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FRINGE: Executive Producer Jeff Pinkner Leaves Series

In what is a fairly shocking development as the show enters its final season, executive producer Jeff Pinkner, who has been with the show from the beginning, is leaving Fox's Fringe, leaving J.H. Wyman as sole runner.

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By EdGross - 6/21/2012
Says TV Guide, "Sources tell us it was Pinkner's decision to exit the series in order to pursue other projects and that it was an amicable split. Pinkner will not retain his executive producer credit and Wyman will be the sole showrunner for the final season."

Executive producer/co-creator JJ Abrams issued the following statement: "We're so excited to begin work on a fifth season of Fringe and to be able to deliver the 13 final episodes to our passionate and devoted fans. For four years, J.H. Wyman and Jeff Pinkner have worked tirelessly as a team to keep all the worlds in order on Fringe. We're thankful for the invaluable contributions Jeff has made to the show and of course wish him well and look forward to working together in the future. J.H. Wyman's importance to Fringe cannot be overstated, however, and I'm thrilled that he will continue as showrunner for the concluding chapters of our story. We can't wait for our fans to see what we have in store for them in the wild conclusion of Fringe."
Source: TV Guide
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9 Comments
PreparationH - 6/21/2012, 8:58 PM
Old
Ranger14 - 6/21/2012, 9:29 PM
Losing the director would be more of a big deal.
GUNSMITH - 6/21/2012, 9:31 PM
I DONT WANT IT TO END
tazmaniak - 6/21/2012, 9:34 PM
@Ranger14, this is a TV show, not a movie. TV shows have multiple directors per season who have almost no input in the show's content. An executive producer is in charge of all creative aspects of a show. It's a very big deal losing him/her.

It's interesting that he jumped ship. I understand wanting to do other things, but this is the final season and only 13 episodes. He couldn't have held out until the end?
Ceejay - 6/21/2012, 9:46 PM
@tazmaniak - You're absolutely right. But I think only giving the final season 13 episodes may have had something to do with his decision. He may have left to secure his place on a freshman series with a full season order.
Ranger14 - 6/21/2012, 10:40 PM
It depends on the show. A television executive producer is typically in charge of the marketing and quality control aspects of a show and not the creativity aspect, at least from a "hands-on" creative aspect. Just making sure the overall process meets the creative guidelines they are given. In the case of Fringe and some other shows the Executive Director may take on additional roles, such as the writing and creative aspects, but it isn't within a typical job description for an EP within the industry. Pinkner was a co-director and writer along with being an Executive Producer, so he did share roles. I didn't realize he was writing and directing as well. My bad, I haven't followed Fringe the last couple seasons. Yes, it could be considered a loss in this case.
tazmaniak - 6/22/2012, 12:45 AM
@Ranger14, you're correct that some executive producers aren't directly involved in creative aspects of a show. Jerry Bruckheimer would be an example. But Pinkner was also co-showrunner, as the article states.

I don't watch Fringe, at all, but I've got to imagine the show will probably be slightly different when it returns. Pinkner was the lone showrunner for the first season and was joined by Wyman in the second. The first season was completely Pinkner's vision and season 2 onward was a combination of the 2. The entire series is based on those guys collective ideas. How much will it change if one of those guys is gone? I mean, what concepts were Pinkner's and what concepts were Wyman's? And just like Joss Whedon did with his shows, both Pinkner and Wyman co-wrote every season premiere and finale, which are the most pivotal episodes of the series. So his stamp is all over the series.

I'm going to catch up on the show this summer, so I'm curious to see how the series will be affected.

I wonder what he up to next? He's worked exclusively on J.J. Abrams shows since 2001 and the only new show Abrams has is Revolution. Eric Kripke is already the showrunner, so maybe he'll come on as a producer.
nucleargroundhog - 6/22/2012, 9:42 AM
Darn... but at at least he left this close to the end rather than earlier on.

The final episodes are probably planned out already.
OrsonRandall - 6/22/2012, 10:31 AM
I'll miss Walter.

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