In a recent interview with SFX, Fringe exec producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman weighed in on the progress of season 4, what’s in store for both the overarching story and mythology when the show returns in 2012, and the latest word on the show’s delicate ratings situation. We also have the title for the ninth episode of season 4.
This interview contains some mild to medium spoilers for the continuation of Fringe Season 4. If you watch the upcoming promos/trailers you should be fine, but continue at your own discretion.
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Speaking to SFX’s Tara Bennett, the producers admit they’re enjoying the brave new world introduced this season, describing it as a “love letter” to the story and characters they are exploring:
JP: “We’re having a lot of fun with the way this season has become a love letter to itself. It is, as we said, the same show, just slightly different. It was really fun for us and the actors, though maybe frustrating for the audience to explore these slightly different variations of the character’s in Peter’s absence. When Peter came back it threw all of that into really stark relief. He’s very much a memory of the audience, as we imagined he would be.”
On the decision to bring Corporeal Peter back at the end of Episode 4:
JP: “We didn’t want to push our audience’s tolerance for frustration too far [laughs].”
JW: “It did take a lot of thought, Peter’s such a part of the show’s DNA. Every single frame of the show, one can argue, has to do with Peter Bishop being kidnapped. He was always there to us, but not physically there. What we wanted to do is have the commitment to take him off for four episodes, to make it a metaphor for the impact it would have on people’s lives. It lets the audience settle into that and then bring him back, which becomes a totally different sport.”
As noted by Wyman, they didn’t want the audience to feel that “three years of storytelling was going down the toilet”:
“It really did happen, and that’s why we felt that when Peter comes back it’s going to be around Episode 4, because that’s enough time to let people get the point and now they can experience this new world as they would in Peter’s POV.”
Wyman touches on the importance of not having Peter forget the last three years:
“That was really important for us, for our fans. This year we have a secret-less Peter, where years before you had secrets with Walter or the Observers, but this year it’s you and Peter.”
On the subject of Peter’s quest to get ‘home’:
JP: “We love the idea that for a while he wanted to get off the Island and now all he wants to do is get back.”
JW: “We went through a couple of seasons of Walter wanting Peter to call him Dad and now Peter is in a position where Peter wants Walter to call him Son.”
Pinkner elaborates on the concept of where home actually is for Peter:
“We don’t put a value judgement on it, of [where his rightful home is]. From Peter’s point of view, all the people he connected with, or was connected to, are somewhere else and he wants to get back to them. But we start to see the push and pull of these people who are just like him and are in a real dilemma. What kind of hero would just choose to leave them behind?”
On whether the Boom-Boom-Machine can really help Peter get back to Kansas:
JW: “I think we have a couple of really good twists, but don’t forget that the Machine is very powerful and since it’s the Machine that basically fixed everything, it can also undo everything. Peter will focus on it and it will sort of be his spaceship back to where he belongs.”
But what of the Observers, particularly September’s decision to go off-mission by refusing to Mr Muscle Peter from existence:
JP: “In the spirit of consequence of his choice to let events play out as they have, so far they have yet to be paid. What’s going to happen is going to be interesting as the season unfolds.”
JW: “The Observers are such a huge question in the mythology, in terms of what they’re serving and what they are. We want to give insights this year and we will have elements of that. It’s our intention to provide more clarity for people.”
THE STORY CONTINUES IN 2012
On the imminent return of favorite David Robert Jones, played by Jared Harris, and how he plays into the current situation:
JW: “We found his character so delicious and Jared is the kind of actor who’s capable of so much, so we really thought there was so much more story to tell with him; to really understand the machinations of him as a human-being, and to learn his true motivations, and to delve into that. We’re pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to find something sensational for him to do. We always felt he was something special that we wanted to highlight again.”
The producers further teased the overarching story that is set to kick into gear when the show returns:
JP: “We know that Nina is up to no good, as is David Robert Jones. Our characters are facing some big foes, which they don’t know by this point. The audience knows. The thematics to explore are very much about what is home and what is your effect on it. How much of our lives are predetermined and how much is really within our control. What we love about this show is that, in many ways, it’s just a family drama about these characters who have found each other and are fighting to protect their little world as much as the world at large. They are up against some fairly powerful foes right now across the universes
THE REAL WORLD FUTURE OF FRINGE
On the issue of ratings and the bearing they have on the future of Fringe:
JW: “We’ve said before that FOX has been very open and transparent with their plans for us. They’ve been really cool. We’re doing the best we can and hopefully they’ll see us as an asset. We were told that a 1.2 rating on Friday night’s is what they needed and that’s where we are. But at the same time nothing lasts forever so we don’t know.
On whether FOX will give them enough time to wrap the story in a satisfying way if the worst should happen:
JP: “We certainly hope so, but we have had no conversations with either the studio (Warner Bros.) or the network about that, so we’re imagining things that have not come to fruition. But having said that, we certainly owe a debt to the story, the characters, the fans and ourselves, that whenever the end comes that we wrap it up in a satisfying way.”
Source: SFX via Fringe Latino | Transcript: Seriable
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In other news, word has it that the ninth episode of Fringe’s fourth season will (according to Warner Bros.) be titled “The Enemy Of My Enemy.” This is surely borrowed from the proverb “The enemy of my enemy is my friend”. Which is not only a great title but may offer some additional context for this ‘external threat‘ facing the two universes that that has previously been mentioned. Thanks to JD for the tip.
