Fringe Moving to Canada For Season 2

It's official - Warner Bros will be moving the Season 2 production of Fringe to Vancouver, Canada. The preemptive move was prompted by the possible lack of tax credits in NY, where Fringe is currently filmed.

Employees of the show had hoped Warner Brothers would at least wait to see if the tax credits were renewed. “We’re all fighting for our livelihood and nobody understands the rational,” said Beth Kushnick, set decorator on the show. “Why is there collateral damage when they don’t even have the word about the tax credit?”

The film industry is still fighting to get the program re-funded in NY's upcoming budget, expected to be announced April 1. Unfortunately it will be too late for the impatient WB, even though filming for Fringe season 1 is not due to wrap up until the end of April.

Also, it is important to note that FOX has not yet picked up the series for Season 2, and it is unclear if the move will affect the decision.

There's been no comment from Warner Bros yet as to the fallout of this decision, but as mentioned previously, it could mean hundreds of lost jobs.

* Thanks to Josh-Jackson.net for the Joshua Jackson photo

Fringe mentioned on Bones

Fringe got a little brotherly love from fellow Fox show Bones last night, when it was mentioned in the same breath as some other Sci-Fi classics: Star Wars, Star Trek, Buffy, Xena, and Akira.

Fringe Dwellers Podcast 19: Ability

Adele, Jason and Courtney listen to John Bailey's recap, talk about the many events of the Fringe episode Ability and come up with a truly bizarre Nina Sharp theory.

Listen now:


You can also subscribe to the Fringe Dwellers podcast on iTunes.

If you have a comment or question for The Fringe Dwellers, 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

For more information, visit the Fringe Dwellers homepage.

Courtney comes courtesy of The Fringe Podcast, and Jason's podcasts can be found on iTunes - Film in Focus and The Shadowy Flight: A Knight Rider podcasts.

For more Fringe podcasts, visit the Fringe Podcast Network .

Fringe Episode Review: Ability

I didn't think Fringe could get any better than Bound, but Ability proved me wrong. Talk about a mythology download. Midway through the first season, we already know what the Pattern is, and the show's meta-narrative is being slowly revealed. In a word: fascinating.

But it wasn't just the script that worked; the score and the cinematography were both flawless. I'll go ahead and say it: Fringe is the best-looking show on television. And if it weren't for Lost, it would be the best-sounding one too.

"If I wanted to harm you, I would have...long ago."

My favorite character, the eerie Mr. Jones, revealed the reason for his infatuation with Olivia. He's been keeping tabs on her since the tender age of three, when she was exposed to the consciousness-altering drug Cortexiphan (by William Bell, no less). I think we've all suspected there's something special about Olivia, so kudos to the writers for giving us a tangible answer: she's got an unknown set of powerful mental abilities. Looking forward to seeing more of them!

Knowing what we do about Olivia, Jones and Loeb's actions start to make sense: they need Olivia's abilities. But as members of this cult-like organization, are they themselves capable of similar feats? Jones certainly seems like a powerful man. And his "that's-my-girl" pride in Olivia made me wonder if he might be her real father. I really hope we haven't seen the last of Mr. Jones (or Jared Harris). His improvised, MacGyver-esque gadgets are too cool.

"What was written will come to pass."

So it turns out the Pattern isn't completely unprecedented. It was prophesied. Predicted in an obscure, unpublished manifesto that argued against the unchecked progress of technology. And it looks like Walter may have written it himself.

The most telling clue? Jones' reaction to meeting Walter face-to-face. The man was in awe, like a disciple in the presence of his religion's inspiration. But does Walter even remember writing ZFT? Or perhaps the show is misdirecting us. We only know that the typewriter in Walter's lab was used to compose ZFT. But that also means that William Bell could've written it.

My guess? Walter. It sets him opposite from Bell, the tech-tycoon, and I like the symmetry implied.

"Only one world will survive."

