'Fringe': The case of the scary mole kid

"Fringe" continues its second season, and like all sophomores, the show is trying to find out who it is. 

The first year is just figuring everything out. What’s your locker combination, when are your classes, what kind of flanking formation do you use when coining a genetically engineered chimera in a sewer? You know, the basics. 

Then you come back from the summer, and you’re a little more confident. You want to strike out and define yourself. Perhaps wear a fedora for a month. Is that really so awful? Did the other kids have to tease that much?

All the members of the Fringe Division are working to define themselves as well. Last week, Peter made the decision that he was going to run this little ragtag group. He told Broyles to take the broken shape-shifting device to Congress and have it shove it up its R&D department. This week, he’s deciding what case they investigate. People vanishing in rural Pennsylvania. Boom. We’re going. Proving Peter’s new role as the bad-ass version of Fox Mulder. He finds cases that are questionably similar to what their trying to track down, and he chases after them.

'Fringe': Returning to our reality

BAM!

"Fringe" comes crashing headlong back onto television. That’s not just a metaphor. Before we even fade in we have two cars smashing into each other. What a way to return: an accident in which one driver is nowhere to be found and the other flees into a nearby apartment, smooches his face and then uses a strange device to rearrange his appearance. That’s my good old "Fringe."

Though if there’s one thing to be learned from this first episode of the second season, it’s that this isn’t the same old "Fringe" from last year. Not quite.

When we left last May, Olivia slipped into the alternate reality (or Déjà Vuniverse, as I still insist on calling it). The finale ended just before William Bell (played by Leonard Nimoy) presumably explained to her everything about the Pattern, the parallel Earth and how to find the Observer in every episode of Season 1. But after Olivia comes crashing back home through the window of her SUV (she should have gone through the Wardrobe), she’s inflicted with a case of amnesia. Darn. I actually believed that we’d learn everything we always wanted to know from William Bell. Then again, I did believe that "Star Trek’s" Voyager would get home in the third episode. Call me an optimist.

While Olivia spends this episode in a hospital bed, her duties are picked up by Peter and newcomer Agent Amy Jessup. After spending nearly the entire first season making sarcastic comments and pulling favors from underground sources, Peter Bishop really steps up to the plate. He comforts his father and Rachel when they think Olivia is brain-dead, he heads up the investigation of the shape-shifting soldier from another dimension, and he’s the one that makes the decision that the Fringe Division is going from a reactive to active stance on the Pattern and threats against our world. It’s a totally new Peter, and I like it. Get out there, bust some heads. And while you’re in Washington, tell Congress to stop asking for apologies from each other.

By his side through this is Agent Jessup. She’s called to the accident at the beginning of the show and becomes entrenched in the world of "Fringe." (It took me forever to realize where I’d heard the name, but it’s Jack Nicholson’s character in "A Few Good Men.") Jessup seems like a fun new addition to the group. She’s ready to stick her nose where it doesn’t belong, whether it’s classified files on the Fringe cases or crowding the table as Walter does an autopsy. She doesn’t even seem fazed when the nurse she’s shot twice jumps out a window and lands safely several stories below. Sign that girl up.

Peter and Jessup aren’t the only ones getting additional screen time since Olivia’s out of commission. Agent Broyles (or Col. Broyles to you, senator) finally shows some aspects to his personality besides gruff but likable. He joins Peter for a drink after Olivia is admitted to the hospital in a scene that shows how Lance Reddick can say more with a look than most actors can in an entire monologue. Then he’s off to D.C. to defend the Fringe Division against the senators who want to shut it down, followed by a little make-out session with Nina Sharp. When did Broyles become James Bond? License to be awesome.

Then there’s poor Agent Charlie Francis. If you follow "Fringe" news at all, you’ve probably heard that Kirk Acevedo is leaving the series. It actually looks like they’re going to give him a pretty strong send-off, though. He got his touching moment with Olivia about being shot while on a domestic violence call before he fell victim to the shape-shifting soldier from another dimension (there’s probably a shorter name to call that person, but I like this), but like Locke on "Lost," just because he’s dead doesn’t mean he isn’t a vital part of the story.

So instead of answers, the season opener brings us new questions. What did William Bell tell Olivia she had to find in our world? Who send this agent from the Déjà Vuniverse to stop Olivia from meeting with William Bell? Why can they only communicate through an old typewriter in the scary backroom of a shop? Why does their futuristic technology look so lame? Couldn’t they get Apple to design it?

