TV Review: Fringe

Fringe is one of those shows that creeps up on you. I am a Bones fan and have been seeing commercials for the following show, Fringe, for a couple years now. Never really gave it much thought. In 2008 when the show premiered, I would usually switch over to CSI after Bones and then watch Eleventh Hour. Fringe looked kind of X-Files-ish but with more action and with watching Eleventh Hour, I thought I would get enough of the "out there" factor. I thought Eleventh Hour would be more cerebral and that is what I was looking for. Eleventh Hour only last 18 episodes and I was disappointed to see it go. I had overheard some chatter at work about Fringe but never really got hooked on it. Until...
While watching the most recent cliffhanger of Bones, in February, I stuck around and watched Fringe. WOW! Why on Earth did I wait this long to watch this show? Just one episode of this show had me hooked. I had a slight idea of some of the working relationships of the characters by just bits and pieces of episodes I may have seen but it was enough to be completely sucked into the episode and the series. Hard to believe that one episode could do that but then again, the master, J. J. Abrams is one of those responsible for this show. Never a Lost fan but certainly a Star Trek fan, Abrams has won me over.
Fringe is like X-Files but they have a budget and are not hidden in the basement of the FBI building. Really, the only thing that makes them alike is the fact that there are strange things going on around here and someone has to get to the bottom of it. The twist is they are under the Department of Homeland Security which probably makes the freak-squad able to move more freely around and into freaky business of citizens.
The series centers around three characters an FBI agent - Olivia Dunham, a scientist - Dr. Walter Bishop and his son, Peter Bishop, who works as an FBI advisor. The dynamics between the three is interesting and really come to a head in the first episode that I watched. Since I haven't watched the show since the beginning I cannot comment on how they all came to work together but I'll catch up on that later.
The writing, editing and camera work is excellent. The actors are the kind you have seen before but can't put your finger on it. Anna Tory (Olivia Dunham) has probably the smallest resume with some small and large TV time but no big roles (much like Emily Deschanel of Bones). Joshua Jackson (Peter Bishop) is probably more familiar as he has worked steadily and did teenage TV and movie roles including Dawson's Creek and Scream 2. John Noble (Dr. Walter Bishop) should be the most familiar to viewers although you may not recognize him because he has done many character roles, most notably the very creepy Denethor in The Lord of The Rings: Return of The King. All of them working actors that seem to have fallen into a good thing - good for us.
It is not too late to start watching Fringe. I see a long life ahead of it and I plan on sticking around until the end.
Fringe is on Thursday nights at 9pm EST on Fox (after Bones). See local listings for exact time and day in your area.