Fringe

Occasionally, reading Entertainment Weekly pays off rather well. This week's issue features a spread about the second season of Fringe. Joshua Jackson was interviewed while on set for filming the fifth episode of the second season. At the time of the interview, the actor, who plays Peter Bishop, was at a semi-active mental institution, a place where occasionally actual mental patients "wander through a shot," according to Jackson.

So why are the characters of Fringe in a mental institution? That's a good question, but it has an even better answer.

The episode reportedly involves a man who believes that his boss is an evil, ram-horned creature in disguise. And, knowing Fringe, they wouldn't even be investigating such a case unless the boss was actually an evil, ram-horned creature in disguise. I can't wait to see that on television.

Other little fun tidbits from the article regarding Fringe's second season:

• A "radical change" will happen to Charlie Francis in the last scene of the season premiere, "A New Day in the Old Town."
• Cases will continue to be icky -- Astrid Farnsworth (Jasika Nicole) has a scene which involves leeches and a blender.
• Olivia will apparently sustain some injuries after her meeting with William Bell, and will be taken to the hospital.
• Mysteries featured in the second season: mind control, shapeshifting assassins, supernatural shadows (the Vashta Nerada, Doctor Who fans?)
• Theresa Russell will play Walter's former subject -- and his love interest
• It's quite possible we'll see the alternate reality's David Robert Jones (Jared Harris)

Jeff Pinkner also told EW that there will be an invasion. No, not by aliens, but by people from "over there," a.k.a. the alternate universe. A new bad guy, played by Thomas Kretschmann (Valkyrie) will be a spy from "over there." Of course, therein lies the question: why would they want to take over this dimension, when theirs is obviously so much better? That question has a great answer -- but will remain a mystery until it is revealed on Fringe, the second season of which premieres next Thursday, September 17, on FOX.