'Fringe' lives again on Science Channel Fridays

Don't be too bummed about last week's Fringe series finale on Fox. Although their won't be new adventures (unless a movie happens), you can always relive the old ones - with bonus content - on the Science Channel.

Beginning Jan. 25, fans can turn to Science Channel on Friday nights from 8-11 p.m. (ET/PT) to watch episodes hosted by leading experts such as Dr. Michio Kaku, who examines phenomena such as time travel, dream sharing and parallel universes with the short-form series "Science of Fringe." And according to a Science Channel press release, the Friday night airings will begin with special appearances by series star John Noble, who sets the stage for the back-to-back-to-back episodes.

Although the show has already been airing on the network, but its move to Friday night will begin with the Season Two conclusion from 8-10 p.m. (ET/PT) and Season Three begins from 10-11 p.m. (ET/PT).

-Aaron Sagers

Final 'Fringe' fan feelings

Courtesy Fox

After reading the Los Angeles Times' Hero Complex entry on the Fringe series finale, I wanted to add my own two sense.

Like a lot of people I started watching Fringe because of Joshua Jackson. But it's more complicated than that. It looked cool and freaky, like X-Files in its day. There was also Mark Valley, who I had loved since Keen Eddie. Of course, according to the commercials I remember, he was going to be in
the show a lot more than he was. Oh well.

But Walter is the reason I stayed.

'Fringe' series finale recap: 'Liberty'/'Enemy of Fate'

A final 'Fringe' team note of thanks.

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Well, here we are. The final 2 hours of Fringe. I've got a handful of tissues and my blanky, let's do this!

We open this rollercoaster with Michael captured and Donald/ September absent. The team frantically uses all of their remaining resources to locate Michael. This means calling in Broyles. Uh oh. That didn't end well for Nina, you know. He finally manages to obtain Michael's location, but we all know this will put him in the line of fire. But hey, Broyles is a big boy, right?

Meanwhile, Michael is being held at Liberty Island. Anyway, Michael is strapped to a chair in one of their white rooms when Windmark comes to gloat over him. He explains to Michael that it's in his best interests to communicate with him. Michael just stares blandly back at him. Windmark continues his interrogation until his nose starts bleeding. Ah, poor little Anomaly XB-6783746 is better at this game than he is. One presumes that Windmark is simply unable to penetrate Michael's mind and has caused the damage to himself. He gets up to leave instructing his lackeys to run complete diagnostics. "Find out what it is." he instructs them.

J.J. Abrams talks 'Fringe' series finale

Fans of the Fox series Fringe are bracing themselves for not only the end of its 5th season, but then end of the series. And GiveMeMyRemote.com got a nice little tidbit from series co-creator himself, J.J. Abrams (Lost, Star Trek Into Darkness).

Fans can breathe a sigh of relief that Abrams feels "satisfied" with the ending, and called the ending "inevitable" and "emotional."

Abrams states, "I've been involved in shows that have had resolutions that have been in some cases adored; in other cases, [they ended up] enraging fans and in some cases, [it's been] a split. There is no one way to end a story - you can't please everyone."

What will you miss most about the series? What do you hope the finale episodes accomplish? John Noble (Walter Bishop) is quoted as saying that it could be "one of the greatest finales of all time."

Let us know if you agree.

Meanwhile, check out the teaser for the finale here, as well as this very cool poster. And remember, the two-hour finale airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET, not at Fringe's regular airtime of 9 p.m.

-Larissa Mrykalo

'Fringe' recap: 'The Boy Must Live'

Courtesy FOX

BY MELISSA HARKNESS


Note: The Fringe finale airs next week at an earlier time, 8 p.m. EST and both episodes will run back to back!

After last episode's revelations, Walter decides he needs to spend some alone time in the sensory deprivation tank to recover his memories of September. When Olivia checks on him, she finds he has removed his swim trunks. "I need to be free," he says. It must have worked, because they determine the location of Donald/September's apartment and head off to Manhattan to find him. Walter appears to be very chipper and practically skips away. Peter finally asks him what's up. Walter says he feels great.

The truth behind the 'Fringe' 'September's Notebook'

Even though the show is winding down, Fringe fans have at least one cool thing to look forward to from the Fringe-verse - and it will be revealed in tonight's episode...or in the next paragraph if you keep reading.

