The Dreamscape

"The Dreamscape"
Fringe episode
Mark Young (Ptolemy Slocum) is assaulted by butterflies in the opening scene
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 9
Directed by	Fred Toye
Written by	Julia Cho Zack Whedon
Production code	3T7658
Original air date	November 25, 2008
Guest appearance(s)
Yul Vazquez as George Morales Susan Misner as Tess Amaral Ptolemy Slocum as Mark Young David Vadim as Michael Kelly Tom Riis Farrell as Gregory Woth Cindy Katz as Charlotte Catia Ojeda as Melanie Robert Arcaro as Brian Cole Harry Sutton Jr as Paul Carlo Alban as FBI tech agent Diane Zaremba as Nurse Michael Cerveris as the Observer Jacqueline Beaulieu as Nina's assistant
Episode chronology
← Previous "The Equation" Next → "Safe"
Fringe (season 1) List of Fringe episodes

"The Dreamscape" is the ninth episode of the first season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. It centers on a Fringe investigation of a Massive Dynamic employee who, after believing himself to be under attack by a swarm of sharp-winged butterflies, jumps out of a window. Meanwhile, Olivia (Anna Torv) continues her visions of the deceased John Scott (Mark Valley), and discovers how he related to a deadly psychoactive drug synthesized by Massive Dynamic.

"The Dreamscape" was written by series staff writers Julia Cho and Zack Whedon, and was directed by Fred Toye. To create the opening scene, they "relied entirely on actor performance," with guest actor Ptolemy Slocum simulating being cut, freezing for the crew to apply prosthetic make-up, and then unfreezing to continue shooting the scene. VFX coordinator Christopher Stollard wished the computer generated butterflies to look as realistic as possible, and modeled them after mounted butterfly specimens his team studied.

The episode first aired in the United States on November 25, 2008 on the Fox network. It was watched by an estimated 8.73 million viewers and earned a 3.9/10 ratings share among adults aged 18 to 49. Reviews of the episode were mixed, with one reviewer believing it "certainly moves [the series] in the right direction".

Massive Dynamic executive Mark Young (Ptolemy Slocum) delivers a presentation at the company’s Manhattan office. When he is done and the other attendees have left, he sees an unusual butterfly. Upon picking it up, he experiences a cut on his hand and is then attacked by a swarm. Mark jumps out of a window, to his death. Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), despite preparing to go out to dinner with her sister, instead agrees to Phillip Broyles' (Lance Reddick) demand that she join the Fringe team's investigation at the scene. While examining the body, Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) sees lacerations on Young’s skin and notes a lack of corresponding tears on his shirt. At the scene, Olivia has a brief vision of her deceased lover John Scott (Mark Valley) watching them, which troubles her.