Fringe Series Finale Trailer

Sadly JJ Abrams' Fringe ends its run this Friday with its final two hours starting at 8PM. Check out the trailer below.

Fringe Season 5 Teaser Videos

The final season of Fringe starts September 28th but Fox has already started their promotions for the JJ Abrams' executive produced series. Below are two teaser videos that help highlight that the final season is about future takeover of Earth by the Observers.

Fringe Final Season Teaser Poster

It seems the Observers are coming, at least judging by this teaser poster for the final season of Fringe. Posted by Entertainment Weekly, it shows several Observers doing their creepy thing with the phrase "They are coming." This could be hinting at the final story arc that has the Fringe crew (unknowingly) triess to stop a future where the Observers have conquered the planet as teased in a season four episode "Letters of Transit". Hopefully a little bit more will be learned at the San Diego Comic Con panel that will be held on Sunday July 15th.

Nimoy Explains Fringe Return

Even though Leonard Nimoy has technically retired from acting, it doesn't mean he still doesn't get the itch. Nice thing about retiring is get to do what you want, when you want. Nimoy returned to reprise the role of William Bell that he has been playing off and on over the course of Fringe but never with as much screen time as he as been getting over the last three episodes. Before it was a brief scene or a line here and there. As season four draws to a close with the finale tomorrow, he has more to say about the role and why he returned as io9 reports. Even better, he is willing to return for the final season.

He was excited to play a villain
Originally, said Nimoy, "the character of William Bell was supposed to be ambivalent," with a lot of mystery about whether he was a good guy or a bad guy. "We couldn't quite figure out what his motivation was." But after it was settled that Bell was basically a nice person, "the mystery of William Bell was explained," and it seemed like there was noplace to go with the character. But when he heard they were going to turn Bell into a baddie, it sounds like his excitement returned, because "I could play aspects of a character that I haven't played in a long time."

Nimoy and Noble Promote Fringe Season Finale

This Friday brings the season finale of Fringe and they are going out with style as Leonard Nimoy returns as William Bell. He made the surprise reprisal of the character last week as the apparent big bad of the season. His goals remain unknown however. The character had died in the previous season but considering Season 4 brought about the creation of a new universe with a new history it does stand to reason his character may not have died in the reboot. Below is a video of Nimoy and John Noble talking about working together on Fringe and after that is the "movie trailer" for the finale. Fringe will return for its final 13 episode season in the Fall. (via TV Line)

Fringe Renewed for Final 5th Season

In some surprising TV news, Fox has renewed Fringe for a final fifth season of 13 episodes. The decision was made in part because Warner Bros agreed to lower its license fees to Fox along with an attempt to hit the magic 100 episode number that generally gives a show a longer shelf life in syndication. The reason suprised is the show just kept finding new record lows in ratings, now getting beat regularly by every other network show including Univision. This isn't to say the show has dropped in quality. If anything it is better then ever but for some reason it just can't find an audience. If you are not watching it, hit up Netflix and start catching up. Congrats to show Executive Producer JJ Abrams and the team.

Abrams Hopes for Fringe Season 5

Fringe Executive Producer J.J. Abrams tells TV Line that, "We remain hopeful that Fringe will be able to continue." This seems to indicate that Fox is at least willing to listen to the idea. Do not get your hopes up as Fox president Kevin Reilly (and one to make the decision) said that Fringe was losing the network money as it seems to find new rating lows each week. I think they only way Fox would renew the show is if the entire production costs are covered by Warner Bros. WB is the studio that makes the show might be willing to do that to hit that 100 episode milestone that will increase syndication possibilities worldwide. It seems show runner Jeff Pinkner is prepared for cancellation or renewal saying "Worst case scenario, if this were the last aired season of Fringe… we know what the end of this season is going to be and it can function as a series finale." The economics of TV today makes me think that syndication dollars are not enough to prevent cancellation.

