As I predicted in the Bubble Watch earlier this week, despite bad ratings — and I mean, in the toilet — “Fringe” has been picked up for a fifth and final season.
Though producers were optimistic about a pickup, they reportedly shot two endings of the upcoming fourth season finale just in case a deal didn’t come through. “Fringe” averaged a mere 4 million viewers and a 1.6 rating in the adult demo, including DVR. Compare that to a first-year show that Fox cancelled — “Terra Nova” — which averaged 10.1 million viewers and a 3.6 adult demo rating. Likewise another Fox first-year series, “Alcatraz,” which like “Fringe” is also produced by J.J. Abrams, performed better than the Friday night show, yet is considered unlikely to receive a second year.
The difference between the higher-rated “Alcatraz” and “Terra Nova,” of course, is that “Fringe” is a substantially cheaper show to produce, and its small but ardent fan base are likely to pick up the DVDs. Plus, it’s got a decent life afterwards in Netflix licensing.
Personally, I loved the second season, but it kind of bottomed-out for me after that. After the soul-magnets episode (guh!), it was never quite the same for me and I eventually let it go earlier this season. I hear it’s gotten better, but I was hearing that from fans all along while I was watching it: Those “Fringe” fans are blinded by their love of Pacey. Me? I’m still holding out for a Walter Bishop spin-off because I would watch the crap out of that. That said, I will likely catch up on this season over the summer. In the meantime, there is already a fifth season trailer, although there is no new footage.
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I AM HAPPIER THAN WALTER WITH A JAR OF RED VINES AND SOME LSD.
Bah. Thirteen episodes? More like a season 4.5.
South Park, Walking Dead, Sunny in Philly, Archer, etc. All of them have 13-14 episode seasons and no one ever complains.
I’m stoked they got this final season to wrap everything up. Much better than having it cancelled abruptly.
So? Fringe has always had 20 or more episodes a season.
If any of those shows suddenly started putting out six episodes a year, I’d rightly point out they started doing half-seasons, as well.
If I was hoping to get laid, I’ll still be ok with just a handie
That’s what this is, season 4.handie
John Noble needs at least one Emmy nomination for Walter Bishop or I burn this place (the Internet) to the ground.
He needs to WIN an Emmy!
Although, since he would be running in the supporting actor category, and Dinklage is still in it this year (why not lead HBO??), and OWNS his character, I don’t except it for this season, so hopefully for the 5th mini season!
Seeing as people from genre shows almost never get recognition, a nomination would be like winning for him.
Anna Torv deserves credit for playing two Olivias so well, too.
so we’re just ignoring the episodes where she talked like Leonard Nimoy then Patty? That ish was PAINFUL to watch.
I am. The whole soul magnet thing was definitely a low-point for the series. Although, it did lead culminate in that excellent animated episode, so I can’t totally dismiss it.
Its kind of gone off the rails this season, I’ll watch just to see how they wrap it up. That said, first half of season three was some of the most creative television I’ve ever seen. They did a good job, Anna Torv did some fantastic acting, and John Noble has been absolutely robbed of an Emmy.
Good to see that sometimes things turn out good for us fans of a low rated show!
Hot cocoa and licorice for everyone!
I am glad that they are getting a chance to wrap things up. I love Walter and Peter is okay as well, but the show has been a little over ambitious starting at the end of last season and continuing through this one. I think it kinda lost it for be when they activated the little bridge thingy and then got to erase a season or two of mythology. Edgy or Lazy? Either way it pissed me off.
Overambitious? Totally. They should have set their sights much lower. Say, the mystery of the scum ring in Walter’s bathroom. What caused it? What could it be made of? No no no, not important. The only thing that matters is how do we get rid of it.
We will let the more ambitious among us ponder the mysteries of the universe, say, do they have scum rings in the alternate universe?
Hey, I am all for pondering the mysteries of the universe and I believe that if they had an infinite amount of time and money they could manage to fill in all of the logic and plot holes that have developed in the series. Instead – they do a hard reboot at the end of the last season and negate all of the pits of despair they have fallen into….like HOlivia’s baby and the destruction of Walter’s brain matter that just happened to show up in the last episode.
Has this season been as good as the first two? No. Do I wish both Lincolns died instead of only one? God yes. Does this new make me very happy? Very much so. Yay to crazy fans!
aw, i loved Macho-Lincoln
I guess I really haven’t been paying attention this season, because I didn’t really get the context of the last episode. Was it supposed to be similar to Dollhouses epitaph episodes ? Are they going to be coming back to these characters ? I mean WTF was going on ?
Fuck yeah. This show has some flaws but the special moments, from Anna Torv and John Noble especially, more than make up for them. Can’t wait to see how the final season wraps up.
Wear are the Anna Torv gifs you promised?!?!?
They can’t go spending all this time getting me interested in Anna Torv and takin’ her away just yet