A few weeks ago, Fringe fans pulled off something pretty remarkable. The series moved to Fridays and the ratings for the first couple of airings were essentially the same as they had been on Thursday nights. Fridays are one of the least-watched nights of television and FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said that, if the show could maintain its audience, it would be safe from cancellation. Few expected that it could do that but were proven wrong — for two weeks.
On Friday, Fringe was down in the ratings for the second week in a row. The sci-fi series attracted a mere 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 3.74 million viewers. That represents a series low for Fringe. Though this is still much better than what The Good Guys was bringing in, it’s certainly not a good sign for Fringe’s chances for a renewal and season four.
Series star Joshua Jackson was recently interviewed by EW and addressed the numbers:
Lots of fans have been sweating the future of Fringe, due to the move to Friday. How are you feeling about it? Are you hopeful about the future?
Having worked in television for awhile, I, like everyone else, went “Ooo, that’s not good” when they moved us to Friday. But my opinion on this is this: If all the people who watch Fringe -– on the day and date and on DVR -– tune in on Fridays for the next five or six weeks, then the show will be fine. The way to save the show is very simple: If you’re a hardcore fan of the show -– and in particular, if you’re a hardcore fan of the show with a Nielsen box -– you have to give us an hour of your time on Friday night. To its credit, [Fox] has given us every shot. We stumbled out of the gate the first year, but Fox stuck with us. In the second season, they may have had expectations that we didn’t meet when they moved us to Thursday night, but we held our own. And now, while we have lost something of the casual viewer, we retain a solid base of hardcore viewers. If the hardcores come with us to Friday night and stick with us for the rest of the season, we’ll be able to tell next year’s story.
What do you think? Will Fringe’s ratings rise again or is it doomed to be cancelled? Has your interest in the show waned? Should it be cancelled?
Image courtesy FOX.
KEEP FRINGE PLEASE
Fringe is a fun show to watch but Fox wants to cancel it. Every time they move a show to Friday night it gets cancelled. Move American Idol to Friday nights! As for the doomsday device the writer probably know the show is about the be cancelled so they are creating and ending for it. It is better to watch the shows on cable, USA network, MTV, TBS, etc. They seem to stick with their shows a lot longer. I also love the Syfy channel, I was sad when they cancelled Caprica. They still have some of the best shows… Read more »
Best Sci-Fi show on TV at the moment. I’d hate to loose Fringe. It’s the only show that comes close to Battlestar Galactica quality. The characters, storyline & production are amazing. I hope FOX keeps it and i’ll be tuning in to watch it live to help the ratings.
Since the producers of Fringe are largely the same bunch who gave us Alias, I was DEEPLY bothered that they initiated some idiotic plotline about pieces of a device that, when all put together might spell doomsday for the universe that doesn’t get the job done… Basically rehashing the stupid RAMBALDI DEVICE plotline that plagued Alias its final 2 seasons….
Stick with the alt universe and X-files cases storylines… Leave “Rambaldi 2” out of it, and you just might survive.
I’ve watched since the beginning, and I am still watching. I tape my shows so that I can watch when I want to. Sometimes I have other social committments on friday nights and can’t watch it as it airs. I know alot of people tape the show, so they won’t miss it. It should some way, networks can figure out how to tell if people tape the show, because Nielsen ratings don’t really tell how many people really watch. I stopped watching channel 2 (where my fringe is seen on), because they have cancelled too many shows that I’ve liked.… Read more »
It’s the only quality show on thus far as far as I am concerned! No matter what day you put it on, I will always be there to watch it! LISTEN to the people… Fringe is what we WANT!!!!
~Die Hard Fringe Fanatic!
Best show on TV. Stretches your mind. We will watch Fringe whenever it is on.
Best TV show in a long while. Unbelievable the ratings are tumbling.
Well. Hope fox, can raed this. Fringle has millions Of fans in latinoamérica. Have they count the ratings on cable around the globe. I think this show , it’ s a tv serie such important as lost, in terms Of mithology and fring- kies so better think it first instead Of the cancelation.
It occurs to me that even with its rabid fanbase, Moonlight was unable to survive Friday night’s 9pm time slot.
I’m 50 (already?) and I very much like Fringe. Btw – I thought it was FauxOlivia (alternate Olivia) who was prenant.
I love Fringe. I watch Fringe every week in HD through DISH Network. As an employee of DISH I love having the HD free for life, because you get such a better picture. I hope that Fringe doesn’t get cancelled I would miss it. I am pretty sure that with the fan base we can keep it on. They just started a whole new story line with Olivia being pregnant. Please keep Fringe alive everyone!
I prefer long-running storylines, too! I love this show and I’d be so upset to lose it (well, as upset as a person can be over a TV show) and I don’t say that very often, not since the 90’s. There have been very few shows in the past decade I’ve really cared about (Battlestar Galactica and Supernatural being among them, both of which had a chance to finish their original storylines and the latter of which has gone on to expand beyond the original plan), so it’s been a while since I was really let down by a network… Read more »
Stumbled out of the gate the first year?????
He’s just saying what FOX wants him to say!!!!
EVERY episode of Season One was over 9 million viewers, upwards in the tens of milliions of viewers. “Stumbled out of the gate”? My butt. FOX is trying to blame the victim (the viewers). THEY did this by moving it from Tuesdays.
johnnysaysnext to battle star Galactica , this is the best show to entertaine . I truely ,love the charecters and even more , well I just look forward to this show it and people invoved captivate me and to lose this show would be a great tragedy. any people who feel different I will meet u out side.
I think Fringe is great. Also most of the other Sci Fi shows on TV. These are the only shows showing any imagination. V, Heroes, The Event, Eureka , Haven, Smallville, Flash Forward, etc. I am 64 years old and these types are my favorite and I am not alone. (Not a geek or nerd either). I don’t watch ANY reality shows other than sports, because they are the ONLY reality shows on TV. What’s so important about the 18 to 49 year old demographic? As for Fringe on FOX if they don’t keep it they won’t have ANY shows… Read more »
You may be 64 and not a geek Ray, but I’m 35 and an ex-cheerleader and oh how I love all the same shows. I completely agree, Fringe is great as well as most of the sci fi shows. I’m so sick of the stupid networks changing timeslots and confusing us, then cancelling our shows. Apparentley 5 million viewers isn’t a lot! I loved Flashforward and they cancelled that when it didn’t do as well in it’s new timeslot.
Save Fringe!!