Fringe: If You Haven't Seen It, It's New To You

Which is a nice way of saying Fringe is not new tonight. Instead, tonight's episode is an encore presentation of Episode 102, The Same Old Story. If the new TV season has left you with room for Fringe, and tonight is your first time watching and you like what you see, you can catch up on the entire season of Fringe by watching it online. The next new episode of Fringe doesn't air until November 11, 2008, so there's plenty of time. Fringe is one of only two new hit shows this season, and it has been picked up for a full season.


As for tonight's episode, it has been spoiled, cataloged, discussed, disassembled and reassembled. Which just goes to show, there's more to Fringe than meets the eye.

Is Fringe new to you?

Fringe Dwellers Podcast: Episode 8

Jen and Adele dip their toes into the murky onion soup of Fringe's sixth episode, The Cure. We discuss our thoughts about the Olivia backstory relevations, Peter's deal with the devil (and by that we mean Nina Sharp) and the gutwrenchingly funny Walterisms of this episode.

Emails, voicemail and our plans for the mini-hiatus are also discussed. Show notes are available at the Fringe Dwellers homepage.

Listen now:


You can also subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

If you have a comment or question for Adele & Jen, you can email them at fringedwellers@gmail.com. You can also leave a voicemail for them at (206) 333-0072, or reach them on Twitter as fringedwellers, or Facebook as Gene the Cow Worshippers

KROQ: Joshua Jackson Interview

Joshua Jackson was interviewed by Kevin & Bean on the Los Angeles radio station KROQ.

Good Day NY: Lance Reddick Interview

Lance Reddick was on Good Day New York Tuesday to discuss Fringe and what it's like to work with J.J. and Joshua. Julie Chang also got Lance to sing a little tune for her.

Fringe: The Cure - HD Screencaps

High-Definition screen captures of Fringe Episode 1.06 "The Cure", are now available in our Galley section.

Some of the most interesting screenshots are already up in our Screencaps / Easter Egg section, but if there's something you can't find there or in our Gallery, you can request a screenshot here.

Fox Fringe: Walter's Lab Notes #6

Accompanying the usual crime scene photos and notes, a bowl of Mr. Papayahead's remains and what looks like a blood spatter picture of a woman sealed in a plastic baggy?

Fringe Episode 106 - 'The Cure' Airs Tonight

...at 9/8 Central on FOX. If, ...

Doing something online, I was watching a show and something was mentioned I'd be able to go online and see it. This just provides another level of discovery and interaction. Often there are clues that connect to things in the story if you care to pursue those or examine them or discover them. It's something as a viewer I like to do, so it really comes from my, and the team's, desire to create entertainment that goes elsewhere than just the TV or movie screen. That elsewhere might be online or places yet to be discovered. It's not about trying to blur the line, it's about creating an experience that is more than just the narrative that you are watching in front of you. -- J.J. Abrams

...appeals to you, be sure to join us starting at 9:00 Eastern for our easter egg hunt and episode discussion where this week's poll asks, "Which major science fiction themes would you like Fringe to explore?"

We also have some previews and spoilers for tonight's episode, and as always, Fringepedia will be a hivemind of activity.

TV Guide: Jasika Nicole Interview

TV Guide has an exclusive interview with Jasika Nicole, who plays Astrid Farnsworth on Fringe. Jasika reveals some interesting information about her character, and some theories about William Bell. There are some mild-spoilers in the article, so you can read the spoiler-free version below, or head over to Spoilers.FringeTelevision.com to read the spoliers.

