# Is Fringe worth sticking with? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191 "2011-09-22T13:32:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/1 "2011-09-22T13:32:48Z")
I watched most of the first season, but towards the end, I was finding it more and more ‘meh’. I’ve still got a couple of episodes left to watch, but find my enthusiasm is being drained. It doesn’t really do anything that the X-files hasn’t done before, and I haven’t warmed to the characters much (although Walter Bishop is a pretty good, and generally comes out with a funny line or two every episode). Some of the premises seem a bit weak too (like all this isolation tank stuff) Its not been cancelled yet, but is it worth persevering with? Does it go anywhere, or just go round in circles for a few seasons? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/2 "2011-09-22T13:36:02Z")
It really takes off in surprising directions. It’s far from just a weird-mystery-of-the-week series. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/3 "2011-09-22T13:50:27Z")
I’d suggest watching a few more episodes, it definitely picks up and becomes more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/4 "2011-09-22T13:55:57Z")
So, does it pick up by the end of season one? ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/5 "2011-09-22T14:06:39Z")
It does at end of season 1. And end of season 2. And end of season 3. ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/6 "2011-09-22T14:08:24Z")
OK, I’ll persevere a bit longer then. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/7 "2011-09-22T14:27:32Z")
Let’s just say that if you watch the last five minutes of the first season and don’t want to watch any more, the show is definitely not for you. For me, it’s possibly my favorite show currently on TV, and it surpasses the X-Files on every possible level. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/8 "2011-09-22T14:31:00Z")
The second and third seasons are orders of magnitude better than the first. However, if you aren’t feeling it by, say, a third of the way into season 2, “Fringe” may not be for you. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/9 "2011-09-22T14:33:50Z")
Just watched the pilot and the first episode, and so far I find it OK but nothing special. Me and my OH also agree with the X Files vibe it has. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/10 "2011-09-22T14:38:16Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Let’s just say that if you watch the last five minutes of the first season and don’t want to watch any more, the show is definitely not for you. For me, it’s possibly my favorite show currently on TV, and it surpasses the X-Files on every possible level. In particular, on this level: The series plot arc is really compelling and well-written. Most of the episodes advance this arc, and you’re glad of it. With The X-Files, the arc/mythos eps tended to just plod along, while the monster-of-the-week eps were the high points. In fairness to The X-Files, some of those monster-of-the-week episodes were very, very good. And so were a (very) few of the arc episodes. But for the most part, Fringe is better at telling an extended story - and I think shows that can pull this off have a lot more freedom to more interesting things than ones that really can’t spin a tale longer than 44 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/11 "2011-09-22T14:38:31Z")
> [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](#): > > Just watched the pilot and the first episode, and so far I find it OK but nothing special. Me and my OH also agree with the X Files vibe it has. I would suggest that you need to give it more time. It did “monster of the week” interspersed with the overarching story for the first season, then gradually becomes more focused. Then, as mentioned, goes in (IMHO) awesome directions. Also my favorite show. The acting itself becomes part of the show in later seasons. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/12 "2011-09-22T14:40:42Z")
> [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](#): > > Just watched the pilot and the first episode, and so far I find it OK but nothing special. Me and my OH also agree with the X Files vibe it has. Yeah, it takes a while for the show to find its footing. Many viewers find Olivia to be a bland protagonist at first (I was among them), and it takes until pretty much the second season before we find out that this was intentional on the writers’ part, rather than being limited range on the part of Anna Torv. Man, just writing “limited range” and “Anna Torv” in the same sentence feels _weird_, after having seen the last two seasons. The characters of Broyles, Peter, and Astrid are also not very well developed in the first season of the “Fringe,” and the overarching plot/mythology doesn’t really get going. As a result, the draw for the first season is basically the Walter Bishop wacky hour. But do keep going until the second season - it really gets SO much better. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/13 "2011-09-22T15:03:38Z")
Yes, it finds itself and gets a lot better. Each season is better than the previous. Stick with it. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/14 "2011-09-22T15:20:16Z")
[spoiler]I’d say stick with it also, though I’m not fond of certain aspects of the overarching mythology (Walter’s actions destroying the other universe makes no sense). and I wish Olivia & Peter had stayed friends. more interesting that way. I’ve liked so many of the supporting characters, makes rewatching the older shows more fun. But the best thing about Fringe is the character of Walter & the quality of John Noble’s acting.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/15 "2011-09-22T15:32:44Z")
Dude! Spoilers! ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/16 "2011-09-22T15:36:16Z")
I very much like certain kinds of Fringe episodes. Unfortunately all the rest (the more monster-of-the-week ones) are very boring. I’d skip them but they tend to put in just enough arc stuff in those that I feel like I’ve missed something important. So I end up not watching any more then the buzz of friends gets me to watch the arc heavy final episodes of seasons 1 and 2 (and the arc heavy first episodes of seasons 2 and 3) where I think “yeah, this is great” and then three episodes later I’m back to remembering why I stopped watching in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/17 "2011-09-22T15:39:53Z")
Open spoiler in last post??? ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/18 "2011-09-22T15:41:17Z")
Sorry, was “well he’s back” post… ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/19 "2011-09-22T15:48:52Z")
OMG - I’m sorry about the spoilers. been so long so I posted here much I forgot how to do spoiler tags. I am so sorry. collective of dopers may slap my hand but seriously - what can I do to rectify this mistake now? ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191/20 "2011-09-22T15:54:26Z")
All spiffed up for ya …now that you’re back. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fringe-worth-sticking-with/597191.md?page=2)