This review contains MINOR SPOILERS for the two-part opening episode of the Fox series, "Fringe." Imagine a world where "The X-Files," "Alias" and "Lost" collide with the present day and you have “Fringe” ... the latest series put together by J.J. Abrams and his long-time partners Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. Opening with a “Lost”-style incident onboard an aircraft, the pilot episode features a few scenes far more gruesome than most of the shows you find on television these days and carried with it a touch of "The X-Files" menace along with the Triumvirate's trademark intrigue. Passengers literally crystallizing and decomposing in the aisles, spewing vomit, blood and who knows what else are instant attention- grabbers and very firmly establishes the scale the series will be working on. In much the same vein, Michael Giachinno’s opening score with hints of teleportation, re-animation, transmogrification and other weird occurrences of nature also introduces some of the core concepts that will make up the show. The heavy use of the piano during the title sequence also adds a touch of class and sophistication to the program, which is something of an odd contrast given the outlandish nature of some of the ideals being explored. Ignoring the premise and the pure genius of the show runners for a second, “Fringe” is made up of such wonderful casting and is incredibly well executed. The essentially unknown Anna Torv (Olivia Dunham) is at the forefront of this and in many respects is not too dissimilar from Jennifer Garner when she made her “Alias” debut. All of the characters are fleshed out from the get-go, are all very three-dimensional and come with the same level of backstory, baggage and quirks you would expect from this writing trio. There is even a twist at the end that, although could have had a much larger impact had it occurred a few weeks down the line, does build a larger conspiracy in a very “Alias” way. Unfortunately though, the pilot episode does display more than a few inconsistencies in texture, tone and plotting. Throwaway lines, ridiculous experiments and a ludicrously easy prison break bog down what is an otherwise good start for a series. "Fringe" definitely has all the makings of another Abrams great ... but only if it can come to grips with the reality of its own existence. What Worked Surprisingly, the almost “Heroes”-like floating text during establishing shots works very well and allows for a more interesting and stylish choreography, Giachinno’s score is as always an assortment of blissful harmonies and blood-pumping beats, and psychotic scientists that piss themselves all build up a fascinating dynamic. Equally astonishingly, Joshua Jackson -- an actor known for the role of Pacey in the deliriously un-ambitious “Dawson’s Creek” -- manages not only to hold his own in a show made up of other heavy-hitting actors, but he becomes a cornerstone in pushing forward the mystifying tone of the series. Stories of an FBI file may have been false, however there is something enigmatic about his character Interspersed throughout the episode are some gut-busting one-liners you would normally expect to find in a Joss Whedon production. “Is that a cow?” and “strip to your underwear ... hello” are among a few of the better examples. Supporting the oddly placed humor is the sheer surrealist nature of what is going on backed by real science ... and that is before the main characters begin taking LCD. What Didn’t Work Despite the brilliance of some parts of the opening episode, “Fringe” struggles to maintain a balance between the intense drama aspects and the comedic scenes, which does cause a few problems in establishing its credibility. The Bishops (Joshua Jackson and John Noble), Astrid (Jasika Nicole) and a cow-watching “Spongebob Squarepants” isn’t exactly the knock-out one-liner it was most likely envisioned as. Similarly, the ease with which Peter Bishop is able to sign his father -- a mentally unstable criminal who was only institutionalized because he was unfit to stand trial for manslaughter â€- was slightly disappointing especially given the realistic launch. Not only that though, there was also the question of how after so many years of solitude Walter is able to slip back into his former life and once again become lucid, approachable and the scientist he once was. Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due "Fringe" stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, Lance Reddrick and John Noble. The Pilot episode was written by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, and was directed by Alex Graves. Alan Stanley Blair is the assistant news editor for SyFy Portal and its sister site Rabid Doll. Contributing from his home country of Scotland, he can be reached at ablair@syfyportal.com. Express yourself and be part of the news! Leave a comment below or join our rabid discussions on the SyBoards.