10 Episodes That Turned Good TV Shows Into Classics

Before taking it upon himself to resurrect Star Trek and Star Wars, J.J. Abrams gave the world Fringe in 2008. Upon its premiere, the show received a decidedly lukewarm reaction, with many critics pointing out its close similarities to The X Files and deriding the “monster of the week” approach that had long since fallen out of fashion. As the series went on, the show developed more of its own identity, introducing some mythology that separated it from other sci-fi fare. Halfway through the second season however, came an episode that was able to turn even the show’s staunchest critics - enter “Peter”.

The “Peter” of the episode’s title is the son of fan favourite character Walter Bishop, played by the excellent John Noble (better known as Denethor in Lord of the Rings). Walter’s boy is actually from a parallel universe, and through a flashback to 1985 he explains to series protagonist Olivia Dunham how this situation came about. It’s an intriguing concept, but concepts alone don’t make great television. Fortunately, “Peter” is masterful storytelling, giving the series an emotional core that it had been missing before. The use of the parallel universe mixed with 1980s nostalgia makes for great entertainment - the sight gag of the alternate Back To The Future starring Eric Stolz (who really was going to star before Michael J Fox got the role) is a lovely touch - but ultimately this is a story about a father’s love for his son.

“Peter” received overwhelming plaudits from both critics and fans, so much so that the writers revisited it in the later episode “Future 13”, which told the story from an alternative perspective. The original remains a huge turning point for the show, deservedly elevating it to the upper echelon of science fiction.