THE MARKET: Will “Fringe” on FOX make it to a tenth episode? The show airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET. Trading will close immediately after an eighth episode is aired. If a tenth episode airs, shares are worth $100. If it doesn’t, they’re worth $0. See TV confirmation guidelines.

THE DATA: “Fringe” premiered to 9 million viewers – disappointing, considering the hype leading up to it. Then it surprised everyone with a strong second episode, pulling in 13.2 million.

OUR TAKE: “Fringe” is about “fringe science” and twisted logic. Its short history has already left logic in the dust. Despite lavish marketing, a mediocre premiere drew modest numbers in the first week. We smelled cancellation. Then the second week saw a dramatic boost. Surely cynics will attribute the bump to the lead-in season premiere of “House,” but the numbers there were actually lousy – just 14.7 million, when last year it averaged 18.3 million. At the same time, the second episode of “Fringe” found its sea legs, introducing a conspiracy plot that didn’t look half-bad. Expect a lot of tinkering with “Fringe” – and perhaps, even now, a slow-burning hit.

LEARN MORE:
See the “Fringe” Home Page.