Fringe has finally started answering questions, and that couldn't have come soon enough. Season 4 has featured some absolutely fantastic episodes, but it's also suffered from the affliction of being too damn frustrating. Episodes like "Enemy of My Enemy," which push the story forward, are too often followed by meandering affairs such as "Forced Perspective," which largely ignore the momentum created by the previous episode. There's a pervading feeling of 'Who cares?' throughout those episodes, and perhaps for good reason. Fringe has spent several episodes subtly trying to convince us that Peter needs to 'return home,' challenging the previously held notion that he is home and just needs to be remembered. The characters became just shadows of their previous incarnations that we were doomed to leave, and the mysteries, despite being quite often good, no longer held any real weight.

Thankfully, "Welcome to Westfield" finally slapped all those storylines back into place with a resounding, "Yes, it matters." It appears that, as we had previously thought, Peter does just need to be remembered. And, of course, Olivia is the first one to do so.

She remembers Peter over the course of the episode's case, a Fringe event reminiscent of season two episodes "Johari Window" (because of the hostile small-town setting) and "Jacksonville" (because of the melding universes). In a smart move, Fringe turned those similarities into a plot point, with Olivia remembering the case from "Johari Window" despite the fact that she never worked on such a case in the Peter-less universe. Add that to her Peter-lovin' dream from the beginning of the episode, and you've got a recipe for a kick-ass cliffhanger.

But first, the case itself, which was apparently the work of David Robert Jones, a notably absent figure who pulled the strings of the episode without even making an appearance. For reasons unknown, Jones decided to meld the town of Westfield together, ultimately succeeding in destroying it nearly entirely, save for a bike shop in which our heroes managed to hide.

The episode managed to make the most of the season's significantly lower budget. The mostly subtle changes to Westfield's residents were surprisingly effective, and served to be the perfect example of how the show can save money without looking like it's saving money.

So, finally, we reach the end of the episode, which saw Olivia apparently completely transformed into the Olivia we knew. The fact that she's acting like this is a routine seems to indicate that she has no memory of Peter's disappearance and return, which will make the next episode interesting, to say the least. It seems likely that Olivia's memory was returned by the Cortexiphan doses that she's been receiving from Nina, but does Nina know that is what the Cortexiphan is doing?

In any case, it seems clear that Fringe is no longer about 'going home,' but about remembering, meaning that the show can be compelling again after a few episodes of spinning its wheels. Welcome back, Fringe. We've missed you. A

Fringe 4.12 "Welcome to Westfield" Review

Tonight's episode of Fringe is one of its best, but you might do well to be getting excited about a future episode of the series. Episode 19 of the season is bringing in a guest star from that other great J.J. Abrams series, LOST. Henry Ian Cusick, better known as Desmond Hume, will guest star, according to TVLine.

Cusick will play an FBI agent assigned to a Fringe case, though it's unknown which universe he's from. TVLine speculates that Cusick's role is that of an "Alternate Universe Agent" who "possesses strength and confidence as well as strong comic timing."

Cusick's not exactly known for his comic timing, but I wouldn't put it beyond him -- the man can act. At the moment, the role looks like it'll be a one-off guest star, but I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that it would be absolutely fantastic to see Cusick recur.

Cusick, of course, starred on LOST, which was also created by J.J. Abrams. Writers Jeff Pinkner and David Fury have also worked on both shows. Star Lance Reddick appeared in a recurring role on LOST, and LOST star Jorge Garcia had a guest role on Fringe. There is plenty of overlap between the two shows, but we get excited with every new connection that's made.

Fringe airs tonight, February 10, with the fantastic episode "Welcome to Westfield."

Fringe Nabs Lost Star Henry Ian Cusick for Guest Role

If you’ve been watching Fringe this season, then you’ll recognize Michelle Krusiec as the actress who played one of the new, human shapeshifters. If you haven’t been watching, maybe Michelle herself can convince you to give it a shot! Michelle took the time to chat with us this week about her experiences on Fringe: covering everything from how the show is like an illicit drug to what it’s like to play a superhuman. Michelle also reveals the previously-unknown “shapeshifter” name of her character. The shapeshifter has been known only as Nadine, who was first introduced in the season premiere, and was seen most recently in last week’s episode “Enemy Of My Enemy”. I will say that I myself am curious as hell about what the shapeshifter name may signify…

And now I’ll let you get on to the good stuff:

TVOvermind: Had you been a fan of Fringe before working on the show?

Michelle Krusiec: I can't honestly call myself a fan prior to working on it, because that would make the real fans pretty upset since they are true fans.  I watched the pilot and I was intrigued, but I'm not an avid TV watcher. Mostly because of time and lack of it, nothing to do with the show itself.  I remember watching Fringe randomly one night earlier this season and I was totally confused by the two Olivias, but still, I was intrigued, and wondered what in the world the storyline was about!

What was it like to work on the show?

