The 2000s and 2010s were full of big-budget original sci-fi shows, and while they were definitely a mixed bag, Fringe was one of the greats. While it isn’t talked about much, Fringe was a fantastic show, with it being one of J.J. Abrams’ best projects. The show’s quality is surprising, as it underwent a massive change throughout the course of its run.
Fringe tells the story of the FBI’s Fringe Division, with the show following a group of agents as they explore bizarre and seemingly unexplainable occurrences. Eventually, they learn that these strange happenings are related to the existence of parallel universes. Despite the show’s unique premise, it unfortunately received low ratings, but it gained a cult following in the years following its release.
Fringe Completely Changed From Its First Season To Its Last
Most episodes of Fringe tell a unique story, but the most unique part about the show is how it completely changed from its first season to its last. Fringe season 1 was comparable to shows like The X-Files or The Twilight Zone, with it having a mystery-of-the-week style of storytelling. While many stories ended up being connected to the show’s parallel universe concept, Fringe mostly focused on episodic storytelling rather than serialized arcs.
However, this changed as Fringe went on. In later seasons, the show told an overarching story that involved a war between the show’s two universes, a doomsday device, and time travel. Rather than focusing on small independent mysteries, Fringe became about world-building, hoping to garner a dedicated theorizing fanbase like that of Lost.
Fringe never fully returned to its episodic origins, with each season being more focused on developing the core narrative than the last. While this was great for Fringe fans who were focused on the lore of the show, it may have turned some fans off who enjoyed the first season’s episodic storytelling. However, this stylistic change is what Fringe is remembered for.
No Matter The Season, Fringe Never Dipped In Quality
Although Fringe‘s sci-fi storytelling style changed a lot, the show managed to have an incredibly consistent quality. Season 1 is often considered to be the weakest season, with each later installment being more well-received than the last. Seasons 3, 4, and 5 are hailed as the peak of the show, with fans pointing to them as improvements on the first two seasons.
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Still, Fringe holds a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes for the series as a whole. Despite its growingly positive reception as the show went on, Fringe was moved to a Friday night slot on Fox during the show’s third season. While Friday night airings usually have a negative impact on shows, Fringe survived for two more seasons.
The consistent quality proves that, while Fringe was a big swing, it was worth the risk. The worldbuilding and lore are what make Fringe great, allowing it to be a unique experience that isn’t quite The X-Files or Lost, paving the way for a cult following. Because of its loyal following, Fringe was expanded into other mediums, such as tie-in novels and a brief comic book series. For those interested in checking out Fringe, all five seasons of the sci-fi series can be found streaming on Hulu.
- Release Date
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2008 – 2013-00-00
- Showrunner
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Jeff Pinkner
- Directors
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Jeff Pinkner
