Fringe: The Complete Third Season

Portions of Fringe take place in the past as well as the future, a fact that, when added to the ping-ponging between the two universes, can make the series somewhat confusing and a bit tedious, especially for newcomers. Fortunately, the weird science that made earlier seasons so enjoyable is still around. There's an "ultrasonic music box" that kills anyone who opens it, a strange blue powder that melts the bones of anyone who inhales it, beetles that eat people from the inside out, a "molecular destabilizer," and a "negative matter ring." Various episodes feature a nut who tries to reanimate his girlfriend by retrieving her harvested organs from those who received them when she died, shapeshifters who bleed mercury, a poor fellow who can't stop reading other people's minds, William Bell (Leonard Nimoy), Walter's old partner and friend, who at one point occupies Olivia's mind… and Walter's not-infrequent consumption of LSD. Trippy? You bet. But Fringe, with bonus features including multiple featurettes, a couple of audio commentaries, and other bells and whistles, is well worth the investment. --Sam Graham