[Eug]

So, I saw the first episode of this new sci-fi show Fringe tonite. It's JJ Abram's new creation. It's kinda out there (go figure), but nonetheless I enjoyed the 1.5 hour premiere.

Trailers

I'm a little surprised it's premiering in prime time on major networks as opposed to the sci-fi cable channels, but whatever.



It's trying very hard to be an investigative X-Files type of show. We'll see if it has even a fraction of that success.



It was also kinda amusing cuz I recognized "Boston" as being Toronto. So, yet another sci-fi show shot in Canada.



Official Plot Synopsis

FRINGE: From J.J. Abrams (”Lost”), Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the team behind “Star Trek,” “Mission: Impossible III” and “Alias,” comes a new drama that will thrill, terrify and explore the blurring line between science fiction and reality. When an international flight lands at Boston’s Logan Airport and the passengers and crew have all died grisly deaths, FBI Special Agent OLIVIA DUNHAM (newcomer Anna Torv) is called in to investigate. After her partner, Special Agent JOHN SCOTT (Mark Valley, “Boston Legal”), is nearly killed during the investigation, a desperate Olivia searches frantically for someone to help, leading her to DR. WALTER BISHOP (John Noble, “Lord of the Rings”), our generation’s Einstein. There’s only one catch: he’s been institutionalized for the last 20 years, and the only way to question him requires pulling his estranged son PETER (Joshua Jackson, “Dawson’s Creek”) in to help. When Olivia’s investigation leads her to manipulative corporate executive NINA SHARP (Blair Brown, “Altered States”), our unlikely trio along with fellow FBI Agents PHILLIP BROYLES (Lance Reddick, “The Wire”), CHARLIE FRANCIS (Kirk Acevedo, “Oz”) and ASTRID FARNSWORTH (Jasika Nicole, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”) will discover that what happened on Flight 627 is only a small piece of a larger, more shocking truth.
WRITERS: J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman
DIRECTOR: Alex Graves
CAST: Anna Torv as Olivia Dunham, Joshua Jackson as Peter Bishop, John Noble as Walter Bishop, Lance Reddick as Phillip Broyles, Kirk Acevedo as Charlie Francis, Mark Valley as John Scott, Blair Brown as Nina Sharp, Jasika Nicole as Astrid Farnsworth

[design219]

It was OK. I'll tune in again next week.

[Railroader]

TiVo-ing it. I did not read the thread.

Looks interesting, I'll watch it later tonight.

[Cold Warrior]

It's on my to-watch list (which is a big list).

[vmarks]

I was once told by a producer that one of the secrets to working in Hollywood today is having a Canadian passport.

[Eug]

^^^ Esp. if you do sci-fi it seems.

[Dakar V]

I'm interested in this, but I'll probably wait till it hits DVD or something.

[klb5090]

Set this up on the DVR i'll hopefully be able to watch it tomorrow or thursday, i'll post my opinion then. Usually JJ Abrams does great work (ie LOST, although in my mind i doubt he can top that)

[Eug]

I don't think I've ever watched more than 30 minutes of lost.

For some reason I just can't seem to get into that show.

[Railroader]

It was much better than I expected. Very movie-like at times.

There are a few weak points: [minor spoilers]

 

She has an assistant?!?! Huh?

She doesn't really look that bad for having survived an explosion, not gotten any sleep in days, and under severe emotional distress.

How nude can they get her?

[more major spoliers]

 

Those objects before the commercials and the one on the door (as well as other places) are probably going to be significant.

"The Pattern"? I guess this will be the real antagonist.

Although Fox promises minimal commercial interruptions, there were a lot of commercials. The movie ads were pretty promising, new Bond film, and the Sam Jackson film. I am looking forward to those.

[gofridge]

Oh, fringe.

gofridge was wondering why Eug would start a thread about gofridge, knowing that threads about other members are not allowed.