Fringe's Peter Bishop "Audition" Tape

As part of the just concluded San Diego Comic-Con, the Fringe panel showed a tongue-in-cheek video with many familiar faces from the world of JJ Abrams auditioning for the role of Peter Bishop. In what could be a tease image for the upcoming season Joshua Jackson appears at the end looking a whole lot like a Watcher.

Leonard Nimoy Returns to Fringe Again

Despite repeated assertions that he is retiring, Leonard Nimoy just can't quit the acting biz. Today the Star Trek and Fringe actors tweeted "Coming to Fringe. William's bell rings soon. LLAP". The LLAP is shorthand for Live Long and Prosper. Since Fringe is on the fence for being renewed for a third season, I assume he is returning to the role of William Bell for the season finale, much like he did for last year's finale.

Leonard Nimoy Returns to Fringe

Despite retiring from acting earlier this year (for who knows how many times), it seems that Leonard Nimoy just cannot stop scratching that itch. Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) revealed at the Star Trek Convention in Rosemont, Illinois that the actor co-guest stars with him in an upcoming episode of the series. Nimoy's William Bell character apparently died in last season finale of Fringe, willing everything to Dr. Bishop so should be an interesting trick if the character is actually returning. If he does, fantastic, but I can't help but wonder if the character might have a part in the episode but not necessarily in a way that requires an actor to play him.

Fringe Season 3 Update

JJ Abrams' created show Fringe will be back this fall and production is about to start back up. While at the Saturn Awards last weekend, stars Anna Torv and Lance Reddick dropped about few hints about the upcoming season. Click here to view the video interviews (worth it just to look at the lovely Torv and hear her Australian accent) from TrekMovie.com. Highlights below.

Lance Reddick
- Expects S3 of Fringe to "spend a lot of time going back and forth between universes"
- Expects to see "a lot of development" between the two Olivias
- He has "absolutely" lobbied for a part in Star Trek, but it was too late for first movie, Abrams said maybe a role in the sequel
- Thinks it is possible that William Bell (Nimoy) can return to Fringe, as "anything is possible" with JJ Abrams

Anna Torv
- Shooting starts next week on season 3
- Expects that the casting of her mother is for the mother of the alternate universe Olivia
- She didn’t until later her scenes with Nimoy for Fringe were to be his last as an actor, but says he still got a huge round of applause when he wrapped

Abrams Talks About Fringe's Ratings

Last year Fringe was the king of the television ball with the highest rating for a freshman series last year. Now in its sophomore season and moved to Thursdays, the change has caused a massive drop in viewership, down to around 5 million. This is usually the threshold when most of the networks consider cancellation. On the bright side, according EW, Fox remains committed to the show.

“The mood on set and in the writer’s room is as good as the ratings are bad, which is to say, wonderful,” Abrams tells me. “Luckily, Fox has been insanely supportive, for which we are deeply grateful.”

Abrams is encouraged by the show’s “strong” DVR numbers as well as the glowing reviews from critics. “But given that we’re on one of the hardest [nights] on television, we’re just focusing on making the best show we possibly can,” he says. “What else can we do?”

Bottom line: Fringe is in no immediate danger of going “over there” (a.k.a. TV graveyard). The key word there being immediate.

The cause is to me seems obvious. Thursday just isn't a good fit considering the massive level of competition with Grey's Anatomy, CSI, The Office and 30 Rock. Television tends to create loyalty with viewers and a new show attempting to break that loyalty is always an uphill battle that takes time to win. It needs to be moved but likely will not.

Nimoy Retiring Again?

Hero Complex is reporting that Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy may retire (again) after making a third and likely final appearance on Fringe as William Bell. Nimoy had retired before but took a break to film Abrams' Star Trek movie.

"I have such a great life," the 78-year-old actor said at his home last week. "I'm not looking for work."

"As an actor you're always wondering when you're going to work again, who you're going to work with, what it will be. I don't have that consuming drive," he said. Then he nodded toward an image that will be on display at [his photography] exhibit. "This is my creative outlet. This is what I do."

