4 Things You Need to Remember About Fringe

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Considering Fringe has been off the air for nearly two months, you'd be forgiven if you didn't remember who the characters were, let alone the show's the labyrinthine plot. Not to worry though: the series comes back tonight to finish up its choppy second season. And since it has already been picked up for a third, you can watch with full confidence knowing that whatever cliffhangers get thrown out in the final episodes will be addressed next fall. After the jump, check out the four things you need to remember about Fringe before watching tonight.

Peter isn't actually Peter. Well, sorta.

Psh, and you thought Lost was original alternate universe show? Fringe has been doing that whole thing since last year! As the story goes: after his son Peter drowned, mad scientist Walter Bishop (John Noble) took another version of his son from the alternate universe. So that dude who looks like Joshua Jackson, isn't actually the real Peter. If your nose just started bleeding, you're not alone.

John Noble is really good.

The most under-rated actor on television? Try John Noble. The veteran Australian actor still struggles with his American accent, but he also infuses crazypants Walter with enough pathos and gravitas that you don't cringe too much when he makes a fart joke.

The Observers love pepper and confusion

To quote Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: who are these guys? The grey-suited, pepper-loving bald men known as "The Observers" have appeared in the background of almost every episode (and have even been used by Fox as a marketing device), but thus far they remain a mystery. Are they from the future? The past? Related to Daniel Benzali? Inquiring minds want to know!

Mulder and Scully, where are you?

If Fringe hopes to become The X-Files 2.0, then perhaps the producers should think of some casting changes. The "winter finale" set up the possibility of a relationship between Peter (Jackson) and his FBI agent handler, Olivia (Anna Torv). That's fine—sexual tension and relationships are de rigueur on this type of series—but since Jackson and Torv tiptoe around each other like strangers, it feels destined to fail.

Fringe returns tonight at 9 p.m. on Fox.



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