Summary of the Secrets of Fringe video for "Jacksonville"

So people who couldn't access the Hulu video in this post were asking for a summary/description of what the producers said so I decided to write one up and post it here.

If anything's not clear, let me know. I ended up transcribing pretty much verbatim most of the middle/end because I thought it important how they worded those particular parts. Also I italicized parts that really stuck out to me personally. Hope this helps!


- the producers briefly go over Walter's balance-between-the-two-universes theory (all of which is basically explained in the ep itself)

- they talk about Newton's plan and how Newton didn't realize that another builidng would have to go back over to his side when he pushed a building into our side (the producer says that Newton is "still figuring out the parameters" of all this parallel universe/crossing over stuff)

- the producers joke about the combination 5-20-10: "If you add the numbers and multiply by pi, and then divide by the sum of the numbers in Lost, you may get an answer...it may be the date of the season finale"
--> question is asked "Can you at least confirm that it's a Thursday in May?" and the producer says "Uh, on our side...maybe not on the other side"

- On Activating Olivia: "we have said from the beginning that Olivia is someone who puts off her own life and emotional life in order to be a protector for the world which is quite possibly a consequence of being treated with cortexiphan as a kid, or because she was that kind of person already is why cortexiphan worked with her"

- he goes on in reference to the almost-kiss and the triggering of her abilities: "In allowing herself to be vulnerable to Peter and the possiblity of that relationship which is clearly like, developing, it triggered the heightened emotional state she needed for the cortexiphan to kick in, for her dormant ability to kick in"

- Other producer's words on it: "you know the whole concept of her feeling something she's never felt before, you know whether it's on an emotional relationship level or on a fear level, that was the key to that whole episode"

- On the future of Olivia and Peter: "You know we think that as people, you know you have a goal, you have an outcome, but it occurs in an unexpected way, and those are sort of the moments of magic, those are the really meaningful moments, and that's what we were shooting for. What this suggests for their relationship going forward, umm, you know there's other complicating factors, specifically at the end where she realizes Peter is not from here, it's a big complicating factor."

- Other producer goes on: "And she's carrying a secret now, you know which is very difficult to start a relationship on, where there's a level where one has a secret that is potentially devastating to the other." "And then of course there's the notion of whether or not he's ever going to learn the truth, which you know, will put another brick up between them"

- About Olivia seeing the glimmer on Peter: "That moment is going to weigh on Walter, it's a significant weight on his shoulders, and the way that they agree to deal with the situation, I think is really interesting and will intrigue the fans." "Headline is Walter sort of owes her an explanation right now. How's he going to explain or justify --" --> other producer continues: "bring her up to speed. there's a big key in that. That's a really great episode.'"

& that was it.

~*~

Thoughts? I was pleased to hear the producers talk about how whatever Olivia felt during the almost-kiss scene was something she'd never felt before and appears to be a combination of her fear of failing (of those people dying) with the vulnerability/intimacy she felt between Peter and her in that moment, where her guard just seemed to be completely down and she was letting him comfort her.

Also I wasn't sure exactly what they were talking about when they mentioned having a "goal" or "outcome" and it occurring in those unexpected moments of magic, meaningful moments, but since the clip played right after the heading of "the future of Peter and Olivia?" it suggested to me that there was the goal to have Olivia's abilities triggered in some unique way and it somehow developed in such a way that it happened at a key moment for Olivia and Peter as well (as it seems clearer than ever from the beginning of S2 that the writers have also been working towards a romantic "outcome" between those two).

The last part suggests that Olivia will be keeping this secret from Peter for at least an ep or two? I'm really really curious as to "the way that they agree to deal with the situation" as Walter really isn't on Olivia's good side at the moment.