The recent debut of J.J. Abrams' "Fringe" on FOX had me very much entertained. It's not as immediately enthralling as "Lost" (also created by Abrams) and not yet as spell-binding as its closest inspiration, "The X-Files" (but it's not been on long yet, give it time). "Fringe" is a very strong show with puzzling mysteries to be unfurled by the leading trio.
Newcomer Anna Torv plays an FBI agent who is coerced into working with a special department where she must investigate various unexplained phenomena each week. We are told that they are all linked in something known as "The Pattern" (that all-encompassing plot device that makes even the weirdest things share equal weight). A scientist driven to the brink of the crazy pit has also been brought into service for the team. Played by John Noble, he has a crazed genius brain and a childlike curiosity of the world around him as if his rediscovery is for the first time. His son, played by the original Mighty Duck from "Dawson's Creek" himself, Joshua Jackson, is the third component in the trio. His love towards his father over the years had greatly diminished, but now that they are forced to work together his attitude may slowly change and more of their history will be revealed.
There's the shady government superior (Lance Reddick) and the shady corporate honcho (Blair Brown) and the shady spooks that surround them all. After watching the pilot episode, where Torv is stipped down and placed into an isolation tank with an IV tube of LSD pumped directly into her noggin to communicate with a comatose victim, you'd think the show might immediately "jump the shark" (a.k.a. "take off into unbelievability"). That is not the case. The show is well-crafted with a strong premise and atmosphere, as well as additional details like the interstitial bumper cards between commercial breaks (look inside the apple's core) and the 3-D titles interestingly placed amonst the action at each location.
"Fringe" has been heavily hyped all summer and debuted ahead of most other programming for the most possible attention. It airs on Tuesday at 8pm central time. Currently following the FOX hit "House" and in the new year will follow the gargantuan "American Idol" (unless it gets moved to a different night, but FOX will make sure viewers find it). If you've missed receiving your dose of new "X-Files" mystery/thriller/intrigue each week, then "Fringe" will be that show to take its place.
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