J.J. Abrams Hopeful That ‘Lost’ Fans Will Turn To ‘Fringe’

by Matt Webb Mitovich
Jun 4th, 2010 11:33 AM
How in Jacob’s name are ‘Lost‘ fans expected to sate their appetite for twisty, supernatural-tinged tales populated by compellingly flawed characters, now that ABC’s island-based saga has bid the pop culture-verse adieu?

Fancast took that dilemma to ‘Lost’ creator J.J. Abrams himself, and suggested that Fox’s ‘Fringe’ – which was also born of his übercreative mind – is worthy of filling the aforementioned void.

“It’s very kind of you to say that,” Abrams responded. However, he is reluctant to draw comparisons between the two shows.

“Look, ‘Lost’ is very much its own thing,” Abrams explained. “[Executive producers] Damon [Lindelof] and Carlton [Cuse] and Jack Bender, the whole team did an amazing job to make that show what it’s become. ‘Fringe’ is a very different thing. I hope it has meaning to people and continues to grow, but I would never compare the two.”

More and more, ‘Fox’s ‘Fringe’ is in fact finding meaning for people and is growing creatively. This past season the series found its voice as it shared a provocative peek inside the alternate universe from which Walter (played by Emmy-worthy John Noble) years ago plucked Peter (Joshua Jackson). As Season 2 drew to a close, Peter fled “home” to that other world, while in the season finale someone close to him got trapped there.

On a weekly basis, meanwhile, ‘Fringe’ offers up its titular weird sciences, perplexing puzzles, otherwordly jaw-droppers and even hints of romance between Peter and one Olivia (Anna Torv) or another.

Returning to our original pitch, Abrams says, “People who are looking for a show that has mystery and mythology and asks interesting questions and freaks you out every week, hopefully they’ll go to ‘Fringe.’ And when they want to just have a good, fun, sexy time, they’ll go to ‘Undercovers.’”

‘Undercovers,’ of course, is but Abrams’ latest creation, a drama involving married and preternaturally attractive spies (played by Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw). It will air Wednesdays at 8/7c, starting this fall.

What do you think Losties? (Fringies?) Are Walter, Peter and Olivia ready to grab the baton from Locke, Jack and Kate?
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