The True Fringe of 17

Pretty much everyone I hear from seems to agree with me- Fringe started off weak, gathered steam over the season and ended breathtakingly strong. For some reason I thought it was supposed to be on Tuesdays, but Tuesday wasn't the 17th, innit?

BTW, I haven't seen the latest series of Torchwood, but was shocked by the ep I did see. Everyone tells me the first series was crap, but it was like Tony Blair's most feverishly Orwellian wish-dream come true. More on that probably in November.

I don't know what to make of the season finale of True Blood. Given the setting, the Dionysus storyline is an obvious satire of snakehandling-type histrionics, but I really don't want Michelle "Ensign Ro" Forbes off of this show. 

Interesting that Anna Paquin plays a variation on Rogue, given the chick-lit spin on the superheroic nature of these post-modern vampires. And seeing the former Mrs. Marilyn Manson as the Vampire Queen is just more referential casting in a show with lots of it already. You might have to futz a bit with this player- just keep hitting the play button until the ad comes up.

CLOWNSHOW UPDATE: Speaking of Fox and science fiction, Glenn Beck claimed there was 1.7 million people at his 9/12 rally. 

Speaking of the never-ending Clownshow, 17 Democrats did not support whatever resolution (either voting no or present) was passed on Rep. Joe Wilson. Two of which were Barney Frank (who's been teaming up with Ron Paul on issues like hemp farming and auditing the Fed) and Jim McDermott (who really stuck his neck out opposing the invasion of Iraq), as well as some other relatively-principled people. Maybe there's more than meets the eye here. Actually, bet on it.

  UPDATE III: Yes it can, Huffpost. 

UPDATE IV: Wow, Fringe was hitting the X-Files vibe HARD. A new Monica Reyes character, a Doggett-like backstory for Bishop, 'One Breath' type scenario for Olivia, shapeshifting bounty hunters and was that Ken Camroux as the Senator talking about the "X" designation? There've been rumors of a Scully/Mulder guest shot this season - I'd say the likelihood of that is very high. 

And for the freaky Secret Sun sync bonus-round- a very similar double-entendre to the Lost in Space joke from a few days back. Check out the full ep here, which will probably go Friday afternoon or thereabouts... 

UPDATE V: Another of those Secret Sun moments- Yahoo has a story up today on cash machines in London that speak Cockney. 

UPDATE VI: Andre at Alien Project points us to this: "Miami puts emphatic end to Tech hex, 33-17." That's U of Miami vs Georgia Tech (itself on 33rd parallel). Interesting wording, no?