Female Character Meme Day 3: Olivia Dunham

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Day Three: A Female Character You Hated But Grew to Love



Olivia Dunham, of Fringe

When Fringe first began, I didn't like Olivia Dunham, making me a proud holder of common yet unpopular fannish opinion #42,809,567 (CYUFO #6,043: Yea Verily, Aeneas was a Whinging Prick.). I didn't hate her. That would have required effort. I was bored by her. She embodied everything that was bad about Fringe Season One: her imaginary head-boyfriend was the plot coupon dispenser, her immediate superior was the annoyingly slow information tap Broyles, and her personality was the equivalent of seaside vanilla ice-cream, in that it was cold, flavorless, and unlikely to make a stain on the imagination.

During season one, I watched Fringe only sporadically, usually after the Faithful Roommate J, whose tolerance for procedurals and wonky characterization outweighs mine, had prodded me a few times. The bits I enjoyed were never Olivia's bits: they were the bits with the mad science, or the bits with Charlie, who is played by the inestimable Kirk Acevedo and whom I am therefore contractually obligated to love, or the bits with the Bishops: the mad, food-obsessed genius Walter and the cool, not-entirely-trustworthy con-man Peter. (Speaking of which, where's he gone? While I recognize that character development marches on, I want more swindly Peter, or at least more evidence of his ex-swindliness.) I grew to like Fringe quite a bit, particularly once we got into the second season and the pace of the myth arc sped up, but I, like many viewers, couldn't help but think that it would be a better show if Olivia were a little bit different.

Fauxlivia says, "Be careful what you wish for, kiddies!"

It was then that the writers of Fringe played one of the best tricks ever: they gave the fans exactly what they wanted.. Olivia 2.0, aka Fauxlivia, aka Bolivia, aka the Olivia from Over There, was happier, less robotic, and much quicker to get her flirt on. I couldn't get the old one back fast enough. It wasn't that Fauxlivia was repulsive or anything; I grew to like and empathize with her too. However, Fauxlivia's bolder personality threw the nuances of Olivia's into relief. Her coldness became reservedness, her awkwardness understandable, and her professionalism a GODSEND, which I never would have thought I'd say back in the pilot when she was banging her partner. At the same time as Fauxlivia was making me appreciate the subtleties of her characterization, Olivia Original Flavor was kicking ass and taking names trying to get home from Over There. I found myself really looking forward to her storylines, more so than those set in the original universe, and that hasn't changed since she's come back. Olivia Dunham is never going to be my favorite female character, but I've grown to love her all the same.

Olivia's hair thanks you for your time.

Day One: Favorite lead female character: CJ Cregg
Day Two: Favorite supporting female character: Kima Greggs
Day Three: A female character you hated but grew to love
Day Four: A female character you relate to
Day Five: Favorite female character on a male-driven show
Day Six: Favorite female-driven show
Day Seven: A female character that needs more screen time
Day Eight: Favorite female character in a comedy show
Day Nine: Favorite female character in a drama show
Day Ten: Favorite female character in a scifi/supernatural show
Day Eleven: Favorite female character in a children’s show
Day Twelve: Favorite female character in a movie
Day Thirteen: Favorite female character in a book
Day Fourteen: Favorite older female character
Day Fifteen: Favorite female character growth arc
Day Sixteen: Favorite mother character
Day Seventeen: Favorite warrior female character
Day Eighteen: Favorite non-warrior female character
Day Nineteen: Favorite non-human female character
Day Twenty: Favorite female antagonist
Day Twenty-One: Favorite female character screwed over by canon
Day Twenty-Two: Favorite female character you love but everyone else hates
Day Twenty-Three: Favorite female platonic relationship
Day Twenty-Four: Favorite female romantic relationship
Day Twenty-Five: Favorite mother/daughter and/or sister relationship
Day Twenty-Six: Favorite classical female character (from pre-20th century literature or mythology or the like)
Day Twenty-Seven: A female character you have extensive personal canon for
Day Twenty-Eight: Favorite female writer (television, books, movies, etc.)
Day Twenty-Nine: A female-centric fic rec
Day Thirty: Whatever you’d like!