Will There Be A Fifth Season of Fringe? ~ Fringe Television - Fan Site for the FOX TV Series Fringe

Will There Be A Fifth Season of Fringe?

      Email Post       1/10/2012 10:33:00 AM      

The discussion about renewing Fringe for a fifth season kicked off this week at the Television Critics Association press tour, where J.J. Abrams and Fox's entertainment president Kevin Reilly were asked if the show would be back next season:

“I would like to have one more season to wrap things up,” show executive producer J.J. Abrams said after his panel promoting Alcatraz. “But then that’s what any producer would say.”


“I’m hopeful,” Abrams said. “There’s some stuff coming up this season that’s so great. Maybe it’s dumb optimism that the good work [of the Fringe showrunners Jeff Pinkner and Joel Wyman] will be rewarded. And if not on Fox,” he added, “maybe somewhere else.”

Moving a show to another network rarely happens, so what are Fringe's chances on Fox? Fox's entertainment president Kevin Reilly had this to say:


Fringe has been a point of pride. I share the passion for the show the fans have. I love that Fox, after letting down genre fans over the years [came through with Fringe]. I love that fans stuck with it after it moved to Friday. It has vastly improved our Friday night."

However, the situation is not all milkshakes and red vines, as Reilly explained the problem:

"The hesitation in my voice is that it’s an expensive show. We lose a lot of money on the show. But with that rating on that night it’s almost impossible for us to make money on it. We’re not in the business of losing money."

While that doesn't sound very hopeful, Reilly added:

“Please don’t start the letter-writing campaign. I can’t take it. I hope we get some credit with the fans for seeing through a great show that they’ve enjoyed,” Reilly says. “I’m not now quietly doing the soft cancel here. I’m just telling you where it stands. I know (the producers and the studio) want to keep it going.” 

So where exactly does it stand?

"We need to figure out if there’s a [deal with studio Warner Bros. that] will make sense or will this be it." Reilly said.

According to MSNBC, fans can relax, because Warner Bros boss Peter Roth told then that talk of  cancellation is premature:

"We have no plans to give viewers closure this season because we expect the series to continue."

Fringe star Joshua Jackson agrees that the show should get a proper finish:

"The important thing to me is that our writers are given a chance to finish the show because it’s a serialized show.”

The head writers of the the show, executive producers Jeff Pinkner and Joel Wyman say that no matter what happens, the show will ultimately get a satisfying conclusion:

“The answer to that question is the same every year,” Pinkner started when asked if and when they’d need a heads up to wrap things up. “Worst case scenario, if this were the last aired season of Fringe — and as we’ve said before, there are other outlets where we could continue our stories, be they graphic novels or webisodes — we know what the end of this season is going to be, and it can function as a series finale.”

What's the most important thing you can do as a fan to help? Watch live, tell your friends to watch live, tweet about Fringe using the #fringe hashtag, and of course WATCH LIVE. But most of all, don't worry, enjoy these next 7 weeks in a row of Fringe, and know that Fringe won't leave you hanging!

23 Comments:

Bill King said...

5th and Final WTF what about 6 and 7 and 8 this is TV's best show by far

cortexifan said...

Stay positive! Be nice and don't attack FOX. They have been generous with allowing us S4. Support the show now more than ever, watch live (even if you're not a nielson box household) DVR it but don't skip the commercials when you watch, thank the sponsors. Keep spreading the word. Put a sticker on your car :)

"In the end I have to believe in HOPE"

Dennis said...

Bill,

"fifth and final" was something I added, but I took it out. Given the fact that season 5 is still a "toss up", I would say that if we do get a season 5 , that it would definitely be the last.

Also, the most important thing is to wrap the show up properly, whether that is 4 or 5 seasons. Just because the show could be dragged out for eight seasons, doesn't mean it should. There are plenty of show that probably stayed on the air too long (X-files, Smallville, Buffy, Supernatural, etc...)

cortexifan said...

Dennis, I agree.
As much as I want Fringe to go forever, it should end on a high note and not be dragged out too long. I will be happy even with a shortened 5th season, just to wrap it up in a satisfying way.

Alissa said...

Cortexifan, you're right. FOX has really supported the show. People can complain all they want about the network, but even getting season 4 was a miracle. Still hoping for season 5 though...

Old Darth said...

Watching Live is the MOST important thing that needs to happen to ensure Fringe's renewal for a fifth season.

Beyond that fan recognition of the show's sponsors is also important. Being in Canada I do not know whom the sponsors are. If there is one that sells a product, such as a food or beverage, that is inexpensive and can be supported on an ongoing basis ie every Friday night when the show airs; that would be a great strategy to rally social media around too.

The Subway campaign for Chuck was very effective in raising the show's profile.

Whatever strategies the fans want to employ it needs to incorporate the parties that are footing the bill for the show; the companies that pay for their product to be advertised when the show airs.

As for Fringe going 5 seasons - that would be great but I bet they could wrap up the current storyline(s) this season.

Ideally the show has an infinite number of seasons in it with the only limit being the show runners imagination.

Realistically, one more season is probably all the show will get.

But only if the ratings for LIVE viewing pick up.

Shawn Mahone said...

Donations to Warner Brothers would most likely be helpful. According to spoilertv a season of Fringe would cost 60 - 80 million dollars. So if fans around the world could raise even half or three quarters of that then Fringe could stay on the air.

