This series doesn't speak of originality. We've had so many different variants of the theme in tvshows, from Psi Factor to The Chronicles, X Files to Threshold that one more can only confuse the viewers?



Jackson signs to Abrams sci-fi 'Fringe'

Friday, February 8 2008, 10:38 GMT (05:38 ET)
By Dave West (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/a88883/jackson-signs-to-abrams-sci-fi-fringe.html#), Media Correspondent
http://images.digitalspy.co.uk/07/43/160x120_joshuajackson_rex01.jpgRex Features

Joshua Jackson has signed up to star in a major new sci-fi drama for Fox.

A two-hour $10m pilot is in production for Fringe, devised by Lost creator JJ Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci.

The show will see Dawson's Creek star Jackson play Peter Bishop, who investigates the paranormal. His team will include his father, scientist Dr Walter Bishop (John Noble), and FBI agent Olivia Warren (Anna Torv). Bishop is a dropout with a high IQ and a large gambling debt.

It is produced by Warner Brothers TV and Bad Robot. Filming for the pilot, directed by Alex Graves, has begun in Toronto.

So am I the only person who missed this week's premiere of Fringe? :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Fringe Re-Run Offers All Manner Of SF Extras [Fringe]

Even if you watched the Fringe premiere on Tuesday, Fox are giving you two reasons to tune into Sunday evening's re-run: Not only will they be showing the first four minutes of next week's episode following the final credits, but they'll also trail the show with a special preview of the remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still - and if both of those reasons aren't enough for you, there'll also be an exclusive preview of November's 24 TV movie for fans of Keifer Sutherland and torture. If there's a better way to spend two hours to finish your weekend that involves watching Fox, I can't wait to learn about it. [Variety (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117991887.html?categoryid=14&cs=1)]


http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?i=96cf59eb2b861aef6520d2adee6fb2f5 http://www.pheedo.com/feeds/tracker.php?i=96cf59eb2b861aef6520d2adee6fb2f5 http://feeds.gawker.com/~a/io9/full?i=R5jBxv (http://feeds.gawker.com/~a/io9/full?a=R5jBxv)

http://feeds.gawker.com/~f/io9/full?i=nxddL (http://feeds.gawker.com/~f/io9/full?a=nxddL) http://feeds.gawker.com/~f/io9/full?i=h8Xcl (http://feeds.gawker.com/~f/io9/full?a=h8Xcl) http://feeds.gawker.com/~f/io9/full?i=umYIl (http://feeds.gawker.com/~f/io9/full?a=umYIl)

(Via io9 (http://io9.com/5047464/fringe-re+run-offers-all-manner-of-sf-extras))

I've got the DVR set to record this Sunday. I've seen the previews already for The Day The Earth Stood Still but it is the pilot of Fringe that I really want to catch.

I got to watch the Fringe pilot last night and, I must say, so far I am intrigued.

It seems to be a cross between The X-Files (e.g.: A secretive association of US Federal agents investigating bizarre cases) and Lost (e.g.: A deep pocketed corporation responsible for said bizarre cases). The scene with the 'shared consciences' reminded me a bit too much of The Cell.

I'm not sure I cared for how the screen titles were done, with the words 'floating' in the air. It is the same technique that was used in the Jodie Foster film The Panic Room and, while that film used the technique only for the opening credits, it was a bit annoying to see them being used for all screen titles in the show.

Joshua Jackson was surprisingly good in his character as somebody who really does not want to be there. Anybody expecting some Dawson's Creek moments should look elsewhere.

As Tim noted above, the premise is not exactly the most original out there but it shows promise. I will be keeping the DVR scheduled to record it this season. :)

I also just got a chance to see it last night. Superb acting, plotting, special effects. Just enough weirdness to draw you in -- not too much so that you spend the whole time saying "WTF"?

I'll definitely be watching it this season. :pbj:

OK, my call is that Peter is a clone of Dr. Bishop.

Episode two has aired and the theme of the storyline was most definitely implied horror, with some screen time of things that could never be seen in the past at the time it aired!!

Some people have been saying this second episode is merely passable, but I thought it was done fine.

Episode two has aired... Did you catch the scene with Dr. Bishop asking Agent Dunham to not to reveal to Peter his medical background?

I'm calling it. Clone.

nah, I'm going with the Bashir principle, genetic modification of the DNA.

nah, I'm going with the Bashir principle, genetic modification of the DNA.HHHhmm... I didn't think of that angle. That would explain the supposed 199 IQ though.



