Cynthia Littleton On The Air

TCA: J.J. Abrams lives on the 'Fringe'

POSTED BY STUART LEVINE

Now, finally, J.J. Abrams feels your pain.

Abrams, who exec produced "Alias" way back when, now  knows what it was like to be on the other side.

While visiting buddy Greg Grunberg's house awhile back, the two were hanging out and "Alias" popped up on TV. Abrams (pictured right) was watching intently, and, like millions of others who scratched their heads watching the tail end of that series, he couldn't quite figure out who was good, who was bad and what the hell was going on.

"It was so confusing, it was impenetrable," Abrams admitted at Monday's "Fringe" session at TCA. "It was, 'Who the fuck is this guy?'"

Funny stuff, especially for the guy who birthed Sydney Bristow and knows where she started, but no so much where she ended up.

Anyway, point of the story was that don't expect "Fringe," Abrams' new show on Fox that's receiving the most buzz of any fall skein, to fall into the "Alias" dilemma.

Unlike "Lost" -- another Abrams series -- and "Alias," "Fringe" won't necessitate compulsive viewing to follow along.

"'Lost' has received and garnered a reputation for being a complicated show," he said. "'Fringe' is an experiment for us; a show with an overall story and end game. This is a show where you don't have to watch episodes one, two and three to understand episode four. This show will have a different paradigm. We're trying very diligently that this doesn't require the insane dedication that if you miss an episode, you have no idea what's going on."

Abrams recognizes that "Fringe" is being talked about a bunch and he takes that as a challenge.

"I do feel, ultimately, that any pressure or expectations for this or any show can ruin a show. If you expect it to change your life (as a viewer), it'll inevitably be disappointing," he continued. "I'm hoping we create a show that's entertaining, and hope and think it is. I don't think one show can save the fall."

Crix got their official look at the show Sunday, as Fox screened it at the Beverly Hilton. Some, though, have seen it previously online, as the pilot was leaked on to the Internet. None of the exec producers on stage -- Abrams, Alex Kurtzman (pictured left), Roberto Orci (pictured right), showrunner Jeff Pinkner and Bryan Burk -- were happy with the early exposure and all denied leaking it.

"We didn't put the pilot online," Burk said. "We hate putting it out there until it's done. That's why you didn't get advance copies. We keep working on our stuff until it airs. Often I'm working on 'Lost' 24 hours before it goes up."

So with the banter in the TV community calling "Fringe" the top dog, plus a primo timeslot -- 9 p.m. Tuesdays after "House" -- the pressure's on. Failure, it would seem, is not an option.

"We have no excuses," said Orci. "We can't say Fox didn't promote it. It's our fault if it doesn't work."

"Fringe": First impressions

First impressions** of Fox's "Fringe."

The net hasn't sent out screeners of J. J. Abrams' new drama but it did hold a few screenings for press the past few days in Gotham and L.A.

Fox execs emphasized that the roughly 90-minute Warner Bros. TV pilot was still "unfinished," but they are still eager to show it off (and undoubtedly get some feedback). I'm writing this with my Spoiler Radar turned up to 11 in a sincere effort (as always) to not ruin any of the drama for viewers prior to "Fringe's" September debut.

About five minutes in to the screening, I realized I've done this show a terrible injustice with the loglines I've been using the past few months, and the suggestion that it would be very "X-Files"-ish. It's not. It's right there in the  patented Abrams-conspiracy chiller/thriller/action milieu with a wildly intricate plot. It's a good sign that the pilot -- penned by Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and helmed by Alex Graves -- does not feel too derivative of "Lost," even as it opens with mayhem on a commercial airline flight bound for Boston's Logan airport.

The accurate synopsis: "Fringe" opens with FBI agents including Dunham sent to Logan Airport to investigate the ultra-mind-boggling situation that erupts when a German commercial airliner lands with a plane full of dead people, crew included. And they're not just dead, but dead in a horrible, scientifically inexplicable way. Dunham's dogged pursuit of the how, why and what-the-#$$%@? in the airline case puts her on the trail of a broader conspiracy that extends deeper and wider than she ever could have imagined. Her investigation also puts her in contact with a brilliant scientist who happens to have been institutionalized for the past 17 years. Dunham recruits the scientist's miscreant son to help get him a furlough from the institution so that the elder and younger can help her ferret out the truth.

PRO

Anna Torv. The Aussie star is really good in the skin of the driven, resourceful and not-without-humor FBI agent Olivia Dunham. She's not a warmed-over Kate from "Lost" or "Alias'" Sydney Bristow. She's got her own quirks and traits, and that's a very good thing. Torv is beautiful in an unconventional way. I also appreciate that she looks like a real person, not an 80-pound weakling. Olivia does share Sydney's ability to kick butt and run like the wind when duty calls.

**Once again, these are first impressions and not meant as a review or hit-or-miss declaration. Pilots at this stage of the game are still works in progress.

