36 best science fiction TV series, ranked worst to first
By Shawn Lealos
Image: Fox
6. Fringe
It seems that when a science fiction TV series goes too hard in the realm of sci-fi, it tends to turn off mainstream audiences and ends up canceled. That could have happened to Fringe, one of the best hard sci-fi shows in television history.
Luckily, Fox supported this one even with lower ratings’ numbers — probably due to J.J. Abrams involvement in its creation.
Fringe starred Joshua Jackson (Dawson’s Creek), Ana Torv (Mindhunter) and John Noble (Sleepy Hollow) as members of the FBI’s Fringe Division. This is similar to The X-Files, except instead of hunting a monster of the week and aliens, this team uses fringe science to help solve unexplained cases.
It also deals with a parallel universe.
Imagine if the X-Files merged with Lost, but used hard science fiction rather than fantasy elements — you would be close to what fans received when Fringe was on the air. While the ratings never touched something like The X-Files, the cult following made this one of the most beloved sci-fi TV series in history.
When season 2 opened up the idea of the alternate universe, the show really started to fly and the rest of the series alternated between the worlds, with the heroes of our universe trying to avert disaster.
Fringe lasted for five seasons and 100 episodes and is one of the few science fiction TV series to tell its entire story — from start to conclusion.