ACROSS THE VIEW-NIVERSE

Before 'Sliders' came along, Toobworld usually only had one alternate "reality" to deal with - that of the evil mirror universe made most famous in 'Star Trek' (and expanded in 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'). And then 'Sliders' gave us the possibility of hundreds, even thousands, of alternate dimensions to visit.

But 'Fringe', which had FBI Agent Olivia Dunham jump from one dimension to another (where the Twin Towers still stand), will only concern itself with those two versions of Toobworld.

"We're only going to tell a story about two: here and what we're referring to internally as 'over there,'" says producer Jeff Pinkner. "But they are two versions of reality. It's not time travel."

Most of the show will take place in the dimension of Earth Prime-Time, "though what's happening over there will impact what's happening over here."

As for the use of the World Trade Center in the first season finale, which O'Bviously could have upset a lot of viewers, Pinkner said they decided it was an "honest way to represent that there's a different earth and a different New York."

And in the greater scope of Toobworld, the existence of other TV realities - with access to them - is another example that one of the quirks of the Tenth incarnation of the Doctor is that he's a liar. Since the two-part 'Doctor Who' story re-introducing the Cybermen, the Gallifreyan has been insisting that only the Time Lords have the power to cross the dimensional veil; and that since they're all dead, the vortices - especially the one leading to Rose's new homeworld - are closed off forever. (Of course, by the fourth season finale, we saw that Rose showed that up for the lie it is!)

BCnU!

PS:

The Twin Towers were inducted into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame in November of 2001......