Is there any show other than Fringe that can so skillfully weave a procedural "case of the week" story with an emotional, thought-provoking tie to the overall mythology of the series? I seriously doubt it. The sheer premise of the shows overall arc allows for extremely compelling stories. It can force us to feel for a character we've only just met. **SPOILERS FOLLOW!!!**
The episode starts off simply enough. The tried and true formula of showing us the "mad doctor" and his gruesome way of off-ing his victims. Naturally, there's friction with the two universes working together on the case (mostly between Olivia and Faux-livia/D-UN-ham).
Where the episode truly excels is the juxtaposition of the two versions of the suspect. It really drives home the importance of our every decision. Even more importantly though, it suggests that sometimes, through no fault of our own, good things do not come to even out the bad. This is the unpredictability of life. The choice to run away from his abusive father ultimately led to his salvation as a human being. For the alternate, resigning in fear allowed him to be swallowed up by evil, to the point of not being able to experience of "happiness."
As the episode ends, we hear the characters voice there opinion that certain people leave an indelible mark on our souls, changing us for better or worse. This, of course, brings to light how the characters this season seem relatively similar to the ones we've come to know. All of this, despite the enormous void they all undoubtedly feel due to the "non-existence" of Peter.
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