A Gem of a Find to Add to My TV Viewing Schedule

The three major networks announced their Fall TV schedules this past week, and there's one FOX show, "Fringe", which I'm anxiously anticipating and will gladly sacrifice yet another hour of my time to add it to my overburdened TV viewing schedule.

"Fringe" is created by J.J. Abrams, the creator of such great shows as "Alias" and "Lost." FOX describes the show as follows:

"When an international flight lands at Boston's Logan Airport and the passengers and crew have all died grisly deaths, FBI Special Agent OLIVIA DUNHAM (newcomer Anna Torv) is called in to investigate. After her partner, Special Agent JOHN SCOTT (Mark Valley, "Boston Legal"), is nearly killed during the investigation, a desperate Olivia searches frantically for someone to help, leading her to DR. WALTER BISHOP (John Noble, "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King"), our generation's Einstein. There's only one catch: he's been institutionalized for the last 20 years, and the only way to question him requires pulling his estranged son PETER (Joshua Jackson, "Dawson's Creek") in to help.

When Olivia's investigation leads her to manipulative corporate executive NINA SHARP (Blair Brown, "Altered States"), our unlikely trio along with fellow FBI Agents PHILLIP BROYLES (Lance Reddick, "The Wire"), CHARLIE FRANCIS (Kirk Acevedo, "Oz") and ASTRID FARNSWORTH (Jasika Nicole, "Law & Order: Criminal Intent") will discover that what happened on Flight 627 is only a small piece of a larger, more shocking truth."

Variety states that "Fringe" is a mix of "The X-Files" and "Altered States" with a "a slight 'Twilight Zone' vibe" per Abrams. X-Files and Twilight Zone rolled into one--I'm in.

If the above tidbits aren't enough to perk your interest, watch this sneak peek of the pilot.

Pretty cool huh? Variety also reported that the two-hour pilot was budgeted at over $10 million, and from that sneak peek I'd say it shows. The question will be whether the show can be great on a consistent basis, even without a $10 million budget. I guess only time will tell, but they have a temporary fan in me and I'll definitely be tuning in for the pilot. Their lead-in show, Tuesday's powerhouse "House", ain't too shabby, so they'll have a leg up on the competition.