Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4.0 out of 5 stars
After a shaky start, FRINGE looks like it has hit its stride, January 3, 2009
After Joss Whedon's DOLLHOUSE, the most anticipate new series of the 2008-2009 television schedule was J. J. Abrams's FRINGE. The quick review is that FRINGE has been a disappointment. The news, however, is not all bad. While it has some problems, some of them perhaps insoluble, it has gotten progressively more interesting as it has gone along. At the end of the first 5 or 6 episodes, I found myself not really caring what happened next on the show. But after the fall finale, I discovered that I did. I'm not sure this will ever become a truly good series, but it is at least one that I plan on continuing to watch.
The core problem with the show is that the two leads - Anna Torv and Joshua Jackson - are simply not very good. I like Anna Torv, consider her very attractive, but she isn't an especially compelling actress and she lacks charisma. If she were a sidekick instead of the lead, she would be fine. Unfortunately, she is called upon to carry the show, to be FRINGE's Sidney Bristow, and she simply isn't. Additionally, unlike many of the other Australian or British actors currently on American television, Torv frequently loses her American accent. I never, ever found myself thinking while watching Anna Friel on PUSHING DAISIES that she was British or that Yvonne Strahovski on CHUCK was Australian. Strahovski seems American; Torv always seems like an Australian trying to sound American. Mind you, I like Anna Torv. I find her to be a pleasant screen presence. But she is asked to be a lot more than pleasant and she doesn't quite manage it. With coaching the accent can improve, but I'm not sure she can grow into the role. As a result, I fear she is a permanent limiting presence on the show. This bothers me, because, as I said, I really do like her. Similarly, Joshua Jackson is not terribly appealing as Peter Bishop. It isn't helped that his brow seems to be knit together in a permanent scowl. He isn't the ostensible lead on the show, however, so he doesn't hinder the show to the same degree as Torv. However, he would seem to be positioned as a potential love interest for Torv and the two of them completely lack any interpersonal chemistry.
Beyond Torv and Jackson, however, the news is largely good. John Noble chews his way through scene after scene with tremendous aplomb as the show's mad (literally) scientist Dr. Walter Bishop. A great deal of his character depends on how it is written, but Noble brings a great deal to his performance. Many will remember him from the LORD OF THE RINGS films, but I think that after FRINGE most will remember him from. Also superb on the show is Lance Reddick, who has a recurring role on LOST as well as on FRINGE. He has an unforgettable presence, extremely tall, head shaven, very dark skinned, and haunting, huge eyes set in a face with somewhat sunken features. If anything he has been under utilized so far on the show. Hopefully that will change.
So, there are some inherent cast problems that I think will continue to haunt the show and limit how good it can become. Initially the show suffered from some uncharacteristically weak writing (uncharacteristic given the excellent writers on the show), but that has improved sharply in the last 3 or 4 episodes and the prospect seems very good for the rest of Season One to be very good. Plus the show shows promise in other ways. Every good show of this sort requires a good villain. So far the villains have been at best weak. We haven't yet been able to determine whether Blair Brown is friend or foe. But in the two most recent episodes Jared Harris has appeared as David Robert Jones who has real potential as a villain. The show also has a very intriguing character known simply as The Observer who is quite enjoyable. He frequently shows up in episodes in the background of scenes, though he has also featured prominently in a couple of others. I think he will become increasingly important as the show progresses.
Do I recommend this show to others? Absolutely. It has a lot of potential and after a rough start has started to fulfill the good things people were hoping for it. I think much the same thing might take place with DOLLHOUSE, even more eagerly anticipated than FRINGE. Multiple sources have reported initial problems with the show that apparently are improving as it progresses. Given that DOLLHOUSE has perhaps the most impressive collection of writers currently working on television it would be surprising if it did not improve. Interestingly, FRINGE and DOLLHOUSE are the two shows that FOX has chosen to try out something new. Calling it "Hands Off Remote" viewing, FRINGE has had far fewer commercials than other TV shows. Most shows today have about 18 minutes of commercials per hour. FRINGE has averaged about half that much. So far I have to confess that I haven't acclimated myself to the smaller commercial times. I of course never watch commercials, just as I'm sure most viewers do not. I run to the restroom, run to the fridge, dash to my computer to his a couple of TV boards to see how others are responding, and so forth. But I never, ever watch the commercials. I suspect the only time that this is going to have a real impact on my viewing will be when I get (if I do, and right now I suspect that I will) FRINGE and DOLLHOUSE on DVD. Then I'll greatly appreciate the few additional moments of story.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Keep Making Them., January 2, 2009
Great Show! Looks like it's going to have an on going plot. As long as they do begin to give you some details on the overall story the show should stay great. I hope they don't get lost as they did with "Lost".
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Sci Fi FBI Thillah!, December 26, 2008
I started watching the very first episode because I knew it was going to be good. Fringe is like a combination of X-Files and Lost with vivid characterizations, edgy subject matter and wild stories that leave you wanting more. I would recommend to all Sci-Fi geeks and Crime thriller enthusiasts!!
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