[Peter]

saw the pilot a few months ago - LOVED IT. Can't wait for the series.

[design219]

Originally Posted by Peter 

saw the pilot a few months ago - LOVED IT. Can't wait for the series.

What's your inside connection?

[Monique]

What's with waiting for the DVD thing; I much prefer to watch a show while it is going on. Like I am going to see the next James Bond when it comes out not one year later.

Loved the last line about interrogating a dead guy. If you do not want to know about a show; I suggest you do not read a thread like this.

[Peter]

Originally Posted by design219 

What's your inside connection?

tvtorrents.com

[kmkkid]

Originally Posted by Railroader 

Although Fox promises minimal commercial interruptions, there were a lot of commercials. The movie ads were pretty promising, new Bond film, and the Sam Jackson film. I am looking forward to those.

The commercial periods were shorter, however there were more of them.

Kind of defeats the purpose

[kmkkid]

Originally Posted by Monique 

What's with waiting for the DVD thing; I much prefer to watch a show while it is going on. Like I am going to see the next James Bond when it comes out not one year later.

Loved the last line about interrogating a dead guy. If you do not want to know about a show; I suggest you do not read a thread like this.

That's what the spoiler tag is for - no need to be a jerk.

[kmkkid]

I thought the show was ok. A little off-the-wall.

I'll watch it again to see where it's going.

[andi*pandi]

I thought it was ok, I'll keep tivoing. I like the xfiles type slant, and the crazy doctor dad. The dialog needs a little work (blonde gal interrogating doctor in mental house was almost silly). They could add more humor, not just calling people sweetheart.

Glad to see the guy from Keen Eddie back, even

 

if he's dead now. Maybe they'll reanimate him and he'll be a zombie!!

[Eug]

Originally Posted by kmkkid 

The commercial periods were shorter, however there were more of them.

Kind of defeats the purpose

What channel did you watch it on?

I watched it on CTV, and there were few commercial breaks and few commercials during the breaks. It ended up only being 1.5 hours long incl. commercials. Was it 2 hours long on Fox or what?

In fact, this is the one time I "needed" the commercials. I started watching the show late on the PVR and was skipping the commercials to catch up, so I could go upstairs and watch there while I was doing paperwork. (I have HD upstairs, but no PVR.) However, the commercial breaks were so few and short that I ended up avoiding work for much longer than I had planned.

Well, maybe that's a good thing.

EDIT:

According to Wikipedia, it was 2 hours long. Wowsers, so you guys had 30 minutes more commercials than we did in Canada for the same pilot. I'm glad I just happened to choose to watch it on CTV instead of on Fox.

P.S. It also says the pilot cost $10 mil. That's quite a bit. I do agree that the production values were more than one might expect for many TV show pilots.

[kmkkid]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi 

I thought it was ok, I'll keep tivoing. I like the xfiles type slant, and the crazy doctor dad. The dialog needs a little work (blonde gal interrogating doctor in mental house was almost silly). They could add more humor, not just calling people sweetheart.

Glad to see the guy from Keen Eddie back, even

 

if he's dead now. Maybe they'll reanimate him and he'll be a zombie!!

 

Well they did say they can read brain waves within 6 hours of death, and the Lady at the end was told he'd only been dead for 5. So I assume they'll interrogate him for sure, maybe reanimate if saving the organs is possible that long after death. But, by the looks of it they have very advanced tech, at that company, so maybe he'll end up being a brain in a robotic body?!?! That'd be nifty.

[kmkkid]

Originally Posted by Eug 

What channel did you watch it on?

I watched it on CTV, and there were few commercial breaks and few commercials during the breaks. It ended up only being 1.5 hours long incl. commercials. Was it 2 hours long on Fox or what?

In fact, this is the one time I "needed" the commercials. I started the show late it was using the commercials to catch up with the PVR, so I could go upstairs and watch there while I was doing paperwork. (I have HD upstairs, but no PVR.) However, the commercial breaks were so few and short that I ended not doing work for much longer than I had planned.

