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Fringe
S1.E14
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IMDbPro

Ability

  • Episode aired Feb 10, 2009
  • TV-14
  • 51m
IMDb RATING
8.6/10
2.8K
YOUR RATING
Joshua Jackson, Jared Harris, John Noble, Lance Reddick, and Anna Torv in Fringe (2008)
Fringe: Ability
Play trailer1:05
4 Videos
8 Photos
DramaMysterySci-FiThriller

The team investigates a number of people who died faceless after their orifices are sealed while German agents investigating David Robert Jones' escape question Olivia.The team investigates a number of people who died faceless after their orifices are sealed while German agents investigating David Robert Jones' escape question Olivia.The team investigates a number of people who died faceless after their orifices are sealed while German agents investigating David Robert Jones' escape question Olivia.

  • Director
    • Norberto Barba
  • Writers
    • J.J. Abrams
    • Alex Kurtzman
    • Roberto Orci
  • Stars
    • Anna Torv
    • Joshua Jackson
    • Lance Reddick
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.6/10
    2.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Norberto Barba
    • Writers
      • J.J. Abrams
      • Alex Kurtzman
      • Roberto Orci
    • Stars
      • Anna Torv
      • Joshua Jackson
      • Lance Reddick
    • 6User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos4

    Fringe: Spotted The Observer
    Clip 0:22
    Fringe: Spotted The Observer
    Fringe: Recap
    Clip 3:59
    Fringe: Recap
    Fringe: Recap
    Clip 3:59
    Fringe: Recap
    Fringe: Scenemaker
    Clip 1:43
    Fringe: Scenemaker
    Fringe: Ability
    Trailer 1:05
    Fringe: Ability

    Photos7

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    Top cast29

    Edit
    Anna Torv
    Anna Torv
    • Olivia Dunham
    Joshua Jackson
    Joshua Jackson
    • Peter Bishop
    Lance Reddick
    Lance Reddick
    • Phillip Broyles
    Kirk Acevedo
    Kirk Acevedo
    • Charlie Francis
    Blair Brown
    Blair Brown
    • Nina Sharp
    Jasika Nicole
    Jasika Nicole
    • Astrid Farnsworth
    John Noble
    John Noble
    • Dr. Walter Bishop
    Jared Harris
    Jared Harris
    • David Robert Jones
    Michael Gaston
    Michael Gaston
    • Sanford Harris
    Noah Bean
    Noah Bean
    • FBI Agent
    Chance Kelly
    Chance Kelly
    • Mitchell Loeb
    Kenneth Tigar
    Kenneth Tigar
    • Warden Johan Lennox
    Philip LeStrange
    • Tommie
    Chinasa Ogbuagu
    Chinasa Ogbuagu
    • ND Agent #1
    John Wu
    John Wu
    • Paramedic #1
    Clark Middleton
    Clark Middleton
    • Edward Markham
    Eric L. Abrams
    • Davis
    • (as Eric Lenox Abrams)
    Adam Ludwig
    • German Prison Guard #1
    • Director
      • Norberto Barba
    • Writers
      • J.J. Abrams
      • Alex Kurtzman
      • Roberto Orci
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews6

    8.62.8K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    10markus-21-507725

    Before they are soldiers, they have to be considered recruits

    David Robert Jones, after taking a spinal tap from Olivia (few episodes before) to confirm Olivia was subjected to Cortexiphan trials, turns him self in.

    His reasoning was to convince recruit Olivia's ability to turn off the LED's with her mind, to prevent a big catastrophe.

    I think in this timeline. David Robert Jones had noble intentions. The corhtexiphan trials - were intended to establish an army of people that could stop an invasion from another universe. Which was an issue back then.

    One of the undisclosed issues is: di DRJ do what he is doing because he wanted to save the Universe, or to destroy the universe.
    8claudio_carvalho

    The Test and the Discovery

    When a newsdealer dies with his orifices close after receiving a two-dollar bill, Dr. Bishop finds a virus that infected him. Meanwhile Peter discovers the meaning of ZFT, a German acronyms for "Destruction by Advancement of Technology" and goes with Olivia to a bookstore where they get a copy of the ZFT. David Robert Jones turns himself in to the FBI suffering from the effects of teleporting and demands to speak with Olivia. However Sanford Harris does not allow and soon an FBI agent dies also infected by a two-dollar bill. When Olivia is allowed to interview Jones, he discloses that there is a bomb that will blow-up in thirty-six hours. He gives instructions to her to find a package of puzzles and toys. Now he challenges Olivia to pass in a test to give the location of the bomb. She cheats Jones with the support of Peter and he gives its location. When Olivia finds the bomb, she needs to solve the same test to disarm it. What will happen to Olivia?

    "Ability" is an intriguing episode of "Fringe" where Olivia awakens her hidden ability, fruit of an experiment she was submitted with the substance "Cortexiphan" when she was a child at Jacksonville. The great mystery is the war David Robert Jones is preparing for. Sanford Harris is an irritating character. My vote is eight.

    Title (Brazil): "Ability"
    9Hitchcoc

    Deadly Gunk of the Month

    The newest method of killing people is a virus that closes all the open parts the body, the eyes, the mouth, the ears, etc. They suffocate quickly and violently. Once again Olivia has to find a way to connect with her new self, including her connection to a drug she was given as a child. To make a long story short, she guy who created the device to transport matter ala Star Trek, is out of prison but facing the consequences of his matter being reformed. Olivia must pass a test to stop a terrible bomb that could kill untold millions. She must do this by using her mind to put out a set of lights in a display. But Bishop is shown at the end to have had a hand in the inception of the danger.

    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When the newspaper salesman becomes afflicted, he stumbles over a newspaper stand and immediately following that The Observer steps out of his way.
    • Goofs
      Besides the fact that the German guards speak the language extremely poorly, some words and/or articulations are not commonly used in German language and sound extremely cliché (i.e. the translation of 'Sir' to 'Mein Herr').
    • Quotes

      [arriving at the lab wheeling Jones in on gurney and briefing Peter]

      Paramedic #1: Pulse is slowing down... fifty beats per minute.

      Peter Bishop: [pointing across lab] Get him up there. Astrid! Set up the E.K.G.

      Dr. Walter Bishop: [while leading Gene to her stall] Is this the patient?

      Peter Bishop: Walter... put the cow away would you?

      Paramedic #1: [looking in Gene's direction] What is this place?

      Peter Bishop: It's a freak show.

      [guides paramedic out]

      Peter Bishop: Thanks for your help. Thank you.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Fringe: The Bullet That Saved the World (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      Fringe Main Title Theme
      (uncredited)

      Written and Performed by J.J. Abrams

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 10, 2009 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
    • Filming locations
      • Bowery St & W 11th St, Brooklyn, New York, USA(Agent Dunham visits Coney Island and uses the key to collect items from a locked box)
    • Production companies
      • Bad Robot
      • Warner Bros. Television
      • Fringe Element Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 51m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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