Fringe

:

Season 1
  • Network: FOX
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 9, 2008
Season #: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 531 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 460 out of 531
  2. Mixed: 38 out of 531
  3. Negative: 33 out of 531
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User Reviews

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  1. raporgi
    Feb 21, 2019
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. sawsage handed, full of dumb science and empowered wahhmen. this is x-files without the grit, or spooky eerieness. the main lead is annoying while Pacey and Dad babble incoherent pseudo science garbage like Rick and Morty. the amount of womensplaining is just laffable and dumb. apparently being emotional on the field is a good thing blah blah blah ugh actually no. cool and reason win the day. JJ Abrams and his Alien minions need to be slapped upside the head for this nonsense.… Expand
  2. jacques
    Nov 6, 2009
    2
    Writing is decaying into a show of bull. to compare this show with x-files is to insult x-files where they actually tried to get the science correctly. for example: he was not holding a geiger counter which cannot measure "rads". he was holding a scintillometer which can measure "rads" but does not tick! the show is just badly produced and directed with cinematography amateurish.
  3. sh
    Sep 16, 2008
    0
    I think this show should be taked off the air.
  4. ChrisC.
    Sep 12, 2008
    2
    An overhyped pilot with a predictable yet drawn out plot. The science is--dare I say--a joke, and the lab scenes look reminiscent of MacGyver meets Mr. Wizard. Hopefully it gets better as more of the pattern is revealed.
  5. DerreckR
    Jan 20, 2009
    2
    its just not that good, I could go on why but Id rather give my 3 main reasons why, Sereotypical characters, bad acting, bad general stories.
  6. josh
    Sep 9, 2008
    2
    come on why so many good reviews ? this show is obviously swill , the overblown graphics are terrible , the plot is ridiculous come on a lost son in Iraq whos a criminal mastermind , an insane prophet father , the skin rotting disease and the intro with the cliche exploding cell phone who just happens to be the guy shes in love with . its like a bad episode of bones , the x-files , and come on why so many good reviews ? this show is obviously swill , the overblown graphics are terrible , the plot is ridiculous come on a lost son in Iraq whos a criminal mastermind , an insane prophet father , the skin rotting disease and the intro with the cliche exploding cell phone who just happens to be the guy shes in love with . its like a bad episode of bones , the x-files , and csi all rolled into one .come on where is the real drama not this boring over hyped rehash we have seen so many times.… Expand
  7. TwilightC.
    Sep 18, 2008
    1
    I was not engaged at all. I didn't like either lead. It took the gore from x-files to an extreme and didn't do it well.
  8. JoC.
    Sep 23, 2008
    1
    I couldn't tell from the subtle and seamless exposition, but for some reason i keep thinking that Joshua Jackson's character has an iq of 190.
  9. JackH.
    Sep 24, 2008
    2
    Bad acting, bad script, wanna be shocker TV. could have been a neat show if they would have paid some more money for actors and writers.
  10. Mark
    Sep 25, 2008
    3
    Excellent production values are not enough to make a show good. Especially when the show in question is so dull and clichéd, featuring mediocre acting (that Torv chick is a piece of wood) and archetypal charcters (John Noble's Walter Bishop in particular). The show is also way too derivative. You could edit together random scenes of The X-Files and Lost and you'd end up Excellent production values are not enough to make a show good. Especially when the show in question is so dull and clichéd, featuring mediocre acting (that Torv chick is a piece of wood) and archetypal charcters (John Noble's Walter Bishop in particular). The show is also way too derivative. You could edit together random scenes of The X-Files and Lost and you'd end up with an episode of Fringe, only with better acting and writing. Considering J.J. Abrams is one of the minds behind this, I would have expected much more.… Expand
  11. Dami
    Sep 28, 2008
    2
    I'm not sure why it keeps getting such good reviews, from critics and viewers alike, because it really isn't a very good show. The writing and dialogue is terrible. The plots are absurd, and not in a good or interesting way. And the actors take themselves and their characters' roles way too seriously...
  12. AlexT.
    Nov 19, 2008
    0
    this show sucks, there's nothing good about it, bad actors, bull crap story lines, and bull crap things that cant happen. this last Tuesday's episode pissed me off, near the flipping end a guy puts a apple in a safe thing, then it starts to buzz, then he pulls it out the back EXACTLY THE SAME. WTH!!!! this show should be taken off TV forever and burned before the future this show sucks, there's nothing good about it, bad actors, bull crap story lines, and bull crap things that cant happen. this last Tuesday's episode pissed me off, near the flipping end a guy puts a apple in a safe thing, then it starts to buzz, then he pulls it out the back EXACTLY THE SAME. WTH!!!! this show should be taken off TV forever and burned before the future generations realize how stupid we are.… Expand
  13. CraigA-S
    Sep 12, 2008
    2
    Like the X-Files. But stupider. Assuming of course its possible for ANY show to be stupider than the X-Files. The fact that cybernetics is referred to in the opening credits as a "fringe" science merely shows the scientific illiteracy of the people responsible for this dreck.
  14. CharlesS.
    Sep 15, 2008
    1
    Wow what an awful script. Turned it off after 45 minutes. Would that Lab really be ther in working order after 17 years? The scientist just happened to walk right out of prison with his son and agent ? Wow.
  15. AndrewT.
    Sep 25, 2008
    2
    It's no X-files. In the theme they say it's about: psychokinesis - teleportation - nanotechnology - artificial intelligence - precognition - dark matter cybernetics - suspended animation - artificial intelligence (again) This is what it really is: A plane full of people are infected and they die. A busload of people are gassed and they die. They'll run out of ideas for It's no X-files. In the theme they say it's about: psychokinesis - teleportation - nanotechnology - artificial intelligence - precognition - dark matter cybernetics - suspended animation - artificial intelligence (again) This is what it really is: A plane full of people are infected and they die. A busload of people are gassed and they die. They'll run out of ideas for episodes soon cause they're aren't that many different kinds of mass transit. I'm guessing the next episode involves people on a train getting killed.… Expand
  16. JoeO.
    May 13, 2009
    0
    Badly written. Annoying characters. Lead actress can't act.
  17. carterh
    Dec 16, 2008
    1
    I wanted to like this show, but it was simply impossible. The plot was so unbelievable that I caught myself rolling my eyes throughout the entire first episode. I am surprised because I think the idea had promise, but it was far too outlandish to be relatable or interesting. I am surprised people can continue to watch this show. Very disappointing.
  18. cwp62492
    Oct 23, 2011
    0
    Ok, where to begin with why this show sucks and is one of the greatest wastes of time I've ever seen. "I Know it, I know what we need! Oh, I need a root beer float actually....and I just pissed myself." Watch it, you'll see what I'm talking about.
  19. Moo-vies
    Dec 3, 2015
    2
    Bad actors, bad writing, not even an attempt to follow proper science.

