What's On: On the Fringe

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Black Wednesday taught us two important lessons: Just because you starred in Frasier does not mean you can sneak past the network reaper with a laugh-track sitcom that does not deserve laughter, real or canned, and never take your favorite sci-fi Fox program for granted. Following that second tenet, let's savor Fringe while the network holds its place in the Thursday night line-up. J.J. Abrams might be optimistic, the network might be vocally supportive and (from what we saw Sunday) star Joshua Jackson seems in good spirits, but that does not mean that Fox's dark horse will clear its second season.

Fringe [9 PM, Fox]

When a New York kidnapping escalates into a hostage situation, the Fringe division steps in and uncovers a mystery force with surprising consequences. As the threat worsens, the Fringe uncovers a connection between the case and the Massive Dynamic. Cross your fingers that Fox spares Fringe until it ratings can catch up to those DVR numbers.

Colbert Report [11:30 PM, Comedy Central]

Stephen Colbert does not host celebrity guests as frequently as his late night rivals, which makes the odd movie star's appearance a rare treat. Tonight, the egotistical Colbert Nation leader welcomes Woody Harrelson, who is promoting 2012 and The Messenger, to get a word in edgewise. If you missed last night's South Park follow-up to last week's freewheeling use of certain gay slurs, catch the repeat at 10:30 PM, in which Cartman takes Glenn Beck-esque aim at student-body president, Wendy Testaburger.

Project Runway [10 PM, Lifetime]

The first part of the Season 6 finale airs tonight with its three remaining contestants, Althea Harper, Irina Shabayeva and Carol Hannah Whitfield readying their collections for New York Fashion Week. As Tim Gunn keeps the ladies in line, let's hope that we get a glimpse of each woman's personal life. Tomorrow, relive the events with Movieline's Runway authority, Louis Virtel.

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The Country Girl [12 AM, TCM]

Over fifty years before Taylor Swift wronged Beyonce -- and America -- by taking home MTV's VMA Award for Best Video of the Year, there was a much more dramatic award upset that ended in the hospital. NBC was so certain that A Star Is Born's lead Judy Garland would win the 1955 Best Actress Oscar that they staged a camera crew in the hospital room where the singer/actress was recovering from her son's birth. Anticipating the win, the camera crew and Garland were ready for a live acceptance speech when Grace Kelly, who starred as a very un-princess-like alcoholic in The Country Girl, was announced the winner. Groucho Marx later consoled Garland with a telegram saying the loss was "the biggest robbery since Brinks."



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