I was really giddy with excitement because it's a J.J. Abrams show and my character was just so awesome.  I was told she was a new breed of shapeshifter, but I had no idea what the hell that really meant, in terms of the show's mythology; I got to work and started watching as many episodes as I could. The first episode I was in, I was mostly dead, and since it was raining in Vancouver, I basically watched 36 back-to-back episodes.  I felt like some junkie hopped up in my hotel room.  My curtains were drawn.  I'd watch it in bed, from the bathtub, with room service.  I couldn't stop watching it.  I was completely hooked, and in complete awe of the storyline.

I'm such a sucker for sci fi because my Dad and I bonded over them growing up. Whenever sci fi is at its best, it makes you examine morality, ethics and the human condition: it really brings to light great questions and theoreticals about mankind and behavior.  In the case of Fringe, I was really struck by this notion of how one man's mistakes affect two universes and the people in them.  The way the writers explored these questions while still maintaining a procedural show was impressive to me.  And then to top it off, the calibre of acting on the show was so striking.  I felt like I had won the lottery to be invited onto the show.

What are some of your favorite memories and experiences from working on Fringe?

Some of my favorite moments include getting my face scanned for the digital effects and seeing a 3D version of my face on the computer. And I loved my character's name "Seven" because it's just a badass name.

I loved playing with the guns.  I took that very seriously.  I felt that a shapeshifter would move differently than humans and I wanted to be completely collected when I was operating firearms.  I practiced rolling around on the floor and shooting, which I never did in the show, and the firearms expert even told me while I was doing it, “they probably won’t ask you to do that,” but I’d just keep on rolling around on the floor. Basically, any time I got to kick ass, I was giddy with excitement because Seven has superhuman abilities and you just don't get a chance to play characters like that very often.  I was a little jealous whenever I had to shapeshift into another human being though, because another actor played that part. But it was also really awesome to see how they lined up my face with the other actress Lori Triolo's face so they could shift our faces together.  It was odd how our features were actually very similar on camera.  Who would have guessed I'd have Italian features?

Doing the shapeshifting in and out of characters was more challenging than I expected because it had to be subtle and it’s mostly digital effects so your face is like a canvas. The first time I did it, I just went crazy and after my first take the director Joe Chapelle just said, "Uh, make it smaller." That made me laugh, because I think I may have gone a little overboard with it.  All the other shapeshifters made it look so painful, so I thought I was doing exactly what I'd seen on the show, but I was mistaken. There's a great scene where Seven is injecting herself with the formula to correct her genetic mutation that's preventing her from shapeshifting on command. I loved shooting in that bathroom because it was a small little space and any kind of transformation scene like that for an actor is really fun to do.

I also loved seeing Gene the cow.  I wish I had taken a photo with her now… Can you tell that I had a blast shooting this show?

How did you approach your character?

I really developed Seven with an animal in mind. You're probably laughing, but I took this role very seriously. I felt like it was a great opportunity to work off of the pre-established mythology, and since Seven is a new breed of shapeshifter, I wanted to see what my imagination could come up with.  Since I had three weeks off in between episodes, I developed this idea that Seven is a super soldier but with empathic capabilities.  As a soldier, she has a direct mission objective she has to follow, but since she's also part human, she uses her ability to experience human emotions to convince Malcolm Truss to help her.  I tried to find moments in the episode where she could emote like a real human being and play "Nadine", her human form, but then switch back to shapeshifter Seven.  A lot of those moments didn’t make the final edit, because there’s just so much info packed into these episodes, but I had fun prepping it.

What made her different from other characters you’ve portrayed?

What makes Seven different? She gets to scale walls! She pokes guys’ eyeballs out! My stunt double, who was amazing, had to do wire work to scale that wall and I would have given anything to try the stunt myself: being superhuman is pretty much every kid's fantasy.

Was there anything you’d hoped to see explored with her that we didn’t really address? Given that characters never really die in Fringe, it’s not entirely beyond the realms of possibility that we might see her again someday…

I’m always fascinated when robots have emotions.  I'm really intrigued by that.  I had hoped that she would continue to work for David Robert Jones, but then begin to show signs of empathizing with the humans and switch teams.  I also wondered what would happen if she and Olivia ever got into a bitch fight.  Two badass women squaring off?  That's a season finale, come on!

What was it like to be a rather central “baddie” this season?

I wanted more. I was very sad when I read that Seven gets shot. I think I went right into mourning, but what was really incredible was being introduced to the Fringies.  I had no idea there were such loyal fans out there.  I really didn't want to let them down.  Although, having become a fan of the show myself now, I understand the addiction and the loyalty.  There’s really nothing quite like it on TV.

What’s next for you? Are there any projects you’d like to mention?

I just wrapped a comedy called Nice Girls Crew. I'm waiting to begin work on the feature Relative Insanity, and I'll be guesting on Touch next.

Many thanks again to Michelle for taking the time to do this interview, and for the thought-provoking answers! I always find it fascinating to hear inside perspectives on my favorite show, and I find it rather wonderful that she turned into a fan after working on the show. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post below! You can also reach Michelle on Twitter here: @michellekrusiec.

