For Fox’s Fringe, the beginning of the end is near — and to drive that so-sad point home, we have the key art poster touting the series’ fifth, and final, season.

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Premiering Friday, Sept. 28 at 9/8c, the 13-episode farewell run is set almost exclusively in the year 2036 — as was Season 4’s Episode 19, “Letters of Transit”* — as Fringe team members past and future try to solve the hairy problem that is an Earth ruled by Observers.



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Check out the poster here (spy the callouts to the series’ assorted “bumper” icons, like the handprint and apple?), then scroll down to read more about Season 5.



If you’re having trouble preparing to say goodbye to Peter, Olivia, Walter et al, know that showrunner Joel Wyman is, as well. Speaking with me as he prepared to break Season 5, Episode 9, he shared, “It’s getting harder and harder because you realize, ‘Wow, these are really beautiful characters and they’ve all grown so much, and what they’re going through in this last season is profound.’ You realize, ‘Wow, I love these people,’ so it’s bittersweet that way.”

You can get a bit of Season 5 scoop from Wyman here, and stay tuned for my complete Q&A as premiere day nears.

* Fox is rebroadcasting “Letters of Transit” this Saturday night at 11 pm; I for one will definitely be re-re-rewatching.