The Greatest Sci Fi TV Shows of All Time: Fringe (2008)

The Greatest Sci Fi/Fantasy TV Shows: Considering the case for the sci fi and fantasy television shows that should be counted among the greatest of all time.

What Is It?

A Joint Federal Task Force known as the Fringe Group is put together to investigate fringe science and strange occurrences known as “the Pattern.” Ultimately, they discover a parallel universe and find themselves at war with their own counterparts.

Aired: FOX, 2008-13, 5 Seasons Totaling 100 Episodes

Starring: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Jasika Nicole, Lance Reddick

Created By: J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci

Argument to Count It as One of the Greatest Sci Fi TV Shows:

Fringe arrived on FOX’s schedule after Lost had proven to be a hit in 2004 and all the broadcast networks were trying to get their own sci-fi mystery that could be the next big thing. At first, it looked like an X-Files clone, with its mysterious phenomena and conspiracies, but by its second season, it really started to distinguish itself. That’s when it developed into a notable genre entry. The introduction of the alternate universe took the show in a new direction, giving the writers a chance to do some interesting world-building and significantly expand the story. It went through many twists and turns as it slowly unveiled its mysteries, and while the show could meander at times, it still delivered some excellent sci-fi TV.

But it’s the cast that truly makes Fringe stand out. Anna Torv provided a strong central female character and was up to the task of leading the show. Joshua Jackson’s Peter Bishop starts out as somewhat of a rebel but eventually becomes one of the most stable members of the team. Lance Reddick’s Broyles initially seems like the boss who will work against the team but goes on to become an integral part of their success. Jasika Nicole’s Astrid starts out as a secondary character, but she holds her own among the lead roles and becomes an essential part of the team. And then there’s Walter Bishop. He has to count as one of the greatest sci-fi TV characters of all time, and John Noble was certainly having a ton of fun playing the role (you can enjoy some of his best quotes at this link). And that just covers the main team. There was also Kirk Acevedo as Charlie Francis, Blair Brown as Nina Sharp, Leonard Nimoy’s recurring appearances, the Observers, and more. This show was packed with great characters and great actors.

Fringe also had strong production values, ranking as one of the most expensive shows on broadcast television at that time. And despite declining ratings and scheduling hi-jinks, FOX stood by the show and allowed it to run for five seasons, giving it the chance to wrap up the majority of its storylines (the fifth season was actually a bonus that resolved the story of the Observers). So, while this show has been dismissed by many as nothing but an X-Files knockoff, it moved beyond that and established itself as an important genre entry that deserves to be counted as one of the greatest of all time.  (You can read more about the show at this link.)

ALSO READ: 20 of the Greatest Sci Fi and Fantasy TV Shows of All Time

Argument Against:

While Fringe had its moments—and nobody can argue that Walter Bishop is one of the great sci-fi TV characters—it never really reached its potential. It started out with a derivative format, looking very much like the X-Files case-of-the-week stories with the overarching mystery in the background. It did move away from that, but almost too far, delivering tonal shifts across seasons that could be rather jarring. It also tended to bog down from time to time across its five-year run, and the show’s mythology became increasingly intricate and convoluted. Plus, it definitely suffered from techno-babble overload. Then that fifth season seemed to be just tacked on and took a rather unwelcome spin on the Observers. The show had plenty of good ideas and some great characters, but ultimately it proved too inconsistent and somewhat disappointing by the time it ended. It is definitely a notable sci-fi TV entry but not a genre great.

Johnny Jay’s Take:

I soured on Fringe early on, agreeing with the claims that it was far too derivative. But even though there were quite a number of genre entries on television at that time, I kept watching the show. Likely, it was the characters—even though I felt like Olivia Dunham and Peter Bishop were underdeveloped in the first season—as well as its ongoing mystery. I am a huge fan of The X-Files, so the fact that Fringe channeled that show at first was actually a plus for me. And while it did meander and get convoluted through its run, I kept tuning in all the way to the end. I may not count it in the Top 10 or even the Top 20 when ranking sci-fi TV shows, but it is a notable genre entry and certainly deserves recognition.

Where Can You Watch It?

The entire series has been released on DVD and Blu-ray, and it is also available to purchase VOD at sellers like Amazon.com. The show is currently streaming on Max. It is also currently on FreeVee, but that service is going away.

Stream or Purchase VOD

Do you consider Fringe one of the greatest sci fi/fantasy shows of all time or was it too derivative and convoluted? Chime in with your thoughts below or at our discussion thread at r/SciFiTV.

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