Image Credit: Liane Hentscher/Fox
Even the most die-hard TV fans have their blind spots. Until a couple weeks ago, mine was Fringe. I had watched the series premiere way back in 2008, thought it felt like warmed-over X-Files with a dash of The Nutty Professor, and immediately checked out. While I was off falling victim to the short-lived charms of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Kings, Fringe was slowly but surely transforming into an exciting, wholly unique TV show. (EW’s TV critic Ken Tucker named it the second-best series of 2010.) In preparation for the new season of Fringe, I marathoned through the show’s first three seasons — a Fringe binge. I’m a better person now, and I’m also working on a new romance self-help book, Olivia or Fauxlivia?: How To Make Sure Your Lover Hasn’t Been Replaced By an Alternate Universe Duplicate.
In the newest episode of our series The No Doctor Cop Lawyer Show, longtime Fringe fan Keith Staskiewicz and I talk about how Fringe found its footing by embracing its inner weirdness. We also try to make peace with the fact that this might be the last season. And maybe that’s okay. (Note: You will hear us refer to last week’s Fringe as “The premiere,” even though the show actually premiered two Fridays ago. This is because the episode was delayed due to the necessity for extensive post-production digital effects. We apologize for the confusion.)
Follow Darren on Twitter: @EWDarrenFranich
You did the same thing I did. Had to make a choice and chose “Terminator” and other shows – which turned out to be a mistake. We also caught up and love the show too.
This show is too smart for me, I can’t follow it.
If it ain’t for you, fine. You can go back to any of the “CSI” clones and be happy.
FRINGE started becoming great at the midpoint of season 1.
I did weird shows like Fringe. From the start, I was hooked on Fringe. Long live Fringe.
I loved their most recent episode – the professor vs. the serial killer. It was clever and heartfelt. I wonder if we will see the professor later in the season again as a full blown serial killer.
Man, that 2nd episode was one of the best sci fi TV episodes ever in my opinion. It’s the sort of story that only Fringe can do.
No…they implied that he still had the light in him.
honestly was *kinda* underwhelmed with the premiere but thought they definitely redeemed themselves with the second episode.
NOW GET TO PETER ALREADY.
Maybe if this show got 1/100th of the press as the darlings like Glee maybe more people would have tried it. To me it is one of the best shows on TV that was put against several established shows on Thursday night so never got the chance it deserved.
I’m also relatively new to Fringe and now absolutely love the show. I wish more people would give it a shot.
I watched the first season, thought it was OK, and didn’t catch up until this summer, when I was promptly blown away! It truly is the best show on TV. The acting is outstanding, and I can’t think of a show that takes as many creative chances as Fringe, while still churning out compelling stories on a weekly basis.
While I love Fringe, technically it is about FBI agents (that is, cops). Sorry to be “that person.”
Same thing happened with us. We watched the pilot after the screener was leaked over summer before the premiere. We thought it was pretty standard and didn’t watch any more. Then this Summer, we chose to give Fringe another chance as our “Summer Show.” Glad we stuck it out because after the rocky start the show became amazing.
Easily one of the best shows on network TV right now. Disgustingly underappreciated.
“Disgustingly underappreciated”….LOVE that! And oh so true!!!
Someone- I think it was either Doc or Ken Tucker- wrote about this a year ago and I remember agreeing with all of their points. Basically, I think most of the first season, back when it was “The John Scott Show”, can be forgotten. John Noble’s performance was still a masterpiece, but the plot just wasn’t great. The moment I realized just how brilliant Fringe could be was when they revealed that Olivia had crossed over to the other side. The second season played like a great way to fill the “X-Files” void (the case-of-the-week “White Tulip” might still be my favorite Fringe episode), and the revelation that Peter was from the other side was both shocking and heartbreaking. Then the third season….what hasn’t been said? I still think Baby Henry was unnecessary-the writers couldn’t have found another way to have the other side start the machine? But it also showed that Anna Torv is IMO the best (tied with Elizabeth Moss) actress on television. And now this season has been great so far!!!
