Remember the time when the X Files was the most exciting and believable thing on TV? FBI agents Mulder and Scully investigating those odd unknowns and scary paranormal things that we believe are usually hidden from us and covered up by Governments as part of massive global conspiracies, was brilliant.
Then, for some reason, despite surviving for an impressive 8 seasons (series), the X Files series jumped the shark, became an embarrassing parody of itself, and now when you catch one its endlessly repeated shows on TV stations that can’t afford newer programming, it’s all a little embarrassing to admit it once had you hiding behind the sofa to watch.
There was definitely a ‘hole’ waiting to be filled, and this has been quite brilliantly achieved by Fringe. Currently half-way through its third season (series) (Fox in the US, Sky1 in the UK), Fringe is the tale of a modern day X-files division of the FBI called, erm, ‘Fringe’. Its brief is so similar to the X Files brief that it could almost have continuity with the original X Files universe (except of course, that was a different franchise, so it can’t be seen to be doing that!).
However, it has eccentric central characters that are consultants and not exactly who they appear to be working alongside a main FBI agent. Slowly over the season’s story arcs you realise that something bigger is going on and it is far more intriguing than the individual episode stories of isolated weird happenings that are investigated and wrapped up each week. Yes, there were things happening over the X Files story arcs, but within Fringe this is cleverly taken to a different level.
The core storyline by season three is that two alternate universes at effectively at war with each other. There’s our universe, and a second one that’s a bit like our universe but there are major differences. Of course, each person over here also has their counterpart over there, and much is made of a central character over here being replaced by their double from over there.
Now then. The thing for me about science fiction is that it has to make sense logically. Almost 99% of the (say) latter-day Star Trek universe stories made sense logically. They have to pass a kind of ‘logical test’ in order to be ‘believable’. Despite being enjoyable, aspects of the storylines in the X Files sometimes didn’t make logical sense, although the vast majority did.
I feel that Fringe has had quite a few storylines that fail the ‘logical test’, probably more than I am happy with, yet I can still enjoy the series and so am highly recommending it none-the-less. If you are new to Fringe, you really do need to watch it from the very beginning of season one and right the way through, not dip in to random episdoes. Within four episodes you’ll be hooked if you are into this kind of grounded sci-fi and loved the X Files.
That said, I do have issues with the ‘logical test’ of the main storyline of the alternative universe (one where, incidentally, the Twin Towers of New York still stand because the planes were crashed into the Whitehouse instead, and where John F Kennedy, albeit retired, is still alive) still having near-identical counterparts to the characters over here.
My theory would be that if there was a time when both universes were in sync, and then a measurable point at which things started to go different, within a decade or so none of the people on either side would be the same. In the Fringe storyline, there are people who are dead ‘over here’ who are still alive ‘over there’, and vice versa. I would have thought that once the variables started to be different and totally unconnected choices and paths were taken, different people being born, moving to different areas, doing different jobs, then very rapidly the two universes would very radically start to become different. Indeed, the people would be so different that there would be no duplicates any more. But, hey, I’m trying to apply my ‘logical test’ to what is otherwise a brilliant and well-acted series. Maybe it needs the suspension of belief in order to make it work. I can do that.
To conclude then, can I suggest popping out to a rental shop or over to Amazon and snapping up the box sets today!
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