Well, maybe that's a good thing.

I watched it on FOX. It ended at 9:35 I believe, but it seemed like there was a commercial break every 8 minutes or so, but the breaks were only about a minute to a minute and a half - barely enough time for a washroom break!

Then that god-awful show "The Hole" came on.
Ugh what a waste of programming space.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by Eug 

According to Wikipedia, it was 2 hours long. Wowsers, so you guys had 30 minutes more commercials than we did in Canada for the same pilot. I'm glad I just happened to choose to watch it on CTV instead of on Fox.

Originally Posted by kmkkid 

I watched it on FOX. It ended at 9:35 I believe, but it seemed like there was a commercial break every 8 minutes or so, but the breaks were only about a minute to a minute and a half - barely enough time for a washroom break!

Then that god-awful show "The Hole" came on.
Ugh what a waste of programming space.

Hmmm... So it wasn't 2 hours long on Fox then. It was just made to be a 2 hour TV show pilot, but wasn't aired that way.

There wasn't always a commercial break every 8 minutes IIRC. I think it went for 11 minutes or longer at times before a break.

[kmkkid]

Originally Posted by Eug 

Hmmm... So it wasn't 2 hours long on Fox then. It was just made to be a 2 hour TV show pilot, but wasn't aired that way.

There wasn't always a commercial break every 8 minutes IIRC. I think it went for 11 minutes or longer at times before a break.

I thought it was going to be 2 hrs, but then it ended pretty abruptly.

Makes me want to see the next one anyways

[scottiB]

The company name and marketing line were good:

Massive Dynamics

What do we make? What don't we make.

[BlueSky]

It was lame.

[Gankdawg]

Before each commercial there was a symbol, some with hidden images. One was a picture of an apple with fetuses in the seeds. Another was a picture of a hand with 5 fingers and a thumb.

[Shaddim]

I have it on DVR, will check it out tomorrow.

[brassplayersrock²]

caught it on HULU. i enjoyed it.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by Gankdawg 

Before each commercial there was a symbol, some with hidden images. One was a picture of an apple with fetuses in the seeds. Another was a picture of a hand with 5 fingers and a thumb.

Click on the spoilers in the thread.

[design219]

It took me a few minutes to realize where I'd seen this actor before.



He played Denethor in Lord of the Rings.

[Dakar V]

Yeah, I was doing that research this morning.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by design219 

It took me a few minutes to realize where I'd seen this actor before.



He played Denethor in Lord of the Rings.

Yup.

Originally Posted by Eug 

After her partner, Special Agent JOHN SCOTT (Mark Valley, “Boston Legal”), is nearly killed during the investigation, a desperate Olivia searches frantically for someone to help, leading her to DR. WALTER BISHOP (John Noble, “Lord of the Rings”), our generation’s Einstein.

--

Originally Posted by Railroader 

 

Those objects before the commercials and the one on the door (as well as other places) are probably going to be significant.

Yeah maybe. Then again maybe not.

 

Those objects kind of remind me of the intro to Outer Limits, which doesn't necessarily mean anything except that the show covers weird stuff.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by design219 

It took me a few minutes to realize where I'd seen this actor before.



He played Denethor in Lord of the Rings.

Nerd.

[design219]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Nerd.

Thanks, but a true, hard-core nerd would have known right away.

[Uncle Skeleton]

Something that was bugging me:

 

Mark Valley had a clean shot of that guy when he first popped out of the storage locker, and clearly could have recognized him. Then during the chase he said he wanted him alive. What was that all about if he really wanted a cover-up?

[higuy83]

Originally Posted by Uncle Skeleton 

Something that was bugging me:

 

Mark Valley had a clean shot of that guy when he first popped out of the storage locker, and clearly could have recognized him. Then during the chase he said he wanted him alive. What was that all about if he really wanted a cover-up?

