Gene's Fringe Lab

Made the cover of EW!

2009-09-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

Almost back! One more week until
we find out what happened to Olivia.
Thank you Pa for sending this in.

1st Scene from FRINGE Premiere Is... (Big Tease)

2009-08-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

Fringe:

In the season premiere, one main character dies, two kiss, and another faces medical uncertainty. (Olivia, I'm guessing, is the medically uncertain one.) Somehow, in spite of that "main character dies" thing, we're not supposed to count Charlie out just yet, because he plays a big role in the episode. But they didn't say anything about Charlie playing a big role after that episode. [TV Guide]

What happens in the first scene of season two? This promo teases but doesn't really answer. [Fringe Television]

Another New FRINGE Promo

2009-08-19T06:37:00.000-07:00

FRINGE Seaon Premiere Preview

2009-08-17T10:02:00.001-07:00

Season 2 Promo

2009-08-11T22:54:00.000-07:00

2009-07-23T16:37:00.000-07:00

Fringe Season 2 Filming Photos – July 17

July 21, 2009 by FringeBlogger Roco

8 Comments

Here are some season 2 filming photos from the set of Fringe in Vancouver. Apparently the shots were taken last week. They feature Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson and Lance Reddick.

Click the jump to view the rest of the photos:

Click to enlarge:

Thanks to our friend FringeWatch for the headsup & Stephanie and OnLocationVacations for the share.

Source: http://www.fringebloggers.com/fringe-season-2-filming-photos-july-17/

For JJ Fans...

2009-05-31T13:05:00.000-07:00

Star Trek Cruises Into 100 Top Grossing

By Graeme McMillan, 8:00 AM on Sun May 31 2009, 2,485 views

Star Trek isn't just the most successful movie of 2009 to date (although it achieved that particular milestone at the end of last week), it's also already one of the 100 highest domestic box office grosses of all time. Boldly going, indeed.

The first film to pass the $200 million mark this year, the Trek revamp has already managed to crack the top 100 earners in the US box office (non-inflation adjusted), meaning that it's made more money than movies like Toy Story, Twilight and Superman Returns. Impressive for a movie that's not even been released for a month yet, but it's worth noting that it's still coming in below such cinematic greats as Alvin And The Chipmunks and Mrs. Doubtfire in the current chart. By the end of this summer, though, who knows? If nothing else, it's almost guaranteed to beat Batman Begins, earning it a place as the most successful cinematic reboot to date - and, presumably, the one to learn from in years to come.

Source: http://io9.com/5273239/star-trek-cruises-into-100-top-grossing

2009-05-17T17:16:00.000-07:00

What Is JJ Abrams Trying To Tell Us?

By Graeme McMillan, 12:00 PM on Sun May 17 2009, 6,624 views

Fans of Lost, Fringe and the new Star Trek may have noticed a couple of recurring themes running through JJ Abrams' work, making us think that he's trying to tell us something. But what?

JJ Abrams is a time-traveler from a parallel Earth here to prepare us for some kind of upcoming reality shift. Really, it's the only solution that makes sense.

Think about it. Lost has turned into your weekly primer on the rules of time travel and what can, and can't be done by those sailing the silver seas of the chronoverse. Its creators have spoken before about how they've had to sneak in the more science fictional aspects of the show before this past season's all-out time travel insanity, in order to lure in unsuspecting, potentially sci-fi-phobic audiences, and that's clearly because they are the ones who need to be taught this stuff the most. Sure, most of us know our time travel rules - So much so that we suspect that even detonating a hydrogen bomb through the brute force of lost love isn't going to undo everything as much as cement a new timeline and bump the Lostees forward in time so that they can meet NotLocke - but not everyone is as... let's go with "educated," shall we? as us. Hurley and Miles' most important roles in Lost season 5 were to bring the newbies up to speed about what time travel is all about.

Fringe, meanwhile, dropped the pretense of being an enjoyable dumb-science procedural in the last few weeks of its first season, as soon as Walter wheeled out that chalkboard and started trying to explain the multiverse to us all. Now, I'm not buying the "And that's where deja vu comes from!" aspect of the explanation at all, but you have to take some of it with a grain of salt thanks to Akiva Goldsman's involvement; nonetheless, there's now a whole new audience out there who have discovered the idea of parallel Earths and Schrödinger's cat (Okay, maybe that one is better illustrated here), just as Lost has educated them about time travel.

And then we come to Star Trek, which demonstrates to the previously unaware that time travel + changing the past = parallel timeline. I mean, okay, so it really demonstrates that time travel + changing the past = everyone becomes a younger, hotter version of themselves, but you get what I'm saying. It's a movie that takes the lessons of Abrams' two television shows and puts them into something approaching practice... But for what end?

Clearly, Abrams' entire career to date has not been one of merely entertainment, but instead a cunningly disguised form of education in scientific theories unlikely to be taught in even the most liberal schools (Even Felicity ended with time travel shenanigans!). We may not know exactly why he is trying his best to make sure that as many people as possible understand the nature of time travel and parallel universes - Perhaps he's taunted us with an evil master plan that he intends to carry out when he tires of being called the new Spielberg - but the evidence is unmistakable. All we can do now is hope that interviewers in future will be able to ask him more pointed, valuable questions... before it's too late.

Source: http://io9.com/5255881/what-is-jj-abrams-trying-to-tell-us?skyline=true&s=x

Terrible Twitter News!!!!! An Empty Seat On Fringe.

2009-05-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

jrorci on Twitter, otherwise known as Bob Orci, producer and writer for Fringe as well as co-writer for the current (and FANTASTIC!) Star Trek movie, has just Tweeted this news:

Big decision of the week: I've decided not to return to Fringe for S2. Planning to work on some personal projects this year. Will miss them!

Dang, we'll miss you, too. It's been a fantastic year and I can only hope next year continues. Fringe addicts around the world will hold a moment of silence to honor your departure. If you were at all responsible for the creation of the character of Walter Bishop, i send you my deepest gratitude. He is a treasure.

Best of luck in all your endeavors, sir. A very sorrowful but respectful Moo-YA! shout out to you.

2009-05-11T12:28:00.001-07:00

Gene allows me some lattitude, so here we go.

Fringe Lost and Supernatural are by far the best shows on TV. To can cencel them now what not only be criminal but um...criminal. Give us our best TV and we shall follow blindly take it away and my TV goes out the window. OR yelled at alot. It is an expensive TV. Networks - if you had a lick of sense you would keep quality TV and ax American Wannabee Two words. You suck. Unless you renew our shows...then you rock hard. God I am wishy washy. Supernatural and Lost MUST survive. I hereby decree it. Take that I blow my nose at you and wave my private parts at your aunties networks. Pththththththth

So Cool Interviews

2009-05-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

An Auspicious Day Indeed!

2009-05-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

Monday Dessert: Dreadful Butterscotch Pudding

2009-05-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

Follow Directions on Packet and serve no sooner than a week after making so it has that wonderful refrigerator flavour.

Break it out on those special evenings for reminiscing about the good old days in the psychiatric hospital. Which basically means NEVER. Please, I implore you. I would much prefer a root beer float. Or some psychotropic drug. Whichever.

Walter's Pick: Blueberry Pancakes

2009-05-05T18:17:00.000-07:00

LEMON BLUEBERRY BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES
A hearty energizing breakfast food to start your long day of experimenting!!!

1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar (more if you like your pancakes on the sweet side, or if your berries are super tart)
1 tsp salt
1/2 stick cold, unsalted butter (1/4 cup) cut into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk (you can fake the buttermilk but adding 1 tsp lemon juice to 1 cup milk)
2 eggs
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 cups blueberries
oil or butter for the pan

Mix the flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt, either in a bowl or in the bowl of a food processor and cut the butter into the mix—by pulsing the food processor or by using a pastry cutter or knife and fork—until the mixture resembles fine meal.

In a large bowl, mix the buttermilk and the eggs until smooth. Add the dry ingredient mixture and stir until incorporated. Add the lemon zest. Let sit five minutes before adding the blueberries. The batter will be thick.

Grease a fry pan or griddle and heat on medium high. Once the pan is hot enough so that a drop of water “dances” on the grease, pour the batter on in 1/2 cup scoops with a ladle. Don’t flip the pancakes until a generous amount of bubbles have appeared towards the center of the pancake. Adjust heat as needed.

Garnish with some fresh blueberries and serve with your favorite maple syrup.

2009-05-05T15:35:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Fringe's Renewal With The Best Of Walter's Jargon

Walter Bishop isn't going anywhere. Fox has renewed Fringe for another season, which is no real surprise as it was "No. 1 rated new series among the adult demographic." Now, what about TSCC? [THR Feed]

Particularly Large Breasts In Baltimore: A Cake For Walter Bishop

2009-05-04T16:01:00.000-07:00

CAKE
* 4 1/2 cups flour
* 3 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup cocoa
* 1 tablespoon baking soda
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 cup salad oil
* 3 tablespoons white vinegar
* 1 tablespoon vanilla
* 3 cups cold water

FROSTING
* 16 ounces cream cheese
* 4 ounces butter
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 1 1/2-2 lbs powdered sugar
* 2 small gumdrops
* yellow food coloring
* red food coloring
* green food coloring

DIRECTIONS
For cake:
1) Sift first five ingredients into large bowl.
2)Add next four ingredients and mix well.
3)Fill two small stainless steel mixing bowls (mine are about 7" in diameter and
4" deep) to a depth of about 2" with batter. No need to grease.
4)Pour remainder of batter in a 9 x 13 pan.
5)In a 350 oven, bake the bowls for about 20 minutes and the 9 x 13 about 30
minutes.
6)Cool cakes completely.
For frosting:
1)Beat cream cheese well.
2)Add butter and vanilla and beat till smooth.
3)Add powdered sugar until you like the consistency and sweetness.
4)Mix 8 drops of yellow food coloring, 6 drops of red and 2 drops of green.
5)Add coloring mixture a few drops at a time until you get a good flesh color.
The colors I have given are for Caucasian coloring. For darker skin tones, you
might try using blue instead of green. See what the food coloring box suggests.

CAKE ASSEMBLY:
1)Invert the large layer onto a serving tray. If desired, split it into two
layers and frost in between as well as on top.
2)Place the boobs appropriately and frost them.
3)Save a few tablespoons of frosting and add additional food coloring mixture to
it in order to get a good color for the nipples and areolas.
4)Frost areolas, then coat the gumdrops with frosting and place them in the
middle of the areolas.
5)Enjoy the reactions!

An Eviscerating Experience: Shrimp Cocktail For Two, Walter Style

2009-05-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

It's all in the presentation for this easy to make shrimp cocktail. Instead of searching for cocktail glasses, how about using Martini glasses instead? Very sharp!

A Serving For Two

* 10 - 12 jumbo tiger shrimp, poached and de-veined (the most fun part!)
* two tablespoons fresh grated horseradish root (prepared horseradish also works)
* 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes (canned works well)
* pinch of salt, to taste
* fresh grated black peppercorns, to taste
* dash each of Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce, to taste
* juice of half a lemon
* two wedges, lemon
* couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary

Method

* Poach shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they turn pink, then douse them
immediately into cold water to stop the cooking process.
* In a bowl combine horseradish root, tomatoes, salt, peppercorns,
Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce and lemon juice. Spoon into ramekin or
serving dish.
* Fill Martini glasses three-quarters full with crushed ice.
* Arrange shrimp, add lemon wedges and place sprig of rosemary.

Enjoy!

A Recipe For Distraction: Walter's Tasty Cinnamon Coffee

2009-05-02T16:51:00.000-07:00

This is a miraculous thing I was just recently introduced to. It will drive a wily scientist such as myself to distraction.

When making a pot of coffee, add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the freshly ground beans after measuring them out into the filter basket.

Brew as usual. It will taste like the best gourmet flavoured coffee you have ever had.

LSD, peyote, or some added mushrooms are entirely optional, but highly recommended! Oh, wait, did I say that?? Oh, I'm just being silly. Maybe.

Walter's Single Serving Cheese Omelette, Sans Ear

2009-05-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons butter or margarine
* 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
* Salt and pepper -- if desired

1. Beat eggs in small bowl with fork or wire whisk until yolks and whites are well mixed.

2. Heat butter in 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat until butter is hot and sizzling. As butter melts, tilt skillet to coat bottom with butter.

3. Quickly pour eggs into skillet. While rapidly sliding skillet back and forth over heat, quickly stir eggs with a fork to spread them continuously over the bottom of the skillet as they thicken. When they are thickened, let stand over heat a few seconds to lightly brown bottom of omelet. Do not overcook... the omelet will continue to cook after being folded. Sprinkle with cheese.

4. Tilt skillet and run a spatula under edge of omelet, then jerk skillet sharply to loosen omelet from bottom of skillet. Fold portion of omelet nearest you just to center. Allow for a portion of the omelet to slide up side of skillet. Turn omelet onto warm plate, flipping folded portion of omelet over so far side is on bottom. Tuck sides of omelet under if desired. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Nothing fancy. Just your fantastic basic cheese omelette. You may try to grow an ear in it if you like, but it's not nearly as tasty then.

If you wish to fancy it up, you can play some Al Green while cooking and garnish your plate with some fruit salad, although I am not a fruit salad kind of guy.

LEONARD NIMOY BEAMS UP TO FRINGE

2009-04-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

Here it is, Fringe fans: your first look at Leonard Nimoy as the mysterious Massive Dynamic chief Dr. William Bell! Nimoy will appear on the May 12th season finale of the drama, and with a second season pickup on the horizon, Nimoy will return to the role of Walter Bishop’s (John Noble) former lab partner for several episodes.
During a Paley Festival panel in Los Angeles last week, Fringe executive producer Jeff Pinkner said of Nimoy: “He plays William in a way that’s kind of unexpected,” adding “and you go, ‘Oh my God, I now see why these two men were simpatico, were like minded, even though one went into an insane asylum and one went on to be one of the richest men in America.’”

You’ve got to hand it to J.J. Abrams for really taking the word “synergy” to heart, as his feature film Star Trek hits theaters a mere four days before the William Bell episode is slated to air.

Points to anyone who caught the Spock reference in Tuesday night’s episode, “Midnight!”

SEE PHOTO OF NIMOY AS WILLIAM BELL HERE:
http://www.fancast.com/blogs/tv-news/photo-of-the-day-leonard-nimoy-beams-up-to-fringe/

2009-04-26T20:03:00.001-07:00

Season Finale

By Graeme McMillan, 8:00 AM on Sun Apr 26 2009, 3,324 views

What is Olivia's power? What about Peter's secret? The Fringe season finale reveals some secrets and unveils many more, if the stars and producers' hints at their Paley Festival appearance is anything to go by.

Amongst the spoilers revealed during Thursday night's Fringe appearance at Paleyfest were promises that we'll find out the connection between Massive Dynamics' Nina Sharp and William Bell before the end of this season ("Is she his protector? Is she his accomplice? Is she innocent?" asked Roberto Orci), as well as seeing an unusual meeting between Olivia and Bell ("Where she meets him is the cooler question, but I'm not saying any more," according to Anna Torv, who plays Olivia). The Bishop Family will share a tender moment, and most excitingly, producer Jeff Pinker teased that we'll find out more about the secret past of Peter. Or, perhaps, Peters:

'Is he Peter?' is a good question... 'Is there only one Peter?' I think it's really exciting. We knew the secret of Peter before the season started, and it's been hinted at or sort of laid in in the architecture of the show since the pilot. We start to acknowledge to the audience what that secret is. He, Peter himself, will not learn the secret or one of the secrets at the end of this season, but we will.

More than one Joshua Jackson? Can the world survive that many cocky grins and mumbled line readings? We wait to discover with baited breath.

2009-04-23T04:33:00.000-07:00

Olivia's Transdimensional Powers Get Stranger on "Fringe"

By Annalee Newitz, 11:49 AM on Wed Apr 22 2009, 5,912 views

We've been dying to know more about Olivia's strange powers, possibly connected to childhood experiments, and definitely connected to a vast science conspiracy involving supersoldiers. And in last night's Fringe, we got our wish. Spoilers!

Allow me to recap briefly, so that last night's episode "Bad Dreams" makes sense. We learned a few weeks ago that Jones, a rogue German mad scientist who teleported out of prison, wants Olivia to become his "soldier." He tells her that he can help her solve a case if she'll do a series of puzzles for him, one of which involves using the power of her mind to switch light bulbs on on and off. At first, she cheats on the puzzles but when she discovers a bomb on a rooftop the only way she can turn it off is by using her mind to switch off the lights that control its fuse. And she does. While Peter watches, so we know it's real and not some kind of hallucination.

We also know that Olivia's strange powers are probably connected to an experiment done on her and a bunch of other kids in a small Florida town. Remember the episode when the bad guys kidnapped her and did a spinal tap? That was because she was one of those kids who'd been given a drug called cortexiphan during those tests.

OK so last night's episode starts with Olivia killing a woman in her dreams. It's a great, creepy scene, and leads to yet another weird investigation where Broyles gets mad more than once that Olivia is using FBI resources to literally research her own dreams. Still, there's a good reason because it turns out that when Olivia dreams about killing this lady, she was seeing an actual death. Same thing happens the next night, when she dreams she forces a woman to stab her own husband in a restaurant.

After a lot of bizarre crosstalk between Peter, Walter, and Olivia, plus a lot of surveillance tape footage from the scenes of the crimes, the Scoobies discover a common thread. A guy with blond hair and a scar named Nick seems to be at all the scenes. Is Olivia in Nick's head? How could this be?

Big reveal time from Walter (yay!). Turns out that Walter was involved in the cortexiphan experiments, and he speculates that Nick was too. In fact, he says, probably Olivia and Nick were "partners" during the drug trials because little kids were paired off during them "kind of the way you pair up kids to keep them safe at summer camp." Have I mentioned lately that I love Walter? This whole subplot with randomly experimenting on kids with mega-drugs is so great.

