Fringe premiered last night with a fantastic episode to kick off the show's fourth season. But while the writing for the series may only be getting better, ratings are continue to drop. The show marked 3.53 million viewers in overnight ratings for the premiere episode. To put it in context: only three episodes in the third season posted lower numbers. Numbers usually drop after a premiere, meaning that this might be the highest-rated episode of season four. And though I really wish it wasn't, it's growing increasingly certain that the end of Fringe is nigh.
For a show that has amassed as devoted of a fanbase as Fringe has, FOX needs to make sure that when it's time to let that brilliant sci-fi series go, the network does so in a satisfying way. I'm talking about a proper ending, a series finale that answers the outstanding questions and makes the four years viewers have devoted to the show worthwhile. There are two ways to do this, but both require pretty quick action.
Instead of canceling the show after the season wraps and everything is a lock story-wise, FOX needs to tell the executive producers of Fringe to start planning ahead. If they're planning on nixing the show, give them a heads-up in advance so they can put their awesome writing skills to work and script out the answers to all the questions that we've been longing for. The further in advance they know, the better the show's ending will become. And a show like Fringe, which I have repeatedly called (and still call) the best show on television, deserves a good ending. The fans deserve one too.
If it comes down to the wire, though, and the season wraps before FOX makes a decision, there's another option: a fifth season. Though ratings by that point might make that idea look absolutely crazy, there's a lot to be gained by a thirteen-episode fifth season. Not only would it give the story and fans closure, it would also push the show's episode count up to one hundred, making it viable for syndication, meaning FOX could make some money back and that fans would be able to watch the show on SyFy or another network for years to come. Sure, it might lose FOX a little money, but it'd be great for the network's geek cred, for what it's worth.
I love Fringe, don't let this article convince you otherwise. But I don't want the show to become a longer, protracted version of Firefly. FOX has been brave in renewing Fringe for the past two years, when other networks would have dropped the show entirely. Giving the show a clear ending would make those renewals count for something.
After all, the best show on television deserves nothing less.
I love fringe. I love FOX for renewing it. But I have to agree. I want my favorite show of all time to go out with its head held high, with everything and everyone wrapped up. I don't think FOX should wait until, say episode 14 to make a decision. The earlier, the better. That way the show finishes right and yes, it should be this season. Don't get me wrong this isn't based on the 1st ep back being uncharacteristically weak, it's based on common sense. Love fringe, don't allow it to do an about face by episode 14 and have to take a short cut to wrap it up.
Fox don't produce Fringe, they only air it. WB produce it, so Fox has nothing to gain from renewing it for another season.
The trend tends to be that only 88 episodes are needed for a syndication deal these days, rather than 100. Fringe will have reached 88 episodes by the end of season 4.
Better explanation here http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/07/23/why-c…
"Fox don't produce Fringe,"
Wow, if this is the intelligence level of Fringe fans, the show is sunk already. Ever learn subject-verb agreement? I know, you're going to say you're British, but it is still WRONG to use a singular noun such as Fox as a collective group (plural) when the quantity of people within it cannot be quantified. 90% of Brits do this incorrectly, even by their own questionable grammatical standards.
Not everyone watching Fringe has english as a first language, you still can be a very intelligent viewer and understanding every word spoken, it is different from writing a comment.
And Fringe is produced by Warner Brothers, and probably part of Fringe having season 4 may have to do with the success of Fringe in Europe, in France viewing figures are around 2 million, Germany as well, Fringe is very popular in Latin America, so Warner Brothers makes money there, DVD other tv rights and Fox gets Fringe cheaper.
Still no excuse for Fox to not promote Fringe in a decent way, besides putting it on a Friday and after a horrible kitchen show.
If Alcatraz and Terra Nova succeed, Fringe will go, if one or both fail, season 5 is possible, since Fringe is so much cheaper then dino Terra Nova.
Fringe is very popular in Latin America and Europe, France and Germany have around 2 million viewers per episode, in percentage that would mean over 14 million in the US?
Warner Brothers makes money there with tv rights and DVD, so Fringe is cheaper for Fox, does not mean that they can throw it away like this, no promotion, on a Friday after a kitchen show?
BTW not every intelligent Fringe viewer has english as their first language.
Thanks for correcting my grammar (in case you were wondering, I am British). Do you have anything to say about Fringe, or did you just feel like being an asshole about my minor grammar mistake?
