The TV Zone

Some news actually broke out at the "Fringe" sesh - you know "Fringe," the new J.J. Abrams show that's scored high on the buzz-o-meter and might actually get a pretty good number this fall (Me? I like it...) Jeff Pinkner, the show-runner, told the august press assemblage that Fox will actually give each episode fifty minutes to play out. Fifty minutes? As you know, even great shows, from "West Wing" to "Lost" to whatever, are stuck with just 44 (sometimes 43 and change.) If Shakespeare was writing for TV, HE'D have to jam "Lear" in 43 minutes. Honestly, I don't remember the last time a network actually displayed such generosity and I can only assume it's the 980-pound-gorilla on stage (J.J. Abrams) who told 'em, "50 minutes or nothing..." Now THAT's power. And speaking of the insanely busy Abrams, he told writers that the show - as reported centuries ago - will of course shoot in New York, but that doesn't mean the NY locale will be exploited (like, say, "L&O.") The show will be set in many different places (Boston is in the pilot, which was shot in Toronto.) JJ also intimated that "Fringe" will - like "Lost" - have an endpoint, so that the show will have "an ultimate direction." You know what this means: If "Fringe" is a big hit (and I think it probably will be a medium-size hit) then next press tour Pinkner or someone will say it's ending in three seasons...

(Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.com; shot of JJ at the '05 Emmys.)