"Fringe" faced an uphill battle this year for me, going up against "The Office" and "30 Rock." Those are my two favorite comedies on TV right now. My TiVo’s not smart enough to record two shows at the same time, but it looks like "Fringe" is really going to make it worth my while. Plus I can always watch those other shows online.

Holy Homages, Batman – Did you notice what the surprised apartment dweller was watching when the shape-shifting solider from another dimension broke into his place? That’s right, a little "X-Files." And the senators grilling Broyles also referenced the “old X designation.” "Fringe" has been compared to the "X-Files" since it came on the air. It’s nice to see it pay tribute to its cultural older brother.

Astrid Action – Astrid’s back with a new haircut. It was mentioned that Astrid is finally going to get out of the lab this season. All I could think of was a buddy cop show of Astrid and Walter solving crimes. Whatever it takes to get my favorite lab assistant more face time.

Spot the Observer -- It might be time for me to finally admit I’m horrible at spotting the Observer. Though I see online that he was caught walking in front of the accident right at the top of the show. One interesting thing to note, though. In all the interviews I’ve been reading and listening to leading up to the second season, the cast of "Fringe" keeps referring to the Observers. Plural. Interesting. Very interesting indeed.

-Andrew Hanson

Photo credit: Fox Television

Video: 'Fringe' producers talk about the new season

'Fringe' producers Alex Kurtzman, Jeff Pinkner and Roberto Orci on the mysteries of the universe, Olivia's revelations and what happens before a war.

RELATED:

Fox's 'Fringe' finds its footing

'Fringe': The complete and definitive chat with John Noble

'Fringe': The complete and definitive chat with John Noble

Science fiction has produced some of the most memorable characters in television history. There’s Spock, Dr. Who, Bender B. Rodriguez, Adm. William Adama, Sam Becket, Optimus Prime. The list could go on forever, but a new name has made a permanent place for itself in the group: Dr. Walter Bishop. The combination of mad scientist, delighted child and psychotropic drug enthusiast, Walter is a core component of "Fringe," and in a single season he’s become one of the most interesting individuals on the small screen.

While the brain child of series creators J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, Walter also owes just as much of his creation to John Noble. The Aussie actor began his career in theater down under before leaping into roles in "24" and "Stargate" and as the mentally unstable Steward of Gondor in Peter Jackson’s "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King." 

Last fall he donned the lab coat, grabbed a Slusho, and Walter Bishop entered the world.

Just in time for the premiere of "Fringe’s" second season, I got a chance to speak with Noble about the character of Walter, the morality of science and the acting talent of cows.

Are you filming now?

We’re very deep into it. We’ve just finished our seventh episode, and we’ll start our eighth today.

I watched the first episode. Seems that the show is taking a little more of an active versus reactive approach to the fringe science this season.

I think so. I think that was the logical way to go. A lot of that was to do with the character that Joshua Jackson plays. He takes a much more active role. We’ve also learned an awful lot about the Olivia character. She’s been through hell.

Yeah, right at the beginning of the season she has a pretty traumatic start.

And then it keeps on going. She gets whipped off to another dimension at the end of the first season. It’s a different take on Olivia. She’s really a tragic heroine, what she’s going through. There’s a different shape. Toward the end of the season we exposed what we were about. We got it, and we showed the viewers what we were trying to do. That kinda makes it easier for us to go forward now. People perhaps understand the characters, perhaps understand what our task is. We can sort of make some jumps. We did in the first episode.

There's more — a whole lot more — after the jump ...

'Fringe': Headlines from the Other Side

If you haven’t realized by the commercials, the billboards or the giant grin on my face, "Fringe" returns for its second season this Thursday. Of course, being the huge pillar of entertainment reporting that I am, I got my DVD of the premiere today. You’ll all have to wait until after it airs this week to read my post about the episode, partially because I don’t want to spoil any surprises and partially because I was asked not to in the letter that accompanied the DVD. A letter signed by J.J. Abrams, Jeff Pinkner, Joel Wyman and Akiva Goldsman that starts with “Dear Bright, Witty, Attractive TV Journalist.” How can you not abide by a letter with a greeting like that? And how do they know me so well?

While I might not be able to talk about what’s coming in the new season, I can talk about what also came in my "Fringe" package. That extremely accurate letter wasn’t the only enclosure I received. The package included two other, very interesting items.

First there was a copy of the New York Times from the déjà vuniverse (I’m going to get that name to stick) from May 12, 2009. You might remember the brief glimpse of the newspaper on William Bell’s desk in the alternate reality. I know I spent more time than I probably should have pausing my TiVo to read the headlines: “Obamas set to move into New White House,” “Former Pres. Kennedy to Address UN,” Stock Market Remains Closed: 21 Days & Counting…,” and “Boston Sweeps! Len Bias wins MVP.” If I’d known I would be getting the actual paper four months later, I wouldn’t have risked the eye strain.