Fringe: Michelle Krusiec Talks Her Shapeshifter Role and the Show

Chuck | What can we expect from the two-hour series finale? The time has finally come to countdown the days to "Chuck Versus Sarah" and "Chuck Versus the Goodbye" on Jan. 27, so TVLine went to Zachary Levi for some scoop: “The first hour is super-intense drama and action and some tears are shed. And the second half also has some drama, but there’s a lot of comedy, too.”

Co-star Yvonne Strahovki echoed similar thoughts to EW. “I remember reading the script thinking ‘My god! Wow, this is quite a bold choice that the writers have made,’ which is why I say people are going to be wondering how this is going to finish up,” she says. “It’s a little scary or disconcerting in a way, but that’s what makes it interesting.” Now excuse me while I go stock up on tissues.

Grimm | What's the secret behind the mysterious Captain Renard? Well, according to EP David Greenwalt and EP Jim Kouf's talk with EW, we'll soon find out. “It’s not what people think…and we’ve been told a lot of what people think,” says Kouf. “He walks a fine line. He’s balancing more than anyone." Greenwalt agreed, "He’s not just purely nefarious at all. He has his reasons for what he’s doing.”

And what about Nick's friend and partner Monroe? It seems like he'll soon find himself opposite his good friend during an upcoming case. “[Monroe's] whole past will be brought up.” Also, don't be surprised if Monroe gets a little romance.

Fringe | Will the Observer's message about Olivia's death come true? If you go by EP Joel Wyman's comments to EW, then yes. "He said it, so we have to take it as gospel," Wyman says. “Every situation she goes into, from walking across the street to taking down a Fringe freak, she could be killed.” Guess that settles it. Let the death watch begin!

Nikita | Could death be coming to Nikita? Showrunner Craig Silverstein recently joked to TVLine about his character problem: “We’ve built up a lot of [cast members], and so we’ve got to start killing them off.” And just in case you thought the regulars were safe: “Yes, some of those guys will die.” Sounds like all bets are off.

Spoilers: What Can We Expect From the Chuck Series Finale? Plus: Grimm, Fringe & Nikita

It's time to start biting your nails, Fringe fans. Talks have begun between Warner Bros. and Fox regarding the renewal of the J.J. Abrams sci-fi series, which has been flagging in the ratings for years. The show has a strong (but small) fan base, and with the series appearing to have reached its low point for ratings (it's been steady for a few weeks at about a 1.1 in the adults 18-49 demographic), things are really up in the air.

Season 5 would bring the show to the 100-episode mark, something that would be incredibly helpful in its prospects of syndication. In fact, a thirteen-episode fifth season would bring the number of episodes out to exactly 100, which might be something the networks discuss. After all, Fox is looking for a way to bring Fringe back by cutting how much they pay Warner Bros. per episode to air the series. The fate of the show rests on whether they can work out a number.

"We remain hopeful that Fringe will be able to continue," J.J. Abrams tells TVLine. Abrams indicated recently that he would "do everything in [his] power" to direct an episode of the fifth season if the show is renewed.

Executive producer Jeff Pinkner is similarly hopeful, though he promises fans an upside to a possible cancellation. “Worst case scenario, if this were the last aired season of Fringe… we know what the end of this season is going to be,” he told TVLine, "and it can function as a series finale."

I'd much rather have a season 5. We'll keep you posted on what goes down with Fringe.

Fringe airs its next episode, "Forced Perspective," January 27 at 9/8c on FOX.

Fringe Season 5 Renewal Talks Begin

Fringe's fourth season is picking up speed. After last week's stellar episode "Back to Where You've Never Been," the momentum continues with "The Enemy of My Enemy," which airs January 20 on FOX.

I haven't seen the episode, so how do I know it will be so good? That's simple: look at these clips. Three preview clips from the episode have been released. One of them features the triumphant return of David Robert Jones (Jared Harris), who popped up briefly in the last episode. He's totally intimidating and watchable as he proves a point to Altlivia and Alt-Lincoln.

The second clip features typical Walter hi-jinks -- this time he's liquifying meat to create the perfect recipe. As Astrid and Olivia both note, things don't exactly work out for the meat; it's pretty disgusting.

Finally, we have the third clip, which shows Peter and Lincoln arguing about what to do next. Peter wants to return to this universe, while Lincoln wants to stay and investigate the shapeshifters that killed his partner. Things seem to be resolved fairly quickly when Altlivia and Alt-Lincoln walk in with a handcuffed David Robert Jones, who Peter instantly recognizes. After all, Peter did kill him, once upon a time.

Fringe airs "The Enemy of My Enemy" tonight, January 20, on FOX.

Fringe: Three Clips from "The Enemy of My Enemy"

J.J. Abrams operates in a way that's similar to the deists' perception of God. He simply creates something, winds up the spring, and lets it go how it will. Sometimes, as with Undercovers, the clockwork is wound too tight and it breaks. But Abrams has a tendency, as he did with LOST, to wind things up just right, and then step away. He did the same thing with FOX's Fringe, one of the most creatively brilliant shows on television right now.