Here's the real kicker. Fringe is rolling out the Multiverse Theory. The primary conflict involves a world similar to ours, "but whose history is slightly ahead of our own." When people from that world start visiting ours, bad things will happen. The technology involved must be pretty harmful. In the end, it's us versus them. This sounds like the "two sides" Mitchell Loeb was preaching about.

Could these visitors from a parallel universe be Observers? That's my best guess. I hate that we'll have to wait until April for more clues, but at least we've got plenty to chew on.

Stray Thoughts

• Best Line of the Night: "The man was clever enough to Star Trek himself out of a maximum-security German prison."
  
• Is it just me, or does Fringe have the coolest voices of any TV show? Between Jared Harris (Jones), Kirk Acevedo (Charlie), and Lance Reddick (Broyles), I could just listen to an episode and be entertained.
• I'm dying to see Creepy Cult Recruit Tests 2 through 10.
• How did Jones escape the hospital? Does using Walter's Dizray eventually transform you into something not-quite human? I gasped at the hole in the wall.

Adam Morgan is a writer for both the page and screen in Chicago, and blogs daily on writing, film, pop culture, and strange news at Mount Helicon.

Exclusive: Alternate Ending For Ability

FringeTelevision.com has an exclusive look at the final page of the script for the Fringe episode Ability. In the episode, Walter is silent after typing the "Y" in "Ability", but in the script, he poses the question "Why?" Either way, it's clear that the ZFT manuscript was typed on the same typewriter, but it is still unclear who actually typed it - Walter Bishop or his lab partner William Bell.

Want more? Head over to the Fringe Spoilers section for another exclusive - the title to Fringe Episode 117.

Will WB Move Fringe Filiming To Canada?

Crain's New York Business is reporting that there may be trouble up ahead for Fringe. Due to the recent financial turmoil, the tax incentives offered for filming in NY have dried up. Legislators in Albany are uncertain whether they will renew the fund, leaving production companies already filming in NY in a bind.

“We are trying to make sure that Albany understands the severity of the situation,” said Alan Suna, president of Silvercup Studios in Long Island City, Queens. “These jobs are going to be eviscerated from the New York economy with no replacements.”

While Fringe is shown on FOX in the US, and based in Boston, it is produced by Warner Bros in NY. The WB has stated that they will not stay in NY without the tax breaks. This could mean that the show will move back to Canada, where the pilot was filmed. In fact the producers of Fringe are already scouting stage space in Toronto and drawing up budgets to start shooting there.

According to my inside source, Toronto is where TV shows go to die, and by moving the show to Canada to save money, it will also allow the WB to fire 220 US crew members.

Film workers have started a petition to fund the incentive program. In just two days, more than 6,000 signatures have been collected. Please sign your name to show your support. You may also contact the NY officials directly:

NY Governor
David A. Patterson
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
Phone: (518) 474-8390
Click here to email the Governor

Speaker of the New York State Assembly
Sheldon Silver
250 Broadway
Suite 2307
New York, NY 10007
Phone: (212) 312-1420
Fax: (212) 312-1425
Click here to email Assembly member Silver.

New York State Senator Majority Leader
Malcolm A. Smith
250 Broadway, Suite 1930
New York, NY 10007
Phone: (212) 298-5585
Fax: (212) 298-5605
Email: masmith@senate.state.ny.us

Walter's Lab Notes: Fringe 114 Ability

Walter's Lab Notes from the Ability include the ZFT manuscript, and some various parts of David Robert Jones' tests. The notes take a strange turn in the middle, where it looks like Walter switched to his (or Dr. Bell's?) old typewriter.

FYI, the notes mention:

• Ribosomal S6 Kinase - is a protein involved in signal transduction, i.e. cell conversion
• Keloiding - is a type of scarring, noted for overgrowing the original scar area
  
• Hatfields & McCoy's were two 19th century families involved in a bitter feud
• Al Capone & Bugs Moran were rival mob bosses involved in the St. Valentines Day Massacre
• York & Lancaster were two Houses of England that fought each other in the War Of The Roses.
• Adenine, Guanine, Thymine, Cytosin are the four components that make up DNA
• King Canute - was an 11 century ruler that (unsucessfully) commanded the tide to halt.
  