In tonight's penultimate Fringe episode "The Boy Must Live" the Observer September (Michael Cerveris) reveals to Walter (John Noble) that he had been keeping a notebook of all his observations. This is the same "September’s Notebook" that fans of the show have been able to pre-order since earlier this year.

According to a release from Warner Bros. and FOX, the publisher Insight Editions will release this notebook on March 12. Essentially a detailed show companion that uncovers more secrets from the show, the $50 notebook is a "revelation for fans" and "includes exclusive photos and concept art, and reveals quirks and little-known facts about each character, insight into fringe science and much more."

Fringe executive producer/showrunner J.H. Wyman said: "We couldn’t have picked a better framework for this book with the Observers. Where we went this season is ultimately so Observer-heavy and it reveals some things that are really mind-blowing. We wanted to include the notebook in this upcoming episode, as it encompasses September’s journey from beginning to end."

Although the book is written by September, he has some ... help ... from authors Tara Bennett and Paul Terry, who have published other companions in the past for other cult shows like Lost.

This sounds like a pretty sweet goodie for Fringe fanatics. I dig it when shows take the time to thank their followers in this kind of way - especially since no one other than fans would be buying a show companion anyhow.

-Aaron Sagers

Paranormal Pop Culture Winter TV Preview

Courtesy FOX

BY LARISSA MRYKALO
The 2013 winter TV season is chock full of programming to satisfy the paranormal junkie. We have put together a list to prove this to you, and to give you a chance to check out some new shows as well prevent you from missing returning favorites.

JANUARY

Merlin
Returned Jan. 4, 10 p.m. ET (Syfy)
The fifth and last season of Syfy’s Merlin recently premiered its first of 13 all-new episodes. King Arthur finally has his new Queen, Guinevere, as well as faithful Merlin, at his side. Will he be able to transform his kingdom into the Golden Age, or will the evil sorceress, Morgana, cause him to fail?

Once Upon a Time
Returned Jan. 6, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)
NBC’s fairy tale series returned from its Season 2 hiatus to attempt to answer questions left over from the fall finale. Starting the episode off with shot of one sexy Captain Hook may have satisfied some viewers but did the episode answer the desired questions? Or did it simply set up viewers for more mystery? WITCH is it?

Fringe
Returns Jan. 11, 9 p.m. ET (Fox)
The final episodes of J.J. Abrams' Fringe resume this Friday with "The Boy Must Live." Peter, Walter and Olivia are hell-bent on saving the universe from The Observer. On Jan. 18, the final two episodes of the series, "Liberty" and "An Enemy of Fate" will air back-to-back as a two-part series finale, that will end in a huge fight for the fate of mankind.

'Fringe' recap: 'Anomaly XB-6783746'

Courtesy FOX

BY MELISSA HARKNESS


So, have you recovered from Walter's "Black Blotter" trip on last week's Fringe? I know; terrifying. All together now: Deep breath, hold, let it out. Okay. We are ready to move on.

As we get started, the team determines that Michael does not have the Observer tech in his head that proved so hazardous to Peter's mental stability. This is rapidly followed by Walter's disappointment that Michael doesn't want a Vine. Olivia looks on disapprovingly. The team continues to question Michael, who doesn't respond. He just watches them argue back and forth about putting him in a coma and talking directly to his brain. Fortunately, Walter is reminded that he is just a child. "He is MORE than a child... We are running out of time. We have a world to save!" Walter rants. As Walter stomps off, Olivia decides to ask Nina for help.

'Fringe' recap: 'Black Blotter'

Courtesy FOX

BY MELISSA HARKNESS


This week on Fringe, Astrid is woken up in the middle of the night by the radio from the pocket universe finally picking up a signal. She is startled by Walter, who not only remembers her name but thinks her hair is beautiful. Obviously, Walter is not quite himself.

Peter, who is disappointingly normal again after removing the Observer device from his head, also wakes up. They quickly determine that Walter dropped a little acid of the Black Blotter variety and is busily tripping away. He is immersed in visions of his former lab assistant, Carla Warren, who is busily berating him for the man he used to be and who he really still is. "You were him longer than you've been you" she repeatedly tells him. Walter tells Peter that Nina promised to remove the old pieces of his brain, but only after he remembers the plan to defeat the Observers. He thought the acid would help him access "the Walter that was" so he could remember what the plan was.

