| "The Road Not Taken" | |
|---|---|
| Fringe episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 19 |
| Directed by | Frederick E. O. Toye |
| Story by | Akiva Goldsman |
| Teleplay by | Jeff Pinkner J. R. Orci |
| Production code | 3T7668 |
| Original air date | May 5, 2009 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"The Road Not Taken" is the nineteenth episode of the first season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. It centers on the death of a young woman (Jennifer Ferrin), who spontaneously combusts in the middle of a street. The Fringe team's investigation leads them to learn more about the drug trials Olivia (Anna Torv) experienced as a child, as well as other revelations.
The episode's story was written by Akiva Goldsman, while the teleplay was co-written by executive producer Jeff Pinkner and supervising producer J.R. Orci. It was directed by Fred Toye. The title is based on the Robert Frost poem of the same name. Robert Chiappetta and Glen Whitman, frequent contributors to the series, aided in the episode's production by "find[ing] a new and gruesome way to blow people up," and rooting its explanation in science.[1]
It first aired in the United States on May 5, 2009, on the Fox network. An estimated 9.245 million viewers watched the episode, making it the network's fifth most watched show for the week. "The Road Not Taken" received mostly positive reviews from television critics, with many praising Olivia's visions of the other universe and John Noble's performance.