Today ABC showed signs of confidence for two of its new fall dramas. Instead of giving its full vote with full season orders (or “back nine” episodes), the Alphabet network ordered two additional scripts for political thriller Last Resort and the sexy, seductive, and intriguing 666 Park Avenue. That bumps their initial order of 13 episodes to 15. We’ll take it! And just for the record, earlier this month ABC ordered three more scripts for the wacky alien comedy The Neighbors.

Elsewhere, FOX must really like The Mindy Project because shortly after granting it the back nine, today the network ordered two more episodes of the Mindy Kaling comedy bringing its grand total to 24 episodes. Also, The Mob Doctor is safe for now. After airing four episodes with rather dismal ratings (the most recent ep attracted 3.4 million viewers and a 0.9 demo rating), FOX has decided to let the medical drama return from a short hiatus on November 5 and let its 13-episode order play out. This was the show most thought would be the first to go (Made in Jersey and Animal Practice beat it to the punch), so we’ll see if it can even last that long.

[Via Deadline 1, 2, 3; EW]

Fringe is not on the schedule tonight, but you can try to fill that void by watching this trailer poignantly peeking at what’s to come in the relentless battle against the baldies. Things are about to get, in a word, explosive. Screen the wonderfully scored one minute trailer now.

Fringe returns next Friday on October 26 at 9PM on FOX. The 13-episode saga continues in episode 4 titled “The Bullet That Saved the World.”

In the third episode of FOX’s laugh out loud comedy Ben And Kate titled “Fox Hunt,” Kate (Dakota Johnson) and her kid brother Ben (Nat Faxon) challenge each other to a scavenger hunt that they used to participate in when they were younger. Kate and her bumbling teammate and best friend BJ end up winning, and the episode ends with Ben in a fit of tears. Not because he lost but because Kate surprises Ben with a medal he thought he had disposed of when he was a kid after his father ridiculed him and played it down. Ben runs to the bathroom and in a scene called “Real Ben Don’t Cry” he lets the tears flow while simultaneous trying his best to hold it all back. It all played out magnificently on TV, but a director’s cut has surfaced on the ‘Net and it provides an extended, nearly two minute version of the scene. Have at it.

Ben And Kate airs Tuesday nights at 8:30PM on FOX.

FOX believes in its Tuesday night comedy lineup. Today the network handed out additional episodes for its two new fall comedies. The Mindy Project has been given “the back nine,” meaning it has received a full season order and will produce a total of 22 episodes. Ben And Kate, meanwhile, will air six more episodes on top of its original 13 episode order and so its first season will comprise of 19 installments. Why didn’t Ben And Kate receive the typical “back nine?” Well that’s simply because FOX has another new comedy on tap for midseason that is set up to take its place, The Goodwin Games.

FOX chairman Kevin Reilly on the pickups: “Ben And Kate and The Mindy Project have everything we want to stand for in comedy: smart writing, hugely appealing casts and comedy that feels contemporary and real–which is why we’re confident they will continue to build on what is already an appointment comedy night for young, influential audiences on Tuesdays.”

The ratings for these two so far haven’t been exceptional, but this is further proof that FOX is invested in them. The Mindy Project pilot received a 2.4 rating in the adults 18-49 demo and attracted 4.6 million viewers; these numbers dropped (as they do) in week 2 to a 1.9 share and 3.68 million viewers. Ben And Kate‘s premiere received a 2.1 rating in 18-49 and attracted 4.2 million viewers; these dropped to 1.6 and 3.2 million viewers the following week.

In its first outing, The Mindy Project didn’t sit entirely well with me. Come episode 2, however, I was fully engaged and excited for more from Mindy Kaling. Ben And Kate, on the other hand, managed to surprise me by how incredibly hysterical and perfectly casted it is so early in its run.

