It's official: Fox renews 'Fringe'

Fox has renewed J.J. Abrams' thriller Fringe for a full 22-episode second season.

"Fringe proved to be a notable addition to our schedule all season, and it really has fans buzzing as it builds to a fantastic season finale," said Kevin Reilly, president of entertainment at Fox. "J.J. and the whole Bad Robot team have been phenomenal partners, and we look forward to years of making great television with them.”

Says series co-creator and executive producer Abrams: “Fringe continues to gain momentum, creatively and with viewers. We couldn't be more thrilled that Fringe will continue to freak people out for at least another season!"

Helped by a strong lead-in from House in the fall and American Idol during the spring, Fringe is the No. 1 rated new series among the adult demo. The season finale is coming soon, here's the official description and season-to-date chart:

Questions will be answered when the first season of FRINGE wraps up with two all-new episodes. First, on Tuesday, May 5 (9:01-10:00 PM ET/PT), Olivia experiences “awake dreams,” Walter divulges key information about the Z.F.T. manifesto and Peter reveals a secret that yields unexpected results in a disturbing case. In the climactic finale airing Tuesday, May 12 (9:04-10:00 PM ET/PT), discoveries are made, loyalties are tested, otherworldly origins are discovered and guest star Leonard Nimoy debuts as a pivotal person of interest.

See: Fringe: The Complete First Season (Amazon)

Here's ratings season to date for Fringe. Compare to charts for Chuck, Heroes and Dollhouse.