‘Fringe’ Continues Fueling Rumors of Season 5 Renewal

It can't ever be easy, can it?  When a show is thought to be on the bubble, networks rarely rush to make any kind of decision over the show's fate, and 'Fringe' is no exception given how long its status has remained in doubt.  But with FOX's May Upfronts coming, how close is the announcement for a fifth, likely final season?

Last week 'Fringe' executive producer J.H. Wyman seemed to think that FOX's announcement of the sci-fi show's fate would come any day, though that timeframe seems to have come and gone, however optimistic he and the crew remain.  According to a new report from TVWise however, a deal for a final 13-episode order seems likely, but the uncertainty remains as to when FOX will actually announce its decision.  Says the report:

I’m told that one issue that has been resolved is the length of this fifth and final season; with WB initially pushing for a full season of 22 episodes, while Fox expressed that they would be more comfortable with a “limited episode order” of 7 – 13 episodes, which would get the show close to or past the 100 episode mark required for syndication. Another issue that has been widely reported on is Fox’s licensing fee for the series. I’m told that WB has offered Fox “a substantially lower” fee for the fifth season. As such, insiders tell me that they expect Fox to announce the renewal of Fringe for a fifth and final season of 13 episodes in the coming weeks.

Indeed, the most attractive prospect for a fifth season of 'Fringe' remains that additional episodes would push the series past 100 episodes, making it ripe for a syndication deal that would see 'Fringe' episode air in repeat on another network (any guesses on TNT, anybody?).  All signs continue pointing to yes, but negotiations falling through would hardly be surprising.  After all, it was a miracle that 'Fringe' received a full season 4 order in the first place, and ratings certainly haven't improved by much.

Where do you stand? Is a fifth season of 'Fringe' in the cards, or are we likely to see the last of Peter Bishop & co. in the next few weeks? Tell us which side you're on in the comments!