do it."
In March 2011, TVline
TVLine
TVLine is a website devoted to information, news and spoilers of television programs.-History:In late 2010, Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello announced that he would be leaving EW after nearly two years in their employ to establish a TV-centered website with MMC, the media company founded by...
's Michael Ausiello
Michael Ausiello
Michael Ausiello is an American television industry journalist and actor. He was a Senior Writer at TV Guide and its companion website, TVGuide.com. On May 28, 2008, Ausiello left TV Guide for Entertainment Weekly and posted his first blog for Entertainment Weekly on July 2, 2008...
exclusively confirmed that previous guest actor Kevin Corrigan
Kevin Corrigan
Kevin Fitzgerald Corrigan is an American actor who has appeared mostly in independent films and television since the 1990s.-Life and career:Corrigan was born in The Bronx, New York to an Irish-American father and a Puerto Rican mother...
would be returning for the twentieth and twenty-first episodes of the season. Corrigan last appeared in the season's twelfth episode "Concentrate and Ask Again
Concentrate and Ask Again
"Concentrate and Ask Again" is the 12th episode of the third season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe, and the 55th episode overall.-Plot:...
"; his role in "The Last Sam Weiss" and the previous week's episode "6:02 AM EST
6:02 AM EST
"6:02 AM EST" is the 20th episode of the third season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe, and the 63rd episode overall...
" marked his sixth and seventh appearances on Fringe, respectively.
As with other Fringe episodes, Fox released a science lesson plan in collaboration with Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...
for grade school children, focusing on the science seen in "The Last Sam Weiss", with the intention of having "students learn about static electricity
Static electricity
Static electricity refers to the build-up of electric charge on the surface of objects. The static charges remain on an object until they either bleed off to ground or are quickly neutralized by a discharge. Static electricity can be contrasted with current electricity, which can be delivered...
and how it is created and dissipated."
Ratings
On its first broadcast in the United States, the episode was watched by an estimated 3.49 million viewers and scored a 1.3 ratings share among adults 18–49. Time shifted viewingTime shifting
Time shifting is the recording of programming to a storage medium to be viewed or listened to at a time more convenient to the consumer. Typically, this refers to TV programming but can also refer to radio shows via podcasts....
caused an increase of 67 percent in the all-important 18–49 demographic, resulting in a 2.0 rating; this was the largest increase out of all the television series airing that week.
Reviews
Ken Tucker from Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment 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...
called the episode "equally surprising in its plotting and pacing", praised Sam and Olivia's scenes together, and believed the ending to be "mind-blowing" and "both startling and thrilling". 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...
's Noel Murray graded the episode with an A-, writing the first half "wasn't quite as rollicking as last week's episode
6:02 AM EST
"6:02 AM EST" is the 20th episode of the third season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe, and the 63rd episode overall...
, because there was a lot more set-up and explanation required to keep the story moving" but "then the second half brought in all the emotion and tension, topped off by an unexpected gut-punch of an ending." Murray admitted his "eyes glazed over a bit" during the search for the "crowbar", believing it to be "little too 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...
-y", but "the quirky Corrigan as Weiss helped put all the mumbo-jumbo over".
External links
- "The Last Sam Weiss" at Fox.com