Nimoy was fresh from a trip to the Vancouver set of "Fringe," where he had shot an upcoming episode. He made it sound as if it might have been his final one in the role of Bell, a rarely seen character on the show but one that is, by all appearances, at the very core of the series' mythology.

"I've done three appearances for them. I don't know if I will do a fourth... "They've asked me to do more, but we have to talk about where the character is going. So far my character, William Bell, and my appearances have been used to lay in information about this alternate universe and the experience of being in this other world. And that's OK, but I don't know yet what plans they have for really developing a dramatic story for the character. I'm waiting for a conversation about that."

"I think they're talking amongst themselves now so they can present some kind of plan, a story arc of some kind."

It sounds like if we want more Nimoy on TV, we need to pray to the writing gods that Abrams, Orci and Kurtzman can come up with something compelling enough to keep Nimoy's interest to keep reprising the role. Considering how small (yet critical) the role seems to be to the Fringe universe, he could probably be killed off screen with relative ease. Be a shame though.

Abrams On Fringe, MI4 and More

As part of Paramount Pictures press event to promote their upcoming slate of home video releases including Star Trek, director JJ Abrams was on hand to help promote the release. Trekmovie.com spoke with the man were he discussed Star Trek, Fringe, future projects and more. Below are snippets, the full interview is here.

Question: For the next couple of months of the foreseeable future, what do you see focusing on?
JJ Abrams: Jeff Pinkner and Joel Wyman are running Fringe very well and we’re still very involved, but they’re running that. We have a new series that we just sold to NBC that we’re producing–it’s a pilot. There’s a movie that I’m writing that I would love to direct early next year, so we’ll see if that comes to fruition. There’s a movie called Morning Glory that is coming out next year, with Harrison Ford, Rachel McAdams and Diane Keaton, that’s being edited now. Roger Michell directed that. And obviously we’re hard at work on the Trek and Mission: Impossible, there is a lot.

Question: What are your plans for [Leonard Nimoy] on Fringe, beyond this week’s episode?
JJ Abrams: In terms of his role as William Bell, none of us could believe our luck that we convinced him to say yes to bee in the show. He is wonderful in the show. And, I will say that this is not the last you will see of his character.

Question: Can you rule out Leonard Nimoy reprising the role of Paris in Mission: Impossible: IV?
JJ Abrams: How cool would that be? It is funny, I just got a call that Peter Graves is in great shape. There was that time when he did Airplane!, but I almost feel like you could make him serious-ize again and bringing him back. Whether it’s Nimoy, who., of course, I have an incredible affinity for, or Graves, or anyone, we’ll see. I actually tried to get Martin Landau in Mission III, in a very small little moment just for fun, and was told that he had no interest in doing it. But then, when I met him, after the movie came out, it was the greatest thing. We were at this restaurant in New York, for one of the TV upfront parties, and someone introduced me to Landau. They took me over and Martin Landau came over to me, extended his hand, and [pretended to removes his face mask]. That was the greatest thing I’d ever seen.

Nimoy Returns to Fringe

TV Guide is reporting that Leonard Nimoy's reprisal of William Bell for Fringe will occur on the October 8th episode of the show.

Fringe (and Star Trek) fans can circle October 8 on their calendars. That’s the night Leonard Nimoy makes his highly anticipated return to Fox’s hit drama. An eerie procedure will allow Olivia to flashback to her season-finale alternate-reality encounter with Leonard’s William Bell to obtain a “further understanding of what Bell and Walter Bishop hoped to accomplish when they experimented on her as a child,” says executive producer Jeff Pinkner. During the same episode, viewers will also meet another woman (played by Theresa Russell) who was also experimented on by Bishop. And Olivia will be floored when she spies a new cold-blooded antagonist (played by “Valkyrie” vet Thomas Kretschmann). When his character’s secret is revealed, it will be an image you won’t soon forget.

