Leonard Nimoy Fan Q&A: Have you kept a pair of ears...
We asked you for questions for legendary Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy. Here he is answering another from the many we received.

We asked Leonard Nimoy: How do you feel about CBS Action...
As you know CBS Action recently met up with Leonard Nimoy and chatted to him about his time on Star Trek. Here's another exclusive video where he chats about his time on the cult series.

We asked Leonard Nimoy: Why do you feel that Star Trek's...
As you know CBS Action recently met up with Leonard Nimoy and chatted to him about his time on Star Trek. Here's another exclusive video where he chats about why he thinks Star Trek still appeals to viewers.

We must not overlook the fact that we know that Spock is part human and that we therefore suspect him of being compassionate, even a humanist at heart. Thus we feel safe in placing our fate in his hands. Certainly he would never make a decision that, though logical, would be antihuman. Logic alone might someday dictate the extermination of millions of innocent people in order to relieve overpopulation, food shortages, and ecological problems. In that case we could turn to Spock-the-scientist and know that he would find brilliant solutions to mankind's needs.

So this particular ETI or type of ETI is superior t in his decision making abilities and in his scientific knowledge. But we trust that he will apply these superior assets for our benefit.

Fringe: John Noble Looks Towards the Final Season

IGN TV: Congratulations on the renewal! What did you guys think when you heard it?

John Noble: It seemed like the logical thing to do, for are all sorts of reasons - certainly story-wise. I think it’s a good thing for television to do to keep its audience. We’ve done on our job on Friday nights, what was expected of us, so there’s really no reason for us not to keep going.

IGN: Suffice it to say, I feel we’ve got to see William Bell again.

Noble: Given that we saw his hand in “Letters of Transit!”

IGN: Yes!

Noble: I actually haven’t had that discussion with anyone, truthfully. [Leonard Nimoy] was terrific when he came back for those two episodes. He did a brilliant job, and I know he had a good time. I don’t know. I simply don’t know. But he would always be a popular choice, I think.

Source: IGN

Actor Leonard Nimoy smiles as he is introduced during Boston University's commencement exercises on the school's campus in Boston, Sunday, May 20, 2012. Nimoy, who has also directed films as well as had prominent photography exhibits, was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during the ceremonies. More photos at India Times

Leonard Nimoy: Commencement Wisdom And West End Memories

In Boston, references to a place called the “West End” often provoke quizzical looks. Where is it? What is it?

The West End, in a nutshell, is the area between Beacon Hill and North Station, near Mass. General Hospital and Mass. Eye and Ear Infirmary. The streets are tangled, dominated by huge hospital buildings, residential towers, and parking lots.

It wasn’t always that way. There used to be a tight urban neighborhood there, much like the North End. But it fell victim to the 1950s “urban renewal” craze, when the Boston Redevelopment Authority leveled whole neighborhoods in favor of modern “super blocks,” like Government Center.

Today there are few people left who remember the working-class tenement buildings of the West End. But one of them, remarkably, is actor Leonard Nimoy.

Yes, the man who played Mr. Spock on Star Trek was born and raised in the West End and often speaks fondly of his Boston roots. That’s at least part of the reason why Boston University invited Nimoy to address graduates of the College of Fine Arts on Saturday. Radio Boston‘s Adam Ragusea attended and spoke backstage with Nimoy.

honoluluadvertizer.com
September 8, 2006
By Forrest Hartman

Nimoy reflects on 40 years of 'Star Trek'

The original "Star Trek" television series premiered 40 years ago today, and actor Leonard Nimoy can barely believe it.

"Can you imagine?" he asks. "It's 40 years. ... Years ago, parents would say to me, 'Oh, my kids love your show.' Now, a lot of kids say to me, 'My folks love your show.' The generation thing has really turned itself upside down."

Nimoy made a mark on science-fiction and television history with his portrayal of Vulcan science officer Mr. Spock, a character whose pointed ears and cold, logical demeanor have become as much a part of American pop culture as "Star Wars" and Barbie dolls.

(...)

"It's all about trying to make the world and the universe a better place," he says. "I'm proud to be connected with it. I think we need that in our lives. We need ethical, heroic people trying to do the right thing to help others and to improve life on this planet and in the universe."