[Via Deadline; EW]

Sour news, Touch fans. You’re going to have to wait a bit longer for the return of Martin Bohm and his gifted son Jake. Today FOX made a schedule adjustment, removing Touch from its fall lineup and replacing it with Kitchen Nightmares. Gordon Ramsay’s show will premiere Friday, October 26 at 8PM and Touch is being benched until midseason. The network has yet to decide where exactly on the schedule Touch will resume; all we know is that it returns for a second season in January 2013. Hopefully that bonus episode has the power to hold you over until then.

[Via TVLine]

It’s the beginning of the end. Tonight is the season five premiere of Fringe, the first of thirteen episodes that will encapsulate five years of freaky science, discovering the impossible, and most importantly, getting to know a group of characters that have grown immensely since we were first introduced to Walter Bishop, his son Peter, and Agent Olivia Dunham.

And if showrunner J.H. Wyman has anything to say about it, this is going to be an emotional roller coaster ramping up to a hopeful conclusion. In a recent interview with TVLine, Wyman shed light on what long time viewers can expect. “One thing I was adamant about was getting inside the emotion of the characters that everybody has grown to know over four years, and really pay that off in a big way. [This season] is about questions, about emotion, about family… I want to put the viewer down on ground level with our characters, so they can go through this final experience with them.” Wyman goes on to describe how he hopes to feel after the series finale has come and gone. “I want to get into my car the next day, drive off and feel like, ‘Hmm, I can imagine where these characters are today. I can imagine what they’re doing.’ That was really important, because I can’t accept closure that doesn’t have some form of hope. That’s just who I am.”

So what do we know, plot-wise, as we near tonight’s premiere? Season five will take place mostly in the year 2036, a time when the Observers have taken over the planet. As we learned in last season’s pivotal future episode “Letters of Transit,” Olivia and Peter’s daughter Henrietta un-ambers Water, Peter, and Astrid to come together and start a resistance to take down the bald-headed dictators. Where’s Olivia? What happened between the time Peter and Olivia were happily married with little Etta and the amber situation. What is up with the Observers? These questions will be answered, assures Wyman, and more. “All the stuff that’s really, truly important, the emotional things, will be addressed.”

The season premiere, “Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11″, the first in a “13-hour feature film saga” boasts Wyman, airs tonight at 9PM on FOX. As you shake in anticipation, check out the radical key art plastered above and in the galleries below you’ll find character stills and pics from the episode.

They are coming. Let’s fight for the future, shall we?

[Images via IGN]

Touch fans, listen here! Kiefer Sutherland’s Martin Bohm is returning to TV earlier than expected in a bonus episode that airs tomorrow night, Friday, September 14 at 8PM. The logline for “The Road Not Taken” goes like this:

In an all-new bonus episode, Martin’s car mysteriously breaks down in the town where he first became a reporter. When he begins to suspect his mentor is involved in illegal activity there, he risks severing their friendship in order to find the truth.

It’s certainly not the more reliable source, but according to Wikipedia this unaired episode is part of season one and takes place after the two-part finale ”Gyre.” That final sequence when (spoiler alert) Martin and Jake connect with Amelia’s mother Lucy felt like a fantastic season ender; it will be interesting to see how this lost “episode 13″ (which sounds like it may entirely be a flashback) plays into the story and where we left off.

Touch returns for its second season on October 26 on FOX. It will be paired with Fringe on Fridays.

Here we are, the most exciting time of year. Summer is coming to a close, school is back in session, new shows premiere and your favorites return to the magical box in your living room. The 2012 fall TV season technically doesn’t start until later this month, but some of the networks are premiering new shows sooner rather than later. Whip out your calendar; it’s prime time to mark it up.

FOX’s fall rollout begins next week on Thursday, September 13 with the two-night premiere of The X Factor (now with Britney Spears and Demi Lovato) and Glee. Monday, September 17 sees the return of Bones and the series premiere of new medical drama The Mob Doctor. During the official start week (9/24 – 9/30) viewers will catch two new episodes of New Girl as well as the series premiere of Ben And Kate and The Mindy Project, plus the return of Kitchen Nightmares, Fringe, and the Sunday night Animation Domination lineup. October sees the premieres of Raising Hope, The Cleveland Show, and Kiefer Sutherland’s Touch.

