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Our Twitter poll segment shares several opinions and theories on what will happen now that Monroe knows he has a son.

Here’s the picture of the Tower card that we mention in this podcast.

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Meanwhile, Miles is training the rebel soldiers to be just like the militia they will be fighting – since he pretty much created the militia himself. This scene reminded me of the scene in “The Legend of Zorro” where Anthony Hopkins is training Antonio Banderas to be the new Zorro. Does that mean Jason is Catherine Zeta-Jones?

When Nanites Attack!

Wait, I’m confused. So there are two commands – absorb electricity and replicate. Is this a single “switch” where they are either doing one of these things or the other? Does this mean that if they switch them “off” from absorbing electricity, that they will start replicating? Or, does it mean that there are two switches, both of which can be on or off – so they could essentially be doing both at the same time?

These nanites, or nanobots if you prefer, are tiny computers the size of a virus and Rachel says that they are everywhere. They are so tiny, people are actually breathing them in. From Aaron and Rachel’s illuminating conversation, it seems that these nanites were supposed to be weaponized by being contained in a discrete and controlled area. However, it appears that “something” went terribly wrong at The Tower. That “something” is probably a vintage Zegna-wearing scumbag.

So if these little things have been floating around absorbing electricity for the last 15 years, I think we can assume that they are not harmful to humans, at least in their current state. What happens if they are turned off? What happens if they start replicating again (assuming that they haven’t been replicating this whole time)? Can they be reprogrammed to do something else? My mind is reeling from all the super sci-fi possibilities in front of us – could Randall have the ability to control people through these tiny computers that are already in everyone’s systems? Is this why the “R” on “Revolution” blinks out in the opening credits, leaving just the word “Evolution”? Will these nanites evolve humans into something else? I like this explanation and hope we get more details as we go along.

Jason – Be a Better Man Than Your Father

Neville is on his way to make a very important trade for Monroe in his pendant-powered humvee, enjoying the dulcet tones of Lionel Ritchie’s “All Night Long (All Night)” – which, by the way, is the most redundant song subtitle ever – when his humvee and accompanying truck gets blown up IED-style by the rebels. Tom is captured by Miles and Charlie and taken back to base camp for interrogation. Miles threatens Tom and Tom successfully provokes Miles into beating the crap out of him, but Tom is not talking.

When a new group of rebels rolls into base camp and Jason is among them, there is some hostility from both Charlie and Miles. Who can blame them, Jason betrayed their trust more than once, and now that they know he is Neville’s son, they need to make sure he isn’t just there to free his father. It isn’t long before Jason manages to sneak in to see Tom and it appears as if he falls for Tom’s plea for help. Despite his apparent lack of concern for Jason’s welfare in the past, I believe him when Tom tells Jason that he was only hard on him in order to make him tougher because that is the only way to survive in this world. I don’t think that excuses his behavior, but I can see his somewhat twisted logic and I think deep down he truly loves his son. Jason unlocks his handcuffs and right when I want to bash his little boy-band face in for freeing Neville, Jason gleans some key information about where Neville is headed right before revealing his double-cross and handing him back into Miles’ custody. This seems to earn Miles’ trust and suddenly Jason is one of the good guys. I would like to think that we can trust Jason now, but it does seem like he still has a soft spot for his mother so I suspect that this will come back to bite the group sooner or later. On a side note, it’s kinda awesome that Jason doesn’t know what a boy band is. Makes me want to plot armageddon right now.

Regardless of Jason’s heroics, Neville manages to escape anyway, killing “Padre” Nicholas in the process. And yes, he actually says “Father forgive me” before plunging a machete into his chest. Really? Lazy writing alert! I thought for sure that he would finish that trite little zinger with “… for I have sinned!” but maybe that would have been too much? Neville makes it back to Philly to whisk an uncooperative Julia away before Monroe figures out what happened and comes for them both. Where will Tom and Julia end up? My guess is that Tom will take his military skills and extensive knowledge of the Monroe militia’s strengths and weaknesses to one of the neighboring nation states. After all, what else does he know at this point? He sure isn’t going back to being an insurance adjuster.

One Pendant to Rule them All?

Since Neville can’t seem to get anything right, Randall goes to the cement factory to complete the mysterious trade, which appears to be diamonds for nuclear material. The rebels ambush Randall at the plant but he manages to get away with the goods in tow. When they return to base camp with the news about what they suspect Monroe is plotting, Rachel says there’s just one thing to do. A quest, one that only Frodo and Samwise, I mean Rachel and Aaron, must take to trek across the Plains Nation to Mount Doom, I mean The Tower. Does this mean we’ll have a visit soon from Danny the White?

It actually makes perfect sense that Aaron is going with Rachel to The Tower. This guy has been pretty much useless to date, but now there is actually an opportunity for the “Wizard of Google” to do some real magic here. And he already has the awesome beard. This is his opportunity to do some good and prove his worth. So, any bets on how long before we see his wife Priscilla again? That would actually be kinda funny if she thought Aaron and Rachel were a couple. Oh, and please don’t ship Aaron and Rachel. It’s gross.

So where exactly is The Tower? Miles mentioned that she would have to cross the Plains Nation, so consulting our post-blackout map, I imagine it is either at the western edge of the Plains Nation or somewhere in the Wasteland, since that area would more than likely be out of the jurisdiction of one of the surrounding republics. It sounds like a really long trip on foot. If Rachel would just stop destroying those pendants!

Miles tries to talk Rachel out of leaving, using some mighty persuasive kissing, but Rachel is convinced that Charlie is better off with Miles than with her. Of course she is – Rachel is a terrible mother! She tells him that he needs to take better care of Charlie than he did with her. Wow, definitely some history there. I’m kinda sad that Miles and Rachel will be apart now for the near future. Despite her talk of not returning, I can’t believe that this is the last time we see all of them together, especially with the palpable tension and chemistry between Miles and Rachel – (sorry, but I am shipping these two hard – so shoot me). This brings me to the latest theory du jour around the virtual water cooler — Is Miles really Charlie’s father? Discuss amongst yourselves.

I think the second half of the season has finally hit its stride and I’m enthusiastic about the rest of the season. I hope that breaking up the group will not cause the show to lose any steam, but actually propel the action by telling two sides of the story in parallel.

Your thoughts? Sound off in the comments below!!

Join our live chat while Revolution is airing each monday night and join our LIVE podcast recording each Tuesday at 8 pm. You can participate in both events by going to www.GoldenSpiralMedia.com/live.

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Join our live chat while Revolution is airing each monday night and join our LIVE podcast recording each Tuesday at 8 pm. You can participate in both events by going to www.GoldenSpiralMedia.com/live.

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BIG NEWS!!

Starting in May, I will be dedicating my full attention to new media projects! After over 18 years of service working for the Oklahoma City-based company, Mardel, and most recently holding the position of eCommerce Director there, I have decided the time is right to turn my love of podcasting, web design, and new media into a full-time career!

What does this mean for Golden Spiral Media? This change means that you can expect an increase in the amount of high quality content from Golden Spiral Media. I will be bringing back some shows that have been on indefinite hiatus such as Triplecast. Portable Orchard, Cutting the Cable, and Dadhacker will also be rejuvenated in one way or another. I will also be considering new shows for Golden Spiral Media in both audio and video formats.

This will also mean that I am available to pursue my other passions with new media. I have been operating Dramatic Traffic, my website design business, for nearly two years. However, this has only been able to receive a small portion of my available time. I’ll now be able to dedicate much more time to website design and my current clients.

This move also means that I’ll be spending more time producing and consulting for other podcast/new media projects. You’ve probably heard me talk recently about a company called TV Talk. TV Talk is one project that I’m currently working on as a consultant and producer. I’ll now be available to give this project and other outside projects more time.

Lastly, but certainly not least, I am going to be able to have a much more flexible schedule for my family. Over the last several years I’ve worked a 40-hour work week at Mardel and then worked another 20-30 hours on new media projects. Now my work schedule will be flexible, and I will be available to eat lunch with them, go to school events, and be more involved in the day-to-day moments of their lives. This is by far the thing that matters most to me.

I want to express my gratitude to Mardel and the team there. I’ve enjoyed many years there, and I’ve made a lot of great friends. Mardel has helped shape me into the person I am today, and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunities they’ve given me over the last 18 years.

How can you help? First, I ask for your prayers. I need wisdom and humility each day of my life. I need to meet and help the right people. Second, I ask for your support. If you or anyone you know has ever dreamed about podcasting, I’d love the opportunity to bring success to that dream. Third, if you or someone you know has an ugly, dysfunctional website, I can make them one of the cool kids again.

Thanks for all your support over the last few years, now it’s time to take this to the next level!

All my best to you,

Darrell Darnell

Join our live chat while Revolution is airing each monday night and join our LIVE podcast recording each Tuesday at 8 pm. You can participate in both events by going to www.GoldenSpiralMedia.com/live.

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Join our live chat while Revolution is airing each monday night and join our LIVE podcast recording each Tuesday at 8 pm. You can participate in both events by going to www.GoldenSpiralMedia.com/live.

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It’s Complicated

Almost immediately after the group is out of harm’s way, Rachel is asked to explain what is going on with not being dead and all. She replies, “It’s complicated.” and insists that she will tell them (and us) everything very soon. As a fan of the show, this is great news, because it feels like the right time to start giving us more answers. I felt that the first half of the season was too light on the Grace/Randall/power storyline, especially when it was conspicuously absent from the fall finale. Luckily, we got lots of power-related stuff in this episode, and I am optimistic that we will get some major traction on the “mythology” part of the story very soon.

Speaking of complicated, Miles and Rachel seemed to be sparking their own source electricity in this episode. After the coffin escape, Nora kisses Miles and there was a weird moment where Miles and Rachel look at each other. There is definitely a history between these two, and I’m very interested in finding out more. While on the road, Miles explains to Rachel that he thought she was dead or he would have never left Monroe with her. He says “Everything that happened, it’s all my fault and I will never be able to make it up to you.” He seems contrite and tender, but she just seems bitter. That scene was definitely electrically charged and I’m very intrigued to learn more about these two. As for the ongoing chemistry between Miles and Nora – meh.

Something that seems to draw Miles and Rachel together is not just their common history but that they both have this tremendous weight of guilt and responsibility regarding their roles in the current state of their world. Rachel is not only responsible for the creation of the technology that made the blackout possible (at least, that’s the theory), but also directly responsible for putting some of that lost power into the dangerously crazy hands of Sebastian Monroe. Miles, on the other hand, is something like the Dr. Frankenstein to Monroe’s monster. He was the one who wanted to bring order to the land in a militarized way, he built the army, trained the ruthless forces, but ultimately did not destroy the monster he had created once he realized that Monroe was out of control. Both of these characters seem to be searching for honor, for forgiveness, and for redemption.

Randall and the Tower of Power

Rachel and Miles find John at home, along with his own pendant and his stockpile of weapons. But John turns on them and admits that he is working with Randall now. He knocks out Rachel and Miles with a sonic cannon (pretty cool), and after they wake up tied to a chair, John informs them that Randall has gotten into “the tower”, he has big plans for Rachel, and that he is on his way to get her. Rachel warns John that Randall is “unbalanced” but John seems very afraid of what Randall can do to him. Miles manages to get free, knock John unconscious, and the pair grab the weapons and go to meet up with Charlie and the rest at the rebel base camp.

