‘Fringe’ review: New show is ‘uneven but promising’

The poor airline industry. As if rising gas prices, increased security measures and constant cost-cutting were not enough, now there’s another J.J. Abrams pilot. Travelers who have finally shaken the anxiety-provoking images of cult-inducing “Lost” can look forward to a whole new set of phobias thanks to the opening moments of Abrams’ new show “Fringe.” As lightning crackles around an international flight to Boston, a wild-eyed passenger injects himself with something one can only hope is a tranquilizer and then next thing you know ... well, I don’t want to spoil anything for the 19 people who haven’t seen the pilot online, but it results in the assemblage of every law enforcement agency in the country donning hazmat suits. Because comparisons are unavoidable, it must be noted up front that this is not the same sort of jaw-droppingly, what-the-heck-kind-of-show-is-this pilot that “Lost” had. Frankly, we know what kind of show this is going to be. “Fringe” stands for Fringe Science, which includes everything from mental telepathy to reanimation, so much of your enjoyment will depend on how much you still miss the “The X-Files.” While “The X-Files” told us the truth is out there, “Fringe” posits the equally vague notion that “Everything is Part of a Pattern.” So, if you’re the type of person who needs every little thing, or indeed any little thing, to make sense in a pilot, then you should probably watch “Fringe” in solitude, preferably with the door closed, so the rest of us can enjoy it for what it is — an uneven, but promising jumble of horror, thriller and comedy that is not afraid to reference SpongeBob and “Altered States” in practically the same scene. Let the games begin.

The premise may sound familiar, but the show’s creators insist that ‘Fringe’ is not ‘The X-Files’ circa 2008. ‘There are obviously fair comparisons,’ admitted executive producer J.J. Abrams, the writer behind hits such as ‘Lost.’ ‘It’s definitely federal agents investigating a lot of crazy, scary stuff. But ‘Fringe’ differentiates itself very quickly in terms of different characters and tone, and the overall story could not be more different.’ The sci-fi thriller came about as a ‘planned pregnancy,’ said fellow executive producer Roberto Orci, who developed the drama with Abrams and Alex Kurtzman. ‘We sat in a room and said, ‘Let’s create a show.’ ‘ The next several months resembled a graduate seminar on television, as the three men -- who worked together on the ABC spy thriller ‘Alias’ and the upcoming ‘Star Trek’ movie -- dissected their pop culture passions. The final product reflects their influences: not only ‘The X Files’ but also ‘Twilight Zone,’ ‘Night Stalker,’ ‘Twin Peaks’ and the 1980 movie ‘Altered States.’ ‘We asked ourselves, what did we as viewers feel was missing from television?’ Kurtzman said. ‘The answer was, ‘Where is the procedural that’s rooted in genre?’ It felt like there was a vacuum to fill.’