Buzzy FOX comedies to look out for include Ben And Kate (starring Dakota Johnson, Nat Faxon, and Maggie Jones) and The Mindy Project (starring Mindy Kaling).

A FOX drama to look out for is The Following from Kevin Williamson starring Kevin Bacon. It premieres in midseason along with comedy The Goodwin Games.

Jump after the break to view the full schedule.

Click here to get reacquainted with the new programming.

Look in the gallery below to view key art, aka TV posters!

(Click here for more…)

Fringe fans, I have not one but two teasers for you today. The first, embedded above, is simple yet enticing; as a barrage of Observers briskly walk toward the camera, our heroes (namely Broyles, Peter, Olivia, Walter, and September) recap the evolution of the term “Observer” as it has changed significantly since its introduction in season one. The teaser concludes with the final season’s tagline “they are coming.”

Next you’ll want to jump after the break to watch another new teaser that includes the very first real footage from the season five premiere. In it a happily married (Peter is indeed wearing a wedding band on his left hand) Peter and Olivia are enjoying themselves in a park with their daughter Etta when all of a sudden a group of Observers make it their mission to disturb the peace.

Fringe returns for its fifth and final season on Friday, September 28. (Click here for more…)

“It’s only 13 episodes so I’m going to be careful with what I say because I really want you guys to experience it. I’m going to be tight lipped.” Fringe sole showrunner J.H. Wyman warned fans early on that the show’s panel would not spoil anything for fans eagerly anticipating the sci-fi drama’s fifth and final season. He did, however, shed light on when exactly he finally decided on how the show would end. Ideas were already brewing during season one, “but those change because people bring things to the pie that you don’t expect. I had two and a half versions of what I should do at the end and I decided about a month ago.” He also teased fans by saying that he’s already told the cast members how things will conclude. “We want to write the scripts early to make sure everything is absolutely perfect. If I’m doing that, I wanted to make sure the actors had enough time to bring their ideas and to know where they are going for the final season. I want to make sure they had enough advance warning.” The only thing that Wyman would spill is that the season 5 premiere will take place in the year 2036 and is “going to pick up exactly where we left off in [episode] 419, the next day.”

Other tidbits… Wyman would not confirm nor deny the return of Henry Ian Cusack’s character; and we will soon learn why we have yet to see female Observers. Interesting, yes.

Without diving deep into where season five will go, the Fringe panel mostly reminisced about the past four seasons and at one point looking back made Jasika Nicole (Astrid), Anna Torv (Olivia), and even Lance Reddick (Broyles) cry like babies.

“The characters don’t end when the show ends,” said Josh Jackson (Peter). Two items so worth mentioning spring from this statement. Wyman announced that a book will release after the show ends; it will tell a tale through the perspective of our friend September the Observer. “We are trying to give you guys back so much because without you, we would not be here,” Wyman said to the cheering fanbase.

And then there’s this bombshell. When a fan asked if the show will survive after the fifth season airs, John Noble (Walter) responded like this: “Anything is possible. If this season goes off as we think it will, I would think a film is very possible down the track.” Added Jackson, “The show will live on in some form or another.” These are actors talking here, not network execs or movie studios, and so this must be taken with a grain of salt. But still, knowing that the actors are just as passionate as the fans are that they’d even mention such an exciting idea should make you feel good inside no matter what happens.

With all those words out of the way, indulge yourself with the season 5 preview trailer that’s embedded above. Most of it contains highlights from last season, especially from pivotal episode 419. But there’s also some new stuff sprinkled in that’ll get you going. Fun fact: Wyman says that this video was used to sell a fifth season to FOX. The cult fanbase had its say, of course, and for that Wyman and the entire cast of the show forever remains grateful.