Back at “the tower” Randall implies bodily harm if Grace cannot get the elevators working so that he can get down to level 12. What kind of crazy tower doesn’t have stairs too? If he needs to go “down” to Level 12 – does that mean that it is underground? If so, how is that considered a “tower”? These are just some of the many new questions about what Randall has planned. What is on Level 12? Why, after 15 years, is this all just happening now?

Jason and the I’ll-Go-Nots

Bad pun aside, Jason is seriously a man without a home. Finally showing some backbone, Jason confronts his father, Major Tom Neville, about the atrocities he is witnessing. He has just watched Neville destroying a camp with not just rebel soldiers but families too. Now Neville’s next target includes the rebel base where Jason’s crush, Charlie, and crew are hiding out. This is the final straw for Jason, and after speaking his mind to his father, he is called a “shameful disappointment”. A fistfight ensues between father and son, leading to Tom telling Jason to leave and never go home again.

Jason then warns Charlie about the impending airstrike against the base, but even as Charlie thanks him, she tells him that he cannot go with them either. However, I’m sure this is not the last we will see of not-Nate. My guess is that he will sulk around in the background, following Charlie until she finally gives in to his puppy dog eyes and bulging biceps and lets him join their band of misfits. And I would bet good money that romance will soon be in the air between these two. Any takers?

The Stand vs. The Stand

“The Stand”, the title of this episode, is also the title of a novel by Stephen King set in a ravaged United States after most of the population has been killed by an out-of-control virus. The book has many themes and similarities to Revolution, including the following:

• a bleak dystopian setting,
• caused by people in secret labs playing with things they don’t understand and/or can’t control
• themes of good vs. evil
• a band of people wanting to re-establish a democracy taking a stand against a tyrant bent on power and destruction
• cross-country quests and missions
• death of major characters to show gravity and drive motivations
• Randall Flagg (The Stand) = Randall Flynn (Revolution)
• The group in this episode runs into Nicholas again (name similar to Nick in The Stand), and the first time they ran into him in the episode “No Quarter”, Miles introduced himself as Stu Redman and Charlie as Frannie (two of the major characters in The Stand).

We’ll see as the season continues if the similarities to the book also continue. By the way, “The Stand” is a wonderful book and although lengthy, it is well worth the read.

Why did Danny have to die?

Back at the rebel base, they decide they must stand and fight rather than run, since there are too many wounded to move in the short amount of time they have. They are counting on Miles and Rachel to return in time with the extra fire power they need to fight back. Two helicopters then approach the base, only one has the amplifier, so the second must stay within a certain range. Many of the rebels are killed with the guns on the helicopters, but just as they start to run out of ammo, Miles and Rachel appear with more weapons, plus John’s pendant and a sweet rocket launcher. When Miles attempts to use the RPG, a missile blast knocks him out first. Danny runs out, grabs the launcher and successfully brings down one of the helicopters (the one with the amplifier). But before the second helicopter goes down, the machine gun haphazardly fires and fatally wounds Danny.

So why did Danny have to die? The driving force behind Charlie and her quest to find Danny was her focused determination to keep her little brother safe. This propelled the action for the first half of the season. Even after Charlie realized that this quest was more nightmare than adventure, she pushed through, and grew up in the process. Her suffering and loss when Danny died due to Monroe’s quest for power may open her eyes to everyone else who could be impacted in the same way. Revenge is a powerful motivator, but so is empathy. Danny’s death came at the right time in the story to move us from the quest to save a single person to a bigger and ultimately more important storyline – saving a whole country.

Nothing says “Evil” like a Cutlass Ciera

Randall Flynn makes a grand entrance at Independence Hall in his Cutlass Ciera and after a rousing “Help ME Help YOU” speech, we know things are now going to get interesting. I’m thinking crazy+evil meets crazy+evil = twice the crazy and twice the evil, right? Did I do the math correctly?

Speaking of math, maybe it’s time for a pendant count. I am wondering whether the pendant in the helicopter was actually destroyed or not. If you remember, these are seemingly indestructible. Can Monroe or the rebels salvage it?

Assuming, as Rachel indicated to Monroe, there are only 12 pendants, here the count so far:

1. Rachel’s – this may be the one that went down with the helicopter
2. Dr. Jaffe’s – I think Monroe still has this one
3. John’s – with Rachel and group
4. Randall’s – still with Randall
5. Grace’s – now with Randall

Am I missing any? I know that we saw in a previous episode that Randall has a trace on each of the pendants and where they are currently located. Rachel told Monroe that there are 12 pendants, but we don’t know yet if they are just a temporary fix to the power situation or if someone getting all twelve together can permanently reverse the power outage. Plus, how much power does Randall actually have? Is his power dependent on pendants, or does he have another source of power? How much power can he deliver to Monroe? To top it off, we have to wonder whether the small blinking capsule that Rachel dug out of Danny’s chest after his death is somehow related to the pendants and the power.

Your thoughts? Leave a comment below!

Join our live chat while Revolution is airing each monday night and join our LIVE podcast recording each Tuesday at 8 pm. You can participate in both events by going to www.GoldenSpiralMedia.com/live.

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We also give our predictions for the second half of the season and reveal non-spoilery info that the show producer recently revealed about the upcoming episodes. We finish up the episode by sharing Jim in Wisconsin’s thoughts on the webisodes.

Join our live chat while Revolution is airing each monday night and join our LIVE podcast recording each Tuesday at 8 pm. You can participate in both events by going to www.GoldenSpiralMedia.com/live.

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Click here to cast your votes and print off your Geek Madness tournament bracket!

Emerald City Comic Con was a fantastic event for comic, gaming, and tv/film enthusiasts. It had a great turnout with some really amazing cos play, family friendly events, and plenty of celebrity sightings! The folks in Seattle really know how to put on a great event and we hope to be able to attend again soon! Check out our full review of Emerald City Comic Con here!

If you’re like me and have only ever experienced the overwhelming and sensory overload marathon known as San Diego Comic Con, you may be wondering if “smaller” cons like Emerald City Comic Con are worth it. While there are some advantages and disadvantages to each, I think there is a clear answer to whether or not attending this con was worth it. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of Emerald City Comic Con, and then I’ll reveal my verdict.

Pros:
The first thing that comes to my mind for this category is the fact that I didn’t miss ANY event because I had to wait in a line. I only waited in line for one event, “Star Trek Improv.” I got in line about 15 minutes before it started, and the line was so long that I thought I’d miss out. I’m glad I went ahead and stayed in line. I easily got into the room, and because I was by myself, I scored an empty seat pretty close to the front. The session was hilarious and I’m so glad I didn’t skip out on it. So other than that lone line, I was able to walk directly into every single panel or event I had on my list. In fact, I found a seat about 10 rows back from the VIP section for the Gillian Anderson panel. IT WAS GREAT! I then left and charged my phone for about 40 minutes and then came back to the same room for the Adam West & Burt Ward panel. I found a seat about 20 rows from the stage! This would NEVER EVER be possible for a main room or celebrity at San Diego’s con.

Secondly, Emerald City was MUCH more family friendly than San Diego. Yes, there were a few cos play outfits that I’d rather my 8 year old son not see, but that’s going to happen at any con. Aside from that, this con was definitely something for the whole family. It did not have the big party atmosphere that San Diego has. I realize that the atmosphere for San Diego is different for a reason. The city, climate, size, celebrities, etc all contribute to San Diego’s party atmosphere-and that’s fine. But those are also reason’s I’ve hesitated bringing my young kids. ECCC made it clear that they wanted the entire family to feel welcome and comfortable at their event and I think it paid off. They had kid specific panels and events (yes, I know SDCC does this too). They had a secret hide-out for kids, NASA was on hand, and there were some really cool Star Wars items too! An R2-D2 builders club was on hand with their fully functioning R2-D2 replicas and there were TONS of amazing LEGO creations from all brands of geeky movies.

The last advantage I’ll mention is the ease of getting tickets and the price of the trip. If you’ve ever tried to get tickets for San Diego Comic con, you know what a stressful experience it is. Because ECCC is much smaller, it was easy to get tickets. Also, hotels were very reasonably priced. I found a 3-star hotel about 4 blocks from the convention center for less than $90 per night. Finding such a deal for San Diego isn’t just not possible. Again, thinking about a family friendly trip, this is a big deal. I could easily afford to bring the whole family to ECCC next year where the budget wouldn’t allow me to do so for SDCC.

Cons:
Size has it’s disadvantages too. The variety of panels for ECCC isn’t nearly as expansive and exhaustive as it is for SDCC. There were a few time slots when I couldn’t find a panel that really interested me. I used that time to check out the LEGO displays, eat, or charge my phone. So it wasn’t all bad I suppose.

ECCC is more of a pure comic-con, whereas SDCC is really a con for comic, gaming, TV & film, and pop culture enthusiasts. ECCC had comics and gaming covered pretty well. They had plenty of TV & film celebrities too, but nothing from current shows. That is, SDCC will have a panel for Dexter, The Big Bang Theory, Fringe, etc. ECCC had personalities like Gillian Anderson, Patrick Stewart, and Wil Wheaton. This isn’t a total negative thing mind you, but it is a distinction worth noting. It’s also worth noting that many people would consider this as a pro for this type of con. It really just depends on what YOU want out of a con.

The final thing I’ll point out here is what I’ll classify as growing pains. At least I hope that’s the cause. The main room at ECCC was very big. It was configured in a very long shape so if you didn’t arrive early, you were REALLY far from the stage. The only projection screens they had were right next to the stage! They really should have had extra screens about halfway back in the room. SDCC does this in each of their main rooms and it is great! I was fortunate to get a good seat because I was by myself and could always find a lone chair on a row up front. If I’d been paired with someone then I would have found myself in the back squinting to see the stage or screens at the front of the room. ECCC should keep the screens up front and add some additional screens for those stuck in the back half of the room.

Verdict:
It was totally worth it! The ability to easily go in and out of any panel I wanted is a really big deal. I waited over 6 hours for a panel at 2012 SDCC and still missed out on it. I didn’t wait in line for any celebrity autographs, but I spoke with one person who got to the Gillian Anderson line late (because the ECCC staff misdirected her) and she still got an autograph! Autographs at SDCC are another horror story. When you add in the family friendliness, cost of attendance, and the beauty of the city, it’s an easy choice. Emerald City Comic Con was worth every penny and I’m already looking forward to next year!

I’ll also point out that I was able to meet up with a few folks from the Fringe fandom while I was there and I have not included that experience in this review. To me, that experience is unique and not something that everyone would get out of a con…but it was amazing and awesome in every way. The same principle is true of my experience of being on a panel. Being on the panel was a great experience that I would do again in a heartbeat if I have the ability to do so.

Thanks to all the hard working folks at Emerald City Comic Con for putting on such a great event!

We hope that you’ll stay tuned to the other projects we producer over at www.GoldenSpiralMedia.com. You can also check out some of Darrell’s other work over at www.TVTalk.com. If you’re interested in going to Emerald City Comic-Con, you can purchase tickets at www.EmeraldCityComiCon.com.

We also received several insightful contributions about the paradoxes and time travel introduced in the finale and how it harmonizes with other seasons. Other contributors were able to take a step back, look at the broader picture of the story/series, and offer some great thoughts on the broad reach of the show.

We are tremendously grateful for all the amazing feedback we’ve received over the years and the opportunity to share this experience with you. We hope that you’ll continue to be a part of the great community we have here at Golden Spiral Media.