In a video released by FOX on Thursday, Abrams chats with Fringe marketing special ops Ari Margolis about why exactly he loves the show that he helped to create, pointing out how the show is a wonderful mix of the scary and the heartfelt, pointing to Walter Bishop (John Noble) as a prime example.

While Abrams realizes that viewership isn't great and that chances of a fifth season aren't great, he certainly sweetens the pot for FOX to renew the series; he's willing to once again wind up the clockwork. "While I don't know what the schedule is, it has been my desire since the pilot to direct an episode," Abrams says. "I would say without question that if Fringe comes back, I would do anything in my power to direct an episode. I would love it."

Fringe will air Friday, January 20 with the episode "Enemy of My Enemy" at 9/8c on FOX. Watch it live.

Check out the video below.

Fringe: J.J. Abrams Wants to Direct an Episode in Season 5

The Secret Circle | Which major book character is finally coming to Chance Harbor? Are you sitting down for this? John Blackwell. Best known for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and Higher Ground (Everyone saw this show, right?), Joe Lando has been cast as the mysterious and powerful witch who finally makes his entrance in episode 15 "Return," supposedly so he can protect the Circle. Yeah, that's what I thought, too.

And what's up with Faye's new boy-toy Lee? Nothing good, I'm afraid. It seems this whole time he's been hiding the secret of his ex-girlfriend Eva (Alexia Fast) being in a drug-induced coma. And would you look at that, she's ready to wake up in "Return". My that episode is beginning to look really busy...

CSI: NY | Will Mac finally be able to move on from his wife Claire? The season premiere "Indelible" not only gave us our first glimpse at the happily married couple pre-9/11, but Mac was also able to at last say goodbye to the wife he lost so long ago. So now may be the perfect time to find someone new. Just in case, Megan Dodds has been cast as Christine, a possible love interest and someone from Mac's past.

How I Met Your Mother | Is love in the air for Barney? In episode 16, Barney will go out on a double date with new girl Quinn (Becky Newton), who manages to push his buttons in all the right ways. Creator Craig Thomas teases, she'll be "a bit of a puppet-master and Barney sort of falls under her thralls. The inventor of the playbook is being played." Oh, it's on!

Parks and Recreation | Which Will & Grace star is heading to Pawnee? Why that would be Sean Hayes! His former co-star Megan Mullally already recurs on Parks, but soon the actor will guest star as a TV journalist who grabs a big political interview with Leslie (Amy Poehler). This should go well.

And just who will be stopping by to play Leslie's opponent in the race for City Council? Vulture reports that Paul Rudd shot his scenes late last year, though neither NBC nor the show will comment, and that the episode should be airing very soon. Hm...

The Vampire Diaries | Who's this mysterious new lady Sage? To find out we'll have to wait until episode 16, simply titled "1911," where Cassidy Freeman will first be seen via flashbacks as the "sexy and fearless" Sage. She'll have the exciting task of enticing both the Salvatore brothers and the Original family. Though in the books, Sage was actually a he. Awkward.

Plus, will Damon soon be sexing it up with a hot female vampire? Perhaps. But is it Katherine? While Nina Dobrev refused to comment on whether she would be in the scene as well, judging by the wig Somerhalder recently tweeted himself wearing we're beginning to wonder if does take place in the past.

Oh, and when will Stefan find out about Damon and Elena's kiss? Try in this week's episode "The Ties that Bind". Any guesses as to how he'll take it?

Once Upon a Time | Is someone else going to learn about the curse? Kind of. In episode 17 "Hat Trick," an intriguing new character named Jefferson, a former criminal in the fairy-tale world, shows up and attempts to convince Emma that the curse is indeed true. Though we're not even sure how he knows about the curse in the first place.

Hart of Dixie | Could there be yet another love interest in store for Zoe? Well, maybe third time's the charm because Justin Hartley will soon be lingering around Bluebell as Jesse, a "charming Southerner and war hero". Sounds to me like Wade better step up his game.

The Good Wife | Could Will be getting a new woman in his life? Two, actually. And they're coming by to find him the woman of his life. Will's two sisters Sara (Nadia Dajani) and Audra (Merritt Wever) will be showing up on his doorstep determined to fix their brother's love life. Of course, they may not be entirely welcome...

Fringe | What's coming up for Fringe? Only the worst. Michael Massee, who's actually made a living playing villains, will play a man pushed to the limits in Episode 15.  Executive producer JH. Wyman explained the casting thus: "His character promises to be one of the most memorable, guest bad guys we've ever had." Well, I'm sold.

Spoilers: The Secret Circle's Blackwell Returns, Will & Grace in Parks and Rec, and CSI: NY Love Interest

Alcatraz unlocks its first episode series premiere event from the mind of J.J. Abrams with tonight's pilot "Jack Sylvane," as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) finds herself embroiled in a mind-boggling mystery of how 1960's Alcatraz inmates are re-surfacing in present day San Francisco with murderous intent.  Alcatraz certainly holds promise going forward, but isn't quite the dramatic hook some of Abrams' past TV works have been.