Of course, it’s not the full paper:

Fox goes tweet, tweet, tweet on your TV screen during reruns of 'Fringe' and 'Glee'

Is that a tweet you see on your TV screen?

If you watch Fox's "Fringe" rerun on Thursday or a repeat of the "Glee" pilot on Friday, it is.

Twitter, as you may know, has become all the rage in the TV industry, with networks and studios using the snappy, direct communication with viewers to promote shows, while writers and actors tweet their hearts out from sound stages from Los Angeles to New York.

But, in an unprecedented use of social media, Fox will feature on-screen twitter feeds -- "tweet-peats" -- by producers and actors during the broadcasts of "Fringe" at 9 p.m. Thursday and "Glee" at 9 p.m. Friday (This is a repeat of the "Glee" pilot that previewed in May -- not the special director's cut that airs on Fox at 9 p.m. Wednesday )

During the episodes, viewers will be able to follow the cast and producers’ tweets online via Twitter and on the air via a lower-third scroll. The actors and producers will provide commentary, answer questions, and offer insights about  the upcoming season.

Online, viewers can follow the "Fringe" event at twitter.com/FRINGEonFOX. For "Glee," go to twitter.com/GLEEonFOX.

The "Fringe" participants will be executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman and actors Josh Jackson and John Noble. The "Glee" participants will be cast members: Lea Michele, Kevin McHale, Mark Salling, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley and Chris Colfer.

-- Maria Elena Fernandez

Photos: Cory Monteith and Lea Michele of "Glee" (top)/Josh Jackson and John Noble of "Fringe" (bottom).

Credit: Al Seib/Los Angeles Times (top) and Getty Images (bottom)

TCA Press Tour: Nimoy a cool customer on 'Fringe'

Leonard Nimoy, who made a much-buzzed-about cameo in the first-season finale of Fox's "Fringe," will return to the science-based thriller next season.

Nimoy will reprise his role as William Bell, the former partner of eccentric scientist Walter Bishop (John Noble) and the founder of the mysterious Massive Dynamics firm in at least one episode, and producers are hoping he'll be back for more.

"We want him back as much as he wants to come back," said executive Jeff Pinkner.

Filming of that episode happened in Vancouver in temperatures that were well above 100 degrees, but Nimoy, who is most famous as Mr. Spock on "Star Trek," didn't seem bothered by the intense heat.

Said Pinkner, "He was doing pages and pages of dialogue, and he handled it like a pro." Added co-star Joshua Jackson, "His wife said he practices biofeedback, so he knows how to control his body temperature."

Bell will again deal with FBI Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), who in the finale meets up with the mogul inside the World Trade Center, which exists in a parallel universe. That shocking climax was one of the show's most effective moments

"It was an honest way to represent a world with a New York where different choices were made," Pinker said.

-- Greg Braxton

Photo: Joshua Jackson, from left, John Noble and Anna Torv. Credit: Fox

Fox stalks its prey on Thursdays

The network will use 'Bones' and 'Fringe' to try to pry the lucrative night away from rivals.

Reporting from New York City -- Fox has been TV's top network among young adults for five years. And now it hopes it has the goods to take control of Thursday, TV's most lucrative night.

The network kicked off TV's upfront week on Monday by announcing a fairly conservative fall schedule -- four comedies, two dramas and a late-night talk show -- that nevertheless contained a bold play for Thursdays, which has for years been ruled by rivals.

In contrast, ABC is expected to unveil a much larger crop of new shows for the fall today, while NBC, which already revealed its pickups two weeks ago, will finally announce its upcoming schedule as well. CBS and the CW will follow with their presentations later in the week as part of the annual event aimed at media buyers.

In the fall, Fox will start off Thursdays with "Bones," its durable fifth-season forensics drama, followed by the second season of "Fringe," J.J. Abrams' sci-fi drama. Last fall, Fox had essentially punted for the night, airing back-to-back episodes of the reality series "Kitchen Nightmares."

Read the entire article: Fox stalks its prey on Thursdays

-- Scott Collins

Review: 'Fringe' finale leaves Planet Plot for Planet Mood

This is a good time to be J.J. Abrams. His "Star Trek" prequel has earned big love from critics and cultists alike; "Lost," which he co-created, is moving smoothly toward its self-imposed date with destiny and should make it through with its dignity intact; and his co-creation "Fringe," which finished its first season Tuesday night, has been renewed for a second.

