Fringe- new JJ Abrams TV show.

Anybody else catch this tonight? Link here.

Overall I thought it was good. I actually just started watching Alias, starting with the first episode, and I have also been a big Lost fan. So this definately shared the same DNA of both shows.

It was actually very similar in ways to the pilot for Alias as far as her character development, but with better action.

 

I've posted my review on my blog (jeditrilobite.wordpress.com). I liked it - it's fun, but it needs some work here and there.

 

I only saw part of it. My two year old son was with me last night and some of the images were not kiddie-appropriate.

I am a huge ALIAS fan and a huge LOST fan. I was pleased with what I saw last night to say the least.

 

It's online at Fox.com, if you missed it.

 

I saw most of it. I thought it was well-made, and the character of the supposedly-mad scientist was interesting. But, ultimately, it just looked like a re-tread of "The X Files", with maybe a little "Torchwood" thrown in. They just seemed to take all of the usual elements (valiant hero, eccentric scientist, skeptical sidekick, overbearing boss, sinister corporation, sinister corporate rep, etc.) and threw them in, hoping nobody would notice that is wasn't really anything groundbreaking. Still, it's just the pilot; maybe it will develop a more distinctive style later on. I do wish they'd lose the "giant letters floating in air" way of identifying locations; it's empty flash.

Personally, I'd much rather see a more serious type of this show, something along the lines of the acclaimed in Britain, yet little-known in the U.S., "Doomwatch".

 

Just watched the pilot. I have to say, it was better than I was expecting. Pretty fun.



I too liked the floating location names, but found them hard to read at times


The empty flash of the show was the company. There was no need for it to look so futuristic/high-tech, and it became downright ridiculous with the CGI robotic arm. That more than anything else killed my suspension of disbelief.

 

So the robotic arm that is already present in modern robotics and is in the middle of being worked on so that it can be fitted naturally as a replacement limb killed your suspension of disbelief?

 

I'm fairly unimpressed with this show. The show looks like it's going to be way to formulaic:

1. Weird freaky stuff happens.
2. Government gets called in.
3. Old scientist guy has idea that could help solve case but it involves weird science.
4. No one thinks the idea will work.
5. Idea works.
6. Yawn

 

Given that even the most advanced robotic replacement arms are far behind that by probably a number of decades, the fact that the CGI wasn't that well done (even for TV), and the fact that the same message could have been given to us without it, yes.

 

Whether or not it is decades away is debatable, some people in the robotics/medical field feel that it is no less than a decade away. Combine that with the fact that the CGI looked great and the arm was essential to show just how ahead of the curb Massive Dynamics is and that the head of Massive Dynamics wasn't just a lab partner to Noble, but rather was doing just as much "fringe" work and you have a situation that shouldn't kill anyone's suspension of disbelief. I could see if it was an entire endoskeleton or something like that, but it's merely making an eventual scientific achievement into a current scientific achievement a few years before it will actually happen. Saying that ruins your disbelief rings of being far too nit picky.

 

I don't see it as nit picky when a moment in the show makes me go "woah, hold on a second" like this did as I'm usually more than happy to take what a show gives me in stride.