The triumphant return of Trevor starts off with Fringe -- a show that's basically the X-Files; only instead of fighting against aliens from space and the things-that-go-bump-in-the-night, these characters are battling against an alternate selves from a different universe... and, of course, the things-that-go-bump-in-the-night.
Now, this is a J.J. Abrams vessel (but what isn't nowadays?), so chances are it's going to start off great. And it does. The first season is entertaining as whole and completely satisfies my hunger for a sci-fi/crime-procedural where a hole has been left in my heart ever since X-Files took a bow and left the stage years ago. I kind of feel this is a sub-genre that seldom gets touched upon, which is sad because I'm easily bias towards them. I was even rooting for The Lone Gunmen (an X-Files spin-off) that lasted all of 13-episodes.
It had potential, Fox! If you only gave it a chance! The Three Stooges uncovering conspiracy theories?
ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES!
The way this show really stands on its own legs is grounding their wild stories firmly in hard science -- this is compared to Mulder's "hunches" -- with the introduction Dr. Walter Bishop, a certified mad scientist. We start with tough-as-nails, female FBI agent Olivia Dunham who needs Walter's help in solving a case. Only problem: he's been locked away for over a decade in a mental institution after blowing up his lab assistant. Oh, and he's clearly crazy. Yup. Crazy as a bat. So, Dunham needs the help of his only son, Peter Bishop -- a suave, international jack-of-all-trades sorts. The estranged father and son reunite under uneasy terms, and the trio set off to solve the FBI's strange, unsolved cases... The X-Files! Er... Wait! The Fringe Division. Yeah... Totally not the same. One only had two people working in it. This one has like 20 people. Twelve at the least.
Totally not the same.
In all fairness, the show is entertaining. Each episode's main mystery is fun and exciting. Then the B-storyline that weaves through the whole season always keeps you asking questions. (Unlike Lost, I was receiving satisfying answers at a reasonable rate.) I won't try and confuse myself or you with the nitty-gritty of it all, but let's say it involves men with alopecia wearing black suits while predicting tragedies; an alternate dimension where a parallel (shittier-looking) Earth exists; and Spock. Yes, Spock.
I would say if the new fall season of television starts to piddle out and you're looking for something new to watch, give it a shot. As for me, might be a while till I start season 2.
Don't worry, Pacey... I wont forget about you!
This and Battlestar are on my short list for "next 5-ish season show to burn through" status. Keith was also into Fringe early on and I think he made it all the way through. I just know it gets really weird and lost all kinds of ratings, which allowed it to fully commit to the weirdness because, hey, no one is watching anyway, so who cares? Kind of like Til Death in the end.
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