(...)

Even with 40 years of "Star Trek" behind us, the series is poised to move boldly into the future. There's talk of a movie directed by "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams.

"The story that I've heard bandied about is an idea that's been floating around for some time," Nimoy says. "The idea of going back to academy days, where Spock and Kirk first meet."

Nimoy says his agency received a courtesy call from Paramount Pictures indicating that the studio is going forward with a new film, but he doesn't know if he or William Shatner, who originated the role of Capt. James T. Kirk, will be involved in the project. (more)

Washington Post
September 9, 2006
By Michael Cidoni

'Star Trek' marks 40th anniversary

LOS ANGELES - Cue the iconic theme music: Forty years ago, on September 8, 1966, (September 9 in Manila) Star Trek lifted off into TV and cultural history. Over the subsequent decades, the sci-fi adventure series has amassed millions of fans and emerged as a relentless entertainment empire.

Stars William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy sat down recently with the Associated Press and recalled "The Man Trap," the episode that would kick off the show's three-year prime-time run.

"The first show that was on the air was a show with a creature that was a salt sucker," recalled Nimoy. "It was somebody inside a weird-looking suit and it attacked humans because it needed the copper or the salt out of your body to survive or something like that."

"That was the first one?" asked Shatner.

"Yes, that was the first one on the air," Nimoy answered. "And it was because NBC decided that this series would be most successful if we had sort of a monster of the week to sell. What's the monster this week? And so they put a monster show on the air the first episode, and I think it was a terrible mistake, because it was really not what we were about."

(...)

This blast from the past got Nimoy reminiscing. "I first met Bill several years after Star Trek went off the air," he joked, inspiring Shatner to laugh.

"That's a funny line," Shatner injected. "We're talking about Star Trek 40 years and that's the first time he said that."

"We were too busy making the show to meet," Nimoy continued.

Shatner: "He'd go into makeup early in the morning, and I'd arrive jauntily hours later, and then have to drag him — by three hours in makeup, he was exhausted. Rest of the day, I'd have to drag him along."

"He'd carry me the rest of the day," Nimoy said, jokingly. "And I'd say to him, literally, `Who are you? What's your name?"

"Literally," Shatner said, completing the comic riff. "I had to introduce myself by the third year. This is Frick and Frack. We do this all the time." (more)

 

BU Today
Date 05.16.2012
By Amy Laskowski

Star Trek’s Mr. Spock to Speak at CFA Convocation
Leonard Nimoy will also receive honorary degree

When it was announced at Senior Breakfast that actor Leonard Nimoy, best known for his role as Mr. Spock in the iconic 1960s television series Star Trek, would receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree at BU’s 2012 Commencement, the room erupted in cheers, many seniors spreading their fingers in the Vulcan salute he made famous.

(...)

On Saturday, the day before he receives an honorary degree, Nimoy will deliver the College of Fine Arts convocation address. Benjamin Juarez, dean of CFA, says Nimoy, whom he calls “an inspiring educator and a most generous philanthropist,” is a perfect choice to address graduating students.

(...)

BU Today: You grew up in Boston’s West End, the son of Ukranian immigrants. How has the neighborhood changed?

Nimoy: It’s not the West End anymore; it’s become something completely different. It was a tenement neighborhood, all attached three- or four-story brick walk-ups. It was an immigrant neighborhood, mostly Italian, some Jews, some Irish and Polish. It was bordered by Mass General Hospital and North Station on the other end, and the Charles River. On Charles Street there was a building known as the Elizabeth Peabody Playhouse. Peabody was renowned for starting the kindergarten movement in the United States.

The playhouse was given the mission of helping immigrants find their way into the culture, so they offered various classes in social issues, cultural issues, homemaking, how to open a bank account, classes in English because most of the immigrants were not English-speaking people, a basketball court and a sports program, and a beautiful little theater.

When I was eight I started to hang out there after school, and I became involved in the theater almost by accident. They asked me to sing a song one day, and then they cast me in the lead of a production of Hansel and Gretel. I found I liked acting. They would call on me time and time again to be in this play or that play. When I was 17, I acted in my first adult play, and that started me on a serious path to become an actor.

