On 'Fringe' At Comic Con

By Alex Cook

"Fringe," the latest offering from J.J. Abrams and the writers of "Transformers," promises to blur the lines between science and entertainment. The 81 minute and 30 second premiere offers up a few chills, an intriguing hook, and more laughs then one would expect from a show about a group of misfits -- including an FBI agent searching for answers, an estranged son running from questions, and a mad scientist too busy to play 'Dad,' While the premiere had a few rough spots, things get quite interesting around the halfway point when a VP for Massive Dynamics, a company positioned to play the villain in the show, hints at something called the 'Pattern,' a string connecting a myriad of strange cases together.

Half "X-Files" and half "Buffy," "Fringe" has the makings of an intriguing series, but one has to wonder if the similarities between it and other genre shows will draw viewers. Hopefully, future episodes will forge some new ground and cut out a niche for itself.

I give it three and a half (out of four) stars.