We also talk about how the Fringe series finale compares to other shows, the future of Golden Spiral Media, and other shows that we’ll be watching.

During the podcast we mention a Bunsen Burners group on Facebook, and we feature a song from one of our listeners, MaryJ. Here are the links to those items.

Bunsen Burners Facebook Page

Check out the Fringe montage video we showed at our finale party.

I’m Bringing Nerdy Back by MaryJ
Greensleeves by MaryJ

It has been a tremendous pleasure talking about Fringe with you all over the last 5 seasons! THANK YOU for being a part of this community and contributing to the conversation. We hope that you’ll continue to be a part of the Golden Spiral Media community and join in our other projects. We also want to thank Michael Purcell and the great team over at Global Cash Card for their support and allowing us to do some amazing things over the last couple of years!

The panel contains several helpful ideas to start your fan or pop culture podcast off in the right direction, or to help you improve the podcast you’re already producing. We talk about how to choose the right topic, how to work with the TV network, how to land and conduct interviews, what equipment to use, and we offer tips on improving your production quality.

Thanks to everyone who came to New Media Expo and attended the panel in person, and thanks to New Media Expo for allowing us the opportunity to share our experience with others.

Did you miss out on New Media Expo? Click here to get the Virtual Ticket! The Virtual Ticket allows you to hear all of the other panels and see exclusive videos from New Media Expo!

The authors also tell us about their experiences with Fringe fans, how they hid easter eggs to the fans in the book, and how the Fringe fandom has forever changed the television landscape. Tara and Paul also spend a few minutes telling us about their thoughts on the Fringe finale and how it lined up with the larger story of Fringe.

September’s Notebook: The Bishop Paradox goes on sale no later than March 12. Pre-order your copy today via our Amazon affiliate link.

Connect with Tara Bennet on Twitter at @TaraDBennet or her website at www.tara-bennett.com. Connect with Paul Terry on Twitter at @PTProjects or his website at www.paulterryprojects.com.

The audio quality isn’t nearly as good as we normally deliver, but we think you’ll find the conversation to be quite enjoyable. It’s particularly interesting to consider the conversation, and our hopes for the finale, in light of what we actually saw in the series finale. Thanks go out to all of those who came to Oklahoma City and joined us for this special event!

Join our next live show on February 3 as we give our full finale review and share your feedback! Send in you feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Thank you to everyone that helped make our finale party possible! We’re especially grateful to all those that made donations and attended in person. We also want to thank Global Cash Card for their support for all of season 5 of The Fringe Podcast and covering some of the costs of our Fringe Finale Party!

Join our next live show on February 3 as we give our full finale review and share your feedback! Send in you feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in you feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

In our Twinge segment we asked what questions you have that you still want to resolve. We answer each one to the best of our ability and discuss whether or not we think each question will be fully resolved.

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your thoughts and feedback to us at 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your theories and feedback by calling our voice feedback at 304-837-2278 or emailing us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

We also share information about our Fringe finale party. Come join us for the finale! Hotel reservations must be made by January 2nd in order to get the discounted rate!

Send in your theories and feedback by calling our voice feedback at 304-837-2278 or emailing us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

We also share information about our Fringe finale party. Come join us for the finale!

Send in your theories and feedback by calling our voice feedback at 304-837-2278 or emailing us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

We also hear some feedback that points out a lot of the places that “Black Blotter” tied in to other Fringe episodes, a comparison to Japanese Anime, and how the device might take out the observers.

We also share information about our Fringe finale party. Come join us for the finale!

Send in your theories and feedback by calling our voice feedback at 304-837-2278 or emailing us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

We also share information about our Fringe finale party. Come join us for the finale!

Send in your theories and feedback by calling our voice feedback at 304-837-2278 or emailing us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your theories and feedback by calling our voice feedback at 304-837-2278 or emailing us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

We also share information learned from the Fringe wrap party, episode titles and schedule for the remainder of the series, and we give an update on our finale party in Oklahoma City.

Send in your thoughts and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

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Our team is now in Philadelphia and enlists the help of one of Miles’ few remaining friends. However, the group gets caught by Neville while Miles is out on a scouting trip. Miles wastes no time capturing and threatening to kill Neville’s wife unless he tells Miles where to find Charlie and Danny. Despite Julia’s pleas not to cooperate, Neville helps Miles by freeing Nora and Aaron and telling him about Monroe’s hideout at the power plant. Miles then locks Tom and Julia in a closet and leaves. Is this the same Miles that was chastising Charlie for her soft approach to not killing prisoners? Does this mean that Charlie has had a positive impact on Miles after their long journey here? Tom is pretty bold to tell Miles he’s going to kill him given his predicament. At first I thought that Neville was going to get in big trouble with Monroe for ratting him out, but I think it was all a trap to lure Miles to his location where he would have the upper ground.Monroe really should have known not to underestimate Miles. Doesn’t he know him better than that?

After a super-creepy speech by Strausser comparing Charlie to a peach, Rachel manages to grab a hammer and uses it to kill him. When she says to Strausser, “That’s for what you did to me” you are left wondering if he had forced himself on her at some point. We see yet another instance where Rachel has to defend herself and rises to the challenge. I am still not sure about Rachel and her motives, but am liking her a little better every week. I think that maybe I need a little more back story to fill in the gaps.

Ode to Strausser (a poem)
Oh Strausser, you’re a creep, but I’m not a fool
You were right when you said you were the right tool
You slither and slide in deference to Bass
Your soul is uglier than Aaron’s pockmarked ass
You’re scary and twisted and suck like a leech
And you’re sick when comparing Charlie to a peach
For all the vile things that you did and you said
You deserve what you got and I’m glad that you’re dead

Sorry, Charlie

I am hoping that this was the turning point for many to perhaps start thinking differently about Charlie. It has been a long trip and she has grown a lot – as a person, as a fighter, and as a survivor. I’m not surprised that she is conflicted about finding her mother alive. She doesn’t know what happened and will probably hedge her feelings until she gets the whole story. She also knows that this is not the time to be distracted by a teary reunion. It’s time to finish the job, to get Danny and to get out. Finally seeing these two in the same room, I was struck by how much these two actress really do resemble each other, especially considering that Elizabeth Mitchell was cast later, after the pilot had originally been shot with another actress in that role.

Miles and Bass – Together at Last

Last week’s hallucination episode showed us one of Miles’ greatest fears – having Monroe welcome him back with open arms and not being able to follow-through with what was the right thing to do – killing Monroe. Not only did this week’s episode see this fear actually come to pass, but it really helped us understand why this was such a difficult choice for Miles. Billy Burke was excellent in this episode, his reactions during the standoff with Bass were pitch-perfect. I was impressed by his physical reactions alone – as an actor, being able to actually tremble to show how torn he was between pulling the trigger and rejoining his old friend. Some might say that Miles waited too long and should have killed Monroe instead of monologuing about it.  Hey, if he hadn’t hesitated, we wouldn’t have gotten that great fight scene! This is what we’ve been leading up to all season, and it didn’t disappoint. Guns, fists, and finally a good old-fashioned swordfight – like pirates!

What shocked me was when Bass threw his gun down. That shows how much he was convinced that Miles would rejoin him. I think Bass has really gone over the deep end if he is so deluded that he would expect Miles to just come back as if nothing had happened. If we thought Bass was scary-driven before, I bet he cranks it up to 11 after what transpired at the power plant.

Power at the Plant

Was anyone else disappointed when they actually got the amplifier working, at a power plant, but didn’t use it to actually start up the power plant and get the lights back on in Philadelphia? I thought for sure that we would see a night shot of a dark Philadelphia, and then have it all lit up like a Christmas tree after Monroe succeeded in starting things back up. What was the point in having all the action occur in a power plant if you’re just going to use the power to man a little helicopter instead? Think bigger Monroe!

What’s Next?

After the inevitable escape from the cliffhanger of a machine gun-wielding helicopter taking aim at our newly liberated cast of characters, what will our team be up to next? Going home to Wisconsin seems anticlimactic at this point. Plus, what is there to really go back to? They will certainly be hunted by Monroe, Neville, and the entire militia. Here are a few things I would like to see when the show returns in late March:

• I would like to see our team join the rebels and fight to bring down Monroe. This would be a great opportunity for the show to bring in some new fresh characters and tell some action-packed and meaty stories.
• Rachel/Miles/Nora love triangle, anyone? I know, triangles are a little cliche, but that’s because they are so fun! I hope we learn a lot more about the history between Miles and both of these women. I have a sneaking suspicion that Rachel and Miles had a torrid love affair while she was in his “captivity”. That slap that Rachel gave Miles upon seeing him for the first time felt very personal, almost intimate. And Miles was very surprised by the fact that she was still alive. I have a feeling that Nora and Rachel will not be the best of friends. Nora seems more of an earnest soldier and Rachel seems more of a plotter and opportunist. I see disagreements between these two about the direction and purpose of the group.
• As much as tension between Nora and Rachel seems inevitable, I think the tension between Rachel and Charlie is even more likely, given their interactions in this week’s episode. Rachel will just want to keep her family safe and get as far away fromMonroe as possible. Charlie on the other hand will feel a responsibility to stop Monroe before more innocent people are killed. Everyone else will be caught in the middle and will have to pick a side.
• I believe we will run into Aaron’s wife at some point. Perhaps she is working with the rebels and they will bump into her. Awkward!
• Nate! I mean Jason! I was a little disappointed that we did not see Jason in this episode. I thought he would betray his Mom and Dad and help our team find Danny. Alas, Jason was nowhere to be seen. I think that Jason will be joining our new group when the season continues next year, unless JD got a better gig and is off the show. I’m not a big Jason fan (yet), but I think there is an untold story there that I would like to see.
• I was also disappointed that we did not see anything about Randall or Grace in this episode. I am sure we will get a lot more of that story when the show comes back in March. Perhaps the parallel story lines will intersect. We don’t know where Grace and Randall are right now. Are they still somewhere in Illinois? If our team stays on the East Coast, then a reunion with Randall and Grace is less likely, but who knows where the story will take us in the second half of this season. Wherever it takes us, I’ll be there!

Post your thoughts on this episode, or the season so far, in the comments below!

We also talk about things we’d like to see explored more when the show returns on March 25, 2013, how this episode compares to previous episodes, and we give some suggestions on how you can spend the 4 month Revolution hiatus.

Send in your feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

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Using the tunnels reminded me of Lord of the Rings, where the Fellowship navigated the Mines of Moria to travel under the Misty Mountains instead of over them. Since this was a Led Zeppelin-infused episode, perhaps they should have played “Misty Mountain Hop”. In Lord of the Rings, the entrance collapses and the only way for the travelers to escape is to continue through the mines to the other side. This parallels events In this episode where Charlie accidentally sets off a land mine and the resulting explosion blocks their entrance. The only way out is to keep going on through to Philadelphia.

As a result of the tunnel collapse, the group finds that their oxygen supply in the tunnels is getting low and one by one, the members of Team Miles start hallucinating. Many viewers at this point were crying foul over this particular plot device. The reality that such a large tunnel would not have other sources of ventilation and become oxygen deprived that quickly is a bit of a stretch. However, I am willing to give this show some creative license with this type of thing in order to tell the story they want. The bottom line is that the hallucinations were a fun distraction to watch and allowed us some insight into what is going on in these characters’ psyches.

