'Fringe' gets a fifth and final season from FOX
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The "Fringe" stars
Credit: FOX
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Low ratings be darned, FOX has ordered a fifth season of the previously unkillable sci-fi drama "Fringe." However, the 13-episode fifth season will be the last for the cult favorite.
The network announced on Thursday (April 26) afternoon that "Fringe" has received yet another against-all-odds pickup after withstanding a full season of Friday night adversity.
"'Fringe' is a remarkably creative series that has set the bar as one of television’s most imaginative dramas," states FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly. "Bringing it back for a final 13 allows us to provide the climactic conclusion that its passionate and loyal fans deserve. The amazing work the producers, writers and the incredibly talented cast and crew have delivered the last four seasons has literally been out of this world. Although the end is bittersweet, it’s going to be a very exciting final chapter."
Adds series co-creator J.J. Abrams, "We are thrilled and beyond grateful that FOX -- and our fans -- have made the impossible possible: 'Fringe' will continue into a fifth season that will allow the series to conclude in a wild and thrilling way. All of us at Bad Robot are forever indebted to our viewers and the amazingly supportive FOX network for allowing the adventures of Fringe Division to not only continue, but to resolve in a way that perfectly fits the show."
For the season, "Fringe" has averaged a dismal 1.2 rating among adults 18-49 for live+same-day viewership, but when live+7 DVR figures are added in, "Fringe" soars 66.7 percent to a somewhat-more-palatable 2.0 rating in the all-important demographic.
The percentage growth is sometimes even more impressive, as with the show's April 6 episode, which added a whopping 80 percent when DVR figures were added in. Of course, that still takes "Fringe" only to a 1.8 key demo rating for that recent airing, but ratings have never been the only thing keeping "Fringe" afloat.
In fact, "profit" hasn't been one of the things keeping "Fringe" afloat.
Talking to reporters about the WBTV production at the January TCA press tour, Reilly said, "'Fringe' has been a point of pride. I share the passion for the show that the fans have. I love the fact that FOX, after letting down some of the genre fans over the years, put one on. I love the fans, that they stuck with it and went to Friday night with us. It’s vastly improved our Friday night. You know, we have a Friday night for the first time in a long, long time. The hesitation in my voice is that it’s an expensive show. We lose a lot of money on the show. At that rating on that night, it's almost impossible for us to make money on it. That's been the case now over the last season."
Carried by Abrams' name and an exhaustively promoted pilot, "Fringe" was an early hit for FOX, drawing over 13 million viewers in its second episode. Those numbers failed to hold up and amidst time period switches and over attrition, "Fringe" was already in trouble by the end of its first season and seemed to be on the verge of cancellation after its second season and particularly after its third season, which included a shift to Friday nights. Airing exclusively on Fridays this year, "Fringe" has flirted with the 3 million viewer mark most weeks and occasionally dipped below a 1.0 key demo rating in overnights.
While ratings have gone down, however, the passion of the remaining fans has only grown more concentrated as what started as an "X Files"-esque procedural about wacky occurrences became a drama capable of crossing dimensions and jumping through timelines at will.
Longtime showrunners Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman state, "This pickup means the world (both of them) to us, because we love sharing these stories with our enthusiastic fans. On behalf of the cast and crew, we applaud our fans and FOX for allowing us to imagine the impossibilities together for so long. Season Five is going to be a conclusive thrill ride for all of us."
A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupRolf
April 26, 2012 at 7:31PM EST Reply to CommentThis should be shocking, but many of the pundits - including you Dan (props) - seemed to be predicting this outcome.
The quality has been even more uneven than usual this season, but I'm looking forward to one more year. This is still one of the better dramas on network TV (although that might say more about network TV than Fringe...)
Major kudos to FOX. This kind of loyalty is pretty rare nowadays.
Guy Smiley The show's been great all season (except for "Short Story About Love," which was lousy)... This isn't that shocking, really.
April 26, 2012 at 8:38PM ESTLow ratings, sure but it's stuck on Fridays and there's still a devoted following (plus that jump in the DVR numbers, plus the number of people streaming, buying from iTunes, etc., proves there's an audience for the show. Had FOX left it in its first season slot (Tuesdays, where it did well) this might not have been an issue. Plus, the show moves DVDs too.
FOX really only cares about live viewers, true, but I'm sure WB made it worth FOX's while to bring it back for one more go. Plus, the show's got some really devoted sponsors. Sprint's been there from the start, and Nissan ponied up the money to replace Ford, which had been an ongoing sponsor, this season.
But, hey, whatever... MORE FRINGE! HOORAY!
Now let's get John Noble his Emmy, goddammit!
Intellectual Ninja
April 26, 2012 at 7:32PM EST Reply to CommentThis is amazing.
I am now, finally, willing to forgive FOX for Firefly, and I mean that.
Chuck-ing Fringe as they're doing now, giving us a final, 13-episode season, will hopefully give true closure to us loyal fans.
You know... the complete opposite of the horrible lack of the happy ending loyal Chuck fans DESERVED from Fedak and Schwartz, who instead decided to spit in our face and rip out our hearts to create unneeded, unwanted "drama."
Come on Fringe... how about you REWARD us with the ending WE as well as your characters deserve?
Now... all that's left is for NBC to do the same with Community so we can watch the Greendale 7 graduate and begin their lives (or restart their careers).
jcpdiesel21 Chuck did provide an incredibly moving, romantic ending for Chuck and Sarah. I don't know what series finale you were watching.
April 26, 2012 at 8:58PM ESTVisionOn Or Chuck provided a shallow resolution to a relationship that the show became too heavily invested in over time and jettisoned the chemistry in favor of an amnesia cliche.
