Observer Sighting Videos

Fox has released four Observer sighting videos to promote "Observer Week" on Fringe:

Observer Sightings in Los Angeles

We have added a bunch of photos from today's Observer sighting in Los Angeles into an album at FringeFiles.com. We'll be add more as they come streaming in, be sure to check back later as well.

If you have any photos or video, please send us an email. Thanks!

Observer Locations for NYC, Boston, and Chicaco

The Observer sightings have already taken place in LA and Atlanta. Next stop Boston, Chicago, and New York. Here is the schedule for tomorrow's live appearances:

CHICAGO

9:00am - 11:30am: Michigan Ave/Wacker Drive/State Street
11:50am - 2:00pm: Michigan Ave & Randolph/Madison


NEW YORK

7:00am - 8:15am: Rockefeller Plaza


8:30am - 10:00am: Grand Central Station
10:15am - 11:00am: Times Square
11:40am - 12:30pm: Herald Square
12:45am - 2:00pm: Union Square

BOSTON

7:00am - 10:00am: South Station T-Station (the Grand Central of Boston)
11:40am - 2:00pm: Copley Square, Hereford, Prudential Center
If you are able to go to any of these events, please take pictures and/or video and send us an email so we can share them with everyone else. Thanks!

Locations Announced For Observer Appearance in Los Angeles

The Observer will be appearing in Los Angeles at the following locations today:

7:15am - 8:00am ... Wilshire & Santa Monica
8:15am - 9:00am ... The Beverly Center
9:30am - 10:30am ... 3rd Street Promenade
11:30am - 12:30pm ... Hollywood and Highland
1:00pm - 2:00pm ... The Grove

Here is a map of the locations (click for directions):

The Observer will likely be handing out Fringe Tabasco sauce (as seen above). If you are able to go to any of these events, please take pictures and/or video and send them to us so we can share it with everyone else. Thanks!

Fringe Ratings: What Me Worry?

There has been a lot of FUD spread around lately concerning Fringe's ratings. Situated in one of the most competitive time slots this fall, ratings have been predictably low. However, Fringe has two things going for it that may allay some fears.

First, in the same time slot, Fringe has improved ratings over what was in the same spot last year. Secondly, with all the cost cutting measures employed by WB in moving the show to Canada and cast and crew redundancy, it is in a much better place to survive lower numbers.

Entertainment Weekly spoke with JJ Abrams, who says the show is not in any immediate danger, and that FOX remains committed to the show.

“The mood on set and in the writer’s room is as good as the ratings are bad, which is to say, wonderful,” Abrams tells me. “Luckily, Fox has been insanely supportive, for which we are deeply grateful.”

Abrams is encouraged by the show’s “strong” DVR numbers as well as the glowing reviews from critics. “But given that we’re on one of the hardest [nights] on television, we’re just focusing on making the best show we possibly can,” he says. “What else can we do?”

Like most things in life, nothing is safe forever, so the LA Times has a list of five things that could help Fringe - more answers, more character development (e.g. Astrid, Bell, Nina), more bad guys, less loose ends, and maybe the most important of all - move the show to a different day.

Fox is a little ham-stringed by not having a 10:00pm primetime slot, so the options for moving the show are limited. Of course it could move back to "reality" Tuesdays, but then there's the American Idol problem in January.

What do you think? Are you worried about Fringe? What would do to improve the ratings?

Fringe Sneak Peek 208: August

Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive look at the first scene of the upcoming Fringe episode August.

Fringe Commercial 208: August

Here is the full commercial for the next Fringe episode August, which airs November 19 on FOX.

Head over to the FringeTelevision YouTube channel to watch it in full HD.

Screenshots of the video are available at FringeFiles.com

Observers Spotted At NFL Packers/Cowboys Game

TWO observers were spotted at Sunday's Greenbay vs. Dallas NFL game on FOX, officially marking the start of Observer Week for Fringe.

The local Wisconsin Fox affiliate WLUK even ran a news piece on the sighting:

Fringe Observer Week

Variety is reporting that Fox has launched a major campaign this week to promote the Observer-centric Fringe episode "August":

"Observer Week," as the campaign is dubbed internally, includes placing multiple actors playing "observers" in the crowd at live Fox telecasts -- Sunday's NFL game, as well as an episode of "So You Think You Can Dance."

Fox did something similar last year on programs such as "American Idol" and NASCAR.

Fox will also send out street teams dressed as the observer (dark suits, bald heads, carrying briefcases) to various spots in Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, Boston and Chicago. The characters will pass out Tabasco sauce (a nod to the fact that "Fringe's" observers like spicy food).

Fast-pausing DVR users may also notice subliminal shots of "Fringe's" observers popping up in primetime via hidden images in the net's night opens, as well as via seven-frame graphics flashed throughout the evening.

"The hope is we get a few more viewers watching the show live," Earley said. "Or at least watching it within three days of air. The show is too good, and we want to continue to support it."

The Easter-egg approach of the campaign also plays well with the fans of mythology-based shows like "Fringe," he said.

If you live in Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, Boston and Chicago, Be sure to keep your eye out (and your camera ready.) Please send us an email if you live in any of these areas and would like to see the Observer in person, or to report any Observer sightings you may find.

So you can also join The Observer Trackers facebook group to see any official updates.

Fringe Reviews and Recaps: Of Human Action

Here are a handful of reviews and recaps for the Fringe episode Of Human Action.

