A couple of weeks back, I spotted a tough-looking bald guy lurking in the audience of American Idol. "Ha!" I thought, "It's 'The Observer' from Fringe!" The show was finally back on the air after a long absence, and I figured it was a clever move to plant that mysterious character in the audience to help promote its return.
But apparently, Idol isn't the only place The Observer has been spotted. The guy's everywhere! In addition to showing up every time a weird Pattern-related incident goes down on Fringe, he's silently attending lots of other events that are broadcast on Fox. So far, he's been spotted at a NASCAR race, a Yankees game, and a football playoff. Apparently, just like on Idol, the announcers never call attention to him — the camera just pans over to him, presumably causing lots of people like me to yell out, "It's the Observer!"
I'm not sure how effective it is as a marketing tactic — if people don't know he's associated with a show, how would his appearance get them to watch? — but it does seem like a fun way to get casual fans more invested. And I'm cracking up at the internal name Fox employees have given to the Observer project: "Where's Baldo?"
Have you spotted The Observer in any unusual places? If you're not a Fringe viewer, did you pick up on anything? And if you were, did seeing him make you think a giant mutant squid was about to leap out of someone's mouth or something? To check out a compilation of Observer moments from the show and a quick clip of him on Idol, just read more.
Photo courtesy of Fox
Wallis
LOL AWESOME I love Fringe it's one of the best new shows on TV great marketing ploy.
1He's in every episode but most of the time he's in a wide shot and he's kind of a blur, but you can tell it's him if you know what you're looking for. Check out Fringe at tv.com and it'll tell you when he's in each episode! I know they tried to get him near the president for the inauguration but that obviously didn't work!
2I saw him on American Idol which is weird because I don't watch AI or Fringe, but I was flipping channels and pointed him out to my friend, "Whoa! Check out the creepy guy they're showing!"
3Ha! That's awesome. I love trying to find the observer on Fringe.
4That's hilarious! I had no idea.
5I love Fringe but I had no idea this was going on, probably because it's the only thing I watch on Fox. It's a good marketing idea. It's very J.J. Aramsesque and it ties in well with the theme of the show. I like it.
6The boyfriend and I were trying to figure out who that guy was, and we figured it was some marketing ploy, but we didn't know for what. Thanks! It's been bugging us for some time now!
7Haha, this is so cool. I'm kinda missing out on it due to not living in the US, but just the fact that they'd do that is hilarious.
8This is awesome!!!
9I say bravo to Fox for actually doing something creative to advertise a show. I love Fringe, so I'm all for anything that helps it get renewed.
10hmm, so Fringe's Observer is pretty much like The Chappelle Show's Robot Guy
sure hope this works!
11I thought I saw the Observer at the DMV today xD
12I've never seen fringe but saw a commercial for it. Then saw this bald dude in a suit on the dance stills last night in " So You Think You Can Dance" then saw him briefly in the audience tonight.
13Love the show...and on some level I wonder if the actor cooked up his first non-fringe sighting and then decided to "work it"...impressive.
I can wait to see him in the back of an Obama press conference.
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