April 27, 2012 at 2:21AM ESTPretty easy to offer a different interpretation of that episode.
Intellectual Ninja The show needlessly and unconscionably tore Sarah and Chuck apart, and then had the audacity to not give us the ending they AND us deserved... together in their house.
April 27, 2012 at 2:55AM ESTFedak and Schwartz spit in our face by refusing to give us the happy ending we EARNED by eating shitty sub sandwiches and keeping their six-figure jobs intact for three seasons past the time NBC wanted to cancel it.
If you see it some other way, JC, you're a sap. They fucked Sarah and Chuck and they fucked us.
So fuck them.
Joe Well JCPDIESEL21 & I enjoyed the "Chuck" finale, my regrets on Fedak & Schwartz spitting in your faces though.
April 27, 2012 at 4:11AM ESTthatssomebadrobotharry Apparently it sounds like the Intellectual Ninja thinks the appropriate title of the show was off by two letters. lol
April 27, 2012 at 11:07AM ESTjcpdiesel21 Some fans just won't be satisfied unless a show wraps showing the main couple getting married, moving into a perfect house with a white picket fence, having multiple babies and living happily ever after. I will never understand this sentiment. I like filling in the blanks myself with what is implied onscreen; I don't need every single detail spelled out for me. And if that makes me a "sap," so be it.
May 1, 2012 at 1:08PM ESTmarc
April 26, 2012 at 8:18PM EST Reply to Commentwell, that's just wonderful.
Roadshow
April 26, 2012 at 8:19PM EST Reply to CommentAMAZE.
I thought early on this season that it just wasn't going to happen but as time rolled on and it began to seem possible, I hoped...
There have been some dud episodes as the series has become too reliable on it's formula but I'm invested in the overall arc and I have a love for the characters (Especially Olivia) and there have been enough standout episodes this season, like "Welcome to Westfield" and "Everything In It's Right Place" that I can say I'm delighted this is getting a chance to round out the story the way the storytellers would want.
YAY FRINGE.
*
Sareeta
April 26, 2012 at 8:28PM EST Reply to CommentThis makes me so happy. I was mad at FOX for a long time for canceling Terminator: The Sara Conner Chronicles, but they have redeemed themselves by giving Fringe a chance on multiple occasions. I hope the pared down final season will force them to make an exciting 13 episodes (no more fillers, please) that tie up the character stories for both universes.
April 26, 2012 at 8:39PM EST Reply to CommentI wonder how long theyve known. Could the pickup explain why the season has been as slow paced as it its been?
itrainmonkeys
April 26, 2012 at 9:07PM EST Reply to CommentThis show got 4 more seasons than I kept expecting it to so I'm really happy with this news. They can tie things up and end the show on their terms. Can't wait.
Mulderism
April 27, 2012 at 12:02AM EST Reply to CommentPersonally I wouldn't really care if this was the last season. But if they know that the next season is the last then it may have a good ending.
Another downside is puttin.g up with another year of Anna Torv freaks and their inane rants on how she should win an emmy.
Rolf I would say that Anna Torv was as good or better, last year, than half of the nominees. By no means should she have won, but I would not have had a problem with Torv being in the discussion for last year. I mean, Kathy Bates was nominated for crying out loud.
April 27, 2012 at 12:28AM ESTI can't count myself a member of the "Torv Freaks", but I will definitely admit to being a charter member of the "Noble Freaks".
Mulderism There are some very vocal talkbackers that bring this up in every single discussion. Some creepy ones too if you look at last week's discussion.
April 27, 2012 at 12:58AM ESTguest It's just the one vocal creepy talkbacker, not many as you claim.
April 27, 2012 at 3:53AM EST@guest you mean that "egnirf" dude? yeap definitely a weirdo.
April 27, 2012 at 7:01AM ESTEgnirf Last words here from weirdo and creep.
April 27, 2012 at 8:44AM ESTSo if you say that John Noble needs an Emmy, although 50% of Walter is the writing, it is OK.
Or do you really think that Noble writes his own Walter oneliners and comes up with the apron?
No, all writing.
This year Noble was misfiring as socalled broken Walter, only time you saw that was when he got the lines, same with Walternate.
Noble needed a phobia and guards to show a new Walter, Anna Torv did it through acting.
Second half was just ridiculing Walter.
So John Noble is Overrated IMO, Anna Torv Underrated.
Noble would not be able to play an Olivia, Anna Torv easily a Walter.
If you say that Anna Torv deserves an Emmy, despite not getting decent material, you are a weirdo and a creep.
As a lead actress and Olivia Dunham being the lead character she has been treated badly, only decent episodes she got were from Jacksonville until Marionette (may be a couple here and there before and after),
and than sidelined for Peter, as his girl from midseason 3.
But even if Olivia Dunham had only the one storyline this season, Anna Torv still manages to create a great character from nothing. Or better multiple characters from nothing.
That for me alone is Emmy worthy.
And this season she was asked over 5 episodes to lose the memories of AmberOlivia to be replaced with Blue Olivia, everyone saw it, through her acting. Same face, same hair, same everything, no lines , just acting.
That is Emmy level acting.
My last words, so now this place can go back to the Emmy for Noble freaks and creeps.
Mulderism To wit...
April 27, 2012 at 11:50AM ESTVisionOn
April 27, 2012 at 2:16AM EST Reply to CommentBest SF show on television. The more it's deviated from its uninspired X-files cloning in the first season, the more imaginative the show has become. Really if you are not watching Fringe then you shouldn't consider yourself a science fiction fan.