Does Fringe Fudge?

“Plenty of real scientists have been inspired by watching science fiction as kids. I really don’t want to meet the kid who dreams of growing up like Walter.”

Author and physics professor, Sidney Perkowitz joined Michael Bell, Associate Director of the Center for Disease Control in speaking out against the picture Fringe paints of science and scientists. It’s all part of an article in USA Today that tosses around the issue of how much science should be in sci fi.

Abrams is quoted, defending Fringe, saying the series is meant to entertain not educate and I’m on his side. For me, the question isn’t, ‘how real’ is the science, but ‘how much can you make me believe?’  If I come away from an episode thinking that everything I saw could have happened, then Fringe has done its job.

I also found it particularly funny that the experts quoted said they feared people would panic when they saw scenes such as the airplane full of gooey people.  To reassure the public, Bell had this to say, “The poisons they should fear are usually under their sinks in cleaners, not spooky insane diseases.”

Oh well, then — THAT makes me feel a whole lot better.

Do sci fi shows like Fringe have an obligation to present the science fact along with the fiction?  We’d love to know what you think.

Photo courtesy of Fox