EVIL PUPPET MASTERS

Again, I’m not going to post EVERY review of the FRINGE pilot episode, which was debuted for a group of TV writers yesterday. Patrick Lee from SciFiWire was one of the lucky few who saw it, and I respect his opinion (and ability to digest SciFi without questioning the plausibility of everything) - though he gets points off for misspelling LOST character Kate Austen’s last name.

Read his review HERE. He keeps it short and to the point - without revealing TOO much, but he does give away a couple of SPOILERS for the pilot episode.

E! Online posted the following video interview with FRINGE stars Joshua Jackson and Anna Torv. From the outfits, I’m guessing this took place at the FOX Upfronts a couple of weeks ago:

Not a whole lot of new stuff out there right now for FRINGE, but I will have a fairly huge announcement very soon (like in the next week or so, I think) for FRINGE fans.

Can’t say much more except that it is AWESOME and should make the fans very happy

*zip*

If you just can’t wait until August 26th to make up your OWN mind about the Pilot episode of FRINGE, then feel free to traipse over to The Futon Critic to read their review of it. Keep in mind, this is a review of the ACTUAL EPISODE, not just Review #4,815 of the SCRIPT. There are mild spoilers, but not much past what you see in the trailer.

I have mixed feelings about getting reviews of the actual Pilot episode of FRINGE months before the rest of the public will see it. I’m all for publicity and trying to get buzz started for a show, but all of these reviews of the script for FRINGE - the bulk of which have been based on an early version of the script that seems to have been mass produced and passed around liberally (heck, even I got it - and nobody gives me ANYTHING) - have been bordering on ludicrousness already. I would hate to see that happen with the actual Pilot episode as well.

The fact is that unless you are a highly respected and objectively advanced blogger or television reviewer (who isn’t getting a little sumptin’ sumptin’ under the table for giving a guaranteed positive or explosive review) - I could care less what you think of the Pilot episode or the script of the Pilot episode. I have read the infamous early version of the script, but will not review it because (a) I don’t believe in reviewing something that everyone reading this blog can’t read as well and thus can’t compare what they’ve read to what I am saying; and (b) I’m unabashedly biased in certain respects when it comes to Bad Robot Productions, and though I believe I can be objective in a review - the fact is that those boys know my buttons and they push them about 80% of the time. I love their stuff - thus…why this blog exists. My bias is inbred.

I am posting the link to The Futon Critic’s review of the Pilot because I am well acquainted with their site, and appreciate the fact that they post about EVERYTHING in the realm of television - not just what ABC or CBS or FOX, etc., is trying to shove down the throats of the American audience.

I have posted some reviews of the FRINGE trailer, because it has been made available to the widespread audience, so the average reader can be comparative.

This one gets its own post, because it made me laugh. Over at the I Watch Stuff blog, they gave this rather humorous and definitely snarky review of the extended FRINGE trailer. All we are lacking now is a frame-by-frame analysis of the trailer by one of those LOST theorists who come up with the most bizarre stuff…only to be proven right down the line.

The premiere of FRINGE on Fox may still be months away, but the moviesque trailer for the show has many a blogger intrigued by what we see…and what we don’t see. Below find some links to some of the more prolific bloggers on the interwebs and read their takes on all the hulabaloo:

Nikki Stafford’s Blog - “Fall TV Preview: Fringe”
FringeTV Blog - “Will Fringe Come With A Viral Element?”
TV Envy - “Trailer for new FOX series Fringe”
Rope of Silicon - “JJ Abrams ‘Fringe’ Trailer - Viral Sites Forthcoming”

So far, the trailer seems to have done it’s job - hooked those who are already obsessed with everything JJ/Bad Robot (*coughMEcough*) and enticed those who aren’t so sure to at least give it a shot. I have ONE beef with the show - which has nothing to do with the show itself, really. I HATE the lettering they have used for FRINGE on the posters and promos. It just looks wrong - if they were intending it to look sort of 3D…then they did it wrong. If it is meant to look off kilter and slapped together…well then I guess they did it right. What do you think?

Considering what a massive fontaholic JJ is, I’m just surprised that they couldn’t come up with a better font style. Oh well, what the hell do I know?

Bob Orci, JJ Abrams and Alex Kurtzman at the Fox Upfronts

Not much new in the realm of FRINGE today, but did find a rather good picspam for FRINGE over on OhNoTheyDidnt. Some pics I’ve seen, some I haven’t, so felt it worthy of sharing. A bunch of pics of Joshua Jackson at the Upfronts, FYI.

Is it August 26th yet?