'Fringe' recap: 'The Human Kind'

Courtesy FOX

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Fringe is back after a short break! So, last episode, Olivia found out that Peter had implanted himself with an Observer device. Since this is making him act like an Observer, it is somewhat worrisome. We open this episode with Olivia sitting in a car in a dark alley waiting for Anil. While she waits she watches some workers scraping the posters of Etta off the building in front of her. Anil has brought her another Observer device so Walter can look at it to see what Peter has done to himself. When she looks back at the building, Etta's face is gone, replaced by that of an Observer.

'Fringe' recap: 'Five-Twenty-Ten'

The gang on the hunt. Courtesy Fox.

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

This week on Fringe, Peter is well ensconced on his crazy train of revenge. He is stalking Observers, using his new abilities to foresee their patterns. He uses this to target Captain Windmark's top lieutenants. To this end, he convinces Anil to help him. In contrast,Walter continues to struggle with the man he is becoming. Unlike Peter, Walter is afraid. One wonders if Peter can even feel fear anymore.

He returns to the lab, where Olivia confronts him about leaving her behind... again. We find that Peter hasn't been sleeping. Do Observer's even need to sleep? Walter and Astrid have freed Tape 5, and they all sit down to watch it. The tape describes two beacons, bullet shaped devices the Observers made. They help them to teleport through time and space. The beacons are hidden in a storage facility designed by William Bell. This is why Walter chopped off Bell's hand earlier in the season. In piecing together all of their memories, they believe that William Bell was really working for the Observers, but they need the beacons. "Fire up the laser, Agnes! Let's get that hand out of amber."

'Fringe' recap: 'Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There'

Walter's trippy world. Courtesy Fox.

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Say hello to the longest episode title in Fringe's history!

Peter is still struggling to deal with Etta's loss. He has apparently gone straight from upgrading his brain last episode to sitting in Etta's apartment watching a piece of random video mail she had left on her machine. He is interrupted by Olivia's arrival; she's been looking for him. Initially, Peter seems a little put out with her, but they snuggle up on the couch and watch the image of their little girl together. During the tender moment, Olivia notices the bandage Peter has placed over the incision on the back of his neck. He lies to her; saying that he was injured collapsing the Observer's wormhole.

Fringe to end January 2013.

Courtesy Fox

The end of Fringe is nigh. We knew it was coming, but it still hurts. The Fringe finale will air on Fox in a two-hour special event at 8 p.m. ET Jan. 18, 2013. It also happens to be Fringe's 100th episode.

The date was announced on the show's Facebook page with statements from Executive Producers J.J. Abrams and J.H. Wyman, and Fox's Kevin Reilly.

J.H. Wyman, Fringe's Showrunner and an Executive Producer, had this to say:

"Above all else, from the bottom of my heart, I would like to personally thank everyone involved with Fringe. From the most amazing fans, to our incredible cast, writers and crew, and our wonderful partners at Fox and Warner Bros. – we would not be here without you. It simply cannot be overstated how grateful I am for the ongoing and unconditional support we have received over the past five seasons. It has been both mind-blowing and humbling. I’ve always been a fan of science fiction, and to be able to tell this story about a family – a family that, through everything, fought together for survival – has been a highlight of my career. As we approach the final chapter, I can hardly believe it, and I’m just truly thankful for this unparalleled experience."

J.J. Abrams, the Co-Creator and Executive Producer, adds:

"It has been an absolute honor to have been a part of the weird and wonderful world of Fringe. I will always owe the cast and crew for pouring their hearts and souls into every dimension of this series. Creating the show with Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman was a joy, but watching it evolve over the years into such an imaginative, insane and heartbreaking ride is nothing less than a thrill. I am grateful to our blessed fans, and to Kevin Reilly and Peter Rice and everyone at the glorious Fox network for allowing Fringe to reach its bittersweet conclusion."

Bittersweet indeed. I hate to see the show end, but as a fan, I am grateful we were given the chance to say goodbye to the Bishop Family and all their friends.