Wizard Talks Fringe with Torv, Abrams

Fringe star and knockout Anna Torv talks about the upcoming season of the show starts September 17th at 9:00pm in the States in the current issue of Wizard Magazine. The October issue (on news stands now) also briefly talks to show creator/executive producer/writer/director J.J. Abrams who provides his usual non-answer answers to any attempt to get secrets about the show. Above and below are the related pages from Wizard issue and snippets from the interviews.

Anna Torv

When did you learn [Peter Bishop was from an alternate reality]?
We should've guessed it. We certainly knew there was something not right about that. But we didn't for sure really until the episode with the gravestone.

How was it filming your one scene with Leonard Nimoy, who played notorious scientist William Bell in the season finale?
Well, it was fast and furious. It was the last scene of the last episode of our last day in New York, but he was so beautiful and gentle. Actually, I think I have a scene coming up soon with him, potentially the rest of the scene that we shot for the last episode.

Do you have a lot of "I can't believe I'm doing this" moments on set?
Yeah. On a regular basis. Like today - we're doing night shoots at the moment [for] the second episode, but I'm about to go in a tunnel and get goop all over myself. I can't tell [you why] or I'll give away the story.

What can we expect from this season?
I think last year was very much about understanding and realizing that there is an enemy - for want of a better word - and I think that this season is kind of about preparing a little. I think that the Fringe team [is] definitely going to be a little more sure-footed, a little bit more aggressive and a little bit more proactive, whereas last season I think they were very, very reactionary.

I read that you keep your American accent on set even when you're not shooting a scene. Is that correct?
No, I'm always dropping in and out. It's funny how your ear changes when you're living in a country. When you first arrive, the differences are really dramatic and your accent's actually better, and then it starts to meld and you can't hear the differences as clearly. But I always get angry because I think if people don't know I'm Australian, they don't hear anything; they just hear me speaking American and accept it. But when people do know I'm Australian they start to listen out and then they'll be all, "Oh, see her accent's terrible!" [Laughs]

J.J. Abrams

What can we expect from the season premiere, which you are writing correct?
I co-wrote the premiere with Akiva Goldsman, and he directed it. One of the cool things about this premiere is how many balls are up in the air at one time. There's a lot going on. It's cool because the moment that propels the story forward is actually in the final episode [of season one]. But it's somewhat cryptic, somewhat hidden. It'll become clear when you see the premiere what it was, and it's great. It's a mystery that centers around of our main characters. It's personal. It's, I think, a very creepy and cool and weird premiere, and I think Akiva did an excellent job directing.

Will we see the other Walter who lost his son at some point?
I'd rather not talk about specifics in that regard, but it sure is a cool idea, isn't it?

Will Peter find out his origin this season do you think?
I would say that it's, of course, something that we're working on figuring out when and how and if he learns the history of his father and himself. It is one of those things that we are toying with.

Fringe "Tweet-Peats" Thursday

In an interseting use of Twitter, Fox is planning a "tweet-peat" of the show this Thursday at 9PM according to Variety. The plan is to have cast and producers log into twitter and comment on the show while using the hash tag #fringe. The "tweets would then be simultaneously telecast in the lower-third scroll on Fox. ...Participants include "Fringe" exec producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman, as well as stars Joshua Jackson and John Noble."

Clicking the links I found for three of the four particpants, they all say "Check back this Thursday for the FRINGE Tweet-peat! To participate, follow @FRINGEonFOX." While your adding the others, feel free to add my twitter account. This "tweet-peat" will also occur if the repeat of the pilot episode of Glee.

Fringe Season Premiere Promo

Below is the new promo for the season two premiere of Fringe that starts on Thursday September 17th, at 9/8c on Fox.

Fringe Producers Talk Season 2

The new season of Fringe starts September 17th and producers/writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman spoke with IESB and answered a few questions about the upcoming season. Part of the interview is below, the full article is here.

