Fringe

10 Best Episodes of Fringe - Season 1

FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham, brilliant but formerly institutionalized scientist Walter Bishop and his scheming, reluctant son Peter uncover a deadly mystery involving a series of unbelievable events and realize they may be a part of a larger, more disturbing pattern that blurs the line between science fiction and technology.

Written by Sophie and last updated on feb 04, 2023.

PS: The following content contains spoilers!

PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!

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Fringe - S1E3

#15 - The Ghost Network (Season 1 - Episode 3)

The team investigates a bus full of dead commuters that appear to be fossilized and uncover a man who has visions of pattern-related disturbances before they happen; Dr. Bishop requests a piano in the lab to help him process data.

The episode was rated 7.87 from 1632 votes.

Fringe - S1E8

#14 - The Equation (Season 1 - Episode 8)

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Walter thinks the abduction of a young music prodigy is linked back to his old bunkmate at St. Claire's Hospital. When he kidnaps the child he see's a sequence of flashing lights. Olivia wants Walter to return to the mental institution much to Peter's outcry, but Walter's determination to help ends up having chilling ramifications.

The episode was rated 7.90 from 1341 votes.

Fringe - S1E18

#13 - Midnight (Season 1 - Episode 18)

The Fringe Division is on the case when severely mutilated bodies drained of spinal cord fluid begin to pile up. After their investigation leads them to a scientist (guest star Jefferson Mays) with possible ties to the Z.F.T. bioterrorist cell, they are shocked to discover the identity and motive of the killer. When the kills occur with increasing frequency, Olivia, Peter and Walter go to desperate lengths to stop them.

The episode was rated 7.92 from 1150 votes.

Fringe - S1E9

#12 - The Dreamscape (Season 1 - Episode 9)

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The team is called in to investigate why a man jumps out a window because he thinks he's being attacked by butterflies. Olivia gets some breaks in solving the case from her former partner and that she is so desperate to rid herself of him that she demands to go back into the tank. Meanwhile, some former friends and current foes of Peter find out that he's back in Boston.

The episode was rated 7.94 from 1296 votes.

Fringe - S1E13

#11 - The Transformation (Season 1 - Episode 13)

When the Fringe Division delves into another bizarre occurrence aboard an international jumbo jet, freakish remains are discovered at the crash site. Memories tip the team toward some promising leads, but the bigger picture and mysterious threat eludes them. With limited options and insufficient intelligence, Olivia and Peter go undercover.

The episode was rated 7.98 from 1215 votes.

Fringe - S1E7

#10 - In Which We Meet Mr. Jones (Season 1 - Episode 7)

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When a strange parasite attaches itself to the internal organs of a dying FBI agent, Olivia suspects a connection to the Pattern; Peter and Walter tap into a dead man's brain waves.

The episode was rated 7.98 from 1371 votes.

Fringe - S1E4

#9 - The Arrival (Season 1 - Episode 4)

Broyles calls in the team to investigate a deadly explosion and its source: a strange cylinder unharmed despite the destruction. Olivia determines that the same cylinder, or a similar one, is responsible for similar events in widely diverse locations.

The episode was rated 8.02 from 1551 votes.

Fringe - S1E11

#8 - Bound (Season 1 - Episode 11)

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Olivia's sister, Rachel (Ari Graynor), visits; Walter, Peter and Olivia try to solve the murder of an esteemed epidemiologist, which may be linked to Olivia's abduction.

The episode was rated 8.06 from 1274 votes.

Fringe - S1E10

#7 - Safe (Season 1 - Episode 10)

The team is called in on a bank robbery similar to other robberies in the area but this particular bank has the thief embedded inside the steel wall of the bank. Somehow the thieves have found a way to defy the law of physics. Walter thinks they're after something of his. As the investigation deepens it all comes to a head when the thieves ambush one of the team.

The episode was rated 8.07 from 1279 votes.

Fringe - S1E17

#6 - Bad Dreams (Season 1 - Episode 17)

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Olivia dreams about a suicide as the event really happens at Grand Central Station; shocking information about the Z.F.T. manuscript is revealed.

The episode was rated 8.08 from 1170 votes.

Fringe - S1E15

#5 - Inner Child (Season 1 - Episode 15)

Just seconds before a building is demolished, a mysterious mute child that has been living alone underground is discovered. When the FBI’s Fringe Division investigates, the boy forms an unspoken connection with Agent Olivia Dunham. Meanwhile, an especially gruesome serial killer resurfaces and showcases his “artistry” by displaying his work publicly. As the boy gradually assimilates into a new environment, Olivia and the team must race against the clock to prevent the mad man from causing further massacre.

The episode was rated 8.08 from 1182 votes.

Fringe - S1E1

#4 - Pilot (Season 1 - Episode 1)

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When all the passengers on a plane die, FBI agent Olivia Dunham investigates the events and her partner almost dies. A desperate Olivia looks for help from Dr. Walter Bishop who has been institutionalized. Olivia, Dr. Bishop and his son Peter begin to discover what really happened on Flight 627 and begin to uncover a larger truth.

The episode was rated 8.16 from 2313 votes.

Fringe - S1E14

#3 - Ability (Season 1 - Episode 14)

German agents question Olivia about her “relationship” with David Robert Jones, an escaped prisoner questioned months earlier now living in the U.S. The Fringe Division investigates a threatening case where victims die faceless from their orifices suddenly sealing.

The episode was rated 8.20 from 1224 votes.

Fringe - S1E19

#2 - The Road Not Taken (Season 1 - Episode 19)

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Olivia experiences "awake dreams," seeing elaborate visions of things not really there. While investigating a disturbing case of a woman who apparently spontaneously combusted, Olivia throws caution to the wind and explores her unexplained visions further. Meanwhile, Walter discusses key information about the Z.F.T. manifesto, and Peter reveals a secret that yields unexpected results in the case.

The episode was rated 8.21 from 1196 votes.

Fringe - S1E20

#1 - There's More Than One of Everything (Season 1 - Episode 20)

Setting the stage for the dramatic and revealing first season finale are a sudden and unexpected attack on someone with close ties to Fringe Division, the return of bioterrorist David Robert Jones and the inexplicable disappearance of Walter. Find out more about the mysterious events surrounding our trio when questions are answered, observations made, loyalties are tested and the elusive William Bell is finally introduced.

The episode was rated 8.45 from 1227 votes.

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