Please stop with the negativity! This show could be unstoppable if the FANS would stop saying "better quit while we're ahead!" Really??!! The show runners have already said they have a quick exit plan IF the show isn't renewed. How about some positive energy flowing Fringe way instead and say…YES we stand behind this show and trust that when the end finally comes it will wrap everything up nicely. Keep telling your friends and family to watch every Friday night. I've gotten my mother, brother, sister-in-law and even their kids into Fringe!! It's a show worth saving. I'm stocking up on Red Vines even now in preparation to send to Fox if they threaten to cancel. Please do the same and we can keep this amazing show going!
This isn't negativity. This is a realistic viewpoint. I love the show, but it's not "unstoppable." I don't want a "quick exit plan."
i'm sooo saddened by those viewer numbers…when i think of so much less worthy shows that pull in double digits…hmmph..anyhoo i guess i have to face reality and accept the show might just be in its last season. your 2 suggestions are excellent and i hope someone with clout is reading this…
I think you are realistic, and as I recall John Noble has said that the way Fringe is set up 5 seasons would be the max. And as Anna Torv has said better to end at a high note, this was in connection with a question that the showrunners keep talking about 7 seasons, wich would water the storylines. To be honest, as much as I love Olivia Dunham and all the different versions the brilliant Anna Torv creates of her, I would not want to see a downwards spiral.
The thing is, Fringe returned on Friday, on television there is hardly promotion, they summoned Anna Torv to present an Emmy, looking so stunning she trended worldwide, but they could only manage a clip of old footage of 12 seconds. It was a FOX broadcast, show 3 clips with new footage.
Then John Noble did some promotion on thursday, I only saw 2 bits of a FOX affiliate on you tube, but in one it was about the comic and gushing about Jackson ( be honest he did not create Fringe or any of the characters or storylines it is just fan-fiction at most), using John Noble and the other only about Peter , no new footage, as if Fringe only has one actor and one character.
Every critic agrees that Anna Torv and John Noble should have been nominated at least for an Emmy, yet Emmy herself did not put a bit of Fringe in their drama-part, so no chances there, and with that probably not at SAG or Golden Globes.
So how are people going to know that Fringe is on?
There are some low rated shows that are worth keeping on, take "Chuck" for example. These shows may have low numbers, but they're high quality and have a stronge loyal fan base.
agree on almost all points. And I definitely agree on a death with integrity, rather than a knee-jerk pulling the plug, when fans aren't looking. I would LIKE to think Fox resects ( and maybe fears) fringe fans enough to play well. Firefly, dollhouse and sarah conner, and other genre shows were not handled well and Fox felt the fullwrath of dedicated fans! go team!
Anyway- yes Fringe seems to be hitting a stride and growing with originality and solid writing. Actors have grown into their characters and writers have filled the characters out, richly and with complexity. solid premise, good writing, good actors, and get the creators/execs out of the micromanaging way- recipe for success.
the one BIG flaw in the future of Fringe. Supernatural. WHY WHY WHY… put the two best genre shows- right up against each other. This is like ratings-survivor. Only one survives. This creates the sure demise of genre shows. They should put a genre show up against something that sci fi fans would not watch. period. the networks are now competing for a limited number of eyeballs.
Now- in a perfect world- Fringe would catch on like LOST, or BSG ( oh, how I mourn the endings of those two brilliant shows:).. in which case, the future is assured. BSG was a 10:00 time slot if I recall. What time slot was LOST? anyone? Would Fringe fare better at the later time? I wonder?
One thing is sure- networks ARE slowly starting to factor in fan loyalty, as much as quantity. I believe Fringe also has some more prevalent product placement, which may offset their production costs. Ford Focus anyone? :)
I really enjoy my Friday night lineup now: Fringe, and haven, with Supernatural scrunched in there. I also checked out a gifted Man- CBS's attempt to carry on the ghost whisperer, Medium tradition. it is the 8:00 slot. I wrote a review, and wonder where they will go with it. Potential, but then- network TV doesn't do edgy, not well.
I really don't know how much longer the "100 episode rule" is going to be relevant for TV syndication. Most networks air infomercials instead of hour-long reruns, and those that show dramas in reruns tend to show the same 2-3 shows over and over (NCIS, CSI, etc). But for future DVD/Blu-ray sales and/or downloads it's better to have a series with a definitive end and a well thought out ending at that. Both Lost and Battlestar Galactica, after initial excitement, are not aging well due to their endings, which some have blamed on not having a good game plan in place. Fox should give the greenlight to a final season now and give the writers time to plot things out. (Alternatively to commissioning a full season, Fox could also borrow an idea from Torchwood and commission a series-ending miniseries. Fringe is more than capable of delivering something of the same caliber as Children of Earth.)
I love fringe.But I have to agree too,I want the best show of all time to go out with its head held high.