In the future Olivia will join Walter, Peter, Astrid, Henrietta, and even Belly in the fight against the Observers. “We need to keep those bald-headed basterds occupied,” says Peter. “What’d you have in mind?” Olivia asks. “I think it’s time we caused a few fringe events of our own,” Peter replies. But it is Walter’s new line that takes the licorice-lined cake: “I know what we need to do. I know how to rid our world of the Observers.” BOOM.

Fringe returns Friday, September 28 at 9PM on FOX.

Update: Major kudos awarded to Warner Bros. for posting the Fringe panel in its entirety to YouTube in glorious high definition! Watch the waterworks fly in the video link provided here. Also inside you’ll be privy to a Comic Con exclusive video made by the Fringe team for the fans; it spectacularly highlights some of the best moments of the show over the course of the past four seasons and tees things up for the final thirteen. Pick an hour out of your day and WATCH IT.

(Spoiler alert) At the very end of Fringe season four, our favorite Observer September delivered grave, unexplained news to Walter Bishop: “they are coming” he whispered before the screen went black. Well fellow Fringe fans, a shiny poster surfaced today featuring that mysterious, tantalizing bit of dialogue, as well as three bald-headed sharp-dressed men carrying black briefcases. It confirms what we all expected: season five will shed major light on the Observer-ruled world we glimpsed in episode 19 “Letters of Transit.”

The poster you see above will be the one fans will takeaway from the final Fringe panel at Comic Con later this month. Newly lone showrunner J.H. Wyman spoke to EW about the affair. “The Comic Con panel is something I always look forward to, but this year it’s bittersweet,” he said. “I think we have lots of good stuff in store for them.” The panel will be held inside the massive Hall H on Sunday, July 15 at 10AM. Series stars Anna Torv, Josh Jackson, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown, Jasika Nicole, and John Noble will join Wyman on a panel that will serve as a Q&A for fans and also include “an exclusive video presentation.”

Fringe begins its fifth and final 13-episode season on September 28 on FOX. The season premiere is called “Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11.” Yeah.

[Via EW]

When Fringe returns this fall for its fifth and final season, it will be down one showrunner. It has been made official that executive producer and co-showrunner Jeff Pinkner will not be involved in the making of Fringe‘s 13 episode swan song. Co-creator J.J. Abrams handpicked Pinkner to run the show in season 1 and J.H. Wyman was made co-showrunner the following season. With Pinkner out, Wyman will serve as the sole showrunner next season. Fans should note that Pinkner’s exit was amicable and he did it so that he could start pursuing new projects.

Abrams released this statement concurrent with the announcement: ”We’re so excited to begin work on a fifth season of Fringe and to be able to deliver the 13 final episodes to our passionate and devoted fans. For four years, J.H. Wyman and Jeff Pinkner have worked tirelessly as a team to keep all the worlds in order on Fringe. We’re thankful for the invaluable contributions Jeff has made to the show and of course wish him well and look forward to working together in the future. J.H. Wyman’s importance to Fringe cannot be overstated, however, and I’m thrilled that he will continue as showrunner for the concluding chapters of our story. We can’t wait for our fans to see what we have in store for them in the wild conclusion of Fringe.”

Fringe returns Friday, September 28 on FOX.

[Via TVGuide]

Following NBC’s onslaught of new programming, FOX stepped up to the plate second today and introduced a decidedly teensier menu of new shows. FOX unveiled 5 new series coming to the network next season; three comedies and two dramas. Two comedies and a drama will premiere this fall, and the remaining comedy and drama series will wait for midseason. Jump after the break to get more information about all of the new shows including synopses, cast and creator/executive producer listings, and clips.

