FRINGE season two. Does it get better?

[Dream]

No season two spoilers please.

I finished watching the first season of Fringe. My thoughts? It could have been way better. I liked the Bishops and how they interacted with each other. But I thought the standalone episodes dealing with the monster of the week were dull. The only time the story really picked up was when it was dealing with it's mythology and it's unique alternate universe storyline. Fringe is like the complete opposite of the X-Files.

Does the show have a bigger arc in season two? Is it pretty much like season one which had half the episodes be standalone episodes while the other half was about the big picture?

 

[Darth_Daver]

The beginning and the end is storyline heavy, and especially after the midseason break, things really pick up. Even some of the standalones are better than in the first season, I liked it very much.

 

[auntiehill]

Season 2 was much better. I was rather on the fence about it during season 1. I wasn't sure if I was going to stick with it, but season 2 was a definite improvement. Now I'm really looking forward to it coming back.

Well......except for the musical episode. *shudder*

 

[USS Kongo]

With the exception of the musical episode (which was a real WTF moment) I really enjoyed season two a great deal.

Sean

 

[startrekwatcher]

I think in the end season two might be a tad bit better but both seasons are uneven.

In my opinion both seasons were slow at the start picked up towards the winter break and finishes strong in the spring. Like season one, the standalones suck, the mythology rocks.

The characters become more engaging though in mid season two--up until then I wasn't that interested in them.

It isn't the most consistent show but compared to a lot of stuff out there it is alright. I enjoyed it more than LOST season 6, V, Flash Forward, Supernatural season 5.

 

[Tom]

The second half of season 2 was incredible, baring the above mention out of the blue musical noir episode. Episodes like 'Peter' make the whole season well worth it.

 

[firehawk12]

I think in the end season two might be a tad bit better but both seasons are uneven.

In my opinion both seasons were slow at the start picked up towards the winter break and finishes strong in the spring. Like season one, the standalones suck, the mythology rocks.

The characters become more engaging though in mid season two--up until then I wasn't that interested in them.

It isn't the most consistent show but compared to a lot of stuff out there it is alright. I enjoyed it more than LOST season 6, V, Flash Forward, Supernatural season 5.

That's about the jist of it. You'd also have to like the characters, or the arc itself won't matter either.

 

[sojourner]

Peter Weller's episode ROCKED.

 

[Checkmate]

It turns into a completely different show for the most part from the premiere of season two onwards. Once you get used to the gross changes (like, you know, there being an actual Fringe Division), it gets better.

 

[Tulin]

Does it get BETTER?!?!?

How much better do you WANT it?!?!!


It's ALREADY one of the best shows on telly!!!!! We just started S2 a few weeks back and this show is GREAT. Besides the standalone stories and the ongoing arc the show looks like a damned FILM every week.

 

[startrekwatcher]

How much better do you WANT it?!?!!

There is plenty of room for improvement with this series. For starters--it needs desperately to be more consistent. The unevenness in terms of quality nearly drove me away. Secondly, the standalones are nothing more than warmed over X-Files stories with no new spin or twist to be had. Why would I want to watch a mediocre Fringe standalone when TXF episode is infinitely better. Third, the series has a bad habit of introducing stuff then dropping it. Sometimes I don't mind with Mark Valley's character. But what about the new agent introduced early this season then dropped.

Also the standalones have a bad habit of being CSI-esque formulaic in terms of structure and how the crisis is resolved with a mumbo jumbo science gimmick Walter whips up at the 45 minute mark. Not to mention the lack of jeopardy when they throw the team into a hostage situation or other harrowing crisis.

Also despite all the raving for John Noble's Walter it really wasn't until this season did the writers seem to get a handle on how best to portay the character and make him truly interesting, for me any way.

Fringe could be a fantastic series instead of just an okay passable one with occasional flashes of brilliance if the studio people would let it be heavily focused on the mythology like LOST but unlike LOST the writers need to have satisfactory answers to all the questions they raise.

Right now, in my opinion, sf/f is in a slump. There is a lot of it out there to watch but it isn't very good i.e. V, Flash Forward, Stargate Universe, Caprica. Supernatural had a weak season. LOST was riding high for so long then came off the rails at the end. Heroes degenerated into a mess. True Blood is stupid and poorly plotted.

The only series that I thoroughly enjoyed that I didn't have any real complaints about were The Vampire Diaries and The Legend of the Seeker and the latter was canned.

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

Does it get better?

Yes.