Three reasons why I should hate Fringe:
- a pretty blonde FBI agent,
- said FBI agent has a tendency to go into buildings and rooms without backup,
- said FBI agent usually leads an assault team, sometimes taking point.
And yet, godsdammit, I enjoyed the first season.
- Yes, Anna Torv is pretty and blonde but she rarely smiles, and the first couple of eps very nicely set up her tortured dourness.
- Sure, her habit of going into places on her lonesome gets a little annoying but the set up at least makes some effort at giving her good reason to do so.
- And the assault team-leading and point-taking – in any other show this would be unforgiveable but in Fringe… seriously, who cares?
Fringe is not Law & Order, nor The Wire, nor Flashpoint, and it doesn’t try to be.
What it is, is an exciting and intelligent series, riffing off The X-Files and Republic serials, and everything/anything in between, with characters whose motives may be questionable but at least understandable (John Noble‘s Dr Walter Bishop is a particular pleasure of The Goddess), solving the weekly mysteries and/or crimes with wit and panache, meanwhile there’s some overarching season storyline that is tantalisingly touched on each week as well AND WHO THE HELL AM I TO WHINE ABOUT THE PROCEDURAL ASPECTS?
Pacing, I think, is a large part of my forgiveness/enjoyment. The mystery must be solved! Quickly, into that abandoned building! The assault team’s on location? You’re the only one who knows which room to take down! Quick! Hurry! Save the world!
And the gods strike me where I slouch but I’m lapping it up.
Bring on Season Two.