Also posted after the break is FOX’s 2012-13 programming schedule. Significant changes include Tuesday becoming an all-comedy block filled with four half-hour comedies; Glee is moving to Thursdays to be paired with X-Factor in the fall and American Idol in midseason; and Touch has relocated to Fridays and will serve as a lead-in to Fringe.

FOX entertainment president Kevin Reilly took the stage at Upfronts to address the scheduling changes. “Four comedies on Tuesday is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time. These are the kind of shows we’ve wanted to do for a long time and we’ve been building momentum on Tuesdays. We finally have shots that have exactly the right tone we are looking for.” He added, “Since the first day I walked into Fox, this is the kind of comedy lineup I’ve wanted present to you.” On moving Glee to Thursdays: ”I think we’ve seen before that Glee is very compatible [with music shows]. This is just a way to propel it through the next couple of seasons. For us it’s a win win. If we didn’t have shows on Tuesday, we wouldn’t be able to do it.” On Touch/Fringe Fridays: “Friday is a curious time. Live plus same day ratings may look a little puny, but over the next 7 days, there is a real audience there. We have been winning Fridays with quality shows. We are investing in Fridays.”

Two major announcements were made regarding The X Factor and Glee. The reality show has enlisted Britney Spears and Demi Lovato to join L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell on the judges panel for season 2. The Ryan Murphy musical dramedy will feature guests stars Kate Hudson (Almost Famous) and Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex in the City) in season 4. Both will have multi-episode arcs and their roles remain under wraps. What will happen to the graduates? We still don’t know exactly how season 4 play out, but it was revealed today that it will contain a “show within a show” and manage to follow the McKinley High students in Ohio (some old faces, some new) as well as Kurt, Rachel and maybe Finn in New York. When the season 3 finale comes and goes perhaps we’ll have a better idea of what we can expect. (5/15 update: It is being reported that Hudson and Parker will serve as mentors to Rachel and Kurt, respectively, in NYC.) (Click here for more…)

Tis the season when the TV season comes to a close and the press goes wild with speculation about which shows will be coming back next fall and which ones will be brutally murdered never to be seen again. If you’re looking for rampant speculation you won’t find it here; this post will inform you about the already determined futures of your favorite TV shows that air on the big four networks. As the Upfronts loom ahead (the time when the networks reveal their schedules for next season), the current slate of TV shows look fate in the eye and a decision is made to keep them or cut them.

Unless otherwise stated, the following shows have been renewed for full 20-something episode seasons and will return in the fall or midseason.

CBS

Renewed: 2 Broke Girls, Blue Bloods, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: NY, Criminal Minds, Hawaii Five-0, How I Met Your Mother, Mike & Molly, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, Person of Interest, Rules of Engagement (13 episodes), Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, The Mentalist, Two and a Half Men

Cancelled: A Gifted Man, CSI: Miami, How To Be A Gentleman, NYC 22 Rob, Unforgettable

NBC

Renewed: 30 Rock (13 episodes), Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, Celebrity Apprentice, Community (13 episodes), Grimm, Fashion Star, Law & Order: SVU, Parenthood, Parks and Recreation, Rock Center with Brian Williams, Smash (15-18 episodes), The Biggest Loser, The Office, The Voice, Up All Night, Whitney

Cancelled: Are You There, Chelsea?, Awake, Bent, Best Friends Forever, Chuck, Fear Factor, Free Agents, Harry’s Law, Playboy Club, Prime Suspect, The Firm

FOX

Renewed: American Dad, American Idol, Bob’s Burgers, Bones, Family Guy, Fringe (13 episodes), Glee, Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, New Girl, Raising Hope, The Cleveland Show, The Simpsons, The X Factor, Touch

Cancelled: Alcatraz, Allen Gregory, Breaking In, House, I Hate My Teenage Daughter, Napoleon Dynamite, Terra Nova, The Finder