I first saw Alcatraz when they screened the pilot episode at San Diego Comic-Con, though I confess to drifting in and out of attention, owing partly to other assignments of previous Ballroom 20 panels, a lack of anything particularly grabbing within the pilot itself, and just a brutal, brutal hangover from all the socializing the night before.

So while I could have done a better job on focusing on what does, and doesn’t work about Alcatraz the first time around, the eminent prestige of J.J. Abrams and its sci-fi premise would inevitably draw me back in for further viewing.

Then, I found out they re-tooled the pilot a bit from what was shown, and I couldn’t be sure whether what I had watched recently in FOX’s online screening room was the original or the updated version.  Even with that dilemma, re-tooling pilots always bodes ill for a series.  So keep in mind that what you see from Alcatraz’s series premiere tonight wasn’t always present, and serves to highlight a few points FOX obviously found problematic, notably a lack of character for lead Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones).  Near as I can tell, none of the original pilot dealt with the death of her partner, her difficulting in working with others, or her grandfather already resurfacing in present day.

I also did a bit of research into other reactions to the pilot, many of which hit some of the same points, that conceptually Alcatraz seems like a cool idea for series and a smart blend of sci-fi with the procedural, but little else.  Clearly the writers are setting up some kind of larger sci-fi conspiracy to explain where the 302 Alcatraz prisoners and guards have been for 40 years, but beyond that most of the action simply lies in unremarkable characters following somewhat typical cop-show beats.  I’m reminded of specific comments* from J.J. Abrams on how he envisioned Alcatraz as a less serialized, inmate-of-the-week type series that anyone could find accessible by jumping on to random episodes during the season, and that mentality certainly shows.

(*) Others have also pointed out that in discussing the show Abrams drew on the same “Alias as over-serialized” anecdote he used when first describing Fringe, which hit its creative stride by embracing longer story arcs, not avoiding them.

The basic synopsis of Alcatraz unfolds as troubled young detective Rebecca Madsen and Alcatraz expert Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) find themselves drawn into the murder investigation of a former Alcatraz staff member, apparently by long-dead inmate Jack Sylvane.  Once they uncover too many details of the seemingly impossible murder, secretive FBI agent Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) recruits them as part of the larger investigation of why Alcatraz inmates are re-appearing un-aged in present day with murderous intent.

With 302 names on the roster to investigate and a host of unanswered questions, Alcatraz’ pilot leaves plenty of room to grow, but could use a little work in developing its characters.  Madsen seems to have a colorful enough past, but we don’t grasp much of a clear hook for why she finds herself so drawn to the Alcatraz cases, or even how impossible they seem.  As I mentioned earlier FOX seems to have beefed up her grandfather’s role in the mystery, but that shoehorning doesn’t illustrate much of a real connection she has to the man other than blood, or her surrogate uncle (Robert Forster).

Diego Soto on the other hand, everyone loves Hurley, but the pilot doesn’t give the good doctor much to do beyond a couple of “gee whiz” reactions and a few dots about Alcatraz to connect.  Sam Neill’s Emerson Hauser emerges as a frontrunner for the most intriguing character thus far, but I wouldn’t trust J.J. Abrams to show his hand so quickly.  By the same token I expect that whatever orders they might have, each inmate (or guard) the team encounters from the past will run the gamut of emotions, as Alcatraz’ pilot seems inconsistent on portraying Jack Sylvane as sympathetic and remorseless.  We feel for him given his plight and unfair treatment in prison, but those sympathies don’t quite gel with his unrepentantly violent nature.  I haven’t seen the second episode FOX will air along with the pilot, so we’ll see if character motivations become any clearer.

I’ll definitely keep up with Alcatraz going forward, but I might dip more into the recap side rather than review, unless the show manages to grow out of its more generic cop show conventions.  Really, must every leading detective be a loose cannon with family issues that no one else works well with?

See?  Not everything needs to draw heavy LOST comparisons.

And Another Thing…

• We'll be back with a recap of the second episode "Ernest Cobb" later, but you can also check out our extensive Alcatraz coverage, including set visits, and interviews with Executive Producer Jack Bender, Jorge Garcia, Sarah Jones and others.

• Should we start a pool of crazy theories to explain the science-fiction?  My money’s on either cloning, or cryogenics given the additional hospital ward experiment scenes added to the pilot.  Time travel seems like it might be a little grand for this show.

• For funsies, take a shot every time someone dramatically reminds another that “THIS IS ALCATRAZ!”

• Unless I'm mistaken, the current version of the pilot also removes a scene in which Sylvane recieves cryptic, almost hypnotizing instructions from a payphone call, something they may have wanted to keep more ambiguous at first.

• Man, the guy they got to play a young Sam Neill looks creepy.

What did YOU think?

