Ep 1. A New Day in the Old Town

The show Fringe is a sci-fi drama that delves into fringe science and supernatural occurrences. In season 2 episode 1, titled "A New Day in the Old Town," the Fringe team of investigators returns to deal with a new breed of threat.

The episode starts off with Olivia Dunham, the lead protagonist, waking up in a hospital after surviving a car accident. She has no recollection of what happened and events take a turn when she sees a strange man, who appears to be emitting a blinding light, in the hospital lobby. The man then vanishes into thin air, leaving her confused and wondering whether it was real or a hallucination.

Meanwhile, Agent Broyles, head of the Fringe division, informs Olivia that a deadly virus has been unleashed that turns humans into ash in a matter of seconds. The first outbreak occurred in a busy cafe in Boston, and the Fringe team begins their investigation. They discover that the virus was specifically targeting a particular individual in the cafe, who was the sole survivor of a plane crash years ago.

The team also finds out that the strange man Olivia saw in the hospital is linked to the virus outbreak and is a shape-shifting creature. The creature is part of a parallel universe, and its arrival signifies the opening of a doorway between the two universes.

As the investigation progresses, the team realizes that the parallel universe's resident, codenamed "The Other Side," has sent the creature to our world to kill those involved in a recent event that took place on the other side; the event occurs in a parallel universe's time space, just as this very event did on our universe's timeline. The team speculates that these individuals are responsible for a catastrophic event that threatens to destroy the parallel universe, and now the inhabitants of the Other Side are looking for revenge.

The team's mission now is to protect the individuals on the hit-list while trying to understand the greater meaning of the events unfolding. They know that they have to stop the Other Side from collapsing and destroying themselves; otherwise, their world will also be destroyed.

As the episode reaches its climax, the team devises a plan to capture the shapeshifter. They set a trap for him and engage him in a battle. Olivia even confronts him in a thrilling face-off, only for his pattern to disappear from where her gun should have impacted him. The battle leads to the creature's capture, and the team has realized that, once captured, it can not revert to its actual form.

Fringe season 2 episode 1, "A New Day in the Old Town," slowly reveals the underlying plot of the season and sets up the perfect stage for a rollercoaster ride of a season. Not only does it show a broader scope of science-fiction, but it also delivers some intense action and revelations that will keep viewers hooked. With mysterious characters, a gripping plot, and a high level of excitement, this episode sets a new benchmark for fringe science drama, making it a must-watch for fans of the genre.