Tonight marks the return of Fringe following a six week hiatus. Fans are understandably nervous by the network’s decision to move the series from the most-watched night of TV to one of the least. FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly insists that they haven’t given up on Fringe and hopes that faithful viewers will follow it to a new night. He recently said, “It’s a fantastic show, and honestly, I’d be heartbroken if it went away.”
Still, the show’s ratings have been in decline this season, perhaps because it’s now airing opposite CBS’ geeky Big Bang Theory instead of Survivor. Fringe star Joshua Jackson isn’t sure why the ratings have gone down. He tells the Daily News, “If you put a gun to my head, I couldn’t explain to you why the viewership has gone down from last year when all the pieces remain the same. It’s a mystery to me.”
Thus far this season, Fringe has been averaging a 1.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 5.08 million viewers. That’s significantly lower than last season when it averaged a 2.8 rating and 7.34 million.
Despite Reilly’s support, few are naive enough to believe that, if the numbers aren’t there, Fringe won’t be cancelled. Jackson believes that the producers have an emergency plan to wrap up the series at the end of this season if need be. He hopes that won’t happen and rationed, “It’s not that not enough people are watching Fringe, it’s that not enough people are watching Fringe during the hour that it’s on the air, which is key for the network. You don’t have to go to school the next morning. You can always go out drinking an hour later.”
What do you think? Will the move to Fridays kill Fringe? Will it be renewed for season four or be cancelled?
Image courtesy FOX.
I can’t wait to see the next episodes, . . .it’s great, . . .get shivers wondering whats going to happen in the next few minutes, . . .few great grins with Walter’s character. You mean to tell me when I DVR it’s not counted! Please? Crap, . . .#’s people really suck!
We love the show and have watched faithfully since the first episode. I do feel this past season became pretty complicated; the two different worlds with Olivia & Peter. I hope the show will continue, it is one of the Best!
hopefully its not cancelled and lives to see a fourth season it deserves that much
I love fringe and airing on Fridays doesn’t bother me, except it a day longer to wait to see it. OK Fringe fans let not let them cancel our show, get others to watch.
It will survive, I think. 🙂
I love the show and will watch it on any night, but feel it will hurt the younger viewer scores, as Friday is party night.
No decent sci fi show has survived the move to Friday night.
Honestly, I wouldn’t be able to bear Fox canceling Fringe. Looking at Fox’s track record, like ‘Truth’ hinted at, I’d say it’s going to be a tough hill to climb. The good thing is, I don’t think it’s up against any shows in this time slot, the ratings hopefully will improve.
The scary thing is… I feel like the teaser for the coming episode is going in the direction of the show being canceled, with introducing the machine and all. =( I guess it’s part of the fail safe plan.
It’s possible that airing it in the same time slot as The Big Bang Theory is responsible for the drop in viewership… I don’t wath Big Bang, but I’d be willing to bet there’s a larger segment of the population that enjoys both Big Bang and Fringe (both geeky shows) than Survivor and Fringe.
Maybe if they stop moving it around so people can find it, then they’ll watch it. If it weren’t for the DVR we wouldn’t have known it was on tonight. Yes Friday will be the final stop for Fringe.
I love Fringe. I usually plan my meetings around FRINGE and MEDIUM. Please don’t cancel it. These reality shows make me choke. And the so-called comedy shows are so vulgar, they should be banned.
SAVE FRINGE!!!!
Like the comment above I rarely have time to watch Fringe “live”. However I ALWAYS DVR it and watch it when I can. I agree that the networks need to try to figure out how to include this type of viewership. Like the other commenter I have also watched episodes online. It’s a good show with an engaging cast. Several story lines are hanging out there. I’m not sure how the writers can wrap this up in a couple of episodes. I hope they see fit to continuing the show.
It will be back.. JJ Abrams is a smart man with an excellent eye for what people want to watch. He uses his brain as well as all of his other producers to give people the unexpected that keeps them watching, my fingers are crossed.
Ron
Fringe will survive. I have a hunch!
Yes it will end up being cancelled because it is a good show that makes you think! I DVR or watch it online so I guess I’m helping the numbers look bad but networks need to start taking these numbers into account and stop getting rid of the best shows and keeping all the crap that is on most nights! With Medium being cancelled and if Fringe goes the only other network show I watch in Modern Family so I’ll have a lot more time to do whatever else as I won’t invest my time in a new show any… Read more »
You are so right: “It will end up being cancelled because it is a good show that makes you think.” No cheap light rock soundtrack (Gray’s Anatomy). No gore and unnecessary violence. Good acting. And wonderful chemistry. So sad that US audiences are so dumb.