Alcatraz 1.01 "Jack Sylvane" Series Premiere Review

As I’m sure many of you know, Fringe returns tonight from the winter hiatus with the all-new episode “Back To Where You’ve Never Been”. As was mentioned in an article we posted earlier this week, back in October, TVOvermind visited the Vancouver set of Fringe and spoke with some of the stars about season 4. When the interviews occurred, only the first two episodes of the season had aired, so the actors were understandably vague about much of what was to come. However, tonight’s new episode was the one being filmed during the set visit, so some of the hints are now coming to fruition.

Given where Fringe has gone this season, something on everyone’s mind was how the two universes can coexist relatively peacefully, considering the fact that they had basically been at war. The tension between the two sides is tangible, and it’s clear that none of the characters trust their alternates – especially after the revelation of a new breed of shapeshifter. As Olivia is quick to point out, Walternate was behind the previous generation, and this technology looks incriminatingly similar. Lance Reddick – who plays two versions of Phillip Broyles – discussed the fact that although the two sides have been working together, the tension has been building.  He also pointed out that "there’s potentially a third element that will be a danger to both universes that’s going to force them to work together". Jasika Nicole, who plays agents Astrid Farnsworth, went on to say that as crazy as things have been before, the dangers posed by this new threat will be even more severe.

Along with some tantalizing hints of what is to come, Mr. Reddick discussed some of the intricacies of working on a show that regularly shoots scenes with doubles of their characters. The short answer, which doesn’t do his answers justice, is that it’s incredibly complicated, but also rewarding and fascinating. He did note that one of the joys of playing alternate versions of characters is that it offers the opportunity to explore more of the backstories for each character. While he hopes to see more of this, he did note that he “[doesn’t] know if there’ll be time, because there’s just so much story happening!”

Jasika Nicole also had some thoughts on character backstories and relationships. She noted that both her and Anna Torv, who plays FBI agent Olivia Dunham, always found it a little strange that we never really got the opportunity to see the friendship between Olivia and Astrid in the original timeline; I definitely agree with her when she says that she thinks it’s "long overdue" that we’re finally seeing aspects of their relationship in this new reality! I also think that Ms. Nicole had a very good point when she pointed out that "[Peter]’s not there anymore, and so Astrid has sort of become Olivia’s confidante." Not to mention the fact that the two women have had shared custody, so to speak, of Walter Bishop since the unlikely trio joined Fringe Division, and I imagine they’ve had more than enough to bond over.

That being said, it’s been apparent from the beginning of this new season of Fringe that Walter and Astrid don’t share the same relationship in this new reality. My first thought was that in the absence of Peter, Walter should be closer to both Astrid and Olivia. We’ve certainly seen how Walter has come to rely on Olivia, yet Walter and Astrid’s relationship seems to have gone in the opposite direction. I assume that the main reason for this shift is because she isn’t entirely lab-based in this new reality. Since Astrid has had to function as Walter’s eyes and hands outside the lab, I guess they simply haven’t forged the same connection forced by close proximity for the past 3 years.  As Ms. Nicole pointed out, "that was the reason Astrid was there, was to be there for Walter when he needed her." And if that’s not her role in their little family any more, what is? Ms. Nicole was quick to state that "[Astrid] has to be a piece of this puzzle", and that according to the writers, we’ll see more of where Astrid fits in in the new timeline.

One thing I found particularly interesting was when Ms. Nicole pointed out that Astrid is "always trying to convince Walter that Walternate is not evil, that his world is just as important as ours...that he’s not the enemy." In some ways I think Astrid serves as the voice of reason, trying to keep Walter and Olivia on an even keel , as neither of them are particularly level-headed when it comes to their alternates. Ms. Nicole also noted that she thinks that her character "tries to see the best in people all the time", and I think that’s a trait that seems intrinsic to Astrid – at least for the one on Our Side.

As far as portraying Alt-Astrid, particularly in regards to the fact that she’s autistic, Ms. Nicole discussed how she tries to take what she knows of how autism affects the brain and therefore communication and behaviour, and bases her portrayal of the alternate agent on that. She tries not to model any one person in particular because she never wants it to seem that she’s making light of autism – something that’s particularly important to her because her sister is autistic. After observing that Alt-Astrid has been rather static so far because we only see her at work, Ms. Nicole stated that she "would love to explore what other facets of her personality there are". When it comes to the possibility of the two Astrids interacting, she mused that "these two women are fundamentally different, and I wonder what their common ground is, besides their having the same body".  Personally, she thinks Astrid would be fascinated and want to get to know her alternate, while her doppelganger would be rather oblivious to their connection. Personally, I’d love to see a confrontation between the two Astrids.  Actually, I’d like to see an exploration of Astrid’s backstory in general. I’m hoping that it’s something we see at some point in the back half of the season.

Now, fair warning, in case you want to go into tonight’s episode without any specific spoilers, I’m going to discuss a bit of what was seen of the scene of Fringe they were filming during the set visit.