ABC

Renewed: America’s Funniest Home Videos, Body of Proof, Castle, Cougar Town (moving to TBS), Dancing with the Stars, Don’t Trust The B in Apartment 23, Grey’s Anatomy, Happy Endings, Last Man Standing, Modern Family, Once Upon A Time, Private Practice (13 episodes), Revenge, Scandal, Shark Tank, Suburgatory, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, The Middle

Cancelled: Charlie’s Angels, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, GCB, Man Up!, Missing, Pan Am, The River, Work It

The CW

Renewed: 90210, America’s Next Top Model, Gossip Girl, Hart of Dixie, Nikita, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries

Cancelled: H8R, One Tree Hill, Remodeled, Ringer, The Secret Circle

If you thought part one of the two part Fringe season 4 finale was spectacular, just wait. After watching this movie-like trailer for “Brave New World: Part Two” you will surely see what I mean. (Spoiler!) Leonard Nimoy’s William Bell is back and he’s off his rocker. Will the Fringe team–including Bell’s former parter Walter Bishop (John Noble)–be able to stop him from collapsing the two universes so he can control a new one like a God? Ramp up anticipation for tonight’s epic season finale that airs at 9PM on FOX by watching this revealing clip. After the break you’ll find a bonus video featuring Nimoy and Noble discussing the new chapter that is about to unfold as we make our way to the final thirteen episodes of one the best sci-fi shows in history.

Jump after the break to view an excerpt from a recent interview with the Fringe showrunners. (Click here for more…)

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

After lengthy negotiations, the network (FOX) and the studio (Warner Bros. TV) have come to a decision that will make TV sci-fi junkies around the world explode in excitement: the low-rated but fan-acclaimed Fringe has been granted another season. FOX will air a shortened 13-episode fifth season, and it will mark the series’ last.

FOX president Kevin Reilly–a vocally staunch supporter of Fringe–released this brief statement: “Fringe is a remarkably creative series that has set the bar as one of television’s most imaginative dramas. Bringing it back for a final 13 allows us to provide the climactic conclusion that its passionate and loyal fans deserve. The amazing work the producers, writers and the incredibly talented cast and crew have delivered the last four seasons has literally been out of this world. Although the end is bittersweet, it’s going to be a very exciting final chapter.”

Co-creator and executive producer J.J. Abrams shared his thoughts on the renewal, too: “We are thrilled and beyond grateful that Fox – and our fans – have made the impossible possible: Fringe will continue into a fifth season that will allow the series to conclude in a wild and thrilling way. All of us at Bad Robot are forever indebted to our viewers and the amazingly supportive Fox network for allowing the adventures of Fringe Division to not only continue, but to resolve in a way that perfectly fits the show.”

And so did showrunners J.H. Wyman and Jeff Pinkner: “This pickup means the world (both of them) to us, because we love sharing these stories with our enthusiastic fans. On behalf of the cast and crew, we applaud our fans and Fox for allowing us to imagine the impossibilities together for so long. Season Five is going to be a conclusive thrill ride for all of us.”

Though an additional 13 episodes is significantly shorter than a typical 23 episode order, this deserved extension gives the creative team a larger canvas to paint a proper ending for the show. Instead of getting abruptly cancelled, Fringe will now have a chance to ease fans toward the light at the end of the tunnel. With rather dismal ratings (and the fact that the show “is los[ing] a lot of money” for FOX according to Reilly), Fringe fanatics can’t really ask for anything more than this.

Recently it was reported that Wyman and Pinkner imagined two separate endings for the current season; one would serve as a series finale, and the other a cliffhanger to lead into a now official fifth season. With the latter course being taken, what can we expect in season five? Under a week ago Josh Jackson hinted, “The door to the fifth season is opened in Episode 19. If you watch that, you’ll have an understanding of where they want to take the series.” As you should already know, “Letters of Transit” teleported Fringe Division to the year 2036, a time when The Observers have taken over our world. Will the final season mostly take place in this not-so-distant future? Clues are planted in the clip embedded above… next season we shall “witness Fringe Division’s final stand; and Peter hints that “everything we’ve been through has just been preparation for what we face here, now.” Also, notice that the art for “FRINGE: THE FINAL SEASON” is all blocky and metallic, just like it was in the alternate “future” title sequence in Episode 19.