OK, we've got one bet down on cloning, one down on genetic engineering.

Who else wants to place their bets?

Fringe Goes the Distance as Fox Orders Full Season

http://blog.wired.com/underwire/images/2008/10/02/fringe250.jpg (http://blog.wired.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/10/02/fringe250.jpg)

Touting Fringe as this fall's most popular new show for 18-to-49-year-old viewers, Fox is promising a full season of J.J. Abrams' sci-fi series.

The network announced Thursday that it's ordering nine additional episodes of the FBI-investigating-paranormal-events hybrid after seeing a steady increase in ratings since the show's early September launch. Fringe now attracts 10.7 million viewers weekly, the network says.

The series debut got mixed reviews (http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/09/on-the-phone-wi.html) from Underwire readers. But Fringe, which stars Anna Torv with John Noble and Joshua Jackson (pictured), has cranked up the freak factor for its most recent three shows.

A human test subject surgically extracts adrenal glands from his victims in order to keep from aging at lightning speed. A psychic civilian compulsively draws images of catastrophic events before they happen, while an undercover agent has an implanted disk ripped right out of her corpse. This week's show introduces The Observer, a creepy bald guy who pops up in the background to witness one global disaster after another.

Fringe will skip a couple weeks before returning Oct. 14. Is the show improving? Are you looking forward to more Fringe? And what the hell is going on with "The Pattern?" Comment below.

Photo courtesy Fox

See also:


Fringe Blowback: Share Your Take on J.J. Abrams' New Show (http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/09/on-the-phone-wi.html)
Two-Headed Brain Trust Injects Fear Into Fringe (http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/09/qa-the-two-head.html)
Abrams on Fringe: Science, Conspiracies and 'The Pattern' (http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/09/abrams-talks-fr.html)
First Look: J.J. Abrams' Fringe (http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/06/first-look-jj-a.html#previouspost)
Fox to Stream Sarah Connor, Fringe for College Crowd (http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/08/fox-to-stream-s.html)
Fringe Comic Plants More 'Pattern' Seeds (http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/08/fringe-comic-pl.html#previouspost)

http://www.pheedo.com/images/mm/reddit.png (http://www.pheedo.com/hostedMorselClick.php?hfmm=v3:a199fe61f5075081979a e32fd5e1bec5:PuSCOE4%2BBoS7t37%2B94x%2FycfyLpdjtTU PpkKXd6rTSk3C4xq9yMv3rbWPYtjhGPN%2FHc6uVCZYV6N%2F) http://www.pheedo.com/images/mm/digg.gif (http://www.pheedo.com/hostedMorselClick.php?hfmm=v3:5c48b3ab4ca4fd00b501 64d1ec311d20:zPGvkLSk%2B4BtKAFqbyZ0%2F7FlZX4nNIJS% 2FzTZFgallUMsDfeWs0ZhQpetBAGCFRsmCRqx0N%2F7kfic) http://www.pheedo.com/images/mm/facebook.gif (http://www.pheedo.com/hostedMorselClick.php?hfmm=v3:ef918c0049fb2de14207 9297c00f3704:ZocTXcmo6M0GaS8z9i1GKWr8eeGYz%2Bd57o% 2BRlGnE6tK8APQMsF2KdgHe9%2BLLkER5kP5b1Mf0%2BNWTPQ% 3D%3D) http://www.pheedo.com/images/mm/emailthisHF.gif (http://www.pheedo.com/hostedMorselClick.php?hfmm=v3:66f18962b7827ca14939 02eb40e582aa:z0oYjq0FEU5u3SbU5UNDe61uP3wYEOnFeapqJ SL%2FEKRIuSD8tWvdc9m2xK9qkLxtNWJ8ltEj6o4FQg%3D%3D)
http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?i=d59cfdb4da88b83f58a47766938867b9http://www.pheedo.com/feeds/tracker.php?i=d59cfdb4da88b83f58a47766938867b9http ://feeds.wired.com/~f/wiredunderwire?i=laPLM (http://feeds.wired.com/~f/wiredunderwire?a=laPLM) http://feeds.wired.com/~f/wiredunderwire?i=Fbdfm (http://feeds.wired.com/~f/wiredunderwire?a=Fbdfm) http://feeds.wired.com/~f/wiredunderwire?i=Czytm (http://feeds.wired.com/~f/wiredunderwire?a=Czytm) http://feeds.wired.com/~f/wiredunderwire?i=XLZMM (http://feeds.wired.com/~f/wiredunderwire?a=XLZMM)
http://feeds.wired.com/~r/wiredunderwire/~4/409538793
(Via Wired (http://feeds.wired.com/~r/wiredunderwire/~3/409538793/fringe-goes-the.html))

I'm glad to see this show get at least a full season on the air. It's been a while since there has been any real competition to take over the X-Files type of drama.