The scene being filmed was obviously taking place Over There – so it looks like we’re finally going to get more than a glimpse of what’s been going on in the alternate universe in this new timeline. A group of people were standing outside of a transportation depot – in Vancouver, actually a horsetrack – when a bus comes speeding by only to have a shapeshifter jump on top of it. The alt-world citizens see the commotion which brings Olivia Dunham and Seth Gabel’s alternate Lincoln Lee to investigate. In the banner below, you can see one of the posters that urge citizens Over There to "Be Vigilant". It never ceases to amaze me, the amount of detail that goes in to every scene; the set decorators on Fringe are consistently fantastic.

The only other thing I’ll say about tonight’s Fringe episode is that I loved it, and I hope you all tune in tonight to watch it LIVE on FOX at 9:00 pm EST!

Fringe: The Stars Talk Doppelgangers, New Realities & Tonight's New Episode

Back in October, TVOvermind visited the Vancouver set of Fringe and sat down with the actors to discuss season four. At the time of the interviews, only the first two episodes of the new season had aired, so everyone was understandably tight-lipped about what we could expect in coming episodes. Now that we’re almost half-way through the season, however, we have some context for the various hints and references.

John Noble always has some fascinating insights into the characters he portrays, and this time was no exception. When asked whether we’ll see Walter get back to where he was at the end of last season, Mr. Noble stated that “somewhere down the track there will be a stabilization, because right now he’s just a loon… There has to be a stabilization somewhere.” He went on to say that while he doesn’t know when that might happen, as an actor, it isn’t really something he wants to know; it can change his choices on how to portray Walter in the present.

Mr. Noble goes on to say that “it’s a beautiful thing that [they] get to reset [their] characters."  It’s constantly a challenge, as well as a fascinating mental exercise, to have to rewind the last 4 years and imagine how events would have unfolded without the addition of Peter. Walter has been taken back to when he was in St. Claire’s, and definitely not a well man, except this time when he was released he didn’t have the stabilizing force of his son to anchor him to reality. This new Walter is simultaneously driven and paralyzed by fear - haunted not only by the loss of his son, but also by the fact that he is responsible for the damage done to both worlds. And even though Walter can’t really connect with anyone right now, John Noble has found the shift in Walter’s relationship with Anna Torv’s Olivia to be quite interesting. Speaking as to the new dynamic between Walter and Olivia, Ms. Torv herself notes that Olivia is now a “surrogate child” to Walter, and that “Walter and Olivia are closer, but they’ve had to be, without the buffer of Peter."

In terms of Walter’s relationship with the newest Fringe Division agent Lincoln Lee, John Noble states that while they’re certainly not close, Walter at least acknowledges him. When asked about whether Lincoln could be a surrogate son for Walter, Mr. Noble was quite emphatic that “he’s not Walter’s son - it will never be that beautiful emotional entanglement that you got in [earlier seasons]” and goes on to speculate that he doesn’t know when or if we’ll see that again. One of the many reasons that I hope to see at least elements of the original timeline restored is because I find myself missing that very dynamic: along with Olivia’s complicated relationship with both Bishops, Peter and Walter’s bond was part of the heart of the show.

Seth Gabel, who plays Lincoln Lee and was added as a full-time cast member this season, says that the moment he feels that Walter accepted Lincoln was when Walter got his name wrong and called him “Kennedy”.  He goes on to add that even though Lincoln obviously isn’t Walter’s son he might just be the “perfect placeholder and possibly bridge for Walter ultimately being able to accept this Peter that’s come back into his life”. One thing I found particularly interesting in Mr. Gabel’s interview was that he has some of the same questions as I do about this new timeline, particularly regarding Olivia’s time spent Over There: the question still remains as to how that entire story arc would have played out given that there was no Peter to cause them to cross over, and Olivia herself doesn’t seem to be aware of any of her Cortexiphan-induced abilities. It's been implied that Walternate kidnapped Olivia, but it still remains a subject of debate.

In terms of Lincoln’s dynamic with a newly-returned Peter, Mr. Gabel tries, unsuccessfully, to avoid the term “bromance”, and notes that they seem to work well together. We saw them play off each other in the Fringe episode “And Those We Left Behind”; for anyone who’s a fan of their dynamic, I will say that there’s a lot more of it in this week’s new episode “Back To Where You’ve Never Been”, which was the episode that was being filmed during the set visit in October.

During the set visit it was readily apparent that at least part of the episode takes place on the Other Side, which we haven’t really seen much of this season, aside from “One Night In October”. On the subject of Walternate, John Noble states that the reason we haven’t really seen what Walter’s alternate has been up to is that there hasn’t really been a reason for it. There have certainly been hints as to nefarious plans by Walternate, but we’ll see what he has been up to in this week’s new episode. Something I’ve loved about Fringe since they gave us our first glimpses of an alternate universe is how they’ve fleshed out the alternate versions of the characters. Mr. Noble says that he “never wanted [Walternate] to be evil… I always wanted him to be a human being with a big responsibility." Personally, I think that they’ve done that (although killing Olivia was a step too far, for me). One of the most intriguing contrasts between Walternate and Walter was the alternate’s refusal to experiment on children, which the lovable Walter has done without compunction.