    Pseudo science idiocy with popular references, big words and serious faces to hide the emptiness of the scripts. This has nothing to do with at least what X-files was trying to accomplish with some success. It looks like a soap with unbelievable model actors who for most can't act. And for those who can act, it    Bad actors, bad writing, not even an attempt to follow proper science.

    Pseudo science idiocy with popular references, big words and serious faces to hide the emptiness of the scripts. This has nothing to do with at least what X-files was trying to accomplish with some success.

    It looks like a soap with unbelievable model actors who for most can't act. And for those who can act, it looks like a chore.

    It's a wonder how this show could find an audience ...    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Best TV Season of 2008
3
#3 Most Discussed TV Season of 2008
13
#13 Most Shared TV Season of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
67

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Maureen Ryan
    60
    The last half-hour of the pilot is by far the best part of Fringe; it’s full of twists, turns, action and suspense. And the first 20 minutes or so, in which a team of federal agents investigate a mysterious occurrence on a commercial airliner, is brisk and efficient, if (like much of Fringe) a little bombastic and overdirected. Aside from a cinematic dream sequence, the middle hour of Fringe is much more problematic.
    Read full review
  2. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: David Hinckley
    80
    It has good characters and plenty of action. It keeps its science fiction accessible, not abstract. Maybe best of all, it has a great sense of humor.
    Read full review
  3. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Linda Stasi
    75
    Lots of good action and lots of fun to boot.
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