The Transformation
Encyclopedia
"The Transformation" is the 13th episode of the first season
of the American science fiction
drama
television series
Fringe
. The episode was written by Zack Whedon
and J. R. Orci, and it was directed by Brad Anderson.
It first aired in the United States on February 3, 2009 on the Fox Broadcasting Company
.
. The Fringe team arrives on the scene and discover the beast, and Walter concludes that it started out as a human; Olivia recognizes Bowman's picture from John Scott's memories, realizing that Bowman was flying to meet another man in the memories named Daniel Hicks (Felix Solis). Back at the lab at Harvard, Walter finds a small crystalline disc implanted in the beast's hand similar to one seen inside the woman killed in "The Ghost Network," and thinks Marshall was dosed with some kind of "designer virus".
Hicks is brought in for questioning, and begins transforming into a beast, he admits that "Conrad" dosed them before Peter pauses the process by administering a sedative and placing him in an induced coma. Walter develops an antidote, while Olivia finds another small disc in Hicks' hand. Her demand to see John Scott's body leads her and Broyles to Massive Dynamic, where Nina Sharp tells her that the information gleaned from Scott's body implicates him in a bioterrorist cell with the other two.
French intelligence states that weapons manufacturer Conrad is involved in a sale, leading to Olivia returning to the sensory deprivation tank in order to find out more from Scott's memories. In a motel room they used to share, Scott talks to Olivia, scaring her into shooting him. Olivia next appears in an alleyway, where she follows Scott into a memory of him almost killing Conrad. He reveals that he, Hicks, and Marshall are all undercover government agents for the NSA, and tells Olivia to ask Hicks where the meeting is going to happen. They awake Hicks, who tells them more about the weapons sale.
Being filtered details from a secret radio by Hicks, Olivia pretends to be the weapons buyer, and is accompanied by Peter. They successfully make contact, but the sellers become suspicious after Hicks' transformation restarts, depriving Olivia of the necessary information. Conrad makes his appearance and realizes Olivia and Peter are lying; just before he orders them killed, the FBI moves in and arrests the sellers.
The episode ends with Walter telling Olivia her brain waves are going back to normal, and that Scott's memories are fading from her mind. Olivia requests to enter the tank regardless, and she makes a last encounter with Scott, where he tells her he loved her and was going to marry her. She bids farewell to his consciousness, which has finally left her own.
and J.R. Orci
. Filmmaker Brad Anderson directed it, his latest Fringe work since directing "In Which We Meet Mr. Jones
" six episodes earlier.
Though the episode first aired in February 2009, "The Transformation" had an early screening at the November 2008 PaleyFest, where Fringes producers answered questions from the audience. When asked in an interview if the "giant germ" from "Bound
" was the grossest thing of the season, executive producer Jeff Pinkner
replied that "the huge porcupine man on the airplane [from "The Transformation"] was more shocking. It was so unexpected." Up the point "The Transformation" aired, actor Joshua Jackson
considered it his favorite episode. The cast have referred to the episode's monster as a "Were-upine".
wrote the episode "hit the perfect tone for "Fringe." The right mixture of science fiction, dark comedy, crime story and melodrama". Ramsey Isler of IGN
gave the episode 9.0/10, as he enjoyed the "nipple" conversation and the "brilliantly written and directed" undercover sting operation, but disliked the beast special effects. Josie Kafka from Open Salon
.com thought there was something "off" about the episode: "What was off about this episode? The writers obviously want to make the show accessible to new or casual viewers, which I understand. But can we hope that the John Scott resolution signals a transformation in the interpersonal dynamics of the show? If this dud of an episode serves a larger purpose, then I'm all for it. But in the meantime, I'm going grumble out a rating and slink away". A.V. Club's Noel Murray thought it was the best "freak-meet" of the show yet, as well as one of the best episodes so far, which he would willingly show new viewers to get them hooked on the show. He consequently graded the episode an A-, further explaining the success of the episode was due to "top-tier" writers Orci and Whedon and "skilled" director Brad Anderson. "I wouldn't say that "The Transformation" broke any new ground. If anything, it recapitulated pretty much every previous Fringe element—bio-weapons sales, telepathic communication, Massive Dynamics, airplane crashes, etc.—but did so in a way that was energetic, tense, and even a little emotional".
Fringe (Season 1)
The first season of the American science fiction television series Fringe commenced airing on September 9, 2008, and concluded on May 12, 2009. The season contained 21 episodes, although only 20 of them aired as part of the first season...
of the American 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...
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 was written by Zack Whedon
Zack Whedon
Zack Whedon is an American screenwriter and comic book writer. He graduated in 2002 with a film degree from Wesleyan University where he served as president of the Eclectic Society...
and J. R. Orci, and it was directed by Brad Anderson.
It first aired in the United States on February 3, 2009 on the Fox Broadcasting Company
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...
.
Plot
On an airplane en route, scientist Marshall Bowman (Neal Huff) gets a nosebleed, and he tries to warn the crew to give him sedatives or use force against him. He transforms into a beast in the bathroom, and bursts out, causing the plane to crash in Scarsdale, New YorkScarsdale, New York
Scarsdale is a coterminous town and village in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the northern suburbs of New York City. The Town of Scarsdale is coextensive with the Village of Scarsdale, but the community has opted to operate solely with a village government, one of several villages...
