Fox will give each "Fringe" episode 50 minutes to tell a story

[tehMot...@gmail.com]

Some news actually broke out at the "Fringe" sesh - you know
"Fringe," the new J.J. Abrams show that's scored high on the buzz-o-
meter and might actually get a pretty good number this fall (Me? I
like it...) Jeff Pinkner, the show-runner, told the august press
assemblage that Fox will actually give each episode fifty minutes to
play out. Fifty minutes? As you know, even great shows, from "West
Wing" to "Lost" to whatever, are stuck with just 44 (sometimes 43 and
change.) If Shakespeare was writing for TV, HE'D have to jam "Lear" in
43 minutes. Honestly, I don't remember the last time a network
actually displayed such generosity and I can only assume it's the 980-
pound-gorilla on stage (J.J. Abrams) who told 'em, "50 minutes or
nothing..." Now THAT's power. And speaking of the insanely busy
Abrams, he told writers that the show - as reported centuries ago -
will of course shoot in New York, but that doesn't mean the NY locale
will be exploited (like, say, "L&O.") The show will be set in many
different places (Boston is in the pilot, which was shot in Toronto.)
JJ also intimated that "Fringe" will - like "Lost" - have an endpoint,
so that the show will have "an ultimate direction." You know what this
means: If "Fringe" is a big hit (and I think it probably will be a
medium-size hit) then next press tour Pinkner or someone will say it's
ending in three seasons...

(Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.com; shot of JJ at the '05 Emmys.)

Posted by Verne Gay on July 14, 2008 4:43 PM | Permalink