Interesting observation, but here's some (lengthy) food for thought:

 

I just re-watched this sequence. Turns out that Mark Valley's character John had his flashlight out when the guy popped out of the adjacent locker -- his gun wasn't drawn. Also, the guy started running away just as John's flashlight beam started to settle on him.

I take this to mean that John didn't know (or wasn't sure) who the other guy was yet. This reasoning is enforced by John's subsequent line: "Freeze, FBI. I have a gun, I will shoot." If he knew who the guy was (someone he'd later suffocate with a pillow), I agree with you that he probably would've (should've) shot at him during the chase. (Of course, doing that would've spoiled the writers' big reveal that John works for Massive Dynamic.)

If you'll indulge me a bit more, I also just re-read a few pages from the "Fringe" pilot script (I'm an aspiring TV writer and have a copy). The action lines for the storage locker sequence read:

"...WITH JOHN

Another roll-up metal door SLIDES UP revealing more LAB SPACE
-– he moves into it cautiously, checking out equipment –
sees a COMPUTER MONITOR -– sees on the screen: PROGRAMS
RUNNING, BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS. TIGHT ON JOHN’S FACE,
eyes wide like he’s hit paydirt -– then, behind him, forty
feet away, another storage unit opens -– a FIGURE APPEARING
INSIDE –- another LAB behind him -– and HOLY ****, IT’S THE
DRIVER –- THE MAN FROM THE PLANE: TROUBLED! [Note: "Bad Twin" locker
guy was referred to as "Troubled" up until this point in the script.]

John turns –- sees him -– Troubled’s eyes go wide -– AND HE
RUNS –- John pulls his gun -– runs after him -- ..."

So, according to the script at least, John didn't have his gun out until after the guy started to run.

Interestingly, the early draft of the script actually includes a later sequence (during Olivia and John's mind-sharing drug trip) that reveals John actually did take a shot at Troubled once they were on the run. Here's a bit of script from the Olivia-John drug trip sequence:

"...and Olivia’s standing there, watching now--as if in
front of a ****ing IMAX SCREEN --John’s POV, as he turns –-
AND SEES TROUBLED!

And we’re looking at it FROM BEHIND OLIVIA -- WHICH MAKES IT
LOOK AS IF SHE IS THERE -- SEEING IT ALL HERSELF. Wind somehow
blowing against her now, she watches with wide eyes --

OLIVIA (CONT’D)
--I SEE HIM--

And now we’re RUNNING through the facility -- a fast
STEADICAM GLIDE, chasing after Troubled -- Olivia almost
losing her balance, feeling like she’s free-falling, mouth
open, overwhelmed -- and we see John’s hand come up as he
makes the call --

JOHN (O.S)
I’ve got a runner! He’s heading
for the back!

And Olivia says -- AS WE ALSO HEAR HER SAY ON THE PHONE:

OLIVIA OLIVIA’S VOICE
I’m on my way! (filtered)
I’m on my way!

-- and we TURN a corner, then another -- John AIMS HIS GUN
AND FIRES -- HITTING TROUBLED IN THE SHOULDER! Olivia GASPS --

OLIVIA
--you shot him --

And then, as we’re running -- as John’s running, crazy fast,
Olivia looks around for him -- where did he go?

OLIVIA (CONT’D)
-- John?!

And she turns, 360 degrees, back to the screen, just as the
EXPLOSIONS HAPPEN – and John is suddenly OBLITERATED --..."

Whew. I think that settle it then: John didn't know who the guy was at first, but realized who he once was they were on the run together.

Now wasn't that fun?!

-Brian

[Uncle Skeleton]

Thanks Brian, very thorough, but...

 

didn't he still go out of his way to tell Olivia NOT to shoot the guy? It would all work fine if they hadn't added that line, which could have simply been left out and no one would have ever known the difference. It still seems strange. I deleted my recording already so I can't check.

