So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

[162]

I saw the first episode the other day. (For those of you who don't know, it's a new series on FOX.)

I think it was okay, but not as good as the critics hyped it up to be. It does have the potential to be the next X-Files, but it has an epic, somewhat-stale, corporate conspiracy plot that seems to be a farcry of Resident Evil.

Not to mention that what happens is somewhat predictable.

*** SPOILERS ***
For instance, I knew that the Dunham's squeeze was a bad guy and was going to die, thus paving the way for Bishop's son to become the next love interest.
*** END SPOILERS ***


However, Dr. Bishop hooked me to the show. ("I p***** a little. Just a squirt." and "A narrative about a spongue. How ingenious." Funny stuff. And who knew you could say "p***" on TV?)

[John Mora]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

There's a few things I think are interesting about it, but my opinion boils down to this:

Not good enough to recommend, but not bad enough to stop watching.

What really annoys me is the protagonist. She's so cringey and overemotional. Maybe it's just bad acting choices but she always has this equivocating, confused look on her face that rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I've been spoiled by too many ubermensches, but I think if you're being touted as a talented, capable government agent, you should carry yourself like one, not bumble around for the sake of love and have everyone tell you what a wonderful job you're doing. I mean, there was really no reason for Joshua Jackson's character to stick around except for the fact, "Hey, I'm in a TV series, I can't go anywhere yet!" CAN you have a successful show like this without resorting to sexual tension between the two main characters? So far it just feels like a slightly more irreverent X-Files with a technological twist rather than an extraterrestrial one.

[Big Rick Cook]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

Feels like a show with no subtlety whatsoever, and no qualms about wanting to be a spiritual successor to X-Files. What really got to me was the opening, where it spells out, word for word, what kind of parapsychology it would be dealing with.

Like X-Files did.

I do agree with 162 that Former Mad Scientist Dr. Bishop is a fun little wild card to the formula, but I have my doubts he'll be used to good effect after the first episode.

I was mostly bored with it. And that's why I didn't bother making a topic about it. =3 I enjoyed the S2 premiere of Sarah Connor Chronicles more than this, and that's saying something.

[Goufunaki]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

Not a whole lot of weirdness, but just enough to keep my attention. I'm hoping the next episode is good. I actually liked the first episode, nutty opening scene

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

I was a little interested in the show when I read somewhere it'd be based on real world fringe science to give it a could-really-happen feel. Needless to say I am disappointed.

[Libby]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

meh.

[Big Rick Cook]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

I'm finding myself a bit more excited about this show than before. Second episode was... I dunno, fun.

[IRC]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

I agree with Mora that's it's not bad enough to stop watching. It makes me think of Lost but what's happening off the island. Instead of The Numbers you have The Pattern. Lance Reddick doesn't really help avoid comparison. Above all it's a Fox show and if feels like a Fox show. I don't know the right way to put it but I feel the same way about Sarah Conner Chronicles, Prison Break, and Bones. Formulaic? Inorganic? Forced? Maybe.

I was disapointed that the first episode went from LSD induced Telepathy and invisible skin to seeing the last image someone saw before they died with a deus ex-perimental camera. Made me think of Wild Wild West. But we'll see what happens when they pick up some steam.

[Shard]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

I kinda feel like their hook is the weakest part of the show. I like or find interesting most of the main characters they've shown so far, but anytime it gets down to the mytstery-of-the-day's solution, I keep hearing "Increase the Flash Gordon Noise and Put More Science Stuff Around".

I don't know how many times I can stand to end an episode with an eyeroll.

[truekid]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

i enjoyed the first episode, in the second one it was almost like they changed writers, there was a steep drop in dialogue quality. hopefully they'll get that worked out.

[John Mora]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

If there was a DROP in dialogue quality from the middling premiere, then they're REALLY in trouble. I mean, it's not like I'm getting my hopes up too high for THE WRITERS OF TRANSFORMERS...

[IRC]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

Maybe they should bring in Megan Fox?

[John Mora]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

I thought I'd taped Tuesday's episode. But I didn't. {:3

[Big Rick Cook]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

"taped" lol

[JLaCroix]

Re: So, What Did Ya Think of "Fringe"?

I watched an episode and it felt like a "store-brand" X-Files.

The plot was lame at the beginning of the episode I watched, when that one guy was explaining why he was hiring those three people, he didn't even have a good reason why he would have chose them, kinda like "the plot requires it". Not really but it may as well have been.

The show may be good and I might have caught a bad episode, but I predict it never makes it to season 2.