Besides Lord of the Rings, the group’s trippy experiences with oxygen-deprivation reminded me of The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy and the group were in the poppy fields outside of the Emerald City, Philadelphia being the Emerald City in this case. Charlie is Dorothy, Miles is the Tin Man, and Aaron is the cowardly lion. I would not equate Nora as the scarecrow, she’s too smart for that. Perhaps Jason (aka not-Nate) would be better suited for that role.

What is Right vs. What is Easy

A favorite quote of mine from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is when the wise old wizard Dumbledore talks to Harry about “… when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy…”. The characters in Revolution have faced many difficult choices, and we see that the easiest route is usually not the morally right one to take. There is a lot of temptation to take the safe, easy, or familiar route rather than facing the dangerous, difficult, and unknown.

Miles

We saw just how easy it would be for Miles to fall right back into his old ways as Bass’ buddy and military cohort. Only one of Miles’ deep dark secrets was revealed this week, because I assume his closets are chock-a-block full of skeletons. It seems it was an extremely difficult choice to abandon everything he knew because he finally grew a conscience. Going back to Philadelphia doesn’t just put his life and those with him at risk. An equally large danger is risking his new found and seemingly fragile sense of duty and family.

Charlie

After being shot by Wheatley (a graze to the head only) and knocked unconscious, Charlie loses herself for a while in the fantasy world of being back at home in Wisconsin with her dad. By this point in Charlie’s journey, she realizes how good she had it before her father was killed and her brother abducted. She is having a nice moment with Ben when she realizes it is not real. Instead of holding onto the fantasy, she wills herself back to facing the cold hard world because she knows she still has to find Danny, even though it still seems a nearly impossible feat. Charlie is showing a maturity, and a fierce loyalty to family. I think that loyalty is rubbing off on Miles too, at least I hope it is.

Rachel

This week Rachel had to make a couple of hard choices. The easy choice would be to cooperate with Monroe and build what he is looking for, giving him the power of the pendant to fuel his army. This choice would have kept herself and her son safe. However, she made a different choice, the harder path. The scene with Rachel pretending to build a power amplifier when she was actually building a bomb reminded me of the movie Iron Man, when Tony Stark was held against his will by terrorists. In Iron Man, Tony Stark is ordered to build a missile, but he uses their ignorance to instead build a way to get out of his captivity — creating the Iron Man suit. Unfortunately for Rachel, Dr. Jaffe decides to rat her out, but he ultimately gets the raw end of the deal. Rachel is a shrewd woman, and killing the backup scientist is a sure way to keep herself, and her son, alive, at least for now.  This scene was a shocking look into a character that I have not quite been able to figure out. I’m not saying that I like or trust her character any more than before, but I feel that I am starting to understand her a little better. It seems that she would do anything to protect her family, but at what cost? In this case, I question whether this was this really a choice between easy and right. Jaffe may have betrayed her in the end, but I don’t think he deserved to die. It wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t right either.

The Pendants

I had a random thought about the pendants this week. I am wondering if the pendants really can bring the power back on, permanently and worldwide. It seems like they are a dampening device, to disable whatever is disrupting the ability for  electrical things to work. But this seems like it can only temporarily mask the symptoms rather than providing a cure. The real trick will be to “turn off” whatever is causing this persistent issue with the power. In addition, I am not convinced that Randall is the one that is controlling the power-off device. He is clearly involved with the group that has the pendants, but perhaps there is another group who is controlling the continued effects of the blackout.

Question of the Week

Will the show leave us with a big cliffhanger for  the fall finale next week, will it wrap up the current rescue-Danny storyline, or both? Leave  your thoughts in the comments below!

Send in your feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

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We received a ton of amazing feedback from the listeners and we appreciate all the contributions that were sent in. Send in your thoughts, theories and feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Here’s the link to the USA Today article about TV ratings and viewing trends.

Send in your feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

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This episode contains TWO BONUSES!! First, we had the privilege of speaking to Debbie Myers, the GM of Science Channel. She shares some of the original content they will be producing to go along with the Fringe as they begin showing Fringe season 1 this week. Check out the full programming slate, including a Thanksgiving weekend marathon, here. Secondly, we reveal the contest winners for our Bridge the Backstory contest! Congrats to the winners. Check out all the contest entries here.

Thanks to everyone that sent in feedback for this episode. Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

We discuss the dynamic between Julia and Tom (and Tom’s possible choices). We talk about Mia’s choices and what her other options might have been. We speculate on what Randall and Grace might be doing. And we talk about the machine that Rachel is building. In our feedback portion, we share your thoughts on Charlie, we learn some very interesting things about the possible geographic location of Randall and Grace, and we hear several theories about why the blackout might have been caused.

Here is the link to the particle accelerator near Chicago.

Here’s the monitor that tracks the location of the pendants. (click to enlarge)

Send in your feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

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Thanks to everyone that sent in feedback for this episode. Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Don’t forget to vote EVERY DAY between November 1 and November 15 for the 2012 Podcast Awards. The Fringe Podcast is a finalist in the Best Produced and Entertainment Categories! Visit www.PodcastAwards.com to vote!

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

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We received a LOT of amazing feedback for this episode, much of it from first time callers or contributors! Thanks to EVERYONE that sent in feedback for this episode.

Don’t forget to vote EVERY DAY between November 1 and November for the 2012 Podcast Awards. The Fringe Podcast is a finalist in the Best Produced and Entertainment Categories! Here are some links to add a daily reminder to your computer or smartphone calendar. Visit www.PodcastAwards.com to vote!

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

We take a look at the character development with Rachel and the backstory revealed in this episode. We share our opinions on Mr. Flynn and whether or not he matches what we expected Randall to look like. And we also have a very interesting conversation about Randall, what his motives might be, if he is truly working for the DOD, and how creating a world-wide blackout might have been a better option than allowing Randall to weaponize the power.

Send in your feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

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We also talked about more Blade Runner tie-ins and Clint tells us how Peter’s eye movement test is used in the real world.

Don’t forget to vote EVERY DAY between November 1 and November for the 2012 Podcast Awards. The Fringe Podcast is a finalist in the Best Produced and Entertainment Categories! Here are some links to add a daily reminder to your computer or smartphone calendar. Visit www.PodcastAwards.com to vote!

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

The Kobayashi Maru

For those not familiar with this large piece of Star Trek canon, the Kobayashi Maru is a simulation that all cadets in Starfleet Academy must face in order to test their leadership skills. The cadet is placed in a realistic simulation as the captain of a starship in the midst of an un-winnable life-or-death predicament. The simulation is meant to be a test of character, but a young James T. Kirk was the first to win the no-win scenario by reprogramming the simulation, essentially cheating the test. His reasoning was that he didn’t believe in no-win scenarios.

Similar to the Kobayashi Maru, we saw our characters in this episode faced with no-win situations. For Charlie, she was required to kill Drexel’s neighbor Bill O’Halloran in order to save Miles, Aaron and Nora. However, if she completed the task, she would certainly be killed by the O’Halloran clan before she could get out the door. For Aaron, he was faced with the no-win scenario of killing or being killed by Nora in Drexel’s sick game. If they both chose not the act, they would both be killed. Both of these situations seem to have no outs, but our group were able to effectively change the rules of the “fun and games” in their favor. Maybe there really isn’t such a thing as a no-win situation.

Charlie – Not So Pretty Postcards

This week we see a turning point for Charlie. For weeks now Miles has been chiding Charlie to take things seriously and be smart about the realities of this new world. Charlie was protected in her Little Subdivision on the Prairie for many years and was a bit idealistic regarding topics like how to treat prisoners or how easy it would be to rescue Danny. It seems to have finally sunk in that “fun and games” in the real world is synonymous with “death and loss”. We see an angry and bitter Charlie this week, and one who is willing to compromise her ideals in order to survive. As much as I feel bad for Charlie, these hard lessons will serve her in the future. However, she risks losing those ideals and ultimately her integrity and her soul in the process. It seems like Miles is getting some of his soul back, though, and together perhaps they can find the right balance in this brave new world.

Aaron – Sacrifice or Suicide?

We also see quite a turning point this week for Aaron. What happened to the optimistic guy who said “everything is going to turn out OK”? I can’t decide whether Aaron is heroic for sacrificing himself or whether he has just given up and wants to die. Look at his track record – leaving his wife for her own good (a punk move if you ask me) and facing the dangers of this scary new world alone was tantamount to suicide. I imagine guardian angel Ben was involved in saving his sorry self. He made the decision to accompany Charlie and Maggie on their quest to save Danny, even though he jokingly referred to the fact that they were all likely to end up with their heads on a stick. Finally, he practically begged Nora to go ahead and shoot him in the Drexel gun showdown in order to save the rest of the dwindling Danny-rescue team. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying that Aaron has a bit of a death wish, but if he sacrifices himself, he wants his death to matter.

Burning Questions

The more I hear about Miles’ past the more disparity I see between the Miles we know and “General Matheson”. He truly had a look of regret on his face when Drexel was fondly reminiscing about their past and how much he admired Miles’ cutthroat ways. I am extremely curious how Miles could have changed so dramatically over the years. What was the turning point for Miles?

Strausser gave a super-creepy speech about using the right tool for the right job. Of course, we know that Strausser is the tool — in more ways that one. If Neville is a bad guy with a heart buried deep, deep down inside, then I have a feeling that Strausser is more like the Terminator — no heart at all. I do not see the eventual meeting between him and Miles going well for anyone. But who was that boy that Strausser was talking to in the barn? Did anyone else get a feeling that he will be important?

Question of the Week

We are only six episodes in, but (in my humble opinion) the pacing of the show has been brisk, the revelations abundant, and the character development rich. Are you happy with how the show has progressed so far, or do you feel there is anything that could be improved? Who knows, there’s a big hiatus in store for us (after a few more episodes the show will not be back on until late March), perhaps the writers are listening, so sound off in the comments section below!

Thanks to every that sent in feedback for the podcast. Send in your theories and feedback by clicking on the link on the right hand side of this page, calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or by emailing us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

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We discuss the various perspectives, Etta’s apparent lack of cortexiphan, where the show might go from here and a WHOLE LOT more in this episode.

Don’t forget to vote EVERY DAY between November 1 and November for the 2012 Podcast Awards. The Fringe Podcast is a finalist in the Best Produced and Entertainment Categories! Here are some links to add a daily reminder to your computer or smartphone calendar. Visit www.PodcastAwards.com to vote!

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

In our Science of Tomorrow segment, Clint discusses technologies used to regrow skin tissue, and in our Fringe Binge segment we announce an extension to our Bridge the Backstory Contest, Darrell’s appearance at New Media Expo coming up in January, and we report that we have been announced as finalists for the 2012 Podcast Awards!

Here are the links mentioned in this episode:
Artificial Skin Growth Article
Kilroy Was Here Article
Bacon Factor Easter Egg

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your theories and feedback by clicking on the link on the right hand side of this page, calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or by emailing us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Send in your thoughts and theories by calling the Golden Spiral Media voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com. 

Send in your feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or emailing us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Send in your thoughts and theories by calling the Golden Spiral Media voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Here are the links mentioned in this episode:
Article On epidermodysplasia verruciformis (Tree Man’s Disease)
Video of a man with epidermodysplasia verruciformis
Here’s the article and video on Disney’s 3D Optics

Here is the Humanity’s Only Hope video from FOX.

