Fringe

Engaging and unconventional, Fringe is a sci-fi TV series that initially traveled down the trail blazed by The X-Files, but soon found its own path. The first television show to prominently feature co-creator and executive producer J.J. Abrams's name after he unveiled Lost, Fringe aired to high expectations, and, while those may not have been completely met in the first few episodes, the series hit its stride later in the season, fueled by an inventive mix of science, strangeness, and suspense. The key to Fringe being more than just another show exploring the paranormal is the triangle of phenomenal lead characters—graceful-yet-haunted FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), roguish ne'er-do-well Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson), and his estranged father, brilliant scientist and former mental patient Walter Bishop (John Noble). Brought to life by the show's remarkably well-cast actors and excellent stable of writers (including Abrams and Oscar-winning scribe Akiva Goldsman), Olivia, Peter, and Walter investigate killer viruses, lethal manmade creatures, and much, much more. Most intriguingly, however, amidst the tension and mystery, Fringe exhibits real emotion and even welcome doses of humor (often courtesy of Walter's bizarre non sequiturs), resulting in a fascinating fusion that makes for one for the best shows on television.