May 15 2008I Just Solved the J.J. Abrams' 'Fringe' Posters
As any Lost fan will tell you, both the fun and the frustration of a J.J. Abrams production is that practically every image and symbol is full of hidden meaning. But these meanings can be difficult to decipher, and who has the time? Thus, as a public service, I've taken the time to figure out the cryptic clues hidden within the five new posters for Abrams' Fringe. You're welcome. (Thanks to TV Week for the images.)
Clue 1: (above) Count Rugen has left forensic evidence. Has he killed someone else's father? Hard to say just yet, but this image does support one of the theories behind Lost's four-toed foot statue: J.J. Abrams thinks adding or subtracting digits is crazy.
Clue 2: Cigarette smoke is artistic.

Clue 3: Don't trust the leaf--he belongs to a secret fraternal organization of other leaves.

Clue 4: Someone had sex with an apple.

Clue 5: Dr. Eckersall, while driving home from a country club dance, picks up a lovely young girl dressed in a sheer evening gown. She climbs into the back seat of the car, because his front passenger seat is crowded with golf clubs, and gives him an address to take her to. As he arrives at the address, he turns to speak to her – and she is gone. The curious doctor rings the doorbell of the address given to him by the mysterious girl. A gray-haired man answers the door and reveals that the girl was his daughter--who died in a car accident a year ago to the day!
Put all the clues together and you can't help but come to one shocking conclusion: it's weird to brag about getting the Transformers writers.

Reader Comments
1. Twist - May 15, 2008 6:17 PM
Looks too much like X-Files. If it didn't have JJ's name on it...
I feel stupid that I missed the sixth finger. Stupid.
2. joe's momma - May 15, 2008 6:17 PM
HA the extra finger on that hand (the one next to the pinky) is a blatantly horizontally-flipped exact copy of the index finger. check out the white splotches on the bottom of the fingers... mirror images. way to go poster makers, couldn't find a real six fingered man? maybe you should hang out more with Christopher Guest.
3. ethan - May 15, 2008 6:18 PM
The first time I read the poster I thought it said "The Fridge" and I thought: "Oh no, someone left a hand print on the refrigerator I'd better clean it off."
4. Tim - May 15, 2008 6:36 PM
and the biggest clue of all, the show starts this fall
5. The Superficial Writer - May 15, 2008 7:12 PM
Alright, buddy, bro, co-worker, I thought nothing could top your recent G.I. Joe post, but "Don't trust the leaf--he belongs to a secret fraternal organization of other leaves." is the greatest sentence I've read all week. I nearly pissed myself from the sheer genius.
Well played.
6. EM - May 15, 2008 8:57 PM
There's an eye in the smoke.
7. buzz_clik - May 15, 2008 9:07 PM
What's with the title treatment? It's like someone learning 3D Studio Max for the first time...
"Look, I totally extruded this text! How bitching am I with this 3D stuff, eh? Nah, I couldn't be arsed changing the font from Helvetica"
And while I'm on it, what's with JJ and the extruded text thing anyways? I'm guessing it'll drift towards the viewer while it comes in and out of focus, a strangely haunting chord playing as it does.
And now I've got my snack on with the analysis thing, the bottom image reminds me of the art for Amon Tobin's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory soundtrack.
8. dicnuts - May 15, 2008 10:41 PM
How is advertising that it's from the writers of Transformers a good thing?
9. jesse - May 15, 2008 11:11 PM
hey... any one notice that the fringe rearranged makes... "the finger"
10. Trevor - May 16, 2008 12:37 AM
i totally agree about the cheesieness of the 3D rendered font, and FULLY agree about the writing of the transformers movie being the thing you OMIT from your resume, not brag about
11. Sarah - May 16, 2008 12:43 AM
Good job Jesse with the anagram.
And yeah, I missed that damn 6th finger as well.
What about the three lights in each picture?
Placed differently each time.
12. sir colin of hunt - May 16, 2008 4:33 AM
If my show had the writers of Transformers I'd stay utterly schtumm about it.
13. Kevlar - May 16, 2008 9:03 AM
There is actually a face in the smoke if you look. follow the edge all the way down (it's a profile of one) and then look at the whole thing. I looks as if it is screaming.
14. Tim - May 16, 2008 10:39 AM
@ #9 -Jesse
maybe it is "finger the" but what are we supposed to finger? that is the real question.
15. mike - May 16, 2008 11:33 AM
looks like fetuses in the apple seeds
16. jb - May 16, 2008 12:47 PM
Did anyone else notice the placement of the yellow lights? There's always one on a different letter. If you rearrange them, the letters spell "green."
17. Colin - May 16, 2008 12:48 PM
To the person who writes this blog,
Did your Mom tell you you were funny when you were young and do you believe it whole-heartedly to this day? Cause let me let you in on something. You're not.
Stick to reporting the movie-news and save your supossed comedic wise cracks for whomever can't understand english.
18. jerry - May 16, 2008 1:00 PM
i believe the 6th finger represents the one that's stuck up your arse for the next 5 months, while you run circles trying to figure out clues in a viral campaign that leads NOWHERE!
or it could me something?
19. Rakesh Thind - May 16, 2008 1:59 PM
Haha funny B@stard! :D
20. Hey- 'suse! - May 16, 2008 4:15 PM
The second one looks like a spit wad
21. Tetra - May 17, 2008 7:51 AM
The smoke makes a face with an open mouth. Having said that, I admire this guys work, but personally find it kind of boring.
#17, then why come? You people always amaze me. Too much free time?
22. Redawg - May 18, 2008 4:55 AM
Like wow man, Totally Tubular...
23. cavemen roared - May 18, 2008 8:54 PM
Four lights in the last poster. And the title... yeah, the light/shadow on the letters is the same for all the posters -- meaningful or just lazy design?
24. gasser - May 22, 2008 4:11 PM
The smoke makes a face blowing a smoke ring, FWIW.
25. DaMosh - June 5, 2008 4:10 PM
The leaf has a triangle in it.