Featured Blogs:

 

Cannes Film Festival 2013

J.J. Abrams briefly discusses the end of 'Fringe'

Original co-creator talks about what he knew from the beginning

By Daniel Fienberg Wednesday, Jan 9, 2013 8:52 PM

<p>J.J. Abrams</p>

J.J. Abrams

Credit: Matt Sayles/AP

Are you a fan of Fringe?

Sign up to get the latest updates instantly.
You probably know this already, but it's worth a reminder: J.J. Abrams is a busy guy.
 
In addition to working in post on his upcoming "Star Trek" sequel, Abrams' Bad Robot TV shingle has a busy roster that has made him a surprisingly regular presence at the Television Critics Association press tour this week, popping up to panel NBC's "Revolution" and dropping by FOX's TCA party to support the end of "Fringe."
 
Abrams was one of the three original creators of "Fringe," along with Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman, and he has remained a strongly interested creative force through the five-season run which will be wrapping up on January 18.
 
Along with a fellow reporter -- Credit on the non-HitFix questions to Will Harris -- I got a quick two-on-one chat with Abrams on Tuesday (January 8) night, talking for five minutes about the conclusion of "Fringe" and his reflections on the sci-fi drama's 100-episode run.
 
Click through for the full conversation.
 
Question: Are you happy with the way "Fringe" is ending?
 
J.J. Abrams: Very much so. Obviously it's a bittersweet thing, but the fact that we've gotten this far is so crazy to me, that the network allowed the show to survive as long as it did, I don't know when that's happened before, really... 
 
[At this point, FX's "Legit" co-star D.J. Qualls drops by, taps Abrams on the shoulder and effusively announces, "Thanks for having me on 'Lost!'"]
 
J.J. Abrams: The thing that's so crazy is that every other network would be like, "No..." And we got to 100 episodes. The story got to end in a way that I think was appropriate for the story, the series. So I'm sad to see it go, but I can't believe we got here.
 
 
HitFix: Do you ever look back at the pilot you made and reflect on the journey?
 
J.J. Abrams: Oh yeah.
 
 
HitFix: And when you started with that pilot, how much of where we ended up do you think you had in your mind?

Want More...

Fringe?
  • Check out everything there is including photos, reviews, videos.
Go There ►
J.J. Abrams: We knew alternate universes. We knew The Observers. We knew, even when Walter first sees Peter at the institution and he checks his eyes, we knew what was going on and why. But what we didn't know was sort of... Everything. We didn't know how crazy and wild and big it would go. We didn't, of course, know the jump forward in the fifth season. We didn't know some of the details of the Cortexiphan stuff with Olivia, but we knew that there was something she had gone through. You always have the best idea at the time and you think, "That's kinda where we're gonna go" and the closer you get to doing it, the better idea comes up and you go, "Oh my God, what about that?" So it's always a leap of faith a little bit.
 
 
HitFix: Is there anything you guys introduced and had to leave behind that you sorta miss?
 
J.J. Abrams: When we first started the show, we sorta saw it as a kinda "Twilight Zone"-y, "X Files" kinda crazy weird-thing-of-the-week and even though we kinda it up to some degree, we ended up sorta shifting really into more of a kinda soap opera about these characters, which I kind of loved. I don't regret leaving that sorta style or kinda template behind. I think it's actually far better not to do that, but that was one thing that changed a little bit. We didn't quite realize how serialized we were gonna get. The intention was not to be that serialized, but once the show sorta proved to be like: It's got this audience and this is what it wants to be, I think it was the right move.
 
 
Question: There were so many surreal moments that went on during the run of the show. Were there any that really just kinda made you giggle that you got away with them?
 