[higuy83]

Originally Posted by Uncle Skeleton 

Thanks Brian, very thorough, but...

 

didn't he still go out of his way to tell Olivia NOT to shoot the guy? It would all work fine if they hadn't added that line, which could have simply been left out and no one would have ever known the difference. It still seems strange. I deleted my recording already so I can't check.

 

Just re-watched that bit again on Hulu. The only thing John said to Olivia during the chase (over the phone) was "We got a runner in the back [unintelligible]." The unintelligible bit almost sounds like 'to kill alive', but that makes no sense (it certainly doesn't sound like to "keep" alive though). This bit of dialogue isn't included in the script, so I can't check what he actually said.

Suffice it to say, I think the writers covered their bases fairly well here, but there's definitely some ambiguity (perhaps more than necessary to hide John's Massive Dynamic ties from the audience).

-Brian

[Laminar]

Wasn't it decided that spoiler tags are only necessary before a show airs, and after that it's fair game?

[imitchellg5]

Watched the pilot on DVR today. I'm not a huge fan. It is okay, but I just can't get into it, at least after one episode. I'll watch the next episode or two though, maybe I'll turn out to enjoy it.

[dlefebvre]

I enjoyed it, but not my favorite show, this far. It was well done and the cast was good, but I'll have to watch a few more episodes. A few things bugged me other than the X-Files ghost flying around. The character seemed to have come out of the stereotype bag. The strong will FBI agent, the FBI agent with an hidden agenda, the enigmatic boss, the whacky professor, the evil corporation and the world control plot.

I know this show was to put it into context, we'll have to wait and see.

[lavar78]

I liked it. I'll keep watching. I'm a big fan of Abrams. I absolutely love Lost, but I really liked Felicity and Alias as well.

[Cold Warrior]

A decent first episode. I'll stay tuned.

[Uncle Skeleton]

Originally Posted by higuy83 

 

Just re-watched that bit again on Hulu. The only thing John said to Olivia during the chase (over the phone) was "We got a runner in the back [unintelligible]." The unintelligible bit almost sounds like 'to kill alive', but that makes no sense (it certainly doesn't sound like to "keep" alive though). This bit of dialogue isn't included in the script, so I can't check what he actually said.

Suffice it to say, I think the writers covered their bases fairly well here, but there's definitely some ambiguity (perhaps more than necessary to hide John's Massive Dynamic ties from the audience).

-Brian

Alright, it's aired twice now, so I'm dropping the spoiler tag

I watched it again on Fox, and I heard "We got a runner in the back, and _____ need him alive." Then when he caught up, he said hand's up instead of shooting first. It sounds like they had a few different "twist" endings ready, and maybe Mark Valley improvised a little in that scene before he even knew what the twist was going to wind up being. Sloppy editing, either way.

[Eug]

I was rather unimpressed by yesterday's episode. The opening scene (before the commercial) was pretty good, but then it was all down hill from there.

First, they spent WAY too much time reexplaining everyone's background in this episode. Isn't that what the pilot is for?

Second, the scientist dude's actions and demeanor is even less believable this time around.

Third, why is the scientist's son suddenly an expert crime scene investigator?

And fourth, I just thought the entire story was rather lame. Or at least the way they wrote it was lame. Suspending belief is necessary for sci-fi, but it was extremely hard to do that in this case, cuz it was so cheezy.

[brassplayersrock²]

Good, I'm not the only one that thought it was "eh" last night.

[SpaceMonkey]

I didn't see the pilot, but last night's episode definitely felt like a B-script from The X Files.

[imitchellg5]

Didn't like it last night. I thought it was extremely unoriginal, especially the last half.

[Gankdawg]

I'm done with it already. Because of Lost, I gave JJ a very short leash on this one. Perhaps it was too short, but I'm not waiting 5 years to find out what the Pattern is. And those half-assed graphics that show the name of the town at each segment are cheesy at best.