Those are fightin' words, but they were indeed uttered - er, typed - by Techland.com's Graeme McMillan. For those of you who don't know, Techland is a subsidiary of TIME magazine, one of the most prestigious magazines in the world.
Though I've been saying that Fringe is quickly approaching the level of quality that LOST held, McMillan took one step further and claimed that Fringe's third season will "one-up" the six-year Island drama that ended in may.
"Not content with introducing mainstream audiences to the concept of the multiverse last season," McMillan wrote, "Fox's Fringe is about to take its Parallel Earth storyline to the next level - and, in the process, one-up Lost's flashsideways narrative from that show's final season."
By the end of that sentence, you can already hear the collective raising of hackles from LOST fans everywhere. But hold on, there's more. After quoting an interview with Fringe star Jasika Nicole talking about Fringe's new format, McMillan threw the glove.
"Alternate storyarcs for alternate episodes for half the season? Suddenly Lost looks weirdly unambitious."
Ohhh, snap.
Now, here's the weird thing about it. In a way, I kind of agree with McMillan. There's no doubt that LOST is one of the greatest TV shows of all time (even if you didn't like the ending), and its status in history is pretty much cemented. But while everyone is struggling to find "the next LOST" in new shows (like last year's fizzling FlashForward and the brand new AMC series Rubicon), most haven't realized that we've had the next LOST on our plates for two years.
Having premiered on a dull year for sci-fi TV (the FlashForward/V rush didn't begin until the next year), Fringe had a slow start gaining its footing, and many viewers left the show in exasperation. But, in a strange exception to the general TV rule, Fringe really started to get better at around the midway point of the season. And don't even talk about season two, which was quite possibly the best of the fall TV season. Fringe really came into its own, though most viewers didn't stick around to see that happen.
Now, we're looking at an even more ambitious season three, which will probably blow our collective mind. If Fringe can increase it's season-to-season quality as much as it did last year, I say hell yeah, we're looking at a show that is as good as our beloved LOST. Will it get the same recognition? No, because it didn't change TV in the way that LOST did. But will it fill the LOST void? Again, I say: hell yeah.
Fringe's third season premieres Thursday, September 23 at 9/8c.
I would never call LOST unambitious, but they've got a point.The difference between the flash-sideways story telling and the alternate universes is that with LOST, the flash-sideways were totally unexpected and wtf? moments. We knew about Fringe's alternate universes since end of season 1, and it was a plot line that carried all through season 2 and is rumored to be season 3's main focus.But in fairness, I think an alternate universe is so much cooler than a place we make to reconnect before we die. Just saying.I love how everyone is still hung up about "Finding the next LOST". No show is going to be the "next LOST". Some shows are fabulously written, wonderfully acted and brilliant overall, but that doesn't make it the insane Island drama. I would never compare Rubicon or V to LOST, but FlashForward did have the feel in the scope and mythology to LOST. Shame they didn't give it a second chance. Fringe is without a doubt, one of my favorite television programs (sometimes I like it better than LOST), but the comparisons end there.
"But in fairness, I think an alternate universe is so much cooler than a place we make to reconnect before we die. Just saying."
True!
JMO, but Lost finale was so bad that rendered the whole show useless and forgetable!
I hope, with all my heart that Fringe won´t ever be the new Lost and, especially, that Damon Lindelof never get near Fringe, EVER!
Fringe is too good to apeal to spiritualistics cop outs.
Nothing and i mean NOTHING can touch LOST..the finale was not up to the standard of lost but it was still better than a lot of trash on TV..it literally gave birth to the whole genre that every one including fringe is based on…J J Abrahams took a risk with LOST that paid off and now he is doing it with FRINGE..am sick of people comparing these 2 shows nothing can beat LOST…not even its lil son FRINGE…the execution of fringe is brilliant and so the star cast but it is original…no? simply coz LOST started the whole "questioning its audience, making them think and the endless theries" saga…agreed fringe has taken the whole science fiction genre in television to another level but are people forgetting X FILES? DARK ANGEL? TWILIGHT ZONE!! these are the shows fringe should be compared to not LOST..LOST WAS AND WILL ALWAYS BE UNIQUE AND NOTHING WILL EVER REPLACE IT..100 years from now people will still be talking about lost,debating about it, discussing it..one of the few shows that has managed to do that..i doubt any other show could destroy or replace that credibility..and not to forget even in its weakest moment it was still a freaking lightning in a bottle and the biggest show on television…LOST ALL THE FREAKING WAY..nothing even comes close