J.J. Abrams: Well, I mean, just the idea of Walter going back for Peter, what I loved about it was, I thought it was as beautiful and emotional a story as like any you'd see in a medical show or a legal show, but it was f***ing alternate universes and a father who was desperate, who against his wife's wishes was going to another universe to swap out a boy? It was so nuts, but it was so sweet and so emotional and for me, it was like one example of kinda the epitome of what the show, at its best was, which is a really emotional heart-breaking and big-hearted show about love, but it was in the context of like the weirdest crap you've ever seen and some of the most grotesque and scary... I also loved things like that monster bursting out of the bathroom on the airplane, stuff that just made me like, "I'm so happy I get to be part of a show where that happens."
 
 
HitFix: There were the three of you who created the show, but then you very quickly found the right people to run it from there. How important was that?
 
J.J. Abrams: Well, you know, Alex, Bob and I came up with the show and then they were very busy doing "Transformers" and all their things and so I brought in Jeff [Pinkner], with whom I'd worked on "Alias" and "Lost" and then we brought in Joel [Wyman] who we were actually developing something else with. It took us six or seven episodes, but what was great was once Jeff and Joel found their rhythm, it was like, "Oh, yeah yeah yeah. That's the show." What was great about it was they also embraced wholly the six or so episodes leading up to it where there was the rapid aging and the people in amber and all these weird stuff that like we had ideas, but they incorporated them wholly into the mythology of the series so it was kinda a beautiful way of like establishing the proper rhythm, but not being like, "Forget those first six." They did the opposite. They were like, "No, no, no. Those first six were important." So when you watch the show you go, "Oh! Episode 5, that wasn't just..." And that, to me, was something I thought was brilliant.
 
The antepenultimate episode of "Fringe" airs on Friday, January 11.
Dan-feinberg-sm
Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor
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.
Related Searches: TCA Press Tour, Press Tour 2013, fox, Fringe, J.J. Abrams

Comments

  • Option 1

    Comment instantly as a guest Guest

  • Option 2

    Connect

  • Option 3

    Login or create a HitFix account Login Signup
  • Default-avatar

    Jemma

    Funny he named Transformation, the episode with the monster coming out of the airplane bathroom. That episode sucked me into the series. Will miss the show and the cast.

    January 9, 2013 at 10:52PM EST Reply to Comment
  • Default-avatar

    ht

    "[At this point, FX's "Legit" co-star D.J. Qualls drops by, taps Abrams on the story and effusively announces, "Thanks for having me on 'Lost!'"]" err...taps Abrams on the story? don't u mean shoulders?

    January 9, 2013 at 11:57PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Gizmo_bigger_talkback_profile

      dan HT - Yup! Probably... Off to fix...

      -Daniel

      January 10, 2013 at 12:28AM EST
  • Default-avatar

    EndNote

    Olivia and the cortexiphan would have been a great story arc if they had done something with it in an active way.
    Olivia and Walter could have been a great relationship, confrontational and would mean a way for character growth for Olivia.
    To deal with her abusive past, and to Not be a victim.

    Instead they just used it to tell Walters story, and Olivia was the victim,
    the only time she was allowed to use her power was to save Peter,
    and the horrible end of season 4 where Bell switched her on like a machine.
    So great idea Olivia , but too bad the writers did nothing decent with it.

    I remember Abrams saying in 2012 that Olivia's coming of age was going to be in the second part of season 4, but that was rewritten for Noble , and Olivia was being used for that,
    I hate the line Olivia had to say in the final of season 4:
    I am still the girl used by Bell and Walter.

    Which means that you have done nothing with the character writing for Olivia.
    Instead she was isolated and wasted on being dumped by Peter and being lied to by him, and having to forgive him etc. , see 3.11-316, see 4.12-415(she even had to give ip her life and being for Peter) and most of all in season 5.