-Melissa Harkness

'Fringe' recap: 'An Origin Story'

Peter observes some Observer torture. Courtesy Fox

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Have you recovered from Etta's traumatic death last episode? Neither has Peter. Or Olivia, or Walter, or me. But we must soldier on and continue to Resist!

After last week's tragedy, the team returned to Etta's apartment to gather their things and perhaps a few mementos of the youngest Bishop.

While Peter is gloomily looking through Etta's jewelry, he finds a secret latch that opens a hidden weapons stash behind a picture on the wall. Peter smiles, "That's my girl."

'Fringe' recap: 'The Bullet That Saved The World'

Peter looking badass, courtesy Fox

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Peter siphoning gas from a car on the bad side of Boston. He enters a pawn shop, and meets an Observer who hands him a necklace, telling him this is what he was looking for. The Observer, still rooting around in Peter's mind, asks him "what are the Red Sox?" When Peter leaves the store, Loyalists are waiting for him. He escapes into the sewers, when they throw a bomb in after him. The tunnel is suffused in light. Peter awakes outside a storm drain, with a young boy playing a harmonica nearby. These are the little details we love Fringe for.

'Fringe' recap: 'The Recordist'

Courtesy Fox

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

The scavenger hunt for Walter's tapes is underway. The Fringe team has gotten a little more sophisticated with their tape extraction process. They find the official Tape #3, which opens with Walter and his bong getting some alone time. Apparently Walter stored the tapes out of order, much to Astrid's shock. This tape leads them to Pennsylvania. For what, they have no idea. The team discusses the possibilities, while Walter sniffs some 21 year old pot out of a baggie he "liberated" from the Amber as well.

'Fringe' recap: 'In Absentia'

Courtesy Fox

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

It is Olivia’s turn for a dream sequence. Peter wakes her from a nightmare very similar to his own about losing Etta. They appear to still be somewhat estranged, with separate sleeping bags on the floor. Olivia's dream fills in a few more gaps about the day of the invasion. Olivia, it seems, was the disciplinarian while Peter was the fun parent. Are we really surprised by that, she has never been terribly emotional. It also looks like she may have felt abandoned by Peter who was more concerned about finding Etta than her. Peter pretty much admitted to that last episode, but here is confirmation that Olivia did feel that way. Peter assures her that they are okay now, but I have my doubts.

'Fringe' premiere recap: 'Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11'

Courtesy Fox

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

The fifth season of Fringe opens with a little girl playing in a park. She is blowing the little winged seeds off of a dandelion top. The scene widens and we see her parents, Peter and Olivia. Suddenly an explosive shockwave rocks the park and there are Observers marching across the green grass, with little Etta in the way.

Peter's nightmare reveals that Etta was lost in the initial invasion. As Peter wakes, we are comforted by the sight of Walter in his boxers on the couch, snoring.

'Fringe' freshener: What to know for Season 5

Fringe, courtesy Fox

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

If you're new to Fringe, the first thing you need to know for the fifth and final season is that Walter is awesome.

Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) is the genius who has both caused the world to end and also saved it many times over. It's questionable whether you will need to know the intricacies of the Alternate Universe for this last season, though. He's also just a little bit crazy, but in an adorable way. Walter had his friend, William Bell, remove part of his brain to keep him from continuing his questionable research into, well, everything. He spent many years in a mental institution before Fringe Division had him released to help with their investigations.

'Thor' writers take on vampire flick 'Damn Nation'

Moving from Norse deities to nocturnal creepies is actually a step in the right direction for writers screenwriters Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz. The duo - who wrote the upcoming Avengers-tie-in super hero flick Thor for Marvel (to be directed by Kenneth Branagh) - have landed scribe duties for another comic adaptation, Dark Horse's Damn Nation, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Dark Horse describes the 2005 comic from Andrew Cosby and J. Alexander as "a vampire epic of global proportions." In it, "most of the living have fled the U.S., but a group of scientists remain behind, working on a cure. Now that they've succeeded, a military operation is launched from the President's current offices in the U.S. Embassy in London, to save the cure from the encroaching undead."

Already writer-producers on the paranormal Fox show Fringe, and previously on the canceled Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Miller and Stentz are adapting the story for Paramount.