My favorite award
show, the Emmy’s, is right around the corner. As a TV fanatic I enjoy every
minute of it. However year after year, I am disappointed when I hear the
nominations and some of my favorites, cough SOA cough, are neglected. Now, I am
aware that there are certain types of shows that will never get a nomination.
That is the case of the awesome Sci-fi extravaganza that is Fringe. The show is too out there, too
obscure and too complicated for Emmy voters to ever pick it among their more
snobby choices, especially with only a two episode sample. No matter how much I
love it, the show will never get a nod, but couldn’t they at least recognize
the superb acting? Which brings me to my eternal question: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
WHY WON’T THEY GIVE JOHN NOBEL AN EMMY??? I really don’t get this one… Besides
being in a sci-fi show, he seems to have all the elements that Emmy voters
love. Abundant emotional scenes, a fair amount of craziness and he is a renown
veteran actor who has been in countless plays and big films like The Lord of the Rings. Voters usually
love that kind of thing. Yet, no
Emmy-love for Noble.
To cope with this, I
have compiled some of the most Emmy-deserving moments of John Noble on Fringe:
Season 4 Episode 20: Worlds Apart
Walter talks to
Walternate
From the minute we
were introduced to the ‘other universe’ the cool factor of the show doubled and
so did the opportunities for memorable performances. All the actors were great
in playing their alternate selves, but none did as masterful job as John. We
were waiting for a scene between Walter and Walternate for so long, but when it
finally happened it was somehow not what we were expecting. Watching these two
men, one so confident and powerful, the other so vulnerable and insecure and
yet they are the same man… Walter and Walternate put aside their differences
and realize they are united by their fear of losing Peter again. The two
characters are so different from each other that I have to keep reminding
myself they are played by the same person. It was the ultimate joy to see both Walters
interact with each other.
Watch the video Here
Season 1 Episode 20: There’s more than one of everything
Walter goes to Peter’s
grave
Yes, we kind of saw it
coming. Peter Bishop died when he was a kid. Peter is not really Peter; he is
Peter from the other universe. It doesn’t matter if we knew or if it was a
total shock. Seeing Walter at his ‘real’ son’s grave was one of the most
emotional moments of the show and it didn’t even had any dialogue. Just Walter
lovingly placing the coin on top of the headstone and silently crying for the
son he could never get back. This was probably the point where I decided this
show had a universe (pun intended) of stories yet to be told.
Season 1 Episode 19: The Road Not Taken
Olivia confronts Walter about the experiments on children
Olivia finds out that
Walter and William Bell experimented on her when she was a little girl she
confronts Walter in a diner. Olivia was basically abused, experimented on and
probably screwed up for life by Walter’s unethical tests. Then why is it that
when I watched this I was pissed at Olivia and felt really bad for Walter? It
is because John Noble’s performance conveyed so much vulnerability, sorrow and
regret. After Olivia demands “What did you do to me?”, Walter is unable to
remember (due to pieces of his brain missing and all that). He is so broken,
full of regret and impotence. Another heart-breaking scene that ends with
Walter in tears reaching for his son’s hand, looking for some sort of comfort.
Season 2 Episode 18: White Tulip
The White Tulip Speech
White Tulip is
probably my favorite episode of Fringe. The
reason I loved that episode so much is Walter’s speech near the end of the
episode. Watching the scientist acknowledge the existence of a greater power
with a mixture of sadness, resignation and shame was a beautiful moment. Accepting
his actions (taking Peter from the other side) had betrayed the greater being,
Walter confesses he has been seeking God’s forgiveness in hope of getting
Peter’s forgiveness as well. In a poetic way, it is not God but the scientist
(Peck, the time traveler) who gives him absolution in the form of a ‘white
tulip’, bringing us back to what he said before: ‘God is science’. The entire sequence was so touching and the
emotion with which John Noble delivered the speech almost brought me to tears.
Season 2 Episode 9: Snakehead
Walter gets lost in Chinatown
Walter goes to
Chinatown in order to collect some herb samples for genetic comparisons. He
insists on going alone. After a while he gets lost and he is unable to remember
Peter’s number. It is one of those moments in Fringe where there isn’t an
intergalactic war or telekinetic villains threatening our heroes. It is a
simple but heartbreaking scene about a man unable to find his way home, a man,
a genius really who has been deprived of his basic capabilities. You’ve got to
have a stone heart not to be moved by this.
Season 1 Episode 1: Pilot
Walter Bishop’s
introduction
Every single character
had a unique introduction in the pilot. From Broyles waltzing into the airfield
to Peter walking out of that cab in Iraq, but the most memorable introduction
had to be Walter’s at the mental hospital. How can you beat that superb moment
when he turns around looks into Olivia’s eyes and says “I knew someone would come… eventually”. The
scenes that follow only add to the amazingness of the character. From that
moment on right when we were about to be convinced Walter was irreparably lost
he had an unexpected moment of lucidity and genius (usually followed by some
comment about junk food) and John Noble managed it seamlessly. From the first scene
the tone and balance of the character was there, no adjusting necessary, Noble
had it from the get go, and that is so rarely found on TV.
To NOT see John Noble get an Emmy, you can watch the ceremony next Sunday 23rd. And don't forget to catch the premiere of the last season of Fringe September 28th on FOX
it makes no sense he is by far the best actor in any current TV series by a huge margin. and acting with such emotion and changing his accent to do so
ReplyDeleteFinally, someone agrees with me! I've been saying for years that I don't understand why John Noble hasn't won an Emmy for his work on Fringe.
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad fact that he will never be rewarded for the great work as Walter.
ReplyDeleteI am still hoping we can make it happen next year for the final season...
ReplyDelete