Click here to read the Spoiler-Free article

Fringe: Jasika Nicole Hints at Astrid's Secrets
by Mickey O'Connor
Oct 21, 2008 07:16 AM ET

When Jasika Nicole auditioned for J.J. Abrams' Fringe (Tuesdays, 9 pm/ET, Fox), she was told it was for a sci-fi series that incorporated humor. As FBI Special Agent Astrid Farnsworth, though, Nicole isn't exactly given a lot of the punchlines, saddled as she is with doing a lot of the heavy lifting in the lab of mad scientist Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble). With a background in musical theater and a talent for drawing (check out her work, including an autobiographical comic, on her website), Jasika (it's pronounced jah-SEEK-uh) talks to us about being intimidated by Noble, why Astrid returned to work in the lab and her theory about the identity of the elusive William Bell.

TVGuide.com: What's a sensible gal like Astrid doing with this bunch of crazies?
Jasika Nicole: I think Astrid is really riveted by Olivia Dunham [who is played by Anna Torv]. I think for any woman starting out in her career, Agent Dunham is an exceptional role model. On Fringe, she is juxtaposed with the doctor, who is also brilliant, but was in an institution. I imagine that Astrid is trying to learn the balance of going after what you want in your career without having it be your whole life. Literally 15 minutes ago I was talking with Anna Torv about needing a scene to show that Astrid has a life outside of this lab.

TVGuide.com: So what's coming up for Astrid? Will she have a larger role in future episodes?
Nicole: She's always doing a lot of lab work, always doing a lot of filing and interjecting at appropriate moments. Episode 107 [which airs on Nov. 11] is really intense. [SPOILER REMOVED]

TVGuide.com: Do you have a backstory for Astrid?
Nicole: So far I've learned that she's really, really smart, has a brain for science even though that isn't what she studied. [SPOILER REMOVED]

TVGuide.com: Tell me about working with John.
Nicole: John is the funniest guy. I thought he would be very serious, and I was intimidated when I first met him, and I'm pretty sure he made fun of me because, you know, he likes to keep the mood light. Seeing him work is fascinating; it's like taking a master class. I just like to sit back and watch how he processes information and take notes. He's able to do a scene a million different ways within the span of five minutes because he's so able to connect with the artistic vision everyone has for this show.

TVGuide.com: But why can't Dr. Bishop ever remember Astrid's name?
Nicole: I wonder if it just started out as one joke, and it just ended up being so charming and funny that they kept it going. It's hard for me not to laugh; John's reading on it is so funny. We have this running joke where we're always trying to think of new names for Astrid. We were rehearsing a scene the other day and he called me "Afro," and I died. I fell on the floor laughing. He's also called me "Aspirin" and "Ostrich."

TVGuide.com: And when he finally does pay attention to her, he attacks and sedates her. Why do you think Astrid came back to the lab?
Nicole: At first, it was discouraging that they didn't put anything in that told you why Astrid returned. But I think that it sets up something to happen later. [SPOILER REMOVED]

TVGuide.com: Personally, I think that Astrid is much more than she appears, that maybe she has some kind of special skill or power that's related to Dr. Bishop's work.
Nicole: I think that is very, very possible. The best theory I heard so far is that I am William Bell.

TVGuide.com: Wanna hear the best William Bell theory that I heard? That he's Blair Brown's prosthetic arm!
Nicole: [Laughs] That's beautiful. At night, it leaves her body and goes out and does bad things.

Fringe Dwellers - Episode 7 - "Power Hungry"

In episode seven of the Fringe Dwellers Podcast, Jen and Adele try a slightly new format to tackle the electrifying fifth FRINGE episode - Power Hungry. They respond to your emails, report on the newest Kurt-ci news and bring your some spoilers.

Also, listen out for David Wu's parody of Gold Digger that summarizes the events of episode 4 before the spoilers.

Listen now:


You can also subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

If you have a comment or question for Adele & Jen, you can email them at fringedwellers@gmail.com. You can also leave a voicemail for them at (206) 333-0072, or reach them on Twitter as fringedwellers, or Facebook as Gene the Cow Worshippers

J.J. Abrams: Fringe proudly and squarely exists in the science fiction world.

J.J. Abrams talked to Starwars.com about Fringe (and Star Wars).