Beginning its life as a historically expensive $10-million pilot, "Fringe" has gone on to become a less expensive but still good-looking, highly watchable series. An "X-Files" redux, or ripoff, in the simplest terms, it successfully — more successfully than "The X-Files," I think, or at least more purposefully — melds the crime-of-the-week procedural with a long-arc sci-fi conspiracy thriller.

Much has happened since we met FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) and the planeload of melted flesh that was her, and our, first hint of "The Pattern," the wheel beneath all the other wheels the series has turned.

'Fringe': End of the beginning

Over the course of this first season, "Fringe" has had to explain a lot of things. Flesh-dissolving chemical on an airplane, "Fringe" can explain it. A woman’s brain explodes in a diner, "Fringe" can explain it. Killing people in your dreams, "Fringe" can explain it. In the season finale, "Fringe" had a doozy to explain. It took most of the episode to explain it. Heck, there was even a part where they were cutting back and forth between Walter and Nina explaining it. It’s almost as if all the explaining all season long was just to get us ready for the explaining they were going to do tonight, and what they were explaining I am dubbing the déjà vuniverse.

That’s right. I’m making this call. Some people might call it an alternate reality or the other place or Earth Two, but they, of course, are wrong. It’s called the déjà vuniverse. I thought of it, that’s what we’re going with. Got it?

Up to this point, "Fringe" referred to the déjà vuniverse as “out of the country.” As in Walter Bell is “out of the country.” After a while, you could almost hear the finger quotes when Nina Sharp said it. It’s basically the equivalent of when your dog went to “live on a farm.” That means your dog is dead. Hate to be the one that breaks this to you, but yeah, your dog didn’t go to any farm. Sorry.

Tonight, "Fringe" confirmed that the déjà vuniverse is a parallel world. A copy of everything we know with some slight changes. Walter and William Bell used to visit there by taking large amounts of LSD, but evil German and Invisible Man wannabe David Robert Jones attempted to travel by stealing a power cell from Nina “Terminator” Sharp and put his laptop on a tripod in the middle of the street. Personally, I think I’d enjoy Walter and William’s route better. But whatever works.

David Robert Jones needs to learn my “Apple Theory” on technology. Very simple. For every advancement in technology, you want to make sure and get the Generation Two version. Brand new iPod? Yeah, I’ll hang on for the Generation Two version. iPhone? That’s OK, I don’t need to stand in line. Why? To avoid bugs. In a couple months they’ll figure out how to prevent any crashing or memory issues or being sliced in half. Jones used Walter’s original teleporter and it melted his face. I don’t know why he was jumping at the opportunity to try out the déjà vuniverse door. Serves him right to get halved.

Now that the door between the two universes is open, it leads to a wealth of possibilities. I thought it was pretty well spelled out that Peter is actually from the déjà vuniverse. Walter again referenced that Peter got very sick at one point as a child. We first heard that when Water was trying to explain why he built the transporter. So if Peter got sick and died in 1985 and Walter went into the déjà vuniverse to get that Peter to replace him, what does that mean for the déjà vuniverse’s Walter? What caused all the destruction in the déjà vuniverse and why did the Obamas have to move into a “new” white house? And if the déjà vuniverse version of me is a woman, is it legally wrong for me to date her or just morally wrong?

The déjà vuniverse was a bold move. I can’t wait to see what our friends at "Fringe" do with it. I’m genuinely sad that there won’t be a Fringe next week. Can’t wait for next fall.

Fun Bits and Pieces – So Massive Dynamic can tap into any camera they manufacture? I hope that doesn’t include the webcam built into my laptop. I’d just hate for my family to find out how much time I waste on World of Warcraft. What about Peter wiping the dust off his family portrait? Just him and dad. Couldn’t wipe off mom. They haven’t cast her yet. Catch the blue flicker when Olivia switched universes? That’s popped up before. Oh, notice how well they lit Leonard Nimoy’s ears? Guess they wanted us to know for sure they aren’t naturally pointy.

Astrid Action – There wasn’t much action in the lab this week other than people asking where to find Walter, but Astrid was there to tell everyone she didn’t know. What would we do without her?

Spot the Observer – Baldy crossed the line from observer to participant tonight. Though all he really did was take Walter to where he needed to be. It’s nice to see the Observer as a character more than a prop, but I couldn’t help but feel like him walking away was a little under-dramatic. He should at least have a smoke bomb or something. I’ll give him the summer to think about it.

-- Andrew Hanson

Photo: FOX