With the proliferation of streaming services now available at the click of a button or the touch of an app, countless movies and TV shows that once aired on terrestrial television are now being reintroduced to new audiences. On Pluto TV, I discovered one of my favorite series from the early 2000s—Fringe. This series had everything I loved in storytelling—science fiction, worldbuilding, “fringe” science, and fantasy—combined with a procedural drama centered around a specialized division of the FBI. But it wasn’t just the unique blend of genres; it was the characters who inhabited this world that gave the series a sense of grounded realism.

Starring the talented Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Jasika Nicole, Lance Reddick, and Blair Brown, watching the 100 episodes of this five-season show on a daily basis revealed far more than during its weekly original run. Fringe was a very deep show, by which I mean there are countless details among the characters, stories, and props that you really want to remember for the entire series to make sense. While it was all there when it started broadcasting in 2008, it’s easy to forget the nuanced details from week to week. With Pluto TV now airing all the episodes, it has added new followers to this thoroughly unique show.

One thing I admired about Fringe was that, despite delving into so many fantastical stories and plot devices, it never strayed from its original mission—fringe science with an investigative element. While many episodes were traditional standalone stories, each one contributed to the overarching subplots that began in episode one and concluded in episode 100.

While so many TV series start out promising, how many times do we find ourselves at the end of a series run only to be let down by lazy writing or a creative team that differs so much from those who founded the original story that we wonder if they ever watched the early episodes? While I loved the reimagined Battlestar Galactica and The Man in the High Castle, their series finales were just flat. They were OK, but certainly forgettable. Fringe, on the other hand, had my heart racing all the way to the end. What made Fringe work was that just when you thought you had something figured out, the story would take a twist you never saw coming. It would be grand if Fringe were revisited as a movie or series. But if we never have the chance to see new stories around Olivia, Peter, and Walter, Fringe will remain a masterpiece of TV.

Speaking of storytelling with a few twists and turns, Serpentine: A Cold War on Ice was a finalist in the Cambridge Script Festival last week. It’s always exciting (and nerve-wracking!) to see an email from FilmFreeway that says “Judging Status has changed for Serpentine.” With four wins, along with several nominations and official selections, I couldn’t be more pleased with how this political thriller centered around the sport of figure skating is being received. 

Yesterday, the American Heritage Museum officially kicked off the season with its WWII Tank Demonstration Weekend. Featuring an M4A3 Sherman, M24 Chaffee, M36 Jackson, M3 Half-Track, and several other WWII-era vehicles, the museum’s events never disappoint. The Parade of Armor on the museum’s driving grounds gives spectators a close-up view of these powerful machines of war that helped end WWII. For additional events and to learn more about the American Heritage Museum, please visit this link.

Finally, I’m looking forward to visiting Washington, D.C., in a couple of weeks. Although I’ve been to the capital a few times for business, I haven’t had the chance to visit the many museums and monuments. My report to follow.