Fox picks up "Fringe" for full season

Cast member Joshua Jackson speaks with reporters during the Fox Premiere Party of ''Fringe'' at The Xchange in New York August 25, 2008.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Fox has picked up a full-season order of J.J. Abrams' sci-fi thriller "Fringe."

"Fringe" stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson and John Noble as investigators of paranormal crimes. The network has ordered an additional nine episodes of the Tuesday night drama, which should come as no surprise to those following its ratings performance.

After an OK two-hour premiere August 26, the show jumped significantly in Week 2 when paired with Fox's top-rated drama, "House." Both shows took a hit when competition increased during broadcast premiere week, then demonstrated stability by increasing their audience slightly Tuesday night.

Season to date, "Fringe" has averaged a 4.2 rating/11 share among adults 18-49 and 10.7 million total viewers and ranks as the top freshman series in the adult demographic.

"Fringe" executive producer Abrams, who was a co-creator of "Lost," said that "as with many new series, 'Fringe' is just starting to find its groove. Knowing we'll be around beyond the first thirteen episodes means we'll get to realize the full potential of the show, and for that we are extremely grateful."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter