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.
Let’s face it folks…it’s all about the money. We stopped watching their commercials, so they’re not going to count us. Anyway, the ratings are all skewed. Who cares what some shut-in in Minnesota is watching during that time slot? No matter what anyone thinks, it’s always all about the money.
I believe the show can be revived. Please let everyone know where it moved to.
We sort of got lost when the network went on strike. It took me a minute to find it again.
Actually Joshua, I’ve taken up drinking DURING “Fringe”. I figure that’s what the writers are doing when they come up with some of these stories, so why not join the club?
oh if they cancel Fringe I swear….every time I love a show it goes away, I am starting to take it personally….
Why would you cancel this show. Its plot should continue. Develop a more profound characters interaction.
This show should be a keeper.
I to want to know why the DVR players don’t count! Who likes to watch comercials anymore? I sure don’t we record it then watch another show we recorded only to watch Fringe after about half way through so we catch up it at the end. That’s rediciulous that it doesn’t count if you tivo or dvr it!!!! It would be a ASHAME to cancle this Awesome show as well!!!
@Lisa: They do “count” but typically not as much. It depends on when they are being watched. The advertisers paying for the commercials is what pays for the episodes to be made. If nobody watches the commercials, the advertisers aren’t going to want to sponsor the show anymore. Why should they?
Do they keep track of the number of views on websites like HULU? I haven’t watched tv at it’s scheduled time in years…kicking back before bed and enjoying your favorite shows online is the best way to end a day, start counting us too.
@Jackson Oakland: Hulu views are counted but bring in far less income so they aren’t as important.
I don’t watch ANY show at the hour that it is on, and networks shouldn’t base it off those numbers. I still see the ads. I love, “Fringe”, and have no doubt they are already planning the wrap up. Pisses me off that so many good shows get trashed and crap stays on forever. I will start watching this, on time, but I have little faith it will do anything.
Fringe is one of the best shows on TV right now. This show deserves to continue for many more seasons. It is an intelligent show with amazing actors. Again, the show needs a better time slot — but I will watch it no matter which time slot Fox puts it into. Please keep this show going.
For some shows I’m willing to put my $ where my preference is. I would like Fringe continue, if it must on basic cable which I do pay for. but I’m still recording ALL shows and watching at my leisure. Ads are annoying and not at all appealing. we need a better finance model, closer to HBO etc. As for the fringe season slip, they played Olivia being in the other dimension too long. When the drama story line bridge is pulled to the extreme people step away. I’ve seen it happen on so many shows, they try to suck… Read more »
WAKE UP NETWORK COUNTERS!!! No one watcher TV that hasn’t been dvr’ed anymore. Who WANTS to watch commercials!! School & work schedules never agree with your favorite show. That’s what DVR’S are for. Fringe is at the top of my recording list, as WAS Medium. WHICH BY THE WAY MADE ME CRY!! Mainly because I had no idea that it was the SERIES finale. I will also be very sad if Fringe is canceled. I love that show and have watched it from the begining. Please not another reality show, there is nothing real about them!
I love the program! I am unable to watch it on Thursdays due to my work schedule so I have it set to record on the DVR. I personally don’t see a problem moving it to Fridays and I may actually be able to watch it now when it airs. I don’t have to get up early on Saturdays and it will be great to kick back, relax and enjoy one of my favorite programs. A perfect end to my week!
ENOUGH ALREADY WITH CANCELING SHOWS !!!!!! As someone mentioned before how are they counting viewers with DVR’s and those watching missed episodes online !! are they being counted in the numbers!!! MEDIUM AND GHOST WHISPERER, CANCELED AND WERE GREAT SHOWS, THEN THEY NEVER LET TRAUMA OR MERCY GET A CHANCE TO GROW AND THEY WERE GREAT SHOWS AS WELL AND NOW FRINGE !!!! STOP THE CANCELLATION MADNESS PLEASE !!!!!
I TOTALLY AGREE!!! Trauma wasn’t given it’s fair chance, these stupid networks keep canceling great shows. I have watched Fringe from the very beginning and will continue to watch it no matter what day of the week it may come on!!
This was incredible! I have loved this show since the very beginning, and this was some classy finale! BRAVO!
I seriously want to know why 5 million Nielsen viewers (and probably another 3-5 million online, non- Nielsen, and DVR viewers don’t count? So what if the “majority” would rather waste their time watching a bunch of idiots act idiotically. You get what you ask for folks. Ignore politics…get the current congress. Ignore scripted TV, it will go away. Not only does that mean a death of creativity, brain cells and options, but the death of civilization. Just take a look at when Rome began to seriously decline. The parallels are there. Let’s hope FRINGE is as successful as Supernatural… Read more »
I was talking about Fringe to some baldheaded guy in a suit in the grocery store. He had a nice hat on and was looking for cases of hot sauce. Anyway he thinks Fringe is really a classy show as I do. I don’t know where he gets his information but said the show will survive and do quite well on Fridays. I told him that I always DVR the show and have every show since the first episode. He said he knew that. Strange. I have faith in the show, its writing and the absolute best cast on TV.… Read more »
Was his name Andrew?