Here are the screen captures of the articles the recordist showed Walter:

Now that we are a good 4 episodes into this season, I feel that we’ve got a number of the pieces of the puzzle, and I’m ready to start laying them out and seeing where they might fit together. Here are a few of the things on my mind.

Rachel in Restraints

Since we learned in episode 102 that Rachel is actually alive and being held against her will by Monroe, there have been a number of questions that have come up about where she has been and what she has been up to since Charlie and Danny saw her last. We got a few more meaty clues this week to the mystery of Rachel. Here is what we know so far:

• It appears that Rachel and Ben worked together and both knew in advance about the blackout.
• Ben, Rachel and the kids left Chicago and were able to keep safe and alive for several years.
• Rachel turned herself in to Miles and the militia at his request around 9 years ago.
• This was the last time that Charlie and Danny saw their mother. They thought they she was getting supplies and would be gone for a few months.
• At some later date, Ben told Danny and Charlie that their mother died “out there”.

Here are some conclusions that I might make from this information:

We don’t know if Rachel told Ben that she was turning herself in to the militia or not. At first it seemed unlikely to me that Ben would allow Rachel to do this, considering the reputation of the militia. However, if he knew that she was turning herself in directly to Miles, perhaps Miles made some promises to his brother to keep her safe. But why would they want just Rachel when Ben seemed to know as much if not more than she did about the power? My guess is that Miles knew he had to bring back at least one of them to Monroe, but he didn’t want to leave the kids without both a mother and a father, so he asked Rachel and Ben to choose which one would go with him, in return for some assurances of their safety and eventual return. Rachel seems like a better choice since Ben was probably more capable of protecting and keeping the children safe on his own.

We don’t know if Ben actually thought that Rachel was dead or if he just told the kids that. However, I don’t think Ben would have told his kids that she was dead if she just never came back from her “trip”. There would have always been a chance that she would return. I believe that he really thought she was dead. I think that Miles told Ben that she was dead, and Ben trusted Miles enough to believe him. This is likely a reason why Miles and Ben were estranged, even though Miles had left the militia, he did not keep his promise to keep Rachel safe.

This begs the question – does Miles know that Rachel is still alive? I think Miles is also under the impression that Rachel is dead. Maybe I’m giving him too much credit, but I don’t think he would have kept that from Charlie. I think Miles had every intention on bringing Rachel back to them alive but Monroe had other plans for her and told Miles that he had killed her. Of course, these are all just theories based on what little I have seen so far, so only time will tell.

The Knowledge of Power

One of the biggest mysteries of the show revolves around the blackout itself and how the people who have the pendants are involved. More specifically – how were Ben and Rachel involved, and what is the purpose of the pendant? Since we are only 4 episodes in, I don’t expect (nor do I want) all the answers right off the bat. However, here are a few of the clues that we have been given so far:

• Ben and Rachel knew the blackout was going to happen at least several minutes before it actually happened (if not earlier). This was discovered in the very first scene of the pilot episode.
• Ben and Rachel worked together at what appears to be the Computer Science department of the University of Chicago. In a flashback, Rachel tells Charlie that they had to stop there because Ben had to get something from “their work”.
• Ben was also working with the Department of Defense and had a special security clearance. We learned this information from Monroe this week while he was interrogating Rachel.
• The pendants seem to have the capability to either power up or allow electrical items to power up in its presence, at least temporarily.
• Ben and Grace are connected through the knowledge they share about the blackout.  They both had pendants that seem to look alike and work similarly. Ben instructed Aaron to find Grace and he also knew where to find her.

Here are some conclusions that might be derived from these clues:

Ben and Rachel knew what was going to happen, but they didn’t know when or even if it was going to happen. If they had more advance knowledge they would have been better prepared. They were taken by surprise and had a very short amount of lead time before the event actually happened. Because of this, I believe that Ben and Rachel were not directly involved in causing the blackout. If this were a planned attack and they had direct knowledge, they would have been far more prepared for this event. They would have already situated themselves in a safe place, gathered ample supplies, weapons, etc. to weather the aftermath.

When Ben was downloading something onto the pendant drive from his computer there were tables, graphs and maps on the screen at the time. That, in addition to the knowledge we know about where he worked (not an algebra teacher!) makes me believe that perhaps Ben and Rachel were part of a group of scientists that were tracking some type of warning signs that this blackout may occur. If they had made this discovery, this group of scientists may have decided to secretly put together a post-blackout plan that involved the pendants. Why didn’t they share this knowledge with others and/or the government? Given Ben’s government security clearance, maybe they did but were dismissed as being alarmists.

So even if some of these theories pan out (I don’t have a great track record so far, so I wouldn’t make any banana bets on it), it still leaves a lot of unanswered questions that I don’t think I have enough information yet to even form a conclusion. These include:

• Who or what is responsible for the blackout?
• How do the pendants work and what else can they do?
• Is there a way to restore power?

The Morality Issue

Possibly the biggest question of the series to me is whether the blackout is man-made or naturally occurring. At this point I am leaning towards man-made, due to the nature and extent of the power loss. If “physics went insane” as Aaron states, some kind of deliberate force seems to be responsible for maintaining this unnatural state. If we assume that people are responsible for this, then the next question is about motivations. Could there be any moral grounds that someone could use to actually justify the massive scale of misery, fear, death and destruction that this blackout brought upon the world? Could there possibly be an argument to be made for the ends justifying the means? To me, nothing short of preventing an entire worldwide mass extinction can even come close. These are the questions that are at the very core of the show. I look forward to getting more pieces of the puzzle as the season continues.

What are you thoughts? Sound off in the comments section below!

Send in your thoughts and theories by calling the Golden Spiral Media voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

In our feedback portion we discuss Miles relationship with Rachel, whether or not our opinion has changed on Danny possibly joining the militia, how magnetism might be behind the blackout, Ben and Rachel’s relationship and much more.

Here’s the picture of Rachel’s drawing mentioned in this episode. (click to enlarge)

Here’s the picture of Grace’s drawing mentioned in this episode. (click to enlarge)

Send in your feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or emailing us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

In this episode we also announce the Bridge the Backstory CONTEST! This contest begins now, and concludes on October 31, 2012. Click here for the full details on the contest, prizes and rules.

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Bullies seemed to be a theme in this week’s Revolution episode 103 entitled “No Quarter”. Every story line we visited involved some story alluding to these playground brutes and how to properly deal with them.

1000 Miles with Miles

In flashbacks back to those weeks and months after the blackout, we see Miles and Bass trekking back to find Miles’ family in Chicago. After witnessing brutality and killing by numerous “bullies” on the road, Miles is frustrated by the state of the world. He is surprised at how quickly things have fallen apart, and that the strong are preying on the weak because there is no one there to protect them any more. Miles makes the decision that due to no police and no jails, the only thing to do is to kill them. This is reminiscent of the lesson he tried to teach Charlie last week about not leaving prisoners alive. I’m sure Miles truly believes that he is saving more lives in the end by killing the bad guys.

 

The military term “No Quarter” means taking no prisoners, even upon their surrender. In modern times, the practice of No Quarter is expressly forbidden and is punishable as a war crime.  However, Miles seems to think that desperate times call for desperate measures.

 

We are obviously seeing the origins of the militia here, as we learn later in this episode that Miles was actually the commanding general of the militia and a founding father of the Republic. However, there is a lot of missing story in between. If the militia’s beginnings were noble, a way to protect the weak and helpless against the strong and vicious, then how did it become the seemingly tyrannical dictatorship that it is now? At what point did Miles leave the militia and Bass, and why?

Danny and the Mean Militia Man

Danny is bullied by Private Richards, the best friend of Templeton, who was killed by Danny during that fateful fight where Danny’s father died. As the theme of the evening suggests, Danny stands up to the bully and uses his wits to outsmart the bully and bully him right back. Creepy Capt. Neville stands back and watches it happen. I think he likes what he sees in Danny, and I smell a new militia recruit in the making.

I Heard it Through the Grapevine…

The grapevine is buzzing with this crucial piece of information: bullies are bad! In addition to our vignettes with young Miles and young Danny, we also hear Charlie, Aaron, and Nora all tell their own bully stories. I will summarize: bullies hurt people and they must be stopped.

 

Meanwhile, to get out of the seemingly hopeless situation the rebels have found themselves in, they  rely on the one-two punch which seems to be the solution to all bullies — the winning combination of bravery plus smarts. Miles fearlessly gives himself up to Jeremy to save the rebels and Charlie. Fear not, as Charlie and Nora use some ingenious trap-setting to once again free Miles and get away without immediate pursuit by the militia.

Bullets are (Not) Forever

This is one way that bullets aren’t like diamonds, they are not forever since each one can only be used once. It’s amazing how much ammo is exchanged in this show considering they are volleying precious gemstones around the place. But the whole speech that Jeremy gives about the scarcity of bullets got me thinking about this post-blackout world and really how difficult the concept of a limited supply of “durable goods” means.

Sure, we all know that it won’t take long to go through all the canned food and other non-durables. You would have to start growing your own food, go back to a more agrarian or trade-based society. But what about those items that would seemingly last a long time, but maybe not forever? There are plenty of scavenged items that would still be necessary but aren’t that easy to just make more of – hammers, shovels, pots and pans. These things last, but will eventually break or wear out over time. Last time I checked, blacksmithing wasn’t exactly a common occupation or even hobby.

Post -blackout, the ramifications of such a drastic and dramatic plunge back into (at least) the mid 19th century would not be all “Little House on the Prairie”. Societies prior to the modern technological age were familiar and comfortable with the world they were living in. They had the skills, the knowledge, and the tools they needed to survive, and these were handed down from generation to generation. We, on the other hand, would have to reinvent “everyday living” and there would be an extremely steep learning curve.

Plea of the Week

Three episodes in and I am still loving the show. I’m finding it a good blend of mystery, drama, characters, and action. Speaking of characters, I have to say that I am surprised by a lot of people’s negative reactions to Charlie. Looking back at this episode, I felt she made all the right decisions. She stood up to Miles at the rebel base and took charge, deciding to stay a bit longer so Nora could continue on with them. When Miles past was revealed, she asked questions and dug for information instead of jumping to all sorts of conclusions. She bravely fought against the militia attack on the base instead of being a sitting duck like Miles suggested. Plus, she’s got wicked aim. My plea of the week is to give Charlie some credit!!

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

In our feedback portion we discuss Miles decision to leave the militia, potential clues found in the opening credits, the balance of various story lines and much more.

Here are the links mentioned in this episode.
Interactive Revolution map from NBC.

Map depicting the post blackout US. (Credit goes to www.revolution-show.com)

Rotating Earth video

Send in your feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or emailing us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.
 

Here are the links mentioned in our Science of Tomorrow segment:
Brain-Computer Interfaces in Stroke Rehabilitation
Brain Remapping May Be Key To Recovery From Stroke

Here’s the link to the LBJ campaign video.

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Maria told us she was reading a screenwriting book called, Save the Cat.

Check out Maria’s website.

Find out more information on The Helen Lindsey Story.

Make a contribution to Students Without Mothers.

Send in your feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Do you watch TV shows for the mystery or the characters? Or a mixture of both?

This is the conundrum that confronts us as viewers after watching the first two episodes of Revolution.  Which type of show is Revolution going to be? After two episodes it looks like the show is heading towards more of the latter with sprinkles of mystery.

