Things aren't looking up for a Fringe renewal. The FOX sci-fi series, while in my opinion the best one on television, is already flagging with the second episode of its fourth season, and flagging in a big way. Friday's episode, "One Night in October," got only a 1.2 rating in the 18-49 rating, tying with a series low for those ratings.
In terms of total viewership, the episode marked a series low. At 3.14 million viewers, the episode plummeted below previous series low "The Day We Died," which had charted 3.29 million viewers.
It's really depressing news, considering just how great of a show Fringe is. With numbers like these, though, it seems unlikely that Fringe will continue beyond its fourth season. As I've said before and I'll say again, it's time that FOX puts all its cards on the table for the show, and works with executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman to bring us a satisfying conclusion to the series.
One can't help but wonder how Fringe's ratings would be faring in a different, non-Friday slot. After all, Kitchen Nightmares isn't exactly the best companion piece to this Friday show, which is also competing against the CW genre favorite Supernatural. I think it would be more practical for the show to be paired up with FOX's new sci-fi series Terra Nova on Mondays, so that
Fringe will return next Friday for the all-new episode "Alone in the World."
"One can't help but wonder how Fringe's ratings would be faring in a different, non-Friday slot."
There's nothing to wonder. Fringe already had a shot at that and failed miserably. I enjoy the show, but let's not rewrite history here.
It sounds like you're the one rewriting history. Fringe did well on Tuesdays despite several mid-season breaks. Moving it to the competitive 9:00 Thursday slot signed it's death sentence, especially for a show of this type.
Fringe consistently averaged over 9 million viewers on Tuesday. For comparison, The New Girl, Fox's new show in Fringe's old timeslot got 9.3 million viewers, making it the highest rated show in that timeslot.
You mean when it was X-Files lite and wasn't that serial? Overall viewers don't matter. 18-49 do. Fringe started at a 3.0 in season 2 on Tuesdays and bled viewers all season until it hit a 2.0. Every single episode of Fringe after that is a gift. But please, continue blaming FOX for giving a show THREE renewals when it can't hold an audience.
Correction, Thursdays. Apologize for the double post, but there is no edit button.
Let's be honest. The season 4 premiere didn't give us very much reason to watch episode 2 live. I LOVE Fringe, and I hope the best for it. But why not turn season 4 into a final season and just go out with a bang!
And, by the way, I don't think Terra Nova would help it anyway. $15-20 million pilot and endless advertising for a 3.1? Biggest flop in FOX, or perhaps, television history. It will not get a second season.
It isn't a good, and it isn't a bad show. It's average. It was one of the best in season one. Right now it's just boring and too complicated, and they fail with complication because they are trying too hard.
I don't think it's complicated, but it's a waste to invest in a show, that will pull the rug from under you and make 3 seasons inconsequential. They erased an established character from existence, they replaced him with a new character with the obvious intention to attract a younger audience. They want us to conform with promises that said character will come back, while they don't address that issue in the show at all. They just happily go on showing new universes and characters, gladly working together, all conflict and edge gone.
Is this a joke comment? No offense but everything about your comment is wrong. First off if you read about this season you'd know the writers already said that the previous seasons will still matter & Peter will still be very relevant, just show some patience, it's been a mere 2 episodes.
Also I've seen Peter already, flashes in the first episode & his voice in the second, I'd say he's still very relevant.
As for Lincoln Lee, he was introduced in Season 2, so he's not new at all & also the actor is only 3 years younger than Joshua Jackson. Also pretty sure I saw a ton of conflict between the two Olivia's as well as obvious tension with Walter & Walternate. Again, it's WAY too early to be making those statements. Your at least right on the fact it's not that complicated.
Fringe is failing because it's still an X-Files clone. It steals plot points left and right but it's audience is too young to remember the original. It's also not that great, it's just there's nothing much left for geeks to watch on the networks.
I've seen X-Files. Pretty different from Fringe at this point in the game.
I've been a hardcore X-Files fan for 15 years and I highly disagree. Fringe has definitely created its own identity. I would even go further and say that the writing on Fringe is a lot tighter than XF. The show's main storyline has had a much better follow through than XF.
I adore The X-Files and will until my dying day, but it had its flaws and in some ways, Fringe is superior.
I have to agree with Sam and JC. There was definitely a strong X-Files vibe in the first season, but the show moved away from that by the middle of the second season. I don't think it's a coincidence that most of Fringe's weaker episodes were contained in that stretch of episodes as well. Once Fringe found its own identity, it improved dramatically.
I am not into science fiction shows, but definitely enjoy Fringe. The move to Friday nights was a big FOX mistake (who stays home Friday nights!!). Perhaps moving to another day would help ratings so much more!