Boston was wonderful for me. The academia and the arts in Boston were very strong, and I was heavily influenced by all of that. The Peabody Playhouse took us on trips to museums and theaters and concerts, and a lot of that formed my awareness. I found Boston to be very stimulating, but I left when I was 18 to go to California to start pursuing acting.

(...)

Who are some of today’s actors and directors you admire?

I think Johnny Depp is an amazingly creative and inventive person, and Robert Downey, Jr. I love to see their inventiveness and their adventurousness in character choices and performances.

I can’t honestly tell you that I have any favorite directors at the moment. But I always try to see Woody Allen’s films because he is so unique; you don’t always see people doing what Woody Allen does. He is always interesting, if not wonderful.

Clint Eastwood has had an incredible career; his longevity impresses me. And his continued energy impresses me. In Million Dollar Baby, he pulled off euthanasia without any problems. I remember sitting there stunned how Eastwood euthanized that young woman, played by Hilary Swank, out of sympathy and empathy, and there were no people marching in the streets. I didn’t see anyone getting up in arms about it. I think Massachusetts is about to put Death with Dignity on the ballot. My wife has been very active in raising funds to get it on the ballot.

(...)

What are you working on these days?

It’s really hard to say. I’m trying to find my way now. My path is not as clear to me as it was in the past. In the past I knew precisely what I was doing. I like to say that I was majoring in career and minoring in family, and now I think it’s shifted. I’m much more interested in my family now and less in my career. I’m making some choices, working on what I find interesting. I won’t go away on long jobs or travel far distances to work on projects. I’ve acted all over the United States and a number of countries, and it doesn’t intrigue me like it used to. I’m now much more interested in being with my children and six grandchildren. I’m enjoying my life. I do an occasional voice job or on-camera appearance. I did a voice appearance on the Big Bang Theory a few months back. It’s a very smart show; I enjoyed doing it.

Any advice for students trying to break into the business?

I am going to say in my speech that I have three words of advice: persistence, persistence, persistence. Bring yourself to the work, bring us what you have, we need it, we crave it, we want and need what the arts offers us. And don’t create any more reality TV shows. (more)

FRINGE 4.22 'Brave New World, Part 2'

Hours after "Brave New World, Part 2" aired, the initial feedback from several "Fringe" fans was that that this episode lacked the intensity and cliffhanger ending of previous season finales. To a certain extent, that's true. But it appears to have been done so that "Fringe" could end with several notes of closure in case there wasn't going to be a fifth season. And there very nearly wasn't. With only a few edits, this could have served as the final episode of "Fringe." Only the fate of William Bell and the pending Observer invasion hang over the series as unresolved plot points.

Looking back at the fourth season as a whole, it's amazing that the writers were able to seed this storyline without being obvious about it. On the surface, the transformed humans and the repeated attempts to activate Olivia's powers felt like completely unrelated elements. However, it came together really effectively in the end. Last week's episode even reminded viewers that cortexiphan could regenerate organic tissue, which made Olivia's survival feel like less of a cheat.

It's also extremely fortuitous that Leonard Nimoy broke his retirement to come back for two more appearances as William Bell. I can't recall Nimoy in any other villainous roles off the top of my head, but Bell wasn't strictly evil. Crazy and desperate may be better descriptions, but there's an underlying charm to Bell's madness that comes through in Nimoy's performance. He's not a mustache twirling villain and he seemed genuinely happy to have Walter around. Similarly, there was an echo of heartache when the departing Bell told the Bishops that they could have been happy together.

I half expected this episode to deal with Bell definitively, but his escape leaves the door open for his return in the fifth season.

Source: Crave Online

'Fringe': Now that Leonard Nimoy is back, vote for your favorite villain

"Fringe" has had some great villains over the years, but the return of Leonard Nimoy as William Bell in the first part of the season finale "Worlds Apart" might mean the end of both universes. Bell wants to create his own new world and it doesn't matter who dies in the attempt.

