Premiers Tuesday, September 9th, at 8 p.m.

Fringe

Being derivative isn't necessarily a condemnation in television, but given the auspices and hype, "Fringe" disappoints -- mixing a bit of "The X-Files" here and a dollop of "Alias" there, flecks of deeply embedded conspiracies and imperiled humanity. The 90-minute, limited-interruption premiere certainly has ample opportunity to set up the show's elaborate chessboard, but barring major improvements -- or the inevitable warming glow of an "American Idol" lead-in -- the title should do a reasonably good job of describing the show's audience.