Did FRINGE go too far with it's Season Finale?

Airlock Alpha ^ | 5/12/2009 | Michael Hinman

[America2012]

This story contains spoilers for the Season 1 finale of "Fringe."

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello called it "ballsy." Other fans expressed shock.

Anna Torv's character of Olivia Dunham finally gets to meet the mysterious William Bell in the season finale of Fox's "Fringe" Tuesday, only to find out that it's not only Leonard Nimoy, but that he's working out of the World Trade Center in New York City.

Granted, it's a New York City in an alternate universe. But with Sept. 11 terrorist attacks just eight years old, could it have been a little too soon for the viewing public to see the towers used in such a dramatic way?

We turned to Twitter, probably the best place to find instant reaction, to find out.

"That was a bold image for 'Fringe' to end on," said @ambienceofmedia. "Countdown to some demographic becoming incensed over it."

It's not clear if a specific demo was angry with the Twin Towers or not, but there were some fans in the Twitterscape that didn't like what they saw.

"Not sure how I feel about the WTC in the end of the show," said @scottiewithers. "Seems a little inappropriate. Understand the shock factor, but wrong."

@jonathanblair was thinking along the same lines. "WTC in the end shot of 'Fringe'? Hope that didn't offend any relatives of loved ones."

"Seeing the Twin Towers on [tonight's] 'Fringe' topped the creepy scale," said @sushuma.

"J.J. Abrams, enough with the 'Star Trek' plug in 'Fringe,'" said @mmmaiko. "But nice 9/11 denial."

However, there were many fans who felt the inclusion of the World Trade Center was a nice twist to the show. And let's not forget, "Fringe" wasn't the first show, even this season, to use the towers. The premiere of ABC's short-lived "Life On Mars" also featured the towers under construction after its lead character ends up in the 1970s.

"Caught the last few minutes of 'Fringe,'" said @charlesjurries. "The closing shot? Creepy, in such an unusual, creative and unsettling way."

"The finale to 'Fringe' was epic," said @nateb2. "Wow, wow, wow."

"I will give you props 'Fringe' writers for having the balls to end the season with that shot," @robschmit said.

[Constitution Day]

I see your point!

I guess I missed that detail, good thing I have it Tivoed!

[retrokitten]

I was dismayed to see that libtards still exist in the alternate reality and they still elected Odumbbutt.

Well maybe in the alternative reality, Obama is a hard-line conservative and that's why the terrorists destroyed the White House.

[commish]

Well maybe in the alternative reality, Obama is a hard-line conservative and that's why the terrorists destroyed the White House.

Hey, it is an alternate reality, anything is possible. Heck, Helen Thomas might even be a babe! Well, Ok, that is probably pushing the envelope too far. LOL!

[retrokitten]

Hey, it is an alternate reality, anything is possible. Heck, Helen Thomas might even be a babe

Now you're just talking crazy! ;-)

[Kakaze]

The whole ending made us sick, it made use think about another attack.

[Publius6961]

BUMP!
Gotta go see it again, glad I recorded it.

[Publius6961]

Agreed, though I admit not really getting into Fringe. It's just X-File's for the 00's. The downside of not watching Fringe is apparently missing out on Agent Dunham's nice rack(referencing to a comment in post 2). :-)

Funny, I never noticed that...

[America2012]

Here's some screencaps from last night;