‘Fringe’ season 5 spoilers: A series finale date and a reflection

“Fringe” has now set a new date for its series finale, and based on what the show’s co-creator in J.J. Abrams is already saying about the show’s run, you better get out your hankies now.

The last two episodes of the long-running Fox show are going to be airing outside of the February sweeps on Friday, January 18, but the network is still doing everything that they can to make sure that the show gets the proper send-off courtesy of a celebratory two-hour episode that also includes the show’s 100th installment, and it will all be leading up to the grand conclusion that will come as the fight for humanity’s future hits its breaking point.

Now, let’s go back to that statement from Abrams, who has to hope that this has a less polarizing conclusion than what we saw out of “Lost” a couple of years ago:

“It has been an absolute honor to have been a part of the weird and wonderful world of FRINGE. I will always owe the cast and crew for pouring their hearts and souls into every dimension of this series. Creating the show with Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman was a joy, but watching it evolve over the years into such an imaginative, insane and heartbreaking ride is nothing less than a thrill. I am grateful to our blessed fans, and to Kevin Reilly and Peter Rice and everyone at the glorious Fox network for allowing FRINGE to reach its bittersweet conclusion.”

Meanwhile, current showrunner J.H. Wyman added the following heartfelt message:

“Above all else, from the bottom of my heart, I would like to personally thank everyone involved with FRINGE. From the most amazing fans, to our incredible cast, writers and crew, and our wonderful partners at FOX and Warner Bros. – we would not be here without you. It simply cannot be overstated how grateful I am for the ongoing and unconditional support we have received over the past five seasons. It has been both mind-blowing and humbling. I’ve always been a fan of science fiction, and to be able to tell this story about a family – a family that, through everything, fought together for survival – has been a highlight of my career. As we approach the final chapter, I can hardly believe it, and I’m just truly thankful for this unparalleled experience.”

Do you think that January 18 is the appropriate end date for the show?