After four seasons, we want to know who your favorite villain is. The nefarious David Robert Jones (Jared Harris)? Alt Nina (Blair Brown)? Belly? Or is it someone else? Vote for your choice in our poll.

Source: Zap2it

Fringe Season Finale: William Bell is Back, But What's His Crazy Plan for Olivia?

Bell is Back: While watching this episode, we got to put our Irish Literature knowledge to good use. William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) is back and is one crazy Yeats-quoting scientist. He kidnaps Walter (John Noble) to lure Olivia (Anna Torv) and use her as a weapon to collapse both universes. Nice guy. But Walter plays the trump card and kills Olivia.

Source: E Online

CNN
May 11th, 2012
By Henry Hanks

What lured Leonard Nimoy back to 'Fringe?'

Two years ago we spoke to Leonard Nimoy about what was to be his final acting role on "Fringe."

Just over a year ago, Nimoy returned to voice the role of William Bell in a partially-animated episode of the cult sci-fi series.

One "Transformers" movie and one "Big Bang Theory" episode later (both voice roles as well, mind you), viewers were stunned to see Nimoy return once again to "Fringe" in his first appearance on-screen in two years. So what brought him back?

"I think 'Fringe' is a wildly imaginative show," he told reporters on Thursday. "The writers and the creators of the show, the producers, are very bright and very theatrical. All the characters are fleshed out wonderfully and the chemistry amongst the cast is terrific. I wanted to be part of this project."

(...)

Nimoy - who noted that he had to keep his "Fringe" appearance a secret for a few months - was also attracted to the "challenges" of the new William Bell, who is a lot more sinister in this new universe of season four.

"It was explained to me that we’re opening up a whole world and a whole new can of peas, so to speak, and William Bell is being recreated as something else," said Nimoy, "That intrigued me, and I was excited to go back to work."

(...)

And what about more acting?

"The door is not completely closed. Obviously, I said a couple of years ago that I was retiring and here I am talking about a performance that I just gave. There are certain special situations that come along that can intrigue me. This one did. It’s nice to get off the couch and throw the clothes on and a little makeup and go back to work every once in a while. I still enjoy it." (more)

E Online
11. Mai 2012
By Drusilla Moorhouse

Fringe's Leonard Nimoy Talks William Bell's "Bizarre" (Eeevil?) Transformation…and Whether He'll Be Back

William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) is back on Fringe—and badder than ever.

Silly us: This whole season we thought David Robert Jones (Jared Harris) was the evil genius planning to take over the world, but turns out he's just a pawn in Billy Bell's monstrous plot. (Probably involving actual monsters, just chilling in an almond warehouse.)

So what exactly is his endgame? The not-so-retired Nimoy gave us some scoop about tonight's finale—and what's next…

"The character of William Bell started out to be rather [ambiguous]," Nimoy mused. "We weren't quite sure whether we were supposed to enjoy him or be afraid of him. At the end of the last season he seemed to come around to be less dangerous. This season, I think things have taken another turn—he's in another universe and has taken on other characteristics.

"You're going to see some interesting activities on the part of William Bell [tonight]," the OG Spock said, cackling. "This character has gotten himself out on a limb and is doing some wonderfully theatrical and bizarre activities. He has become a world of his own. Take that as a hint." (more)

Collider
May 11th, 2012
By Christina Radish

Leonard Nimoy Talks FRINGE Season Finale, the STAR TREK Sequel, THE BIG BANG THEORY, and More

Lately, you’ve been playing a lot of these bad guy roles, with William Bell and in Transformers 3. Do you prefer playing the bad guy rather than the good guy?

NIMOY: I don’t have a preference for bad people, no. I have an interest in playing a broad range of characters. Obviously, I’m mostly identified with a character who is very responsible, very solid and very intelligent, but there are plenty of questionable characters in my past career. I’m interested in exploring theatricality and characters with some dimension. William Bell certainly has that.

How long have you held onto the secret of your return, and what was involved in keeping that secret?

