Science Channel Snags 'Fringe' in Syndication Deal

Season premiere: Friday, Sept. 23, 9/8c With Peter out of the picture -- one would assume -- the anticipated fourth season opener asks the big question: Where is he and will he be back?

UPDATED: The Discovery Communications-owned cable network will air the sci-fi cult drama.

Fox's Fringe will live on.

Discovery Communications' cable network Science Channel has snagged off-network syndication rights to the sci-fi cult drama, a source confirms to The Hollywood Reporter. The deal is said to be non-exclusive, which will allow studio Warner Bros. TV to offer another syndication window to a streaming service.

PHOTOS: Broadcast TV's Returning Shows for 2012-13 Season

Fringe will begin airing on Science Channel in the fourth quarter of this year.

The news comes one month after the network renewed the low-rated critical darling for a fifth and final 13-episode season, enabling Fringe to reach the all-important 100-episode mark for syndication. The series, which was J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, was moved to Friday nights in its third season, and hit ratings lows on multiple occasions in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demo this past season. The drama hovered around 3 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

The perennial bubble show has maintained a vocal fan base, with critical and awards support, including two Emmy nominations in technical categories.

Fringe reruns will join a network schedule that already includes Ricky Gervais' An Idiot Abroad and reruns of Nathan Fillion's cult drama Firefly. Fringe's John Noble hosted the six-part series Dark Matters: Twisted But True on Science last year.