Mr. Noble also addressed one of my biggest questions in this new timeline with regards to Walternate: how have Walternate and Elizabeth recovered from the loss of their son? Previously, Walternate could have at least been reassured with the fact that Peter was stolen from them, yet was saved in the process.  In this new timeline, he has no such reassurances. Mr. Noble muses that “last time [the loss of his son] really drove him through into that state; what happens now? Is he still the same?” This Friday we’ll finally start to get answers to those questions.

Use the arrows above to browse through a few photos from the Fringe set. And make sure you tune in to Fringe on Friday, January 13 at 9:00 p.m. ET on Fox to watch the all new episode “Back To Where You’ve Never Been” – I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Fringe Stars Talk Season 4: Relationships, Reappearances and Resurrections

Fringe returns on January 13 with "Back to Where You've Never Been," the episode that should have been the midseason finale before it was pushed back by the World Series. And while Fringe left us on the oddly pensive note that was "Wallflower," Friday's episode will make it obvious that the series meant to go to the winter hiatus with a bang. "Back to Where You've Never Been" is the best episode of season 4 so far, better than previous title holders "Novation" and "And Those We've Left Behind." The episode marks the season gaining momentum after a few episodes of spinning its wheels, and at least in one regard, that momentum is going somewhere. Fringe is back, baby.

Peter seems to have been growing as frustrated as we were with just sitting around, and in this episode, he takes initiative. As the countless trailers and promos released for this episode have indicated, he hatches a plan to the alternate universe, which seems more familiar than our universe, because the ramifications of his disappearance aren't nearly as severe. Of course, that doesn't mean that everyone is friendly. Things don't go smoothly at all (but did you really expect them to?).

Check out these promos and behind-the-scenes photos from the episode. 

The episode moves quickly, dodging opportunities to stall and instead hurrying right on to introducing new mysteries -- and bringing back some old ones. The episode sees the return of an old foe, while a familiar face is put into mortal danger. Someone we thought would be bad turns out to be good (perhaps), and someone finally gives John Noble credit for great acting. Here's one last little hint: this episode will leave you  craving some "Lysergic Acid Diethylamide."

Fringe looks to be heading into what I've been told is an energetic second half of the season. "Back to Where You've Never Been" would have been a fantastic midseason finale, but it makes a pretty great midseason premiere, too. A

Fringe returns on Friday, January 13 at 9/8c with "Back to Where You've Never Been." Check back to TVOvermind afterward for Nadine Ramsden's in-depth review of the episode.

Fringe Midseason Premiere Review: Back with a Vengeance

Well, Fringe fans, it's looking more and more clear that season four will be the final season of the sci-fi drama. The series returns on Friday, January 13, with an all new (fantastic) episode, but upon its return, we might be looking down the barrel toward the series finale.

That's despite the efforts of FOX president Kevin Reilly, a self-proclaimed Fringe fanatic. At the TCA today, he called his efforts to keep the show on air "a point of pride," though he acknowledged that it was much more difficult to justify another renewal for the series. "We lose a lot of money on that show," he confirmed. "At that rating, on that night [Fridays], it’s impossible to make money… and we’re not in the business of losing money.”

So does that mean that Fringe is cancelled? Well, not yet, Reilly said; nothing has been decided, so Fringe fans shouldn't start a letter-writing campaign to FOX to save the show (but really, how effective are those anyway?).

The only way Fringe could possibly be saved, Reilly hinted, would be massive budget cuts for the series. The budget for season 4 has already been much lower than previous seasons, as has probably been obvious to anyone who has watched the show this year. Thankfully, the quality of the show hasn't gone down too much, other than the increased frequency of those annoying product placements that we all just try to ignore. Slashing the budget again, though, would probably be a detriment to the show, stifling the writers creatively and probably forcing several main characters to be written out of the show.

So, as I've said many times before, I think it is time to end Fringe -- but the decision needs to be made soon. I've always been a proponent of the shortened fifth season as a way to wrap up the series, but if that won't be possible (and it seems unlikely), I think it's best that FOX comes to a decision quickly, so that head writers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman can give us the satisfying conclusion that Fringe and its audience deserve.

Update: Reilly has confirmed that no decision will be made until after the season 4 finale is written, meaning that if the show is cancelled, we might have to rely on a rumored comic-book miniseries to close out the show. 

On the brighter side of things, it doesn't look like Fringe will be going out on a low note, if it does at all. Fringe online marketing guru Ari Margolis has confirmed to me that the next seven episodes of the show are insane. "People are gonna go nuts," he confirmed.

I can't wait.

Check out the rest of the FOX TCA news here. 

Fringe returns Friday, January 13 with the midseason premiere, "Back to Where You've Never Been." Watch it.

Fringe Loses FOX 'A Lot of Money,' Cancellation Seems Likely

As you know doubt know, we've just entered into a new year, and one which will no doubt be eventful for the world of television. Of course, I can't claim to know what's coming up (though I wish I could). Instead, here's what we hope will happen in the world of television next year.

Check out my list over the next few pages, and add your own hopes in the comments section below.

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