Pilot (Fringe)

"Pilot"
Fringe episode
Anna Torv as Special Agent Olivia Dunham in a sensory deprivation tank.
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 1
Directed by	Alex Graves
Written by	J. J. Abrams Alex Kurtzman Roberto Orci
Production code	276038
Original air date	September 9, 2008 (2008-09-09)
Running time	81 minutes
Guest appearances
Jason Butler Harner as Richard Steig and Morgan Steig Peter Outerbridge as Dr. Reyes Bernadeta Wrobel as Flight attendant Katerina Taxia as FBI Agent Dawson Peter Sawyer as Denver Man Max Topplin as Angry Teen Shaun Shetty as Indian Man Andreas Frank as Pilot Dennis Mockler as Co-pilot Lee Jay Gladman as CDC officer Andrew Hinkson as Guard Joan Barrett as Old Woman on Plane Jeff Topping as Agent #1 Sean Clement as Agent #2 Anousha Alamian as Agent #4 Kelly King as Nurse Tauqir Shah as Iraqi Businessman #1 Omar Habib as Iraqi Businessman #2 Quinn Martin as Orderly Tre Smith as Man with John's Gurney Jacqueline Beaulieu as Nina's assistant Edward M. Kelahan as Police officer Michael Cerveris as The Observer Rick Parker as Cow Delivery Man Ralph A. Wilburn, Jr. as FBI Agent
Episode chronology
← Previous — Next → "The Same Old Story"
Fringe season 1
List of episodes

The pilot episode of the Fringe television series premiered on the Fox network on September 9, 2008.^[1] The pilot to season 1 was written by the creators of the series—J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci—and directed by Alex Graves. The episode introduces the most central character, Olivia Dunham, portrayed by Anna Torv, an FBI special agent forced into the world of applied fringe science after a number of freak incidents. Dr. Walter Bishop, a scientist formerly incarcerated in a mental institution for over seventeen years, is portrayed by John Noble, while Joshua Jackson plays his son, Peter, who is hired by Olivia to assist with Walter and his work.

Although the pilot was set in and around Boston, Massachusetts, filming occurred in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The episode cost $10 million to produce, making it one of the most expensive pilots in television history. The pilot was leaked online three months prior to its broadcast on television, leading to speculation that it was leaked deliberately to increase interest in the program. However, this was denied by executive producer Bryan Burk. The episode was generally well received by critics, and was watched by 9.13 million American viewers on its premiere.