'Fringe' to return for shorter fifth and final season?

Fringe could be renewed for a fifth and final season, reports suggest.

It is possible that the sci-fi drama will return to Fox for a shorter run, composed of just 15 episodes, according to TVLine.

The current fourth season of Fringe has seen the show struggle in the ratings, with midseason premiere 'Back to Where You've Never Been' pulling in just 2.87m viewers.

Last week's (February 17) instalment 'A Better Human Being' rose slightly to 3m.

Series star Joshua Jackson (Peter Bishop) recently hinted that the series could continue "off network" if Fox declines to recommission it.

"I think there's a possibility that if people just watched the show on the day and date, and if the numbers came back, [renewal] is a possibility [on Fox]," he said. "[But] the TV landscape is a different place than it used to be, so [cancellation on Fox] might not be death."

Fringe continues on Fridays at 9/8c on Fox. Sky1 airs the show on Wednesdays at 10pm in the UK.

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Watch a promo for new episodes of Fringe below: