Inner Child (Fringe)
Encyclopedia
"Inner Child" is the 15th episode of the first season
of the American science fiction
drama
television series
Fringe
, and the fifteenth episode overall. The episode was written by co-producer Brad Caleb Kane and staff writer Julia Cho
and directed by filmmaker Frederick E. O. Toye
. It first aired in the United States on April 7, 2009 on the Fox Broadcasting Company
.
The episode relates the intersecting stories of a subterranean feral child
looked after by Olivia Dunham
(Anna Torv
) and of a returning serial killer
from her pre-Fringe Division days.
). The boy is taken to a children's hospital and the Fringe division is contacted. The boy does not speak, and Walter Bishop (John Noble
) explains some of his medical conditions as a result of living underground for several years. Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv
) seems to be the only person that the boy reacts to, and she helps to coax him to help in his treatment. At one point, she encourages him to eat by sharing candy with him, but he only places the yellow pieces in the form of an arrow for her.
Meanwhile, Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo
) receives a fax, which he recognizes it as a taunting invitation from the serial killer, the Artist (Jemery Shamos), who kills woman and "displays" them in gruesome poses. Charlie contacts Olivia at the hospital requesting her help, but as she takes notes, the boy attempts to take her writing tools. Olivia gives them to the boy, and he writes, upside down, an address. Olivia and Charlie, along with other agents, approach the address, finding too late the body of the Artist's latest victim. Later, the boy provides another address, and again Olivia and Charlie race to the location, but this time find nothing. Only later do they learn that a second victim was taken from that spot moments before they arrived. Olivia comes to believe the boy has an empathic connection to the case.
Walter seeks to use a neural stimulator to understand the boy's empathy, but Peter only allows it after Walter devises less invasive methods. Though the child's mind is difficult to understand, they obtain a third location. Olivia, Charlie, and other agents search carefully along the cars parked in the street but find nothing. Olivia spies a van with a yellow tree-shaped air freshener
, and recalling the child's candy display from earlier, determines that the Artist is inside. She and Charlie successfully capture the killer before he is able to harm his third victim.
Olivia and Broyles arrange the transfer of the Child to an adopting family, in large part to keep him away from Eliot Michaels (Erik Palladino
), an alleged “social worker” who wants to claim him for CIA research. While in transit to his new home, the boy makes eye contact with the Observer (Michael Cerveris
), with whom he shares a resemblance.
ran long for the night. The episode won its ad-hoc 9:30–10:30 Eastern timeslot, with about 9.6 million live viewers and a 9 share among viewers 18–49. Fringe also helped Fox win the night in total number of viewers. When asked by a reporter if he was "infuriated" with Fox because of the Idol-induced delay, co-creator J.J. Abrams replied "I will say that I have a different opinion about the network, but I, too, have heard from a number of people [about the issue]. It is infuriating".
feel, in a good way... To those of you who have either given up on the series or are on the fence, I recommend that you give Fringe another try. If 'Inner Child' is any indication, we are in for a very satisfying and engaging journey for the rest of the season." Alan Sepinwall's review in The Star-Ledger was overall positive, "As far as the episode as a whole goes, I thought it was fairly solid procedural hour of "Fringe." No, it didn't follow up on any of the revelations from "Ability," but it also didn't feature any of Agent Harris, and both the serial killer case and Olivia's rapport with the kid were compelling enough that I can wait on the mythology stuff for later."." Jane Boursaw at TV Squad rated the episode very highly in her recap, and also mooted a theory about the Child, "My theory is that the boy is another Observer. They certainly looked a lot alike, didn't they? Could the boy have come from another dimension and ended up beneath the building? And why did the CIA guy say that they'd found "another one." Apparently, they're keeping track of these creatures or Observers. And if so, where are the others?"
Noel Murray at The Onion's The A. V. Club gave the episode qualified approval with a B rating. According to Murray, "The serial killer stuff in 'Inner Child was fairly pat—with elements swiped wholesale from Thomas Harris
and Michael Connelly
—and the 'keep Lil’ O away from Eliot' operation struck me as a little sloppy, if not actively implausible. But the episode was fast paced and creepy, with a few good Walter lines (my favorite being a tie between 'Agent Dunham knows what a penis looks like' and 'obviously I was sitting on the toilet') and the return of his wonderfully ridiculous mad scientist device, 'the neural stimulator.'"
Fringe (Season 1)
The first season of the American science fiction television series Fringe commenced airing on September 9, 2008, and concluded on May 12, 2009. The season contained 21 episodes, although only 20 of them aired as part of the first season...
of the American science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
Fringe
Fringe (TV series)
Fringe is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The series follows a Federal Bureau of Investigation "Fringe Division" team based in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Homeland Security...
, and the fifteenth episode overall. The episode was written by co-producer Brad Caleb Kane and staff writer Julia Cho
Julia Cho
Julia Cho is an American playwright and television writer who has won national awards for her work.-Biographical information:Cho was born in Los Angeles and is the daughter of Korean immigrants. Her mother is a nurse and her father worked for an aerospace company where his job relocation led the...
and directed by filmmaker Frederick E. O. Toye
Fred Toye
Frederick E.O. Toye is an American television director and producer. He has directed several episodes of the ABC series, Alias, as well as for the FOX science fiction series Fringe...
. It first aired in the United States on April 7, 2009 on the Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
.
The episode relates the intersecting stories of a subterranean feral child
Feral child
A feral child is a human child who has lived isolated from human contact from a very young age, and has no experience of human care, loving or social behavior, and, crucially, of human language...
looked after by Olivia Dunham
Olivia Dunham
FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series Fringe . Olivia first appeared in the pilot episode on September 9, 2008. She is portrayed by actress Anna Torv....
(Anna Torv
Anna Torv
Anna Torv is an Australian actress known for her role as FBI agent Olivia Dunham on the Fox television series Fringe.-Early life:...
) and of a returning serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
from her pre-Fringe Division days.
Plot
As a demolition team is about to bring down a building when one worker is drawn to an area not marked on the blueprints. Inside, they find a path to the building's foundation, and in the darkness, an albino boy (Spencer ListSpencer List
Spencer List is an American child actor. List is best known from the Fox show Fringe where he played a mysterious mute child in the episode "Inner Child". He has also been on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit where he played the son of Leland Orser's character Kevin Walker...
). The boy is taken to a children's hospital and the Fringe division is contacted. The boy does not speak, and Walter Bishop (John Noble
John Noble
John Noble is an Australian film and television actor, and theater director of more than 80 plays. He was born in Port Pirie, South Australia, Australia and is currently starring as scientist Walter Bishop in the J. J. Abrams television series Fringe.He made occasional appearances on the...
) explains some of his medical conditions as a result of living underground for several years. Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv
Anna Torv
Anna Torv is an Australian actress known for her role as FBI agent Olivia Dunham on the Fox television series Fringe.-Early life:...
) seems to be the only person that the boy reacts to, and she helps to coax him to help in his treatment. At one point, she encourages him to eat by sharing candy with him, but he only places the yellow pieces in the form of an arrow for her.
Meanwhile, Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo
Kirk Acevedo
Kirk Acevedo is an American actor. He is primarily known for his portrayals of Miguel Alvarez in the HBO series Oz, Joe Toye in Band of Brothers and FBI Agent Charlie Francis in the science-fiction series Fringe....
) receives a fax, which he recognizes it as a taunting invitation from the serial killer, the Artist (Jemery Shamos), who kills woman and "displays" them in gruesome poses. Charlie contacts Olivia at the hospital requesting her help, but as she takes notes, the boy attempts to take her writing tools. Olivia gives them to the boy, and he writes, upside down, an address. Olivia and Charlie, along with other agents, approach the address, finding too late the body of the Artist's latest victim. Later, the boy provides another address, and again Olivia and Charlie race to the location, but this time find nothing. Only later do they learn that a second victim was taken from that spot moments before they arrived. Olivia comes to believe the boy has an empathic connection to the case.
Walter seeks to use a neural stimulator to understand the boy's empathy, but Peter only allows it after Walter devises less invasive methods. Though the child's mind is difficult to understand, they obtain a third location. Olivia, Charlie, and other agents search carefully along the cars parked in the street but find nothing. Olivia spies a van with a yellow tree-shaped air freshener
Little Trees
Little Trees are disposable air fresheners in the shape of a stylized evergreen tree, marketed for use in cars. They are made of a material very similar to beer coasters and are produced in a variety of colours and scents...
, and recalling the child's candy display from earlier, determines that the Artist is inside. She and Charlie successfully capture the killer before he is able to harm his third victim.
Olivia and Broyles arrange the transfer of the Child to an adopting family, in large part to keep him away from Eliot Michaels (Erik Palladino
Erik Palladino
Erik Palladino is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Dr. Dave Malucci in the NBC drama series ER. He was also a series regular on the critically praised FX Television series Over There.-Early life:...
), an alleged “social worker” who wants to claim him for CIA research. While in transit to his new home, the boy makes eye contact with the Observer (Michael Cerveris
Michael Cerveris
Michael Cerveris is an American singer, guitarist and actor. He has performed in many stage musicals and plays, including in several Stephen Sondheim musicals: Assassins, Sweeney Todd, Road Show, and Passion...
), with whom he shares a resemblance.
Ratings
"Inner Child" was the first episode to air after a two month hiatus. It was delayed by about 30 minutes because American IdolAmerican Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
ran long for the night. The episode won its ad-hoc 9:30–10:30 Eastern timeslot, with about 9.6 million live viewers and a 9 share among viewers 18–49. Fringe also helped Fox win the night in total number of viewers. When asked by a reporter if he was "infuriated" with Fox because of the Idol-induced delay, co-creator J.J. Abrams replied "I will say that I have a different opinion about the network, but I, too, have heard from a number of people [about the issue]. It is infuriating".
Reviews
Jo Garfein at TV Overmind gave the episode a positive preview, saying, "This episode has more of an early X-FilesThe X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
feel, in a good way... To those of you who have either given up on the series or are on the fence, I recommend that you give Fringe another try. If 'Inner Child' is any indication, we are in for a very satisfying and engaging journey for the rest of the season." Alan Sepinwall's review in The Star-Ledger was overall positive, "As far as the episode as a whole goes, I thought it was fairly solid procedural hour of "Fringe." No, it didn't follow up on any of the revelations from "Ability," but it also didn't feature any of Agent Harris, and both the serial killer case and Olivia's rapport with the kid were compelling enough that I can wait on the mythology stuff for later."." Jane Boursaw at TV Squad rated the episode very highly in her recap, and also mooted a theory about the Child, "My theory is that the boy is another Observer. They certainly looked a lot alike, didn't they? Could the boy have come from another dimension and ended up beneath the building? And why did the CIA guy say that they'd found "another one." Apparently, they're keeping track of these creatures or Observers. And if so, where are the others?"
Noel Murray at The Onion's The A. V. Club gave the episode qualified approval with a B rating. According to Murray, "The serial killer stuff in 'Inner Child was fairly pat—with elements swiped wholesale from Thomas Harris
Thomas Harris
Thomas Harris is an American author and screenwriter, best known for a series of suspense novels about his most famous character, Hannibal Lecter...
and Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. His books, which have been translated into 36 languages, have garnered him many awards...
—and the 'keep Lil’ O away from Eliot' operation struck me as a little sloppy, if not actively implausible. But the episode was fast paced and creepy, with a few good Walter lines (my favorite being a tie between 'Agent Dunham knows what a penis looks like' and 'obviously I was sitting on the toilet') and the return of his wonderfully ridiculous mad scientist device, 'the neural stimulator.'"
External links
- "Inner Child" at FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...