The Taxi-Driver Delivers the Baby

TV Review: Fringe, "Bloodline"

Over there, Fauxlivia and her mother are growing concerned that she may have the same condition that caused fatal complications in her sister's pregnancy. When Olivia is abruptly kidnapped and subjected to an ominous medical procedure, Lincoln leads the fringe division on a desperate search for her. Aside from the usual cast from the other side, there are also returning guest stars Amy Madigan of Field of Dreams and Carnivàle, and Andre Royo of The Wire. Directed by Dennis Smith, director of two other solid episodes, and written by Monica Breen and Alison Schapker, who often work together, and of the two other Fringe episodes they've written, one is "The Plateau," a series highlight.

Fringe has been renewed for a fourth season despite being all over the place in the ratings, so the audience approaching this week could rest easy. Episodes set in the other universe have been stronger lately than standard universe ones, and "Bloodline" doesn't break that mold even if it leans towards the predictable. This is a main-character-has-a-baby episode, too, and though it's handled in a particularly Fringey fashion, it was nice to get out of the way, even if, like most births on TV, it didn't take place in a hospital, took only a few minutes, and was delivered by a character as opposed to a doctor. I'd mention the season eight finale of X-Files if it wasn't such a common trope. The episode is strong and tense throughout, and with Olivia out of commission there's a certain focus on Lincoln, Charlie, and even Astrid as they work to find her. It also deals with what they actually knew about Olivia's activities, which was a question that had been hanging in the air for a while now. That this seemed to be an episode that was assigned the purpose of speeding through Olivia's pregnancy seems a bit odd considering how easy it would be for Fringe to jump ahead (it worked on Weeds), and the birth scene itself was tedious. The cheese was all within forgivable limits.