On last night’s episode of Fringe, a moment occurred when a grieving agent held the hand of his deceased partner. I immediately sat bolt upright and yelled (to no one) “He is taking something out of her skin!” Although this later turned out to be the case, I still found my outburst disturbing. Whose life experiences lead them to view all actions as disingenuous and to question every motive? At first I thought this might warrant a trip to the therapist, but the answer is far simpler. J.J. Abrams has ruined the way I watch TV.
As an avid fan of Alias and LOST, I’ve dedicated weeks of my life to consuming the frustratingly short 44 minute segments. But I don’t watch them like most people watch TV, enjoying the snappy dialogue, the obvious plot points and the attractive cast. No, no, I spend all of my time staring through the trees in the jungle, trying to decipher whispers, cataloging every number, letter, and symbol. But this pattern has leaked into my normal television viewing. And believe me, the man washing windows on Lipstick Jungle is not Jacob, or anyone even remotely related to the story. He’s an extra, and he will not warrant his own Lostpedia page in the morning.
This kind of rabidly misdirected watching actually make me feel patronized when the director felt the need to replay the scene where the item was removed from the deceased’s skin. Of course it was! Do they think I can’t infer? This isn’t exactly my first rodeo, J.J. Strictly speaking, it's my third. And least favorite.
But a realization is still a realization, and I suppose I have Fringe to thank for that. Maybe now the only thing that will make me suspicious about the new 90210 is how Silver’s tiny, tiny legs are supporting the rest of her frame.
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