Fox: Official 'Of Human Action' Recap

Associated Content: Fringe Ramps Up the Tension in Latest Episode
IGN: Fringe: "Of Human Action" Review
LA Times: 'Fringe': Inside Massive Dynamic (mentions FringeTelevision.com!)
NY Magazine: Fringe: Mind the Mind Control
TV Fanatic: Fringe Review: "Of Human Action"
TV Squad: Review: Fringe - Of Human Action
Airlock Alpha: 'Fringe' – Of Human Action

Fringe Episode Review: Of Human Action

The episode starts out with Tyler Carson, a fifteen year old boy that has been kidnapped by two men, that are using mind control to hold him hostage and killing anyone that gets in the way. When the Fringe team arrives we learn Tyler’s father, James Carson works for the Aerospace division of Massive Dynamic.

The next scene was interesting in that it is Walter’s first actual contact with Massive Dynamic. He hasn’t seen or heard from Bell in decades but just being in the building, his presence is heavily felt. Early on we gain references and parallels to Peter’s childhood and Walter raising him. It’s the father of the kidnapped boy that says, “What I do here, it's -- it's my life. It's the only -- Tyler's mother died when he was just a boy. And now if -- if I lose him, I don't know what I'd do.” I imagine Walter was much the same way in that his work was his life. Certainly we know Peter was sick and it was his work that he tried using to save him and eventually used to bring the alter-version of him to this world. Though we don’t know much about Peter’s own mother, we do learn that Bell had been the one to introduce them at Neruobiology Conference in Berlin.

Click here to read the rest of the review...

The episode continues with a convenience store robbery and finally a ransom call from the kidnappers demanding two million dollars. Nina Sharp states that “Massive Dynamic will cover any ransom.” At this point to me, the alarm bells were going off. How many businesses would eagerly offer two million dollars to cover a ransom demand. That’s awfully generous. It’s Olivia that doesn’t buy the fact the kidnappers are after money and believe it’s a distraction for something bigger.

Walter determines the cause of the mind control is an auditory signal and white noise should be able to protect oneself with headphones and the constant pulsating noise. I do love how Walter seemed to save everything of Peter’s, including a teddy bear that emits the sound of the womb—in essence, white noise. Were those teddy bears even around when Peter was born?

The boy isn’t with the kidnappers and Peter leaves Walter to chase the money only to find himself suddenly under the control of the fifteen year old boy. It was the kidnappers that had actually been kidnapped. Imagine trying to explain that to the police and FBI.

The intensity of the episode seems to pick up now as Peter is under the boys control and when he tries to fight it, the boy just becomes reckless, swerving them through traffic, about ready to kill them. Peter gives in, willingly driving the car, learning quickly Tyler can control all or part of him. Peter tries to get inside his head, deflate the situation. It’s Peter that says, “Do you really think that you're the first kid whose father didn't think he was good enough, or smart enough? Take a number.”

We find out it’s up to Walter to disable Tyler as the cocktail he’s taken from Massive Dynamic, the hormones, and his ADD medication have given him the ability of mind control. Walter can’t seem to work, worried about losing his son again and it is Nina that finally is able to get through to him.

The search continues and we learn Tyler was lied to about his mother and it was his desire to find her, to be a family that started this whole charade. When they meet up with her, Tyler tells her he wants to go away with her, anywhere. When Seth, her new husband, sees Tyler and asks what’s going on, Tyler loses it and forces Peter against his will to pull the gun. Broyles sees the situation from outside the window and goes into the house. Broyles uses the stun gun to disable Tyler’s ability but in his effort finds himself shot by Peter, in the arm—due to Tyler’s ability. It doesn’t end just yet as Tyler forces Peter back to the road and we find Olivia, Astrid, and Walter trying to get close enough to disrupt Tyler’s brainwaves. Peter sees it working beside him and knowing he might not have much time crashes his father’s car into a telephone pole. Thankfully Peter is okay and the boy though unconscious is also given a sedative to keep his power disabled.

In the final scene, we see Nina typing on an old computer a letter to Bell that Tyler #3 displayed the ability of mind control and before they grew aware of his ability had searched out his surrogate mother. Suddenly it all makes sense. This was another experiment by Massive Dynamic.

I think this episode worked well in both a stand-alone and bigger overall story-arc. Nina writes to Bell in regards of the “Penrose-Carson experiments” and for those that have followed the show, may remember Penrose from early season one. I believe the episodes with character driven stories, where their emotions tie in and relate to the cases leave us feeling much more satisfied and invested as viewers.

Fringe Press Kit: August

Yesterday I received the FOX press kit for the Fringe episode August. It was a medium sized box with a poster of the Observer (it's one of the August promotional photos) on the front.

Inside the box was a bottle of Tabasco pepper sauce, a page of Observer writing, three historical photos, and the DVD for the episode August.

On the back of the Tabasco sauce was a custom Fringe label with the saying "Observers Are Here", which can also been seen in the opening title sequence.


The letter contains the same strange writing seen in the Observer's notebook from The Arrival.

I'm not sure if these are just random characters, or there is actually a decipherable code, but I do see some repeating characters, so it may not actually be the most complicated code Astrid has ever seen.

I'm sure there are some supreme code crackers out there (e.g. Julian Sanchez), so if anyone figures it out, let me know.


The most interesting part of the kit is the "historical" photos. You may recognize the first one from the August preview. I won't explain what is going on in the photos, but it should be fairly obvious if you look closely. Because these photos are a little spoilery, I have put the scans over in the Fringe Spoilers section.

You can see photos of other Fringe press kits here.