This far into its nascent journey Revolution still has to catch up and address audience reaction and judgement. This is due to the pilot being shown back in the summer at the San Diego Comic Con and NBC making the pilot available online a week or two before it aired.

During that time period between the previews and the pilot airing much questioning and speculation has been about the how and what turned off the power.  There has been decidely less discussion about the characters which is understandable given the small amount of the screen each cast member has been given.

As with every show in the early going they are trying to establish a base of characters that will divert or supplant that portion of the viewing audience that is just watching for the reveal of the mystery.  This is the paradox that every high concept show faces.

It is a tricky balance act to set up a fictional world with interesting characters and put them in a world with a compelling through story.  Plus find the right balance between the two.  It is an elusive goal that is more alchemy than science.  In the end the goal should be to strive towards the series mythology being a platform to explore these characters.

In the case of Revolution, it is the Power Versus The People Paradox.

POWER

The main reaction the pilot has created has been wariness in regards to the starting premise; the loss of power.

Is this stoppage based in science or magic?  If it is science and the flow of electrons has been stopped why are living things still alive?  Life is based on forms of electricity, especially electric eels and fireflies, and should be affected too.  What about hydro and steam power?  And so on.

Whatever showrunner Eric Kripke’s game plan is for the show, hopefully he has heard these comments and will address the power problem ASAP.  Tell the audience how electricity is being stopped.  Lay out the rules and go from there.

Be it magic or science, give us the explanation.

The sooner the better so this point of series resistance is removed and the viewing audience’s attention shifts focus to the long term goals the show is trying to achieve.

PEOPLE

After watching the first two episodes my hope for Revolution being a success is based more on the behind the camera team.  Beyond the JJ Abrams brand the showrunner is former SuperNatural showrunner Eric Kripke.  He successfully ran the first 5 seasons of SuperNatural.  A show that deftly juggled character and mythology.

The bulk of the characters belong to one family, the Mathesons. (A shout out to noted SF writer Richard Matheson perhaps?)

The focus is on the daughter – Charlotte ‘Charlie‘ Matheson  and the uncle – Miles Matheson.  The show appears tailored to be relying heavily on these two characters to carry the dramatic weight of the show.  To this point the material being given to Charlie played by Tracy Spiridakos strikes as being more than she can bear.  This could become very problematic unless the actor can rise to the material or the writers are better able to tailor it to her.  Or if the Revolution creative team recognizes this and shifts dramatic focus to other characters.

On the plus side the setup that the main adversary, Sebastian Monroe aka General Monroe head of the Militia was Miles’s buddy before the power went out holds promise.  Breaking Bad’s Gus Fring aka Giancarlo Esposito as Militia Captain Tom Neville is a definite highlight and the most nuanced character.

The rest of the cast has made little to no impression but it is still early in the game.  It will be interesting if the initial character dynamics remain in play or if the show tries to make any corrections.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

It took Kripke well into the first season before he found the right mix of character versus mythology for SuperNatural.

Will NBC give him that much time for Revolution?

Chicks in Chains

I don’t think it’s an accident that “Chained Heat ” is also the title of a 1983 Linda Blair prison flick that professes it’s the “ultimate chicks in chains” movie.  The main focus of this episode centers on these three at-one-point incarcerated babes:

Charlie

Nice job tricking Nate into handcuffs, Charlie! However, as guest star C. Thomas Howell so aptly showed us, if you don’t kill your prisoner, they will escape and come after you. We have not seen the last of not-Nate. Despite her newly found street-smarts, Charlie still manages to get captured right off the bat in Pontiac. This chick needs some survivor skills pronto! Maybe the newest member of our crew can help out…

Nora

Like Black Widow in The Avengers, Nora was exactly where she wanted to be, back on the chain gang. I am very curious about Nora and Miles’ history and why she owes him so big. I think I’m going to like Nora, especially if what Miles says about her being really good at blowing stuff up is true.  Now if only her and her rebel friends can find the plans to the Death Star.

Rachel

Not literally in chains, but seemingly a prisoner of Monroe, we find that Mommy dearest isn’t dead after all, but her captivity seems conveniently cushy. Since a lot of people had already guessed that Rachel was still alive, it was nice to see this reveal so early. I think it’s a good sign that the writers will be keeping us on our toes and guessing, but not stretching out secrets longer than our patience will allow.

Death and All of His Friends

Somewhere early in this episode it occurred to me that there has been a lot of killing in Revolution so far.  Doe-eyed Danny is astute in wondering if Neville kills out of a sense of duty or whether he actually enjoys killing. I’m glad that this episode gave a little more gravitas around death and the choices these people are making when they take a life. Without getting too preachy, I think this episode explored where or even if morality belongs in this new world. Is it justified to shoot a man in the back who is stealing food from your family? Let’s look at it from the other man’s perspective -  would he be justified in killing a child to obtain food to feed himself or his family? When it is OK to kill? Self-protection? For the perceived greater good? Never?

Prediction Fail

It’s really too soon to tell, but it’s not looking good for my “Monroe might be a good guy, don’t judge him too soon” prediction. Talk about killing in cold blood. Well, all my theories can’t be winners. The game of TV show predictions is high-risk/high-reward — but only if you consider a heightened sense of smug self-satisfaction a reward.

Question of the Week

What was your favorite moment in Chained Heat?

For me, when Miles called Aaron “Chuckles”, it made me flash back, then flash forward, then flash sideways to some of my favorite Sawyer moments in Lost. I am really enjoying the world-weary, grumpy guy with the heart of gold that is Miles. I also like how they are playing off snarky and jaded Miles against funny but optimistic Aaron.

Let’s hear your opinion in the comments section below. And don’t forget to vote for your favorite quote of the week in the Polls section!

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Here’s the screen image of Grace’s computer. (Click to Enlarge)

Click here for information on our Fringe Finale Party.

Click here to make a donation for the Fringe cast and crew appreciation awards.

Click here for the TV Guide article, “6 Thingsto Know About Fringe’s Final Season Premiere.” (contains some spoilers that we feel are minor)

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

The reviews are in for the pilot episode of the new NBC television show “Revolution”, and they are decidedly… mixed. Some loved it, some hated it, and a lot are taking either a cautiously optimistic or pessimistic “wait-and-see” stance. One thing they ALL have in common is their insistence on comparing it with, well, everything but the kitchen sink.  Scanning the reviews on the internet, here are just some of the comparisons I found:

• Lost
• Flash Forward
• Jericho
• The Walking Dead
• Hunger Games
• The Lord of the Rings
• Star Wars
• Planet of the Apes
• The Wizard of Oz

Yes, I myself see similarities to some of these shows and movies. However, I think that the size and diversity of this list is telling. Revolution can’t possibly be just like every one of those shows or movies. That leads me to believe that perhaps it’s really like none of them. Although it may use familiar themes that have been used in fiction since people starting writing fiction, Revolution has the potential to become something else, something unique. When Fringe first aired, a lot of comparisons were made to the X-Files. But as any fan of Fringe can tell you, it evolved into something very different. I am happy to give Revolution a chance to define itself, and entertain me in the process.

Ratings

Great news for those of you who enjoyed the pilot. The combination of an interesting premise, big name appeal both on screen and off, and smart marketing led NBC to their biggest rated television premiere in 5 years — 11.7 million viewers. Before you start making party plans for the season finale episode though, please be aware that a strong opening is no guarantee of a show’s success. The creative team needs to keep people firmly planted on their couches week after week by continuing to deliver on the promise of this first episode.

“Reality” Check

I am seriously baffled by all the chatter I’m hearing crying foul over the “science” behind the basic premise of the show – the blackout itself. This is science fiction, emphasis on the word “fiction”. I for one hope there isn’t any scientific basis behind the blackout or I would be scared to death. And for those of you challenging the realism of the show’s blackout who were also fans of Lost — if you can stomach the idea of (Lost spoiler alert ahead!) moving an entire island thousands of miles instantaneously via frozen donkey wheel, then you should be able to handle any of the pseudo-science that Revolution throws your way. If you can’t, then perhaps this isn’t the show you are looking for. Move along.

We would love to hear your thoughts, so sound off in the comments below!

Send in your feedback and theories by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Are We Clear

Go Hang Yourself

We’re Family

We also share fan feedback we received on Twitter, play a couple of listener audio comments, and read some email that we received.

Join in our LIVE chat each Monday as Revolution airs in Eastern and Central time zones. Join our LIVE podcast recording each Tuesday at 8pm Eastern. All live events can be accessed here.

Here’s a link to the Bugs Bunny YouTube video we mention in this podcast.

Send in your thoughts and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

• Miles really is good at killing people.
• Monroe’s men need a refresher course on “bring him back alive”.
• Crossbows aren’t so great in hand-to-hand combat.

This episode left us with lots of juicy details, hints, and questions to noodle over while we anxiously await next Monday. I thought I would take a deeper look into three of the most enigmatic characters we met.

Maggie

What we know

As doctor of a bucolic and seemingly ideal community that has developed fifteen year post-blackout, Maggie seems to have mastered the art of natural medicines (and poisons). She is also dating Ben, now a widower raising his almost-adult children Charlie and Danny. After Ben is killed, she insists on accompanying Charlie on a quest to find Danny, who has been kidnapped by the militia.

What I suspect

Maggie might be putting on her best “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”, but she is definitely hiding something. I’ve watched enough TV and movies to know that when a character tells you not to trust anyone (as she warns Charlie about hunky Nate) they are actually talking about themselves. That way, when their inevitable betrayal comes, they can throw out the zinger “I told you not to trust anyone.” Ouch.

Burning Question

What is Maggie’s real agenda? Maybe she is a spy, but for whom? It’s probably not forMonroe, or he would have found Ben before now. Regardless, I don’t think she’s tagging along with Charlie just out of obligation to her boyfriend’s dying wishes.

Miles

What we know

Miles and his buddy Bass (that’s General Monroe to you), were Marines stationed together in South Carolina when the blackout occurred. Fifteen years later, Charlie keeps her promise to her dying father and finds Miles attempting to keep a low profile in Chicago. After a teary plea, plus the fact that she has soundly blown his cover, he agrees to help find Danny.

What I suspect

Miles was in Monroe’s militia for a time, but was turned off by Monroe’s increasing thirst for power and domination. I think he left Monroe and found his brother Ben, who divulged his knowledge about the blackout to Miles. Now that Ben is dead, this is Miles’ cross to bear, and this weighty secret may explain why he originally planned to drink himself to death.

Burning Question

What exactly does Miles know about the blackout? The fact that Charlie doesn’t even know or recognize her uncle hints that Ben and Miles did not split amicably. Is the truth behind Ben’s advance knowledge of the blackout and the mysterious “fob of power” the reason they were estranged?

Monroe

What we know

Sebastian “Bass” Monroe is now General Monroe, in charge of a vast militia and leader of the Monroe Republic, an area of the former United States that includes Chicago. He has ordered his men to find and bring back Ben and Miles alive, a job that has been thoroughly bungled by the death of Ben and the escape of Miles. Captain Neville has managed to arrest Ben’s son, Danny, although keeping him in custody seems to be an equally vexing task for this crew.

What I suspect

Don’t be too quick to paint Monroe as a power-hungry bad guy. Remember that he has first-hand knowledge of an individual who knew in advance that the blackout was going to occur. The people responsible for the blackout (assuming that individuals caused this, which I realize is still up for debate) are, in effect, mass murderers on a global scale. Perhaps he feels it’s his duty to find who caused this event and bring them to justice. I’m simply not convinced that Monroe’s actions are entirely self-motivated.

Burning Question

Like his buddy Miles, Bass likes a good stiff drink. But how the heck did he get ice cubes? Rewind your DVR to that last scene if you missed it, but the camera very deliberately focused on Monroe putting a couple of ice cubes in his glass. I’m sure someone clever will point out several ways to make or store ice without refrigeration or cold weather, but I still think it’s a clue.

Question of the Week

What is your most burning question after watching the pilot?

Sound off in the comments section below!

We discuss William Bell, the death of David Robert Jones, Olivia’s cortexiphan abilities, and Astrid’s FBI agent skills. We also talk about the observer invasion, Etta’s skills, the role of other cortexiphan kids in the future and Bonita throws out a new theory on the whereabouts of Oliva.

We had a lot of great discussion in this episode and we’re very grateful for Heather and Bonita for their participation. Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

NOTE: This post is spoiler-free and explores only the most basic premise of the show.

What is Revolution?

Revolution is a new television show premiering on NBC on Monday, September 17 at 10pm (9pm Central). Set in the current day, all forms of power and technology are suddenly and inexplicably rendered inoperative, including not only electricity, but batteries and engines of all kinds. The impact is worldwide and seemingly permanent.  As a result of this catastrophic event, society as we know it is devastated. The story picks up with our characters 15 years later.

What is Dystopia?

A “dystopia” is a fictional construct where a radically different and imperfect future society is portrayed. It often involves themes of danger, fear and oppression. Dystopian fiction seems to be all the rage right now. Look at the popularity of TV shows like “The Walking Dead”, and books like “The Hunger Games”. Even the 5th season of Fringe is set in a future dystopia. This kind of fiction, much like science fiction in general, is a way to hold a magnifying glass up to certain aspects of the human condition. It examines how people react in the face of adversity, portrays the human will to survive and asks questions such as:  At the end of the day, when all the trappings of a modern society are stripped away, what matters most?

Why should I watch Revolution?

The what-if scenarios behind the show’s premise are just one aspect of the dramatic fodder the writers have at their disposal. However, it will take more than just a look into life post-blackout to keep viewers like me interested. These are the things that the writers should do to keep me coming back for more.

Entertain me!

High concept is one thing, but if the subject matter is too heady or feels like a lecture in the evils of modern living, you will lose your audience quickly.  Yes, immerse me in a different world (it worked for James Cameron in “Avatar”).  But also give me some action and adventure while you are at it. Adventure stories are ultimately about the journey, not the destination. Wherever our gang is headed, we want to come along for a fun and exciting ride. It doesn’t hurt to throw in some swordplay and witty dialog while you are at it.

Move me!

Character, character, character. Like the real estate mantra “location, location, location”, what really keeps people coming back week to week is to find out what happens next to the characters that they have grown to know and love (or hate). Based on the track record of the show’s creative team, I believe they do know this mantra and can deliver the goods. See Darrell’s recent blog post for more information on this topic.

Surprise me!

No one could have predicted the wild ride that Lost (the television show) would eventually take us on when we first crash landed on that strange and mysterious island. JJ Abrams knows what we like, but he also knows what we don’t like – predictability. My hope is that Revolution strives to be unique and stand out among the crowded genre.

Question of the Week

What would you miss the most if we experienced the blackout?

Respond in the comments section below! For me, it would be my music. Yes, I know, music as a whole would not disappear entirely. However, my beloved ear-splitting rock band music would forever be lost inside a useless little rectangular box with a fruit logo.

So with music in mind, I leave you with my pick for a theme song for NBC’s Revolution:

30 Seconds to Mars — “R-evolve”

Lights out!

We had a lot of great discussion in this episode and we’re very grateful for Michelle, Allan, and Lou for their participation. Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

We also read a very insightful email we received from Joey that discusses the Observers plan, how their plan effects each universe, and how September has been working to avoid the Observer invasion from
season 1.

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

The next thing that got me excited was the premise. Yes, it’s a post-apocalyptic mystery/drama/thriller, but it has some interesting and unique elements. The story picks up 15 years after the apocalyptic event (world-wide blackout). We see the characters after they’ve adjusted to their new lives and have found some sort of normalcy.  However, there are still a lot of struggles and uncertainty.

This is appealing to me because it provides an opportunity for a variety of storytelling methods. We can learn about characters, their development, and the mystery of the blackout through flashback storytelling. We can learn about the characters, their development, their struggles, and the new world through current timeline storytelling. And we can learn more about the mystery of the blackout, who is involved, what is the purpose for it, and the ensuing power struggle (pun intended) through the stories of exploration and discovery.  Of course, this will also bring about character development.

To me, all the character development, mysteries, and stories wouldn’t mean much if they weren’t able to be carried out by a great cast. This brings me to the next thing that excites me about “Revolution.” Sure, the cast includes some fresh faces (to me) like JD Pardo, Tracy Spiridakos, and Graham Rogers. But it also includes a fantastic ensemble of proven talent like Giancarlo Esposito, Elizabeth Mitchell, Billy Burke and Maria Howell. Oh by the way, Tim Guinee, Zak Orth, and Daniella Alonso are very talented and excited members of the cast too!

So what more could I ask for in a new show? Talented creative team? Check. Intriguing plot lines? Check. Talented Cast? Oh, yeah!

The Revolution Podcast is going to be a fun event each week and we hope that you’ll join in. Here’s how you can participate:

• Mondays at 10pm Eastern we’ll chat with Revolution fans while we watch the show. You can join in here.
• Send us in your thoughts and theories about each episode and we’ll include some of it in each week’s podcast. Call the voice feedback like at 304-837-2278 or email your feedback by clicking here.
• Tuesdays at 8pm Eastern we’ll record The Revolution Podcast LIVE. You can watch us record the podcast and chat with us while we record, here.
• Want to be a part of our blogging team for Revolution? Send us an email by clicking here and let us know you’re interested. We’ll send you the info you need to get started.
• Tell others about The Revolution Podcast by Golden Spiral Media. Spread the word on Twitter, join us on Facebook, and join the interactive community here at Golden Spiral Media.

We break down the story of each comic book and discuss our favorite parts of each story. We also discuss how the “Ghost Writer” story may tie in to the season 5 premiere episode. And, of course, since Clint is back at the microphone, you can be sure that plenty of singing is included in this podcast!

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

In our discussions about our expectations about Revolution, we theorize on what may be the cause of the blackout, and what we hope did not cause the blackout. We talk a little bit about how Revolution differs from other other post-apocalyptic shows like The Walking Dead and Falling Skies, and why we believe Revolution will succeed. We also point out what could be a clue hidden in the preview trailer, the characters that intrigue us most, and talk about our show format and frequency.

Revolution premiers on Monday, September 17 at 10/9c on NBC. Join our live chat and discuss the episode as it airs each week.

Our podcast is recorded in front of a live, worldwide internet audience each Tuesday at 8pm eastern time starting on September 18th.

Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

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Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

At the end of this episode we announce our new podcast, The Revolution Podcast, that is dedicated to the new NBC drama, Revolution. Revolution comes from the creative team of JJ Abrams, Jon Favreau and Eric Kripke. Revolution stars Billy Burke, Tracy Spiradakos, J. D. Pardo, David Lyons, Giancarlo Espisito, Tim Guinee, and Elizabeth Mitchell. Revolution premieres September 17 at 10/9c on NBC. Read our full announcement about The Revolution Podcast here.

Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Revolution is a show that takes place 15 years after a sudden world-wide blackout. Mankind is no longer able to depend on technology. Computer systems, batteries, factories, and electricity are all gone. A militia has taken over and pockets of people try to live in harmony and make the best life possible for their families. However, because this show comes from the creative minds of JJ Abrams, Jon Favreau, and Eric Kripke, not everything is at it seems. Some do have power. Some can communicate via computer. Some know why the power went out.

Revolution stars Billy Burke as Miles Metheson, Tracy Spiradakos as Charlie Matheson, Anna Lise Phillips as Maggie, Graham Rogers as Danny Matheson, J.D. Pardo as Nate Walker, Zak Orth as Aaron, Maria Howell as Grace, David Lyons as Bass/General Monroe, Giancarlo Esposito as Captain Tom Neville, Tim Guinee as Ben Matheson, and Elizabeth Mitchell as Rachel Matheson. Revolution is a sci-fi/drama/action show that has us VERY excited! In fact, the last time we were this excited about a show, that show was Fringe!

With The Revolution Podcast you will find the same insight and banter that you’ve come to enjoy by listening to The Fringe Podcast. We’ll bring the live chat room as we watch Revolution every Monday at 10/9c on NBC. We’ll record each podcast in front of a live, worldwide, internet audience. And, of course, we’ll be depending on YOU, the fans, to provide your insights for our feedback segment.

Check out these AWESOME videos about Revolution. We hope you’re excited about Revolution as much as we are, and we look forward to doing some Revolutionary things with this podcast!

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

In our Fringe Binge segment we talk about the 2012 Saturn Awards, the content that will be included on the season 4 DVDs/Bluray, a change in the production schedule for season 5, and when the Fringe series finale will be aired.

Send in your feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your thoughts about the panel to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your thoughts about the interviews to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

You can follow Stuff You Should Know Podcast on Twitter at @SYSKPodcast, or check out their website at www.HowStuffWorks.com.

We want to thank the great folks at Science Channel for inviting us to be a part of this exciting event.

Were you at Comic-Con? Let us know what you think about each show by calling us at 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

We discuss several of the ways that these episodes tie in to episodes from Season 4 and speculate on how they might even tie in to what we hope to see in season 5. We discuss the continued build up of Peter’s origin, the parallels with William Bell’s season 4 motivations, “Back to the Future,” and the Walter vs. Walternate dynamic.

Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

We draw on many parallels between the story lines we saw in this episodes with larger plot lines that would come into play later on in seasons 2, 3, and 4. We also discuss the role of the Observers in and how their story might be continued in season 5, a few inconsistencies we found and what possible explanations there might be, and we also dig in to the involvement of William Bell.

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We discuss the role of the Observers and the upcoming war, the battle with the reverse, new insights we gained about the history of shapeshifters, and the stream of foreshadowing clues about Peter’s mysterious past. Darrell will also chime in on whether or not “Night of Desirable Objects” was as bad this time as it was when he first saw it originally. You might be surprised by his answer!

We also give our thoughts about the recent announcement that Executive Producer Jeff Pinkner has left the show.

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Topics covered in the pane include how to choose the right topic, how to successfully market your podcast, how to set up and conduct interviews, how to organize your show, how to make money podcasting and more! All audience questions are also recorded and included in the podcast.

This panel is just one of over 150 sessions, workshops and interviews that you get access to when you get the BlogWorld Virtual Ticket! This ticket is still available and all the content is available to listen to online or download for later. Click here to get the BlogWorld Virtual Ticket today!

We want to thank Cliff Ravenscraft, Shane Ketterman and all the great folks at BlogWorld & New Media Expo (now New Media Expo) for allowing us to be a part of this event and for creating a wonderful educational conference!

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Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your feedback and Triplecast ideas to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your feedback and Triplecast ideas to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Send in you theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepdodcast.com.