Was the bald guy (without eyebrows) a robot then? Was he left by an alien race to ensure that the subterrenean torpedo kept staying underground (for 17 years at a time?) until it was available for a certain task? Or was he sent back from the future to ensure that the weapon is there for something crucial?

Good or bad, how could a robot be anything but neutral and merely dedicated to the task. He didn't kill unnecessarily, he used a stun weapon. He didn't torture, except by his lack of ready information.

fringe is freakin' great!

Uh... you know, I have to admit... Fringe is starting to lose me. I mean, sure, I like the main three actors, that's all fine and good... but none of them really stand out for me. (Aside from Dr. Bishop, who is still a bit too one-dimensional for my taste.)

If there's something better on Tuesday nights... I might just switch over. Although, since I'm commited to watching House at 8 PM... gotta say, inertia is a powerful thing.

I've been watching most this season's shows on the DVR so watching Fringe at, say, 2:00 AM might have a different impact than watching it during prime time.

Bald Guy adds a new twist to it. It kinda' reminded me of an Outer Limits (or could've been the new Twilight Zone) episode where a group of people travel back in time as tourists to witness notable tragic events.

Yeah, but wasn't Bald Guy a little too weird? Didn't they go a bit overboard trying to show just how "alien" he was???

Yeah, but wasn't Bald Guy a little too weird? Didn't they go a bit overboard trying to show just how "alien" he was???I don't know. The thing with the hot sauce I chalked up to possibly being a case of an 'engineered' being needing a particular dietary intake. We saw already where the cloned super soldiers needed to maintain a chemical balance in order to preserve themselves so I was thinking along those lines.

The scene with Peter in the cemetery, though, was a bit off. We already saw Bald Guy having a conversation with Dr. Bishop in the cafeteria so we knew Bald Guy knew English and was able to communicate with others so why the little game of the telepathic mind reading? Plus by then Bald Guy was communicating quitely cleary on a cell phone (or some type of communicator) so why play games? Of the the Bald Guys scenes that I can recall at the moment, that one I would agree with as being a bit out of place.

I've heard alot of bad things about Fringe but I believe it is a great show so far. I don't have a DVR, so it is also very convenient that the episodes can be watched for free at hulu.com.

"Fringe" Writers Explain Next Season's Multiverse [Fringe]

Fringe writers Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, and showrunner Jeff Pinkner (http://io9.com/tag/jeff-pinkner/), revealed something crucial about how the creative team thinks about the multiverse in this increasingly twisty, weird science show co-created by JJ Abrams.

The writing team, working with JJ Abrams, has mapped out the entire arc of season 2. One of the lingering issues at the end of season 1 was exactly how many parallel universes there are out there - especially now that characters have started seeing them and moving between them. So does Fringe exist in a DC universe-style "infinite Earths"?

Apparently not. I asked the team whether they talk about "Earth Prime," "Earth 2," "Earth 3," etc. in the writing room, or whether they have any other terminology. Pinkner said no, they only talk about "our reality and alternate reality." So there you have it: There are only two worlds. Ours and the alternate one. So don't worry about a crisis on infinite Peters. Or a giant army of Walters from 1000 different worlds. There are only two.

http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/9o94NQxaU4eIj29OEJJmmkzl3PQ/0/di (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/9o94NQxaU4eIj29OEJJmmkzl3PQ/0/da)
http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/9o94NQxaU4eIj29OEJJmmkzl3PQ/1/di (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/9o94NQxaU4eIj29OEJJmmkzl3PQ/1/da)

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/io9/full?d=yIl2AUoC8zA (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/io9/full?a=adpKhpPn25Q:iiG6G1IGVTc:yIl2AUoC8zA) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/io9/full?i=adpKhpPn25Q:iiG6G1IGVTc:D7DqB2pKExk (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/io9/full?a=adpKhpPn25Q:iiG6G1IGVTc:D7DqB2pKExk) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/io9/full?i=adpKhpPn25Q:iiG6G1IGVTc:V_sGLiPBpWU (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/io9/full?a=adpKhpPn25Q:iiG6G1IGVTc:V_sGLiPBpWU)

(Via io9 (http://io9.com/5322921/fringe-writers-explain-next-seasons-multiverse))

Well, that helps to contain the scope of possible splinter story lines at least. We already know that Peter of our world is really from the alternate world so at least there is no chance of there being more than two of anybody going forward.