    I love Olivia Dunham, a beautiful character, but that is mostly the creation of Anna Torv, awesome actress,
    so underrated, and never getting the credit for all her great work.
    Anna Torv started with Olivia without a told backstory (in contrast to Walter and Peter)
    we only got that she was an FBI agent , and every now and then a fact was given ( in contrast to the overwriting for Walter and Peter)
    but I felt the essence of Olivia from the start, the way Anna Torv played her you could feel the pain she has thanks to the abuse as a child, it influences your emotions, your being.
    Anna brought that in each and every second we saw Olivia, without the writing,
    truly beautiful acting,
    if only she would have been given the credit, but that went to the actors who got the easy parts of, Walter and Peter with all the help of the writing.

    Olivia Dunham was what made me watch Fringe, her role as being more the male role (quote Anna) in being introverted, emotions under the surface, action, strong silent type,
    a real shame how the writers (Wyman) handled OLivia especially in season 4 second half and most of all season 5.

    So I wish for Anna Torv that her great and hard work on Fringe will be rewarded with other great parts, with hopefully the respect and credit she deserves.

    January 10, 2013 at 12:04AM EST Reply to Comment
    • Mr_burns_89_01_talkback_profile

      Jonas.Left I just saw the pilot again for the first time in years. Iwas shocked at how much everybody didn't get along early on. Peter hated Walter, Olivia and Peter didn't like each other, Olivia didn't like Walter. It was a while before the family unit we know now was established.

      January 10, 2013 at 6:53PM EST
    • Default-avatar

      AC Shove it. Fringe in not what you thought it was, and thank goodness.

      January 13, 2013 at 8:46PM EST
  • Default-avatar

    EndNote

    BTW, I just read some tweets from Paley, 2 I want to comment on:
    -Wyman: Olivia found strength in being vulnerable", the biggest and lamest excuse for not writing for a character,
    as he did nothing for Olivia this season and let Anan Torv do all herself, beautiful but ungrateful , half the time not even lines, a lot of lousy ones if she had.
    So did Wyman watch Olivia since the beginning? Vulnerable, emotional, empathy her trademark?
    Pilot Olivia full emottion, Olivia since then all doubts about her role, full emotion and vulnerable?

    Wyman thinks that being humiliated by a man, Peter, and being lied to by that man, and having to say (crying)
    I love you, I need you and I do not want to lose you, is being vuntable that gives you strength.
    WHAT A JOKE.
    What does give strenght is having Olivia deal with her abusive past, stepfather, Bell and Walter, that she would feel no longer as a victim, but take control.
    But that would mean writing for Olivia and Anna Torv.
    IMO Wyman has made written Olivia even more a victim, by the way she was treated.
    Anna Torv still managed to create Olivia, despite that lousy treatment, a truly great achivement.

    -Question about Walter:
    Walter is very clearly based on Walter Lewin, who is a 70 year old MIT professor Physics, does on-line colleges, and I think is on You Tube.
    I saw him on tv once, and he is much funnier then his tvcopy.
    I am certain that JJ Abrams him and John Noble has watched him a lot.

    Neede to say this, since Fringe Paley is with JJ Abrams, seem the right place.

    January 10, 2013 at 1:29AM EST Reply to Comment
    • Default-avatar

      AC Blah Blah Blah. No one is listening to your rants any more.

      January 13, 2013 at 8:47PM EST
  • Default-avatar

    ibrews

    This show was excellent in Season 2 and 3... but has sadly declined a lot since then. I used to watch every episode the moment it was released online... now I'll fall behind a two or three episodes at a time and casually catch up, never feeling like I missed much. So sad. When did Olivia become such a boring character?

    January 10, 2013 at 11:41AM EST Reply to Comment
    • Default-avatar

      Geoff Season 2 and 3 were utterly fantastic. The problem was with Season 4 (5 is good, just not as good as the previous seasons). Re-erasing timelines is just not a good idea when you are invested in characters. They were developing Altlivia, etc. and they just put a grenade in the room and blew it up.