And when I say mega-drug, that's what I mean. Walter says cortexiphan has the power to allow people to travel between dimensions (???). Translate that into "it can mean whatever weirdass thing we want." So Olivia is transdimensionally connected to Nick, who also has the power to project his intense emotions onto everyone around him. Since his last home was a mental hospital, the Scoobies are able to figure out that Nick is suicidally depressed, and people around him have a tendency to kill themselves because they "catch" his emotions. And Olivia is trapped inside his brain, watching all of it.

To catch Nick, of course Walter has to hypnotize Olivia into Nick's head by sticking her in the machine with blinky lights. And absolutely of course, she enters Nick's head while he's picking up a stripper for sex. It sounds skeevy, but actually the scene is quite well-played - funny and strange - while also involving a long, sexy kiss between Olivia/Nick and the stripper. Unfortunately, after the stripper sex, Nick feels guilty and self-hating. Then the stripper does too, and she slits her own throat with a shard of glass. But at least now the Scoobies have his Brooklyn address, and can track him down.

Olivia and Nick finally meet in a weird and utterly Fringey faceoff on top of a tall building, where suicidal Nick has gone to jump off, along with half a dozen other people who have caught his desire to die as well. He immediately recognizes Olivia, calling her "Olive," and says that when they were going through the experiments that she always calmed him down. She can't remember anything about it, though, and just keeps trying to talk him down when he begs her to kill him. Finally he confesses that his powers of emotion-blasting were recently switched on, presumably by the arrival of Jones, who told Nick the same thing he told Olivia - that he had to be a soldier. Apparently, however, when Nick was told to be a soldier he was also warned to "stay in shape" and "wear black and grey." No mention of blinky lights.

Eventually, Olivia shoots Nick in the knees and he's put into a "chemical coma" while the Feds figure out what to do with him. And Olivia is left with the strange knowledge that a lot of twisted shit happened to her when she was a kid and she doesn't remember any of it. Also, presumably Broyles and her partner Charlie know about it now too. Charlie delivers Nick's secret file to her as the episode closes, and at the same time we see Walter watching an old videotape of the cortexiphan experiments.

In the video, we see a little girl sitting in the corner of a completely destroyed room, while voices in the background freak out over the destruction that's been caused. We hear Walter saying, "Don't worry Olive, it will be alright." So presumably Olivia's powers extend way beyond blinky light stuff. Looks like she can get pretty dangerous, and if she's been switched back on by Jones' machinations, we're in for a seriously groovy ride.

Source: http://io9.com/5223250/olivias-transdimensional-powers-get-stranger-on-fringe

2009-04-18T23:46:00.001-07:00

5 TV Crossovers We'd Love To See

By Graeme McMillan, 12:00 PM on Sat Apr 18 2009, 526 views

Wouldn't you want to see the Dollhouse being investigated by the cast of Fringe? Or watch Heroes try to avert Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles' future? We have five team-ups to save television's falling ratings.

Dollhouse/Fringe
If "a secret organization that replaces people's personalities with programmable selves, who're then hired out to the rich and aimless" doesn't sound like something that Agent Dunham and the Bishop Boys should be investigating, then I don't know what does. I mean, for all we know, the basic technology that Topher is using today probably came from Walter's strangely-broad research back in the day, and Massive Dynamics may be paying Adelle DeWitt's salary. If Dollhouse does get cancelled, I'd be all in favor of Fox sneaking in a few mentions of the show into their hit Fringe, especially if Whedon brother (and Fringe staffer) Zack was involved.

Heroes/Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
So much of the NBC series has been based upon averting horrific futures that you'd think that Hiro, Matt and Peter would be completely on board with Sarah Connor's mission, but that thematic continuity isn't why we'd want to see Heroes invade the Terminatorverse, nor are we particularly amused by the possibilities of Claire meeting John and telling him that he looks a lot like her friend Zach who she knew when she was first discovering her powers (Okay, maybe we're slightly amused by that possibility, we admit). No, we simply want to see two things. One, a glower-off between HRG and Summer Glau, and two, Nathan hitting on Sarah by comparing bad parenting stories. Okay, and maybe Ando getting killed by a Terminator, just for fun.

Star Trek/Battlestar Galactica
Yeah, yeah, yeah; Captain Kirk is such a bad-ass and can get out of any situation, but how would he measure up to Edward James Olmos' Admiral William Adama? Just the idea of the meeting of the two ships already feels like a Trek episode, where the perfect Enterprise crew has to deal with a battle-scarred older ship where grudges are held and wars never end... but if you told it from the Galactica's point of view, it'd be more compelling... and probably reveal previously-unseen traumas amongst Starfleet's finest. If nothing else, it's probably give me a Scotty/Tigh drinking game.

Source: http://io9.com/5207486/5-tv-crossovers-wed-love-to-see

For My Dearest Friends

2009-04-16T14:52:00.001-07:00

You can never have enough Walter. And I owe you guys more clips. Pa and I working on it. Anyway - this is quite short - It does give a nice intro to Walter using clips from the first 16 episodes of this season

Anyway - I hope you enjoy a little dip into Walter's world.

2009-04-16T00:16:00.000-07:00

A Monster That's Half-Snake, Half-Bat, and Half-Tank on Fringe

By Annalee Newitz, 8:40 PM on Wed Apr 15 2009, 1,437 views

Fringe never lets me down. In last night's episode there was a giant monster that defied all laws of science and made me think of the Trogdor song from Homestar Runner. Spoilers ahead!

There wasn't much arc in this episode, called "Unleashed," so we didn't have to strain ourselves trying to figure out the conspiracy uniting the government intelligence community, a rogue underground of mad scientists led by Jones, and genome-tweaking megacorp Massive Dynamic. We didn't find out more about Olivia's newly-developed psychic powers. And we didn't even really delve into mad scientist extraordinaire Walter's shady past.

Instead, it was just balls-to-the-wall monster insanity. The science concept of the week was "transgenic animal," which as you can see from this clip means a snake crossed with a lion crossed with a spider and a wasp and a bat and a venus flytrap and a spaceship. Also I just love those drawings Walter shows Peter and Olivia of the original transgenic animals he was working on back in the day. What the hell is that? A cross between a tarantula and a snake? How awesome is that?

It also turns out that our monster shoots out venom spikes that inject eggs into its victim. Baby versions of the snake/lion/venus flytrap apparently look like regular old mealworms, which is good unless they are breeding inside your stomach. Which is what happens to Olivia's partner Charlie, and they only have (you guessed it) less than 24 hours to prevent him from exploding with bugs. I remember a few episodes back when everybody was saying that Charlie is probably in on the conspiracy and is secretly spying on Olivia. But now that I've seen him with little bugs swimming in his stomach I'm thinking no. The more I get to know him, the more warmly lunkheaded he seems - just a regular member of Olivia's Scoobies, not a spy.

So Walter figures out that the only way they can save Charlie is to inject him with blood from the monster (excuse me: "transgenic animal") for reasons too silly to go into here. And the only way to find the monster is to bring a bunch of its mealworm babies into the sewers where it's hiding - apparently because it's part-bat, it will hear the babies from far away and come running. Walter still feels so guilty about thinking up the spider-snake thing in the first place that he goes off alone to slay it, as you can see at the end of the clip above. If there's one thing you can say consistently about the Abrams-Kurtzman-Orci trifecta, it's that they don't scrimp on the monstery goodness.

Oh, the only remotely arc-y thing that happened in this episode is that we found out Peter is sort of possibly dating Olivia's sister. Which could get weird, because many of us have theorized that Peter and Olivia might be siblings or clones or something because Walter has made obscure references that seem to suggest that possibility. Though of course Olivia and Peter might be vat-grown cousins but Olivia's sister might not be. So that would be OK. Right?

Tune in next week when we head deep into what I think is arc territory. Seems as if Olivia is killing people with her mind, which we can only hope is a new and dangerous extension of her ability to switch lights on and off with her mind.

Source: http://io9.com/5214073/a-monster-thats-half+snake-half+bat-and-half+tank-on-fringe

2009-04-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

What Is The Observer Trying To Tell Us About American Idol?

By Meredith Woerner, 9:30 AM on Wed Apr 8 2009, 5,704 views

If you paid close attention to American Karaoke Idol last night, you may have noticed The Observer planted in the front, only furthering our suspicion that Adam Lambert is truly a guylinered alien.

Also here's our homeboy at Nascar, another place where weird things go down that I'll never fully understand (so both of these instances really make sense):

Thanks for the tip, All Things Fan Girl.

Source: http://io9.com/5203213/what-is-the-observer-trying-to-tell-us-about-american-idol

2009-04-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

Alien Kids and Serial Killers - Fringe Is Back!

By Annalee Newitz, 5:11 PM on Wed Apr 8 2009, 4,476 views

Fringe came back last night, and it was great to worm back inside its spooky world of human science experiments and penis jokes. Spoilers ahead!

"Inner Child" was a fun departure from the usual "science menace of the week" formula for Fringe. Instead of just discovering something weird, Olivia and the Scoobies used the weird discovery to stop a completely non-fringey series of murders.

The episode opens with some building demolition workers finding a preternatural kid who has been living underground in a facility that's been sealed for almost a century. Sure, he could have crawled in there since it was sealed, but nobody can figure out how he would have done it. Pasty, bald, and speechless, the kid is like a miniature Observer (and as you can see in the clip above, the Observer has noticed the similarities too).

Turns out mini-Observer also has extreme powers of psychic empathy, and his favorite person to empathize with is Olivia. Makes sense, because Olivia feeds him M&Ms and is herself superpowered as a result of strange childhood experiments. Speaking of which, there were no mentions of Olivia's newly-discovered lightswitch mental powers from last episode, but it was obvious that the kid was tuned into her much more than to anybody else. Clearly there's something going on there.

Meanwhile, the kid keeps manifesting an uncanny ability to know things about a local serial killer called "the Artist" who murders women and then puts their dressed-up bodies in the middle of staged tableaux. First the kid writes down the name of a future victim, and then he writes down some addresses where the Scoobies are likely to run into the Artist. Eventually Walter figures out that the kid has such tremendous empathy for Olivia that he's trying to help her - and he can use his empathy to figure out the location of the killer too. Something to do with shark vibrations or something, according to Walter. I think he mentions the shark thing right around the time that Peter points out that Walter's penis is hanging out of his robe, which is a perfect way to distract us from the cheesy fake shark science talk.

Of course some dude from the CIA is also looking for the kid, and pretending to be a social worker in order to snake him from under Olivia's nose. There's obviously some conspiracy side to this, since we hear CIA dude talking on his cell to somebody about the kid and he says, "We've found another one." So is this kid part of an alien race or mutant group that's somehow connected to the Observer? I certainly hope so. I want a subplot about the Observers, and this kid would be a perfect way into that.

By the end of the episode, the kid has helped Olivia and the Scoobies catch the Artist, saving a final victim in the process. And Olivia has really taken a shine to him. Maybe that's because she misses kid company now that her sister and niece Ella are about to move into their own apartment. Or maybe it's some kind of human science experiment bonding thing. Either way, she arranges for the kid to get placed in a secret foster home and the CIA dude has to go back to the Company empty-handed. And pissed off.

I predict more tangles with CIA dude, as well as (hopefully) more Observer action. Plus, Olivia is going to start growing more cool powers and I can't wait.

Source: http://io9.com/5204519/alien-kids-and-serial-killers-+-fringe-is-back

Nimoy on Fringe

2009-04-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

News just broke on AICN that William Bell, Walter Bishop's old lab buddy and founder of Massive Dynamics, will be played by none other than Leonard Nemoy. How great is that??

Getting Excited! New Fringe This Week....

2009-04-04T10:11:00.001-07:00

I love the 'glyphs' created for this show. Couldn't resist posting this image.

Walter's Most Delicious Vegan "Liquified Brains Boozy Blast"

2009-03-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

Chocolate (BRAINS!! MORE BRAINS!!) Milkshake Recipe : Vegan, Low Fat

1 1/2 frozen bananas
3 tbsp. powdered cocoa
1 cup nonfat soymilk
Maple syrup or other sweetener

Add all ingredients to a drink mixer and mix until blended. Taste, adding additional sweetener or milk if desired. Add a shot of Peppermint Schnapps for an extra tasty treat! LSD is entirely optional.

Walter's Extra Special Ebola Style Rice Pudding!

2009-03-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
3/4 cup long-grain rice cooked according to package directions
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
whipped cream (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
3. In a large bowl combine the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, grated peels, vanilla, and salt until blended.
4. Stir the raisins into the cooked rice and spoon the rice mixture into the prepared baking dish.
5. Pour the egg mixture over the rice and sprinkle with the cinnamon.
6. Place the baking dish in the oven in a larger baking pan filled with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
7. Bake for 45 minutes until the pudding is almost set, stirring once after 10 minutes and again 15 minutes later.
8. Remove the baking dish from the larger pan and cool on a wire rack.
9. Refrigerate, covered, at least 3 hours or until the pudding is firm.
Serve with whipped cream.

MTV Star Trek Featurette

2009-02-22T06:06:00.000-08:00

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Fringe Moves to Vancouver

2009-02-21T12:58:00.000-08:00

By FringeBlogger Roco on February 21, 2009

Fringe has become the first victim of the state tax incentives fall-out in New York. As we reported earlier in the week, Warner Bros., the studio that produces Fringe, have decided that they will not keep the show in New York without the tax incentives:

The loss of the state tax incentives for film and television production has claimed its first victim.

Fringe, the hit show on Fox produced by Warner Brothers, is packing up its sets and moving to Vancouver, Canada, for next season. Members of the crew were informed today.

The show, which will finish shooting its current season here by the end of April, employs around 100 people and spends more than $4 million an episode in New York City.

Employees of the show had hoped Warner Brothers would at least wait to see if the tax credits were renewed. “We’re all fighting for our livelihood and nobody understands the rational,” said Beth Kushnick, set decorator on the show. “Why is there collateral damage when they don’t even have the word about the tax credit?”

A Warner Brothers spokeswoman declined to immediately comment.

This move will inevitably mean the loss of jobs and livelihood for some crew workers, as the WB look to cut costs. Personally, I’m surprised that WB made the decision to move before official word on the tax incentive programme was given. Vancouver looks like an attractive option in terms of sets and filming, but it’s sad to think that some of the current crew members will be jobless as a result of ‘any’ move. That surely has to be the saddest thing about all of this.

Of course, once we get more confirmation on this, we’ll let you know.

Source: Crains New York

http://www.fringebloggers.com/

1.14 “Ability” - Clues & Easteregg Round-Up

2009-02-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

Here’s the FringeBloggers clues and eastereggs round-up for episode 1.14 “Abilit^y“:

Belly’s Handy Work?

There’s something up with the hands in this episode. David Jones’ right hand is trembling throughout much of it - the initial consequence of his teleporting using Walter’s Diz-Rey. But Nina’s right hand (her bionic one) also has a “glitch”. To my mind, this parallel either alludes to the idea that Nina has also been Diz-Reying about the place (how did she get to London so fast at the end of “Safe” anyways?). Or, perhaps there’s more to this than meets the eye - seeing as we know that Nina’s right arm is bionic, could it be that Jones also has a bionic arm? Does using the Diz-Ray initially affect bionic parts? Is that why both of their right hands were in spasm mode? Do Jones and Nina share the same model of bionic arm, made by William Bell himself? Perhaps Jones IS William Bell. Um, I’ve run out of wild suggestions..carry on..

Actually, here’s some further speculation - seeing as Nina’s hand goes “back to normal” towards the end of the episode (I’m sure Olivia was waiting up for that very news), does that mean that Bell showed up to fix it for her? We didn’t see him do it of course, but as I inferred above..we do know that David Jones made an escape that night. We also know that both Jones and Bell were apparently in Germany near the beginning of the series.

Whatever the deal is, there’s SOMETHING being implied here.

Fast Cars

A reflection of the word “FAST” can be seen in Thomas Avery’s mirror. I’m wondering if this is the ‘next episode clue’ for 1.15. If it has something to do with speed or the opposite, then we’ll know.

Charade

Thomas Avery references the 1963 movie “Charade” — the parallels between Charade and Fringe can be found in an earlier post here.

Observing the Observer

The Observer can be seen looking rather solemn as a terrified Thomas Avery barges past him. It’s almost as if his eyes are weary from seeing so much destruction and despair in our crazy old world. Or maybe he’s indifferent? Yeah, probably indifferent.

Hollywood Star fish

As Thomas Avery suffocates to death on the sidewalk from being infected by the deadly $2 bill, the words “JHU” and “DELL” can be seen marked in the concrete beside him. According to our friend’s at FringeTR, JHU/Dell may have the following meaning: “Johns Hopkins University”, this university works with DELL in the IT area. And, all computers we see in episodes are DELL. Particularly, in FBI.

If this is the case then it’s some strange product placement, unless the creators just wanted to give a cryptic shout-out to those who would know what it means?

Thanks to ByRoN at FringeTR for the heads-up on that one.

ZFT Txt Msg

Conformation that ZFT was the ‘next episode clue’ for “Ability”. Here’s the ZFT pointer from episode 1.13.

Meta (For) Universe

The Land of Laughs by Johnathan Carroll, serves as a fantastic metaphor for the events that transpire in “Ability” - in particular the blurring of realities. See here for the individual post I made on this last week.

Key Lady

In the previous episode the old lady sitting next to Marshall Bowman offered an old wives tale about keys and bloody noses. I speculated over the possible meaning, and now I’m wondering whether it was a little shout-out to the key that unlocked Olivia’s ‘Pandoras box’ of tests..? Not sure though - maybe she was just an old lady on a plane. Yeah.

Death by Dollar

The slang for a $2 bill is “Deuce“, which is also one of the names for the Devil (or Diablo). The $2 bill is therefore thought by some to represent bad luck. It’s only right therefore that the $2 bills in this episode serve as both a metaphorical and literal bringer of evil - causing those who touch the infected bills to suffocate to death.

Who Blue This Would Happen?

Ah, an old favourite. What started off as a phenomenon that was initially difficult to notice, has grown into regular occurrence - the blue lights said a big ‘hello again’ in this episode. Most notably during the agent Kemp resuscitation scene and the light/bomb test towards the end of the episode (although mostly caused by the blue light from the helicopter - serving to create artificial horizontal strobes, like the ones present during many ‘genuine’ blue lights appearances).

I still think that they signify the convergence of dimensions (or the multiverse, as we’re now calling it), or the effect of observation from a far (observation which consequently changes ‘our’ reality)..or both!

Religious Imagery

Initially I thought this was just cool imagery - as a man of faith, it spoke to me, but I couldn’t figure out why. And then I saw it, the halo behind Olivia’s head, created by the Ferris wheel. Typically, Halo’s are used to depict sacred or holy figures. Considering the revelation of Olivia’s importance as a ’saviour’, I’m convinced that this effect was intentional on the part of the shows creators. Subtle, but intentional. Continued below..

Of course, Olivia is not Jesus Christ. However the halo metaphor is one that fits right in line with Olivia’s seeming importance, and the spiritual themes which are rooted in this episode.

Interestingly, the Ferris wheel, also goes by another name: ‘Observation’ Wheel. Oh yes.

Box of Tricks

Well, we know what Olivia will be doing during the hiatus! She’s got another 9 tests to complete. You can find some of them online here. If you discover that you have an abilit^y, you might want to check yourself for Cortexiphan..that is if Jones doesn’t get to you first.

Lines Blurs Reality

[Show as slideshow]

The above gallery contains a few screens of the lines from the ZFT manuscript that triggered Walter’s connection between his old typewriter and the elevated ^y. We posted a transcript of the page that Peter read, which can be found here.

As for Bad Robot shout-outs? There were 47 lights on both of the ‘light tests’. 47 being a reference to Page 47 from “Alias”. And was it just me, or did all the talk or Cortexiphan and special children remind anyone else of “Lost”?

We have a few more eastereggs that we’ll be posting between now and the April 7 return of Fringe. But we’re wanted back in the other universe..one that is slightly ahead of this one, yet oh so similar.

“FringeBloggers Are Here..and There”

Til next time.

Source: http://www.fringebloggers.com/114-ability-clues-easteregg-round-up/#more-4233

Fringe's Joshua Jackson on father issues and melted brains

2009-02-18T01:01:00.000-08:00

Joshua Jackson, who plays the brilliant but troubled Peter Bishop in Fox's Fringe, told SCI FI Wire that upcoming episodes will test his newly rekindled relationship with his brilliant but addled father, Walter (John Noble).

"Well, I think ultimately over the course of the show it will be tested again and again," Jackson said in a group interview at New York Comic Con earlier this month. "And I don't think Peter would admit to anybody, including himself, the fact that he is so invested in or cares so much about his father's well-being. But, yeah, I think Walter's crazy. And crazy people do crazy things. And that relationship is going to be tested."

Peter will also continue to struggle with his choice to stay in Boston and help Walter and FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) uncover the secret of the Pattern. "Peter has one foot in and one foot out," Jackson said. "He's always been able to pull the ripcord and get out of anything he doesn't want to do. And all of a sudden, he's confronted with this man who he loves and he hates. Who abandoned him and who he's building a relationship with and who he can't stand. You know when your parents say something really innocuous, like 'Why don't you clean up your room?' And you go, 'Oh. f--k off!' And you're really not pissed at what they said right now; you're pissed off because of something that happened when you were 15 years old and they grounded you? ... I think that's the kind of relationship Peter has with Walter."

Complicating the matter is the fact that Walter is the original mad scientist. "He's crazy," Jackson said. "Crazy is bad. Crazy can sometimes be good and funny, but sometimes ... Walter's crazy can be bad." He added: "There's part little boy who wants to know his dad, and that's the part that he would probably never admit. And then there's also a part, Walter is the Wizard of Oz. Walter has all the answers to all the questions you've ever asked yourself. I think Peter thinks that if he can keep his father lucid, he just might get the answers to all the important questions he has about himself."

As for the show's secrets? "I think William Bell is actually living inside Astrid," Jackson joked. Motioning to Blair Brown, who plays the mysterious Nina Sharp, he added: "I think you and I may be related."

Brown replies: "I have that feeling, too."

Over the course of the show's first season, Peter has seen and done some pretty gross things. "My favorite disgusting moment?" he says. "The thing I'm least proud of having my mother watch? Probably the poor girl's head exploding on the door of the diner. She's such a nice girl, and she was just having a really bad day, and all of a sudden she's brain soup on the way home. And my mother calls and she says, 'Oh, my God, Josh. What have you done?'"

Then there were the melted brains. "Two, three, four weeks ago—it was just on the air—we were vacuuming a man's brains off the carpet," Jackson said. "And that was one of the few moments that I've actually had on the show where I said, 'This actually is gross. This is disgusting. I am vacuuming chunky brains off the carpet. On my hands and knees [with a] little Hoover.' Yeah, that moment was like, 'This is gross.'" Fringe airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Fox.

Source: http://scifiwire.com/2009/02/fringes-joshua-jackson-on-father-issues-and-melted-brains.php

Walter's Lab Notes: Fringe 114 Ability

2009-02-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

Walter's Lab Notes from the Ability include the ZFT manuscript, and some various parts of David Robert Jones' tests. The notes take a strange turn in the middle, where it looks like Walter switched to his (or Dr. Bell's?) old typewriter.

FYI, the notes mention:

Ribosomal S6 Kinase - is a protein involved in signal transduction, i.e. cell conversion
Keloiding - is a type of scarring, noted for overgrowing the original scar area
Hatfields & McCoy's were two 19th century families involved in a bitter feud
Al Capone & Bugs Moran were rival mob bosses involved in the St. Valentines Day Massacre
York & Lancaster were two Houses of England that fought each other in the War Of The Roses.
Adenine, Guanine, Thymine, Cytosin are the four components that make up DNA
King Canute - was an 11 century ruler that (unsucessfully) commanded the tide to halt.

Click here to read the text of Walter's Notes

- Project 1097 - Exploration 1 -

The Bos Taurus is, of course, a notable exception to the one-half rule — one I had hoped to explore via the cast of Gene's udders. An exploration that must now be placed on hold, whilst I investigate this curious skin condition. The cause, it appears, is overproduction of ribosomal s6 kinase along with a hyperactive keloiding process. But why the body receives orifices as wounds, I have not yet been able to detaerlmar sdlf;qpie vllzuadsf; xyayayurf ---------------------

A book of revelations, fallen into my lap. "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." Now I envy the experimental subject's ignorance. He knows nothing, needs to know nothing, indeed is required to know nothing. Like these poor victims -- sightless, speechless, breathless, and constipated -- someone's warped parody of a double-blind experiment. Thank heavens we remained in the control group. We'll not have an easy time of it, trying to keep up with the Joneses. I need someone to tell me why -- why why why why why -- he ran away. And I wonder if they'll let me stay. I ordered the lasagna platter and the waiter told me it came with two sides, but I was unable to choose. Hatfields or McCoys? Al Capone or Bugs Moran? york or Lancaster? Survey says: BZZZT! The opposition has a chance to steal. They'd steal all four bases if they could: adenine, guanine, thymine, cytosine. None can hold back the rising nucleotide, not even King Canute. One two, contract the flu. Three four, infect by spore. Five six, genetic mix. Seven eight, procreate. Oh well. The malady was only skin deep, but 'twas enough. And sad as it was, i just had to laugh; I saw the photograph. I took my secret box and dumped out all the pieces, but I couldn't see the big picture. The big becomes the little when you see it back a bit, and that's about the size of it.

Source: http://www.fringetelevision.com/

NYCC 09: Joshua Jackson on the Fringe

2009-02-15T07:18:00.000-08:00

Source: http://www.youtube.com/user/IGNentertainment

NYCC:09 - Jasika, Kirk & Lance Interview

2009-02-14T04:42:00.001-08:00

NYCC:09 - Jasika, Kirk & Lance Interview

Posted using ShareThis

NYC Comic Con… Your Questions, Their Answers!

2009-02-14T04:41:00.001-08:00

NYC Comic Con… Your Questions, Their Answers!

Posted using ShareThis

A Monster Virus?

2009-02-04T16:38:00.000-08:00

Could a Designer Virus Turn You Into a Monster?
By Andrew Moseman
Published on: February 4, 2009
Source: Popular Mechanics

Peter (Joshua Jackson, left) works with Walter (John Noble, center) and Astrid (Jasika Nicole, right) to examine evidence in the Fringe episode "The Transformation." (Photograph by Craig Blankenhorn/FOX)

Viruses are back terrorizing victims on Fringe, and they're as vicious as ever. Two weeks ago mysterious killers used super-size cold viruses—and questionable science—to murder prominent epidemiologists, and in last night's episode, "The Transformation," a deadly virus turned its victims into unrecognizable monsters. The first victim is flying on a plane when the change starts as a nosebleed, and then kicks into high-gear when he convulses and huge spines shoot out of this back. Once the man becomes a half porcupine/half wolfman, he terrorizes the plane until it crashes. The Fringe team finds his body at the crash site, so mangled that rescue workers thought he was an animal, not a human.

According to lab analysis by Walter and Peter Bishop, the mad scientist and his son, the transformation is caused by a "designer virus" that completely re-wrote the victim's DNA, changing all the internal organs and turning him into a monster. Fringe gets at least one part of the case correct when Peter says, "this stuff doesn't exist in nature."

The closest real-world example to the bizarre affliction in "The Transformation," as far as physical appearance, might be elephantiasis, the tropical condition in which a person's skin thickens and their limbs or gonads can swell up to incredible sizes. But though elephantiasis can be a horrific condition, it doesn't turn its victims into totally unrecognizable forms, and it isn't caused by a virus. Lymphatic filariasis, the proper name of the disease that causes elephantiasis, is typically caused by a parasitic worm that mosquitoes plant into a person. Either through the growth of the parasites themselves or the immune system's response to them, the person's fluids become backed up and their lower limbs can swell enormously, without medical attention.

Viruses, however, don't tend to manifest themselves with substantial outside physical changes, much less the grotesque mutations seen on the Fringe victims, according to University of California-Irvine virologist Bert Simler. There are only a few cases where viruses produce noticeable changes to the body's exterior at all, he says. Mumps is one—it is a viral disease, and can result in a clear swelling of the victim's throat area. The human papilloma virus, HPV, can cause warts on the skin. And smallpox produces visible pockmarks and nasty, fluid-filled pustules on the skin. "But if you live long enough, the pustules eventually fall off," he says.

That's about it for viruses causing exterior physical changes, Simler says. Other viruses can cause swelling on the inside of the body—encephalitis, for example, causes a dangerous swelling of the brain. "But it's all contained within the skull," he says. Other particularly threatening viruses, like paralysis-causing polio, show little outward sign of their presence, he says. So while many viruses can cause you harm, don't look for them to transform you into a raging, murderous porcupine/wolfman.

Could a Virus Rewrite Your DNA?
But what about the genetics claim in "The Transformation," that the virus mutates the host's DNA to change its host into monsters? There is a speck of real science in there, says Harvard University virologist Donald Coen. Retroviruses, the class that includes HIV, use the DNA in their host cell to replicate, then leave behind their genetic information in the host. "There are lots of examples in animals," he says. And Coen says it is possible to manipulate retroviruses. Some scientists hope to use them as a vehicle to get genetic material into cells, he says, by piggybacking the useful material onto the virus and then allowing the virus to copy its genetic material into the cell.

However, that kind of research is in early stages, Coen says. And though Peter Bishop says during "The Transformation" that a person would need to know cutting-edge genetics to create the killer virus, Coen says the Fringe scenario is far past the real capabilities of current genetic engineering—no virus could rewrite your entire genetic code.

Finally, this week, Fringe might have put to bed—at least for a while—one of our favorite bits of suspect science: the memory tank. Agent Olivia Dunham had some of her former partner John Scott's memories transferred into her own mind, and in previous episodes she's gone back in the tank to seek more answers from him. This happens again in "The Transformation," but at the conclusion Walter Bishop says her mind has expelled the last of Scott and her brainwaves are back to normal. So hopefully Dunham won't have to stick electrodes to her forehead and get back in the water anytime soon.

A Different View

2009-02-02T22:27:00.000-08:00

While we here at Gene's LOVE Fringe, we're always open to constructive criticism. Or at least amused by a rant. This is a beaut. So.......here goes:

Why Fringe Could Well Be The Worst Show In TV History
An Insightfully Delightful Essay
By Xiphos

Fringe is Scary

2009-02-01T08:49:00.001-08:00

This guy is a nut. He Walter share some common interests....

Thanks to Gotilk for turning me on to this.

This is Your Brain on Fringe

2009-02-01T06:31:00.000-08:00

Fox has released a nice video recap of "The No-Brainer" Because, you can never have enough liquefied brains.

Source: http://www.fox.com/

FRINGE F.U.N Song

2009-02-01T06:17:00.000-08:00

We all love Spongebob Square Pants, right? We all love fun, right? We all love Fringe, right? If you answered ‘yes’ to all three of those then you’ll probably enjoy this Fringe/Spongebob mash-up!

Vid Cred: Maddy815

Here’s a “Lost” version for all you Losties out there.

Title for Episode 16

2009-02-01T06:05:00.000-08:00

Fringe Exec. Producer JR Orci has posted a snapshot of the script cover for 1.16.

Add to this the Episode title for Episode 15 - "Inner Child"

Source: JR Orci Flickr

http://www.fringebloggers.com/fringe-episode-116-title/#more-3364

Anna Torv on Stunts, Cars, JJ. Abrams and More

2009-02-01T02:07:00.000-08:00

Anna TorvAnna Torv talks to LA Times about Australia, life in the Big Apple, JJ. Abrams and doing cool stunts at 3 A.M:

What do you miss the most about having a life?

God, what do I miss the most? I think on the days when I have to get up every morning and wash my hair — I love sleeping in — just to turn off the alarm button.

Do they make you live in some Fox-approved housing or do you get your own?

We found our own. I moved here very quickly, with a fantastic leasing agent and found a flat. It’s just a cozy little New York apartment.

Working in Australia is quite different. Cate Blanchett says that there you’re an actor, but also a grip.

Yeah, really different! When you’re doing TV in Australia, you’re not working with the studio and the network and the production house. And our writer and show runner are in L.A., so everything feels so expanded. But in Australia, it’s a little bit smaller. The shows I worked on would shoot two episodes at the same time, then schedule in, like, an additional day to finish things off.

Have you fallen in with the expat Australian crowd in Hollywood?

No. I haven’t ever lived in L.A. But I know there’s lots of people I know that are living there. But I haven’t had a chance to go to any barbecues. But we have our own expat community — we’re collecting them slowly.

Wherever there’s one of you, there’s four.

It’s true!

And what are you reading now?

Oh, this sounds so pretentious! But I’m reading “The Fountainhead,” and it’s been on my bookshelf for ever and ever. I find it difficult to read when I’m working. Actually loving it! But before — I did actually just read one of Anne Rice’s short stories. I find them easier to read when I’m working.

I’ve actually read part of your aunt’s [Anna Murdoch, ex-wife of Rupert Murdoch] book.

Which one?

I believe it was the carefully disguised one ["Family Business"].

That’s why people often ask me: Are you related to Rupert Murdoch, did that help you get the job? And I laugh. “Did you see the divorce? Like, no, I don’t think that helped.” I didn’t read that book — I read another one, this was years ago, something about a boat or something.

What do you think [show co-creator] J.J. Abrams is up to with “Fringe”? We now see the sort of machinations of the larger plot on the show.

We are really kept in the dark. It sounds so cliché. But it’s really true. . . . I certainly don’t have a handle on the grand prize.

And what about him? Is he like an Ayn Rand character?

I don’t think so! I don’t know which one he would be if he was.

What skills have you picked up in this round of shooting?

Like, actual skills? This is the first time I’ve gotten to do any, like, stunt stuff, like fighting and things like that, which I love! It keeps your whole body engaged. That’s a whole new world that’s opened up. And driving. I can’t believe they let me do some of the driving with the street cars. That’s quite fun at 3 a.m.! Zooming down the streets and making sharp turns. There is a skill to remaining focused for such long periods of time and negotiating your way around how this isn’t a sprint but a marathon.

Do you get treated differently now? Are there, like, Maxim magazine requests for photo shoots?

No! I do just go from home to work, home to work. Even on the street I sort of feel — no, no one really notices me when I’m not working, which is lovely, really.

Where do you want to be in 10 years?

God, I don’t know. I think that’s what I’m trying to work out at the moment. I’m not sure in 10 years. I’m trying to think of where I wanted to be 10 years ago.

Probably just out of high school?

No, I would have been in my third year of drama school. I probably wanted to be earning a living as an actor and not selling coffee to people. So maybe it’s time to reassess.

It’s hard to figure out what one wants to do tomorrow.

I’m a terrible planner. This is exciting because I know what I’m doing until April!

Source: http://www.latimes.com/

Fringe Thoughts - Was ‘No Brainer’ Really A No Brainer?

2009-01-30T05:21:00.001-08:00

By FringeBlogger Roco on January 29, 2009

In an episode in which a sophisticated ‘computer virus’ reduced it’s victims brains to mush, I found it quite ironic that the Observer should appear so obviously photoshopped. Clearly Michael Cerveris wasn’t available for this episode - and it’s probably not the first time; I’m pretty sure that they used a stand-in for “The Equation”, “The Dreamscape”, “Safe” and “Bound” - but he was definitely present at the recent NFL game between the Giants and the Eagles.

I love the production values on the show, they do an excellent job at bringing their concepts to life, which is why the ‘2 dimensional’ computer generated Observer stuck out like a sore thumb against the backdrop of a fantastical computer virus, complete with a cyber hand that was anything but 2 dimensional!

As an aside, it’s been claimed that this episode didn’t include a “Pattern-event”. Whilst I can understand that notion, I find myself having to redefine what exactly “the pattern” is. According to Broyles, it’s basically a ’series of strange events involving fringe science, which they decided to call “the pattern”‘. However, everyone seems to have their own definition of what that signifies. Some will argue that “the pattern” is whatever the Observer observes - in which case this episode was a piece (albeit a tiny piece) of “THE pattern”, since the Observer observed it. Of course, according to George Morales, the pattern is a “smokescreen”, so perhaps it is constantly redefining itself within the Universe of the show?

Continue reading “Fringe Thoughts - Was ‘No Brainer’ Really A No Brainer?”

Anna Torv is helping make the Fox series ‘Fringe’ a mainstream hit

2009-01-30T05:20:00.000-08:00

By FringeBlogger Monica1236 on January 29, 2009

As if taking a cue from the Australian homeland of two of its stars, “Fringe” is a platypus of a TV series.
This Fox drama borrows ideas from a sprawl of program genres. It’s an unlikely mash-up for sure. And it’s working like a charm.

“Fringe” started strong last September and has only gotten stronger creatively. It won a robust audience, too, even before “American Idol” became its lead-in (it airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST).

By now, the series seems totally cool with its ambitious mix of action, intrigue, souped-up science, simmering evil, plus all the right doses of humour, romance and blood-and-guts.

Befitting a series that counts J.J. Abrams (”Lost”) among the creators, “Fringe” glories in its freewheeling style and its giddy universe of characters who, at any given moment, may or may not be who they seem. But even with its teeming uncertainties, “Fringe” keeps one thing constant for the viewer: its trio of ill-assorted heroes, busy battling a sinister force that threatens the world with “fringe” science (way-out stuff such as mind control, teleportation, astral projection and genetic engineering).

Continue reading “Anna Torv is helping make the Fox series ‘Fringe’ a mainstream hit”

Fringe Comic #2 Scans - “Excellent Soap” / “Strangers On A Train”

2009-01-30T05:18:00.000-08:00

By FringeBlogger Roco on January 30, 2009

As we mentioned the other day, issue #2 of the Fringe Comic is now on sale! The comic once again consists of two stories - “Excellent Soap”, providing some terrific back-story on Walter Bishop and William Bell, and “Strangers on a Train”, which is a more stand-alone story, with references to the main Bishop/Bell story. We’ve only provided a few scans from each story as we want to support the creators in making more of these, if you like what you see, please consider purchasing a copy from your local comic store. Click to enlarge:

“EXCELLENT SOAP” - STORY #1

Continue reading “Fringe Comic #2 Scans - “Excellent Soap” / “Strangers On A Train””

Can Your Brain Actually Turn to Goo?

2009-01-29T12:33:00.000-08:00

In its 12th episode, Fringe brought back one of the all-time greatest, grossest sci-fi horrors: Liquefied brains.
By Andrew Moseman
Published on: January 28, 2009

While investigating a string of murders, the agents find viscous liquid oozing from victims' orifices–something has turned their brains into nothing but goo. Sure enough, drilling a hole into a victim sends brown goo, all that's remaining of his brain, dripping out of his skull. "The brain goo that they made is maybe the most disgusting thing I've ever seen," Fringe star Joshua Jackson said in a promo for last night's episode, "The No-Brainer." But is the brain science as far off the mark as it has been in past episodes?

First, the facts: A human brain floats in a kind of clear liquid called CSF, or cerebral spinal fluid, says Brown University neuroscientist John Stein. CSF comes from the meninges (which get infected when you have meningitis), and it's what doctors extract and test during a spinal tap. And, Stein says, there are clinical examples of people losing the fluid in their brain when a spinal tap resulted in a tear. When they stood up, gravity pulled the CSF out and gave them headaches; when they laid back down, it rushed back in.

"The brain is very fragile," Stein says, "it's like pudding." However it's not going to come oozing right out your nose–the Fringe scenario, Stein says, is totally implausible. Radiation therapies such as Gamma Knife surgery target gamma rays on a single point to destroy tumor cells, but Stein says that's not like liquefying your brain. Theoretically, an extremely intense microwave could boil the water in your brain, he says, but the grey matter is made of fatty tissue. To melt the entire brain, as the Fringe killer does, you'd have to find a method of melting fatty tissue. But even if you could do that, he said, it would melt all the fatty tissue in the rest of your body, not just your brain and leave the rest of you untouched like the victims on the show.

Overloading the Brain: Seizures vs. Meltdown
The brain liquefaction in "The No-Brainer" starts when victims open a pop-up ad on their computer screen that unleashes a wave of flashing violent, quickly-cut images. The victim sees a hallucination of a glowing hand reaching out to them from their computer screen; meanwhile, the pictures and sounds cause a reaction that destroys—and then liquefies—the brain. Walter Bishop, the mad scientist from Harvard, explains to Agent Olivia Dunham that the brain attack works using "a complex combination of visual and subsonic aural stimuli, ingeniously designed to amplify the electrical impulses of the brain, trapping it in an endless loop."

The brain attack is supposedly like a computer virus, and they share at least one thing in common—the sneak attack. Victims on Fringe unleash the brain-melting attack by opening an innocuous-looking pop-up ad, much the way a virus can be piggybacked on a legitimate file, or the way a Trojan horse disguises itself as a legitimate-looking program. But Stein says that amplifying someone's brain impulses to kill them is where the reality stops.

The electrical impulses in our brains are tiny, and vary by the microvolt—they're hardly even detectable by an electroencephalogram (those electronic sensors they stick on your forehead). "It's orders of magnitude weaker than a 9-volt battery," he says. The biggest spikes occur when different areas activate synchronously, he says, and that only happens during deep sleep-wakened brain activity is asynchronous. Compared to the brain's puny electrical output, the heart's electrical impulses are huge.

There is a real-life analogue to Walter's idea of visual stimuli damaging your brain: seizures. Some seizures can be caused by visual stimuli, he says, such as flashing lights. And while one seizure doesn't destroy your brain, Stein says, repeated ones over years can have cumulative effects.

But even if you could amplify someone's brain electrical impulses, could that melt his brain? No, Stein says. In reality, the damage caused by chronic seizures tends to result from neuron death. High levels of calcium can sneak in and kill the cell, he says, it's the same thing that happens when blood flow to the brain is cut off, and the reason that brain cells are among the first to die after blood loss. But don't expect a seizure, a microwave or anything else to turn your brain into runny brown goo.

Source: Popular Mechanics

Cells Skirt Reality and Supersize on Fringe: Hollywood Fact vs Fiction

2009-01-23T16:22:00.000-08:00

Fringe is back, and after agent Olivia Dunham has escaped her kidnappers from the previous episode and is back to work, the science starts to get wacky again, this time regarding the common cold and some unusually large parasites.

By Andrew Moseman

Published on: January 21, 2009

(Photograph by Barbara Nitke/FOX)

Should you be scared of a spiny slug growing in your stomach?

Parasites were back on Fringe, after making a factually-challenged appearance in an earlier episode. In last night's episode, "Bound," Boston College professor Stewart Kinberg reaches the high point of a lecture about the microbial world, ruminating on how millions and millions of microorganisms like viruses and bacteria feed on us every day. Like many remarks in Fringe, the professor's words turn out to be prophetic—he suddenly begins to struggle to speak, then breaks into a fit of choking and falls to the ground. The teacher's assistant tries CPR to revive him, but in vain. And a moment later, the professor's killer makes its appearance.

What emerges from Kinberg's throat is a marvel of disgust—a slimy, spiny slug, about six inches in diameter, forces its way out of the professor's mouth and then scurries around the room, trying to escape. Agent Olivia Dunham learns that Kinberg had been about to move to a position as an epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control, and fearing that another CDC candidate could be in danger, she brings him into protective custody. But after taking a sip of water, he too convulses and dies, and a similar slug crawls out of him.

Walter's analysis of the slug-like parasite that he and Peter coral in the Boston College lecture hall tells him that the slug makes its way into people as tiny eggs, and stomach acid acts as the catalyst that causes the parasite to grow. Scott Gardner of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Manter Laboratory of Parasitology tells PM that this part of the case is fairly realistic. Parasites are endlessly creative and have plenty of ways to get inside you. "There's probably 100 different ones that get in," he says.

Some, like nematodes, often are ingested as eggs and then "hatch" in your gut. According to Gardner, the worm is already in a larval stage inside the egg—the host's caustic stomach acids wear down the egg and allow the nematode to break free and grow.

Could an overgrown common cold virus "cell" turn into a vicious killer?
Deeper examination of the nasty slugs leads the agents into truly junk science, however. Walter, in one of his brilliant, out-of-nowhere declarations, claims he has discovered that the spiny slug is really just one huge single cell, and not just any single cell—it's the virus that causes the common cold, blown up to the size of a football.Walter delights in the sweet irony of epidemiologists being killed by the common cold.

But this scenario is silly for several reasons. First of all, there is no "common cold virus," according to Carol Post, Purdue University professor of medical chemistry and molecular pharmacology. Scores of slightly different viruses, mostly rhinoviruses, can cause a cold.

Secondly, viruses are not cells. They're crafty bits of genetic code that must infect another organism's cells and borrow the host cell's machinery to reproduce. This peculiar way of life has led to years of debate over whether or not a virus qualifies as life. But, Post says, it most certainly is not a cell.

Lastly, while there are individual cells that can grow quite large, like the ostrich egg example that Walter gives, Post says that you can't just program a cell (or the flu virus) to supersize into a bigger version of itself. Basic physics prevents that from being possible for cells, and just about every other animal or organism. "No, that's science fiction," she says.

Source: Popular Mechanics

"No Brainer" Press Release

2009-01-15T06:16:00.000-08:00

Olivia, Walter and Peter are called in to investigate the death of a car salesman who was found in a pool of "goo," exactly like another man across the country. When Walter discovers that the "goo" is brain matter, the trio tries to figure out how the killer can liquefy human brains. As the deaths pile up, the investigation reveals a common thread linking the victims together in an unthinkable manner. Meanwhile, Olivia is horrified when the case places a loved one in harm's way in the all-new “The No-Brainer” episode of FRINGE airing Tuesday, Jan. 27

Cast: Anna Torv as Olivia Dunham; Joshua Jackson as Peter Bishop; John Noble as Walter Bishop; Lance Reddick as Phillip Broyles; Kirk Acevedo as Charlie Francis; Mark Valley as John Scott; Blair Brown as Nina Sharp; Jasika Nicole as Astrid Farnsworth

Guest Cast: Chris Bauer as Brian Dempsey; Noah Fleiss as Luke Dempsey; Mary Beth Peil as Jessica Warren; Gbenga Akinagbe as Akim; Mark Lotito as Paul Wiles; Susan Knight as Cynthia Wiles; Jake O’Connor as Gregory Wiles; Randy Kovitz as Mark

Source: Fox

Gene! Gene! Gene! Astrid!

2009-01-13T23:44:00.000-08:00

Posted by DarkUFO at Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The Observer Appears at an NFL Game!!

2009-01-11T18:52:00.000-08:00

Hey All,
With the NFL playoffs starting last week, the networks are using the time to market all of the returning new shows.

Today's game (NY Giants v Phil Eagles) is on FOX and guess who shows up unannounced and not even mentioned!? Yup, The Observer from Fringe!!

Now I am not sure if he has appeared in earlier games or will appear again or even if the reporters know who is being shown, but this was the first time I caught a glimpse of him.

Check it out below and if you see The Observer, please take a picture or screencap and send them in!!

NOTE: Is it part of the pattern that I happened to take the image with "16" seconds showing on the play clock!? LOL a little shout out to the LOST fans out there.

Source: http://spoilertv.blogspot.com/2009/01/fringe-observer-appears-at-nfl-game.html

Giddy Up!

2008-12-30T16:59:00.000-08:00

Fringe Promo Photos: Bound

2008-12-30T03:01:00.000-08:00

Here are the promotional photos for Fringe episode 111 - Bound, which premieres January 20th, 2009. In the photos, we see Walter working out of the back of an SUV, a captured Olivia with a scary masked person (David Jones?), and Olivia's sister, played by Ari Graynor.

Top 20 TV Moments Of 2008

2008-12-29T18:29:00.001-08:00

By Meredith Woerner, 3:07 PM on Mon Dec 29 2008, 2,072 views

This year in TV was jam-packed with climactic kisses, deaths and waffles. Here's our video roundup of our favorite moments, silly and serious, from 2008 TV.

Compilation 1:

Chuck - Smooch - "Chuck Versus The Ex"
John Casey (Adam Baldwin) is the best part of Chuck and makes the floppy-haired nerd boy tolerable.

True Blood - How To Kill A Vampire - "Plaisir d'amour
Didn't know that the rule of "if you throw up, then I'm going to throw up" applies to vampires.

Doctor Who - Cyberman Transformer - "The Next Doctor"
Jesus H Christ that's cool.

Lost - I Said All Of You - "There's No Place Like Home: Part 2"
Who knew being in a coffin could be so intimidating?

Fringe - First Walterism - "Pilot"
That is the sound of a new era of science funny, crazy-style.

Sarah Connor Chronicles - Crazy Future Ladies - "Strange Things Happen at the One Two Point"
All the ladies from the future put your hands up!

Eureka - Bye Bye Nathan - "I Do Over"
I complained about Nathan's exit on this show the first time around, but it's really grown on me after watching it a few more times.

Eleventh Hour - Flesh Eating STDs - "Spring Break Sucks"
Flesh eating STDs totally ruined my spring break, too.

The Office - Dumbledore Calrissian - "Business Ethics"
Funniest science fiction joke of the season.

Stargate Atlantis - Nerd Love, McKay Style - "Brain Storm"

The nerd gets the girl.

The Sarah Connor Chronicles - Derek Blows Our Minds - "Complications"
Wait, what? How many times did you rewind this part?

Battlestar Galactica - Cally Air Locked - "The Ties That Bind"
GOOD RIDDANCE. Thank you, RDM, for delivering what I needed.

True Blood - Sad Dancing For Drugs - "Escape from Dragon House"
Sparked a whole revolution of sad underwear dancing.

Compilation 2:
Dr. Who - Kiss Goodbye - "Journey's End"
Why can't I meet a man like the Doctor? Best kiss, because it kept the real Doctor at bay, and Rose off in another dimension (not that I don't love her — I'm just ready for some new blood).

Life On Mars - Sam Teaches Black Panthers About Vanilla Ice - "Things to Do in New York When You Think You're Dead"
Sam, you are the man.

Smallville - Doomsday Ruins Lame Wedding - "Bride"
Only thing worth watching on Smallville this season so far: Sam Witwer as Doomsday.

Battlestar Galactica - Finding Earth - "Revelations"
You made a wrong turn at Saturn.

Heroes - Waffles! - "I Am Become Death"
Surprise — I'm creepier when I act normal!

Venture Brothers - OSI Song
Big "Tah Dah" moment.

Lost - World's Best Phone Conversation - "The Constant"
My favorite episode of the season — just a beautiful example of a great pay-off after a long, long, long wait for these two lovers.

Source: http://io9.com/5120175/top-20-tv-moments-of-2008

Sneak Peek at BOUND

2008-12-28T02:02:00.000-08:00

2008-12-28T01:56:00.000-08:00

Fringe: Best Of 2008 Lists

Walter Bishop is nominated for Best New TV Character of 2008 over at BuzzSugar.com. He's got some pretty stiff competition ahead of him right now: Owen of Grey's Anatomy, Megan of Privileged, and Holly of The Office (BTW, who isn't even on the show anymore - and likely won't be back...). So head on over and vote for Walter, or the papaya gets it!

On TV.com, Walter made the Top 10 Shiny New Supporting Characters, coming in at #7.

And Fringe won TV.com's reader poll of Best New Fall Show! Congratulations!

BuddyTV.com has Joshua Jackson on it's TV's 50 Sexiest Men of 2008, at #41

Entertainment Weekly picked Fringe as #7 on their 10 Best TV Shows of 2008

Source: http://www.fringetelevision.com/

A Recipe For Weird

2008-12-19T07:06:00.000-08:00

The Observer's Diet may be the cause of his hair loss....

The Observer Sandwich

Sliced Roast Beef... raw as possible
11 jalapeno peppers
1 shaker of black pepper
1/4 bottle of hot sauce
1 roll

Place the roast beef on the sliced roll, shake on 1/4 bottle of hot sauce, add on top of that a shaker of black pepper (NOT a shake, the ENTIRE shaker full, please). Lastly, add the 11 jalapeno peppers and close up the sandwich to seal in all the peppery goodness and eat as quickly as possible. Serve with a glass of room temperature water.

MMMmm MMMmmm good.

Joshua Jackson Makes a Sexy Santa List

2008-12-18T18:59:00.000-08:00

Oh, wait, that wasn't a wish list.... it was Buddy TV's 50 Sexiest Men of TV in 2008.

Great to see a love of Fringe on even the basest of levels... see the rest of the Sexy List in glorious (if slightly eewy) slideshow display here: http://www.buddytv.com/slideshows/tvs-50-sexiest-men-of-2008.aspx Many Sci-Fi fellas are to be found... Moo-YA!

Fringemas

2008-12-18T07:13:00.001-08:00

Well, they TOTALLY STOLE our Christmas Gene, but I'll get over it. Gene deserves the love and recognition. Enjoy!!!

Fringe Shall Triumph!!!

2008-12-11T07:39:00.000-08:00

2008-12-11T06:55:00.001-08:00

Craft Hour With Dr. Walter Bishop

2008-12-09T21:04:00.001-08:00

How to make your own Mr. Papaya Head

Fixin's for your happy fella:

1 papaya
4 pipe cleaners
1 black sharpie marker
1 red sharpie marker
2 big, round, oversized googly eyes
double sided tape
a 2x2 piece of lightweight card

Start by putting a piece of double-sided tape on the back of each googly eye. Place the eyes on your papaya. Take the red marker and draw a mouth (mouth expression is entirely up to you), then use the black marker to draw a mustache for your Mr. Papaya Head.

Use the card to cut out two small hand shapes, no larger than 1"x1". Take all of your pipe cleaners and bend them in half. Use two of these to make the arms by using the double sided tape to attach the hands to the bent end of the folded pipe cleaners. Use the wire in the pipe cleaners to attach the arms by piercing the skin (arm length may require adjustment). Bend arms into desired positioning. Do the same for the legs, bending up the ends of the folded end to make feet.

Now you have your very own Mr. Papaya Head!!! I highly recommend NOT putting it in the microwave as the metal parts in the pipe cleaners will spark and be a fire hazard.

I am partial to using him as a centerpiece on the dining room table, or even as a topper in the fruit bowl... a GREAT Walter-approved addition to your Holiday decor! He is a fun and entertaining accent decoration that everyone will ask about; a conversation piece! Although, don't be surprised if that conversation is soon taking place with a registered health care professional looking to send you to Bellevue.

An Open Letter To Fringe

2008-12-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

You know as I st here and eat my jalapeno and hot sauce sandwich (Extra black pepper please).

The last episode combined elements that are amongst my favorite. Walter's use of the Fibonacci sequence, number repeated that will allow Olivia and the Bishops to detect the next heist, Unfortunately they were too late, Olivia was abducted, Walter's teleportation device who he thought would be kept safe through subterfuge, fell into the hands of very bad folks, who in turn used the device to teleport Mr Jones right out of his cell. With some suntan lotion and Dramamine and was good to go.

Taking a step back, this crime began with the thieving of Dr Bishop's work. This led to a macabre discovery, as the technology used allows matter to pass through matter. The theft was 99% successful, as Mr Lugo was physically solidified in the wall when the grid shut down.That allowed the Fringe team to harvest body parts for testing. It seems the thieves who create a resonance to walk through solid matter has a significant consequence, Radiation Poisoning, And as Peter said to the suspect in custody, You shattered the law of physics...and if you msss with Mother Nature, she can be a real Bitch,

So we have Mr.Jones free and tanned, Mr Jones freed using a device built but never used. You see, Walter was heartbroken over Peter's untreatable illness. So Water built the machine to bring a doctor back from the 1920s to help his dying son. Yet, Walter never had cause to even test his machine due it Peter's miraculous recovery.

So, on the heals of THE BEST DAMN SHOW ON TELEVISION, we have weeks now to wait to see what happened to Olivia, Mr Jones and the chronies (always wanted to use that word).From Nina Sharpe to Broyals to Bishops and Asteroid..... How the Frell are we gonna make it that long!!!!!

Peace - Edshrinker

Dr Bishop vs Dr House

2008-12-07T09:55:00.000-08:00

Source: http://www.fringetelevision.com/
By Dennis

1.07 In Which We Meet Mr. Jones

2008-12-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

Walter is not a fruit salad kind of guy. But in looking for a nice simple recipe, I found something even more fun... Did you know that May 13th is National Fruit Salad Day? Found this on Retro Kitchen and thought it would be a little something that Walter might remember from his youth...

Wow, it's going to be a long wait until January 20th. But then we get the joy of not just Fringe, but Season 5 of LOST!!!!!!!!! May I repeat... It is going to be a VERY long couple of weeks, but boy will it be worth it.

1.10 “Safe” - Sci-Fi Vs Reality

2008-12-06T13:38:00.000-08:00

Popular Mechanics break into Fringe’s “Safe” and cast their judgement on the accuracy of the science depicted in the episode.

Can people walk through walls?
Fringe loves to toe the line between science fact and fiction, but this time its tilted far over onto the fiction side. In the episode, mad scientist Walter Bishop concludes that the thieves would’ve needed cutting-edge knowledge of quantum physics, plus more money than many banks’ assets combined, to make it through the wall. However, the closest thing to a scientific explanation Bishop offers is a lab demonstration with rice—when he puts an action figure on top of a bowl of uncooked rice, it can stand on top, but when he shakes the back it sinks to the bottom. Bishop correctly states that matter is mostly empty space, says MIT physics professor Ray Ashoori—beyond the nucleus made of protons and neutrons, an atom is tremendously spacious, filled only by electrons that essentially have no mass. However, what’s important, and the reason a solid doesn’t just go through another solid, is electrons’ electrical charge—the closer you try to push two electrons together, the more electromagnetic repulsion is created. That’s why the space in a bowl of rice isn’t the same as the space in an atom, Ashoori says. In Fringe, Bishop implies that vibrations like those he uses on the rice bowl would be similar to what the thieves used to change the structure of the wall, but vibrations aren’t going to stop those repulsive charges for a couple minutes and change the wall’s matter into some kind of new state. “It’s absolutely absurd,” says Reed College physics professor David Griffiths. “Nobody’s ever going to walk through a wall.”

But while people can’t walk through solid barriers—we either carry enough energy to break through them or we bounce back and hurt ourselves—that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to travel through a barrier without having the energy you’d normally need to break through. Electrons break this rule of classical physics all the time, and sometimes even atoms can. It’s called quantum tunneling, and Griffiths explains it with the example of a roller coaster. Say the roller coaster car is traveling down a slope, about to start up the next hill on the course. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have enough speed and therefore doesn’t have the energy to reach the top and start down the other side. If that car were an electron, Griffiths says, there’s a possibility that rather than going over or around the barrier, it could tunnel right through. In the 1920s, he says, scientists used quantum tunneling to explain the problems of radioactive alpha decay, in which alpha particles—equivalent to a helium nucleus—fly out of a larger atom’s nucleus. Alpha particles don’t normally have the energy to overcome the forces holding the nucleus together, but quantum tunneling allows them to escape. Some electrical devices—like cellphones, MP3 players and some microscopes—take advantage of tunneling.

Tunneling is a particularly mysterious concept because, like most things in quantum mechanics, it’s a statistical phenomenon based on probability rather than causality. You can know the likelihood that a particle will tunnel, but you can’t know if or when a particular particle will do it. The reason tunneling is possible, he says, is the peculiar ability particles have to also act like waves in certain circumstances. “[Waves] can do things particles cannot,” he says. However, you, as an entire human being, do not exhibit wavelike behavior, and that’s one of the reasons that we can’t walk through walls like the Fringe thieves or like Kitty Pryde in X-Men.

The main reason that running into a wall results in a bruises rather than reaching the other side is the sheer complexity of the human body. A human body contains a huge number of atoms, about 1025. “Each one of those atoms has to tunnel,” he says, “and they need to tunnel in just the right way to reassemble into a human on the other side.” Every single thing would have to go right, he says, and when you multiply all those probabilities together, the result becomes so vanishingly small that it would take not just the age of the universe, but the age of the universe multiplied upon itself for you to even approach the probability of a human walking through a wall and emerging unharmed on the other side. Even then, he says, it would still be “silly” to consider.

However, though you could try for a 100 billion years and never walk through a barrier the way that electrons can, quantum tunneling is quite common in the universe. In fact, it’s the reason that human life exists in the first place, according to MIT physicist John Negele. Radioactive decay relies on the quantum tunneling phenomenon in order to work, and the energy of the Earth’s interior is powered by radioactive decay. Without radioactive decay, there wouldn’t be enough energy for plate tectonics and continents would never have formed and come out of the water. In addition, he says, the sun couldn’t sustain its ongoing fusion reaction with just its heat alone. “There has to be some tunneling,” he told PM.

As for other stretches of scientific truth, “Safe” revisits the borrowed memory theme. In our look at last week’s episode, we brought you the science (and mostly nonsense) behind Agent Dunham’s memory mix-up: In the season premiere, she got into a sensory depravation water tank and somehow managed to get inside the head of a fellow agent, John Scott. Last night we learned that when Scott died, his memories lived on inside her head. This twist on the Star Trek Vulcan mind-meld comes in handy for the team this week when Dunham recognizes the unfortunate bank robber stuck in the wall, but can’t figure out where the memory’s from. It turns out that Scott knew him, and she recognized him because she had access to the dead FBI agent’s memories.

Finally, were the laws-of-physics-defying thieves’ targets pieces of a time machine that Bishop himself developed years ago, then separated and hid? Bishop remembers that he built the machine in the first place because his son, Peter, had a rare form of bird flu called “hepea,” and he wanted to go back in time to retrieve the only doctor to ever cure the disease and bring him into the future to cure his son. First things first: there’s no such bird flu as “hepea.” The most deadly form of bird flu is called H5N1.

As for time and space travel … we’ll leave that for another week. While scientists say that time travel is theoretically possible, Bishop’s device, with its mysterious glowing tubes, can bring anybody from anywhere, anytime. We bet it will show up in future episodes.

original source: popular mechanics http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/research/4294370.html

found on: fringebloggers.com

The Observer

2008-12-04T16:18:00.000-08:00

source: http://www.fringetelevision.com/2008/12/observer-catch-him-if-you-can.html

By Dennis 12/04/2008 10:07:00 AM

Dr. Walter Bishop's Homemade Coffee Yoghurt

2008-11-30T03:32:00.000-08:00

* 350 ml strong cold coffee
* 350 ml natural yoghurt
* 20 ml sugar
* Cinnamon (for taste and decoration)
*A Sprinkle of LSD, just because I'd rather take it myself
than give it to Agent Dunham again.

Mix the coffee, yoghurt and sugar until it’s creamy.
Serve with some cinnamon on the top.

But if you prefer to purchase your Coffee Yoghurt, Astro brand Cappucino Yoghurt is the superior choice, by far!

2008-11-27T19:06:00.000-08:00

An homage to Lost

The Observer always in the background

Uh-oh Walter!!!

2008-11-27T12:49:00.000-08:00

Don't know why I'm posting this but it's such classic Walter!

'FRINGE'-TASTIC FOUR

2008-11-26T16:56:00.000-08:00

The lineup from Fox's hottest new series share some strange similarities with Marvel's first family

Posted 11/24/2008 http://www.wizarduniverse.com
By The Wizard Staff 
A Special Thank You to Paul Burrows of Room 23
http://lostroom23.blogspot.com/

Conspiracy theorists, listen up: If you're watching the hit Fox show "Fringe" from J.J. Abrams
(and shame on you if you're not), you know super-science has invaded the real world. But is
the show secretly and subliminally turning viewers into Fantastic Four lovers? We present the
evidence; you decide!

AGENT OLIVIA DUNHAM IS... THE INVISIBLE WOMAN











The heart and mother figure of her team of super-science investigators, she's arguably the
most powerful member of the group. Clarice Starling skills mixed with Dana Scully intellect
keep her in plain sight

DR. WALTER BISHOP IS... MR. FANTASTIC











With more PhDs than you can shake a diploma at, the unbalanced Dr. Bishop uncovered the
mind-blowing scientific secrets behind teleportation, cloning and mind transference. Sounds
pretty fantastic to us...

PETER BISHOP IS... THE HUMAN TORCH










And not just because he smolders on the screen with his rugged good looks the offspring of
Dr. Bishop sizzles with his mad crush on Agent Dunham, but also shows he can keep his
cool when situations heat up.

AGENT PHILIP BROYLES IS... THE THING











Under that gruff, tough rocky exterior beats the heart of a softy, and when this head of the
special science unit growls an order, there's only one "thing" you can do: obey or it's
clobberin' time!

Olivia's Got a Sister!!!

2008-11-26T15:44:00.000-08:00

'Fringe' Exclusive: Look who's playing Olivia's sis!

Nov 26, 2008, 04:44 PM | by Michael Ausiello

How's this for a top-secret Fringe twist: Olivia's got, like, the coolest sister ever!

Sources confirm to me exclusively that rising star Ari Graynor, who played Meadow's college roomie on The Sopranos and, more recently, won raves for her hilarious turn as Kat Dennings' boozy BFF in Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, has been tapped to play the younger sister of Anna Torv's Olivia.

Graynor will appear in a minimum of three episodes, the first of which airs in January. Per a Fringe insider, Graynor's character pays Olivia a surprise visit and ends of crashing at her place for a few weeks. "She's dealing with some man trouble back home," the insider explains. "But the exact nature of that trouble isn't clear."

'Lil sis also has a 'lil travel companion: a daughter.

Anyone out there see Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist? If so, I'm guessing you're as jazzed about this casting coup as I am.

Source: ew.com

2008-11-19T22:18:00.000-08:00

Walter and Peter Do Some Badass Bonding on Fringe

By Annalee Newitz, 7:46 PM on Wed Nov 19 2008, 393 views

I know I'm in danger of becoming a rampant apologist for Fringe, but goddamn it I really like this blood-soaked, dorky show. It's like a horror comic that I can't put down because just when the dialog or plot get completely preposterous, the writers throw in an exploding brain or conspiracy parasite or a kid in a mind-control helmet watching his mother rot while he invents a teleportation machine. Even though last night's episode had that kind of good stuff, the best part was watching mad scientist Walter and his rakish son Peter get all badass - and emotionally schmoopy. Spoilers ahead.

The clip above basically captures the perfect Peter and Walter moment. Olivia and the FBI crew are hot on the tail of an underground neuroscientist who kidnaps people, hides them in her warehouse, and brainwashes them into trying to solve a mathematical equation. Turns out the only guy who might have a clue about here whereabouts is Walter's old buddy from the mental institution, Dashiell Kim. So Olivia and Peter send Walter back to the loony bin to question Kim.

Unfortunately, the creepy square-headed white guy who runs the institution thinks Walter needs to stay inside - and is willing to fight Peter to keep his dad locked up. Before Peter can use his fancy DHS connections to get Walter out, the old mad scientist manages to squeeze some more information out of Kim, whose gibberings about red castles and torture chambers turns out to be just the information Olivia needs to locate our rogue neuroscientist and her latest victim.

That's why things were so badass with both Walter and Peter in this episode. We're beginning to understand that Walter will get better, as long as he's kept out of the loony bin. Even while he's inside, he manages to (mostly) stay sane and help Olivia out. And Peter got to show his edgy side to creepy white dude at the asylum, giving him the old "I'll fuck you up if you mess with dad" treatment. The more we get to know Walter and Peter, the more I like their dynamic and the more I like this freaky science show with a family melodrama at its heart.

And just in case you started to get bored with all the running around, the episode also gave us a glimpse of a cool, throbbing teleportation machine. The rogue neuroscientist finally sucked that number she wanted out of one of her victim's brains, and raced over to give it to some guy who is building this box that looks like it's breathing. Of course it has bizarre semi-anal openings on it, which he has to reach into in order to extract an apple he teleports using the number.

The weirder the science gets, and the more we get to see this bizarro network of para-terrorist researchers who trade in "scientific progress," the more I want to plunge into the world of Fringe. It reminds me of the very best pulp fiction from the 1920s and 30s - it practically has cosmic rays and brain serums. I hope at some point there are bulbous aliens and bad guys with high, silvery collars. But for now, I'll settle for neuroscientist kidnappers living on the edge.

Source: http://io9.com/5093721/walter-and-peter-do-some-badass-bonding-on-fringe

Fringe Has Easter Eggs

2008-11-19T20:27:00.000-08:00

Source: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Fringe-Burning-Questions-58392.aspx

By Mickey O'Conner Posted Nov 11, 2008

TVGuide.com: First topic of conversation: The Observer... Is he human? Alien? Something else? Does it matter?
Jeff Pinkner: Of course it matters. He's not an alien. I think X-Files covered aliens really well. When we set out to do Fringe, we said, "No aliens." Everything will be grounded in observable or at least theoretical science. Though there are many paranormal theorists out there that believe that aliens exist, without proof we didn't want to touch it.

TVGuide.com: So now we know that The Observer has been on the scene of every Fringe case. Was the actor actually there or was that just digital magic?
Pinkner: No, he has actually been there. He's a part of our family.

TVGuide.com: Is The Observer following Olivia and her team or is it that Olivia has caught on to what he's doing?
Pinkner: That's a very astute question. The Observer's presence at these sites and/or crime scenes and/or curiosities predates Olivia's participation in the world of Fringe. It also begs the question: Is there only one Observer? He seems to be in multiple places at the same time. It makes you wonder how he gets around and why nobody appears to have seen him.

TVGuide.com: What about his special language? Is he using some sort of code?
Pinkner: He's either using code or he's using a language that he and his colleagues use, one that we're just not familiar with. There are a lot of dead languages out there.

TVGuide.com: How was Olivia able to "touch" Agent Scott? Up until now, we've been able to dismiss his presence as a dream or hallucination.
Pinkner: If you recall, in the pilot, their brains were linked in the tank. Walter tells Olivia that portions of his memories are still in her head. It's essentially like a waking dream. If I took the contents of my computer and downloaded them into your computer, my computer would be residing in your hard drive. John is still residing in Olivia's brain.

TVGuide.com: Why did Astrid return to the lab after Walter drugged her?
Pinkner: She wasn't happy about it, but I think she recognizes what her job is. Walter is crazy and not always nice. I think she understands that he was doing what he thought was necessary. It's her job; she's a good soldier.

TVGuide.com: But does she have a vested interest in seeing Walter's work completed?
Pinkner: I think all our characters have a vested interest there. They are loyal.

TVGuide.com: But is it personal for her?
Pinkner: We haven't explored that on the show yet. We haven't revealed how that may be the case yet.

TVGuide.com: Will Peter's unethical past ever catch up with him, or are we to assume that the government has intervened on his behalf and resolved things?
Pinkner: No, I think his past will catch up with him.

TVGuide.com: What are we to make of all these online accompaniments to the show? How should we use them?
Pinkner: It was our intention that you wouldn't need any of them to watch the show. There are many Easter eggs, several of which have yet to be discovered by anybody — either on the show or out there on the Internet. There's a clue in every episode that tells you what the next episode will be about. [Editor's note: Remember the guy who submitted himself to medical testing and then survived that elevator crash? In the episode before that, the ad he answered is seen posted on a telephone pole.] They'll become more overt as we go along. In our estimation, in the age of the Internet or eBay, everything has become so easy. The easier the effort gets, the more diminished the reward is. If I were a kid and I knew that there was a secret hint on every episode of a television show I loved about what the next one would be, I would have a lot of fun looking for it. It's not as if there are any big secrets. "Nina Sharp is Peter Bishop's father" is never going to be spelled out in Easter eggs.

TVGuide.com: When will we meet William Bell? J.J. said it would be before the end of the first season; is that still true?
Pinkner: Most likely.

TVGuide.com: Have we already met William Bell?
Pinkner: No.

TVGuide.com: When I spoke with executive producer Bob Orci earlier in the season, he mentioned that the actor who is going to play William Bell doesn't even know that they're William Bell. Does that mean you have an actor on standby?
Pinkner: Potentially.

TVGuide.com: Does he think he's going to be on Lost?
Pinkner: He may have already been on Lost.

Fringe returned Tuesday with an all-new episode, and guess what? We still have a lot of burning questions about Olivia & Co. So we got on the phone with executive producer Jeff Pinkner, who gave us answers that were at times illuminating, frustrating, humorous and, of course, confusing. In the second of two parts (see the first part here), Pinkner holds forth on Peter Bishop's parentage, Walter's reliability and the real Massive Dynamic.

TVGuide.com: Is Peter Bishop really Walter's son?
Pinkner: Yes, although that's a more complicated question. Peter Bishop is the offspring of Walter Bishop.

TVGuide.com: Is Peter Bishop a clone of Walter Bishop?
Pinkner: Here's the truth: In our storytelling, we always come up with a lot of sensational "Oh, sh--!" moments, but if it's not grounded in some kind of emotional revelation or deepening of the story, then we dismiss it. Otherwise it's like whipped cream — it tastes good for a minute, but it's just empty calories. Take Olivia, and the revelations we've had about her stepfather. Since he's out there and she wasn't able to kill him, in her subconscious, every bad guy is her stepfather. It's what drives her and the character. So that's a revelation that informs and deepens her.

TVGuide.com: Will we ever meet Olivia's stepfather?
Pinkner: I think so.

TVGuide.com: At the end of the second episode, Walter asked Olivia to keep something about Peter's medical history secret — what's the secret?
Pinkner: Here's something you have to remember: Walter is crazy, and I think the depth of his craziness we've only begun to tap into. He's manic-depressive, and he has been pretty much in a manic phase since we've met him. We haven't seen the dark side at all yet. He's been on a creative high. His memory is sketchy and unreliable.

TVGuide.com: So we shouldn't necessarily trust what comes out of Walter's mouth?
Pinkner: Correct.

TVGuide.com: So then why is Walter always asking about Peter's health? A lot of people have pointed out that Walter thinks Peter has high blood pressure, which is a condition usually associated with older people?
Pinkner: I think that was just a cover for what he was really checking.

TVGuide.com: Why is it that Walter has always already worked on something related to the case at hand?
Pinkner: That's not going to become a trope. You also have to again remember that Walter's crazy; we may find out that he has worked on none of those things.

TVGuide.com: But he always figures it out...
Pinkner: He happens to be insanely brilliant, though nuts. It may just be that something he discovered or did that drove him crazy.

TVGuide.com: Any plans for Walter to have a love interest?
Pinkner: That's funny. I would hope so.

TVGuide.com: Will we ever meet Peter's mother?
Pinkner: Yes... we may have already met her.

TVGuide.com: Is Walter and Nina's shared past professional or personal?
Pinkner: Both.

TVGuide.com: Was Nina telling the truth when she told us how she lost her arm?
Pinkner: Yes. Most of our characters tell the truth, at least as far as their characters know it.

TVGuide.com: There are no liars on Fringe?
Pinkner: Walter is unreliable. Olivia cons Peter in the pilot. Our characters lie and hide truth when necessary. But we don't want to be in a world when our audience is questioning everything that comes out of any of our characters' mouths.

TVGuide.com: Some readers have mentioned that when you send an email to the Massive Dynamic website, you get a personalized reply? (In one case, a reader sent an email asking where to buy Pearl Jam tickets, as a joke. The response that came back: Not sure, but if you find out, let us know. Dr. Bell is a huge fan. Creepy, right?) Who is sending those emails?
Pinkner: Who does it say is sending them?

TVGuide.com: I believe the customer service department or something.
Pinkner: Yes, it's the customer service department of Massive Dynamic. What's the real question: Is Massive Dynamic a real company?

TVGuide.com: No, the real question is: Who is actually doing it?
Pinkner: Probably a whole host of people in India, just like the customer service department at Staples, I would imagine.

TVGuide.com: OK, fine, is Massive Dynamic a real company?
Pinkner: That's the more important question. Well, obviously it's a real company on the show; whether it's a real company in the world is a question I can't answer.

There's only one Walter Bishop

2008-11-18T11:04:00.001-08:00

Source: FoxBroadcasting

Fringe! Fringe! Fringe! (S01E10)

2008-11-16T16:26:00.000-08:00

Episode 1x10 "Safe"

EXTRAORDINARY BANK ROBBERIES LINK UNEXPECTEDLY TO WALTER AND ENDANGER THE LIFE OF ONE OF THE TRIO ON “FRINGE” TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, ON FOX

While investigating a series of bank robberies, Olivia, Walter and Peter are shocked to find one of the suspects inexplicably trapped inside a vault wall as if it solidified around him. Walter realizes that the high-tech thieves have figured out a way to defy the law of physics and that, much to his dismay, the crooks are after something of his. As the ongoing investigation unfolds and the mystery deepens, the perilous situation climaxes when a member of the trio is ambushed in the all-new “Safe” episode of FRINGE airing Tuesday, Dec. 2 (9:01-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Guest Cast: Chance Kelly as Mitchell Loeb; Paul Fitzgerald as Ryan Eastwick; Darby Totten as ND Agent; Matthew Martin as ND Agent; Angel David as Raul Lugo; Vince Capone as Evan McNeil

Source: SpoilerTV

'Fringe': A Q&A with Jeff Pinkner

2008-11-11T15:05:00.000-08:00

Jeff Pinkner has written for several J.J. Abrams productions, including "Alias" and "Lost," and now he's the executive producer and showrunner for "Fringe," which was just picked up for a full season by Fox.

Here he discusses hidden Easter eggs in "Fringe," scientific accuracy in the series and the necessity of exploding heads in a program about science.

Q. How did getting picked up for a full season change your planning on the show?

A. If we had only done 13 episodes, I think we all would have been immensely disappointed. The story that we’ve created for this show is a multi-year story. We started by figuring out what the ending was. If we’d only done 13 episodes, I don’t think there would have been a way to satisfyingly move everything up that quickly. The answer is, it doesn’t change our long-term plans, except it allows us to see our long-term plans through.

Q: Did you have a tentative 13^th episode ending planned?

A: No, to a degree that would have been planning for failure. And we were all hoping for success.

Q: How many years do you have planned?

A: 75. It will go on longer than any of us. [laughs] No, it’s sort of like an accordian file. There are roads we would love to explore if we have the time. The basic framework I don’t want to say out loud because I think it’s a jinx.

Q: Will the format of “Fringe” evolve over time the way “Lost” has?

A: I think of “Lost” as a show that feels like it's changed, but the change is inevitable. It started on the island, then it went into the island and now it’s about protecting the island. Our show, the basic format will not change as drastically, but it will definitely feel like a deepening and enriching of the story we’re telling.

Q: The first few episodes of the season seemed a bit repetitive. But the Observer, introduced in the fourth episode, really changed the scope of the show. Was his late introduction intentional?

A: In some ways the show is an experiment for us. We are not, by our own admission, the best at telling stand-alone stories. Because we’re fundamentally attracted to creating worlds, which inherently have an epic scope. While shows like "Law & Order" are spectacular, it doesn’t have the same epic quality of say, "Harry Potter."

It’s our goal to both tell stories, where if you’ve seen nothing before and nothing after, you’ll see a very satisfying 50 minutes of television. But if you have seen what’s come before, you have a whole other level of appreciation.

We set out to populate our world from the start with characters and little mysteries that will only pay off over time. There’s things in the pilot that won’t pay off until Season 3.

I can tell you that there’s almost nothing that’s accidental on the show. There’s no throw-away lines of dialogue, the Observer being in shots is not an accident. There’s Easter eggs all over the place. Many of them are just for the fun of people who want to play along. Several of them have yet to be discovered. But they’re not necessary for the enjoyment of the show. They’re really just for run. If you were to crack the code, it will raise the level of satisfaction, hopefully. For example, in every episode there’s a clue about what the next episode is going to be about.

Q: Can you give a specific example?

A: In the pilot of the show, if you watch carefully in the establishing shot of Massive Dynamic, there’s a sign on the post that’s a little rebus of a pen and a rose. The serial killer’s dad in the second episode is Dr. Penrose. There’s little fun things like that in every episode.

Q: What can you tell us about what we’ll be seeing in the next few weeks?

A: The next episode is a foundational episode, and a lot of things will be set up which will come to pay off over the next several weeks. The next four episodes are stand-alone in quality, but at the same time we start to peel back another layer of the onion. The first six were a prologue, and now we’re getting into the next chapter.

Q: When will the Observer make a major return appearance?

A: He’s laying dormant at the moment. But in the way that pieces come together and interlock, his story is still being told.

Q: “Lost” has been very secretive regarding its story lines. Do you take secrecy as seriously on “Fringe”?

A: We don’t have the same level of fanaticism. With "Lost," there’s a level of fanaticism that you wouldn’t believe, and so they’re secretive out of necessity. We are definitely protective, and we want the audience to discover the show how we want them to discover it. We definitely try to protect ourselves, but we haven’t found the necessity for the government level of secrecy that “Lost” has needed to maintain.

Q: Dr. Bishop seems like the most fun character to write.

A: He’s incredibly fun to write. I should say it’s fun to write all of our characters and how they see the world through their prism. I think to write a show solely about Walter Bishop might be a little frustrating. The two main characters, Peter and Olivia, balance him out. I think the three of them provide a very stable triangle for our show. He’s incredibly fun to write for because he can say and do anything, which is a blast for a writer. He’s incredibly brilliant and he’s forgotten just how brilliant he is. He’s scared of his own shadow, and he’s scared of the things he’s done in the past, and he’s incredibly childlike. Which is just really fun to write for.

Q: It seems like it would be easy to go too far with the character. Do the writers have rules for him?

A: I think the rule is you have to bring it back to humanity. It always has to be honest. John Noble, who plays Walter, is unbelievably smart and insisted on finding the humanity in the character. He plays it from a believable place and doesn't play him from a goofball, cuddly cute place. That's our prime directive: Keep it real and honest.

Q: The number of characters being abducted and given extraordinary powers made a lot of sense when someone in a recent episode alluded to the building of an army. Is that what’s going on here?

A: Yes, though I think “army” can be taken more than one way, it's more figurative than literal. But I think the basic premise that there are people who are using our world as a scientific playground is sort of the touchstone.

What scares me is what science is capable of and what we know government and private individuals are experimenting with and toying with in the name of science and the spirit of pure curiosity. Science has the capability of rocking the foundation of what we consider to be reality right now. There was a very real fear among very smart scientists when they fired up the Hadron supercollider that our universe would disappear. I suppose none of us would have known it; we just would have been gone. But these aren’t things to be taken lightly.

Our world, as we’ve seen with the recent financial collapse, is controlled largely by private industry, which does not have the same regulations as government. And when you have unfettered imagination married to technological resources we’ve never had before, plus money, it can become quite scary.

Literally everything we’ve done on our show is grounded in actual scientific fact. We’ve trying to tell entertaining stories. We have the license to get a little crazy, but it’s all grounded in fact.

Q: How much scientific fact is present in any episode?

A: In the last episode, “Bellini’s lymphocemia” was a made-up name, though the qualities of the disease are real. We just didn’t want to imply that individuals working on their own could cure it. We didn’t want to be irresponsible to people with the real disease.

Q: Do you always feel that outside pressure?

A: There’s always a degree of responsibility we feel, but all of our science is grounded in reality. We’re not telling any stories that are in the world of potential.

Q: If you’re playing with the reality anyway, why rely on scientific fact at all? Couldn’t you just completely make something up that sounds plausible and go with that?

A: Yes. But our rule is we don’t want to do it if it’s totally made up. I’m sure people would tell you everything we’re doing is totally unbelievable, but for us, if we set out to do an utterly fictional show, it would probably be easier in some ways, but it would be less exciting. I think we all quite like the idea that we’re working in the realm of the real, as opposed to the entirely made-up. Again, it’s not necessary to watch the show and see how it’s ripped from the headlines, because it’s not. But there’s a certain quality of authenticity that it’s much easier to create if you know the parameters.

Q: The show’s more graphic than anything we’ve seen on network TV in a while.

A: I think we always want to have a quality of “Oh, my God, can you believe what they did on ‘Fringe’ last night?” When I was a kid growing up, one my best friends’ dads was an ophthamologist, and at their house he had films of all of his surgeries. All of his surgeries were locked-down camera close-ups of eyeballs with scalpels cutting into them and peeling back the corneas. And they’d be running all the time. It was very real and honest — they were created for the purpose of education. Science is kind of disgusting. The human body is kind of disgusting when you look at it inside out, and our show needs to acknowledge that.

Q: Have you encounted any censor problems with things like expoding heads?

A: No. There’s been one or two shots they’ve asked us to trim back, but I think they do far more upsetting things on “24.” Not to say that “24” is mean-spirited, but none of our stories involve torture. It’s all very organic.

Q: How’s the experiment with “Fringe” having limited commercials going?

A: We’re doing an extra act of television every week. Storytelling-wise, we’ve gotten used to it. It’s fanastic when storytellers are given an extra seven minutes of time, but it’s been hard. It’s impossible on production. We’re doing an extra 20% of television every week. We don’t have 20% extra money and time. We’re getting comfortable with the pace of our production. But the writing is challenging, because with those seven minutes we’re still trying to keep the story energy up, and it’s a very fine line between going deeper with the story and keeping it moving.

— Patrick Kevin Day

Photo courtesy Fox

Posted: LA Times Nov 10 2008

Science on the 'Fringe'

2008-10-27T18:22:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.livescience.com

By Emilie Lorditch, Inside Science News Service

Sometimes science fact is actually stranger than science fiction. As the "science guys" behind Fox television's new scientific thriller, FRINGE, Rob Chiappetta and Glen Whitman, know that better than anyone else.

FRINGE takes viewers on a wild ride using sciences that traditionally lie on the "fringe" of mainstream science, such as mind control or teleportation. But with so much research being done in these fields, many of the show’s ideas are actually ripped from science magazines and journals.

"We start by finding ideas right out of the headlines from a science magazine or the announcement for new research grant and we think, 'what is the next step or how can we push the boundaries?'" said Whitman. "For example, in episode three one of the characters was receiving messages in his brain telepathically and the Monday before the show aired, we saw an article on the CNN website that explained how the U.S. Army was developing a helmet that uses brain waves to help soldiers talk to each other."

Whitman and Chiappetta are "media consultants," not scientists, and while they’ve been advisors on several TV shows, they note their expertise comes from curiosity and researching science journals and the popular press, not formal training. Chiappetta has a law degree from the University of Texas, and Whitman has his PhD in economics from New York University.

"Both of us have consulted for Roberto Orci [one of the co-creators of FRINGE] on various projects over the years, from Alias to Transformers to Star Trek," Whitman said. "For FRINGE, as part of our strategy to get hired on the show, we created an archive of science and technology articles that we thought could inspire story ideas. By the time we were hired, the archive had several hundred articles and we had both become very familiar with recent developments in the world of science. We just naturally fell into the role of ‘science guys.’"

With a show that changes every week, the two never know what they’ll be learning about next.

"One week we are pouring over journals and focusing on the latest neuroscience research and the next week we are learning all about hormones," said Chiappetta. "We have to learn a lot very quickly and a lot of the information isn’t used, but the writers really do appreciate our research which is cool."

"A lot of times we have a scene where something will happen and we have to figure out how this can be justified scientifically, Whitman said. "So we will come up with three ideas and the writers choose."

Even the writer’s for the show are excited about science research. "Of course, we already had an interest in the science topics for the show, but now, the writers have really embraced the concept of the show," Whitman said. "Now, we have Wired, Discover, and Seed magazines on the tables."

One of the writers came to the team to tell them about a scientist who was using rat brain cells to control a rat robot via remote control. While Whitman’s background may have been in economics, mathematics, and statistics, he discovered a strong affinity for neuroscience. "Glen can tell you what part of the brain regulates what function," said Chiappetta.

On the other hand, Chiappetta said he grew up with Nature, Science, and National Geographic magazines and has focused much of his work on technology and telecommunications. "We find examples everyday, where the fringe sciences on the show are talked about," he said. "There was this physicist at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) on 60 Minutes talking about the Large Hadron Collider, and when they asked him what would be a practical application of LHC research, he said maybe in ten years – teleportation."

While the ideas on the show may go beyond current science research, these ideas still have to be plausible. "If it hasn’t happened, it still has to be reasonable," Chiappetta said. "As long as we give a bit of explanation about the science and show the possibility."

"We talk a lot about ‘grounding an idea,’" Whitman said. "This means coming up with a real explanation for it."

One of the show’s underlying themes is that science can be used for good or evil and that the scientist has a responsibility with this power. "Science is done by people for people; scientists deal with real problems and come up with real solutions," Whitman said. "Our hope is that we can bring fringe science to the forefront at least in the general public’s minds and get them talking about it around the water cooler."

Chiappetta and Whitman both admit that the job is exciting every day. "We have found that we can do big, crazy ideas," Whitman said. "We love that.

Thank you livescience.com and Emilie Lorditch, Inside Science News Service

Simple Science With Dr. Walter Bishop

2008-10-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

A Basic Recipe for Electromagnetic Energy

1 ancient robe
1 hot beverage
1 pair of wool socks
synthetic carpet

Dress yourself in the robe and wear the socks on your feet. Stand on synthetic carpeting. With hot drink in hand to sip at (perhaps a comforting mug of warm Milk-of-Gene would be appropriate), shuffle your feet back & forth as well as side to side; turn it into a little dance of sorts. After a few minutes of this, touch someone's nose with your finger. This should discharge a small burst of electromagnetic energy known as 'static'.

For more info on Static Electricity and some simple experiments, please visit http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/static.html

Pushing the Boundaries of Science Fiction

2008-10-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.starwars.com/
October 16, 2008

By Bonnie Burton

J.J. Abrams has a talent for taking us inside the minds of secret agents (Alias), plane crash survivors (Lost) and monster snacks (Cloverfield). Now he takes fans into the world of the paranormal and the outer limits of science fiction in his new show Fringe. Starwars.com chats with the maverick media maker and director about the genesis of Fringe, marketing with livestock and where he thinks Star Wars should go next.

What drove you to create a TV show like Fringe?

Alex (Kurtzman) and Bob (Orci) and I orginally worked on Alias together and we lamented that we weren't all working on a TV series together again. This idea came up to do a show that involved things that we loved as kids growing up -- certain movies and TV shows and comics -- things that were in that corner of truth, science, brilliant minds and the insane. It's sort of where David Cronenberg worked for a long time doing movies like Scanners, The Fly and Videodrome that were preposterous, and yet also very internal and interesting and often funny. So we decided to do a show that sort of lived in that universe and would be fun to do. We wrote the script and gave it to FOX and they wanted to do it.

Fans have compared Fringe to other great sci-fi shows like The Twilight Zone, The X-Files and Altered States. When you were creating storylines for Fringe did you have any of your own favorite TV shows in mind that you wanted to pay homage to?

There are certainly references to Altered States in the pilot. Any kind of hidden reference or nod in the show was more to the future storyline to the series itself, not so much to shows like The X-Files or The Twilight Zone or movies like the Cronenberg films that inspired it.

One of the more surprising references I found on Fringe came up when one of the main characters -- Dr. Walter Bishop -- said he enjoyed watching Spongebob Squarepants.

Yes, it's often incredibly sophisticated given what it appears to be. I'm glad you got it!

Also I have to say that Fringe had one of the more interesting marketing gimmicks at this year's San Diego Comic-Con by bringing in cattle to promote the show. That might have been the first time some comic book geeks have ever touched a cow!

The FOX people did that for New York Comic-Con as well as San Diego. Cows are impressively large. You forget how big a cow is.

I read that Fringe had an interesting bovine problem because you couldn't use the same cow from the pilot so you had to bring in another cow and paint it to look like the original.

I wish that had been the biggest problem on the show. [laughs] We had an issue with the cow not being able to cross the border from Canada where we shot the pilot. Apparently, cows are contraband.

Did you have any other obstacles with Fringe that you hadn't come across being a TV show veteran? How has your experience working on this show differed than that of something like Alias or Lost?

I have relatively speaking very little experience, so every time I'm involved in a movie or a TV show it always feels like a brand new set of challenges. On this show, among others, it's a question of pacing the show and how much we reveal. We are obviously taking scientific notions and pushing them into insanity so this is not a documentary or a course on science. It's supposed to be taken as Frankenstein was -- an entertaining narrative that takes the ideas that surround us and push them much farther than they are currently able to go. When Star Trek first came out with communicators and the idea of a laser shooting something, these were scientific notions that didn't exist. And now 40 years later there actually are lasers that can shoot as weapons, and there are communicators that we have in our pockets. The idea that some of the stuff we're talking about potentially could come to pass is a fascinating one, but we're not pretending that this is all real and happening now. The fun of Fringe is that it's a "what if" scenario. Every episode gets to play with the impossible idea that something might happen and how do we deal with those ramifications and consequences? What does it mean to live in a world where science has run amok?

Even TV shows that are supposed to be based in fact like C.S.I. and House aren't exactly using proper science; you can't get DNA results in two hours.

Most legal or medical shows stretch the truth. There are trials and treatments that come to resolution at hyper speed and the reality is much different, but that reality isn't always entertaining. Fringe proudly and squarely exists in the science fiction world.

You often create Web sites for fictional companies like Massive Dynamic for Fringe and The Hanso Foundation for Lost to draw the viewer online and give them another experience outside the TV show. Why is a transmedia experience important to envision in all your properties?

Doing something online, whether it's stuff we did on Lost or Alias and even on Felicity -- one of the characters, Noel Crane, had a Web site -- the idea is more that, if I was watching a show and something was mentioned I'd be able to go online and see it. This just provides another level of discovery and interaction. Often there are clues that connect to things in the story if you care to pursue those or examine them or discover them. It's something as a viewer I like to do, so it really comes from my, and the team's, desire to create entertainment that goes elsewhere than just the TV or movie screen. That elsewhere might be online or places yet to be discovered. It's not about trying to blur the line, it's about creating an experience that is more than just the narrative that you are watching in front of you.

Tune into Fringe on FOX and watch episodes online here.

Thank you http://www.starwars.com/ and Bonnie Burton!

Edshrinker's Fringe Review: S01E05 Power Hungry

2008-10-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

FRINGE REVIEW – Power Hungry

Right from the begin inning of Power Hungry, we find out 4 things in 4 minutes. Our main protagonist is a social misfit , he exhibits extraordinarily power dealing with electronics and he has no control over them, our favorite Observer makes a quick appearance at the scene of the crime, and finally, and our secondary protagonist, Joseph Megar, cannot control the power and it seems that anger and jealousy bring out his worst. If the events in the elevator were not enough, Joseph makes clear in his confrontation with him boss that “Being Fired is not something he will take light.
The team meet late night at Peter’s apartment. Walter postulated that is not a weapon as the FBI suspects, put a person who has been enhanced and is able to manipulate electro-magnetic fields around him.. This leads him back to a project he worked on pre-nut house that dealt with imprinting magneto-electric signatures on pigeons to track objects. Meanwhile, Joseph has been captured by Dr Jacob Fisher – a man that was working out of “self-help clinic”, using that front to perform illegal surgical alterations using normal citizens as guinea pigs in a variety of ways. Dr Fisher realizes he has something special in Joseph and recaptures him with the intent of further enhancing his ability.
A side story revolves around Olivia’s increasing number of visions of John Scott. HE is leading her to specific answers while remaining cryptic and hidden from everyone else. Walter eventually postulates this is a remnant of the experience in the tank when their consciousnesses crossed over – and it is possible a part of John Scott has remained inside of her. A Question he proffers to her is – do you want him there or do you want to exercise him. As a side note – these “visions” lead Olivia to John Scott’s “X-Files” basement of unresolved case. This will be a HUGE new resource into the storyline as a jumping off point for cases with so much research done by John Scott Himself. And indulge me on one soap opera element – there WAS an engagement ring in the personals box.
I digress (Thankfully!!). As quickly as Dr Fisher can begin his mad scientist routine on Joseph, the FBI is on to him via an AWESOME plan for tracking Joseph no matter his location. It would be interesting to trip back to the days of Dr Walter Bishop and his fun and games birds, but the 2 dozes pigeons will do.
Most people in music would have to agree the REO Speed wagon jumped, stomped, did a wheelie on, and left skid marks on the shark with their later music. Joseph listens gleefully to a recording of “I just can’t Fight This Feeling Anymore” (in my case – vomit)…but the tape he listens to offers Walter an excellent template to isolate Joseph’s resonate frequency – thereby isolating a signal only HE has and a way to track him down…via trained Carrier pigeons. Does it work? As Walter answers in one of his off-beat, classic lines…smiling:”I don’t know!”
But work it did. They were able to capture Dr Fisher and have Jospeph Megar under a light coma so he is able turn down the power.

Were there any overreaching answers from “Power Hungry”? I think we are seeing a baseline being set – the natural buildup of an investigation that is leading them deeper in to mysteries they could have NEVER understood taken alone, with no matrix of ideas already developed that they are calling “The Patters”.
So Episode S01E05 – Power Hungry is but a stepping stone into the machinations of the The Pattern, a live subject to be interrogated and examined, Dr Joseph in custody. Solid police work no doubt. The laughs were well placed and once again Walter Bishop is fantastic no matter what frame of mind he is currently run. This show would be a disaster without him Anna Torv as conflicted and nearing her wits end and I think she conveyed that perfectly. I am becoming a bigger and bigger fan of her in particular, but of the whole cast in general. Perter went from the verbal zinger to the physical one – handing Joseph a lead pipe in a “not too cordial” way. Sooner or later, Liv is going to figure out Peter is more useful if he isn’t just sitting in the car.
OVERALL – I give Power Hungry a SOLID B+. It could have been dragged in either direction by the level of “freak out” Joseph exhibited. While I understand his distrust – he definitely knew who NOT to trust. It could have been pulled a bit higher by more Walter type wool socks humor and Gene milk. Brilliant.
If you use this review – please credit it to Edshrinker and the Genesfringelab.blogspot.com.
Peace to all and best of Health to all my friends

Eddy - Edshrinker

Teenie Weenie Spoilage for those on the Fringe

2008-10-16T09:55:00.000-07:00

Massive Dynamic's Bionic Woman Drops A Bombshell

We got a chance to chat with Blair Brown, who plays Nina Sharp, the powerful face of the shady corporation Massive Dynamic, on Fringe. After talking to Brown, we were left with even more questions about J.J. Abrams' weird science romp. But most interesting was the tiniest of hints Brown dropped about Nina's past.

Did they always want a woman for the face of Massive Dynamic?

They always wanted a woman. JJ is very interesting that way. He always casts strong women of all ages because he's not afraid of that. It's interesting, people mixing it up.

Will Nina have super strength with her robot hand?

I'm not sure. We're not even sure what else of Nina is bionic, so consider that. Who can say? That's one of the best things about J.J.'s writing and this whole team, is every script you get, you get more questions. Usually when you work on something you get more and more answers and things get narrower and narrower. With Fringe, things get wider and wider.

Of all the things you've read so far working on Fringe, what are you most excited about? What are you most excited to work on?

What I'm most interested is in fact the relationship with the other characters, because there's history there. The character that John Noble [Walter Bishop] plays, he and I knew each other a long time ago. So what is that, and what was that research that was happening then? I think was Nina a scientist. Was she a failed scientist? Was she a scientist that failed because she was a woman? Because she was living in an age where that often happened.

So was she a scientist? What's this history with Walter, are we going to get flashback and explore the origins of Walter and Nina?

You'll have to wait and see. I think that's not impossible. I think that's not impossible. We'll see.

So are we going to explore Nina's past love life?

I think that's not impossible, we'll see. [Laughs] Before she was bionic, and after.

You heard it hear first people Nina and Walter have a history — a history. Which in Hollywood terms means they were lovers, and why not? Walter is a hottie. Tune into to Fringe tonight on Fox.

Source: http://io9.com/5063386/massive-dynamics-bionic-woman-drops-a-bombshell

Power Hungry Easteregg: Hot-Damn, It’s Our Man

2008-10-16T02:11:00.000-07:00

By FringeBloggers • October 15, 2008 • No Comments

Our ‘Power Hungry’ easteregg and clues round-up is coming up soon, but we thought we’d throw out this one for those of you who missed him. He’s appeared in each of the five episodes - doing what he does best, preempting and observing pattern-cases. They hit us early with this one, just before Meegar entered the elevator, our spicy-hot friend exited. JJ and company will have to be more sneaky than this if they want to get anything past observant Fringe fans.

However, rather than this just being an easteregg for easteregg sake, it’s worth considering this: We can pretty much deduce that The Observer knows when every pattern-related case is going to happen. He stalks the scene hours, minutes or perhaps only moments before they occur, he then leaves. But what if he didn’t observe - would the pattern-related case still occur? Is there not a belief which states that without observation, there is no reality? Perhaps our bald friend is not so much outside of the system looking in, but very much a part of the system looking outwards?

What then of our heroic trio - The Bishop’s and the wonderful Olivia? Once The Observer vacates, they arrive and effectively take over observation duties - what then happens to the previous reality manifested by our observer? If observation creates, then a change of observer must surely create something different, no?

Will Fringe go that deep? I hope so.

Here’s a LOST cross-over for you: “Careful observation is the only key to true and complete awareness” (Karen DeGroot)

Source (Complete with the Dharma Philosophy;>) http://www.fringebloggers.com/

At the Heart of Brooklyn, But Very Much 'Fringe' Territory

2008-10-15T03:12:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn College may be situated smack in the center of New York City's largest borough but apparently it also resides deep in the heart of "Fringe" territory.

"Fringe," a television series that made its debut on the Fox network at the start of the current fall season, has been compared favorably to the "X-Files." It is produced by the same production company that created the shows "Alias" and "Lost," assuring its cinematic pedigree.

But "Fringe" is not the first or only program to make use of the Brooklyn College campus. According to Kevin Carmine, of Vice President for Finance and Administration Steve Little's office, "Gossip Girl," "Canterbury Tales" and "Law and Order," as well as several other feature film productions have shot here.

"The trick is to try to make the experience good for the College and good for the filmmakers," noted Carmine. "Filmmakers say we have done just that."

"The administration at the College could not have been more welcoming," enthused Lynn Powers, location manager for the TV series. "They made everything very easy for us and were very accommodating."

Powers, a veteran of nearly 15 years in the television industry, was the person responsible for negotiating a weeklong production deal with the College. It included a complete day of shooting at several locations around campus as well as several days of setup and breakdown before and after actual filming over Yom Kippur.

"Esthetically, the Brooklyn College campus is beautiful," she added. "Much of the show is set in and around Boston and your campus looks a lot like Harvard."

Said Powers: "This was our first time working at the College and we didn't get the chance to make use of the beauty because all our shooting was done in a basement.

"But we'll be back," she promised.

Source: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/pub/1445.htm

The Pattern and the Singularity

2008-10-13T01:41:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, characters on Fringe mention this "pattern" thing quite a bit. We're only a few episodes in, but it's been made very clear that this is the BIG story arc for the series.

So.. what is "The Pattern"?

The show describes it in the words of Agent Dunham:

"They're calling these [extraordinary] events The Pattern as if someone out there is experimenting, only the whole world is their lab." (Thank you Fringepedia)

But it would seem the bigger story is that technology is (and.. has been.. longer than
anyone would assume, secretly) advancing exponentially. As a matter of fact, much faster
than we can fight off their more evil applications. At least in the Fringe universe. Right?

Well, a few years back Bill Joy (famous probably more for the article than for the genius
work he's done in the field of computing and software**) wrote a "little" article for Wired magazine called:

Why The Future Doesn't Need Us - Bill Joy

It got quite a bit of attention at the time, and people still talk about it when they refer to the "scary future" or even in some cases the "scary present". Some were outraged. How could this genius scientist responsible for so much of what we use today on our networks and in our devices write an article that at first read seems like the field guide for budding Luddites? But he's certainly anything but a Luddite. He was just warning us. Preparing us for a future that we MUST stay one step ahead of.

That's the more pessimistic, careful view. For a more optimistic view, we must look to Ray Kurzweil. You may recognize the name. Perhaps you saw it on an electronic musical keyboard. Perhaps you're familiar with his work as a futurist and inventor*. While computer scientist and science fiction writer Vernor Vinge coined the term "The Singularity" as it relates to technology, it was Ray who truly brought it to the public's collective mind with his writing, most notably with his book:

The Singularity Is Near

The technological Singularity is a way to describe an event. You may be familiar with Arthur C Clarke's three laws of prediction. If not, they are short and simple enough to reprint here in their entirety.

When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

That last one is very important. According to Kurzweil and others, there may come a point in our very near future when such things occur so often and so rapidly, that we will become accustomed to them. Imagine something being discovered or created close in magnitude to the combustion engine, or the Internet... say... once a week? Or once a day? According to many great thinkers and futurists of our time, there is a pattern that can be observed. Much like Moore's law, except applied to all technology. Even some we cannot imagine at this point in time.

Bill Joy tells us that we must act aggressively and proactively to keep up with these emerging technologies. We must be vigilant in the face of accelerating change. Kurzweil is sure we will do so as we always have and there's no need for the wringing of hands and wiping of brows so early in the game. To worry too much could mean paranoia, fear or worse. And we're all familiar with what happens to science when fear is allowed to legislate the decisions of our best minds. (Be a lamb and hand me those stem cells?)

On Fringe, this "pattern" seems to be leading to some one place, one end point. Maybe even one person. This of course works best for fiction and drama. But the similarity is inarguable. It also strikes a nerve with me and I'm sure many others. Some directly and some on some deeper, less conscious level.

So which camp is our cast of Fringe characters with on the issue of the Pattern/Singularity? I'm pretty sure they're with Bill Joy. But will they always be? Is Massive Dynamic an evil corporation? Not necessarily. Will our main characters stick with the government's typical scorched earth policies and reactive "act now, review later" strategies for dealing with powerful , advanced technology? Or will the beloved but slightly twisted Walter Bishop (isn't he just THE BEST?) rub some of that child-like enthusiasm off on them? I'm watching and waiting to see. I hope a few billion others do as well, because if Fox takes this one from us, I think we fans will do a little more than just write letters. They could find themselves encased in nano-amber.