. The Fringe team arrives on the scene and discover the beast, and Walter concludes that it started out as a human; Olivia recognizes Bowman's picture from John Scott's memories, realizing that Bowman was flying to meet another man in the memories named Daniel Hicks (Felix Solis). Back at the lab at Harvard, Walter finds a small crystalline disc implanted in the beast's hand similar to one seen inside the woman killed in "The Ghost Network," and thinks Marshall was dosed with some kind of "designer virus".
Hicks is brought in for questioning, and begins transforming into a beast, he admits that "Conrad" dosed them before Peter pauses the process by administering a sedative and placing him in an induced coma. Walter develops an antidote, while Olivia finds another small disc in Hicks' hand. Her demand to see John Scott's body leads her and Broyles to Massive Dynamic, where Nina Sharp tells her that the information gleaned from Scott's body implicates him in a bioterrorist cell with the other two.
French intelligence states that weapons manufacturer Conrad is involved in a sale, leading to Olivia returning to the sensory deprivation tank in order to find out more from Scott's memories. In a motel room they used to share, Scott talks to Olivia, scaring her into shooting him. Olivia next appears in an alleyway, where she follows Scott into a memory of him almost killing Conrad. He reveals that he, Hicks, and Marshall are all undercover government agents for the NSA, and tells Olivia to ask Hicks where the meeting is going to happen. They awake Hicks, who tells them more about the weapons sale.
Being filtered details from a secret radio by Hicks, Olivia pretends to be the weapons buyer, and is accompanied by Peter. They successfully make contact, but the sellers become suspicious after Hicks' transformation restarts, depriving Olivia of the necessary information. Conrad makes his appearance and realizes Olivia and Peter are lying; just before he orders them killed, the FBI moves in and arrests the sellers.
The episode ends with Walter telling Olivia her brain waves are going back to normal, and that Scott's memories are fading from her mind. Olivia requests to enter the tank regardless, and she makes a last encounter with Scott, where he tells her he loved her and was going to marry her. She bids farewell to his consciousness, which has finally left her own.
Production
"The Transformation" was written by Zack WhedonZack Whedon
Zack Whedon is an American screenwriter and comic book writer. He graduated in 2002 with a film degree from Wesleyan University where he served as president of the Eclectic Society...
and J.R. Orci
J.R. Orci
J. R. Orci is a television and film writer and producer.He was born in Mexico City and raised in Canada, Texas, and Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin...
. Filmmaker Brad Anderson directed it, his latest Fringe work since directing "In Which We Meet Mr. Jones
In Which We Meet Mr. Jones
"In Which We Meet Mr. Jones" is the seventh episode of the first season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. The episode was written by J. J. Abrams and Jeff Pinkner, and directed by Brad Anderson...
" six episodes earlier.
Though the episode first aired in February 2009, "The Transformation" had an early screening at the November 2008 PaleyFest, where Fringes producers answered questions from the audience. When asked in an interview if the "giant germ" from "Bound
Bound (Fringe)
"Bound" is the 11th episode of the first season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. The episode was written by series co-creators J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and executive producer Jeff Pinkner. Frederick E. O. Toye directed it...
" was the grossest thing of the season, executive producer Jeff Pinkner
Jeff Pinkner
Jeff Pinkner is an American television writer and producer. He graduated from Pikesville High School in Baltimore Maryland in 1983. He is known for his work on Alias where he served as executive producer. In 2006 and 2007, he worked as an executive producer and writer for the mystery series Lost...
replied that "the huge porcupine man on the airplane [from "The Transformation"] was more shocking. It was so unexpected." Up the point "The Transformation" aired, actor 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...
considered it his favorite episode. The cast have referred to the episode's monster as a "Were-upine".
Ratings
"The Transformation" was watched by 12.78 million viewers in the United States. The episode ranked eighth for viewers aged 18–49 for that week.Reviews
Andrew Hanson from the Los Angeles TimesLos 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....
wrote the episode "hit the perfect tone for "Fringe." The right mixture of science fiction, dark comedy, crime story and melodrama". Ramsey Isler of 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...
gave the episode 9.0/10, as he enjoyed the "nipple" conversation and the "brilliantly written and directed" undercover sting operation, but disliked the beast special effects. Josie Kafka from Open Salon
Open Salon
Open Salon is a hybrid blogging platform and social network site started by the Salon Media Group, Inc. According to Salon Editor-in-Chief Joan Walsh "Open Salon gets rid of traditional gatekeepers, and makes our smart, creative audience full partners in Salon's publishing future." After...
.com thought there was something "off" about the episode: "What was off about this episode? The writers obviously want to make the show accessible to new or casual viewers, which I understand. But can we hope that the John Scott resolution signals a transformation in the interpersonal dynamics of the show? If this dud of an episode serves a larger purpose, then I'm all for it. But in the meantime, I'm going grumble out a rating and slink away". A.V. Club's Noel Murray thought it was the best "freak-meet" of the show yet, as well as one of the best episodes so far, which he would willingly show new viewers to get them hooked on the show. He consequently graded the episode an A-, further explaining the success of the episode was due to "top-tier" writers Orci and Whedon and "skilled" director Brad Anderson. "I wouldn't say that "The Transformation" broke any new ground. If anything, it recapitulated pretty much every previous Fringe element—bio-weapons sales, telepathic communication, Massive Dynamics, airplane crashes, etc.—but did so in a way that was energetic, tense, and even a little emotional".
External links
- "The Transformation" 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...