NIMOY: Well, I’m not sure exactly the amount of time. I would say it was somewhere around two or three months from the time that I knew I was going to do it until now. I’m a sucker for a good role and J.J. Abrams, the executive producer of the show, is a friend of mine. When he calls, I take his call. The writers and producers, Joel Wyman and Jeff Pinkner, and the cast, are a wonderful bunch of people and I enjoy being there. When they called and asked me if I would do it, it was pretty easy to convince me that there was an interesting challenge in the character and a very wonderful company to work with.

(...)

Obviously, Fringe recently got the great news that they just got renewed for one final season. I know you probably can’t say exactly what’s going to happen with William Bell in the finale, but if there was an opportunity to see him again, somewhere in those final 13 episodes, is that something you’re open to?

NIMOY: I’m sure that we will be having conversations about that before too long. I haven’t heard anything new about William Bell or the show, except that it has been picked up for 13 episodes, which I think is wonderful. I know the company was hoping that they could have another season to close out successfully. I haven’t heard anything about Bell coming back, but I’m sure I’ll be getting a call. We’ll talk about it. It will depend on my schedule. It will depend on what they have in mind for the character. There are a lot of issues that have to be dealt with, but we’ll be talking.

(...)

Is it important for you to keep up with what is going on with the world of Fringe, or did you have to catch up again?

NIMOY: I have a general picture. I haven’t watched all the episodes, but I have a general picture of what has been happening and where my character fits, in the overall arc of the story. I think they’ve done a really wonderful job of finding ways to reinvent the story and the characters. When I was asked about coming on this season, I said that I thought the mystery of William Bell had gone away by the end of the last season because it was pretty clear that he was a pretty decent guy. I said, “Where are we going to go now?” It was explained to me that we’re opening up a whole world and a whole new can of peas, so to speak, and William Bell is being recreated as something else. That intrigued me, and I was excited to go back to work.

NIMOY: Well, my feeling is that they don’t need me. They’ve got a wonderful cast. Zachary Quinto has taken on the character of Spock, and I think he is wonderfully suited. He is a talented guy. He is a very intelligent actor, and very well trained. They’ve got a great company of people replacing all of us. I don’t think they need me, frankly. It’s flattering to be talked about, but I just don’t think they need me. I understand, by the way, that they have just finished shooting and they’ve got a wonderful actor, Mr. Cumberbatch, who has a great reputation in the UK, and I think is going to build a reputation here in the United States, very quickly. The Sherlock Holmes series that he is famous for in the UK has come to the United States, and I think he’s going to be very quickly recognized as a major talent. He’s in the movie. I think they’re going to do just fine. (more)

NBC Chicago
Friday, May 11, 2012
By Scott Huver

Leonard Nimoy Returns to 'Fringe' - Is 'Star Trek 2' In His Future Too?

Actor/sci-fi icon Leonard Nimoy has been lured out of his self-imposed retirement from acting to reprise his fascinating role as…no, not that one (yet, anyway). Actually, Nimoy’s back as “Fringe’s” mysterious scientist William Bell for the show’s fourth season finale.

(...)

On being swayed by the prospect of digging even deeper in his “Fringe” character:

“The character of William Bell started out to be rather ambivalent. We weren’t quite sure whether we were supposed to enjoy him or be afraid of him. We couldn’t quite figure out what his motivation was. At the end of last season, he seemed to come around to be less dangerous. This season I think things have taken another turn. He’s in another universe and has taken on other characteristics. There were challenges in the character itself that were attractive to me. I could play aspects of a character that I haven’t played in a long time, so it was very welcoming to me…Obviously, I’m mostly identified with a character who is very responsible and very solid and very intelligent, but there are plenty of questionable characters in my past career. I’m interested in exploring theatricality and characters with some dimension. William Bell certainly has that.

On the reinvented version of the world-spanning William Bell:

“He has become a world of his own. Take that as a hint… think what you’re going to see is probably the most interesting of it all because the character has become very exotic – ‘very exotic’ is the best word I can come up with at the moment. He’s got himself out on a limb and doing some very strange and fantastic things with his powers. I think what you’ll see is probably the culmination of a lot of wonderful eyes coming together…The William Bell character started out to be a very intelligent and rational character. I think he’s still very, very intelligent but I’m not quite so sure he’s rational anymore. I think you’ll see some behaviors tomorrow night that have taken him quite a distance from where he started.”

