Whenever JJ Abrams is asked about the heart of his hit show Fringe, he consistently answers with the story of a father and son. Last evening’s episode of Fringe titled Of Human Action is clear evidence that JJ continues to have a strong hold of the theme of his show.

Surprisingly enough, we’re already at the 7th episode of the second season and this, in my mind, this is the first episode entirely devoted to the relationship between the father-son duo of Peter and Walter Bishop. At the conclusion of the first season we learned that Peter is in fact a second version of Peter that Walter had taken from another reality after his own Peter had drowned.

Guilt ridden and secretive, Walter has still not revealed the truth.

Of Human Action reveals a lot about how Walter is feeling internally about his family and personal life. For the first time he is able to visit the laboratories at Massive Dynamic. Not only is he impressed with their technology, he is reminded of what his life could have been like had he and William Bell remained good friends.

Like all episodes of Fringe, Of Human Action is centered around something scientifically supernatural. In this particular episode the focus is on mind control. The twist is that there is a 15-year old pubescent teenager at the helm. After staging his own kidnapping and extorting the company his father works for (Massive Dynamic), Tyler, the boy with the ability to control minds, abducts Peter.

What happens right after is one of the best, most defining moments of Fringe as a series. Walter expresses how much he needs his son. Almost paralyzed with loneliness, the elder Bishop needs strong encouragement from both Nina Sharp and Olivia to even get started. But do you ever really question Walter Bishop when it comes to solving a problem with science? Especially with his son on the line?

Needless to say, Walter comes through and the boy is apprehended by the police, but it is the reunion of Walter and Peter that really makes Of Human Action a great episode. Walter is still hesitant with the truth about Peter’s identity and it seems as though he is assembling pieces of his memory about family.

Peter, on the other hand, seems mystified by his father’s new found interest in his well being. Not to the point where he will start to ask questions, but he does seem to recognize that Walter is bringing up memories of Peter’s childhood.

But what good is an episode of Fringe without a true WTF moment? Well this week’s episode delivers yet again. Turns out the boy, Tyler, is one of many clones being used as experiments in mind control. And who is at the helm of all of this? William Bell and Massive Dynamic, of course.