Q: What is coming up on the show that you can talk about?
Orci: Peter (Joshua Jackson) is going to really take charge. Walter is going to explore freedom that he maybe shouldn't have.
Kurtzman: Last year, it was very much about Peter finding himself blackmailed into the position he was in, of having to be his father's caretaker. He was always faced with the possibility of running. What was interesting to us was that he was a character who could bail on everyone else, at any second. I think a lot of what happened, towards the end of last season, and what we see at the beginning of this season, is leading to his commitment to say, "I'm the guy. If we're going to do this, we're going to do it my way. I'm taking charge now. If you want me to help in the Fringe division, then you have to go through me to figure out how we're going to get to cases." That's going to be a very different way of approach for the character.

Q: How involved will you guys be this season, and what will J.J. Abrams' involvement be?
Orci: We're divvying it up, so that we'll oversee one, J.J. will oversee one and we're all together, once or twice a month, planning what the next big steps are. Then, we have an amazing staff that divvies up the episodes. We get together on the phone and improve the stories, so we're all in there. Jeff and Joel are the ones who are physically on site, handling all the horrible things that we're protected from, in addition to doing what we're doing. But, we're all in there creatively.

Q: What is different in your alternate realm?
Orci: The White House was hit instead of the World Trade Center.
Kurtzman: Kennedy's still alive.

Q: Where's Walter (John Noble) in the alternate world? How does he feel about our Walter taking his son?
Orci: I'd be pissed. That feels like a juicy train to collide into. That's looming somewhere.

Q: How much of Walter is improvised and how much is written? Do you put it in the script, when Walter goes off?
Orci: Absolutely. You say, "In the background, Walter is inspecting whatever thing is catching his eye. You're not even sure what he's doing yet until you get over there." It's still very written, but John's improvs are underlines and exclamation points on the scene. One line can change a scene. It can do so much to everything that came before. Obviously, you can't make some of that stuff up. It takes a team of people. But, he really knows his character and he can get in an out of character almost without the script.

Q: Do you have to wait for word from Leonard Nimoy that he's available or willing, before you do a William Bell script?
Orci: We do two scripts in advance, at a time. We'll go, "Hey, you up for two more?" It's a buy one, get one free kind of thing.

Fringe's Press Panel

Friday the cast and producers of Fringe met with the press to help hype the new season of the television. As usually they are remain wonderfully cryptic about the upcoming season as they dropped hints about what is to come to TV Guide.

2:26 pm/PST: How many dimensions will season 2 take place in? Two, according to Pinkner. “[It's] two versions of reality,” he adds. “It’s not time travel.”

2:28 pm: Leonard Nimoy will be back for “several more” episodes, one of which has already been shot.

2:30 pm: Over the course of season 1, Orci says they “got a better handle on the balance of our characters and our plots, and making sure that our plots are character-centric.”

2:31 pm: Noble calls Walter Bishop “the most enjoyable character I’ve ever played in my life.”

2:33 pm: On balancing the show’s two parallel universes, Pinkner says the season “predominantly takes place over here. But what happens over there is impacting what happens over here.” Got that?

2:35 pm: Pinkner concedes that the “mythology overtook the story and the characters” on Alias. “We’re being very careful not to let that happen [on Fringe].”

2:40 pm: The reveal about the parallel universe was originally going to be held off until the end of season 3. But research showed viewers “were open and ready for more,” explains e.p. Kurtzman, “so [we said], ‘Why stall it?’”

2:42 pm: Old news: There’s a spoilery twist in the premiere concerning Kirk Acevedo’s Charlie.

2:48 pm: Jackson calls Noble an “endlessly inventive actor… and [he] makes my life so much more enjoyable.” The sentiment seems genuine.

2:53 pm: Jackson describes his obsession with The X-Files thusly: “I would watch that show six feet under water with my dying breath in my lungs.” Wow, and I thought I was a fan.

2:54 pm: On a possible Olivia-Peter hookup, “As long as the emotion is true, we’re open to anything,” says Pinkner. Adds Orci: “We want it to be organic. Not just something we planned.”