If the people behind Fringe want to keep secrets, they probably shouldn’t let John Noble talk. The show’s star went and talked to reporters at the Critics’ Choice Awards — and spilled a whole lot of beans on Fringe season 5. Keep reading to find out what we can expect.
WARNING: There are major Fringe season 5 spoilers in this article. Do NOT read on if you want to be completely surprised.
The interview with John Noble, the actor behind mad scientist Walter Bishop, first appeared on TVLine.com and covered an impressive amount of ground, in terms of Fringe season 5 spoilers. Timeline jumps, characters and even plots made it in to the conversation.
So what did John Noble say?
Back to the Future
Ever since “Letters of Transit” wowed us with its dystopian, Observer-filled view of the future, Fringe fans have wanted to know if the show would ever go back to that time. The answer, according to John Noble, is yes. “As far as I know, we’re jumping ahead [to 2036],” Noble explained.
There may still be at least a few glimpses back to the present-day or the near-future, even if the bulk of the action happens 20 years later. Noble alluded to “references” and the possibility of “found footage” to explain what went on before Walter and the rest of the Fringe team found themselves in amber.
So… Casting?
Olivia
First — and probably most importantly — the jump to 2036 will not mean the end of Anna Torv and her character of Special Agent Olivia Dunham. Olivia did not appear in “Letters of Transit,” and there were hints that perhaps some unpleasant fate had befallen her.
At least now we can assume that Olivia is not dead in 2036. John Noble hinted that Anna Torv was “really excited” to appear for “a wonderful reunion of mother and daughter.”
Etta
You can’t do 2036 without Etta. It’s just not possible. TVLine confirms that Etta (played perfectly by Georgina Haig) will indeed return for Fringe season 5. Assuming that the show returns to the time just after Etta’s reunion with Peter, Walter and Astrid, we should be seeing a lot more of the youngest Bishop’s resistance connections.
Simon
Last seen frozen in amber after a self-sacrificing move to save Peter, Etta’s resistance (and Fringe Division) colleague, Simon (Henry Ian Cusick) is only a maybe for Fringe season 5. But we can hope that Cusick will be around for at least a guest spot. After all, it can’t be that hard to get someone out of amber, considering that Simon got Walter out in about five minutes.
Henry Ian Cusick is also available for the fifth and final season of Fringe — his role on the freshman series, Scandal, has been phased out for the second season. So Simon has to come back!
The Events of 2036
While John Noble obviously didn’t have details about Fringe plots for season 5, the actor did hint at some general emotional directions. “Walter is the man who started this, so there has to be resolution. There has to be redemption,” Noble said. “We also have to see the final maturing of the relationship between Peter and Olivia.”
How will Walter redeem himself? Can Peter and Olivia make it work in an Observer-dominated future? Where has Olivia been anyway? Let us know your theories — and any new Fringe season 5 spoilers — in the comments section below!
(Images courtesy of FOX)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
Laurel grew up in Mamaroneck, NY, Grosse Pointe, MI and Bellevue WA. She then went on to live in places like Boston, Tucson, Houston, Wales, Tanzania, Prince Edward Island and New York City before heading back to Seattle. Ever since early childhood, when she became addicted to The Muppet Show, Laurel has watched far too much TV. Current favorites include Chuck, Modern Family, Supernatural, Mad Men and Community. Laurel received a BA in Astrophysics (yes, that is possible) from Colgate University and a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies and History of Science from Columbia University before she realized that television is much better than studying.