J.J. Abrams talks about the difficult task of finding the right actress to play FBI Agent Olivia Dunham in this interview held during the Fox upfront last week. I have to say that I agree wholeheartedly with the casting of Anna Torv - she completely owns this part.

One correction to that piece from SciFiWire — the Casting Agent’s name is April Webster, not Ann

For the record, FRINGE is NOT about an “airplane flight whose passengers meet untimely ends” nor is it accurately described by comparing it to LOST and saying that it “has a similar airliner mystery”. I’ve already read half a dozen reviews making one or the other assumptions of what the show is about, but they are both WRONG.

The PILOT episode does indeed involve an airplane “whose passengers meet untimely ends” but that is NOT what the entire series revolves around. Leading people to believe that FRINGE is going to be like LOST because there is an airplane involved is ludicrous and is just going to confuse the masses - or turn them off thinking that JJ and Bad Robot have an airplane fetish. I do realize that part of the blame belongs to FOX, since their official description of the show isn’t really a description of the show but of the Pilot episode. But you’d think that with all the hype and the marketing blitz that a reporter could take an extra couple of minutes to make a phone call or surf the internet to verify the accuracy of their information.

A better explanation of the show - what it is and what it will be - comes from FOX’s press release:

The new event drama premiering this fall is FRINGE, a fantastical thriller from acclaimed writer/producer J.J. Abrams (”Lost”), Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (”Star Trek,” “Mission: Impossible III,” “Alias”). Joshua Jackson (”Dawson’s Creek”), John Noble (”Lord of the Rings”) and newcomer Anna Torv star as an unlikely trio who uncover a deadly mystery involving a series of unbelievable events and realize they may be a part of a larger, more disturbing pattern that blurs the line between science fiction and technology.

.

Google is your friend.

Another good FRINGE fansite link has been sent to me - and they have some pics from the FOX Upfronts, including the COWS.

You can find those pics by clicking HERE. The link for the main page of the site is below:

http://www.the-fringe-element.com

Thanks to Rick Orci for the heads up.

I can’t help it. This little blurb from E! Online produced what could most closely be labeled a “guffaw” from me:

Fringe: Joshua Jackson is back! The man is hilarious, and when I pried about where the series might go after the pilot, he said, “What? Do you think this is my first time at the rodeo? I can’t tell you that! I’ll be killed.” (He was being chaperoned by Bad Robot badass Bryan Burk, so perhaps his fears were legitimate.)

*giggle* It’s about time the press recognize the badassery that is Burky.

If you want to read the full synopsis for FOX’s upfront last week, go HERE. I will warn you that there are some spoilers for the FRINGE pilot in the Live Blogging section of the article.

Thank the internet gods - you can see the trailer for FRINGE by clicking HERE.

The trailer is epic. You know that movie-like feeling you got the first time you saw an ad for LOST? Yeah, it is THAT cool. Plus, it ironically (or not) also involves a plane.

Thanks to http://fringetv.blogspot.com for finding the link.

Those lucky stiffs over at Zap2it’s From Inside the Box blog were at the FOX Upfront and got to see the infamous COWS. Alongside the cows were the FRINGE street team handing out cards and apples.

*seethes with jealousy*

Though I guess the fact that I actually know what the cows mean would make some of those peeps at From Inside the Box jealous of me, yeah?

Photo property of FOX, Warner Bros. and Bad Robot

First off, I want to direct y’all to a blog that will be THE place to find out anything and everything about FRINGE. As much as I’d like to say RIGHT HERE, there is just no way that I will have the time. So, for all your FRINGE obsession needs, be sure to bookmark or grab the feed for the following blog:

http://fringetv.blogspot.com

It is being run by this nice guy named Edward, who in the past couple of months has started that blog, a forum, a Facebook group, a Wiki and even a Flickr account for FRINGE fans. He is made of AWESOME.

From FOX, we have a few new links as well:

Official FOX Site — Though they misspelled Bob Orci’s name - UGH - it’s ROBERTO…not ‘Romberto.’ It’s fixed now
Programming Information — Which for now has a breakdown of the characters, actors and premise for the show. Go check it out.

But the BESTEST thing to pop up yesterday for FRINGE were these two sneak peeks - SQUEE!

The premiere date is now in the sidebar. FRINGE will air Tuesday nights on FOX at 9/8 Central, following HOUSE.

Below is the actual blurb from Variety regarding FOX’s pickup of FRINGE:

Drama “Fringe,” from Abrams’ Bad Robot and Warner Bros. TV, revolves around a young femme FBI agent who works with an offbeat scientist to tackle cases involving unexplained medical and scientific phenomena. Pilot was penned by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and helmed by Alex Graves. Skein’s cast includes Aussie thesp Anna Torv, Mark Valley and Joshua Jackson.