Fringe: Pilot

[Mabus]

https://sfdebris.com/videos/tv/fringes1e01.php

I only saw a few episodes of this series, mostly on TV as I never bothered to binge watch the series.
I think the best way to describe the series would be "alien-free The X-Files meets The 4400", it mixes supernatural/mad science elements with a main story arc about mad scientists from the future.

As for the pilot episode, it's alright, it does a good job of setting up the tone for the rest of the show. Characters are alright, albeit a bit dull.

Interestingly enough, the pilot episode had a budget of 10 million $, one of the most expensive series pilots at the time. I'm not sure what the showrunners spent the money on, did they buy a plane to burn it down, was that cow they used in the show that expensive, I just don't see those millions of dollars on screen.

[Fianna]

While I love when Chuck talks about something he knows well and can go in depth on, it's also fun seeing him watch something completely new to him and just riffing on it as he goes along.

"The problem every serious relationship has to deal with sooner or later: a car chase."

[stryke]

Agreed, I also found him very spot on about how big of an issue the main character lady is going to be as her blandness was one of the reasons I didn't stick with the show and I only lasted two seasons. Scully she is not to put it lightly. Hell she's not even Bo from Lost Girl and that's pretty bad.

[Nealithi]

There were parts to the show at large I thought they did well.
And this episode I think one good line was Walter. "I didn't recommend it. I said I could do it." To me that has to be the best green/orange mentality shown.

[Durandal_1707]

This show is kind of like Babylon 5; without spoiling things, the X-Files thing that the first season does isn't really representative of what the show becomes. Also, Anna Torv's performances start getting really good once the writing picks up; I suspect she might have been somewhat bored by the early stuff.

Oh also: Leonard Nimoy is in it.

[Deledrius]

This show is kind of like Babylon 5; without spoiling things, the X-Files thing that the first season does isn't really representative of what the show becomes. Also, Anna Torv's performances start getting really good once the writing picks up; I suspect she might have been somewhat bored by the early stuff.

I agree. I almost gave up on this show early on because the "X-Files, but weirder" thing was letting me down. Thankfully I managed to realize this wasn't bad sci-fi, it was just an overly-earnest "wacky science fantasy intruding into the real world" show with mad scientists running amok, and was able to get into it. I think it was around episode eight or so that the real tone started coming through.

The show has a few tumbles along the way, but overall it was definitely worth the ride, and a lot more satisfying than something like LOST when it comes to the mystery elements. The main cast was solid and I missed them when the show was over.

[Sir Will]

I stopped partway through S4. I never loved the show but it was pretty good. But the direction they went after S3 just lost me completely.

[Durandal_1707]

Well, if you didn't like the direction Season 4 was going, I've got good news for you when you get near the end of it...

Seriously, the curve ball into Season 5's plot, as weird as it was, and as different from the rest of the series as it was, did a pretty good job bringing the whole thing full circle and making some of those Season 1 duds retroactively worth it. And that's all I'm going to say about it...

[Sir Will]

I do recall reading some details about season 5 years ago. I don't remember any. I recall them sounding kinda interesting but not enough to ever go back to the series.

[Rocketboy1313]

Interestingly enough, the pilot episode had a budget of 10 million $, one of the most expensive series pilots at the time. I'm not sure what the showrunners spent the money on, did they buy a plane to burn it down, was that cow they used in the show that expensive, I just don't see those millions of dollars on screen.

When you see numbers like that it is almost certainly Hollywood accounting which charges every meeting, script rewrite, reshoot, recasting, and piles and piles of other crap that lays the ground work for the rest of the series, and then they lump it on episode one.

It is like if all the make up, CGI, ship models, and sets were laid at the feet of the pilot episode of a new Star Trek series. All that shit is going to be used again and again, you will save money in the long run.