On acting opposite frequent “Fringe” scene partner John Noble:

“Working with John is always a treat, and I think the relationship between William Bell and John’s character has been very well written so that we have some delicious scenes to play with each other. I look forward to it. When I began working with him I admired what he was doing – we kind of hit it off personally and in character. I think the chemistry between the two characters has worked very well. It was a very satisfying experience working with him.”

On his recent experience watching the space shuttle Enterprise – named for the TV starship – flown to New York to be installed in a museum:

“It was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever experienced, to see that 747 fly by with the Enterprise Shuttle piggybacked the way they did. I was out there at JFK when they did their flyby at about 500 feet. It was an amazing sight, and then they went around the city, they went around Manhattan. They landed right in front of us and I was asked to get up and say a few words. I talked about the fact that we, the ‘Star Trek’ company, had been invited to be there in 1976 when that shuttle was first rolled out out of the hangar and the Air Force band played the theme from ‘Star Trek.’ It was thrilling then and it was thrilling now just to see that amazing ship come back home. It’s going to be parked on the Intrepid in New York City as a part of their permanent museum. I’m looking forward to being there to visit it there. The whole space program has given us, I think, an enormous lift as a people. It was President Kennedy who said we were going to send a man to the moon and bring him back safely and we did it. I give so much credit to the scientists and engineers who make these wondrous things happen and I encourage young people to think about the sciences as a future for themselves.” (more)

Spinoff Online
May 11th, 2012
By Steve Sunu

Leonard Nimoy on His Return to ‘Wildly Imaginative’ Fringe

In fact, Nimoy’s entire career has been exciting for him, and the actor expressed how grateful he was to have had the opportunity to pursue and thrive in a job he loves.

“The journey that I’ve been on has been a very blessed journey,” he said. “When I was 17, I started out in the hopes of making a living as an actor and I feel I have been blessed with the kind of opportunities I’ve been given. I’ve acted all over the United States, I’ve acted in countries all around the world, I’ve acted on stage as much as I’ve wanted to, a couple times on Broadway, toured several times in various productions in the United States and met all kinds of wonderful people in wonderful cities — television, film, radio, commercials, I’ve had a taste of it all, I’m a very, very thankful person.” (more)

Cushing Coliseum at KSC will be transformed into a television studio Jan. 5-6 when it becomes the site of the 1974 Cerebral Palsy Celebrity Parade of Stars 20-hour telethon. Among the personalities appearing during the telecast will be Leonard Nimoy, Mr. Spock on “Star Trek”; Barry Williams, Greg on “The Brady Bunch”; and country-western singer Conny Van Dyke Source: thane on Flicker

Speakers & Honorees

As is Boston University’s tradition, the names of the Commencement Speaker and honored guests were announced on May 3 during the annual Senior Breakfast.

Eric E. Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, will deliver the University’s 139th Commencement address. The Honorable Sandra L. Lynch, chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, will speak at the Baccalaureate Service.

Others who will receive honorary degrees are: Norman R. Augustine, retired chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin; Thomas G. Kelley, retired Massachusetts Secretary of Veterans’ Services; and Leonard S. Nimoy, acclaimed actor, director, recording artist, author, and photographer.

Family and friends not able to be at Nickerson Field can still watch the Commencement ceremony including the commencement address and awarding of honorary degrees via live webcast or listen to the ceremony locally on Boston radio station WBUR 90.9FM.

Source: BU

Artist Cindy Sherman was toasted by friends at Super Linda in TriBeCa Friday night. Stars including Michael Stipe, Chuck Close, E lliott Gould, Dakota Jackson and Leonard Nimoy turned out to celebrate Sherman, whose MoMA show drew raves.

Source: New York Post

'Fringe' 'Brave New World Part 1': Guess who's still alive!

Someone isn't dead, and if you don't want to know who it is, stop here until you've watched the episode. There is no going back now. Yes, "Fringe" fans. Part one of the season finale has brought back a character we didn't know was out of amber. William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) is alive!

Source: Zap2It

Fringe Shockers: David Robert Jones' Boss Is Revealed! And Is [Spoiler] Dead?!