* Ray Kurzweil Bio

** Bill Joy, co-founder and Chief Scientist of Sun Microsystems, was co-chair of the presidential commission on the future of IT research, and is coauthor of The Java Language Specification.

Fringe Filming Location News

2008-10-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

By FringeBloggers • October 12, 2008 • No Comments

Filming Location Spoiler:

An upcoming episode of Fringe will be shot in a basement at Brooklyn College, according to their website:

“The administration at the College could not have been more welcoming,” enthused Lynn Powers, location manager for the TV series. “They made everything very easy for us and were very accommodating.”

Powers, a veteran of nearly 15 years in the television industry, was the person responsible for negotiating a weeklong production deal with the College. It included a complete day of shooting at several locations around campus as well as several days of setup and breakdown before and after actual filming over Yom Kippur.

“Esthetically, the Brooklyn College campus is beautiful,” she added. “Much of the show is set in and around Boston and your campus looks a lot like Harvard.”

Said Powers: “This was our first time working at the College and we didn’t get the chance to make use of the beauty because all our shooting was done in a basement.

“But we’ll be back,” she promised.

Thanks to Joe at IAmATVJunkie.com for the heads-up!

Picture Source: Brooklyn College

Source: http://www.fringebloggers.com/

John Noble - “Every Week Something Astonishing Happens”

2008-10-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

By FringeBloggers • October 12, 2008 • No Comments

Digital Spy have a really nice interview with John Noble, who portrays everyone’s favourite root-beer lover, Walter Bishop.

How would you describe the ambiguous character of Walter Bishop?
“My description, almost clinically, is that he’s a man that suffers from bipolar disease. A lot of the time we see him in incredibly manic mode but he’s a genius and has this incredible knowledge. Then you’ve got the other side of him, which is the depressive side. We haven’t explored that to a huge degree but it’s something I need to consider through the course of the show. Also, the fact that he’s been locked away for 17 years and stuffed full of drugs means that he has real memory problems now. He has flashbacks, which makes him very childlike at times also.”

What’s Walter’s relationship with his son Peter, played by Joshua Jackson, like?
“Like many workaholics, Walter is almost an absentee father to some degree - totally focused on his work. Certainly he would have been a good provider, but not the ideal dad in terms of emotional contact. He was imprisoned when his son Peter was going through his most difficult teenage years. Joshua has incredible insight into this from his own life and I do as a father myself. I know how it works. We really enjoy spending hours, he and I, just discussing how they would relate to each other and how they would feel.”

Did you have any doubts about signing up to Fringe, given that you’re contracted for six years?
“I didn’t. It was something that my wife and I discussed. We’re at the stage now where our kids are grown up so we’ve treated it like a great adventure and it’s turned out so far to be exactly that. We’re having the time of our lives.”

How did you cope with all the scientific jargon in the script?
“The internet is a dictionary, it really is. Every week there’s this list of scientific terms and when necessary there are advisors around. But so much of the stuff is available on the internet now so I have a bit of fun researching it before I do it.”

What are the highlights of working on the show?
“The whole cast are fantastic people. Every week something astonishing happens and we’re introduced to these new phenomenon that we need to then bring to life. Believe it or not, we do laugh a lot on set despite the long hours and the gruelling expectations. I have to say, I love it when the cow comes in. That’s happened a few times in fact - she was in a couple of nights ago. That was the end of a very long night and then the cow came in and we all started to laugh and have fun!”

Continue reading here.

Source: http://www.fringebloggers.com/

What Fringe Has Taught Me About Typography

2008-10-12T00:42:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 11, 2008

I’m just going to come right out and say it, I am a huge fan of J.J. Abrams new show Fringe, currently midway through it’s first season on Fox. If the series premier wasn’t enough, each episode draws me in more and more as more pieces of the puzzle are solved albeit more questions and uncertainties are raised as we follow Special Agent Olivia Dunham, along with her assistants Walter Bishop and his son Peter, struggle to uncover the mysterious “Pattern.” Needless to say, I was pretty excited to see the announcement that it was signed on for a full season.

What exactly is it that I find so entertaining? Part of it has to do with an addicting story line and first class script, top notch directing and cinematography, great acting, not to mention it’s stunning use of typography. Yes, that’s right, I said “stunning use of typography.” If you watch the show – even if you’ve see just one episode – you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Location, Location, Location

Most television shows (and movies, for that matter) add a little type, usually a simple san serif, set in white, in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen when the story moves to a new location. You know what I’m talking about: the bottom corner says “White House, Washington D.C.” as the camera hovers over the White House, showing the story has taken us to a new location. Because the storyline of Fringe centers around an FBI agent, we are obviously traveling to a couple different locations each episode as she seeks to solve the ever growing mystery. Instead of simply following the tired and true formula of simply placing the location in the bottom corner, the directors of Fringe decided to incorporate the text into each location, like the example above.

Someone was kind enough to put together a montage of the examples from the first episode into a YouTube video, seen below:

Download video!

I think you’ll agree that this is a highly creative use of typography. It is my understanding that this was inspired by (or at least often compared to) the opening credits of the 2002 movie The Panic Room, which can be viewed here. After watching the opening sequence, I see the similarities, but what makes Fringe’s use of typography is that it incorporates the type into the scene, often moving the camera through an “o” or showing the reflection in a puddle or window.

Where Image and Content Collide

Typography is always at it’s best when its combined with the image, not a separate entity. Paul Rand said “Design is the method of putting form and content together.” He saw no separation between the content and the image and knew that to make a truly unified piece of work, you can’t separate the two. Typography does not need to be static, boring, and plain, simply laid over a photograph or illustration. It can be expressive, exciting, and most of all, a part of the overall image.

And I believe, the directors of Fringe are following the same principle. They are using a three-dimensional version of Helvetica in an exciting way by placing it right in the scene – making it a part of the landscape. As I designer, I see this importance and I’m sure you do too. I only hope we will see typography used in more and more interesting ways as it incorporates itself in with the rest of the imagery.

JJ Abrams Webchat - “The Arrival, is Closer to What The Show Be”

2008-10-11T13:24:00.000-07:00

By FringeBloggers • October 11, 2008

On Friday, JJ Abrams completed his live webchat with Guardian UK readers. He gave some interesting and inspiring insights into Fringe, LOST, Star Trek, Cloverfield and writing in general. Below are some of the questions posed to him, and his answers:

To you, is there an upcoming episode that you are especially proud of and you think will be a fan favourite when the series is finished? Also, I have noticed a certain formula in the structure of the episodes so far. Is this something that is going to carry on, or will there be variations on this formula? Sorry if that isn’t too specific.

From - owlwaxer
JJ - We are still finding our rhythm. If you look back at the early episodes of your favourite shows you will find they are a little bit to the left of what the show ultimately became. I feel we are still arriving. The fourth episode, The Arrival, is closer to what the show will be.

Fox - not noted for their commitment to genre shows… have you plotted out as far as 7 seasons like Lost or do you see Fringe as being a 4-5 Season arc ?
from - djbollocks

JJ - Yes [on Fringe]. We have a big picture which we are working to. We have a six chapter idea. That inevitably changes along the way. You make discoveries which you can’t anticipate

With Fringe, you have moved away from heavily serialised storytelling towards the procedural. What sort of challenges have you faced with this?
from - GavinElster

JJ - It is hard mostly because it is not the kind of storytelling I tend to be drawn to. It was an experiment I was desperate to try. One of the challenges is for character development to happen despite the format. One thing that gets me excited are the clues and revelations. We are trying to do some of that even in the standalone episodes.

Is Fringe going to be a big mystery as Lost is, with all the cryptic clues.
Or will Fringe be a light venture?
yamatoEva

JJ - There will be and there already is, and episode 4 begins it, the over-arcing mystery of the show. The goal is to do both - to tune in and enjoy without knowing anything that comes before it but also if you watch every week you will see things you understand and that are connected to the larger picture. We are looking at both of them.

JJ Also answered two questions from our friends at Fringe-Forum.com:

Do you have the same enthusiasm working on FRINGE that you have whilst working on LOST? Is the energy the same, if not, in which ways is it different?
Fringie

JJ - I have as much enthusiasm working on any new project. Obviously certain things get complicated. For example, working on Fringe I really wanted to work on the pilot but I was also working on Star Trek so I was unable to do both. It was a very surreal thing having to give up that opportunity. I was so jealous. The hardest thing for me on that was just being involved in other things. Every project is different but the enthusiasm is always at the core of why I am involved with it at the beginning.

One of the many great things about LOST is it’s international cast - the story has had characters from all different types of backgrounds and many different nationalities. Do you plan to intergrate such a global make-up into the Fringe story-line, or is this more difficult to achieve with a story that’s primarily based in Boston?
Fringie

JJ - It will be hard to make the show as universal as Lost simply because the international flight lent itself so perfectly to that. We do have ideas of expanding the world that Olivia travels. In the first season we have her leaving the country and travelling elsewhere. I love that and certainly hope to do that with Fringe.

Continue reading the rest of the webchat HERE.

What a great webchat! One of the best things to take away from the chat, is the fact that Fringe will continue in a similar vein to that of the excellent ’Arrival’.

Source: http://www.fringebloggers.com/jj-abrams-webchat-the-arrival-is-closer-to-what-the-show-be/

Fringe Comic Delayed

2008-10-11T09:51:00.001-07:00

Saturday, October 11, 2008 | Fringe Comic, Fringe News with 0 comments »

Matt Brady from Newsarama has reported that the Fringe Comic has been delayed until January after a decision by the Fringe writers to refocus the direction of the comic book.

The six-issue series was to tie in closely to the television series. As Athena Wickham, co-story consultant for the Fringe comic and TV executive for Abrams' production company, Bad Robot explained to Newsarama in August:
"The issues will consist of two parts. Part A will tell the back-story story of two of our key characters: Walter Bishop and William Bell. Part B will consist of stand-alone stories. Readers will be introduced to a range of characters -- from those at the epicenter of the pilot to others who might not live to make a series appearance."
According to Hank Kanalz, VP – General Manager, WildStorm, the plan is not to make the series even more tightly tied to the television series, which required some retooling.
“The writers of the show want to make sure the comic book is integrated into the mythology of the Fringe world, so we have decided to refocus the direction of the comic book. Unfortunately, this means that we will have some delays, but will be back in January.”

Fringe Producers Reveal “7 Insights”

2008-10-10T16:27:00.001-07:00

By FringeBloggers • October 8, 2008

Fringe producers Alex Kurtzman, Jeff Pinkner and Roberto Orci tease us with “7 insights” into Fringe, and show us a glimpse of what’s coming up in the next episode. It’s a fantastic watch but contains possible hints, which some readers might consider spoilery, so watch at your own discreation!:

Click below to watch:

YES YES YES News To that is (Channelling Dr Bishop: "Fantanstic")

2008-10-09T01:59:00.000-07:00

Fox orders a full season of “Fringe”

Posted by TVFan

Variety is reporting that Fox has ordered a full season of their new hit “Fringe”. The show ranks No. 1 among new shows in the 18-49 demo. Fringe can be seen on FOX Tuesday nights at 9/8c.

Source: http://www.thetvstop.com/fox/fringe/fox-orders-a-full-season-of-fringe/

Fringe makes the cut

2008-10-09T01:54:00.000-07:00

Fringe - Sky One

by KEITH WATSON - Sunday, October 5, 2008

Anna Torv and Joshua Jackson in Fringe

After the success of Lost, you imagine that American TV guru JJ Abrams could have gone as wild and crazy as he wanted. So it's a bit of a surprise that his new sci-fi thriller, Fringe, plays to such a familiar formula - it's The X-Files with a batty old boffin thrown in.

Fringe - and that's as in fringe science, rather than FBI agents with floppy hair - means we're talking mind control, teleportation, re-animation and pretty much any other truth-is-out-there oddballisms that Scully might have pursed her sceptical lips at. Yet, formula or not, Fringe has all the makings of a mainstream hit.

It's all down to the chemistry in the lab, largely between Anna Torv and Dawson Creek's Joshua Jackson, who have 'got it going on' as the spiky agent and boffin's son thrown together by the freaks of science unleashed, possibly, by mysterious mega-corporation Massive Dynamic. It's been ages since I got mind-gamed by a good old conspiracy theory.

Source: http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/article.html?Fringe_makes_the_cut&in_article_id=339085&in_page_id=9&in_a_source=

Review: The Arrival S01E04

2008-10-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

By Edshrinker

And I will be serving this review on a roast beef roll, raw as possible, with 11 jalapenos on the side and a glass of room temperature water.

"It Has Arrived"

While act one introduces a very creepy Fringe-ish character, Bald No-Brows, we center back unto the relationship of Peter and Walter Bishop. Peter is at wits end with his father's eccentricities. Peter wants out. That is a crucial plot element that holds form throughout the episode, as Olivia reveals that Walter would rather go back to the nut house than work without Peter by his side. The tone is set that this plot element MUST be resolved by episode's end. And it is. Incidentially, JJ Abrams get's an executive producer's credit for The Arrival.

Peter tells Olivia that this will be the last one in which he will work with the Fringe team - within the confines of "Gene's Fringe Lab"of course ;>o However, Walter makes it quite clear he will work ONLY on the cylindar in his lab. And it is importasnt to note the item of interest is one that has appeared once before it was the same 24 inches tall and 12 inches wide, vibrating between 2-4 MgHtz. It was broadcasting something and then blew down into the ground and disappeared.

We will not get into the creepy cell phone call from John, the turncoat dirty cop lover of Olivia right yet.

The new object, now in Walter's Lab. Draws incredible interest from Mr Big Gun - a man who has a side arm that literally knocks it's target's off their feet.

Now it is obvious Mr Big Gun will be after the cylinder in Walter's Lab. Walter begs Peter to get him some aluminmum foil (I assume to block transmission) and much father/son bickering ensues.

After Peter leaves, Walter delivers the line of the night, "Would you be a lamb and hand me that syringe"-to Astrid. Wherein he then promptly injects her with the sedative inside of it.

Walter's endgame is to keep the cyliinder hidden for 4 more hours - at that time it will be ready for "Departure". Unfortunately Mr Big Guns has other plans and hooks Peter up to a machine that has the power to pull memories from his brain...even though that information may never have been verbally spoken. The information could have been passed by the touch of a kiss perhaps. And the Big Gun Man gets the exact info he needs on where the hidden cylinder rests.

Now the game is afoot, Walter knows MBG will gain the information as to the location of the cylider, but now so does Olivia who moves to save Peter and the device. The device is recovered, MBGs runs away with it as Olivia chases and manages to subdue him with several shots to the back. The cylindar now makes it's exit, and BaldNoBrows reports "departure on schedule." Peter confronts BaldNoBrows, who is able to repeat every word Peter is thinking before he can say it. Just as he has Peter turned around in mental knots, he stuns him with some type of weapon

Two points of note: 1 - Walter tries to apologize to Astrid, but admits if he were to allow retribution, he'd most likely enjoy the exchange of injections.
2- Walter tells Peter of a BaldNoBrows - a man who saved him and Peter from a wreck in icy water where he was unable to do anything to save himself or Peter. At this point, a bargain was struck...that someday BaldNoBrows would need Walter. Walter fulilled his debt by hiding and preserving the cylider until it could redeploy.

In all of this, Peter is now convinced he has seen too much, there are so many questions - he cannot quit. He WILL NOT walk away from Olivia and Walter's work now that he has so many questions on how this pattern in revealing itself in his life.

And as a final stunner, an old fling, bad cop, DEAD, cop, arrives at Olivia's door.

If this were another JJ Abrams show we'd have to say "POOM"

I would grade the Arrival as a SOLID B+, sliding from A- only due to limited to none bovine storylines.

-eh

Why name a cow Gene???

2008-10-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

You may be wondering why there is a cow named Gene on Fringe. Here is an excerpt from Fringepedia regarding our favorite bovine castmember...

"...is that a cow?"
-Charlie Francis

"The only thing better than a cow, is a human. Unless you need milk. Then you really need a cow."
-Walter Bishop

Gene is the name given to the cow requested by Walter Bishop on the reopening of the laboratory at Harvard University. It is unknown who named him Gene, but Olivia is the first to use the name.

The name Gene is a play on the word Gene, as in Genetics.

Peter Bishop explains that since cows are genetically very similar to humans, experiments can be tested on cows to simulate their effects on humans; they are an ethical test subject when using a human guinea-pig might be dangerous.

No tests are carried out on Gene during the Pilot episode, although she does show an interest in watching SpongeBob Squarepants.

Other Gene trivia tidbits:

Gene is actually a heifer, not a cow (because she hasn't been bred yet)

Gene was reportedly re-cast following the pilot episode, so another cow will play the part of Gene when the series begins to air in September.

According to J.R. Orci, Fringe Supervising Producer, the cow works for Arvin Sloane.

Gene was originally played by Pansy, but she was not able to travel from Toronto and was recast

source: fringepedia.net

Dr. Walter Bishop's Classic Root Beer Float

2008-10-08T02:57:00.000-07:00

1/2 pint of your favorite Vanilla Ice Cream (Gene's Milk Ice Cream is preferred)
24oz Root Beer of your choice (personal preference is A&W, or Barq's)
2 Large glasses
Whipped Cream
Maraschino Cherry
LSD (optional)

Place 2 scoops of ice cream in each glass, fill remainder of glass with root beer. Top with whipped cream and a cherry, and if desired, a sprinkle of LSD. Serve each with a long spoon and a straw. Trippy. Enjoy! It's Wonderful!

HELLO FRINGE FAMILY!!!

2008-10-08T02:38:00.001-07:00

Hello and greetings. Yes a root beer would be wonderful and if you would be a lamb, would you hand me that syringe??