The Peter revelation is season 1, isn’t it? I’m thinking of the episode that ends with the tombstone, and the little hints they’d dropped leading up to that…I think it was season 1.
Yes, in the season finale of Season 1 – we see Olivia looking out of one of the twin towers and earlier we see Walter standing over the tombstone of Peter
That’s right, we saw Peter’s tombstone in the season one finale….another reason it’s one of my favorite season finales of all time.
I’ll back up a bit from the S1 finale and say that “Bad Dreams” was the first sign of greatness. Learning of Olivia’s prior connection to Walter, Peter providing major emotional support to her, from the subway to the rooftop it was wonderful.
I really liked that episode too, and “The No-Brainer” gets me for some reason. The scene where Walter meets the mother of the lab assistant who died is so moving, albeit only a hint of what’s in store.
If this does turn out to be the last season, I hope the showrunners have an endgame in mind. There would be nothing worse than a cliffhanger at the end of Fringe’s last episode!
I read an interview with them where they said they had the finale episode written, and it’s just a matter of how many seasons they get until the end.
I also didn’t start watching until I happened to catch an episode last season. I then devoured the first 2 seasons to catch up. It is now the show I am most excited to see every week!
Continues to be a great show, now people WATCH IT!
yeah the “slow” formulated first season of Fringe actually turned out be very necessary.. it was enjoyable and the intrigue for the future it setup was cool.. but it was a little unappealing at the time.. im glad i stuck with it cause it has rewarded me.. in spadeeeeeeeessssssssss
Fringe is the best drama on network TV. It’s a shame that so many people are unwilling to give it a chance (i.e. audiences, the Emmys, etc.)
I came into Fringe the same way as Darren, albeit last winter, and I feel like the shift in tone started happening around when the show’s “back nine” started filming, with the show introducing David Jones, wrapping up John Scott IN A SINGLE EPISODE, turning The Pattern into signs of the coming dimensional rift. All of this gave the show momentum, which I don’t think has let up since.
I agree with your thoughts on Fox, and I’ve said the same thing in the past. We hate ‘em when they cancel, but it’s hard to give them credit for greenlighting weird shows, since we all know that ALL pilot ideas sound terrible when we read them in advance.
I’m already making peace with this season potentially being the last one, and look forward to a very much forewarned, great, final arc.
Also, technically, RED Lantern would have sucked Over There.
John, I agree with your points. the show found itself halfway through season 1 and never looked back. I won’t be devastated if this is the last season either. I feel like they can wrap up the series with a well-paced season. But for god sakes, get Peter back and lets dive into this First People arc!
What if DirecTV picked up Fringe for a 5th season- like it saved Friday Night Lights and Damages…. letting the show send itself off in a satisfying manner- rather than Fox cancelling it suddenly….? Or heck- Syfy can pick it up since it’s in their vein of “sci fi” shows….
I rule. You’re welcome
syfy??? bite your tongue, alice!!! =)
syfy has on at least 2 occasions renewed, then changed their minds and cancelled their shows. I wouldn’t trust them with Fringe.
okay not Syfy…. but DirecTV… that would be cool. Something new for them
Syfy couldn’t afford to keep Fringe in production, unfortunately. Syfy is basically a joke now
I watched a handful of episodes the first season and then found I didn’t have time to keep up with it as it seemed imperative to not miss one. Then this past summer decided to give it a go again and WHAM! I was hooked! Friday is now my favorite night for tv.
If they want more people to watch it, it should have the first season for streaming online. That’s how I got into Dexter and i bought the next few seasons. I’m surprised more TV shows don’t do the same. Release 1-2 seasons of a show for streaming, get people into it, then you have new fans to buy all the dvd’s and/or watch it live.
The pilot and many of the first season episodes are on the WBtv website.