I read that Fringe had an interesting bovine problem because you couldn't use the same cow from the pilot so you had to bring in another cow and paint it to look like the original.

I wish that had been the biggest problem on the show. [laughs] We had an issue with the cow not being able to cross the border from Canada where we shot the pilot. Apparently, cows are contraband.

Did you have any other obstacles with Fringe that you hadn't come across being a TV show veteran? How has your experience working on this show differed than that of something like Alias or Lost?

I have relatively speaking very little experience, so every time I'm involved in a movie or a TV show it always feels like a brand new set of challenges. On this show, among others, it's a question of pacing the show and how much we reveal. We are obviously taking scientific notions and pushing them into insanity so this is not a documentary or a course on science. It's supposed to be taken as Frankenstein was -- an entertaining narrative that takes the ideas that surround us and push them much farther than they are currently able to go. When Star Trek first came out with communicators and the idea of a laser shooting something, these were scientific notions that didn't exist. And now 40 years later there actually are lasers that can shoot as weapons, and there are communicators that we have in our pockets. The idea that some of the stuff we're talking about potentially could come to pass is a fascinating one, but we're not pretending that this is all real and happening now. The fun of Fringe is that it's a "what if" scenario. Every episode gets to play with the impossible idea that something might happen and how do we deal with those ramifications and consequences? What does it mean to live in a world where science has run amok?

Even TV shows that are supposed to be based in fact like C.S.I. and House aren't exactly using proper science; you can't get DNA results in two hours.

Most legal or medical shows stretch the truth. There are trials and treatments that come to resolution at hyper speed and the reality is much different, but that reality isn't always entertaining. Fringe proudly and squarely exists in the science fiction world.

You often create Web sites for fictional companies like Massive Dynamic for Fringe and The Hanso Foundation for Lost to draw the viewer online and give them another experience outside the TV show. Why is a transmedia experience important to envision in all your properties?

Doing something online, whether it's stuff we did on Lost or Alias and even on Felicity -- one of the characters, Noel Crane, had a Web site -- the idea is more that, if I was watching a show and something was mentioned I'd be able to go online and see it. This just provides another level of discovery and interaction. Often there are clues that connect to things in the story if you care to pursue those or examine them or discover them. It's something as a viewer I like to do, so it really comes from my, and the team's, desire to create entertainment that goes elsewhere than just the TV or movie screen. That elsewhere might be online or places yet to be discovered. It's not about trying to blur the line, it's about creating an experience that is more than just the narrative that you are watching in front of you.

Read the full interview at Starwars.com: J.J. Abrams Talks Fringe, Cattle and Star Wars

Power Hungry Postmortem

Popular Mechanics is back at it, Fringebusting the science in Fringe. But more interesting than the debunking:

• The product placement. Not in Fringe, but in the Popular Mechanics articles about Fringe. Perhaps we should do a weekly critique of how well PC disguises their paid links as journalism.


• Still no acknowledgment of The Arrival's PC shout out that we can see. Perhaps Fringe should try again, only this time send the shout out the recurring fringebuster, Kate Schweitzer.


• "And regarding Joseph's ability to levitate in the elevator? Park compared this to the urban legend that if you jump in a careening elevator, right at its moment of impact, you'd survive. It's just not true."

On the ratings front, TV by the Numbers declares Fringe a hit with the two key demographics, the 18-49 year olds (4.2/10) and 18-34 year olds (3.8/10) with 9.53 million total viewers.

Fringe: Power Hungry - HD Screencaps

High-Definition screencaps of Fringe Episode 105 "Power Hungry", are now available in our Galley section.

Some of the most interesting screenshots are already up in our Screencaps / Easter Egg section, but if there's something you can't find there or in our Gallery, you can request a screenshot here.

Fringe Photos: Episode 105 - Power Hungry

Here are the promotional photos for Fringe Episode 105 "Power Hungry"

Fringe Scenemaker 105: Power Hungry

Fringe Scenemaker is a behind the scenes look at the filming of Fringe Episode 105 - Power Hungry.