Click here to read the text of Walter's Notes

- Project 1097 - Exploration 1 -

The Bos Taurus is, of course, a notable exception to the one-half rule — one I had hoped to explore via the cast of Gene's udders. An exploration that must now be placed on hold, whilst I investigate this curious skin condition. The cause, it appears, is overproduction of ribosomal s6 kinase along with a hyperactive keloiding process. But why the body receives orifices as wounds, I have not yet been able to detaerlmar sdlf;qpie vllzuadsf; xyayayurf ---------------------

A book of revelations, fallen into my lap. "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." Now I envy the experimental subject's ignorance. He knows nothing, needs to know nothing, indeed is required to know nothing. Like these poor victims -- sightless, speechless, breathless, and constipated -- someone's warped parody of a double-blind experiment. Thank heavens we remained in the control group. We'll not have an easy time of it, trying to keep up with the Joneses. I need someone to tell me why -- why why why why why -- he ran away. And I wonder if they'll let me stay. I ordered the lasagna platter and the waiter told me it came with two sides, but I was unable to choose. Hatfields or McCoys? Al Capone or Bugs Moran? york or Lancaster? Survey says: BZZZT! The opposition has a chance to steal. They'd steal all four bases if they could: adenine, guanine, thymine, cytosine. None can hold back the rising nucleotide, not even King Canute. One two, contract the flu. Three four, infect by spore. Five six, genetic mix. Seven eight, procreate. Oh well. The malady was only skin deep, but 'twas enough. And sad as it was, i just had to laugh; I saw the photograph. I took my secret box and dumped out all the pieces, but I couldn't see the big picture. The big becomes the little when you see it back a bit, and that's about the size of it.

Fringe Promo Photos 114: Ability

Here are the promotional photos for Fringe episode 114 Ability.
(for those that avoid the Fringe Spoilers section.)

[photos: Craig Blankenhorn/FOX]

Last Night On Fringe: Ability

Last night's episode of Fringe was Ability:

German agents question Olivia about her "relationship" with David Robert Jones, an escaped prisoner questioned months earlier now living in the U.S. Meanwhile, the Fringe Division investigates a threatening case where victims die faceless from their orifices suddenly sealing. With few leads and many questions, German authorities turn to Olivia, Peter and Walter to help makes sense of the return of Mr. Jones and the foreboding mysterious occurrences. As the investigation unfolds, Olivia is put to test

Ability links:

• Re-watch the entire episode over at Fringe Episode, where you can also leave comments and discuss the episode.
  
• Check out what you might have missed in the Fringe Easter Eggs section.
  
• Did you spot The Observer?
  
• The Fringepedia Wiki will be hard at work organizing all the Fringe facts
• High-Def screen captures from the entire episode will be available soon in Fringe Gallery.

Fringe Episode 114: Ability

German agents question Olivia about her "relationship" with David Robert Jones, an escaped prisoner questioned months earlier now living in the U.S. Meanwhile, the Fringe Division investigates a threatening case where victims die faceless from their orifices suddenly sealing...

Which Guest Character would you like to see become a Recurring Character?

Akim Tess Amaral Lucas Vogel

Fringe at NY Comic Con Photos

Here are some official Fringe photos taken at the New York Comic Con this weekend.

BTW, If you have any photos or videos from the event, we'd love to see them!

Fringe Dwellers Podcast 18: The Transformation

Adele and Jason tackle Fringe episode 113, The Transformation. Look out for some interesting theories, some John Scott closure, emails and Adele geeking out.

Show notes are available at the Fringe Dwellers homepage.

Listen now:


You can also subscribe to the Fringe Dwellers podcast on iTunes.

If you have a comment or question for The Fringe Dwellers, 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

Jason's podcasts can be found on iTunes - Film in Focus and Shadowy Flights.

For more Fringe podcasts, check out the Fringe Podcast Network.