Mr. Flix

Just saw that the entire series is on Netflix. Is it worth the time investment to watch the whole thing? I've never seen any eps, so I'm wondering if it's good.

DJariya

One of the most underrated science fiction shows that aired on network TV. Absolutely watch it.

Moopher

100% yes. Make sure to stick through the first half of season one, which can be a little rocky at times. But even in the end, the payoff of is there for every element of the show. Easily one of the best shows of all time.

Cellar Door

Highly recommended! It starts off like an updated version of X-Files, but by the end of season 2 it definitely strikes out on its own path. And unlike X-Files, there is much better resolution to the long story arcs.

Michael Corvin

I'd say its only the first 6 or so episodes that are rocky(Peter is written as an insufferable douchebag but that eases up as the season progresses), but the entire first season comes off as X-Files 2.0. That's not a bad thing though. Once you hit the first season finale you'll know it's going to forge an entire different path.

movieking

Just finished it in the last couple of weeks after going through it on DVDs & Netflix. Great series, but the last season was a huge disappointment. I know that they didn't know if they would be back for a 5th season, but that season was a big drop in terms of quality, IMO. But the series deserves a watch.

DeputyDave

I was watching the series on Netflix and got kind of burned out about half way through season 4. I intend to pick it up again but was going to wait until Netflix gets season 5 so I can finish it up. I don't want to be left hanging.

dan30oly

no
no
no

cleaver

I say start at ep 10, it's great after that

actionjackson29

I blew through it pretty quickly this summer. I still think X-Files did monster of the week better but Fringe was better with mythology. I was disappointed with certain aspects of seasons 4 and 5 but enjoyed the show thoroughly.

Goldberg74

Yup. Worth it!

Moopher

You could do this...but there is some payoff in the last season for a lot of the season one episodes.

I didn't start watching the show live until season three was almost over, but I don't see the drop in quality in season four or five that some are saying. I felt like my jaw dropped almost every episode when connections were made or the plot advanced.

To me, Fringe was successful at everything Lost failed miserably at.

malichai

The first half of the first season wasn't very good, but once they started serializing the show it got really good.

PhantomStranger

I'd almost recommend skipping season one if you're impatient. The network obviously had a very different show in mind before they let the writers completely retool it in season two.

DJariya

Even though the 1st half of season 1 was more procedural cases of the week, you see how the show progresses and then towards the end of season 1 it develops it's serialized mythology. The cliffhanger ending with:



is very important to the mythology.

Gunde

Dropping any season or even multiple episodes of a show is simple a silly advice. Let him form his own opinion.

Lastdaysofrain

It's amazing, rock solid and the best sci fi show of the last two decades. The first half of season one is slow, but good and has a HUGE pay off to the mythology. I was a big X-Files fan, but I think Fringe outdid it every way.

B.A.

Does a bear shit in the woods?

Tracer Bullet

Eh. When it's not trying to be a more convoluted Lost, it's a more convoluted X-Files.

Timber

Hmmm, I didn't think it was convoluted at all. I guess if you didn't watch every episode or came in late or whatever it would be hard but as someone that watched since day one everything made sense to me. Sure if I tried to draw a graph of timelines and universes it would look like a mess but it all made sense in the context of the show IMO.

Tracer Bullet

I watched Fringe from episode 1 straight through. When I say it's convoluted, I don't mean hard to follow--I mean it's convoluted. Plot twists for no real reason, things stretched out, character motivations change all the time... it's a perfect example of style over substance.

PhantomStranger

Fringe's narrative does become overly convoluted in its third and fourth seasons, though for many that is part of the charm. Fringe attempted very ambitious story arcs and pulled them off, for the most part.

davidh777

Watched the first season on DVD and the rest on broadcast. I'd say it was convoluted and confusing but at times awesome. I myself always start from the beginning of a series, which is partly why I still haven't finished Babylon 5.

flansered

I have to disagree with this. I thought that the fifth season was a case where the writers knew it was the last season, and so they just ran wild with a lot of the wilder ideas and theories that the show had. The huge leap from where the show started (as an X-Files clone) and where it ended was amazing, especially since most shows are afraid to make the slightest changes to their status quo. And while there are episodes that aren't that great during the last season (like The Recordist), episodes like Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There are incredible and tell stories that couldn't be told by other shows.

Raul3

Yep, one of the best shows of the last decade.

The good and bad thing is that they changed writers almost every season! But they had some the best writers that are now in TV, and movies, so sometimes feels like an anthology.

I need to revisit this show in the future.