Fox Fringe: Walter's Lab Notes #5

Walter's King of Cups card is a tarot card. Interpreting the King of Cups really depends on which source you favor, but one we found might allude to Olivia's relationship with John Scott.

The King of Cups does not repress his emotions and unconscious impulses but has learned to accept and deal with them in a mature and balanced manner. -- biddytarot.com

Most notable however, the face of the king is covered (or scratched out?) by a bird dropping?

Among a few crime scene photos of the elevator crash are two feathers, presumably those of the pigeons responsible for the mess. Also seemingly out of place, what appears to be a childhood art project "By: Peter!!"

There is also a diagram of the device used to reorient the pigeon's internal compasses so they could home in on Joseph Meegar's location.

Anna Torv And Joshua Jackson On The Cover Of TV Guide.

Decoding the FRINGE phenomena.

Freaky Mystery + Mad Scientist + J.J. Abrams =

TV'S LATEST CULT OBSESSION

"On news stands Thursday." -- Fox's Fringe Blog

Edit: Spoiler TV scans the full article.

Fringe Returns With A New Episode (105 - 'Power Hungry') Tonight!

Fringe is all new tonight at 9/8c.

For a preview, synopsis and promotional photos of 'Power Hungry' see: Spoilers.

Have something to say, join the discussion over at Episodes starting at 9:00 Eastern.

See something interesting in tonight's episode (a clue?), request a screen capture over at Easter Eggs.

Have a question about, or something to add to the known Fringe universe, see/join Fringepedia.

This week we are also happy to announce that Fringe-TV.com has joined forces with FringeTelevision.com. The merger incorporates a Forum and Gallery into our operations at Fringe Television. (You need to be registered to take advantage of all the tools available in each.)

Join us in welcoming Austin--who will remain the Administrator and Editor of the Forum and Gallery--and everyone else from the Fringe-TV.com's community. We hope you like the digs here at Fringe Television.

Last but not least, we would like to introduce the Fringe Podcast Network. The Network is a place where Fringe fans can find all of their favorite Fringe podcasts in one place. It is modeled after the popular Lost Podcast Network.

If you have a Fringe podcast, and would like to join the network, contact podcasts@fringetelevision.com.

J.J. Abrams Live Webchat: Is Over Arcing Mystery Winning Out Over Procedural On Fringe?

The Guardian has posted a transcript of their LIVE webchat with J.J. Abrams which took place earlier today. Below are a few of the more telling answers JJ gave in response to questions about Fringe, including on finding Fringe's rhythm and on the existence of a Lost size mystery.

Q: To you, is there an upcoming episode that you are especially proud of and you think will be a fan favourite when the series is finished?

Also, I have noticed a certain formula in the structure of the episodes so far. Is this something that is going to carry on, or will there be variations on this formula? Sorry if that isn't too specific. - owlwaxer

JJ - We are still finding our rhythm. If you look back at the early episodes of your favourite shows you will find they are a little bit to the left of what the show ultimately became. I feel we are still arriving. The fourth episode, The Arrival, is closer to what the show will be.

Q: Is Fringe going to be a big mystery as Lost is, with all the cryptic clues. Or will Fringe be a light venture? - yamatoEva

JJ - There will be and there already is, and ep 4 begins it, the over arcing mystery of the show. The goal is to do both - to tune in and enjoy without knowing anything that comes before it but also if you watch every week you will see things you understand and that are connected tot he larger picture. We are looking at both of them. -- Full Transcript

Fringe Photos: Episode 104 - The Arrival

Here are the promotional photos for Fringe Episode 104 - The Arrival.

Now That You've Seen Anna Torv In Action, How Do You Rank Her In The Pantheon Of J.J. Abrams' Leading Ladies?

Which Abrams' girl is your favorite?