Briar said...

I don't understand why it was moved to Friday night, and I don't understand why it has to stay there.

This is so like the torment B5 fans suffered. The uncertainty about the fate of the show meant that the writer/producer J. Michael Straczynski (what is he doing now???) wrapped up the most interesting story lines by the end of season 4. Then the SyFy channel took over and we had turgid and disappointing fifth season expanding on the remaining story lines. (Maybe Lochley fans enjoyed it more, but I found that character a complete turn-off.)
This is not a fate I would wish on Fringe, which deserves far better. How infuriating!

Anonymous said...

Goodbye Fringe, you have wasted Joshua jackson long enough.

JM said...

@Briar
I think one of the reasons, for it was that FOX hoped that fringe would do the same for them on fridays that X files did.

Shawn Mahone said...

I think fringe was tried after House but could hold enough of the audience from that, then it was tried after bones and could not hold onto that audience enough. So they moved it to Friday. The fact is if a show cannot hold enough of an audience from a hit show like house and bones then fox has to move the show and try something else. They sell advertising slots based on what they think the ratings should be and back then bones rating was 3.0-3.5 and it dropped to a 2.0 when fringe came on. Fox most likely sold that slot for anywhere between 2.5 -3.0. Fringe not getting that meant fox lost out in the end. Fox has tried the show everywhere but kept losing money, this is in no way their fault.

trent said...

@ JM

Didn't The X-Files start picking up viewers, after it was moved to Sundays? I remember reading that somewhere.

Blue said...

Could fans raise enough money to "buy" another season of Fringe? Something that works the same way as kickstarter.com might be possible to try?

Shawn Mahone said...

If 1 million fans worldwide pitched in 40 dollars each.....then that could potentially pay for half a season. It might take 60 dollars each if fans wanted a higher quality looking wise show.

Matthew M said...

'Old Darth' you just keep puffing along.
The dye has been cast. People are not going to change old habits at this point.
Granted one would think that the economy being as bad as it is, people would stay in on Friday for good entertainment but I guess it is the opposite and they are going out on Friday and either DVRing it or not watching it all together. Why? I haven't a clue.
Even the new show "GRIMM" is doing better and it is on at the same time. I watch them both (DVR).
I'm betting this will be the last season or we may get a short 6-13 week season to wrap things up. One can only hope.

JM said...

@Trent
Not sure mate, you could find that out on wikipedia; they keep the ratings (well normally) next to the episodes titles and air dates on their episode lists

Zepp said...

I like to see things on the positive side. Yes, our beloved show is in trouble, in relation to its continuation, due to high costs of production. Yes, we knew beforehand it would happen, sooner, or later. But. The good news is that the authors and publisher, are already talking with the aim of finding ways to proceed with Fringe, and this is very good, I see. I am also seeing, producer JJ Abrams author, with a firm idea of ​​continuing with the show, although not on FOX. Also the opinion of the president of FOX, was clear, with restrictions such continuation of Fringe. But I "filtering" all this, I can see three items, which are:

1 - This 4th season will come to your episode 22;
2 - there are possibilities of having a 5th season of Fringe on FOX;
3 - there are also some possibilities for Fringe to continue on another network (J.J. Abrams).

But the highlight of all this, I think, is that people are the boss of Fringe are discussing, getting straight, looking for ways to take the show on, and this is highly beneficial, I see. Therefore, follow-minded optimistic about the future of Fringe

fringeobsessed said...

I've got a solution:
This September: The New JJ Abrams' Network.
Put. Fringe. There! :)

Don't laugh too loud. Ya never know.

Interdimensional Dave said...

Maybe Fox will Fringe a probationary Season 5. Something akin to what ABC did for V. V got a partial order to come back but ended up getting cancelled anyway. But at least they got a chance and finished on their own terms.

wetcat said...

"if a million fans pitched in $40..." what if we all bought the first three seasons in dvd, blu ray, or digital? does fox get enough profit from that to notice? it would be an obvious fan support campaign. or with kickstarter, fans probably could raise enough money to film a more satisfying finish... but we would have to beat kickstarter's record for funding. the highest amount ever pledged was $942,000. and what's with the cancellation buzz? last I heard, Fringe was performing satisfactorily in the slot, and it hasn't changed much, in spite of delays (I'm looking at you, world series). what's changed is that the exec's are getting impatient and greedier. they've got their new JJ Abrams show with Alcatraz, and if it's a hit, bet they'll cancel Fringe. if it isn't, they might hold onto fringe a little longer, until they get a new series to fill in the genre gap.

Dennis said...

wetcat,

Fox doesn't get any money from DVD/Blu-ray sales. That all goes to WB. Fox's only role is airing the show, so they only make money on commercials - and only if people watch them.

Luan said...

Fringe is a great science fiction series. I personally hope that they won’t stop at season 4 and hopefully that they will continue to work on Fringe. My opinion is not matter, but I think if Fox has a chance to works on Fringe, please continue. Because each episode has their interesting points and catches the audience’s attention.
Hopefully that Fox will continue to works on Fringe until they have a perfect ending for Peter, Olivia and Walter.
Please excuse for my English mistake: D

B.B. said...

If only people from other contries could contribute to a new season, I just checked and in Turkey a single site has over 60K views on last episode of fringe. Too bad we cannot watch it through American broadcast and our ratings don't count.

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