Send in your feedback and Triplecast ideas to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your feedback by calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or emailing us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Platform Part 2

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Here’s the link to the RCA Wi-Fi Streaming Media Player review that we mention in this podcast.
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TV Guide Article on Fringe Postmortem

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Send in your thoughts and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your thoughts and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your thoughts and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

“Blade Runner” is one of the most iconic sci-fi films of all time and is considered a masterpiece by many movie and sci-fi enthusiasts. We discuss our thoughts about the style and action of the film, we break down the social, political, environmental and moral motifs, and we peel back the layers on the characters in the movie. Blade Runner was released in 1982 and stars Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young.

Send in your thoughts and feedback to the Golden Spiral Media voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or send us an email at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

]]> http://www.goldenspiralmedia.com/triplecast-010-ridley-scotts-blade-runner/feed 15 Blade Runner,Golden Spiral Media,Harrison Ford,Ridley Scott,Rutger Hauer,Sean Young,Triplecast In this episode of Triplecast, we start a new set of podcasts focusing on Ridley Scott movies. We kick things off with "Blade Runner" (the Final Cut version), and we'll follow it up with "Gladiator" in Triplecast episode 011 and "Alien" in Triplecast ... In this episode of Triplecast, we start a new set of podcasts focusing on Ridley Scott movies. We kick things off with "Blade Runner" (the Final Cut version), and we'll follow it up with "Gladiator" in Triplecast episode 011 and "Alien" in Triplecast episode 012. "Blade Runner" is one of the most iconic sci-fi films of all time and is considered a masterpiece by many movie and sci-fi enthusiasts. We discuss our thoughts about the style and action of the film, we break down the social, political, environmental and moral motifs, and we peel back the layers on the characters in the movie. Blade Runner was released in 1982 and stars Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. Send in your thoughts and feedback to the Golden Spiral Media voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or send us an email at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com. Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More no 57:40 http://www.goldenspiralmedia.com/tfp-episode-445-worlds-apart http://www.goldenspiralmedia.com/tfp-episode-445-worlds-apart#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:02:13 +0000 Mardarrell http://www.goldenspiralmedia.com/?p=461 In this episode of The Fringe Podcast we break down the season 4 episode, “Worlds Apart.” We discuss how David Robert Jones plans to survive the mutual destruction of both universes, how this episode tied in with episodes we’ve seen previously this season and other seasons, and the excellent work from John Noble in this episode. We also readdress some of our comments from our “Letters of Transit” podcast, theorize on whether or not we will see the redverse again, how this sets up the two-part season finale, and, of course, we share our thoughts and excitement on the news that Fringe has been renewed for a fifth season!

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Links discussed in this episode:
Fringe Trading Cards

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Links mentioned in this podcast:
Fringe Science Posters
TimeQuake by Kurt Vonnegut

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Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Links mentioned in this podcast:
Alter Universe Batman Comic From Fringepedia.net

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We also share our thoughts on the movie’s plot and directing, as well as our views on the acting, style, and the twist ending. We also discuss Rod Serling’s influence on the film and the great dialoge that can arise from movies like this one. We do spoil the ending of the movie in the podcast, so make sure you watch the movie before you listen. The movie is available via Netflix streaming (affiliate link).

Send in your feedback and ideas for future Triplecasts to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Here are the links we mentioned in this episodes’ Fringe Binge Segment:

Sign up for BlogWorld NYC 2012

Flexible E-Ink Display

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Here are the links we mentioned in this episodes’ Fringe Binge Segment:

Sign up for BlogWorld NYC 2012
Fringe Season 3 Soundtrack

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We share our thoughts on the movie’s plot and directing, as well as our views on the acting, style, and, of course, the twist ending. We do spoil the ending of the movie in the podcast, so make sure you watch the movie before you listen. The movie is available via Netflix streaming (affiliate link).

Send in your feedback and ideas for future Triplecasts to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Here are the links we mentioned in this episodes’ Fringe Binge Segment:

Sign up for BlogWorld NYC 2012
Beyond the Fringe Comic 5A
Fringe Season 3 Soundtrack

Send in your thoughts and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your thoughts and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

We also talk about various clues sprinkled throughout the movie, out thoughts on the acting and how this movie affected the careers of Guy Pearce, Carrie Ann Moss, and Christopher Nolan.

Send in your thoughts about “Memento” and ideas for future episode of Triplecast to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

We have a lengthy discussion about these answers and quite a few more things such as Nina’s point of view, Olivia’s death promise from September, David Robert Jones, and whether or not any of our other characters will begin remembering their past self. Of course, we also have quite a bit of dialog about the case of the week which once again gave us a new perspective on the lengths some people will go for love.

Here are the links we mentioned in this episodes’ Fringe Binge Segment:

Season 5 Could Be a Comic
New Neilsen Ratings System
Beyond the Fringe Comic 5A
Fringe Season 3 Soundtrack

Send in your thoughts and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

A Passport To Adventure- Clint tells the story of an unexpected trip to renew his passport with a sick son. This trip very easily could have been a difficult and frustrating experience, but a proper attitude, preparing his son’s expectations, and looking for teachable moments help turn the trip into a great father/son experience.

We also share a recent article we discovered that gives great tips on how to easily teach your kids to swing on a swingset all by themselves. (Article Link) We wrap up the episode with a really creative and effective way to cook hot dogs or other food with a car windshield sun shade and some velcro strips. (Article Link)

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We discuss a variety of topics including the range of character variations we’ve seen this season, what we’d like to see answered before the end of the season, Mr. X, David Robert Jones, Nina Sharp, Alter-Gene the cow, and much more.

Here are the links to the roundtable participants. Thanks to Raul for hosting and coordinating the event.

FRiNGEcasting With Wayne and Dan
FBI Podcast
SciFi Diner Podcast
Raul on Twitter

You can get a Logitech Revue with Google TV from Amazon. (Affiliate Link)

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Download the entire Beyond the Fringe digital comic book series from DC Comics.

In our Name That Movie segment we reveal that our next series of films will be movies with a twist ending!

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Send in your feedback and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

In our Review Avenue segment we review Notes Plus and Notability. These two note taking apps offer a robust set of features to help take notes, flowcharts and sketches. Are they worth the money?

Our Spotlight On segment focuses on apps you can use to keep your kids entertained when you have an unexpected wait (such as waiting for a table at your favorite restaurant).

Our feedback segment features a great contribution from Christina in California about the high expenses associated with text books that cause the retail price to be expensive and why she thinks this will not allow textbooks to be cheaper via iBooks.

Items mentioned in this podcast:

ZaggMate
ZaggFolio

Notes Plus
Notability

Jules Vern’s Return to Mysterious Island
Jules Verne’s Return to Mysterious Island – Deluxe Edition
Pilot Winds
The Monster At the End Of This Book…Starring Grover
Angry Birds
Doodle Buddy
Rapunzel 3D
Preschool Lunchbox
Preschool Adventure
MeeGenius
PBS Sprout Player

Send in your thoughts and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your feedback and suggestions to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Links Mentioned in this Episode:
The Ghost Who Walks by Karen Elson

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Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your thoughts and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Links mentioned in this podcast:
JR Orci Chat Log
Pooping Robots

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Send in your thoughts and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Send in your feedback and thoughts to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Marissa Roffman Interview with JH Wyman and Jeff Pinkner

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Stick around.

Links for the show:

Reward Bucket List Template

Instructions for the Weekend Warrior: Figure Mods
Amazon: InstaMorph – Moldable Plastic – 6 oz
Amazon:Adirondack Alcohol Ink 1/2-Ounce 3/Pkg
Amazon: Wall Pails for “The Bucket List”

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Reward Bucket List

Have Fun!

This is a great project to do with your kids. My kids were so excited when I told them we were making “new toys” for them to play with. For this project, we made a mermaid out of a Polly Pocket, and a Moose Head for a Lego Minifig.

Click through to find to how we did it!

Time: 30 mins

Ages: 3 and up

Shopping List:

InstaMorph – Moldable Plastic
Alcohol Based Ink (what I used)
Wax Carvers or Clay Molding Tools (optional)
Foil
Latex or disposable gloves

Start by preheating your oven to 180F (about 80C)

There is several ways to do this, but this seems to be safest. You can also use a heat gun or high temp hair dryer, of you can heat water to the right temperature. Just be aware that unless you closely monitor the temperature, it could be a burn hazard.

When the oven is hot, place some of the Insta-morph beads on a piece of Foil and place it in the oven. You might place a cookie sheet underneath for structure. How much should you use? A good rule of thumb is to heat up enough to be about double the volume of the item you want to make. Don’t worry about heating up too much; you can always allow it to cool and put it back.

It also helps to do a single layer on the foil. The beads will heat more evenly and will not get as hot.

Allow the Beads to heat until they turn clear. Once they are clear, they will be ready to work.

Pull them out of the oven using an oven mitt and touch them with your finger. If the are ready to work (not too hot to touch), add 3-10 drops of the alcohol based ink to the Insta-morph. Being to fold it over on top of itself until the color is evenly mixed. You may want to add more color at this point. Keep in mind that you will still be able to see through the material, but it will dry opaque (not see-through).

After there is no more ink coming off of the Insta-morph, it’s kids time! Have your children help with creating their “new toy.” Ask them to provide input and spend some time understanding what they want.

Don’t be afraid to put it back into the oven to improve the workability. We had to do this multiple times. After the toy is formed, use the molding tools to texture and shape the toy. If you don’t have these tools, just use whatever you have on hand. We were able to use a comb and paperclip as tools for textures.

Most of all have fun!

When you and your kid(s) are happy with your creation, let it sit for 15 minutes or put it in the Fridge for 5-10 minutes until it is solid.

That’s it! I hope your kids enjoy it as much as mine did. You can use this for 100′s of things including fixing toys, building electronics docks, molding special hooks, etc. After it is formed, it is sandable and drillable for other projects.

Full gallery is below:

Send in your thoughts and feedback by calling the Golden Spiral Media voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Links:

OsX Daily: A better way to organize Apps?

ReadWriteWeb: ITunes 2.0, Not Perfect, Just Awesome

PCWorld: Gadgetry Rules at Macworld|iWorld 2012

Stitcher Radio
Downcast
Instacast
2Do: Tasks Done in Style
Toodledo -Task Web Service
Toodledo iOS App
Todo
Todo for iPad
Things for iPad
OmniFocus for iPhone
OmniFocus for iPad
Instapaper
Dropbox
Wunderlist
Wunderlist HD
Quickoffice® Pro
Quickoffice Pro HD – edit office documents & view PDF files
WorldCard Mobile – business card reader & business card scanner

Send in your feedback and suggestions for apps you’d like us to review to 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Send in your thoughts and theories to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Send in your thoughts and feedback by calling the Golden Spiral Media voice feedback line at 304-837-2278 or email us at feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.

Send in your theories and feedback to 304-837-2278 or feedback@thefringepodcast.com.

Links mentioned in this podcast:
On Food and Cooking
Cooking For Geeks
Molecular Gastronomy Kit
LA Times Article about iTunes U

The new Amazon iPad website can be found here. It is only usable on the iPad at this time and gives the user a very iPad app-like experience.

Zite is a news aggregation app that takes input from the user and gets smarter the more you use it. The more you interact with it, the more it is able to taylor the info it shows to match your interests.

Send in your feedback and suggestions for apps you’d like us to review at 304-837-2278 or feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com.