What Can "Fringe" Fans Expect in 2011?

"Fringe" will be back on Fox TV in Jan 2011 on Friday nights. What can fans expect form a show that had such a staggeringly solid dramatic arc in the first half of Season 3?

Here are five plotlines to watch when "Fringe" returns:

The Olivia/Peter Romance

Is it dead? Things don't look good after that devastating final scene in Marionette when Peter was left with just the empty chair. Olivia's realization that Peter seem to "gel" with her doppelganger more than her was played with brutal honesty. It will take some doing to put these two back together again...and fans might not be sure they want the romance to work anyway.

Walternate's Plan

As the "Fringe" big bad Walternate is a fascinating character who it doesn't seem is going to give up anytime soon on his doomsday machine idea. The fact that he appears to be manipulating events on both sides is hideously wonderful. As great as John Noble is when he is Walter his performance as Walternate is chilling and ominous. Walternate is likely to really get to stretch his legs in 2011.

There's Only One Broyles

We know there is more than one of everything in the "Fringe" world, but now there is only one Broyles after the sacrifice that the alternative universe's Broyles made for Olivia in "Marionette." What effect will this have on the two sides? One has lost a leader, whom they killed as a traitor, and the other...well, they may have gained strength as one of their strongest warriors now has a real resolve and a reason to disrupt Walternate's plans in 2011 that is far more personal than just saving the world.

Walter Running Massive Dynamics

The first part of the season was so filled with great drama involving the two worlds that we barely got to see what happens when Walter is in charge of Massive Dynamics. We got a glimpse of some fun in that briefing scene with the MD folks and Walter's bizarre attempts to address them as a leader...but there is a lot more fun and wonder to be had with Walter at the head of what was William Bell's empire.

What Are the Observers Up To?

We'd have a better idea if we just knew who they were, but it's clear the observers are going to play a bigger role in the second part of Season 3. Where they come in is a hazy fog right now, but obviously they feel something is not right ("He's still alive."...who?). The Observers are the true wild card of "Fringe" and it's going to be fascinating to see where exactly they fit in during the show's 2011 run.