      January 14, 2013 at 12:26AM EST
  • Default-avatar

    FranklynStreet

    This show just got worse and worse the more it got away from episode-of-the-week. I usually love serial dramas, but Fringe made me cringe every time we were supposed to buy the non-existent chemistry between Torv and Jackson, or emotionally invest in their emotional attachment to their daughter, a character who was never developed before she was made into this dramatic lynchpin. And the fact that the show ended up putting all of its dramatic weight on these non-functional elements, made it go from being a fun monster-of-the-week show to an over-boiled, overwrought snoozefest with at least one alternate universe too many.

    January 10, 2013 at 2:23PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Default-avatar

      Fizz Stop complaining and don't watch if you despise it do much.

      January 11, 2013 at 3:20AM EST
    • Default-avatar

      Haps Yeah stop complaining and go back to Gossip Girls or some other stupid reality show on MTV to grab your narrow minded attention.

      January 12, 2013 at 12:06PM EST
  • Default-avatar

    Finale

    Fringe Finale wil be all about Walter and Peter and Jackson and Noble getting everything they want, according to Noble, conference call today,
    According to Noble this will satisfy fans.
    Wrong,
    It will only satisfy those who want to see whining Walter and Peter scenes in repeat,
    it will be nothing for Olivia fans.

    Fringe 3 leads, Olivia main lead,
    S1. Olivia used as the go-between for Walter and Peter, their backstories told, a few bits of Olivia

    S2. even more Walter and Peter,with Olivia isolated as Charlie was removed for more and more Peter.

    S3. finally decent writing for Anna Torv and credit from the media , but Olivia was brainwashed partly and after her return Wyman and Pinkner turned the story around after Jacksons whining in the media,
    so after Marionette Olivias role was no longer the hero and savior, that went to Peter,
    but the girl that had to be chosen by Peter (both sides) , and she had to accept to be a lesser version, yuk.

    S4. Olivia new, was more independent , and assured, but Peter arrived, and she had to give up her life and personality for him,
    and Olivia being the strongest turns out to be nothing else than being a machine for Bell.

    S5. Wyman decides that Olivias arc will be about finding strength by being emotional, vunerable.
    And that goes like this":
    Peter lies to her, Peter reads her mind Peter humiliates her,
    but Olivia has to cry and say I love you, need you, etc in 4 episodes in a row,
    she had 2 episodes where she got other lines,
    and the rest she had to do it all non-verbal.

    Wyman and Abrams should be very grateful they had Anna Torv to do that dirty job, she is amazing,
    only reason there was a Olivia Dunham in S5.

    What about Olivia the hero, the savior, the special one, the assertive the pro-active kick-ass Bamf,
    all sacrificed for Jackson and Noble,
    and Olivias role has been made the wife of Peter.

    So the finale will be a huge disappointment for all Olivia fans, once again she will be used to serve the egocentric Bishop Boys,
    and will only their arcs that will be told, and at the end of the show still nothing done with the few basics of Olivias backstory, like who is her family.
    But Walter and Peter has been done to overkill, sick and tired of them,
    it is all about who Wyman loves, Jackson and Noble.
    Shame on Wyman,
    and I expected more class from Noble.

    January 10, 2013 at 5:02PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Default-avatar

      AC Shame on you for being so pathetic as to comment on every Fringe board with your nonsensical hate.

      January 13, 2013 at 8:48PM EST

News From Our Partners

Get Instant Alerts on Breaking News

Latest Posts
More Posts
Recent Activity on Facebook
Most Popular on Facebook
Top Stories From Around the Web
About HitFix

HitFix delivers the Movie, Music, TV and Awards and general entertainment news that fans care about most, without the gossip or celebrity scandal. Our nationally-recognized, tastemaker journalists provide the latest breaking news, analysis, reviews, recaps, interviews and exclusives 24 hours a day while our proprietary localized Event Calendar and mobile apps allow consumers to stay up to the minute while managing their entertainment lives. Find out What’s Next In Entertainment with HitFix.

Advertise on HitFix
Subscribe to HitFix

Get the latest headlines & updates in your inbox

Popular Topics

© Copyright HitFix.com. All rights reserved. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy