Fringe

Seasons: 5 (2008-2013) Creators: J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci

Stars: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Jesika Nicole, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown

Olivia Dunham (played by Anna Torv) and Peter Bishop (played by Joshua Jackson)

Telepathy, human combustion, shapeshifting, alternate/parallel worlds. Just some of the events found in the highly exception science fiction series Fringe. The original television run of The X-files ended 2002 (9 seasons). Lost ended 2010 (6 seasons and also by J.J. Abrams). Many consider Fringe to be a hybrid, but it transcends that. Creator J.J. Abrams created something that was of it self unique. Agent Olivia Dunham was thrust into the world of fringe science through a case involving a consumer airline that appears to have been the victim of a terrorist attack. Olivia and her partner, John Scott (played by Mark Valley) are injured during the investigation, John being severely injured by an unexplained illness.

Olivia takes it upon herself to find help to save her partner from Dr. Walter Bishop, who has spent the last 17 years in St. Claire’s Mental Institution, deemed mentally unfit during a trial for manslaughter. Needing family consent to visit Walter, Olivia threatens his estranged son, Peter Bishop into first visiting, then releasing him into their custody. What starts as one need, put them all on a journey.

The trio, along with Agent Astrid Farnsworth are introduced to the Fringe Division, led by Col. Phillip Broyles. This is a procedural show, with each episode investigating a new fringe event or “the Pattern”, yet there are multiple plot-lines, that converge at points during the show.

Left to right: Astrid Farnsworth (played by Jasika Nicole), Dr. Walter Bishop (played by John Noble), Agent Olivia Dunham (played by Anna Torv), Peter Bishop (played by Joshua Jackson)

John Noble is a treasure. His character Walter is hilarious, sad, passionate, absolutely erratic. What he says, does and his reactions cannot be predicted. His relationship with his son Peter touches me on a personal level. Being estranged from my own father for much of my childhood, reconnecting as an adult, rebuilding a relationship, healing and creating something unique.

A show that pushes the boundaries of imagination. A series of emotion, that deals with loss and grief. Fringe maintains that with great writing, acting , a big budget, that a show can surpass many a great science fiction series that has come before it. Available now on Amazon Prime Video.

From Warner Bros TV

In Retrospect ★★★★★