If Fox had not renewed Fringe last week, the Internet would be on fire right now, torched to the ground, given the jaw-dropping events of Season 4′s penultimate hour.

For starters, very early into the episode it was revealed that the devious, deviant David Robert Jones in fact does answer to someone. And that someone is no less than… William Bell, played by a not-very-retired Leonard Nimoy.

“Don’t confuse a winning move with a winning game,” Belly told his cohort in the wake of the Fringe team snuffing their plan to infect humans with nanobots.

Of course, TVLine just days ago sought to confirm Nimoy’s return, given the wealth of recent hints at Bell’s resurrection. After reminding that the Star Trek alum has a standing invitation to return, EP Joel Wyman said, “Once you kind of realize the extent of everything, it will probably become clear why we’re not [writing ourselves into a corner]” with all the clues.

Source: TV Line

Fringe Review: Olivia Dunham, Superhero!

I have to give credit to producers who can hold a press conference and successfully retain the big secrets. As a writer, I've come to trust Joel Wyman and Jeff Pinkner when they say something, so I didn't think twice during a recent Fringe interview when they said they had so far been unsuccessful in begging Leonard Nimoy to return to acting and had resorted to planting signs in his yard. A slight exaggeration, maybe.

But when a legend in his field retires, to come back is one hell of a nod the material being written for him.

Source: TV Fanatic

FRINGE 4.21 'Brave New World, Part 1'

First off, I have to give the producers of "Fringe" credit for bringing back Leonard Nimoy as William Bell without hyping it in the press. They even hinted at it two weeks ago during the flashforward episode, "Letters of Transit." But unless this story was broken on a spoiler site somewhere, I don't think anyone expected to see Nimoy back on the show so quickly... or at all after his self-proclaimed retirement from on-camera acting two years ago.

In retrospect, it makes complete sense that William Bell is still alive in this timeline. Without Peter around, Jones must have crossed over to the other universe and made contact with Bell as he planned to in the first season. But somehow, instead of killing Bell, Jones ended up as his acolyte in this mad scheme to recreate the universe in their image. Likewise, the events of the second season finale must not have played out as we remember them, otherwise Bell would still be dead.

Source: Crave Online

‘Fringe’ recap: Surprise, surprise

While Walter investigates the smoking corpses of the nanobot victims, he runs into surprise No. 2: guest star Rebecca Mader. Another “Lost” alum visiting “Fringe.” Mader plays Jessica Holt, one of the people infected with the tiny robots who volunteers to be Walter’s guinea pig. Walter is able to use her to come up with a cure, but more importantly, Olivia triggers more of her Cortexiphan powers trying to save Jessica from overheating. Olivia is quickly becoming the superhuman Walter and William Bell experimented to create.

Fringe Division connects the nanobots to David Robert Jones, but Walter recognizes their design. They practically have William Bell’s signature all over them, which leads to probably the biggest surprise of the night: the return of Leonard Nimoy. “Fringe” hinted in the past few episodes to William Bell’s involvement, but I was certain Nimoy had retired from acting after his last “Fringe” appearance. Though I should have seen it coming. He did lend his voice to an episode of “Big Bang Theory” this year as well. In a world of spoilers, it was a happy thrill.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Fringe 4.21 "Brave New World: Part One" Review

Even though “Letters of Transit” hinted at Leonard Nimoy’s return as William Bell, I didn’t really expect to see Nimoy so fully reprise his role as the enigmatic Belly. I think it’s a credit to everyone involved that they were able to keep such a big secret so completely under wraps.

I love the juxtaposition of the fact that Olivia spent season 1 hell-bent on proving an innocent Bell guilty with the fact that a guilty Bell now seems to be the one behind Jones’ scheming. Fringe always has excelled at symmetry. This does make me wonder, though, if perhaps Bell was more involved in the Pattern than we thought he was, which casts something of a shadow on the Belly we’ve gotten to know and love. That being said, this version of Bell who is willing to destroy two universes to create a third of his own design doesn’t exactly mesh with the version who would sacrifice himself to send Peter, Walter, and Olivia back home across universes. I’ve always loved the dynamic between Walter and Bell, and I think John Noble and Leonard Nimoy play off one another wonderfully. I honestly never thought we’d get another chance to see the two on screen together again – not least of all because Mr. Nimoy was retired – but I’ve never been so glad to be proven wrong!

Source: TV Overmind

On Fringe, confronting your demons is just what the bad guy wants you to do

Belly is back! And our heroes are heading into the belly of the beast! Sorry, couldn't resist.

William Bell is still alive in this timeline, because he didn't sacrifice his life during the effort to rescue Peter Bishop from the Other Side. (Because there was no Peter Bishop.) And he's a full-fledged baddie, who's apparently been behind the whole evil scheme involving David Robert Jones, alt-Nina, alt-Broyles, the new-fangled shapeshifters, Cortexiphan kids, amphilicite, merging the two universes, and all the rest. This makes a lot of sense — William Bell developed the shapeshifters the first time around, so it's not surprising he's the real culprit again. And he was instrumental in the Cortexiphan trials.

This also explains why David Robert Jones always seemed a bit aimless as a villain this season — he wasn't the one really pulling the strings. He was just another puppet. (Of course, if Leonard Nimoy had turned out not to be available after all, then no doubt Jones would have been the big bad in any case. And it's great that Nimoy comes back in an episode called "Brave New World, Part 1," since he starred in one of the few adaptations of Huxley's novel.)

In any case, in last night's episode William Bell does things that apparently are designed to make our heroes confront their terrible pasts, in very specific ways.

Source: io9

Fringe: Yeah Science!

However, I have to hand it to the Fringe showrunners. It was just Wednesday that they dodged questions about Leonard Nimoy's future role in the series to the tune of "we're trying to get him back," so I wasn't expecting Bell to return so soon, if at all. And you know what? It was great to see Nimoy on-screen even though I'm convinced he's actually the animatronic Abraham Lincoln that escaped from Disneyland's Hall of Presidents. Plus, he makes a kick-ass enemy (if indeed he is an enemy). Good villains don't think they're villains, but believe they're doing something good. This could be the case with Bell, because I believed Nina when she said Bell would never do something as crazy as destroy two universes to create a third universe. Or maybe he has a God complex and really does want to press the reset button on life as we know it.

Source: TV.com

Fringe: "Brave New World, Part 1" Review

Following up on the big surprise in "Letters of Transit", Leonard Nimoy appears to reprise his role as William Bell. It's not CGI, it's not just a voice role for him, it's the real deal in the flesh and on the screen, despite his previous vow that he was done with on-camera appearances. Nimoy pulled a Brett Favre on us.

- FOX
But, just like Favre, every time Nimoy comes back he changes the face of the game. With Nimoy in the mix a lot more questions pop up along with a new story behind his death. Despite having a new "timeline" to use to explain Bell's aliveness, the producers chose instead to keep him supposedly dead. In an interesting twist, in this version of events Bell died in a car accident. Or... did he? I'm happy to have Bell back, hell I wish he never left, but I still feel like the circumstances surrounding his returns get odder each time.

Still, his presence really kicks things up a notch and makes all the mystery even more enticing. An "evil" William Bell should make the perfect character foil for Walter as we wrap up the series.

Source: IGN

'Fringe' Producers Deny Alternate Season 4 Ending And Tease Season 5

In the 19th episode of the current season, "Letters of Transit;" it was implied that Leonard Nimoy's William Bell had somehow survived his apparent demise in the current timeline. The only problem with that is Nimoy very publicly retired from on-camera acting after appearing in the second season finale of "Fringe." Nimoy's only subsequent appearance on the series was via voiceover during an animated segment in the third season.

Regardless, Wyman and Pinkner expressed optimism that Nimoy will return and indicated that the storyline will work even if Nimoy refuses to come back.

“Once you kind of realize the extent of everything, it will probably become clear why we’re not [writing ourselves into a corner],” explained Wyman.

Pinkner jokingly added “We basically erected a sign outside of Leonard’s house that says, ‘Please come back to Fringe,’ and we are hoping that by Season 5 he says yes.”

Source: Crave Online