PERSON OF INTEREST Renewed For Season 2
TERRA NOVA: Season 2 Decision Delayed Until 2012
ONCE UPON A TIME: The Comprehensive Character Guide
BREAKING BAD: Bryan Cranston Confirms Season 5 Will Premiere In July
FRINGE OBSERVATIONS: 4.22 Brave New World: Part 2
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ONCE UPON A TIME OBSERVATIONS: 1.22 A Land Without Magic
ONCE UPON A TIME OBSERVATIONS: 1.21 An Apple Red As Blood
FRINGE OBSERVATIONS: 4.21 Brave New World: Part 1
ONCE UPON A TIME OBSERVATIONS: 1.20 The Stranger
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
well, I’m glad they’re having fun this season…….. Considering the mixed opinions among the fans, it’s good to know that someone is enjoying it. And I say this sarcastically because I’m not too happy with the season so far, myself.
I feel like they keep saying they have plenty of key issues that they wan to explore this season and they haven’t even begun! When are they planning on doing it, exactly? If what they say is true, the second half of the season is really going to be mythology-packed! Observers, Nina, whom they’ve said they wanted to give more importance this season, “home”, the Machine, the other universe… None of which has been dealt with in the first half (just very briefly the other universe, but in a quite irrelevant way… where’s Walternate?? Where’s their “working together” to prevent massive destruction that Peter vanished for??).
And something that relly has me wide-eyed is the fact that the showrunners haven’t even talked to FOX or WB about Fringe’s ending!!!!!!!! I mean, c’mon!!!!! The show’s been on the bubble for 2 years and they haven’t even considered an “emergency plan” in case they have to wrap things up before they plan to??? Considering the ratings I would have thought that they had discussed the issue of ensuring closure with the network and WB!! They really are confident about the show, too much, I’m afraid…
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Yep, as much as I love Fringe, this hiatus, and their lack of movement has gotten me to a sore spot as well. I really do think that the first two episodes back out of the gate will be myth heavy but…
That said, I also read that they are doing an Astrid -Centric. Not that I don’t think Astrid deserves a centric episode, but certainly they could have done it in the first four – seven crapisodes they already had right? They NEED to JUST focus on the mythology from here on out, because chances are that this is the final season. So unless the ending a some kind of sappily ever after, or blind twist, then they need to start heading toward it.
Also I’m glad they believe in their show so much, but there is a little something called; “Expecting the best, but planning for the worst.” I really hope they are doing just that. Otherwise they are delusional. I think they are giving FOX too much credit. Yes the show has been on the bubble for two whole seasons, which is why I think that FOX’s patience is wearing thin. The WB studios want the show renewed just as much as Fringe does, but the real question is; Does FOX?
It boils down to whether or not FOX is satisfied with the meager numbers that Fringe is generating, coupled with whether or not WB is satisfied with the 88 episode series that can now go into syndication. The power to make this show have a great ending is totally in the hands of the EPs at the moment. They have about 9-10 more hours to be produced this season, and that is plenty of time to end a series…But they need to get their head out of their @$$es.
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I completely agree. An Astrid -centric episode would have worked in seasons 2 or 3, but now they have too many loose ends, they really need to focus on the mythology. And, like you imply, I doubt that they will as much as they should. A lot of standalones along the series could have been used to focus a bit of attention on ther stuff, like Astrid, Nina, Broyles, the stepfather, etc. But that’s another story and it’s irrelevant to what’s hapenning now, anyway.
““Expecting the best, but planning for the worst.” I really hope they are doing just that.”
It doesn’t look like so, judging from what they say… If they were planning for the worst they would have certainly considered the possibility that this will be the last season. Or they would have a ICE script for a final 3 or 4 episode arc that they can just adapt to the story if they suddenly get cancelled (that’s a suggestion! ha). I’m going to be very mad if we don’t get closure and it seems to me that the showrunners are being too naive.
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Roco Neither one of the sourcw links provided take me to the actual interview. Do have a better link please?
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Disregard I have found them!
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This interview gave me more hope for the future of this show than the previous seven episodes. BRING ON 2012!
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I think they’ve done what’s needed to be done so far, and it’s been a hell of a ride for me. I won’t tell them what colors, materials or even what theme to use in their work of art, because it’s their particular signature that they need to express. When the series are finished, I will criticize an overall achievement, but I will admit that they haven’t had an easy road with the time slot, the ratings and giving the network what is demanding to keep the show alive.
There’s no way to please all fans, but they’ve managed to at least give me the satisfaction of outstanding writing, unforgettable characters, and intriguing mythology; sometimes more and sometimes less, but when is less, it’s even more than I can get from other shows. So I’m not going to complain about them choosing to do a different thing every year, because I get that they needed to slow the pace down in order to do a crescendo again, as has being all seasons.
Peter and the Machine is the least favorite theme for me, so maybe that’s why I’m not that happy that other plots have been put on hold in order to focus on the Peter less ambient. I hope if they are going to center in the Peter themes, at least make them in the most interesting mind blowing way, and as fast as possible so that they move on to my favorites ones.
In other words, I think if this were The Observer or Nina (MD) season, instead of Peter’s season, the plots could unfold faster and in a neat diversity atmosphere, but let’s see what they give us next. Maybe it really will payoff this focusing in Peter’s character.
They’ve stated before that a finale it’s been written, so I have no doubts that they’ll be prepared when the networks points them out the end time.
I just wish they had the support they had in the first seasons, so they could continue to do the series as planned from the beginning and give us more of their incredible potential, every 4 or 5 episodes. That’s what I admire the most, the number of episodes from Fringe that I consider my favorites from every show I’ve watched before, are more than enough to consider the series a remarkable work of art.
I love those pics from Olivia and Walter by the way.
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