FOX has given fans of Fringe a nice gift. Though the network could have easily cancelled the show due to poor ratings (even by Friday night standards), FOX has renewed the sci-fi TV series for a fifth and final season.
The 2012-13 season will be comprised of 13 episodes and will give the cast and crew an opportunity to wrap up the ongoing storylines. It will also bring the show’s episode count to 100, a quantity suitable for syndication.
Last spring, despite unimpressive numbers, FOX gave Fringe a full season renewal of 22 episodes. Season four finishes airing on May 11th.
Here’s the press release from FOX:
HOT FROM FOX…
FOX BOOKS “FRINGE” FOR A FIFTH AND FINAL CHAPTER
13 Episodes Ordered for 2012-2013 Season
FOX has picked up FRINGE for a fifth and final 13-episode season, it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, President of Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company.
“FRINGE is a remarkably creative series that has set the bar as one of television’s most imaginative dramas. Bringing it back for a final 13 allows us to provide the climactic conclusion that its passionate and loyal fans deserve,” said Reilly “The amazing work the producers, writers and the incredibly talented cast and crew have delivered the last four seasons has literally been out of this world. Although the end is bittersweet, it’s going to be a very exciting final chapter.”
FRINGE co-creator and executive producer J.J. Abrams added, “We are thrilled and beyond grateful that FOX – and our fans – have made the impossible possible: FRINGE will continue into a fifth season that will allow the series to conclude in a wild and thrilling way. All of us at Bad Robot are forever indebted to our viewers and the amazingly supportive FOX network for allowing the adventures of Fringe Division to not only continue, but to resolve in a way that perfectly fits the show.”
“This pickup means the world (both of them) to us, because we love sharing these stories with our enthusiastic fans,” added FRINGE showrunners and executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman. “On behalf of the cast and crew, we applaud our fans and FOX for allowing us to imagine the impossibilities together for so long. Season Five is going to be a conclusive thrill ride for all of us.”
FRINGE’s compelling fourth season concludes with three all-new FRINGE Friday episodes in a row, counting down to the two-part season finale on Friday, May 4 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Friday, May 11 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). In “Worlds Apart,” airing Friday, April 27 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), team members on both sides, including Olivia (Anna Torv) and Peter (Joshua Jackson), continue to fight for a common cause, and there are shocking developments tied to the Cortexiphan children.
Created by J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, FRINGE is produced by Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Jeff Pinkner, J.H. Wyman and Joe Chappelle serve as executive producers, while Kurtzman, Orci and Akiva Goldsman are consulting producers. Additionally, Pinkner and Wyman serve as the series’ showrunners. “Like” FRINGE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fringe. Follow the series on Twitter @fringeonfox and join the conversation at #Fringe.
What do you think? Are you glad that FOX has renewed Fringe? Given the ratings, should they have? Are you upset that this will be the end or glad that the show got 13 more episodes?
Image courtesy FOX.
Kuddos Fox, for ones you got it right!
Renewal of Fringe for the 5th Season is wonderful news. Do not understand how the ratings could be so low. So many of my friends, my sister in Boston, my brother in San Francisco and I (Connecticut) all watch this fantastic and creative show. Although, most record it and watch it later. Fox TV, are you sure you are getting accurate statistics? It is really deplorable that shows which are poorly written, poorly acted, & poorly casted (who are these losers?) have questionably higher ratings. Something is definitely not right.
I am sad that Fringe is ending, but happy that Fox respects it`s viewers and ending it properly. Thanks Fox for respecting your viewers.
I am so happy. This is what I hoped was going on cuz if Fox was gonna outright cancel it, they would have done so already. This gives them 100 for syndication PLUS it means we fans get a box set – cuz usually it’d only shows that truly end get the box treatment. I wish we could have many many more years, but I’ll take what I can get. Let’s just hope that the producers make great use of the time they’ve been granted. HOORAY FRINGE!!!!
Wolvenspectere
I agree the metircs used to measure a shows success are outdated. We have shifted our tatstes to DVR and online watching. I cut the cord a year ago and I don’t miss tv one bit, i pay for what I want. I would be willing to throw in $35 bucks for a season of Fringe, but i wouldn’t pay 2 nickels for the reality crap that is curently on tv.
Well said!
Thank you Fox for finally making a decision to appease you viewers and letting Fringe stay on for at least the last 13 shows. I will tremendously miss Fringe as I have watched it since the very beginning. It is a wonderful show and I will truly miss seeing it each week. You have cancelled so many of my weekly shows in the past few years and it was not a shock to me to see you cancel thiss one too. I know the ratings have gone down recently but that happens when shows get switched to Friday nights. It… Read more »
I am absolutely stunned. Thought we’d have an illegal alien in the White House before we’d see Fringe renewed.
Thank you Fox Network for keeping Fringe alive I love me some fringe I am a loyal fan of the show from when it use to come on Thursdays nights until present day on friday nights. It would be nice if the ratings would pick up a little for 2012-2013 final season two the point where they the Fox Network might be nice and add additional shows over the 13 order they decided on for season 5 their final season sometimes they the networks will add if ratings are good .
This is great. I know that not many people are watching, but at least the small group that does watch will enjoy.
Hopefully it will have a decent ending,unlike some of the recent ones!(Life on Mars)That ending really sucked!
Bravo Fox for letting it end gracefully and not ripping the rug out from under us like other networks do (*cough*NBC*ahem*)
For viewers to understand TV, this renewal has more to do about having enough episodes for syndication. This is similar to shows that reached a point that it’s better to keep going for the bigger pot of afterlife gold. Shows like “Drew Carey Show,” “Scrubs,” “‘Till Death,” “Chuck,” “According to Jim,” and “Cougar Town” (if this show gets renewed next month) are the recent examples.
I’ll take the 13 eps. Woo!
If Bad Robot had the guts this is the perfect show for them to take to online distribution. I believe that this cancellation has more to do with outdated metrics gathering than that of actual poor ratings. Also I believe that unless they are doing a half season to do a bigger budget per episode, I find the 13 episode final season more insulting than gift from FOX. With the quality of allot of the new dramas and the great tendency to do more formulaic and less original and unexpected things today, Fringe was a lighthouse beaconing on foggy land… Read more »
What would be the benefit of online distribution vs. showing on Fox?
Finally – someone made a good decision! I love “Fringe”! Knowing that these are not the last three episodes is such a relief! It is a phenominal series! Of course, while I think it should go on forever, I am grateful they are giving it the time it deserves to wrap it up properly!