After 17 Years, Fans Still Call This 90%-Rated Show the Best Multiverse Sci-Fi Project Ever

J.J. Abrams, known to us from the series Lost, proved in 2008 that he is not an advocate of genre purity, and that at some point the plot can bend and find itself in another, unexpected dimension (literally).

And Abrams' show Fringe leads in the number of genre bends. At first, the narrative is reminiscent of The X-Files, then it mutates into a spy thriller, and then it drifts into a family drama.

Fringe Is Still One of the Best TV Series about Parallel Universes

At first, many viewers perceived Fringe as a not very elegant clone of The X-Files: the same mystical events, the same investigations by a group of not very normal scientists and detectives, the same atmosphere of a global world conspiracy.

However, very soon Fringe found its niche in which it proved to be more original – the concept of parallel universes. This is not a new topic in the sci-fi genre, and Fringe had many followers, but not everyone was able to create such a complex and fascinating world.

This is confirmed by fans who, even after almost two decades, believe that few projects have handled the concept of parallel universes better than Fringe. Redditor eliota1 wrote:

“Loved the show. Horror at its best and sci-fi. Fringe did time travel and the multiverse better than anyone at the time.”

The show went through different periods, but it managed to stay on the dangerous edge, maintaining the plausibility of the events shown on screen.

What Is Fringe About?

Olivia Dunham, a young FBI agent, is forced to work with a team of scientists to investigate unexplained phenomena.

Among the employees of this secret department of national security are: Dr. Walter Bishop – a mix of Einstein and Frankenstein, his son with an IQ of about 200 who never finished school, and Nina Sharp, who worked for a secret organization for 16 years.

Homeland Security agent Phillip Broyles is in charge of the division that investigates paranormal phenomena.

Fringe Is Not Only an Intricate Sci-Fi Show, but Also a Heartfelt Drama

In the early 21st century, shows with hyper-complex mythologies became fashionable, and Fringe was one of the most intricate examples.

You had to be a real fan not to get lost in the travel between universes, world bifurcations, mind-bending conspiracies, aliens from the future, and other fantastic storylines.

But whenever the show threatened to drown in the number and complexity of its plots, it was rescued by brilliant actors – most notably John Noble as Dr. Bishop, a brilliant mad scientist.

And looking back on Fringe now, it is clear that the show is good not for the layers of conspiracy, but for the heartfelt family relationships between Dr. Bishop, his son, and their FBI colleagues.