What I'm Watching: Fringe

Fringe: Season 1, Episode 2 "The Same Old Story" (C)

I really want to like this show, especially after my phone conversation with J.J. Abrams and Joshua Jackson a few weeks ago. But there's a lot missing. It does play look a poorer version of "The X-Files," with the same episodic nature and vague mythology (something which I'm not sure will ever properly develop here), and a less exciting cast. One of the major strengths of "The X-Files" was its ability to coast on just two lead actors rather than a whole ensemble. As I've mentioned before, Anna Torv doesn't seem strong enough to carry this show and on a side note, she really is not able to keep her accent in check. John Noble is too much of a crazy old man whose delusional nature doesn't work as well as it should. If Lance Reddick was the only star of this show, it might work well, but rapidly-aging babies aren't going to cut it with this crew.