Watch said Fringe season 5 announcement trailer the network whipped up, get your speculation on, and don’t forget… rejoice!

Fringe season 4 has finally made it to episode 19, and it promises to be an especially out-there and revealing tale. Showrunners J.H. Wyman and Jeff Pinkner have designated No. 19 to be a freaky affair; just look back to previous season efforts “The Road Not Taken,” “The Man From the Other Side,” and of course last season’s animated “Lysergic Acid Diethylamide.” This year “Letters of Transit” will transport viewers to the year 2036, a future where The Observers play a significant role in society. The episode’s logline reveals that 19 will feature a “game changing battle” between the bald-headed scientists from the distant future and our Fringe team. Guest starring in this episode are Austrian actress Georgina Haig and everyone’s favorite Scottish man from Lost–Desmond David Hume himself–Henry Ian Cusick.

What makes “Letters of Transit” especially exciting is that it will contain the seeds for a potential fifth season. “The door to the fifth season is opened in Episode 19,” Joshua Jackson (Peter Bishop) told TVLine. “If you watch that, you’ll have an understanding of where they want to take the series.”

In related news, the Fringe cast also spilled that they’ve shot multiple endings for the current season. One will be used if FOX renews the show for a fifth season, and the other will air if the network ultimately decides to declare the current season Fringe’s last. “The writers have given themselves a device by which we can tell a fifth season story without having to leave this season’s story open,” says Jackson. Add Lance Reddick (Phillip Broyles): “The way [season four] ends could function as a series finale, but there’s one storyline left open that could end up as a cliffhanger for the beginning of the fifth season…We’ll see what airs depending on what [FOX and WBTV] decide.”

As of this writing, FOX and Warner Bros. TV are in discussions about the fate of the show. The two options that are supposedly on the table are these: the network and the studio will either cancel Fringe and the show will wrap at the end of this season, or they’ll renew it for one more shortened 13 episode final season. John Noble (Walter Bishop) is keeping positive. “I hear warm and fuzzy things — but I’ve been hearing them all the time,” he said. “We just picked up [TV Guide Magazine's] fan award for Best Drama and so forth, and the fans have always been very supportive… [and] I know the Fox executives actually like Fringe very much. But they run a business. I think we’ll be back, but we’ll wait and see.” Noble is right; FOX execs, including president Kevin Reilly, are vocal supports of the sci-fi series. At this year’s winter TCAs, however, Reilly made it clear that Fringe is in danger due to budgetary and ratings concerns: “We lose a lot of money on the show. At that rating on that night it’s almost impossible for us to make money. We are not in the business of losing money, so we’re trying to figure out if there is a number at which we can continue with the series.” To echo Noble, we’ll have to wait and see. Everyone, cross your fingers. Tight.

With all that said, check out the freaky clue-ridden teasers for what looks to be a stand out episode 19. One teaser is embedded above, and three more are posted after the break. Also, peek in the gallery below to see some stills plucked from “Letters of Transit;” one of them includes a white-haired Nina (from the future?), and the others feature a concerned Walter. How will Lost’s Cusick factor into all of this? Tune in tonight (4/20, appropriate for Walter, yes?) at 9PM on FOX.

After five weeks of being on the air, FOX is pulling the Christian Slater comedy Breaking In from their schedule. New Girl repeats will fill in the Tuesday night at 9PM time slot through May. FOX says that the remaining eight episodes of Breaking In will air “at a later date,” likely this summer.

