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Butterfly, Leaf, Handprint, Half Cut Apple, Frog - The Fringe Review
Posted by DGN
on
6:01 PM
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Reviews
So, I've been meaning to do this for a while, but life has got in the way.Either way, typically I like to watch a couple of episodes of a new show before I review them. I say typically even though this is my first review!
Let me start of by saying I'm not a huge sci-fi fan. There are few shows in the genre that really appeal to me. The best ones in the lot being Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Clearly I'm a fan of Joss Wheadon. And clearly I can't wait for Dollhouse to start mid season. However, a show that is slowly adding to the list is Fringe by J.J. Abrams.
I've heard a lot of J.J.Abrams sci fi work, but unfortunately have never seen it. Fans of Lost swear by it (I believe there may even be a rehab program for it), and Cloverfield was praised by all. I really thought that the next Star Trek movie would be my chance to check him out in this field, then came Fringe. I have however seen his non sci fi shows, those being Alias (ok that one is a little sci-fi), What about Brian? and Felicity.
The premise is based on fringe sciences, or paranomal sciences. In a nutshell, FBI agenct Olivia Dunham (played by Anna Torv) is trying to save her FBI boyfriend, John Scott (played by Boston Legal's Mark Valley) from a flesh eating toxin. To do so she has to get Dr. Walter Bischop (John Noble) out of the mental hospital he resides in to help fight this. To make that possible she enlists the help of his estranged son Peter Bishop (Dawson's Creek's Joshua Jackson).
What us created is a character driven show built around a sci fi setting. Every character has a back story and reasoning behind their actions. Olivia is trying to find out about what John was covering up, Dr. Bischop is trying to prove he isn't the quack that people think he is, especially to his son, and Peter is finally seeing his father for who he is. Peter and Olivia also have this chemistry that I can only explain as Mulder and Scully-ish (or for newer tv watchers Booth and Bones-ish). The show even has what seems like a series long mystery built around their mystery of the week. Again, think Buffy or Veronica Mars seasons 1 and 2.
What us created is a character driven show built around a sci fi setting. Every character has a back story and reasoning behind their actions. Olivia is trying to find out about what John was covering up, Dr. Bischop is trying to prove he isn't the quack that people think he is, especially to his son, and Peter is finally seeing his father for who he is. Peter and Olivia also have this chemistry that I can only explain as Mulder and Scully-ish (or for newer tv watchers Booth and Bones-ish). The show even has what seems like a series long mystery built around their mystery of the week. Again, think Buffy or Veronica Mars seasons 1 and 2.
Fringe isn't for everyone. There is a lot of suspension of disbelief, but like any sucessful sci fi producer/writer, the fan base is there, and FOX is counting on them. Pairing it together with another character driven, mystery of the week show like House will really help its numbers (and it has!), so hopefully we can see a lot more of this series in the coming months.
By the way, if your confused about the title of this post, watch the show!
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