Upfronts: The prime of Lance Reddick

Is there a better character actor in TV these days than Lance Reddick?

His steely presence as the ramrod-straight (well, almost) cop Cedric Daniels added so much to "The Wire," particularly in the final season that wrapped in March. He's creepy-beyond-freaky in his recurring role as the ultra-mysterious Matthew Abaddon in "Lost" this season (on that show, that's saying something). And he's sure to add gravitas to J.J. Abrams' latest small-screen adventure, "Fringe," on Fox in the fall. I probably should've known that he was cast in that pilot but it didn't register until I saw the cast shot this ayem when Fox announced its sked.

The Yale drama school-trained Reddick made his mark on the New York stage (that's clear from his distinctive intonation) and gradually moved into film and TV roles. (He's nothing if not versatile. His C.V. even includes a guest shot as a stage hand in a 1997 seg of "The Nanny.") A semi-regular role on HBO's "Oz" in 2000 and 2001 helped Reddick raise his profile, as did his role in the Emmy-winning HBO mini "The Corner," a precursor to "Wire." He's done guest shots on all three "Law & Order" shows, he's stopped in on "CSI: Miami," "The West Wing" and "Numbers," and been seen in features including "I Dreamed of Africa,' "Don't Say a Word," "Brother to Brother" and most recently, the Tribeca entry "Tennessee."

Here's hoping he gets a long steady gig on "Fringe." He appears to play one of the good guys, an FBI agent working with the femme hero (played by Aussie actress Anna Torv, pictured right with co-star Joshua Jackson) to help solve the mystery of why a plane load of people die grisly deaths on a commercial flight (Flight 627 -- what's the numerology there, I wonder?) into Boston. Their probe begins to uncover traces of a broader conspiracy...but you already suspected that.

Update: Reader AC brings up a good question: Will Reddick's role on "Fringe" prevent him from recurring on "Lost" next season and beyond? I'm thinking probably not, although it will probably take some advance planning on shooting dates, especially because "Lost" lenses in Hawaii. The fact that "Fringe" and "Lost" both hail from J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot banner (albeit different studios in Warner Bros. and ABC Studios, respectively) doesn't hurt either -- both shows will (presumably) be more inclined to help each other make it work. Even if there was no such connection, Reddick's role on "Lost" can only raise his profile with the same demo that "Fringe" hopes to attract, so you gotta believe that the powers that be see Reddick doing double duty on both shows as a good thing all around. Of course this presumes that "Lost's" creative stewards see Reddick's character continuing in a significant way. You can never tell on "Lost," but they've certainly woven him into enough integral plot situations that it stands to reason we're going to see more of him.

Upfronts: Fox going beyond the "Fringe"?

And now our attention turns to Fox, which wraps up upfront week on Thursday with its 4 p.m. presentation at Gotham's City Center.

Come to think of it, I wonder why Fox didn't go first this year? It's been the No. 1 network in 18-49 for the past four seasons, and in this strike-jumbled year it's going to close out the 2007-08 campaign as No. 1 in total viewers too.

So with NBC sitting out its usual Monday midday slot in this year in favor of the Jimi Hendrix version, Fox might've moved in and made a statement about how far its come since the days of "Mr. President" and "The Wilton North Report." What's the expression Rupert Murdoch is fond of citing -- "Fortune favors the brave" Oh well, maybe next year.

The time has come to get in touch with our inner Preston Beckman and figure out what moves Fox is going to make in the fall and in its January season. It doesn't take a Ph.D in skedding to figure out that the net is going to shine a spotlight on J.J. Abrams’ drama “Fringe” as its hot new prospect for the fall and Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse” for midseason.

Speculation is that “Fringe” will land on Monday in the fall in tandem with “Prison Break” or “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.” The betting is that Fox won’t want to mess with success on Tuesday and thus will keep its drama combo of “Bones” and “House” intact on the night for the fall.

Wednesday seems likely to remain Fox’s live-action comedy night, though the net may shuffle things in light of CBS’ decision to sked laffers in the 8-9 p.m. hour next season. Newcomer “The Inn,” starring Niecy Nash and Jerry O’Connell, is likely destined for a pairing with third-year sitcom “Til Death.” Wednesday 9 p.m. could go to “Sarah Connor” if “Fringe” winds up mated with “Prison Break on Monday.

In the fall, Thursday and Friday are expected to remain some combination of unscripted skeins. As ever, Fox has a strong reality bench that includes “Don’t Forget the Lyrics,” “Kitchen Nightmares,” “Moment of Truth” and “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader.”

Sunday is set to remain status quo with a stack of animated comedies. Newcomers “Class Dismissed” and “Family Guy” spinoff “Cleveland” won’t be ready to bow until first quarter at the earliest.

Meanwhile, given how much 20th Century Fox TV is investing in Whedon's latest TV effort, “Dollhouse” is sure to land a plum spot in January when “24” and “American Idol,” return to the lineup.