So what happened? Poor ratings, obviously. After being cancelled last year, FOX decided to resurrect Breaking In and use it as a midseason player and squeeze it with their other quirky Tuesday night comedies New Girl and Raising Hope. The show’s most recent airing attracted a meager 2.6 million viewers and scored a low 1.3 rating in the coveted 18-49 adult demo. Simply put, the newfound workplace comedy didn’t spark interest and couldn’t hold onto the audiences who watch the two comedies that precede it on the night.

Having been a fan from the first season, I must admit that the revamp the show went under (namely, going from a break-in-of-the-week to a more typical workplace comedy) hurt the show creatively. Switching formats was risky and in the end didn’t help the show find the spark it desperately needed to flourish in the ratings. Though season one was a sleeper, it did strike a chord due to the fun and wacky dynamics of the characters, three of which departed the show for season two (Odette Annable’s hottie Melanie, Michael Rosenbaum’s douchey Dutch, and Trevor Moore’s master of disguise Josh). The addition of Megan Mullally and British hottie Erin Richards added a nice kick to the Contra Club, but ultimately their roles in the show diminished the influence so effortlessly executed by the hilarious Christian Slater. His character Oz dominated the first season. Once Mullally entered the picture and took over as Contra boss, Oz’s mystery and intrigue rapidly dissipated and he just became “one of the guys.”

And so in the end, even though the ratings decline might not have been affected by it, I believe that it was a poor decision to drastically change the dynamic of the show. The antics of Breaking In will be missed. As the old saying goes, we’ll always have season one.

Great news comes your way today from our friends at FOX. Tuesday night comedies Glee, New Girl, and Raising Hope have been renewed for a fourth, second, and third season, respectively.

Fox president Kevin Reilly: “Over the past season, New Girl has become the hottest new appointment series for young adults; Raising Hope has established itself as one of the smartest and most unique offbeat comedies on television; and Glee has continued its success as a genre-defying, global cultural phenomenon. All three of these comedies add a fresh and distinctive flavor to our Tuesday nights, and I’m really happy to bring them back to our air next season.”

Bringing back Glee is a no-brainer, New Girl started off hot continues to buzz, and Raising Hope has found its groove. These shows join the previously renewed Bones and will find a spot on FOX’s schedule next season. Still no news on whether or not the network plans to bring back the funny but ratings-downer Breaking In.

Celebrate the good news with Fat Schmidt & Rihanna after the break!! (Click here for more…)

Fringe returns from its winter hiatus tonight, and to celebrate I highly recommend you watch this brilliant compilation of Walter Bishop’s best one-liners now known as “Walterisms.” John Noble is arguably the best part of the sci-fi cult series due to his impressive range of skills; he can play the neurotic, lovable Walter as well as the conniving Walternate. With so many alternate universes and timelines involved, Noble manages to swiftly play very different versions of Walter without faltering a single beat. What has stayed true to the show all this time, though, has been the quirky Walterisms that help sprinkle some lighthearted laughs in a show that is intrinsically foreboding and morbid. Watch  as Walter runs his mouth covering a wide gamut of topics including urine, drugs, and of course, food.

While you’re here, I’ll remind you tonight’s episode of Fringe is the first of eight episodes that will run uninterrupted leading to the season four finale that’s scheduled to air May 11. It is called “A Short Story About Love” and it’s a special one because it marks the directorial debut of Fringe‘s co-showrunner J.H. Wyman. In February Wyman set it up like this: “It’s an episode that’s really close to me. It’s about love and all the great things that we talk about on Fringe. To us, it’s the perfect version of what a Fringe [episode] is because it has a great, terrifying element to it that is very Fringe-y. At the same time it has this incredible love story aspect with things that people are going to be very excited for, we believe, as far as the relationships on the show.” Jump after the break to watch a one minute teaser video titled “Love Hurts.”

Fringe airs Friday nights at 9PM on FOX. Tune in and tell your friends; renewal time is coming up and this is one show that wholeheartedly deserves to see at least another season so as to satisfy fans who’ve stuck with it from the start. #WhereYouBelong (Click here for more…)