Just two or three worlds always leads to stories of greed. Take Charlie Jade where one universe decided to steal the water from another!!

We can just imagine the storylines that are coming up now:


The team having to work to break up kidnap schemes holding the alternate worlds people as body parts for rich people in their own world.

Doubles for political and militaristic group leaders assumed dead in explosions, etc being brought out to stir up action.

Use of the second person to provide alibi in criminal offences. Being witnessed/recorded in public whilst the other is committing a crime.

Use of same for VIP's under threat of assassination where the person in the other world never reached the heights and 'needs' the money offered.....

Just two or three worlds always leads to stories of greed. Take Charlie Jade where one universe decided to steal the water from another!!I still haven't come across Charlie Jade; not sure if it even made its way to our shores yet.

We can just imagine the storylines that are coming up now:


The team having to work to break up kidnap schemes holding the alternate worlds people as body parts for rich people in their own world.

Doubles for political and militaristic group leaders assumed dead in explosions, etc being brought out to stir up action.

Use of the second person to provide alibi in criminal offences. Being witnessed/recorded in public whilst the other is committing a crime.

Use of same for VIP's under threat of assassination where the person in the other world never reached the heights and 'needs' the money offered.....Let's give it a chance. The first season of Fringe was pretty good so hopefully the writers can carry the momentum forward.

Just put the first season on my rental queue. Haven't seen any of the episodes yet. How does it compare to Dollhouse?

Just put the first season on my rental queue. Haven't seen any of the episodes yet. How does it compare to Dollhouse?Compared to Dollhouse... I can't say, I just couldn't get into Dollhouse. :o

If you like the science aspect of Dollhouse though you will likely enjoy Fringe as well since that is the basis of the show, fringe science.

I've got the first disc of Fringe coming to me sometime today so I'll definitely be checking it out soon.

I've watched about seven episodes so far and overall I think I like it. Reminds me of X-Files a bit but flashier. I have mixed feelings about the actress in the lead role and I'm finding most of the episodes to be a little disgusting or disturbing. I really like the premise but I haven't found any of the stories to be particularly engaging but my friend says it gets better so I will stick with it.

I've watched about seven episodes so far and overall I think I like it. Reminds me of X-Files a bit but flashier. I have mixed feelings about the actress in the lead role and I'm finding most of the episodes to be a little disgusting or disturbing. I really like the premise but I haven't found any of the stories to be particularly engaging but my friend says it gets better so I will stick with it.
Give it a chance, it does get better. About half-way through the first season Abrams brought in some outside writers to give the story arcs a once-over and the biggest hurdle, of Olivia having Charlies memories, falls to the wayside a bit letting the story lines branch off into other directions.

Yeah, I've watched another 3 episodes since my last post and it does seem to be getting better. I think I'm starting to get hooked. I also like the father son relationship between Walter and Peter.

In a way, I prefer Dollhouse, but have to admit the Fringe is simply a better show. The things that make me like Dollhouse are paradoxically also things that tend to undercut its quality. That's the biggest difference between Abrams and Whedon: Abrams is a master of the medium, knowing what will work and will not, and will pursue the former and avoid the latter, even if it means leaving the "best" conceptual stuff behind, while Whedon puts concept over the priority to achieve a great end-product.

Totally off tangent but it caught my attention...

Last week the Fringe crew found themselves in Lansdale, PA, and now this week Philadelphia, PA, is featured. Lansdale is a quiet little suburb within short distance of Philly. I wonder if anybody associated with the production staff is enamored with the area in the same way that M. Night Shyamalan is.

I use to find Joshua Jackson's character pretty annoying.

In my opinion you commit an error. I suggest it to discuss.

I use to find Joshua Jackson's character pretty annoying.
But the more we learn of the character I think the character actually deserves to be pitied a bit. After all, we're talking about somebody that was taken from his own 'world' to be used as a replacement for his counterpart that died.