The few yet extremely loyal fans of J.J. Abrams’ Fringe have spent the better part of Season 4 anxiously awaiting the show’s fate. Then finally, just a few days ago, Fox chief Kevin Reilly shared the news that Fringe had been granted an additional – and final – 13 episodes, cementing the return of Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv and John Noble for a proper and well-deserved series finale.
Last night’s Fringe episode was the first since the renewal and, as might have been expected, the ratings inched up a little as fans celebrated the promise to reach 100 episodes and send the show into syndication. ‘World’s Apart’ attracted 3.1 million viewers, up around 100,000 from the fourth season average. A little more impressive is the 1.1 rating it managed in the 18-49 demo. The previous episode came in at a 0.9, around the level it’s been hovering since returning from its winter hiatus.
Elsewhere on Friday, NBC’s Grimm came in with 4.5 million viewers and a 1.4 in 18-49, on par with its previous weeks. The other supernatural Friday night entry, CW’s Supernatural, struck up a 1.5 and 0.6.
Next week’s Fringe episode, Brave New World, is the first part of a two-part season finale. I would expect Fringe to either hold steady in the ratings or even inch up again as Season 4 comes to a close.
